youth who had just lost his father, and with him, to all appearance, his prospect of an University edu

cation.

'At this favourable moment, when the disposition to serve young Milner, in any way that should be deemed practicable, was pretty general; when the purses of the wealthy were ready to be opened in his favour; the Tutor of Catharine Hall, Cambridge, an old acquaintance of Mr. Moore, wrote to him to the following effect:

The office of chapel clerk with us will soon be vacant; and if you have any clever lad, who is not very rich, and whom you would wish to assist, send him to us.'Mr. Moore instantly communicated this proposal to several of the liberal gentlemen above alluded to, who all cheerfully concurred in it; and Mr. Milner proceeded to the University when eighteen years of age, though in appearance a child, so much had his youth been checked by ill health. From this period to the age of twenty-two, the native vigor of his constitution shewed itself, and he continued to grow taller and stronger.

During the whole of his acadamical career Mr. Milner applied himself diligently to the studies of the place. The chancellor of the University gives annually two gold medals to the best proficients in classical learning, provided they be found, at degree-time, among the SENIOR OPTIMES for mathematical and philosophical knowledge. From the first moment that Milner heard of these honours, he secretly set his heart upon obtaining one of them; and, accordingly, read Thucydides and Sophocles, Cicero and Horace, day and night; but yet did not neglect his mathematical and philosophical studies, so as to run any hazard of not being qualified to be a candidate for a medal, and accordingly at the Bachelor's commencement in 1766 he was third Senior Optime,

and carried off the second Chancellor's medal from very numerous and able competitors.

́ Mr. Milner having no immediate prospect of a fellowship, and not being of sufficient age for Holy Orders became assistant in a school and afterward in the care of his church, to a worthy clergyman, the Rev. Mr. Atkinson of ThorpArch, near Tadcaster. This country situation was delightful: the family was extremely orderly and agreeable; and the master of it well-informed and regular. Here he contracted an intimate friendship with his son, the Rev. Myles Atkinson, afterwards minister of St. Paul's at Leeds. He always highly valued this connexion; and very often lamented that he could profit so little by it, on account of the distance at which these friends were settled from each other; and the more so, after it had pleased Almighty God to unite the heads and hearts of both of so zealously and perseveringly in the same views of the ministerial functions.

'Here, while faithful to his engagements and exemplary in the discharge of his duties, he employed his leisure hours in constructing an Epic Poem on Satan's attempts to defeat the promise made to David, which he eventually completed at Hull, though it has never been published. He did not indeed remain long at Thorp Arch, for while yet in Deacon's Orders he happened to observe in the York Courant an advertisement for a head master of the grammar sehool of Hull. He instantly, with the advice of all his friends, applied for the situation and obtained it; and very soon after was elected afternoon lecturer of the principal church in the same town. easy success in these applications was owing, partly to the splendor of his character, and partly to the recommendation of powerful friends at Leeds-Under his auspices the

His

school, which had dwindled almost to nothing, through the negligence of the former master and assistant, soon acquired a very considerable celebrity, which it retained for many years, and as long as his health permitted him to bestow upon it the requisite attention. With the increase of scholars the master's salary received proportional augmentation, and Mr. Milner's income now on the whole amounted to upwards of 2001.

per annum.

It may be useful to observe how he acted upon this great change of circumstances.

The father of Mr. Milner was a man of strong understanding, and had felt, in his own case, the want of a good education. In consequence he formed a very early resolution to remedy that defect, in regard to his children, to the utmost of his power, whatever inconveniences he or his family might experience from so laudable an attempt. Accordingly, his youngest son Isaac, when a little boy of six years old, began to accompany his brother Joseph every day to the grammar school; and at ten years of age could construe Ovid and Sallust into tolerable English, and was then beginning to learn the rudiments of the Greek language. The premature death of their father, above-mentioned, ruined all the prospects of Isaac's advancement in learning. His mother was obliged to abandon the prosecution of her husband's plan; and, that her son might acquire a livelihood, by honest industry, she wisely employed him in learning several branches of the woollen manufactory at Leeds.

But THE BOWELS OF JOSEPH YEARNED UPON HIS YOUNGER BROTHER; and as soon as we find him in a situation to do him service, and to prosecute the excellent system of the father, he loses not a moment's time, but instantly releases him from his temporary obli

gations at Leeds, and takes him under his own tuition at Hull. Isaac's memory was not bad; for, though at this period he had been absent several years from the Grammar school at Leeds, and was still but a boy, he was found perfectly well qualified to act as assistant to his brother, in teaching the lower boys of his crowded school at Hull; so well initiated had he been in the Latin and Greek languages by the same Mr. Moore.

'He redoubled his diligence in order that he might make up for the lost years; and was sent to Queen's College, Cambridge, in the year 1770. Under Providence, he owes his present honourable and elevated situations as Dean of Carlisle, and master of Queen's College, and professor of mathematics in the University of Cambridge-indeed, he owes all he has to the kindness of this same brother; and he here WILLINGLY acknowledges the obligation with tears of gratitude and affection.— He made ISAAC glad with his acts, and his memorial is blessed for ever.

Perhaps no two brothers were ever more closely bound to each other. Isaac, in particular, remembers no earthly thing without being able to connect it, in some way, tenderly with his brother Joseph. During all his life he has constantly aimed at enjoying his company as much as circumstances permitted. The dissolution of such a connexion could not take place without being severely felt by the survivor. No separation was ever more bitter and afflicting; with a constitution long shattered by disease, he never expects to recover from THAT wound.

and was now living at Leeds in very contracted circumstances. He sent for her to Hull, to live with him and to manage his house; which she did with great cheerfulness and activity for upwards of twenty years. two indigent orphans, the children of his eldest brother, and took effectual care of their education.

He also sent for

'Mr. Milner, from his first going into Orders, was a very earnest and zealous preacher ; but, as he himself used to say,' he preached himself, and not Jesus Christ :'-Yet even then, in his first compositions, there was much more of the peculiarities of Christianity than is usually to be found in the general strain of discourses from the pulpit.

Se

veral truly religious persons have thought that he was really enlightened in the nature of the Gospel of Christ, when he first came to Hull. But it may be presumed that, in such a matter as this, he himself must have been the best judge and he always urged it as no inconsiderable proof of the contrary, that he was universally applauded at that time, which,' continued he, never happens among large and mixed congregations, when the truth, as it is in Jesus, is set forth with distinctness and with energy.' The first sermon which he preached at Hull gained him the hearts of the people, and is supposed to have contributed much to secure his election to the school. Some years afterwards, when his ideas of Christianity were materially altered, he took this very sermon into the pulpit, read several parts of it, and endeavoured to make his meaning clearly understood by a free avowal of the ERRORS which that composition, formerly so much applauded, contained; and, by contrasting them with his altered sentiments at the latter period.

How inscrutable and how wonderful are the ways of providence ! Certain it is that Mr. Milner was

a great favourite with his patrons, the Mayor and Aldermen of Hull, and with the leading gentlemen of the town, for the space of three years from the time of his election; and it is equally certain, that about that time a most important revolution in his sentiments and conduct took place; which revolution, if it had happened before he was elected to the school and lectureship, would, in all probability, have prevented his having a single vote for either of those situations. His aged mother might have died in want his nephew and niece might have remained destitute orphans, and uneducated; and his brother Isaac, instead of being employed in writing these pages in the master's lodge of Queen's College, or in the Deanery of Carlisle, might at this moment have been labouring with his hands in the manufactories of Yorkshire. But all these are poor insignificant trifles, compared with what remains to be mentioned. The po-, pulous town of Hull might have continued in the dark, irreligious, state in which he found it. Thousands might have died without ever hearing the glad tidings of the gospel properly stated; and the succession of truly worthy and evangelical preachers, who have been his pupils or cotemporaries, might never have taken place.

Mr. Milner's company did not continue long to be called for in genteel and convivial meetings. The man who was grown insupportable in the pulpit, ceased to be a desirable guest at the table; and indeed his own heart was now so much engaged in different branches of practical religion, that he had little time and no taste for trifling company. He was constantly seeking opportunities to say a word in season." He had left off playing at cards; he was no longer seen at the playhouse or the assembly; his presence checked and rebuked indecent conversation,

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and irregularities of every kind, and when a company, by being less trifling, or by some ill-natured attack on religion, presented an opening for grave conversation, Mr. Milner would often express himself with so much seriousness and so much just admonition, that men of the world" no longer felt themselves at ease in his presence. They, on the one hand, did not choose to be thus exposed to his censures, nor to have their consciences made uneasy by him. He on the other, devoted the little time which he could spare from absolute duty, or from private study, to those social visits which had the express design of promoting the interests of religion.

These and similar causes concurred to separate Mr. Milner more and more from people of superior rank. They with very few exceptions, were never seen at church when HE preached; and he rarely met THEM, except once a year officially, as chaplain to the Mayor, or on some such occasions. He has been heard to say that the dislike of him proceeded to such a height, that few persons who wore a tolerable good coat, would take notice of him when they met him in the street. Nevertheless, the common people heard him gladly.' The large church where he preached was crowded beyond example. The care of the soul became the topic of common conversation: great seriousness prevailed: drunkards and debauchees were reformed: the town assumed a new appearance; great numbers, whose consciences were awakened under his preaching, earnestly enquired, "What must we do to be saved?" The sick sent for him to their chambers for spiritual advice; and when he returned home, he found his house crowded with visitors, who had the same object in view. His strength was exhausted in this service; and his health suffered exceedingly by often going out in

the winter evenings of Sundays, after he had heated himself by delivering a long sermon with the utmost exertion. Embarrassing and difficult cases were frequently proposed to him, where heads of families or superiors insisted on their dependants, leaving off their religious practices. Many are alive, who well remember that an inundation of persecution in various ways broke in and continued for a long time.'

Mr. M's labours were not confined to the TOWN of Hull. He was curate, for upwards of seventeen years, of North Ferriby, and afterwards vicar of the same. This beautiful little village lies near to the Humber, about nine miles from Hull, and abounds with the country seats of the opulent. It was impossible to represent the curate or the vicar of this place as serving the cure for the sake of filthy lucre. The average annual profits were under thirty pounds, notwithstanding the great wealth of the inhabitants. On the Sunday mornings, in summer, before the regular service, Mr. Milner heard the children repeat the catechism, and explained it to them in familiar language, many grown-up persons attending. When the morning service was ended, he returned to Hull to preach in the afternoon. He continued this laborious practice for many years, and as long as his health permitted him. At Ferriby also, as at Hull, the richer sort became disgusted with his doctrine, and impatient of his exhortations; but the COMMON PEOPLE, from all the neighbouring parts, and not a few of the more substantial farmers, flocked to his church, and heard the word with gladness.

:

As it was impossible for Mr. Milner to reside among his flock at Ferriby and as he was sensible how much the probability of doing good is diminished by only seeing the people once in the week, how

ever faithful the preacher may be on the Sunday, his zeal for men's eternal welfare induced him to visit this country village on the week days, as often as a holiday allowed of his absence from his school, and generally on the afternoons of Saturdays. Many of his own parishioners and other serious persons used to meet him at his lodgings, or at some other convenient house; and on these occasions he read and explained the Scriptures, and exhorted his people and prayed with them.

6

Many years ago a neighbouring clergyman of a most notoriously bad character, was so incensed at this practice of Mr. Milner, that he brought him before the mayor of Hull by an information under the conventicle act. The mayor and the greater part of the aldermen disliked Mr. Milner's proceedings; but they despised and detested the informer; and as they did not sufficiently feel their ground, they adjourned the consideration of the affair before the next hearing Mr. Milner had procured the best legal information which the kingdom afforded; and he came into court with a confidence grounded on knowledge.

With great respect he informed the mayor and aldermen 'that he obeyed their summons merely out of civility to his patrons; but that the whole matter respecting his conduct in this instance was so circumstanced, as not to come under their jurisdiction or authority that if an offence had been committed, it was of an ecclesiastical nature; and lastly that he spoke advisedly, and was well assured that by meeting his own parishioners in his own parish, he had done nothing contrary to any law whatsoever.

Does the reader desire to be satisfied more particularly respecting the cause, which produced all this prodigious alteration both in Mr. Milner's own mind, and the regards of his people?

Mr. Milner's publications will most effectually satisfy the inquiry. The author, "though dead, yet speaketh" And, as no man on earth ever wrote, preached, or conversed with less disguise, let the serious reader consult his

various writings. A more just, more concise, and more intelligible account cannot be given of his principles, than that he was truly a sincere member of the Church of England. He believed the Articles of the Church in their plain, literal, and grammatical sense; and all his sermons were penned according to that interpretation of scripture which they contain and express. With many persons, unacquainted with the history of religious controversy in these kingdoms, a sort of puzzle may still remain how such sentiments could on the one hand produce all this dislike and persecution from some of the people, and this resentment from his clerical brethren; and on the other, could occasion such flocking to his churches. To explain this difficulty in detail and with minuteness, is neither pleasant nor necessary in this place; but it may in some measure open the eyes of the intelligent to suggest, that our author certainly did believe and maintain that the clergy of the establishment, in general, had very much deviated from the principles which they profess, and to which they subscribe their assent: That the reading desk and the pulpit were often at variance; and that instead of setting forth to the understanding with plainness, and pressing upon the conscience with energy, the great and peculiar truths of the gospel, such as the doctrines of Original Sin, of Justification by Faith, and of Regeneration by the Holy Spirit, as stated in the Articles and Homilies of the Church of England, the clergy in general were substituting in their place a system of