ardent, and sincere, unencumbered with the artifices and interest of a party, and untainted by the low cant of exclusionary fanaticism. The union of the Christian and the layman is not, wę trust, uncommon among us: we could only wish that it was in every other instance equally exemplary, genuine, and disin

terested.

The subject of these memoirs is William Stevens, Treasurer of Queen Anne's Bounty; a man, by his character and writings, known and respected among every rank of those who were at tached to the faith and discipline of our truly primitive, and apostolic Church. Mr. Stevens was born in the year 1732, and was educated with his friend and cousin, the celebrated Bishop Horne, under Dr. Deodatus Bye, at Maidstone. At fifteen, he was placed as an apprentice in the house of Mr. Hookham, an eminent wholesale Hosier in Broad-street, and by his industry and application raised himself to a partnership in the business, at a very early age. Those hours which are consumed by most young men of his situation in vice and folly, were dedicated by Mr. Stevens to those sacred studies which were the pride of his youth, the ornament of his maturer years, and the source of consolation and hope even in the arms of death. His labours in every branch of holy learning were animated by a love of his subject, His researches were deep, judicious, and unremitting; insomuch that there was scarcely to be found a Divine of any eminence, with whose works he was unacquainted. Possessed of a considerable skill in the learned languages, he was enabled to master the writings of the Fathers with great success, and to acquaint himself with these neglected sources of ecclesiastical history, criticism, and eloquence, in a degree far above many of those who stand high as professed theologians and scholars. The rich harvest of his well directed studies was not confined to the gratification of his own understanding, but displayed itself in many powerful publications. In 1775, he sent into the world an Essay upon the Nature and Constitution of the Christian Church; a work so highly esteemed, that the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, thirty years after its first appearance, thought it worthy of being placed upon their very select and well chosen catalogue, Its first design, however, was to counteract the dangerous notions which at that time were too prevalent, even among a part of the clergy, re specting their subscription to the Thirty-nine Articles of our Church. Our readers are all well acquainted with the " Fea thers Tavern" petition, to Parliament, praying relief from subscription to those articles, to which all the petitioners had subscribed; and with the powerful manner in which its fallacies were combated and overthrown by Edmund Burke, whose Bashes

Aashes of wit and eloquence never appeared in more vivid colours. The petition was rejected by a division of 217 to 71. Such was the spirit with which the interests of the Church were supported, and the first attacks of liberalizing infidelity repelled, by a British House of Commons, even in the former years of the present reign, when the helm of the state was guided by a ministry, who, though in their foreign policy they were sufficiently weak and irresolute, had still too much principle to be seduced, and too much spirit to be intimidated by an heterogeneous mixture of Puritans and Unitarians, of Dissenters and Infidels.

Mr. Stevens displayed as a writer, not only the most pro found and accurate knowledge of his subject, but much vivacity and wit, without the slightest admixture of personal scurrility, in exposing the fallacies of his antagonist. In his Reply to a clergyman of the established Church, who published an Address to his Brethren, about the time of the Feathers Tavern Petition, there is a strain of unaffected pleasantry, which serves as a pleasing foil to the solid argument with which the pamphlet abounded. In 1776, Mr. Stevens published "A Discourse upon the English Constitution," which was admirably calculated to crush the first germ of that revolutionary anarchy which at that time began to display itself in factious pamphlets and seditious journals. In 1777, Mr. Stevens attacked, with no small success, the Politico-Theological Garagantua of those days, the celebrated Dr. Watson, who had just published two Sermons, preached before the University of Cambridge, in which were inculcated doctrines, which Mr. S. very justly considered as pregnant with much danger to the principles of the Constitution. These, with other political squibs, by the same author, are now forgotten; nor will the learned Bishop be ashamed to discover, that his memory rests, not upon the party squabbles of former days, but on the more solid foundation of a successful reply to the blasphemies of wild and revolutionary infidelity. His Apology for the Bible will be remembered with gratitude and honour by the British nation.

Mr. Stevens displayed much skill in the Hebrew language, in a publication addressed to Dr. Kennicott, under the title of "A new and faithful Translation of Letters from M. l'Abbé dé

-, Hebrew Professor in the University of to the Rev. Dr. Benjamin Kennicott, &c.," in which he very forcibly pointed out the very pernicious consequences which must result to the integrity of the sacred text by the adoption of the learned Doctor's plan.

At a time when the principles of rebellion and anarchy were transplanted from the shores of France, and were striking their root fast among the licentious and profligate of every descrip

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tion, when most of the periodical works of the day were too deeply involved in the dissemination of the most destructive sentiments both in politics and religion, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Jones,. of Nayland, and some others, formed themselves into a society to withstand the torrent, and to point the attention of the young and inexperienced to those high and commanding principles, on which our glorious constitution in Church and state is founded and supported. By this society was published an admirable Collection of Tracts, compiled for the use of the younger Clergy,. entitled" the Scholar Armed," from this society also, originated that Review, of which we are proud to declare ourselves the immediate successors, and heirs, if not of the ability and power which once stood displayed in the pages of the British Critic, at least of those sound principles in Church and State, which it has ever been its boast to have vigilantly guarded and dauntlessly maintained.

All the publications of Mr. Stevens were sent into the world without a name; he was prevailed upon, however, by some of his friends to collect them into a volume, which he styled, ΟΥΔΕΝΟΣ ΕΡΓΑ, the only name which he could be induced to prefix, and by this name of NOBODY he was afterwards known amongst his friends. The last literary work in which he was engaged was an uniform edition of the works of Mr. Jones, of Nayland, who, in the words of Bishop Horsley, quoted by Mr. Park, was "a man of quick penetration, of extensive learning and the soundest piety, and had, beyond any other man he ever knew, the art of writing upon the deepest subjects to the plainest understanding." Charge to the Clergy, 1800.

per an

With a fortune derived from the profits of his honest industry, and amounting, as it appears to little more than 12001. num, Mr. Stevens appears to have performed wonders of charity and munificence. He was a leading man in many of the great charitable institutions, contributing both his time and his purse to the advancement of their interests. The account of the expenditure of his income is thus given by his biographer, and cannot fail to prove an useful example to many of those who are blessed with means far surpassing those of Mr. Stevens.

"Being mindful of the apostolical injunction, to lay by in store as God had prospered him, this good man, from the amount of all his profits and income, annually deducted two several tenth parts. These he immediately entered in his private books of account, under the heads respectively of Clericus and Pauper; and from the instant of thus appropriating them, he considered himself holding, as a trustee, for these two charitable funds. It sometimes happened, from a want of proper objects presenting themselves, that

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one or both of these funds were considerably in cash. But when that was the case, Mr. Stevens was always found to be a most faithful steward for the poor, religiously accounting for every farthing, and allowing interest upon the capital, thus once appropriated in his hands, till the whole was expended. But it more frequently occurred, that one full tenth of his income was insufficient to answer the numerous charges, with which his munificence loaded each of these funds, particularly the latter. By that an annual deficit, to a considerable amount, during many of the latter years of his life, was experienced: but Mr. Stevens always found means to supply the want, by making to the account of Pauper, or Clericus,* as the case might be, a free gift of such further sum as its exigencies required. These accounts since the death of this good, man, I have seen, and have observed the allowance of interest, &c. in the manner above stated. Besides these two accounts of Clericus and Pauper, thus liberally supplied by this great culti vator of true charity, he had another head in his books of account, entitled, Gifts; which, if possible, displays the true Christian, temper of this excellent man even more than those I have already mentioned. Under the head of Gifts then, were arranged not only expences to a large amount, which might properly be so cons sidered, such as presents of books, wine, or other things to friends, to whom he either wished to shew these marks of gratitude for, kindness he received at their hands; or who could not conveniently purchase these things themselves; but also many other acts of bounty, which, to a man less scrupulous than Mr. Stevens, in discriminating the provinces of different virtues, would have appeared to be, acts of charity. He considered them, however, as, gifts, lest by regarding them as charities, he should either exhaust the patrimony of Pauper, or Clericus, if they continued to be each limited to one-tenth; or if either was encreased, by adding gifts to either fund, he should seem to rate himself, as being more charitable than he really was. For instance, under the title of Gifts, he entered about £500, which he advanced to an ami. able, and excellent friend of mine, (and this account that friend, to his honour, has communicated to me by a statement under his own hand) to enable him to complete his studies at the Univer sity, and which he never would allow to be considered as a debt, He was very methodical and exact in his mode of keeping his private accounts: and his habit was, at the end of each year, to ab. stract under the heads of Pauper, Clericus, gifts, books, pocket expences, journies, and clothes, the amount of all his disbursements, setting against this the whole amount of his income received in the same year. These abstracts lay in so narrow a compass, that a single sheet of paper presented, in one view, a complete statement of the receipts and disbursements for several years. They were intended only for his private use and information, and were very rarely seen even by those who were most in his confidence. An intimate friend being once indulged, as a particular

particular favour, with a sight of one of these sheets, observed, that every private expence of this extraordinary man, in the course of a whole year, was comprised within about £300, while the aggregate of Clericus, Pauper, and Gifts, considerably exceeded £600; the whole income in that year amounting to about £1200. It will be required, in what way were these great charities of this most benevolent man expended? I answer, whatever his hand found to do, he did it with all his might: wherever a case of real distress was stated, as arising in private life, his heart and purse were open, and his services also, if necessary, were afforded." P. 32.

The reflections of Mr. Park upon the system pursued by this excellent man are so rational and so useful that we cannot refrain from presenting them to the public.

"To-the best of our public institutions, as enabling individuals to do the most possible good, at the least expence, he was a liberal contributor; and not only gave his money, but what was of much greater moment, he gave to them much of his valuable time. When such men, as Mr. Stevens, thus dedicate themselves to superintend the administration of public charities, it is the best security to the public, that the real objects of the respective institutions are ever kept in view, and that the funds are well administered. Indeed, the author of this work with pleasure and heart-felt satisfaction relates it, that he knows no public charity in this kingdom, where the most anxious attention is not paid to afford the particular relief intended, (whether the body or mind, or both, be the object of cure:) where that relief is not afforded in the most ready, grateful, and pleasing shape, and where the funds are not respectively administered with all the economy, consistent with the com"fort and happiness of the individuals, who are the subjects of the public benevolence. And let me here be allowed to say, that the anxious attention paid, and the valuable time employed in the su perintendance of our national institutions, by the learned, the rich, the honourable, and the noble of this country, induce us to entertain a hope, that there is much Christian piety and charity remaining in this happy land; that there are still many righteous among us, for whose sake this country will yet be spared; and that true Christian piety and charity will never be separated from the British character, till time shall be no more." P. 37.

To the indigent clergy and their families Mr. Stevens exercised the most unbounded liberality; with the secret distresses of this venerable body, by the situation which he held as Treasurer of Queen Anne's bounty, he became often acquainted, and relieved them with a delicacy peculiar to himself. Many of these good deeds, since his death, have transpired, and are recorded by his biographer; many still remain in secrecy and si

lence,