rest. He bought her the lands of Maintenon, thể only estate she ever had; and, finding her pleased with the acquisition, called her publicly " Madame de Maintenon," which was of great service to her in her good fortune, by releaseing her from the ridicu lous name of Scarron.

In the mean time, her elevation was to her only a re treat; the king came to her apartment every day after dinner, before and after supper, and continued there till midnight here he did business with his minis ters, while Madame de Maintenon, employed in reading or needle work, never shewed any desire to talk of state affairs, and carefully avoided all appear ances of cabal and intrigue, nor did she ever make use of her power, to procure dignities or employments for her own relations. But the same natural disposition, which prevented her from soliciting benefits for her friends, made her also incapable of do. ing injuries. When the minister Louvois threw himself at the feet of Louis XIV. to hinder his marriage with the widow Scarron, she not only forgave him, but frequently pacified the king, whom the rough temper of this minister as frequently incensed.

About the latter end of the year 1685, Louis XIV. married her, he being then in his 48th, she in her 50th year; and that piety with which she inspired the king to make her a wife in place of a mistress, became by degrees a settled disposition of mind. She prevailed on Louis, to found a religious community at St. Cyr, for the education of 300 young ladies of quality; and here she frequently retired from that melancholy, of which she complains so patheticaly in one of her letters, and which few ladies will suppose she should be liable to in so elevated a situation. But as Voltaire says, if any thing could shew the vanity of ambition, it would certainly be this letter. Madame de Maintenon could have no other uneasiness than the uniformity of her living with a great king; and this made her once say to the count D'Au

bigny her brother "I can hold it no longer, I wish I was dead." Louis, however, died before her in 1715; when she retired wholly to St. Cyr, and spent the rest of her days in acts of devotion; and, what is most surprising is, that her husband left no certain provision for her, but only recommended her to the duke of Orleans. She would accept no more than a pension of about 13,000 dollars per annum, which was punctually paid her till her death, which happened 15th April 1719. A collection of her letters has been published and translated into English, from which familiar intercourses, her character will be better known than from description.

MANNING, (JAMES D. D.) was born in NewJersey. Oct. 22, 1738. In early life he made a profession of the christian faith, and joined himself to the Baptist church, in the town where he was born. He was instructed in the Latin language, at a grammar school under the direction of the Rev. Mr. Isaac Eaton, a pious and learned pastor of the Baptist church in Hopewell, and after he had finished his preparatory studies, he was admitted into the college of Princeton, where, in Sept. 1762, he took his first degree. In March 1763, he married Miss Margaret Stiles, daughter of John Stiles, Esq. mayor of Elizabeth town.

Being called to the great work of the gospel ministry, by the church of which he was a member, he was ordained as a preacher; and in this profession, he made a display of piety, zeal and talents, which have been equalled but seldom. The fame of his learning, and abilities soon rendered him justly conspicuous amongst his brethren; and as the Baptist Philadel phia Association, at the instance of the Rev. Mr.

Eaton and other learned men of their body, about this time, contemplated the establishment of a college, which they proposed to erect in Rhode Island and Providence plantations, on account of the religious freedom enjoyed in that colony, they fixed their attention upon Mr. Manning, as the most proper person to preside over the intended seminary.

Accordingly, in July 1763, being then on a voyage to Halifax, he stopped at Newport and proposed the subject to a number of influential gentlemen of dif ferent religious denominations, who readily entered into his views, in consequence of which proposals were soon after made for obtaining a charter for a college in that government. After many embarrasments, occasi oned bythe counterplotting of some persons, who were secretly opposed to the measure, the legislature, at last, granted the charter, in February 1764; and Mr. Manning removed to Warren the following sunimer, to make the necessary arrangements for carrying the design into execution. In September 1765, the new seminary was opened, and so great was the public confidence, that students, in a short time, flocked to it from different quarters. He continued at War ren till the year 1770, when it was removed to a spacious building, erected for the reception of the students at Providence, and thither Mr. Manning removed with it, where he continued to discharge the duties of president, with great honour to himself and advantage to those committed to his care, till his death.

Of this college, which has flourished heyond all reasonable calculation, Mr. Manning may be justlyly considered as the founder; for from his personal influence, conciliating manners, and exemplary piety, patrons to this institution were roused from quarters the most unexpected. He, likewise, amidst discourage ments sufficient to have thrown most men into despondency, incessantly persevered and from his own exer

tions together with some private patronage, he reared that literary establishment to a respectable footing, without any pecuniary assistance from the legislature..

Soon after his removal to Providence, he was cho-s sen by the Baptist church in that town, to preach and administer divine ordinances. The laborious duties of a pastoral relation to the church, and an officer of instruction in the college, he performed with great dignity, fidelity and success, till the latter period of his life. Under his preaching, the church greatly flourished: nor is this much to be wondered at, when we consider the vast variety and extent of his qualifications. In the powers of elocution, few preachers of the gospel have excelled him; to which may be added, that his dignified appearance, his engaging and zealous manners could not fail to secure attention to those solemn, evangelical truths, which he always inculcated. So remarkably did the great head of the church prosper his labours, that, in one year, he baptized 110 persons, all of whom were added to the church in Providence.

In 1786, he was elected a delegate to Congress from the State of Rhode Island, which trust, however, he resigned after six months attendance in that Honourable body. About the same time he was complimented with the degree of doctor in divinity, by the university of Philadelphia. On his return from Congress, he resumed his station in the college; but on the 24th of July 1791, he was struck with a fit of apoplexy, of which he departed this life, in five days thereafter, in the 53d year of his age, leaving the amiable and virtuous wife of his youth, and a numerous train of relatives, connections and friends, but no offspring to lament his sudden departure. His funeral was the most solemn and generally attended of any which had ever been witnessed in the town of Providence.

The following is a copy of the Inscription erected on his Tomb Stone, by the Corporation of the Col lege.

In Memory of

The Reverend JAMES MANNING, D. D.
President

Of Rhode Island College.

He was born in New-Jersey, A. D. 1738; Became a Member of a Baptist Church, A. D. 1758) Graduated at Nassau-Hall, A. D. 1762; Was ordained a Minister of the Gospel, 1763; Obtained a Charter for the College, A. D. 1765, Was elected President of it the same Year, And was a Member of Congress, A. D. 1786. His Person was graceful,

And his countenance remarkably expressive of sensibility, cheerfulness and dignity. The variety and excellence of his natural abilities, improved by education, and enriched by Science,

raised him to a rank of eminence among literary characters.

His manners were engaging, his voice harmonious, his eloquence natural and powerful, his social virtues, classsical learning, eminent patriotism, shining talents for instructing youth, and zeal in the cause of CHRISTIANITY, are recorded on the tables of many hearts. He died of an apoplexy,

July 29th, A. D. 1791, ÆTAT 53.

The Trustees and Fellows of the College have erected this monument.

MANSFIELD, (WILLIAM, EARL OF) of the family name of Murray was a younger son of David, earl of Stormont, and born at Perth, in Scotland, 2d March 1704. His residence there was but of short duration, which will account for his having contractVOL. III. No. 21. Mm