is no proof, therefore, that Waterland had any higher compliment paid to him, in this instance, than that which the two other Heads of colleges received at the same timeP.

This was the memorable occasion which gave rise to the most vehement attacks upon Dr. Bentley, and brought him, for a time, into public disgrace. His extraordinary claim of a large additional fee from each of the twenty-nine remaining Doctors in Divinity, brought on a controversy which continued for nearly a year; when Bentley was first suspended by the Vice-Chancellor, and then actually degraded by a vote of the Senate. In these proceedings Waterland seems to have avoided, as much as possible, taking any active part. Perhaps, he was absent

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PIt is stated also in the Biographia Britannica, that soon after he had received his degree of D. D. at Cambridge," he was incorporated in the same degree at Oxford; being presented, with a large encomium, by Dr. Delaune, President of St. John's Col"lege in that University." In this, again, there seems to be some mistake; Dr. Waterland's name not being found in the list of Oxford Graduates; where it would hardly have been omitted, if he had become an incorporated member. Probably, he was admitted only ad eundem; an honorary admission, not carrying with it the privileges of an incorporated member. Dr. Delaune was at that time the Margaret Professor of Divinity; and might, perhaps, officiate in the absence of the Regius Professor, whose duty it is to present to Degrees in that faculty; and he would, no doubt, gladly avail himself of such an opportunity to do justice to Waterland's merits. Dr. Delaune is eulogized by Waterland's biographer, as "a Divine of distinguished learning " and eloquence, and author of an excellent Sermon on Original "Sin." This Sermon was first published singly, and afterwards in a volume of discourses by the same Author, in 1728; and it well deserves the commendation bestowed upon it.

during a part of the time when they were carrying on; or, if present, might be unwilling to join those who were eager to lower the pretensions of one whom they regarded with envy or with dread; while a conviction of some impropriety, at least, in the part which his friend had acted, would not suffer him to come forward in his vindication. It was scarcely possible, however, to observe a strict neutrality between parties whose impetuosity was so little under the restraint of personal decorum. Bentley hastily, and unjustly, attacked Dr. Colbatch, as the supposed author of an anonymous tract against him, which was soon avowed to be the production of Conyers Middleton. Dr. Colbatch's friends, and Dr. Waterland among the rest, united to rescue him from so unworthy an imputation. The paper to which Dr. Waterland's signature was affixed, contained a strong declaration against Bentley's treatment of Colbatch, and was issued by the Heads of colleges, upon a formal complaint having been made to them by the party aggrieved. Yet it by no means follows, from his concurrence in this single measure, that Waterland approved of the persecuting spirit which marked the other proceedings of Bentley's adversaries.

This contest, which was carried on, with more or less vehemence, from the latter end of the year 1717, to the early part of 1724, ended at last in Bentley's restoration. Waterland was one of a Syndicate appointed, in the long vacation of 1723, (when the issue in favour of Bentley was, perhaps, anticipated,) to take such measures as might be deemed best for the interests of the whole body. The Grace for the appointment of the Syndicate runs thus:-" Sept.

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“26, 1723. Whereas the cause between you and the "Master of Trinity college is drawing near to a de"termination, and there may be occasion for resolu❝tions to be taken, without sufficient time to consult "the University, may it please you that the Vice"Chancellor, Dr. Sherlock, Dean of Chichester, (who " has taken a great deal of useful pains in the cause,) "Dr. Gooch, Dr. Waterland, Dr. Colbatch, Mr. Ar"cher, Mr. Green, and Mr. Heald, or any three of them, (whereof the Vice-Chancellor to be one,) may "have the power to do any act or acts that may be necessary or convenient, in carrying on, prosecuting, and finishing the said cause, in such way or "manner as they in their judgment shall think most "for the benefit of the University:-and that what they may do therein may be confirmed, ratified, and "held good, as the act or acts of this University." Dr. Bentley was restored on the 26th of March following.

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Upon reviewing these circumstances, it is still difficult to determine how far Waterland really favoured Bentley's cause. When the violent and bitter Remarks upon Bentley's proposals for a new edition of the Greek Testament were published, anonymously, in the year 1721, it is said that the public voice in the University fixed, at first, upon Waterland as the author: and some loose papers have been found in Dr. Colbatch's hand-writing, intimating that Bentley himself was of that opinion, and that he thought there was no other of his opponents capable of such a performance. It is said also, that when Middleton, within a few days, avowed himself to be the author, Bentley affected not to believe him. Perhaps, the real state

of the case might be, that Waterland's personal regard for Bentley suffered some abatement from that sense of public duty which led him to disapprove, if not openly to censure, the conduct so strongly reprobated by a large and respectable portion of the University; and that Bentley, quick and keen in his resentments, would ill bear any diminution of his friend's esteem. But that Waterland still continued earnestly desirous of seeing him restored to his well-earned honours and distinctions, may be inferred both from the share he had in at last effecting that restoration, and also from his apparent reluctance to join in the clamour against him, or to give any countenance to the virulent invectives that issued from his opponents.

During these disputes, indeed, we find Dr. Waterland more profitably occupied, not only in those writings, hereafter to be noticed, which stamped his character as an author and a Divine, but also in matters of special importance to the interests of the University. In the year 1721, the question was agitated between Bishop Gastrell and Mr. Samuel Peploe, respecting the comparative validity of Lambeth degrees and University degrees. The dispute arose out of the appointment of Mr. Peploe, then only Master of Arts in the University of Oxford, to the wardenship of Manchester college, in Bishop Gastrell's diocese of Chester: and it being a necessary qualification that the Warden should be a Bachelor in Divinity, Mr. Peploe, instead of taking this degree (as he might have done) regularly and statutably at Oxford, procured a faculty for it from the Archbishop of Canterbury. Bishop Gastrell, as the Diocesan, refused to admit him; and, in vindication

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of his refusal, published a tract, in folio, entitled, "The Bishop of Chester's case, with relation to the wardenship of Manchester: in which is shewn that "no other degrees but such as are taken in the University, can be deemed legal qualifications for any "ecclesiastical preferment in England." But the matter being brought into the Court of King's Bench, it was decided in favour of Mr. Peploe: and, not long after, on Bishop Gastrell's death, Mr. Peploe succeeded him in the see of Chester. The University of Cambridge took an active part in favour of the Bishop. A Syndicate was appointed to maintain the Academical privileges in this case, and on the 22d of April, 1721, the following Grace was passed:-" Cum Reverendus admodum in Christo Pa"ter Franciscus Episcopus Cestriensis privilegia ves"tra in Gradibus conferendis strenue propugnave"rit; Placeat vobis, ut dicto Reverendo Patri hu

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jus Academiæ nomine Gratiæ agantur, et ut vene"rabiles viri, Dr. Lany et Dr. Waterland, sint ad "hoc præstandum vestra authoritate deputati et assignati."

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On the same day there was also passed another Grace, in which Dr. Waterland could not but take a special interest, and feel a particular gratification in being one of the persons deputed to carry it into effect. The Earl of Nottingham had distinguished himself as a strenuous defender of the doctrine of the Trinity, against Whiston's heterodox opinions. Two tracts written by him in answer to this vehement and eccentric controversialist, shewed very considerable

9 Master of Pembroke Hall.