CHAPTER VII.

OUR GREAT LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC DIVINES.

LIN.

JOHN DONNE.-ROBERT BURTON.-BISHOP WALTON.-THOMAS FULLER.-PETER HEYARCHBISHOP JUXON.-BISHOP WILKINS.--HENRY MORE. RALPH CUDWORTH.-BISHOP BURNET.-BISHOP CUMBERLAND.-WILLIAM NICHOLSON.-BISHOP KENNETT-BISHOP ATTERBURY.-ARCHBISHOP BOULTER.-RICHARD BENTLEY.

BISHOP WARBURTON.-CONYERS MIDDLETON.-EDWARD YOUNG.-ZACHARY GREY. LAURENCE STERNE.-JOHN JORTIN.-THOMAS WARTON.-WILLIAM MASON.DEAN TUCKER.-JOSEPH WARTON.-ARCHBISHOP MARKHAM.-BISHOP HURD.BISHOP PORTEUS-SAMUEL PARR.-GEORGE CRABBE.

FROM the earliest period of her history, the Church of England has shown herself the friend of learning, and the diffusion of knowledge. The pages of our literary annals have been illustrated by the names of the most eminent divines, who not only in the paths of theology, but in those of philosophy, and the belles-lettres, have acquired for themselves great and durable reputations. It is to this circumstance, in a great measure, that we owe the liberal and enlightened spirit which has ever distinguished the councils of our church. For that catholic spirit—that freedom from sectarianism—that affection for enlarged and comprehensive views, which form its distinguishing characteristics, it is greatly indebted to the successful prosecution of literary and scientific research amongst its prominent leaders.

Many of those whose names are introduced into this chapter, are scarcely less celebrated for their proficiency in

divine learning, than for their services to science and general literature. In the former chapter, however, we selected such divines as had, for the most part, contributed exclusively to theology: in this chapter, we have given accounts of those, whose publications have been directed chiefly to the diffusion of general learning.

JOHN DONNE, of whom it was observed, as it had been of the famous Pico Mirandula, that "he was born rather than made wise by study," was born in London, in 1573, and educated in his father's house, under a private tutor, till the eleventh year of his age, when he was sent to the University of Oxford. He was admitted a commoner of Hart Hall, now Hertford College, together with his younger brother. After he had studied for three years in that institution he removed to Cambridge, and afterwards to Lincoln's Inn, with the design of studying law as his profession. He followed this pursuit only for a year, when he devoted himself to a consideration of the controverted points between the churches of Rome and England, which ended in a sincere attachment to the latter. Soon afterwards he accompanied the Earl of Essex to Cadiz, where he purposed to have set out on an extensive course of travels, and to have visited the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. This design he was compelled to give up by the insuperable dangers and difficulties of the journey: but he resided for some years in Italy and Spain, where he stored his mind with an extensive knowledge of the manners and languages of those countries. On his return to England he was made secretary to the Lord Chancellor Egerton, and continued in that employment five years, during which time he secretly mar ried Lady Egerton's niece, the daughter of Sir George Moore, Chancellor of the Garter, and Lieutenant of the Tower, who was so transported with rage at the marriage

that he insisted on Donne's dismissal from the chancellor's service, and got him imprisoned. He soon obtained his liberty, when he had to commence a long and expensive lawsuit to recover possession of his wife. This greatly dimiminished his fortune, already considerably reduced by his travels, studies, and generosity of temper; but the fatherin-law would contribute nothing towards his support. In this distress they met with the greatest kindness from a near relative, Sir Francis Wooley, at whose house they resided for several years. During this time he was solicited to take holy orders by one of his warmest friends, Dr. Morton, afterwards bishop of Durham, who generously wished to provide for him. With this request, however, he refused to comply from scruples of conscience. He remained with. Sir Francis Wooley till his death, when he soon afterwards obtained another patron in Sir Robert Drury, whom, in 1612, he was prevailed on to accompany on an embassy to Paris. "His wife," says Campbell," with an attachment as romantic as poet could wish for, had formed the design of accompanying him as a page. It was on this occasion, and to dissuade her from the design, that he addressed to her the verses beginning' By our first strange and fatal interview.'” Isaac Walton relates with great simplicity, how the poet, one evening, as he sat alone in his chamber in Paris, saw the vision of his beloved wife appear to him with a dead infant in her arms.

On his return from Paris, many of the nobility pressed the king to confer some secular employment on him, but his majesty, considering him better qualified for the service of the church, rejected their application; and, at his instance, he was persuaded to become a clergyman. In this capacity he was appointed one of the king's chaplains; and, at the recommendation of his majesty, the university of

Cambridge created him a doctor in divinity. His abilities, in his profession, became so eminent, that he was offered many preferments. He was successively lecturer of Lincoln's Inn, dean of St. Dunstan in the West, and dean of St. Paul's. He continued in perfect health till the fiftyninth year of his age, when he was taken ill with a fever, which brought on a consumption. He died in March, 1631, and was buried in the cathedral church of St. Paul's, where his figure yet remains in the vault of St. Faith's, carved from a painting for which he sat a few days before his death, dressed in his winding-sheet. "Donne's life," says Campbell, "is more interesting than his poetry ;" and Dryden gave him the character of being the greatest wit, though not the greatest poet of our nation. His theological and other prose writings do not possess a greater share of reputation than his poetical compositions, of whose defects, such as ruggedness of style and quaint and other ridiculous allusions, they largely partake.

Little is known of the life of ROBERT BURTON, author

of the " Anatomy of Melancholy," a work which has of late years risen into great popularity. He was born at Lindley in 1576, admitted a commoner of Brasen-nose College in 1593, and elected a student of Christ-church in 1599, under the tuition of Dr. John Bancroft, afterwards bishop of Oxford. In 1616, he was presented by the dean and chapter of Christ-church to the vicarage of St. Thomas in Oxford; Lord Berkeley afterwards bestowed on him the living of Seagrave in Leicestershire. Anthony à Wood thus describes him :- "He was an exact mathematician, a curious calculator of nativities, a general read scholar, a thorough-paced philologist, and one that understood the surveying of lands well. As he was by many accounted a severe student, a devourer of authors, a melancholy and

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humorous person; so, by others who knew him well, a person of great honesty, plain dealing, and charity." The Anatomy of Melancholy" is a work of immense erudition; and several authors, particularly Sterne, have unmercifully stolen from it without any acknowledgment. It was the only work, Dr. Johnson said, that could force him from his bed two hours earlier than he wished to rise. It was written by the author with a view to relieve his melancholy; which increased to such a degree that nothing could divert him but going to the bridge foot, and hearing the ribaldry of the bargemen, which seldom failed to throw him into a violent fit of laughter. Burton died on the 29th of January, 1639, in his chamber at Christ-church, having, some years before, predicted the time of his death.

The life of BRIAN WALTON, bishop of Chester, is one of great interest to the theological student on account of the important services which he rendered, as editor of the "Polyglot Bible," to the Church of England. He was born in the year 1600, in that part of the North-Riding of Yorkshire, called Cleveland, but the particular place of his birth has not been ascertained. In 1616, he was admitted a sizar of Magdalen College, Cambridge, whence he removed in the following year to Peter House. In 1623, he proceeded to the degree of master of arts, and soon afterwards became assistant at the church of Allhallow's in London. He distinguished himself in the metropolis for great activity, diligence, and judgment, and was entrusted with the management of a very arduous undertaking, namely, a minute inquiry into the law, and a proposal of improvement in the payment of the tithes of the London clergy.

In 1635, he was presented by Charles I. to the two rectories of St. Giles's in the fields, and of Sandon in Essex; and collated soon afterwards to a prebend in St. Paul's Cathedral.