intelligible Sounds. For fuch indeed, had the Subject before Us been, under the hands of Most who had written upon it; either through a defire of darkening it by Words without Meaning, or through an Inability of difcourfing clearly and confiftently about it.

SUCH was the Conduct, and fuch was the Life, of Dr Clarke; full of Defigns and Works, becoming a Truly Great Man, intimately concern'd for his own Real Happinefs; and for That of All Intelligent Creatures and Moral Agents around Him. And, in the midst of All these Studies and Labours, His Natural Conftitution of Body was in appearance fo good; and his Care of his health was fo conftantly and regularly prudent; that All the Friends to his Perfon, and to True Knowledge, promised Themselves and the World a much longer Enjoyment of fuch Useful Accomplishments, than it pleafed GOD to afford Them. He pafs'd his Life, without any Indifpofition bad enough to confine Him, except That of the Small-Pox in his Youth, till his laft Illness: though, fince his Death, many little Particulars, and Complaints

have been called to mind, which feem to have been Evident Symptoms of fome Weakness, or Somewhat wrong, which He used to feel within. On Sunday, May 11, 1729, He went out in the Morning, to preach before the Judges at Serjeant's-Inn : and there was feized with a Pain in his Side, which made it impoffible for Him to perform the Office He was called to; and quickly became fo violent that He was obliged to be carried home. He went to bed; and thought Himself fo much better in the Afternoon, that He would not fuffer Himself to be blouded : against which Remedy He had indeed entertained ftrong prejudices. But the Pain returning very violently about Two the next Morning, made the Advice and Affiftance of a very Able Phyfician abfolutely neceffary: Who, after twice bleeding Him, and other applications, thought Him, as He also thought Himself, to be out of all Danger; and fo continued to think, till the Saturday Morning following: When, to the inexpreffible Surprise of All about Him, the Pain removed from his Side to his Head; and, after 2 very fhort Complaint, took

away his

Senfes,

Senfes, fo as that They never returned any more. He continued breathing till between seven and eight in the Evening of that Day, May 17. 1729. and then died and by his Death (Let me be permitted to fay it) left the World deftitute of as Bright a Light, and as Masterly a Teacher of Truth and Virtue, as ever yet appeared amongst Us.

He married Catharine, the only Daughter of the Reverend Mr. Lockwood, Rector of Little Maffingham in the County of Norfolk; in whofe Good Sense and Unblameable Behaviour He was happy to his Death. By Her, he had Seven Children; Two of which died before Him, and One, in a few weeks after Him.

HE was a Perfon of a Natural Genius, excellent enough to have placed Him in the Superiour rank of Men, without the Acquirements of Learning: and of Learning enough, to have rendered a much less Comprehenfive Genius very confiderable in the Eyes of the World. But in Him They were both united, to fuch a degree, that Those who were of his intimate Acquaintance, knew not which to admire

moft.

most. The First Strokes of Knowledge, in fome of its Branches, feem'd to be little lefs than Natural to Him: For They appear'd to lie right in His Mind, as foon as Any thing could appear; and to be the very fame which afterwards grew up with Him, into perfection, as the Strength and Cultivation of his Mind increased. He had one Happiness very rarely known amongst the Greatest Men, That his Memory was almoft equal to his Judgment: which is as Great a Character as can well be given of it. It did not indeed, appear in Trifles; nor in Every part of Knowledge: But in Those particularly which regarded the Claffical and purest Writers of the Antients; or Any Part of Real and Experimental Philofophy; as well as what can truly be call Theology, It was furprizingly excellent; and of wonderful Use to Him, through all his Studies, and all his Converfation.

IN Divinity, it was his great Aim to fettle beyond all Contradiction what must be the Support of True Religion; and then to fhew the Evidences for what muft

rely upon that Support. The necessary Existence of One only GOD, and the Impoffibility

poffibility of the Existence of More Than One, He justly efteem'd as the Foundation of All. This neceffary Unity of the Supreme Being appears throughout His Writings to have been ever uppermost in his Thoughts: a Subject, which, though often excellently handled, and made as Evident as any Arguments and Illustrations à Pofteriori could make it; yet had never, I think, before his Time, been attempted in the Way of ftrict Demonftration à Priori: which certainly is the Strongest, and therefore, the most defirable of All Proofs, where it can be had. He undertook the Tafk and Many of the Beft Judges, after a great deal of Confideration, have allowed that He has executed it in a Mafterly and Satisfactory Manner: with so much Evidence indeed, as generally to convince Those who are capable of entring into this fort of Queftions. I fay, Generally; because I am fenfible, There are fome very Understanding Perfons who do not yet see this Evidence fo clearly as Others do.

IN Morality, It was his Great and Principal View to do lafting service to the Eternal Obligations of Virtue; that is, of Every Inftance of Practice and Conduct towards GOD,

VOL. I.

с