IN the absence of suitable materials for a full memoir of our late lamented friend, we have much satisfaction in introducing to our pages a brief sketch from the Patriot newspaper, of the 28th June, and also an original critique from the pen of one who had ample opportunities of forming a calm and enlightened estimate of his various and brilliant powers. We cannot, however, perform this simple act of justice, without remarking that we were never of the number of those who sought to depreciate his worth or his genius, while living. He was a man of sterling mind, and of far greater excellence than many who failed to do him honour. Our last interview with him, in the month of May, was peculiarly affecting. He was full of love to God and man; and spake with much unaffected humility in reference to the whole of his public life and ministry. We rejoice to learn that the scene of his last sufferings was sweetly irradiated by the sunshine of Christian hope.-ED.

66 DEATH OF THE REV. DR. STYLES.

"On Friday, the 22nd June, at No. 8, Clapham-road-place, Kennington, aged sixty-seven, died the Rev. John Styles, D.D., for many years deservedly reckoned one of the ablest and most eloquent of dissenting divines.

"It would be unjust to allow a man so

VOL. XXVII.

celebrated in his day and generation to depart from our midst without a passing tribute to his memory. The deceased, in comparatively early life, commenced his ministerial career at Cowes, in the Isle of Wight; and thence he removed to Brighton, where for many years he attracted large and admiring audiences. From Brighton Dr. Styles came to North Brixton, where, at no small pecuniary sacrifice, he erected, or was mainly instrumental in erecting, Holland Chapel, in which edifice, for a series of years, he preached with singular ability and acceptance. Perhaps there is no man to whose exertions the locality of North Brixton is more greatly indebted, in a moral and religious point of view, than to Dr. Styles. In 1835, the subject of this notice left Holland Chapel, under circumstances to which it is needless to advert, but which, it must be observed, he bore with that exemplary manly fortitude and resignation, the fruit of philosophy and Christianity combined, for which he was always eminently distinguished. On the 1st of January, 1836, Dr. Styles laid the first stone of Claylands Chapel, in which, in comparative obscurity, and in spite of great discouragements and some unhappy, though not, perhaps, altogether unnatural prejudices, he officiated until the year 1844, with his wonted fervour and eloquence;

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and it is remarkable in sight of this chapel he breathed his last. In 1844, Dr. Styles quitted London, and took the pastoral oversight of the church and congregation assembling at Foleshill, near Coventry, of which he continued pastor until his death. It is believed, that at Foleshill were passed some of his happiest days; for here he gathered around him a flock who esteemed and loved him, regarding him not merely as their minister and spiritual instructor, but as their warm and attached friend; and here, also, he established schools which have proved conducive to the highest welfare of a denselypopulated district.

"The distinguishing features of the Doctor's character were, that masculine energy, of which mention has already been made, and a noble generosity and ardent benevolence of disposition, which uniformly prompted him to advocate the cause of the oppressed wherever they were to be found, not excepting even the brute animal creation. There were, indeed, few men in whom the kindlier feelings more decidedly predominated. Those who knew the deceased simply in his public character, could scarcely form an adequate estimate of his worth. The friends of Dr. Styles who knew him the most intimately, appreciated him the most highly; and by all such, his memory will long be most fondly and affectionately cherished.

"His last illness was tedious and protracted; but the sufferer endured it without a murmur, as seeing Him who is invisible, supported and cheered by those glorious truths of our common Gospel which he had so often and so zealously proclaimed to others. Those who were privileged to visit Dr. Styles shortly before his decease, can bear testimony to the full assurance of faith with which he anticipated an exchange of worlds. His life was chequered by many and trying vicissitudes; but it may most emphatically be recorded of him, that his end was peace. Our departed friend has

THERE can be but one opinion among enlightened men, when we observe that the ranks of the Nonconformist body have sustained a great deprivation recently, by the decease of this distinguished minister and writer. True it is, that he had nearly reached the allotted term of human life; still he was in full possession of his intellectual faculties, and, indeed, during the last few years, had developed as much mental energy as he had ever done, and we calculated on the continuance of his existence, and his intellectual exertions, for a considerable period yet to come; but he has terminated his earthly pilgrimage. He has completed his labours here. He has endured every trial. He has weathered every storm. He has passed the dark valley. He has grappled with the last enemy. He has entered into rest. "The silver cord has been loosed; the golden bowl has been broken; the pitcher has been broken at the fountain; the wheel has been broken at the cistern. The dust has returned to the earth as it was; the spirit has returned to God who gave it."

Many years have rolled away since we first met the late Dr. Styles. It was at one of the anniversaries of the Hampshire Association, in whose objects and proceedings he took deep interest. had been delivering one of his most elo

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quent and powerful discourses, which produced a strong impression, and we well remember the effect which it ex. erted on our own mind. We heard him shortly after at an ordination service, in which he took a prominent part, addressing to the people a sermon abounding in great principles, which told on them with considerable power. Often did we listen to him in his best and most vigorous days, at Brighton and at Brixton, as well as on many public occasions which elicited his superior and commanding energies. We felt strongly, in common with thousands, in hearing of his decease, though we knew that he was sixty-seven at the period of his dissolution, and that his end was perfect peace.

We at once observed that the Congregational body had lost no ordinary man; indeed, we were sensible that his loss would be generally and intensely felt, especially by the more literary and intellectual among the Nonconformists.

It is obvious to every competent judge that the late Dr. Styles, as a preacher and as a writer, was a man of superior and original mind. His reading was varied and ample. His faculties had been well disciplined, were well balanced and had been cultivated with care for many years. He attracted great attention so long back as the year 1806, by his "Essay on the Stage," designed to unfold the evil tendency and results of theatrical exhibitions, and to admonish especially the young against attending on them. The essay secured much regard, and provoked, in certain quarters, much unkind and waspish criticism. Still, it is a fine production. The argument is sound and invulnerable, and it is written with great elegance and beauty. His "Legend of the Velvet Cushion," though published anonymously, we remember to have read with much pleasure. It contained many things penned with great vivacity and humour; some parts were exceedingly acute, and it exposed the misrepresentations of an elegant and

superior writer in relation to the Puritans and Nonconformists, in a very able and masterly manner.

His two volumes of sermons contain much powerful and eloquent composition, clear and impressive exhibitions of evangelical subjects, and appeals to the understanding and the heart which are peculiarly striking. There is one discourse which he published, on "The Temptations of a Watering Place," of singular wisdom and excellence; it ought to be reprinted, and universally circulated, especially among professors visiting fashionable watering places, during the summer months. We are persuaded that many of them sustain great and often irreparable injury by repairing to these places and incautiously plunging into the follies and worldly amusements in which some of them so largely abound.

One of his productions, which directed general attention towards him, was his sermon on Lord Byron and his school, and his bold, searching, withering denunciations of his poetry, that of Shelley, and their imitators, on high moral grounds. The phrase "Satanic school," applied to Byron and his gifted but infidel friends and fellow-authors, exasperated numbers in the literary world, but excited the respect and gratitude of multitudes who saw what injury much of the poetry of Byron and Shelley was doing, whatever the fascination of its genius.

His Prize Essay on the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, for which £100 were awarded to him, is a composition of peculiar elegance and value. It abounds in the most impressive and highly-wrought passages, in the most convincing argument and appeal, and is, we think, one of his finest productions.

His critical papers in "Ward's Mis cellany" and other literary works, are very acute and sagacious; and his contributions to the "Evangelical Magazine" have always fixed our attention, and highly interested its readers. Many of his papers we could at once refer to, which