played therein; and the genteel satire and irony on one side, and the rough wit and humour on the other render it very entertaining. Some of these English pieces are become scarce; and out of justice to the memory of such a man, his Son, or his Nephew, or some of his family and friends, should collect them together, and cause them to be printed in an uniform handsome manner.

One of Dr. Bentley's most formidable enemies was Dr. Middleton, as appears from several parts of his works, and particularly from his remarks upon Dr. Bentley's projected edition of the New Testament, which remarks are supposed to have been one principal obstacle to the publication of that work. But length of time having overcome all prejudices, it is much wished, that the person who possesses the M.S. would oblige the learned world by setting forth so curious a performance. By the death of Dr. King there was a vacancy of the Mastership of the Charter House, a place which some considerable persons at different periods have desired to fill. Bishop Benson and Dr. Jortin used to say, that there was a certain time in their lives, when of all preferments they wished for it the most. And now the competitors to succeed Dr. King were Dr. Middleton and Mr. Mann. When Dr. Middleton applied to Sir Robert Walpole for his vote and interest, Sir Robert honestly told him, that talking with Bishop Sherlock he found the'

Bishops

Bishops were generally against his being chosen Master. Mr. Mann had been tutor to the Marquis of Blandford, and when the Marquis was disposed to be dissipated and idle, he would say to him, that he should apply more to his books and to learning, or he would never make a figure in the world like the Duke of Marlborough. The boy replied, that he was already a better scholar, and knew more of Greek and Latin than the Duke ever did, and why then should he not make as good a figure? The Duke of Marlborough was said to be rather illiterate, and to spell very ill, though in other respects he was one of the most illustrious characters, as great a statesman as a general, excelled equally in the cabinet and in the field, and never fought a battle, but he won it, nor besieged a town, but he took it. It was through the interest of that family, that Mr. Mann gained the ascendent over Dr. Middleton, and when he waited upon the Governors at their respective houses to return his thanks, he said very needlesly and impertinently to Archbishop Potter, "I supແ pose your Grace knows that you have made

choice of an Arian." The Archbishop was startled, but soon recollecting himself made answer, "An Arian perhaps may be better than a "Deist." Dr. Middleton, it is to be hoped, was not a Deist, for late in life he accepted a small living in Surry, and of course took the usual oaths,

VOL. II.

D

and

and made the regular subscriptions. It is not easy to say what his religious principles were, they seem to have been various at various times. He was certainly a very unfair controvertist, and his quotations cannot be depended upon without particular examination. He was sometimes guilty of literary forgery by additions or omissions as best suited his purpose. His first connections were among the High Church party as they were called, but he plainly appeared to have been warped and drawn aside to heterodoxy by pique and resentment for not being preferred according to his merits and expectations. He was much hurt and provoked at this disappointment: and thinking Bishop Sherlock to be the primary cause of it, he wreaked his malice in his ill-natured and ill-timed animadversions upon the Bishop's discourses on prophecy, pretending that he had never seen them before, though they had been published several years, and had gone through several editions. Nor did he afterwards spare the Archbishop and his chaplains, but took every opportunity of making Lambeth House the subject of his wit and satire. It is also well known that he wrote a treatise of the inutility and inefficacy of prayer, which was communicated to Lord Bolingbroke, who much approved it, and advised the publication of it. Mrs. Middleton, however, never thought proper to publish it in her life-time: and the Bishop has heard,

that

that Dr. Heberden, a particular friend of Dr. Middleton, and to whom his widow left all his papers, has since committed it to the flames. An act worthy so good a man, and the fittest end of such a work.

At the same time that Newton was elected first to Cambridge, Murray was elected first to Oxford, who during the time of his being at school gave early proofs of his uncommon abilities, not so much in his poetry, as in his other exercises, and particularly in his declamations, which were sure tokens and prognostics of that eloquence, which grew up to such maturity and perfection at the Bar and in both Houses of Parlament. As the former had made Cambridge his choice, he constantly resided there eight months at least in, every year, till he had taken his Bachelor of Arts degree. During the long vacation he was with his father and friends at Lichfield, and likewise after he had taken his degree; till he returned to Cambridge to speak the speech on the 29th of May, in order to his being chosen Fellow in the October following. In his speech he took occasion to mention some of the most eminent Masters of the college, Pearsonum, Barrovium, Bentleium, homines non tam sibi quam reipublicæ litterariæ natos, Musarum cultores et Musis semper colendos. A compliment to the Master was not unacceptable, at a time when there was a strong party in opposition to him. At Cambridge

D 2

bridge his chief friends and companions were Clarke and Lloyd before mentioned; Hawkins Browne, who was his countryman and schoolfellow both at Lichfield and Westminster, an extraordinary genius, well known afterwards in the literary world; Hugh Robinson of Appleby, who was elected from Westminster the year before him, a sound good scholar, preferred by the late Lord Lonsdale in his own country, but deserving of better preferment; and Philip Byerley, who was of the same election, had a good estate at Goldesborough in Yorkshire, and was a very pretty gentleman, but retiring into the country, and indulging there in the lower pleasures, did not make the figure that he might otherwise have done. It was customary in those days, I know not whether it is in these, for the scholars and students to make an entertainment at their own expense for the reception of their schoolfellows elected to the university. At the meeting upon Newton's and those of his year coming to Cambridge, Hawkins Browne was so pleasant and in such high spirits, that one said unto him, Hawkins, you are mad. He replied instantly out of Horace,

-recepto

Dulce mihi furere est amico.

At Lichfield there was better society than in most country places, and at that time there were so

many