tumults of the times, to be levelled or destroyed or whether the spirit of sober, scriptural, apostolic truth, shall again be succeeded by illiterate and heartless puritanic fanaticism—or whether the hallowed altars, rescued from superstitious pageantry, where the priest appears in the plain surplice,* not the gorgeous cope, shall be profaned—whether the roofs, resonant with daily praise, shall be silent -whether the property that supports an order of the Clergy in decent dignity, but not in splendour, called to officiate daily during their season of residence, shall be confiscated—whether, in the tempest which seems rolling near and more near — The spirit of the first-born Cain shall eventually prevail, I have thought it my * A superb, embroidered Cope, and various splendidly-illumined Missals, are preserved in the Vestry and Library of Salisbury Cathedral. There could not be a more striking illustration of our Cathedral worship and that of the Romish communion. The Missals, so richly illuminated, contain prayers to the virgin and St. Anthony! The Cope displays, in purple and gold, the Cross and miracles in embroidery! The comely and plain white Surplice is the vestment of our exterior service; we have the Prayer-book, containing only prayers to God, "through Jesus Christ, our Lord;" and we have the OPEN BIBLE, in the VULGAR TONgue. The Choristers, also, have the same plain white surplice; and he must have the heart of a Prynne who could hear, without affecting interest, their clear voices, in the purest innocence of youth, swelling the devotional chaunt; or see them, without the same interesting feelings, when the chaunt has ceased, leaniag attentively, two and two, over a small BIBLE, whilst the appointed Lessons are read, for every day in the year. duty-regardless of the contumely of infidel demagogues or "puritanic Lords," to deliver my own sentiments, as unreserved and as undisguised as I feel them, not as a Church-man, but as an ENGLISHMAN, who loves the Institutions, the Laws, and the Religion of his Country. I here conclude the first volume of the Life of Bishop Ken, containing the least interesting portion of that life, and including the summary of the Life of his first Patron, Bishop Morley, with an account of the origin of that patronage. This portion of Ken's private life is shown in connection with the characters and events, political and religious, of the periods under review. Detached, indeed, from such accompaniments, how uninstructive, how uninteresting is all biography! But, I trust, if I have been so far fortunate as to gain the reader's attention, I may further hope to do so when I bring forward the chief character of the history into more illustrious and public light. This character, which I shall endeavour faithfully to delineate, will rise in dignity as we proceed, and, amidst the events of the age in which he lived in prosperity and adversity -in public or in private life. -in a palace or a prison—in his lawn sleeves, on his cathedral throne at Wells-or with his shroud,* * It is said he brought his shroud with him to Long-leat. at the last asylum of age, in the hospitable mansion of his early friend - Bishop Ken will appear unaltered and consistent the same firm and affectionate friend*-the same conscientious and fearless minister of his crucified Master-the same mild, benevolent, and high-principled man, the same most unostentatious, but fervent and sincere Christian. May his example shine, when the hand that holds the pen shall be dust! * Lord Viscount Weymouth, at whose noble mansion, after twenty years residence, he died. He was buried at the nearest churchyard of his former diocese, at Frome, and lies just under the east window of the parish church. HISTORICAL AND MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS AND REFLECTIONS. CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS ON THE Respecting the different opinions lately published on the Eixwv Baσixinn, by my friend Mr. Todd, and the Master of Trinity, I might indeed say — NON NOSTRUM TANTAS COMPONERE LITES. but I have given some reasons which I think would incline us to believe that, after all, in this case, as in general, the truth lies between two extremes. The Master of Trinity is convinced that King Charles wrote the whole of Icon; Mr. Todd, that he wrote not a word of it: my conviction is neither wholly with one nor the other. I have noticed a most material fact, spoken of by Kennet. This slight allusion led instantly to the idea of a connection between the person mentioned and the King's most faithful and confidential friend; and this circumstance, on inquiry, accidentally receives the fullest corroboration. There was, at the time, a Mr. Symons, Minister of Rayne. The parish is in the gift of the family of Capel, as patrons. This Mr. Symons is presented to the living, not by Lord Capel's father, as I first conceived, but by Lord Capel himself. Bocking is the next parish, of which Gauden was Rector. That some papers of King Charles were, through the Capels, intrusted to their friend, the Pastor of their parish, seems to me evident; and that, also, they were intrusted by Symons to Gauden, the Rector of the nearest parish. Symonds died soon after. In the year 1660 died also the desolate Lady Capel. These were the only persons who could have told the truth, when the claim was made. This evidence is external. I shall now say a word of the internal evidence. The Master of Trinity, with the warmth which every one naturally feels before he has paid greater attention to all the circumstances - and which warmth does credit to his heart-instantly, from these generous feelings, decides that Charles wrote the whole. Mr. Todd has brought Gaudenisms from Gauden's writings, which induce him to decide that the whole tissue is Gauden's elaborate and tawdry manufacture. Now I will take only the first chapter. I would say to the Master of Trinity, you recollect the words of HoraceSi vis me flere, dolendum est and another passage Projicit ampullas et sesquipedalia verba. I would ask the Master-can you, after the most attentive critical reflection, believe that any man, under real sorrow, would or could write as follows: "Although I was not forgetful of those sparks which some men's distempers formerly studied to kindle in Parliament (which by forbearing to convene for some years I hoped to have extinguished), resolving," &c.* Here is an almost interminable sentence, in which "sparks" are "kindled" by "distempers" (in the true style of cockney eloquence!) which the writer "hoped to have extinguished;" and, before this flaring metaphor is "extinguished," before the sentence is finished, he tells * See Εικων Βασιλική, chap. i. |