"judgment, that, if some friend had followed him “about with a pen and ink to note down his say"ings and observations, they might have furnished "out a collection like that which Mr. Boswell has given to the public; but frequently of a superior "quality, because the subjects which fell in his way "were occasionally of a higher nature, out of which more improvement would arise to those that "heard him: and it is now much to be lamented, "that so many of them have run to waste." The Bishop however, left, in his own hand-writing, the following collection, which he seems to have formed for his own.use, and with little of ito idea, perhaps, of its ever appearing before the public. It seems to have been a sort of comman-place book, or repository of such things as he judged worthy of remembrance, whether they were thoughts arising in his own mind, or passages occurring in the perusal of authors, of which his reading seems to have been very various. Many of them may be found transplanted into his sermons, and likewise in his papers in the Olla Podrida. Such appears to have been the habitual piety of the Bishop's mind, that in reading books upon the most common subjects, he never failed to give a religious or moral application where the fact or sentiment would admit of it; and when the reader imagines he is merely perusing a common piece of history or anecdote, he finds himself unexpectedly in possession of some valuable truth or lesson: of this nature amongst others are those given at page 23, section 12.—29, § 27 and 28.-38, § 12.-46, § 15.—53, § 2.- 105, Hope. 117, § 1.—119, § Macdonald, and Mahomet.127, § 9.-128, § 10.-- 164, § 11 and 12. In one instance, 66, § 13, no application is given, but the reader will be at no loss to apply the passage to his own situation with respect to his GREAT FATHER. Sometimes a sentence of poetry has a new and valuable meaning given to it; and what the reader had before, perhaps, considered but as an unmeaning passage in a profane poet, is converted into nourishment for the christian mind; of this kind may be mentioned those at p. 27, § 22.—35, § 4.—45, § 9.—70, § 6 and 7.-93, § 13.—129, § 1.—133, § 13 and 14.-135, § 22, &c.—150, § 55. At times there is a vein of playfulness and humour, which, though it be not necessary to relieve the reader, as the work is never dry, yet it adds considerably to the interest awakened and the entertainment experienced. Of these may be mentioned p. 37, § 10.—45, § 11.—105, Honesty.-120, § 1. -121, § 1.-143, § 37.-157, § 4.-175, § 2. 180, 19.-181, § 23.-193, § 2. The wit of Bishop Horne, displayed in these passages, in some of his papers in the Olla Podrida, and in some of his controversial works, is of the purest kind, it is smart, but never malevolent; and it may be said of his satire, with greater truth than where the figure was originally applied, that "like the razor "it cuts the keener for its polished temper." I know not to whom Cowper originally alluded in the following lines, but they suit admirably the amiable person now mentioned: Oh, I have seen (nor hope perhaps in vain, Had wit as bright as ready to produce, And his chief glory, was the gospel theme; But to treat justly what he lov'd so well. CONVERSATION. To him we may apply one of his own beautiful similies, "depth of sentiment illustrated by a bright 66 imagination, is like the sea when the sun shines upon it and turns it into an ocean of light." p. 49, § 8. At other times, some fact in natural history is made the vehicle of instruction, and the contemplative philosopher Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, AS YOU LIKE IT. Act II. Scene I. These may be found chiefly under the article NATURE, p. 129, &c.* It will be thought, perhaps, nay I believe it has, been said, that some of them are trifling, but I know not how any thing which may have extensive consequences can be called trifling; and sometimes we see that the most seemingly trifling causes, in the hands of an all-wise and all-beneficent Providence, give rise to the most beneficial effects. In the preface to a work of this kind, it does not seem necessary to apologize for introducing the following anecdote by way of illustration. An inconsiderate person would not think that the arms and motto *Other instances of the same kind may be found in some of the Notes to the Bishop's Sermons. upon a gentleman's carriage could be of consequence to any one; and yet there is a story upon record, (see the Orthodox Churchman's Magazine vol. I. p. 537) which shews, that the device upon JONAS HANWAY'S carriage was, in al! probability, the means of preserving a young man from perdition both here and hereafter. "When this benevolent man and pious Christian returned from abroad, he set up his carriage, and had painted thereon the following device and motto, which we here mention for the sake of an affecting anecdote. The device was, a man dressed in a Persian habit, just landed in a storm on a rude coast, and leaning on his sword, his countenance calm and resigned. In the back ground was depicted a boat, beat about by the billows: in front a shield, charged with his arms, leaning against a tree, and underneath, this motto, NEVER DESPAIR. The anecdote was as follows; a young merchant, having suddenly experienced some heavy losses, and not knowing how to extricate himself, was returning home from the Exchange with a determination of putting an end to his existence, but as he was passing on with the black design in his thoughts, his eye was caught by Mr. Hanway's device; and the motto NEVER DESPAIR, rushed |