"Points to be explained-Heb. phraseology-ways of reasoning-accommodation of prophecies-proverbs -explanation of customs." Of his other lectures, some notice will be taken when we come to that part of his life in which he sent out his works.

Of his private friendships during this period, it might not be necessary to say more than that he seemed naturally disposed to prefer private friendship to public notoriety at all times. So much, however, of his future fortune, as well as the exercise of his abilities, depended upon an intimacy formed at this time, and so strongly does the character of his more intimate friends prove how little he thought of belonging to any party in religion or politics, that all mention of them cannot well be omitted. Dr. John Law, Bishop of Elphin; the Rev. Wm. Sheepshanks, Fellow of St. John's; Lord Ellenborough; the Rev. Dr. Ord, of Bury, who was at that time his pupil, . were four friends with whom he used to spend much, not only of his leisure time, but of his retirement, for more literary and serious conversation. Few evenings during their residence in the university passed without their visiting at one another's rooms. With these he kept up a constant correspondence and intercourse during the remainder of his life. The Rev. Edward Wilson, who was Mr. Pitt's early tutor, whose rise is said to have been limited, by some doubts of his orthodoxy, to a canonry of Windsor and rectory of Burfield, seems to have been a much valued friend; the Rev. Wm. Stoddart, of Ashford in Kent;

Mr. Hall, master of the free-school at Grantham in Lincolnshire; the Rev. Mr. Wilson, of Moulton in Suffolk; and Mr. Mapletoft, of Anstye near Buntingford, seem to have been in habits of very friendly intercourse with him, and were often mentioned by him to his family with great pleasure. His connexion too with Mr. Unwin ought to be recorded, as agreeing so well with his strong inclination for piety and religious conversation, for their intimacy was very great, and their conversation the most unre-strained on religious subjects. Though they differed materially on some of their views, yet did not this difference prevent a perfect and friendly interchange of sentiments on this subject, nor indeed does it appear to have assumed any other than the character of a religious friendship. Once afterwards at least he had the gratification of seeing his old friend at Dalston; at which time Mr. Unwin introduced his friend Cowper to him, and seemed anxious that they should be on the same footing as himself; but this intimacy never got forward; nor is there any recollection in Dr. Paley's family of his opinion or correspondence with either of them, except that on reading Hayley's Cowper, he observed, that "he had given Cowper a black cat, and he wondered that he had not mentioned that amongst other important matters." Of his epistolary correspondence, the want of which is much regretted*, as well in this as in

* Meadley.

other passages of his life, enough perhaps will appear in the sequel of our sketch to make the omission less unsatisfactory.

His private friends, some of whom still survive him, seem to value his memory, as that of one who was benevolent, candid, affable, lively, and sprightly, ready to assist at all times, and ready to communicate whatever he thought, or whatever he knew, with a perfect unconsciousness of his own superiority, or the least suspicion of his own importance; and with such peculiar buoyancy of spirit, that they at once saw he was not only interested in what he was about, but cared not a rush for his own trouble or inconvenience.

In order to carry our account forward to a more mature stage, it will be necessary shortly to revert to his intimacy with Dr. Law, Bishop of Carlisle. Law and Paley had been acquainted while undergraduates, but their acquaintance did not approach to intimacy till after Paley had taken his degree, and so much did it grow upon both of them by a habit of occasional intercourse during their joint tuition, that its closeness was only to be equalled by its duration. There existed between them a singular union of steady and rooted principle, perfect singleness and integrity of heart, congenial powers of mind, and great warmth of feeling; yet these qualities were as singularly contrasted by a different application of them almost through life, by different pursuits, and even different inclinations and tempers. Yet so true and stedfast was their friendship, that though thrown

into different parts of the world, there was both a constant interchange of letters and personal intercourse between them for thirty years, and their movements and enjoyments whilst in the university, as well as in later life, seem to have been regulated with reference to each other. They made frequent excursions together during the vacation to Giggleswick and other places. They usually travelled in a gig, and as if resolved to make a vacation of it, in every sense of the word, they added much to the pleasantry of their friends at home, and in college, by relating the ludicrous scenes in which they contrived to engage. As all, even the most humorous stories of his had point, it may perhaps serve to show the kind of incidents which then and ever after formed the chief food of his observation and amusement, if it be related that it fell to Mr. Law's share to support the dignity of the party with a servant and a gig, to which Mr. Paley added a horse, kept solely for that purpose. This horse was no very comely beast, and their servant was jealous for the character of the whole party. He therefore stitched a fine flowing tail to the harness, and used to surprise his masters on their arrival at an inn, by bringing with great importance the horse's tail into their room along with their luggage. It was in one of these excursions to Bath, that Mr. Wilkes, who occupied an adjoining room at the York Hotel, politely introduced himself one morning, and spent an hour with them. When at Giggleswick, Mr. Paley amused

himself with fishing, while his companion scrambled over hills and stone walls, in which that country abounds, in search of amusement. An old man of the village, who accompanied Mr. Paley in fishing, was the only person, he used to say, who gave him a true view of the folly of affected condescension, "arcta decet sanum comitem toga;" for, on being asked to ride with Mr. Paley in his gig, which was intended to gratify the old man-" Nay," said he, "I'd as well walk beside you, for if you wouldn't shame with me in Settle, I should with you." Some letters which remain among Dr. Paley's papers and manuscript works mark very clearly the depth of affection and interest; and it is under a conviction that familiarity between friends ought to be sacred, that the present writer restrains himself from giving more extracts in this place. Let one suffice, which speaks not only to the point now meant to be recorded, but to the general character and cast of mind of the Bishop of Elphin*. In the Irish rebellion,

* It may serve to show further the great strength of mind and firmness of spirit which this eminent man possessed under the dangers of his country, if we give an extract from a letter written by Dr. Paley about this time to some of his friends. "The Bishop of Elphin has raised a corps of forty, which he commands himself, and does regular duty. The archdeacon is his captain. They were all picked men. One nevertheless has been taken up and hanged. His friends want him to live in England on a few hundreds a year in preference to that. Carlisle is full of Irish emigrants. A gentleman received a letter that all his servants were concerned and sworn; he had no suspicion of any of them