: tice of any athletic exercise. Amusements the University of Oxford. He was strict in of that sort gave him more trouble than they the exercise of his office; but his strictness were worth, and he never pursued them with was accompanied by so much mildness and any alacrity. It is related of Bishop Bull, goodness, that he was equally beloved and that he was not addicted to any innocent feared. His duty called upon him to visit pleasure, which is often necessary to unbend and inspect the houses of poor and disorderly the mind and preserve the body in health people; in one of which he took the meaand vigor. The only diversion (if it may be sles, and suffered much by that distemper. called a diversion) to which this great man The time at which this accident happened was addicted, was the enjoyment of agreeable was, in one respect, rather unfortunate; for conversation; and the same was the favorite he was confined at the time when he should amusement of Dr. Horne to the end of his have resigned his office by a personal attendlife. I wish every young man who is in- ance in the theatre. Dr. Thurlow, the late tended for a scholar, had some good or some Bishop of Durham, being at that time colnecessary reason for not being led away by lector, delivered the Latin speech, at the any sort of recreation. It was of service to close of which he spoke to this effect: "As his mind that he was no fisherman, no shooter, to the late proctor, I shall speak of him but no hunter, no horseman: the cultivation of in few words, for the truth of which I can his understanding was therefore carried on appeal to all that are here present. If ever with less interruption, and his improvements virtue itself was visible and dwelt upon earth, were rapid. While on horseback he appeared it was in the person who this day lays down to be in more danger than other young men his office." Which words were followed by and he had a friend who was so much con- a universal clapping. It was fortunate in cerned for his safety, that he sometimes rode one respect that he was not present; for thus after him, to watch over him, without letting it came to pass, that full justice was done to him know of it. But so it happened, not- his character. withstanding his vigilance, that he saw him suffer one bad fall, upon a dirty road, into a deep slough, and another upon very hard ground, in the middle of the summer. His horse was then upon a gallop, and the fall pitched him upon his forehead; but, by the protection of a good providence, the blow only gave him a headache, which soon went off without any other ill effect. When he came at last to be a bishop, the friend who had formerly been his attendant reminded him of these accidents, and observed upon them, "My lord, I saw you fall twice, I have seen you rise three times :" meaning, that he had first risen to be president of Magdalen College, then to be Dean of Canterbury, and afterwards Bishop of Norwich. The year after he came to Oxford, he fell sick of the small-pox, which proved very favorable, and he was removed to a house upon the hill at Headington for an airing; where his recovery had raised his spirits to such a pitch, that his friends could not but observe the growing vigor of his mind, and augurate that his wits were intended for some very active part upon the stage of human life, as it afterwards proved. In the year 1758, he was appointed junior proctor of the university; on the 27th of April, 1759, he took the degree of B. D., and on the 28th of January, 1764, that of D. D. His health continued tolerably good, till the time of his proctorship: and here it ought in justice to be remembered, that he made one of the best proctors ever known in On the 27th of January, 1768, on the death of Dr. Jenner, he was elected president of Magdalen College: in 1771 he was appointed chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty; which appointment he held till he was preferred to the deanry of Canterbury, on the 22d of September, 1781: and on the 7th of June, 1791, he was consecrated Bishop of Norwich, in Lambeth Chapel, on the translation of Dr. Bagot to the see of St. Asaph. After he became president of Magdalen College, he adhered to the interest of Mr. Jenkinson, (now Earl of Liverpool,) a little to the disturbance of his academical peace. Mr. Jenkinson had been one of his cotemporaries at University College: a gentleman, who, from his first appearance in the univer sity, always promised to do something, and to be something, beyond other men of his time. It was not possible that two such young men as he and Mr. Horne could be near neighbors without being fond of each other's company. The friendship once formed was ever after preserved and when Mr. Jenkinson, though well known to be of what was then called the court party, offered himself to represent the university in parliament, his two friends, the president of Magdalen, and the master of University College, voted for him without success. Their departure on this occasion from what was then thought the old and proper interest of the university, brought upon them some animadversions from a few of the warmest advocates on the other side; and little scurrilous witticisms flew about against them both in the news-constant benefactor, rose up, to look about papers; which, so far as their own per- them for some other support, then it began sons were concerned, had little effect upon to be known who and how many they were. either, but that of exciting their laughter: and they have often been heard to make themselves merry with several passages of that time. Soon after he was advanced to the presidentship of Magdalen College, he married the only daughther of Philip Burton, Esq., a lady for whom he always preserved the most inviolate affection. By her he had three daughters; of whom the eldest is married to the Rev. Mr. Selby Hele, and the youngest to the Rev. Mr. Hole. The unmarried daughter resides with Mrs. Horne, at Uxbridge. The former residence of this family near Windsor introduced him to the acquaintance of several great and respectable characters in that neighborhood, particularly Sir George Howard, who received, and may probably have preserved, many of his letters.* In the year 1776 he was appointed vicechancellor of the university, and continued in that office till October, 1780. His vicechancellorship introduced him to the acquaintance of Lord North, then chancellor of the university a nobleman, who to a fine temper and pleasant wit, had added such good principles and useful learning, that he found in Dr. Horne a person exactly suited to his own mind; and I suppose it owing to the united interest of Lord North and the present Earl of Liverpool, that he was made Dean of Canterbury. When this happened, he would willingly have quitted his cares at Oxford, and taken up his residence in Kent, his native county; but that a friend, to whose judgment he owed respect, would not agree to the prudence of such a step. As for the dean himself, worldly advantage was no object with him; he lived as he ought; and, if he was no loser at the year's end, he was perfectly satisfied. This I know, because I have it under his own hand, that he laid up nothing from his preferments in the church. What he gave away was with such secrecy, that it was supposed by some persons to be little: but, after his death, when the pensioners, to whom he had been a He complained to one of his most intimate friends, how much it was out of his way to discover such objects as were worthy and proper, because he descended so little into commerce with the world: yet, said he, let any body show me, in any case, what ought to be done, and they will always find me ready to do it. So far as he knew, he did good; and often attempted it, when he could not know; which is more or less the case with every charitable man. The discernment of objects is the privilege of God alone; who yet doeth good unto all, where we know it not. As often as he was at Canterbury, his time passed very pleasantly: he was in his native country: the families of the place and the neighborhood showed him the greatest respect, and were delighted with his company and conversation; if he could have indulged himself, with prudence, as he wished to do, he would have fixed himself there for the remainder of his life: but he still submitted to the unsettled life of a pilgrim, between the two situations of his college and his deanry: with every thing that lay between Oxford and Canterbury, he was acquainted, and with little besides. In the year 1788 his constitutional infirmities began to increase upon him: "I have been more than ever harrassed," said he, "this year, for four months past, with defluxions on my head and breast; they have driven me to take the benefit of the Headington air, this charming season,* which, by God's blessing, will enable me to get clear for the summer, I believe. But, as I grow older, I shall dread the return of winter. Do you know what could be done in the way of preservative? My good friends of the church wish me to continue here, and engage to do the business of the Midsummer chapter without me. I am urged to get once more upon a horse-as much like an ass as possible. Long disuse hath now been added to an original awkwardness: however, by keeping to a gentle pace, I shall avoid going off, as you remember it was my hap once to do, like a * I recollect in this place an accident which hap- frog from a board." The visiting of some pened to one of his letters. He corresponded form-watering-place, Brightelmstone, or Ramsgate, erly with Mr. Price, of Epsom, whose lady was the for the benefit of sea-bathing, had often been sister of Andrew Stone, Esq. By a mistake, one of these letters fell into the hands of Mr. Stone; and of great service to him. But notwithstanding it happened to contain some free remarks upon the all that could be done, he grew old faster lives and characters of courtiers. When this was than his years would account for, being now lamented as an unfortunate circumstance, "No, no," said Mr. Price, "no misfortune at all-very only in his fifty-seventh year: so that when proper those busy gentlemen in high life should a design was formed of making him a bishop, see what learned men think of them and their situation." *The letter is dated May 20, 1788. 71 he felt himself by no means inclined to un- | meet him during his next visit at Bath, he dertake the charge of so weighty an office; set me down at Lodden, and I betook myself and it was not till after much reasoning with to my horses. That moment will for ever himself, that he was prevailed upon to accept dwell, like a black spot, upon the mind, in it. I do not remember, that I ever took upon which we had the last sight of a beloved me, while this affair was depending, to throw friend. After this parting I never saw him in one word of advice, for it or againt it; but more. His company I can now seek only rather that I left all things to work as Provi- in his writings; which are almost my daily dence should direct. It was a sincere afflic-delight. His journey to Bath, contrary to tion to me, when I attended him at Norwich, the persuasion of his friends, was deferred to see how his limbs began to fail him. The too long. Yet he had still such remaining palace there is entered by a large flight of vigor in his mind, that he did not intend to steps; on which he observed one day, make his visit to Bath an idle one; but "Álas! I am come to these steps at a time selected from his manuscript sermons a suffiof life, when I can neither go up them nor cient number to compose a volume, and took down them with safety." However, he re- them with him, intending to employ a printer sisted his infirmities with a degree of resolu- at Bath upon them. To this he was partly tion. He accustomed himself to walk early encouraged by an observation his good and in the garden by my persuasion; and assented affectionate lady had made upon him, from to it, in his pleasant way, with these words: the experience of several years, that he never "Mr. William," for so it had been his cus- seemed to be so well as when he had printers tom to call me for many years, "I have heard about him; of which she had even then seen you say, that the air of the morning is a dram a striking example at Norwich. But, alas! to the mind: I will rise to-morrow and take while he was upon the road, he suffered a a dram." That the faculties of his mind did paralytic stroke, and, though very ill, finished not fail, in the way it was imagined, so long his journey. Mrs. Horne after this wrote as he remained at Norwich, I could show by me a letter full of hope, that, as the bishop the contents of the last letter he wrote to could walk to the pump-room daily, he would me, within a few weeks of his death; in still recover: in consequence of which I which there is the same humor and spirit as went with some courage to London, intendhad distinguished him in the prime of his ing to go on from thence to Bath; but was life. That he was not subject to fits of weak-informed, as soon as I arrived in town, that ness in his mind, I do not say: he could not persevere in a train of thought, as he used to do, but applied himself by short intervals, as My worthy friend and pleasant companion, his ability would permit; and in that way he could execute more than we should have the Rev. Charles Millard, his chaplain, was expected from him, under his bodily infirmi- with him at Bath, and was witness to many ties. From two visits to Bath he had re-affecting passages which happened toward ceived sensible benefit, and was meditating his latter end. Bad as he was, if Mrs. Horne a third, when I left him in the autumn of entered the room, he spoke to her with his 1791, which he had been requested not to usual cheerfulness; although a stupor comdefer too long. At my departure from Nor-monly oppressed him, under which his mind wich, he carried me in his coach about ten miles; and we conversed by the way on the subject of his Charge, of which his mind was full, and which he was then beginning to print. When I had made him a promise to wandered, and his speech was confused: but from what could be understood, his thoughts were always at work upon some heavenly subject. When it was proposed that the holy communion should be administered to him by his chaplain, "By all means," said he, "you cannot do a better thing." In this service he joined with great devotion, and when it was ended, "Now," said he, "I am blessed indeed!"* Very soon after the nomination of Dean Horne to the see of Norwich, a clergyman of that city, calling upon a clergyman of the city of London, said to him, "Report tells us, that the Dean of "Yes," said the Canterbury is to be our bishop." On the Friday before his death, while his London clergyman, " so I hear, and I am glad of it, for he will make a truly Christian bishop." "In-housekeeper was in waiting by his bed-side, deed!" replied the other; "well, I do not know him myself, being a Cambridge man; but it is cur- he asked her, on what day of the week the rently reported at Norwich that he is a Methodist." seventeenth day of the month would fall? She The same clergyman, when he became acquainted answered, on Tuesday. "Make a note of with his bishop, was much delighted with him; and afterwards lamented his death as a great loss to the Christian church in general, and to the diocese of Norwich in particular. * The letter of Mrs. Elizabeth Salmon, describing this scene, is well worth reading, and is given in the appendix. that," said he," in a book :" which, to satisfy | him she pretended to do. This proved to be the day on which he died-as quietly as he had lived. From this occurrence, a rumor got abroad, as if he had received some forewarning of the time of his death. To this I can say nothing; but I can think, without any danger of being mistaken, that if ever there was a man in these latter days, who was worthy to receive from above any unusual testimony due to superior piety, he was that man. The affliction of his family was much relieved at this time by the friendly and charitable visits of the celebrated Mrs. Hannah More, who was then at Bath, and well knew how much was due to the memory of the departed bishop. Thus have I brought this good man to his end, through the labors and studies of his life : in all which his example may be attended with some happy effect on those who shall make themselves acquainted with his history. In writing it I have not permitted myself to consider, what suppressions or alterations would have rendered it more agreeable to some people into whose hands it may fall. As truth will generally succeed best in the end, I have made the story such as I found it. I have concealed nothing out of fear; I have added nothing out of malice; and must now commit what I have written to that variety of judgment, which all my other writings have met with. Some slight reports have been thrown out, which, without such an explanation as I have One of his lordship's chaplains attended in readiness, might be understood to the dishim to his grave, and then returned in sor- advantage of his memory. A short life of row to Norwich: his other chaplain paid the him was written in the year 1793,* by the tribute due to his memory in a plain monu- Rev. Mr. Todd, a clergyman of the church mental inscription. Both of them can unite of Canterbury, who has spoken very highly in declaring, as they do with pleasure, that of him, but not above his character in any the loss to the Diocese of Norwich, and to one respect. Yet some writer in a periodical themselves in particular, hath been repaired publication could not content himself without far beyond their expectations, in the person making invidious comparisons, and insinuating of their present diocesan,* the respectable to the public that Mr. Todd had been guilty and amiable successor of Dr. Horne. May of exaggeration; but I may appeal to the his days be as long and as happy, in his present situation, as those of his predecessor were few and evil! Depth of learning, brightness of imagination, Sanctity of manners, and sweetness of temper Were united beyond the usual lot of mortality. With his discourses from the pulpit, his hearers, feelings of the reader, whether it be not a worse mistake, in such a case as the present, to depreciate with an ill design than to exaggerate with a good one: even supposing Mr. Todd to have done so; which to me doth not appear. I take Mr. Todd to be a man who loves the bishop's writings; and I take his censor to be a man who loves them not: and though I have enlarged on many things much farther from my own knowledge, than it was possible or proper for Mr. Todd to do, I would nevertheless advise my readers to consult his account, which I believe to be very accurate in respect of its dates, and in the titles, and the particular circumstances which gave occasion to the several pieces, which were written by Dr. Horne, at the different stages of his life. It has been hinted to me that Dr. Horne had embraced a sort of philosophy in the Whether of the university, the city, or the country parish, early part of his life, which he found reason Were edified and delighted. His Commentary on the Psalms will continue to be A companion to the closet, to give up toward the latter end of it. Before it can be judged how far this may be true, a necessary distinction is to be made. I Till the devotion of earth shall end in the hallelujahsof heaven do not recollect, that his writings any where His soul, having patiently suffered under such infirmities, As seemed not due to his years, To the unspeakable loss of the church of England, This alludes to Dr. Charles Manners Sutton, now Archbishop of Canterbury. discover a professed attachment to the Hebrew criticisms of Mr. Hutchinson; and I could prove abundantly, from his private letters to myself, that he was no friend to the use of *In a volume entitled, Some Account of the Deans of Canterbury, &c &c. by Henry John Todd, M. A. such evidence either in philosophy or divinity. that matter is invested with attraction, repulBut that he ever renounced or disbelieved sion, and gravitation, as immaterial principles: that philosophy, which asserts the true agency but this persuasion hath very much abated of of nature, and the respective uses of the late years; and it should never be forgotten, elements, or that he did not always admire, that Newton himself left the question open. and so far as he thought it prudent, insist It was indeed once thought that the motion upon it and recommend it, is not true. And of a secondary planet, or satellite, was a I need not here appeal to any of his private case which demonstated the necessity of letters, because some of his most serious and attraction; but since that time, the phenopremeditated compositions assert this in terms mena of electricity have taught us that sufficiently plain and strong. In his Com- ether can act from an opaque body as from a mentary on the last Psalm he shows us what luminous one; and, therefore, that the same idea he had formed of the natural world. On element may move both the primary and the words, "Praise him in the firmament of secondary: of which discovery philosophers his power," he has the following comment: had no conception when gravity first came "which power is more especially displayed in into fashion. Our Royal Society have therethe formation of the firmament, or expansion fore expressed a disposition to admit such a of the material heavens, and their incessant cause of motion, if it can be reasonably apoperations by means of the light and the air, plied to the case. Sir John Pringle recomof which they are composed, upon the earth mended it to be examined whether there be and all things therein. These are the ap- not a certain fluid acting as the cause of pointed instruments of life and motion in the gravity, and of the various attractions, and natural world, and they afford us some idea of the animal and vital motions: and it has of that power of God unto salvation, which been argued by other members of the society is manifested in the church by the effects pro- concerning the solar system, as if it were duced on the souls of men, through the now more apparent than heretofore, that an gracious influences of the light divine, and ether is dispersed through all space, which the spirit of holiness, constituting the firma- gives to bodies a tendency from its denser to ment of God's power in the new creation." its rarer parts. In this the followers of In this passage it is the author's doctrine, Newton and Hutchinson are now so nearly that the firmament signifies the substance of agreed, that it is to be lamented that science the material heaven; and that this substance should suffer by any of their disputes, or that is composed of light and air. And farther, the name of any person should be held in that these are the appointed instruments of contempt upon that account; particularly of life and motion in the natural world: that so excellent a person as Dr. Horne. Why they give us an idea of the power of God, this good man should be reported to have who acts in the economy of grace by the renounced what Newton himself, if he had divine light and Spirit, the Son and Holy seen what we have seen, would probably Ghost, as he acts in nature by the operation have adopted and carried on in his superior of the air and light upon all things; and that way, I cannot understand. Therefore I disthus the two kingdoms of grace and nature tinguish once more, that the philosophy, are similar in their constitution, and confirm which Dr. Horne professed, did not depend one another. In this doctrine, the doctrine on doubtful interpretations of the Scripture, of a philosophy which the world does not but was confirmed by reason and experience, generally receive, the author of the Com- as it was argued in his State of the Case bementary persevered to the last day of his life. tween Newton and Hutchinson; from which And why should he not, when it is palpably he never departed, and from which no sensitrue? Whoever asserts the agency of nature, ble man could depart. In philosophy, thus and the offices of the elements as here defined and limited, he and I were always described, need be afraid of no contradiction: of a mind. Of myself I will say but little; he stands upon a rock, and has all nature to support him; and the long experience of mankind, however it may lose itself in the endless mazes of chemistry, and leave what is useful, to hunt after what is new, does yet all tend to confirm this universal principle, that matter acts upon matter, and that the world aud all things therein are moved, sustained, and animated, by the agency of the heavens upon the earth. The persuasion was once almost universal in this country, and that little should have been omitted, if Í had not been forced upon an explanation, which I did not expect. For the proof of such a system of nature as Newton was not averse to, I published a large quarto volume, above seven hundred copies of which are dispersed about the world; and there must be learned and ingenious men to whom the thing is not unknown. Against some particulars there may be weighty objections; but against the general plan, I never yet saw |
