gether inadequate. The poor are even bribed, by small pecuniary gifts from time to time, to send their children to these schools of they know not what, rather than to those connected with the established church, in which they would be bred in the principles of true religion and loyalty." This strong, but just representation, excited the indignation of the sectaries, and one illiterate teacher of the Calvinistical cast, published a rude attack upon the Bishop, which was re-echoed again, in an equally liberal manner, in that delectable vehicle of nonsense and fanaticism, the Evangelical Magazine. In the following year, Bishop Horsley favoured the world with a new translation of Hosea, accompanied with an excellent dissertation and notes: but as an account was given of this valuable work in our first volume, we shall say nothing more upon it here, than that its reception was such as to occasion a second edition in 1804. To this edition the learned author appended a sermon on Christ's Descent into Hell, of which also a review was given in our seventh volume, page 51. In 1802, the Bishop was translated to the see of St. Asaph, on the death of the amiable and pious Bishop Bagot. In the preceding year he was thought of for the primacy of Ireland, vacant by the death of Archbishop Newcome, but, after some consideration, he declined that station, to which Dr. Stuart, his successor at St. David's, was appointed. The Bishop sustained a heavy affliction in April 1805, by the death of his second wife, a woman of a most amiable temper, charitable, and devout, yet of lively manners, and very agreeable in conversation. She died of a dropsical complaint which had been accumulating several years, and which she bore with Christian meekness and resignation. Her remains were deposited near the altar in Newington Church, where soon after, the Bishop placed a monument, on which he recorded her virtues, and his feelings, in an elegant Latin inscription.* *Prope hunc lapidem conditum est illud omne quod caducum erat optimæ matrisfamilias In secundæ uxoris peramatæ Samuclis Horsley, LL. D. hujus ecclesiæ per aunos multos Rectoris; Menevensis autem primum, post Roffens:s, nunc Asaphensis ecclesiæ Episcopi. Fæmina In the summer of 1805, the Bishop published an ingenious and scientific tract, " On Virgil's two Seasons of Honey, and his season of sowing Wheat. With a new and compendious method of investigating the Risings and Settings of the fixed Stars," addressed in an affectionate manner to his old friend and correspondent, Mr. Edward King, as eminently well qualified to judge of the soundness of the arguments, the truth of the conclusions, and to appreciate the merits of the whole. On the day of public thanksgiving, the same year, for the victory of Lord Nelson off Trafalgar, the Bishop preached a sermon in his cathedral at St. Asaph, and which shortly afterwards appeared from the press. This discourse is on Daniel iv. 17, "This matter is by the decree of the WATCHERS, and the demand by the word of the HOLY ONES; to the intent that the living may know, that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men; and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men." The principal object of this Sermon is to discover who are the WATCHERS and the HOLY ONES mentioned in the text. It has been usually understood, that these were angels, whence many erroneous opinions crept in with regard to the supposed guardianship which angels had of particular countries. The Bishop overturns these superstitious notions; and in a most able manner proves that these WATCHERS and HOLY ONES, are the persons of the HOLY TRINITY. The conclusion of the sermon, which applies the circumstances of Nebuchadnezzar to the present eventful times, is in the usual energetic manFæmina sanctimoniâ præcellens, et morum comitate amabilis, omnibus laudata, cara et jucunda vixit, mortua lugetur. Pauperum lacrymæ et pia vota, odorem vere divinum spirantia, memoriam ejus condiunt. Anno ætatis 54°, ineunte, feriâ hebdomadis 2a die Aprilis 2o A. D. 1805. Corpus fragile morbo insanabili succubuit, cujus, lente grassantis, sævitiam memorando patientiæ exemplo novendecim annos pertulerat. Visum est DEO, OPT. MAX. clementissimoqué, vitam, in continuis ferme doloribus actam, morte placida et spei plena, ad exitum perducere: "Ubi tuus, Mors, aculeus? ubi tua, Orce, est victoria? "Gloria DEO. -Hallelujah!" Has voces ore moribundo proferens, in morte insultans morti pia mulier obdormivit. Maritus 18m. mensibus superstes 6am-diem obiit feriâ hebdoma dis mensis Octobris 4o die, A. D. 1806. ætat 73. Sepultus et juxta uxorem, sub hoc sacro sancto Altari. ner ner of the Bishop, and shews at the close of life, that the vigour of his mind was unabated, and that," his bow abode in strength." This publication closed his literary career, though he still occupied himself in theological and scientific pursuits, and was actually engaged in preparing a volume of sermons for the press, when he was suddenly called to enter into the joy of his Lord. In September the Bishop came to town, from whence he set off in good health for Brighthelmstone, in order to spend some time with his old friend Lord Thurlow, whom on his arrival he found dead. This was a painful circumstance, but at that time the Bishop seemed to be as hale and as active as he had been for some years. On Wednesday, the 1st of October, he was attacked by a complaint in the bowels, to which disorder he had been always liable; but the present seizure did not betray any alarming symptoms till the following Friday, when a mortification ensued, and he died the next day. The body was brought from Brighthelmstone to the house of his brother-in law, Mr. Palmer, in Queen Anne Street West, and on the 14th it was interred at Newington, with those marks of respectful attendance, that proved the high estimation in which he was held as a man, a writer, and a Bishop. His Lordship has left only one son, who is Prebendary of St. Asaph, and Rector of Gresford in Denbighshire. A sermon preached and published by him, was noticed in our seventh volume, page 364. Having taken this view of the Bishop, principally in his ecclesiastical and literary character, it is necessary to say somewhat of him as a senator. No man of his order ever displayed such various powers, or attracted such general notice as a speaker in the House of Lords, as Bishop Horsley. His first speech was on Lord Stanhope's bill for the repeal of certain penal statutes respecting non-attendance of divine worship, &c. June 9, 1789. The Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Bishops of Bangor (Dr. Warren) and St. Asaph (Dr. Halifax) delivered their sentiments in opposition to the bill in a manner which did them great credit; but the speech of Dr. Horsley was that which made the strongest impression on the house, and drew from the noble mover of the repeal high compliments. In May 1792, we find him ably and successfully ad vocating vocating the cause of the Scotch Episcopalian Church; on which occasion he refuted the arguments and positions of his learned friend Lord Thurlow, who having said, that the custom of praying for Kings, and all that bear legitimate authority, did not appear to be used before the time of Constantine, the Bishop observed, that "so far from this practice commencing at that period, it was to be traced to a source at least three hundred years anterior. It was, in fact, coeval with Christianity itself: which could be proved from authorities, that in no subsequent age were ever doubted; the practice had continued down to the present time under various forms, and attached to different persons." the Against the slave trade he was always a powerful speaker; and when the famous bills were brought forward to prevent seditious meetings, the Bishop gave aid of his eloquence in support of government with such energy, as to bring upon him the abuse of the whole host of Jacobins and infidels. Three of his speeches in parliament, or at least the substance of them, have been printed; one on the slave trade; one on the third reading of the bill for preventing the crime of adultery; and one on the bill for the relief of the London incumbents. In his person, the Bishop was what may very properly be called a handsome man; with features of remarkable expression, and an eye of singular quickness. His mind was truly dignified and independent; and though in his temper he was rather hasty, he possessed all the milk of human kindness, and his charities were extensive, and unostentatious. To men of low degree he was remarkably condescending, and modest merit was always certain of his encouragement and patronage. His means, indeed, were not commensurate with his wishes, for as he never had an eye to the accumulation of wealth, and had a soul above suspicion, he was much deceived by those whom he trusted, the consequence of which was, that he lived and died comparatively poor. But he was rich in faith and in good works; and he has left a name that will never die among men, as long as religion and learning shall be respected. MISCELLANIES. MISCELLANIES. AN ENQUIRY CONCERNING THE "TWO IMMUTABLE THINGS IN WHICH IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO LIE." appears, by what is said in the xii. xiii. and xvi chapters of Genesis,that God had repeatedly promised Abraham to cause an innumerable multitude of people to proceed from him, before he confirmed that promise by an oath on Mount Moriah. And, by what is said in the xxii, chap. of the Angel's having solemnly assured Abra ham on that mount, that the Ahnighty had sworn to bless him with an innumerable posterity, it does not appear that any express reference was then made to any former promises-at least, no mention was then made of either of the two promises in which Abraham may be supposed to have been more immediately interested, that is, of the possession of the land of Canaan, and of a Son. Indeed, this last-mentioned promise had been then realized. The promise made on the above-mentioned occasion seems, therefore, to have been merely a promise of an excessively numerous, blessed posterity; which promise, we find, had been made several times before, though not exactly in the same words; and which, it should be also observed, required so long a time for its fulfilment, that Abraham could hardly have expected to live long enough to see it fulfilled, especially as he had not then an express assurance of endless life. We, it seems, at this time, have an incomparably greater assurance of the veracity of God, with regard to one part of the promise, than Abraham could have, as we know that his posterity still continues, and in not a few countries; and, when we compare them with the rest of mankind, why should we not conclude that they are, in some measure, blessed by the Almighty even in this life? The foregoing remarks concerning the transaction on Vol. XI. Churchm. Mag. for Dec. 1806. 3 H mount |