in duas partes distributa, &c. 8vo. 1691; the first part contains a choice collection of pagan, the second of christian, inscriptions, illustrated by notes. His profound skill in British antiquities was demonstrated, in 1707, by a work called Chronicon Preciosum; or, An Account of English Gold and Silver Money, the Price of Corn and other Commodities, and of Stipends, Salaries, Wages, &c. in England, for six hundred Years last past, &c. 8vo.; and his knowledge of church history, and his acumen in the detection of popish legends and miracles, in The Life and Miracles of St. Wenefrede, together with her Litanies, with some historical Observations made thereon, 8vo. 1713. The holy well of this pretended saint was in his diocese; and the Romish emissaries were active in endeavouring to persuade the crowds who resorted to the waters, that the relief which they obtained was owing to the influence of St. Wenefrede, and that, consequently, it was incumbent upon them to embrace the religion that she had professed; an artifice which the Bishop not only exposed, but, it is said, completely put a stop to, by this production.

The publications of his lordship on the subject of divinity were very numerous; of these, some of the most important were, A plain Method of Christian Devotion, &c. 8vo. 1692; An Essay upon

Miracles, in Two Discourses, 8vo. 1701; The Reasonable Communicant, &c. 8vo. 1704; Sixteen Practical Discourses upon the relative Duties of Parents and Children, Husbands and Wives, Masters and Servants, &c. 2 vols. 8vo. 1705; The Thirteenth Chapter to the Romans vindicated, &c. 8vo. 1710; The Judgment of the Church of England, in the Case of Lay-baptism, and of Dissenter's Baptism, 8vo. 2 vols. 1712. These pieces reflect much credit upon the talents and intentions of the writer, and were received by the public with no small degree of deference and favour.

To the political principles of the Bishop, however, which were those of pure Whiggism, the prejudices of party paid little respect. The change in the government which took place toward the close of 1710 threw the friends of his lordship out of power; and as he was too conscientious to disguise his dislike of the measures of the Tory administration, and even went so far as to publish his opinions of their conduct in a Fast-sermon, it became the determination of ministers to embrace the next opportunity that should occur of expressing their resentment. This was afforded them so early as 1712, by his lordship publishing Four Sermons: 1. On the Death of Queen Mary, 1694. 2. On the Death of the Duke of Gloucester, 1700. 3. On the Death of

King William, 1701. 4. On the Queen's Accession to the Throne, in 1702. With a Preface. London, '8vo. As he had formerly preached these sermons with great approbation, they were of course not assailable; but the preface, which contained the most pointed reprobation of the political system of the Tories, was instantly seized upon, and condemned by a motion of the House of Commons to be burned by the common hang

man.

The consequence of this injudicious order was, that the work was not only purchased clandestinely, and circulated with avidity, but Steele introduced the preface into the Spectator. "If the design was to intimidate me," remarks the Bishop, "they have lost it utterly; or, if to suppress the book, it happens much otherwise; for every body's curiosity is awakened by this usage, and the bookseller finds his account in it above any one else. The Spectator has conveyed above fourteen thousand of them into other people's hands, that would otherwise have never seen or heard of it.*

This celebrated preface, and Steele's introductory observations, form N° 384 of the Spectator, which," says the annotator, was not published till twelve o'clock, that it might come out pre

* Letter to the Bishop of Salisbury, Biographia Britannica, vol. iii. p.1974, Note.

cisely at the hour, of her Majesty's breakfast, and that no time might be left for deliberating about serving it up with that meal, as usual." The preface is well written, in a manly clear style, and with a marked abhorrence of the then fashionable doctrine, that Christianity is the friend of arbitrary power.

After a life of exemplary virtue and utility, Bishop Fleetwood paid the debt of nature, at Tottenham, in Middlesex, in 1723, and in his sixty-seventh year.

"His various merits," remarks his latest biographer," entitle him to the character of a great and a good man, His learning in the different branches more immediately connected with his profession was very respectable, and he was intimately conversant in British history and antiquities. His life was so studious, that there were very few of his hours during which he allowed himself any relaxation. As a prelate of the church of England, he did honour to his station by his dignified and prudent deportment; and in the diocese of St. Asaph, where he was almost the general patron, he took particular care to fill the vacant churches with virtuous and worthy clergymen, paying no regard to the solicitations of the great and powerful on behalf of any persons who were not found to answer that de

scription. To the poor and necessitous he was a generous benefactor, and a liberal encourager of every truly charitable design. To the interests of civil and religious liberty he was ardently attached, and was greatly concerned to see so much passion and uncharitableness as were occasioned in his time by difference of opinion in matters of religion; rightly judging, that mere mistakes, and such differences as did not influence practice, were to be borne with. He was also modest, humble, uncensorious, and calm and meek in his temper; but at the same time possessed a degree of cool and sedate courage, which he did not fail to exhibit on proper occasions; and to crown the whole, he was a bright pattern of innocence of life, integrity of heart, and sanctity of manners. We cannot persuade ourselves to omit recording a curious anecdote of our prelate, which is related in the "Richardsoniana,” page 333-335, and which we shall give in the words of the author, Mr. Jonathan Richardson, junior: "One of our great divines, a most worthy as well as reverend bishop (Fleetwood,) told my father (in my hearing,) who was full of doubts and scruples then in matter of faith, when I was a boy, that, where mystery began religion ended. It makes wild work where reason does not govern the raptures which religious enthusiasm inspires.