into them of allegories and spiritual allusions, renders many of his remarks and illustrations not easily intelligible to plain and common readers. In the year 1792, alarmed for the safety of the British constitution, which he conceived to be in danger from the growing prevalence of democratical principles, and also for the existence of the established church and creed, against which he was led to believe that the assiduity of sectaries, free inquirers, and unbelievers, was directed, Mr. Jones employed his pen in the service of highchurch politics. He was the author of "A Letter from Thomas Bull to his Brother John," which was industriously circulated throughout the kingdom by the friends of administration; and he drew up and published the prospectus of a plan of a society "for the reformation of principles," the establishment of which he had long meditated. To whatever cause it was owing, however, his efforts to form such a society did not succeed. In connexion with those efforts he gave birth to "The British Critic;" and published a collection of tracts by Charles Leslie, Mr. Law, Mr. Norris, Roger North, Bishop Horne, our author, &c. in two volumes octavo, under the title of "The Scholar armed against the Errors of the Time; or, a Collection of Tracts on the Principles and Evidence of Christianity, the Constitution of the Church, and Authority of Civil Government." During the year last mentioned, Mr. Jones met with a severe loss in the death of his intimate friend, Bishop Horne, to whom he was chaplain, and whose life he undertook the task of recording. This work made its appearance in the year 1795, entitled, "Memoirs of the Life, Studies, and Writings of the Right Rev. George Horne, D. D. late Lord Bishop of Norwich," octavo ; which, though it cannot be commended as a very regular and well-digested biographical production, is written, on the whole, in an interesting and pleasing manner, and contains a warm and affectionate tribute of respect to the memory of that prelate. To a second edition of it, published in 1799, Mr. Jones prefixed a consise exposition of Mr. Hutchinson's leading theological and philosophical opinions. Our author now was become advanced in age, and was obliged by his infirmities to discontinue his practice of taking pupils. That he might not be subjected to any inconvenience from the dimunition of his income which was thus created, in the year 1798, the Archbishop of Canterbury benevolently presented him to the sinecure rectory of Hollingbourn in Kent; which, however, he did not live long to enjoy. The last publication which he sent into the world was "A Discourse on the Use and Intention of some remarkable Passages of the Scriptures, not commonly understood; addressed to the Readers of a Course of Lectures on the Figurative Language of the Holy Scriptures," 1799, octavo. Soon after this, he sustained a heavy loss by the death of his wife, which plunged him in deep affliction; and that trial was in a short time followed by a paralytic attack, which deprived him of the use of one side. His faculties however remained uninjured, and he speedily recovered so far as to be able to walk with a stick, and to write. In this infirm state of body he lived some months, and at length expired, without a sigh or a groan, February 6, 1800, in the seventy-fourth year of his age. Mr. Jones's learning was very respectable; his attachment to what he considered to be truth, steady and zealous; his piety ardent and animated; his moral conduct not only irreproachable but highly exemplary; and his temper and manners placid, humble, and obliging. As far as his means extended, he delighted in doing good; and towards his flock he uniformly behaved as a vigilant affectionate pastor. To his other knowledge he added that of physic, which he commendably applied to the relief and comfort of his poorer neighbours. Of the establishment, of which he was a a minister, he was an intrepid champion, on what are commonly called high-church principles; and of the theologico-philosophical system of the Hutchinsonian school he is justly considered to be the most ingenious and plausible defender. Besides the pieces enumerated in the preceding narrative, he published numerous single sermons, and occasional tracts. We have only to add, that Mr. Jones was a proficient in the theory and practice of music; and that he composed a morning and evening cathedralservice, ten church-pieces for the organ, with four anthems in score for the use of the church of Nayland, which are said to be greatly admired, as of the old school, and in the true classical style. |