rious and vigorous style! what felicities of expression, what beauties of imagery, and what an affluence of noble sentiments! Again, what tender and persuasive earnestness do we discover! what soul-stirring exhortation! what powerful denunciation! what bright views of religion, and what passages of intense sublimity!* So that he who has not perused these writings may be said not to know the power of his mother-tongue; or to be like the possessor of a field, who is unacquainted with a mine of richest ore that lies beneath its surface. Barrow's discourses are very different from those of Sherlock, but equally good in their kind: they are not so critically correct-so logical in argument—so accurate in arrangement-so definite in terms-so free from repetitions, or even from imperfections: for the very sublimity of Barrow's mind, the vast extent of his knowlege, and the abundant power of his imagination, sometimes hurry him on towards a faulty excess. He does not always stay to analyse his thoughts, to weigh scrupulously his modes of expression, or to distinguish accurately between the heads and propositions of his discourses; but if those discourses be not always well arranged, they are the product of an extraordinary mind; they are the out-pourings of a strong and capacious intellect; exuberant streams, or rather torrents, of eloquence and sound theology sent forth, tanquam ex cathedra, until the very powers of thought and the varieties of language seem to be exhausted. It may also be observed that the faults of Barrow's composition are much more apparent to a person who reads his sermons consecutively, than to him who takes up a single one for casual perusal. When a man

* I will only refer the reader to the close of the first sermon, for proof of his Miltonic sublimity.

writes as he did, not for publication, but for preaching, and for the inculcation of sound principles into an audience, repetitions may be necessary, tautology allowed. But if to Barrow's eloquence we add the splendor of his moral character, a studious and blameless youth, a diligent and useful manhood, principles which no power or flattery could shake, freedom from the love of lucre, gratitude to friends, charity and condescension to all below him, and humility, which was doubly meritorious in so highly gifted a mind; finally, if to such graces and endowments we subjoin his sound sense, his wisdom, his foresight, and knowlege of mankind, where shall we look for his superior?*

And even in this world he gathered the blessed fruits of all these natural and acquired virtues. No one seems to have really enjoyed life more than Barrow. He was the delight of society, and men took a pleasure in returning to his bosom a portion of that happiness which they derived from his company. He seems actually to have had no enemies, no vexations. Though he continued steady in his principles through the worst of times, yet so upright was his conduct, so prudent were his measures, so peaceable was his disposition, and so commanding were his talents, that faction herself smoothed her ruffled brow when he appeared; and calumny never once assailed the purity of his fame Yet though he was too humble to grasp at

* He came, says Archbishop Tillotson (in the preface to his works), as near as is possible for humane frailty to doe, to the perfect idea of St. James his perfect man.

+ If I could hear (says Mr. A. Hill) of an accusation, that I might vindicate our friend's fame, it would take off from the flatness of my expression; or a well-managed faction, under the name of zeal, for or against the church, would show well in story: but I have no shadows to set off my piece.

an inordinate share of human goods, too wise to aspire after a splendid dependence, too gentle to struggle with a jostling crowd, all things were his: and when we contrast the overflowing joy of Barrow's life with the feverish state of him who is an ambitious candidate for this world's glories, how strongly do we perceive the fulfilment of that promise in which it is declared, the meek shall inherit the earth.

To collect farther testimonies to the excellence of his talents, his writings, and his character, would be a superfluous labor :* if his works be perused, they will speak for themselves and for their author. A few of his opinions however may be recorded, whether it be to afford instruction, or to gratify curiosity.

He is said to have been a great enemy to those pieces that were written for theatrical representation in his days; thinking, and not without reason, that they were a principal cause of the licentiousness then so prevalent: his own wit was pure and peaceable; and as for satires, he wrote

none.

Notwithstanding his extensive range in the field of literature, science, and philosophy, he gave it as his opinion, (and a very sound one it is,) that general scholars please themselves most, but those who prosecute particular subjects do more service to the community.

His favorite authors appear to have been Sophocles, Demosthenes, and Aristotle, among the Greek classics; Chrysostom among the Fathers; and Ovid among the Latin poets. "The greater part of his poems," says Dr. Pope,

The reader may find some in the Bibliotheque Universelle, T. iii. p. 325: in the preface to Pemberton's View of Sir Isaac Newton's Philosophy: in Archbishop Tillotson's preface to his works; &c.

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were written in hexameter and pentameter verses, after the manner of Ovid, whom he had in great esteem, preferring him even before the divine Virgil. I have heard him say that he believed Virgil could not have made the Metamorphosis so well as Ovid has concerning which there have been betwixt us several sharp, but not bitter disputes; for herein I confess I differed from him, though we were, as to all other things, generally speaking, of the same mind, as Horace says of his friend Fuscus Aristius and himself:

hac in re scilicet una

Multum dissimiles; ad cætera pene gemelli

Fraternis animis."

In a very excellent speech which Barrow made to the students of Trinity College on his appointment to the Humanity Lecture,* he fully confirms this statement of Dr. Pope, when he gives the reasons for selecting Ovid as the subject of his lectures :

"Ex omni choro Authorum, quem unà legeremus, segregavi Ovidium. Torvum enim illud et morosum Virgilianæ majestatis reveriti, incertum et intricatum Papiniani tumoris abominati sumus. Et Horatium, sæpè suaviter nequam, dictisque elegantibus et præceptis non raro lasciviæ ac intemperantiæ virus admiscentem, respuimus. Quin et ipsum præterire ausi sumus Ciceronem, subinde dum largo flumine verborum exundat, rebus et sensibus parcum. Quidni igitur Ovidium in manus sumerem? Ovidium dixi, imò potius Genium quendam ingenii ac eloquentiæ in humana

* It is intitled Pro Lectore Human. oratio. The office, I believe, answers to that of the present Latin Lecturer; though the duties have necessarily altered with the times.

specie ludentem: cujus versiculos nec mortalis aliqua cura finxisse, nec studium expressisse, neque ars concinnâsse, sed vel natura ipsa sponte effudisse, aut divinior quædam Musa dictâsse videatur. Ovidium, lactea ubertate eloquii, facili proprietate verborum, sincera puritate sermonis, sententiarum apposito lepore, utilique acumine, æquali calore, et continuo styli spiritu cuivis conferendum," &c.

After this he concludes with some admirable instructions for themes, and several other species of composition.

Almost all the worldly goods which Barrow left behind him consisted in his books; but these were so well chosen, that they sold for more than they cost. He published only two sermons in his life-time; the rest, with the greater part of his works, were given to the world by his surviving and sorrowing father, who thus endeavored to perpetuate the benefits conferred on society by his illustrious son. The task of editing these precious remains was committed to Dr. Tillotson, who appears to have exercised his discretion in dividing some of the sermons, and correcting various inaccuracies in others: he has given a concise account of his editorial labors, and of the works themselves, in the preface.* Abraham Hill, Esq. was his coexecutor, and these two friends were empowered to determine on such works as should be published. Having now gone through the principal events recorded in the life of this great man, who died at the early age of 47, and yet left behind him such a reputation as few persons have been able to acquire in the longest and most active career, I cannot find a more appropriate conclusion to my

* Three volumes in folio were published in 1683; and a 4th volume, containing the Opuscula, came out in 1687.