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differed, said, in his Charge to the Grand Jury at Durham, that he thought it would not be consistent with the feelings of any man, that, in a great assemblage of the inhabitants of the County, it should be omitted to mention the eminent virtues of the individual of whom they had lately been deprived: he believed "There never was a Prelate who more "deserved the good opinion of the public, than the "lamented individual to whom he referred. His piety and learning placed him among the highest names of England; while his numerous acts of charity and munificence, and his love of truth and justice, made him entitled to their warmest grati"tude and praise, as one of the greatest Benefac"tors which this, or any other country had ever "been blessed with." Also, the Venerable Archdeacon Thorp, in a Charge some time afterward delivered, remarked-"The removal of such a man as Bishop Van Mildert must have been felt as a "serious calamity at any time. His great experience and authority; the space he filled in the eye of the Church; his thorough devotion to her "cause; his superiority to personal and common objects; — rendered a life, so dear, on other ac"counts, to his Clergy and his friends, invaluable "to the public. In the ten years of perplexity,

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during which he presided over us, we had the "most ample proof of his worth: and the paternal "solicitude of his administration; the cheerful ap

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plication of the energies of his powerful mind to "the interests of the Diocese, and of his Clergy; "his liberalities, bounded only by his means of

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"exercising them; his sincere, open, courteous carriage, which won the favour and the confidence of "all who approached him; his love of truth, and "those who held it ;-gave to him the highest place "in our affections and esteem."-Thus eminent and universal was the respect accorded to the excellent qualities which had distinguished the Subject of this Memoir. So fully does the truth appear to have been felt by all honest men, of every class and party, that, when he was struck by death, "A Prince and “a great man,” and one not less good than great, fell that day in Israel.

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If the foregoing Narrative has been in any degree adequate to its intention, the propriety of the above sentiments and testimonies may be thought to require no additional confirmation. Yet the Compiler, begs leave to subjoin, by way of recapitulation, a few supplementary notices and remarks.

His manner both of expressing and conducting himself in every public department, shews Bp. Van Mildert to have possessed an extraordinary combination of depth and quickness of understanding. No sophistries could mislead him, no mysticism baffle the simplicity, no profundity escape the penetration of his intellect. If phrases of the Prophet may be so applied, "Darkness became light before him, and "crooked things straight," directly that he undertook to declare and state them. Scarcely any one could more clearly comprehend a matter in all its bearings and tendencies, or more convincingly enunciate and explain it. Of such his eminent intellec

tual power, not only the several volumes which he published, but also his speeches in the House of Lords, are a sufficient proof. And to this, under a higher influence, may be attributed, in a great measure, the characteristic firmness of principle which, on the most trying occasions, he maintained. His mind could not, for any temporary convenience, depart from a position, which it had once thus fully and throughly perceived to be true. Neither per

plexing circumstances, nor pleas of expediency, could give a cast to his mental vision; nor could the strongest worldly motives and suggestions ever mislead him into abandoning the things which he had previously judged to be right. To the part which he had seen to be good, and had accordingly chosen, to that unchangeably he adhered. There may, in some persons, be noted an immovable prejudice, an obstinate adherence to notions blindly taken up, supported by pride and ignorance, and often accompanied by illtemper. But to the distinguished person whom we are now remembering, nothing of this kind has been imputed, except, perhaps, by malignant scoffers and traducers. He had always a reason to give for his determination on every public question; and that so worthy to be observed, both for its intrinsic weight, and the becoming mode in which it was delivered, that even they who would by no means be persuaded, were fain attentively to listen, and to commend. And if there were any to whom, at the time, his unyielding disposition could not approve itself, such can hardly have failed since to discern

the almost prophetical accuracy with which he foretold the evil results of each particular measure that he opposed.

As a Divine, however, and a Bishop, more than as a Legislator, the Subject of this Memoir is to be considered. In these characters, then, he signally evinced the powers of mind above ascribed to him, and, in short, every other superior faculty which might best qualify him for the elevated stations that he was called to fill. Of his theological writings, enough (perhaps more than was necessary) has already been said in detail. Suffice it here only in general to remark, that if the appreciation which has been made of them be admitted, they will be read, both for the fine simplicity of their language, and the excellent learning and wisdom which pervades them, while sound religion and a pure style are in request. Of his letters, too, which were usually penned with an extraordinary rapidity, a sufficient number have incidentally been inserted, to shew how clearly ran the current of his thoughts, and withal how warmly and affectionately, on every topic that was presented to him. His epistolary effusions must have appeared to the reader equally free from affectation and remissness, the unpremeditated expressions of a vigorous understanding, and an always benevolent and friendly heart, notwithstanding that they were often written under a sore burden of anxieties and infirmities. And the amount of his labours in this respect, and of his application, except when absolutely disabled by ill health, to the mass of business that was continually pressing upon him, was such

as frequently to excite the wonder of those who were best acquainted with his every-day habits and constitution. Moreover, on coming forth from the fatigues of his study, he appeared admirably qualified, as became his station, to lead and to adorn society. Although afflicted with the impediment of deafness, from an early period of his life, he could always, when tolerably free from disease, find delight in the company of the wise and good, and impart to them not less than he received. In a select circle, his conversation was lively and pleasant, and often highly instructive, without being solemn or authoritative. Neither did he shrink from the publicities of his situation, nor fail satisfactorily to discharge them, so long as his physical powers continued equal to the exertion. It has been observed by persons better qualified to speak on such matters than the Writer can pretend to be, that the mind of Bishop Van Mildert was peculiarly apt to expand itself, and become instantly equal to each new elevation of its owner. Certain it is, that, on taking possession of the princely See of Durham, he not only succeeded in conciliating (as at Llandaff) the affections, in general, of the Clergy, but could also at once gracefully assume his station at the head of the Nobility and Gentry of the Palatinate. He instantly shewed himself noble, as if he had been nobly born, and educated, instead of having been raised to nobility from an inferior rank. And on his public days, which, until his latter years, were more pleasant to him than irksome, he did the honours of Auckland Castle with a liberal hospitality, and