Yet it has sometimes been permitted by the all-wise and gracious Sovereign, who presides over the universal church, that such fiery trials should take place. Unless this permission had been granted, neither Mary nor her sanguinary myrmidons could have injured one of those servants of the most high God, who became the victims of their cruelty and rage. As the Lord of the Universe sometimes permits tempests to rage with tremendous violence; earthquakes and volcanoes to spread far and wide their fearful devastation; so the King of Zion looses for a short season the bands of persecutors, and allows them to desolate the heritage which he has set apart for himself. Nor can we doubt that as in the natural, so in the moral, world, these tempests are productive of the most beneficial results. They put principles to the test-they keep in the mind a sense of dependance-they unite the genuine disciples of Christ more closely togetherand they prove the Omnipotence of Truth. Yet though persecutions may be thus salutary in their influence, it is matter of unfeigned thankfulness, that we live in more tranquil times; that it is our privilege to repose "beneath our vines and fig-trees," in security and peace; that "the lines are fallen to us in pleasant places, and we have a goodly heritage."

When we perceive that the wisest, the most pious, and the best of men, are ranged on either side of those party questions, which have unhappily divided the christian church, should we not learn from it moderation and charity? When we see, on the one hand, the excellent Hooker, himself a host; and, on the other, the venerable Coverdale, to whom (next to Wickliffe, the father of the Reformation,) England is indebted for the earliest version of the scriptures-the intrepid Knox, who lifted up the standard of truth even in the enemy's camp, and many others, "whose praise is in all the churches"-does it not become us to distrust ourselves, to exercise mutual forbearance, and to unite in the apostolical prayer, "Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity?" Let none presume to say, in the spirit of selfconfidence and party-zeal," the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Iird are we;" but rather let every one,

while he is "fully persuaded in his own mind," forbear to judge and condemn his brother, knowing that " to his own Master he stands or falls ?"

ESSAY XII.

On the State of Literature in England during the sixteenth Century.

THE period now to be reviewed, was characterized no less by the revival of letters, than by the ecclesiastical changes which then took place. The intellectual darkness which had long prevailed, continued undiminished till the death of Henry VII., except that, in a few solitary instances, (like those of Grocyn and Tilly, eminent scholars, who flourished in that reign,) literature was cultivated with ardour and success. But the accession of Henry VIII. forms a memorable æra in the history of learning in this kingdom. Then many literary institutions, which had fallen into decay, renewed their youth; and many branches of science, which had been long neglected, began to flourish. That monarch was himself an accomplished scholar, and continued through life to patronise men of learning. Nor was the zeal of cardinal Wolsey, in promoting the interests of literature, inferior to that of his royal master. That celebrated statesman contributed in no ordinary degree to the revival of letters, by his munificent patronage of those who excelled in them. It is affirmed by a contemporary writer of high reputation, that "at a time in which literature was maintaining a doubtful struggle with the champions of ignorance, Wolsey sustained by his favour, sanctioned by his authority, adorned by his splendour, and enriched with his liberality, the most eminent scholars of his age." He prevailed on many foreigners of distinction to settle in England, by large promises of literary honours or ecclesiastical preferment. He spared no expense to enrich the public

libraries with the most valuable productions of antiquity, and particularly with a complete collection of the Greek and Roman classics. Besides the numerous colleges and public schools, which were either founded by him, or by those who acted under his influence, he instituted and endowed lectureships in philosophy, the mathematics, the belles lettres, the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew languages, rhetoric, &c. &c. His projects for the advancement of learning were magnificent and costly, but many of them were left unfinished, in consequence of his sudden dismissal from office*.

The department of literature which was cultivated with most success at this period was philology, or the critical study of the Latin and Greek languages. The barbarous jargon which had been long employed by the monks in their ponderous volumes of scholastic divinity was now despised; and it was deemed a most desirable accomplishment to speak and write in a pure and classical style. Several distinguished individuals conduced greatly, both by their example and writings, to this renovation of the public taste, and consequently to the restoration of

* In the reign of Henry VII. were founded at Cambridge, Jesus College, by Alcock, bishop of Ely, A. D. 1496; Christ's College, and St. John's, by Margaret, countess of Richmond, the former A. D. 1505, and the latter in 1508. During the reign of Henry VIII. there were founded at Oxford, Brazennose College, by Smith, bishop of Lincoln, A. D. 1511; Corpus Christi College, by bishop Fox, the secretary of state, A.D. 1517; and in 1525, Wolsey laid the foundation of a magnificent college, which was intended to have been a princely establishment, and to have borne the name of Cardinal College; but having been left unfinished by that aspiring statesman, it was completed on a smaller scale by Henry VIII. and called Christ-Church. At Cambridge, in the same reign, were built Maudlin and Trinity Colleges; the former was founded and endowed by the unfortunate duke of Bucking. ham, A. D. 1525, and the latter by Henry VIII. himself, A. D. 1536. At the same period were established the chartered grammar schools of St. Paul, founded by dean Collet,-of Ipswich, by cardinal Wolsey, and Westminster, by Henry VIII It may also be proper to state here, that in the splendid reign of Elizabeth, Trinity, St. John's, and Jesus Colleges arose at Oxford; and Cuius and Gonville, Emanuel and Sidney-Sussex in Cambridge, beside many other subordinate literary institutions.

learning which followed. As their names are identified with the literary history of their age, it will be naturally expected, that a brief notice concerning them should be introduced into this essay.

The celebrated Erasmus stands foremost among those who produced a revival of letters in England, and in some measure throughout Europe. He was born at Rotterdam, A. D. 1467. At a very early age he discovered an extraordinary genius, and an insatiable thirst for knowledge. In the year 1497 he first arrived in England, intending to teach Greek in the university of Oxford, but met with so much opposition from the monks, on account of his having published so heretical a book as the New Testament in Greek, that he soon abandoned the design, and returned to the continent. After having resided several years in Italy, Switzerland, and France, he again visited England, A. D. 1509, at the earnest solicitation of lord Mountjoy, Wolsey, and Sir Thomas More. He now fixed his residence at Cambridge, where he delivered lectures on the Greek classics with distinguished reputation. After having spent many years in literary retirement in this country, and composed many works, which still remain as monuments of his wit, learning, and critical acumen, he returned to Basil, where he died, in the midst of his protestant friends and coadjutors, A, D. 1536. His works, when collected and published uniformly, amounted to ten folio volumes, and are replete with valuable information.

he had

Sir Thomas More, the friend and patron of Erasmus, occupies a distinguished place among the literati of that age. This patriotic statesman and accomplished scholar was born A. D. 1480. At nineteen years of age acquired an intimate and critical acquaintance with the Latin and Greek languages, in both of which, he conversed and wrote with elegance and ease. When called to the bar, he distinguished himself so much by his eloquence and legal knowledge, as to attain the highest honours of that profession. He was the first layman who held the office of chancellor of England. He was remarkable for his ready wit and conversational powers, but his reputation was chiefly founded on his celebrated and well-known

work on government, entitled Utopia, which was first published in 1516, and quickly translated into most of the European languages. Besides this popular production, he composed several other works on historical, critical and theological subjects. Henry VIII. was warmly attached to him, and justly accounted him the brightest ornament of his court; yet sternly sacrificed him, on account of his conscientious refusal to take the oath of supremacy. Dr. Collett, dean of St. Paul's, must also be enrolled among the restorers of ancient learning, who flourished at this period. He was born in London, A. D. 1466, and received his education first at Oxford, and afterwards in France and Italy. His studies were chiefly directed to the critical examination of the Greek Testament, and the diligent perusal of the Latin and Greek fathers. He delivered lectures at Oxford on the epistles of St. Paul, with great applause, and was the most admired preacher of his day. But on account of the severity with which he censured the vices of the clergy, and exposed their ignorance, he was suspected of heresy, and nearly fell a sacrifice to his fidelity. Few of his writings remain, though at the time they were extremely popular. Dr. Linacre was also another of the coadjutors in this work of reviving decayed literature. He was equally celebrated as a physician and as a scholar. By his translation of several of Galen's tracts into pure and classical Latin,-by his lectures on physic, delivered at Oxford, and especially by his efforts to establish the royal college of physicians, of which he was the first president, he did much for the medical profession. But by his Rudiments of Grammar, written for the use of Mary, queen of France, and his critical treatises in the Latin and Greek languages, he accomplished no less for the general advancement of learning. He was born at Canterbury, A. D. 1460, and died in London, A. D. 1524. Nor must we omit to mention among the scholars of that age, William Lily, the celebrated grammarian, who was the intimate friend of dean Collet, Linacre, Erasmus, and many other literary characters of that age. He was born at Odiham in 1461, and, after having spent many years in foreign countries, returned to England, to communicate the knowledge which