mer, Ridley, Fenelon, Massillon, &c. In our own times, the excellent practice has been commenced of writing notices of the lives of good clergymen in the middle ranks of life. As a specimen of these, which cannot fail to interest young readers, may be mentioned Valpy's Life of Dr. Butt, a character in which there was a singular and amiable mixture of the simplicity and benevolence of a primitive Christian, with the talents and humour of a man of the world, who was in habits of living with the great. He was a man, we speak from personal knowledge, of the firmest faith, and yet of the most tolerant disposition; of mild manners, yet of determined courage. Of this last quality his biographer gives one striking instance.

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In the streets of London he saw a mob gathered round a murderer, whom they had pursued, and were attempting to seize. The man had placed himself in a favourable position, and, brandishing a large knife, threatened to kill "the first person who touched him. None dared "to approach him. Dr. Butt fearlessly went to "him, ordered him to surrender himself, exclaiming, Guilt makes cowards of us all.' The "culprit immediately gave him his weapon,-and "surrendered himself."

Dr. Butt resided, during the latter part of his life, in a country town, in which there were a number of persons of different sects, all of whom

his moderation conciliated; he was universally named the peacemaker; and at his death the principal inhabitants of the town hung the church with black at their own expense, and attended divine service in mourning. These are examples of respect to virtue in the middle ranks of life, which may be made peculiarly useful in the education of a clergyman; because they are not so splendid or extraordinary as to preclude the idea of emulation.

Reverence for the clerical character should not, however, induce parents or preceptors to attempt to conceal from their pupils, even in childhood, that there are bad as well as good clergymen; these should be pointed out in the strongest terms of indignation and contempt. The pupils should not be brought up in ignorance of the world as it is; they must not go from their homes to the university, or into mixed society, without a knowledge of the manners of the present times. This they will easily, indeed necessarily, obtain in the course of their domestic education in the families of nobility or gentry. For the same reason it may be taken for granted, that there will be nothing in the pupil's appearance or manners, to provoke or justify ridicule. By the best possible means, by having early lived in well-bred company, he will have acquired habits of politeness and ease of conversation. He should be taught, not only that a soft answer turneth away

wrath, but that a playful reply averts the shafts of ridicule, and that good humour effectually disappoints the attacks of malignant wit. Young people may be told an instance of this, which occurred to the celebrated Dr. Barrow: Lord Rochester, the witty and profligate Lord Rochester, met him one day at court, and accosted him with the determination to make the musty piece of divinity ridiculous.-" Doctor," said his lordship, bowing low with mock solemnity, "I am yours to the shoe-tie."-" My lord," replied Barrow, returning bow for bow, "I am yours to the ground."—" Doctor, I am yours to "the centre."-"My lord, I am yours to the Anti"podes." "-"Doctor, I am yours," resumed Lord Rochester, << to the lowest pit of Hell."-" There, my lord, I leave you," said Barrow. The court laughed, or smiled, for courtiers never laugh, and the Wit was disconcerted.

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A course of English Literature, with those classical studies, which must be pursued with unremitting assiduity, will fully occupy the pupil till he is eighteen or nineteen, and this is about the age when he should go to college. The custom of sending boys of thirteen or fourteen to the university, a custom which, we believe, prevails more in Ireland than in England, is absurd and dangerous for all professions, but peculiarly so for the clerical profession. Young men intended for clergymen should not go to any uni

versity, till they are thoroughly masters of the learned languages, particularly of Greek; till they have also learned the Hebrew Grammar, and are somewhat initiated in the language. Nor should they be permitted to enter any university, till, with all these attainments, they have acquired sufficient prudence to be entirely trusted with the management of their own conduct.

As it usually happens, that younger sons are destined for the church, parents need scarcely be cautioned against giving them an imprudently large income while they are at the university. On the contrary, a word or two should be said on the policy of confiding in their pupil's prudence, If they have educated their son to this period of his life judiciously, they cannot do better, than trust to the effects of that education. They will find, that to a young man of good habits, and of an ingenuous, generous disposition, there cannot be a greater incentive to prudence, than the confidence reposed in him, and the liberty allowed him by his best friends.

At the university, the study of the Scriptures in the original language, the comparison of the original with the translation, the comparison of the Old and New Testament, of the prophecies, with the history of their accomplishment, biblical criticism, in the most comprehensive sense of the term, should constitute his principal studies. He may relieve his attention with other occupations;

for instance, with a course of natural philosophy, particularly of astronomy; he may acquire some knowledge of chemistry, botany, and anatomy; all which he may afterwards find of use, even in his own profession. In the character of a good curate it has been suggested, that some skill in surgery and medicine will increase his power of doing good. This knowledge he may probably have means and leisure to obtain during his residence at the university. After his more essential studies are completed, he may continue his course of English literature; and he should especially make himself acquainted with the works of those authors, who have most distinguished themselves in ecclesiastical history, and in the eloquence of the pulpit. Hooker, Taylor, the eloquent Taylor, a page of whose works would beat into volumes of modern leaf-gold, Barrow, Tillotson, Clarke, Atterbury, South, Wilson, and many others among English writers, cannot fail immediately to occur.

It would be presumption in a layman to attempt to trace a course of theological study, which is left to those to whom it properly belongs: nor is this the place to enter into a particular examination of the English writers here named, as necessary to be read by the clerical student; as far as such an examination would relate to doctrinal points, it is the province of the clergy; as far as it might relate to literary merit, it would lead to disquisitions which could suit none but a work