IX.—THE SALE OF HALES'S LIBRARY. HIS LAST INTERVIEW WITH FARINDON. THE PROFITS OF HIS FELLOWSHIP OFFERED TO HIM. HIS DEATH AND LAST WILL. PUBLICATION OF HALES'S SERMONS AND LETTERS. FARINDON'S INTENTIONS TO WRITE HIS LIFE.

WHEN Hales went a second time to reside with widow Dickenson in Eton, his means of subsistence were necessarily crippled and soon exhausted. "At length he, being reduced to necessity, was forced to sell the best part of his most admirable library (which cost him £2,500) to Cornelius Bee, of London, bookseller, for seven hundred pounds only, as I have been informed by persons of unquestionable veracity."*"The produce of which he parted with by degrees, to many scholars, sequestered Ministers, and others that were in want; particularly to the excellent Mr. Anthony Farindon, to whom he was so very helpful that he was the chief support of his miserable family." It is probable that the sale of his library was effected in 1652; at which time Farindon was in needy circumstances, and the Royalists much impoverished and in despondency. His generous disposition soon found opportunities to disperse his money abroad, among those who were more indigent than himself. "He was not good at any contrivance to get or save money for himself; yet he undertook to do it for Sir Henry Wotton, who was a neglecter of money and Mr. Hales told me, he had got £300 together at the time of his death,-a sum to which Sir Henry had long been a stranger, and would ever have been had he managed his own money-business. It was happily got together to bury him, and enable him to do some offices of honour, and justice, and gratitude, and charity."‡

Farindon and Hales must have frequently met together after they had both been silenced; but the only account we have of any of these interviews will be found in the following imperfect notice :—

"This worthy person, [Mr. Farindon,] coming one day to see Mr. Hales, some few months before his death, found him at his mean lodgings at Mrs. Powney's house; but in a temper gravely cheerful, and well becoming an excellent Christian under such circumstances. After a slight and very homely dinner, suitable to the lodgings, some discourse passed between them concerning their old friends, and the black and dismal aspect of the times; and at last Mr. Hales asked Mr. Farindon to walk out with him into the church-yard, where this great man's necessities pressed him to tell his friend, that he had been forced to sell his whole library; (save a few books which he had given away, and six or eight little books of devotion, which lay in his chamber ;) and that, for money, he had no more than what he then showed him, which was about seven or eight shillings. 'And besides,' said he, 'I doubt I am indebted for my lodging.' Mr. Farindon, it seems, did not imagine that it had been so very mean with him as this came to; and therefore was much surprised to hear it; and withal said, 'I have at present money to command, and to-morrow will pay you fifty pounds, in part of the many sums I and my poor wife have received of you in our great necessities; and will pay you more, suddenly, as you shall want it.' To which he answered, 'No: you do not owe me a penny or if you do, I here forgive you; for you shall never pay me a

* Wood's Athenæ Oxon., vol. ii., col. 124. + Walker's "Attempt," &c., pt. ii., p. 94. Izaak Walton in Fulman's MSS.

penny. I know you and yours will have occasion for much more than what you have lately gotten: but if you know any other friend that hath too full a purse, and will spare some of it to me, I will not refuse that.' To which he added, 'When I die, (which I hope is not far off, for I am weary of this uncharitable world,) I desire you to see me buried in [that*] place of the church-yard,' pointing to the place. 'But why not in the church,' saith Mr. Farindon, with the Provost,† Sir Henry Wotton, and the rest of your friends and predecessors?' 'Because,' says he, 'I am neither the founder of it, nor have I been a benefactor to it, nor shall I ever now be able to be so, I am satisfied.''

The manner in which Walker obtained this fragment is thus described:

:

"This discourse between Mr. Farindon and Mr. Hales I had out of a loose sheet, which was one of Mr. Farindon's papers, retrieved by Mr. Fulman of C. C. C. in order to have written the Life of Mr. Hales. It was communicated to me by the late Mr. Archdeacon Davies of Saperton in Gloucestershire, among several other notices relating to my undertaking."+

When reduced to this state of hopeless penury, Hales received another proof of the high esteem in which his character was held by his learned countrymen. The fact is thus related by Anthony Wood, with a touch of his customary malevolence in imputing base motives for a praiseworthy action :-"Into his Fellowship was thrust in, by the authority of Parliament, one Penwarden, who, being afterwards touched in conscience for the wrong he had done so worthy a person by eating his bread, went, and voluntarily would have resigned up the place again, to him; but Mr. Hales refused, telling him that the Parliament having put him out, he was resolved never to be put in again by them." Des Maizeaux's observation on this reply is pertinent :-"This expression seems to be too loose and too general to be Mr. Hales's. For, a man's property being taken from him unjustly by certain persons, is not a reason to refuse receiving it again when the same persons offer to restore it to him. We must therefore suppose, that Mr. Hales's refusal was grounded upon some other consideration; as, for instance, that he could not be re-admitted into his Fellowship without complying with such things as he did not think lawful or proper for him to submit to." We have another version of the same disinterested offer in the "account given by Mr. Mountague, who was intimately acquainted with Mr. Hales and one of his Overseers, to a person worthy of all credit" that is supposed to have been joint trustee to Hales's will, and grandfather of Dr. John Campbell, the historian : §-" Penwarn was the name [of the new Fellow]; and he kindly offered Mr. Hales half of the profits of his Fellowship. But Mr. Hales refused to accept it, saying, if he had a right to any part, he had a right to the whole." This reason for refusing the proffered benefit is more unphilosophical than that on which Des Maizeaux has animadverted. For, Penwarn was not culpable in having suffered himself to be collated to the vacant Fellowship: the fault, if any, lay with his patrons; and the kind-hearted man should not have been treated with discourtesy. These two accounts of the same conversation are easily reconcileable, on the supposition that, after Penwarn had tendered to Hales

* "This word is torn out of my paper; but I presume it must be so supplied.” + "Sir Henry Savile."

Walker's "Attempt," &c., pt. ii., p. 95.

See page li. of the present edit., vol. i.

the resignation of his Fellowship, which he refused, he might have tried the power of persuasion to overcome his modesty by urging him at least to accept of "half of the profits." A review of the whole transaction, however, will convince every one, that the benevolence of heart which dictated the offer is more worthy of commendation, than the sturdy refusal of the aged and ejected Fellow. But the uncomfortable condition in which this accomplished scholar and profound philosopher found himself at the close of life, will serve to account for much of his apparent testiness, on the true principle furnished by Solomon: "Oppression maketh a wise man mad.” (Eccles. vii. 7.) Besides, we are inadequate judges of the feelings of others, unless with the same endowments and dispositions we be placed in similar circumstances.

On the 19th of May, 1656, John Hales died at the age of seventy-two years, and was interred in the church-yard of Eton, where a monument is erected over his grave. "He was not long sick, (about a fortnight,) and then not very ill; but discoursed with all his friends as freely as in his health, till within half an hour before his death: for Mr. Mountague was then talking with him, and left him for half an hour, and before he returned he was dead, and had his perfect sense to the last minute."* Hales made his will the same day on which he died: the following is a copy of it :

"In Dei Nomine, Amen. Maii decimo nono, A.D. 1656.

"My soul having been long since bequeathed unto the mercies of God in Jesus Christ, my only Saviour; and my body naturally bequeathing itself to dust and ashes, out of which it was taken; I, JOHN HALES, of Eton, in the county of Bucks., Clerk, by this my last Will and Testament, do dispose of the small remainder of my poor broken estate, in manner and form following:

"First, I give to my sister Cicely Coombes five pounds. More, I give to my sister Bridgett Gulliford five pounds. More, I give to the poor of the town of Eton, to be distributed at the discretion of my Executrix hereafter named, five pounds. More, I give to six persons to be appointed by my said Executrix, to carry my body to the grave, three pounds, to be distributed among them by even portions. More, I give to Mr. Thomas Manfield, of Windsor, grocer, five pounds. More, I give to Mrs. Mary Collins, wife to Mr. John Collins, of Eton, five pounds, to this end and purpose, that she would be pleased to provide her a ring in what manner she listeth, to remain with her, in memory of a poor deceased friend. All which moneys here bequeathed, do at this present rest intrusted in the hands of my singular good friends, Mr. William Smith, and Mr. Thomas Mountague.

"Moreover, all my Greek and Latin books (except St. Jerome's Works, which I give to Mr. Thomas Mountague) I give to my most deservedly beloved friend, William Salter, of Rich-Kings, Esq.; to whom I further give five pounds, to this end, that he would provide him a fair seal-ring of gold, engraven with his arms and hatchments doubled and mantled, to preserve the memory of a poor deceased friend. All my English books, together with the remainder of all moneys, goods, and utensils whatsoever, I give and bequeath to Mrs. Hannah Dickenson, of Eton, widow and relict of John Dickenson, lately deceased, in whose house, (for hers indeed it is, and not mine, as being bought with her money, howsoever for some rea

* Dr. N. Ingelo's Letter in the General Dictionary, vol. viii., article Pearson.

sons I have suffered the public voice to entitle me to it,) in whose house, I say, I have for a long time (especially since my unjust and causeless extrusion from my college) been with great care and good respect entertained. And her the said Hannah I do by these presents constitute and ordain my sole Executrix. And unto this my last Will I make Overseers my very good friends Mr. Thomas Mountague and Mr. William Smith of Eton; and to each of them I give five pounds, humbly requesting them to be assistants to my said Executrix with their best advice to help, if so be she chance to find any trouble.

"Now because moneys are many times not at command, but may require perchance some time to take them up, I ordain, that in six months after my departure she see all these my bequests and legacies orderly and faithfully discharged.

"As for my funeral, I ordain that at the time of the next even-song after my departure (if conveniently it may be) my body be laid in the church-yard of the town of Eton (if I chance there to die) as near as may be to the body of my little godson Jack Dickenson the elder; and this to be done in a plain and simple manner, without any sermon, or ringing the bell, or calling the people together; without any unseasonable commessation, or compotation, or other solemnity on such occasions usual.

"And I strictly command my Executrix, that neither of her own head, neither at the importunity or authority of any other, neither upon any other pretence whatsoever, to take upon her to dispense with this point of my Will; for as in my life I have done the Church no service, so will I not that in my death the Church do me any honour."

This will was proved before Richard Allestre, Provost of Eton, Ordinary of that exempt jurisdiction, on the 29th of March, 1666.

During his life-time Hales was often requested to write something for the press, and thus to give the world substantial and permanent evidence of his genius and acquirements; but such was his modesty, that all entreaties of this kind, by whomsoever urged, were unavailing. After his death, Mr. Garthwaite, a London bookseller, obtained possession of some of the manuscripts of this gifted man, which he resolved to publish. Farindon expressed his approval of the project, and addressed a letter of advice to Garthwaite on the subject, engaging, at the same time, to write a Life of his deceased friend, to be prefixed to the volume. The letter is dated Sept. 17th, 1657: at the beginning of it Farindon says, "I am very glad you chose so judicious an overseer of those Sermons as Mr. Gunning, whom I always have had in high esteem both for his learning and piety; and I am of his opinion, that they [Hales's Sermons] may pass for extraordinary :" and at the close of it he adds, "I have drawn in my mind the model of his Life; but I am like Mr. Hales in this, which was one of his defects,—not to pen anything till I must needs. God prosper you in your work and business you have in hand, that neither the church nor the author suffer!"

In 1659, a year after Farindon's death, Garthwaite sent forth a volume of Hales's Sermons and Letters, which was introduced by an address "to the reader," from the pen of the venerable Pearson, and by Farindon's letter to Garthwaite; but the expected Life of Hales was wanting. With reference to the disappointment, which must have been extensively felt, Pearson says, "If that reverend and worthy person, Mr. Farindon, had not died before the impression of this book, you had received from that excellent hand an exact account of the author's life, which he had begun, and

resolved to perfect, and prefix to this edition. And as the loss of him is great in many particulars, so especially in this; because there was none to whom Mr. Hales was so thoroughly known as unto him; nor was there any so able to declare his worth, partly by his own abilities eminently known; principally, because he learned his author from an intimate converse, who was a man never to be truly expressed but by himself. I am therefore to entreat thee, reader, being deprived of the proper Plutarch, not to expect any such thing as a Life from me; but accept so much only as is here intended."

How much of Hales's Life Farindon had actually written, is uncertain. According to the statement of Anthony Wood, he had made some manuscript collections with a reference to it; but these were unhappily lost. This is the more to be regretted because a Life of Hales, written by one who had a thorough knowledge of his temper, opinions, acquirements, habits, and observations, would have been profoundly interesting and instructive for Hales was not only a universal scholar, but a good Christian, an acute observer of men and manners, and had been placed in situations where his powers had ample scope for their development. Principles were brought into operation in his day which revolutionized the social system of England; and of these he was no unconcerned spectator. He had also attended the sittings of the Synod of Dort, for the purpose of reporting to Sir Dudley Carlton, the English Ambassador to the Dutch Court, the proceedings of that Assembly. The letters which he wrote from the Synod to Sir Dudley have indeed been published; but the verbal remarks and animadversions upon the principal men who figured there, with which Hales was wont to entertain his friends, had they been preserved, would have been a valuable addition to those documents. He went to the Synod a believer in the tenets which a majority of its members held; but so dissatisfied was he with the spirit and arguments of these men, that he changed sides, and embraced the creed of the minority,* whom their brethren cruelly oppressed for a mere difference of opinion.

(To be concluded in our next.)

THE SACRED SCRIPTURES.

THE book of God, the holy Scriptures, affords greater variety of elegance, delight, and advantage, than all the writings in the world. And there is no man that rightly understands the Scriptures, but must esteem it a most blessed and perfective thing, " to delight in the law of the Lord, and in that law to exercise himself day and night." (Psalm cxix.) What sublime and lofty theorems, what useful things, and absolutely necessary to the eternal happiness and salvation of our souls, do we meet with in the sacred volume! There we are entertained with the history of the creation of man, and the beginning of this visible world. There we are informed of the methods and dispensations of the Almighty towards mankind; and by what steps and advances his church, through all ages, grew to be what it is now.

"I am very glad to hear you have gained those letters into your hands, written from the Synod of Dort. You may please to take notice, that in his younger days he was a Calvinist, and even then when he was employed at that Synod; and, at the well pressing of St. John iii. 16, by Episcopius,-There I bid John Calvin Good night,' as he has often told me." (Farindon's Letter to Garthwaite.) 3 N

VOL. IV.-FOURTH SERIES.