On the accession of King George the Third to the Crown, all the Bishops paid their congratulations to him in person, except Hoadly and Sherlock, who, on account of their great age and infirmities, wrote humble Letters to his Majesty, pleading the same in excuse for not personally attending at Court. The King, in return, charged Secker with his message to Hoadly, and which he accordingly delivered, signifying that his Majesty accepted of the excuse, and had a just value and esteem for his character. Hoadly, somewhat surprized at his character being particularly mentioned, enquired of the Archbishop whether that was the King's express message; to which Secker replied in the affirmative, with the addition, that he could assure his Lordship the King did say so, and that his Majesty was no hypocrite. A certain Dignitary soon after called upon Hoadly; and the Bishop told him of his late visitor and message, with this remark, that he believed all that the Archbishop had told him; for no man, said he, understands hypocrisy better than Archbishop Secker. Dr. Secker rode much; was very moderate in eating and drinking; called every body "Good;" and once calling a Lord so at Court, he answered, "I am a very wicked fellow; why do you call me good?" more than the reports of the times, and then adds, that they were not absolutely incredible. Now I do on the contrary affirm, that considering the uniform benevolence, integrity, and dignity of the Archbishop's conduct, they are absolutely incredible; and, what is more, I do on the best authority affirm, that they are absolutely false; and let those who can prove the contrary." Here again let us turn to Dr. John Loveday; who says, "The invidious strictures on Abp. Secker (by the Rev. John Jones, Gent. Mag. LIII. 1030.) will be read with equal indignation by those who really knew him. In p. 1031, col. 1, for ' though he' we might properly substitute' and therefore;' which would prove a consistency of conduct." * Epilogue to the Satires, p. 733, Dial. II. ver. 70. VOL. III. 21 Dr. Dr. Warton, in his "Essay on Pope," observes, that "Some of the Reverend Bench, and particularly one of a truly exalted character, are injuriously treated by the Poet: "Even in a Bishop I can spy desert; Secker is decent *. "To say of a Prelate whose life was exemplary, and his learning excellent, that he was only decent, is surely to damn with faint praise. His Lectures and his Sermons are written with a rare mixture of simplicity and energy, and contain (what Sermons too seldom possess) a great knowledge of life and human nature. Dr. Louth, Dr. Kennicott, and Mr. Merrick, frequently acknowledge his uncommon skill in Oriental Learning: but the Author of Warburton's Life has lately thought proper to deny him this praise *." Dr. Ducarel, in his " History of Lambeth Palace," p. 53, informs us that Abp. Secker expended, in his life-time, upwards of 300l. in arranging and improving the Manuscript Library at Lambeth. This generous Prelate having observed with concern that this Library had received no accession since the death of Abp. Tenison, made it his business to collect books in all languages, from most parts of Europe, at a very great expence, with a view of supplying that chasm; which he accordingly did, by leaving, at his death, out of his private Library, all such books as were not in the Archiepiscopal one before; which comprehended much the largest and most valuable part of his own collection. He also bequeathed to the Manuscript Library a variety of learned and curious Tracts, Letters, &c. written by himself, to be preserved there under the sole care of the Archbishop for the time being, and to be inspected by no one without his Grace's express per mission. In May 1766 an energetic appeal was made to Abp. Secker on the subject of Masquerades, from * Dr. Warton, in Bowles's Pope, vol. IV. p. 342. which the introductory paragraph shall be transcribed as well pourtraying his character *. On a spacious black marble slab, in the passage between the Church and Palace of Lambeth, is the following short inscription: * "Your Grace's most exalted station in the Church, your distinguished zeal for the advancement of Religion, true piety, and sound morals, your indefatigable endeavours to suppress vice, and every nursery thereof, and your Grace's powerful influence, not only in the Cabinet but likewise in the Senate, have determined me most respectfully to approach your Grace, as the natural Patron of the following proposal; no ways doubting but that it will be agreeable to your known character and public spirit, when it is perceived that it hath a tendency to check, and, if your Grace's wise deliberations may be further improved, to remedy all or any of the evils resulting from the too frequent resort of the middling and lower class of people to public diversions, which, in the general opinion, are but real allurements to idleness and vice." A remarkable circumstance, which happened previous to the Archbishop's death, was thus noticed at the time by my late venerable Friend the Rev. Dr. Pegge: " According to the excellent Memoirs you have given us of Abp. Secker, a very extraordinary accident befel him but a few days before he died. The account goes thus, that as he was turning himself on his couch, he broke his thigh-bone. It was immediately set, but it soon appeared there were no hopes of his recovery. After his death it was found that the thigh-bone was quite carious, and that the excruciating pains he so long felt were owing to the gradual corrosion of this bone, by some acrimonious humour. The Archbishop was in his seventy-fifth year. Now it is related in the life of Dr. Ralph Bathurst, who died in his eighty-fourth year, that his death was occasioned by the like accident of breaking his thigh, while he was walking in his garden. And it is added on the occasion, 'It is said that at first, and for some time, he refused to submit to the operations of the surgeon, declaring, in his tortures, that there was no marrow in the bones of an old man. Dr. Bathurst was bred a Physician, and was of great eminence in his profession, insomuch that some regard, as it should seem, ought to be paid to a declaration of this kind coming from him, and yet I vehemently suspect the truth of it, on account of what here follows. At Christmas, 1697, an old gentlewoman, confined to her bed by illness, and Letters from Dr. THOMAS SECKER, To the Rev. Dr. DODDRIDge. "REVEREND SIR, Cuddesden, Sept. 29, 1743. "I return you many thanks for your favourable opinion both of my Sermon and its Author, though expressed in a manner which you would have forborne if you had known me better. Plain men should be treated in a plain way: and nobody should have things said to him which he doth not deserve; and ought not to hear if he did. Let us all endeavour to do what good we can; and give those who seem to endeavour it faithfully, the comfort of knowing we think they do; but never tempt one another to forget we are unprofitable servants. I am in no danger of transgressing this rule when I say that I have read your works with great satisfaction, and, I hope, some benefit; and both rejoice and wonder that, in the midst of your other occupations, you continue able, as I pray God you long may, to oblige your Fellow Christians so often and so highly from the press. Indeed it must, and ought to be owned in general, that the Dissenters have done excellently of late years in the service of Christianity; and I hope our common warfare will make us chiefly attentive to our common interest, and unite us in a closer alliance. I believe, on the best enquiry I can make, that what I have said in favour of our Charity Schools is true; and you do very well to propagate a sense of Religion amongst your own people by the same method. I have read Dr. Watts's Essay on the subject, which fell into my hands but yesterday, with much pleasure, and a lit in the 84th year of her age, had occasion in the night to use the bason; and being very weak and helpless, she tumbled upon the floor as she was endeavouring to reach it, and broke her arm. She had a fever upon her at the time, and yet this notwithstanding, and notwithstanding her extreme old age, the arm was set and united well, and in a reasonable time; and she had tolerable good use of it before she died, which was on the 20th of October, 1768. In short, the affirmation, or supposition rather, of Dr. Bathurst, appears to me to be a subject that ought to be enquired into by those who have opportunities of making the trial. S. PEGGE." For various other particulars relative to Abp. Secker, see the pages referred to in the "Literary Anecdotes," vol. VII. pp. 372. 672. (particularly vol. III. p. 748); and vol. IX. p. 499. See also, Gent. Mag. vol. XXXVIII. pp. 451. 523; vol. XL. p. 123; vol. LIV. p. 170; vol. LXVIII. pp. 559. 931. 1106. tle tle surprise, to see in how many points we have coincided; an evidence, I presume, that we are both in the right. I congratulate you heartily on the prospect you have of success in your Hospital; and as I am very sensible of what peculiar advantage it would be to have one at Oxford, so I have not only taken all opportunities of expressing and inculcating my opinion, but should long before now have made some trial what could be done in the matter, if hopes had not been given me that Dr. Radcliffe's Trustees, when his Library is finished, will employ some part of the residue of his money in this excellent work. You were much to blame in not letting me see you at Gloucester: and the Bishop, when he knows it, will be as sorry as I am, that you passed by us in the manner you did. The time of my being in town, and that of your coming thither, I am afraid, are different. But, if any occasion bring you near me, either there or here, I beg you will not think you need any introducer: for I am, with great esteem and regard, Sir, "Your very humble servant, THO. OXFORD." "REVEREND SIR, St. James's, Westminster, Feb. 21, 1744-5. "I thank you for your candid reception of my small Remarks. Your favourable opinion of the Church of England gives me no surprise, but much pleasure. And as I agree with you heartily, in wishing that such things as we think indifferent, and you cannot be brought to think lawful, were altered or left free, in such a manner, as that we might all unite; so I have no reason to believe that any one of the Bishops wishes otherwise; and I know some that wish it strongly, whom I fear many of the Dissenters take to be of a different spirit; nor, perhaps, were the body of the Clergy ever so well disposed to it as now. But still I see not the least prospect of it; for they who should be most concerned for it are most of them too little so. And of others, few that have influence think it can be worth while, either to take any pains, or spend any time, about matters of this nature; and too many judge the continuance of a separation useful to their particular schemes. Amongst these last, the Enemies of Religion are apt to consider the Dissenters as their Allies against the Established Church. But, as I hope they will never have cause to join in any designs against it, so I am fully persuaded they will never think a combination with such persons justifiable, either in point of prudence, or of conscience. "The Bishop of Gloucester desires you to accept his thanks and compliments; and I am, Reverend Sir, "Your very humble servant, "DEAR SIR, TO BROWNE WILLIS, Esq. THO, OXFORD." St. James's, Westminster, Nov. 5, 1747. "At Oxford the first Register Book is 1543-1601; but there are no Institutions registered from 1569 to 1604. The second is 1604-1642: but there is nothing registered from March 9, 1622, to July 21, 1627; nor from May 28, 1642, to July 18, |