received sense, and the almost equally inconceivable disinterestedness of his Bermuda scheme to those incapable of appreciating it should have subjected him to reflection as a visionary. On the publication of this work it was presented to Queen Caroline by Dr Sherlock, who left it to her Majesty to decide whether the author was open to such an imputation. Dr Berkeley had previously been presented by his friend Mr Molyneux, the mathematician and correspondent of Locke, to this princess, who entertained a very high opinion of him, previous to her coming to the throne. He was in consequence nominated, at her instance, to the deanery of Down, in Ireland; but owing to its having been previously promised, or some informality, it was not carried out. The queen then declared that, since they would not allow Dr Berkeley to be a dean in Ireland, he should be a bishop. He was consequently nominated Bishop of Cloyne, on a vacancy occurring early in 1734.

Shortly after this event, a considerable agitation was created in the scientific world by the publication of his next work, "The Analyst," addressed to an infidel mathematician, by whom Dr Halley was understood to be referred to. Its design was to shew that mathematicians, who so much deprecated mysteries in religion, were guilty of admitting much greater mysteries and even falsehood in science, in proof of which he adduced the doctrine of fluxions as a glaring example. In the following year he displayed his patriotism by publishing "Queries" for the good of Ireland. It may be mentioned that one of his early correspondents was Mr Prior, to whose public spirit the formation of the Society of Arts in Dublin was chiefly owing. Bishop

Berkeley's subsequent publications were chiefly of a temporary nature, to which it is unnecessary particularly to refer.

In the exemplary discharge of the duties of this see, in the spirit of primitive times, the good bishop continued nearly twenty years-declining the temptations offered him of exchange for a richer preferment. But, about his sixtieth year, finding his health failing, and having suffered for some time from a nervous cholic, he became desirous of a change of scene, and duties less responsible and onerous. With this view, he had attempted to exchange his office for a canonry or headship at Oxford, being further influenced in his choice by the motive of superintending the education of a younger son who had recently entered as a student of Christ-church College. Failing in this, he wrote to the Secretary of State requesting permission to resign, and stating his reasons for so singular a request. The king, no doubt from personal consideration, as well as that of the loss to the Church of such an ornament, refused the application, saying that he should die a bishop in spite of himself, but granted him full permission to reside where he pleased.

This royal pleasantry was not long in being realised. He had removed with his family to Oxford in midsummer 1752, where he had earned the high respect of the learned members of the university among whom he resided. On a Sunday evening, however, in the middle of the following January, just after having been commenting with his accustomed mental vigour on a passage read by Mrs Berkeley, his daughter, on presenting him a cup of tea, found him quite dead in his chair. He had been seized with paralysis of the heart, and had passed away as in a quiet sleep. He

was in his sixty-ninth year. In addition to the qualities. of a fine writer, Dr Berkeley had the reputation of one of the most universal scholars of his age. Nor was his knowledge confined to what was merely scholastic; he possessed an extensive acquaintance with every useful and liberal art. Neither was the range of his virtues less comprehensive; and his character was happily summed up by Bishop Atterbury after making his acquaintance :-"So much understanding, so much knowledge, so much innocence, I did not think had been the portion of any but angels, until I saw this gentleman."

The contributions of Dr Berkeley to the Guardian were fourteen papers in all, of which eleven are occupied in the defence of revealed religion against the free-thinkers of the age. These present in a clear and lucid manner arguments and illustrations relative to the various evidences and pleas for the reasonableness of revelation. Of the three on other topics, one is on the discovery of the pineal gland, with a humorous and satirical account of a supposed residence in those of philosophers, poets, beaux, mathematicians, belles, and politicians; another on natural and artificial pleasures, and the importance of cultivating a taste for the former; and the third on the character and writings of Fénelon. As the only fact of the kind recorded, it may be mentioned, that for each of these papers Berkeley is stated, on the authority of Dr Hoadly, to have received a guinea and a dinner with Steele.

The next most considerable contributor to the Guardian was Pope, who was at this time rising to the poetical supremacy he ultimately attained, and soon after removed to

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