O! utinam præsens verba observare legentisEt frontis possem signa notare.CHAPTER XXIX.
O! utinam præsens verba observare legentisEt frontis possem signa notare.
O! utinam præsens verba observare legentisEt frontis possem signa notare.
O! utinam præsens verba observare legentisEt frontis possem signa notare.
O! utinam præsens verba observare legentis
Et frontis possem signa notare.
The names of several Bishops next occur, forming a separate class of those, who, whatever they are, or may have been, certainly exhibit examples of individuals whose ultimate success in life was disproportionate to their first expectations on entering the great theatre of the world.
The fair and reasonable presumption is, in the clerical profession, as in that of the law—certain offices must be filled, to which it is natural to suppose that the most eligible will be appointed. Moreover, the longer the catalogue may happen to be, of ecclesiastics who have risen to the most exalted stations from humble beginnings, the stronger the argument will be, to disprove the assertion generally made, and too universally believed, that such stations are only to be obtained by political interest or intrigue.
Of these distinguished personages, many have before been more or less circumstantially mentioned. The following is merely a sort of recapitulation, bearing upon the single point of extraordinary success in the procurement of worldly honours.
The circumstances and causes which led to the elevation of the late venerable Archbishop Moore, are too well known to require repetition, and the dignity which he obtained was too well merited to excite discontent, or provoke invidious remark. His Grace’s ultimate station in life must however far, very far, have exceeded his most sanguine expectations, when first entering the world.
The honours also of the excellent Bishop Porteus, however well deserved and beneficially exercised, beyond doubt, much exceeded all the possible calculations and hopes of his early life. The successes of such an individual command the greater admiration, because they were not obtained by any interposition of the great, by any political connection, or indeed by the exertion of interest of any kind. They were the result of a zealous, pious, uninterrupted attention to the general duties of his profession, with a particular regard to those of the stations, which he immediately filled. He may nevertheless, with strict propriety, be introduced in the class of those, who have eminently been distinguished by good fortune.
The Bishop of L. has been already spoken of, and in terms with which it is hoped his Lordship will express no dissatisfaction. He surely can have no reluctance to confess, that his name is not improperly inserted in this catalogue.
This may be no unsuitable place to insert a whimsical anecdote of his Lordship, which though of a humble and indeed insignificant denomination, may surely be called a fortunate incident.
Some time after his Lordship had been appointed to the Deanery of the Metropolitan Church, he retained his confidential situation about the person of Mr. Pitt, and regularly every morning attended the minister in Downing-street, when in residence at St. Paul’s. Returning one evening from Westminster to the city, he somewhere at the bottom of the Strand pulled out his handkerchief, and with it, as afterwards appeared, his purse. He heard it fall, and remarked the spot, but his natural shortness of sight, added to the darkness of the evening, prevented his finding it. On his walking the next morning to Westminster, his Lordship paused at the place where the accident had happened the night before, and actually saw his purse, which had just slipped off the curb-stone, and probably had been overlooked by ten thousand passengers.
The two next examples of good fortune going as it were hand in hand with merit universally allowed, reflect the highest honour upon Lord Sidmouth, who was Prime Minister at the time. It is indeed no more than an act of candour and justice to this noble Lord, to acknowledge, that during the whole period of his enjoyment of power, short indeed, but in this at least memorable, the ecclesiastical offices in the appointment of the Crown, were well and honourably filled by individuals, whose sole recommendations were their learning, their piety, and their virtue: of which these two persons about to be mentioned, were conspicuous examples.
The first of these excellent men was Bishop H. who had for a long series of years honourably and usefully distinguished himself in a great seminary, by superintending the morals and the education of youth.
He was ever remarkable for his sound learning, and his conscientious, firm, and consistent discharge of all his duties. It is therefore hardly necessary to add, that his appointment to this high office, diffused universal satisfaction among all the true friends of the church.
The next appointment of the kind is entitled to the same language of panegyric, whether we consider the discernment and disinterested generosity of the patron, or the great and various merits of the person promoted.
Bishop B. was of respectable though humble origin, but was distinguished, at a very early period, both for his love of learning, and his success in the pursuit of it.
His accomplishments, added to his most truly irreproachable conduct, soon recommended him to his superiors. Few names stood higher in the estimation of scholars, and he was also classed among the ablest and most zealous vindicators of our Church establishment, at a perilous period, when it was in danger of being undermined by false brethren from within, as well as threatened by formidable enemies from without. His promotion was of course hailed by all, as an auspicious omen of the intention of the Minister, to render the Episcopal Bench venerable for its piety, admired for its talents, and respected for its erudition.
How Bishop B. has borne and exercised his faculties, has been sufficiently observable. Upon this subject there is neither occasion or opportunity here to expatiate. It is enough to be able to appeal to his exemplary conduct in his diocese, which, from conscientious motives, he has again and again refused to exchange for more lucrative situations, as well as to numerous publications alike remarkable for their learning and their piety.
The next Episcopal character who appears to merit a distinguished place among the more successful adventurers in life, is one who did not obtainthis high station from his abilities, though of a superior kind, nor from his literary productions, though of these there are many in existence. He obtained his promotion from the friendship of a Minister, discerning, cautious, accurate, and above all, strictly tenacious of the characters of those whom he distinguished, and most strenuously resolute in enforcing the rigid performance of all clerical duties, by whom of course, his virtues must have been known, and his merits approved.
The appointment did certainly at first, excite some degree of surprize. The venerable Bishop of Landaff, on being informed of the event, was with difficulty prevailed upon to believe it; but perhaps there was an old grudge, which on this occasion darted like a spectre on his recollection. There is, however, neither the intention nor the desire to discuss in this place either the merit of the receiver, or the sagacity of the giver, of these honours; leave therefore is respectfully taken of them both, with the simple remark, that Bishop ⸺ was certainly very, very fortunate.
The elevation of those to the higher offices of the church, who have been employed for a series of years in superintending the education of the sons of our nobility, is honourable to all parties concerned, and excites neither envy nor surprize. Itimplies on one side a consistent, vigilant, and unvaried attention to the duties imposed and undertaken, and on the other, a correspondent sense of services received, an acknowledgment of merit, and a determination to reward it.
Many are the amiable and excellent individuals who, by pursuing this path, have arrived at the most exalted honours of the profession, which they have subsequently adorned by their virtues.
Nevertheless, whoever they may be, or may have been, all who have thus risen to greatness, may, with the strictest propriety, be denominated fortunate. Patrons sometimes either pay the tribute of mortality, or lose their political influence, which in our country often changes hands, before the opportunity presents itself, of rewarding the virtues they have tried and approved. Differences of opinion may also eventually arise, some “lis de tribus capellis” may intervene, abruptly to dissolve connections, which in their origin afforded the strongest presumptions of hope and advantage.
The persons of the description to which the above remarks allude, were the bishops of E. and L. the first of whom owed his elevation to the noble family of R. and the latter to that of A.
About twenty years since, it was a sort of fashionable amusement among scholars, to translate the popular Elegy of Gray in a Country Church yard, into Greek. There were some critics who doubted whether this admirable composition was calculated to make its appearance in a Grecian dress; nevertheless, the former of these Prelates was one of the more successful adventurers, and he dedicated his translation to the Duke of R. who was at that time become a member of the University of Cambridge.
Of the latter Prelate, the Sexagenarian appears to have had very little knowledge.
We have now to cross the water, where we shall find some illustrious members of the Episcopal Bench, who cannot reasonably be offended at being classed among the favourites of fortune. But it is time to end this chapter.