Thomas Srott.

BORN A. D. 1747. DIED A. D. 1821.

"I WAS born,” says this excellent man, and able theologian, in his personal narrative, “ on the fourth of February, 1746-7, answering, since the change of the style, and the beginning of another century, to February 16, 1747. A small farm house at Braytoft, in Lincolnshire, was the place of my birth. Braytoft is five miles from Spilsby, and about six from Skegness. My father, John Scott, was a grazier, a man of a small and feeble body, but of uncommon energy of mind, and vigour of intellect; by which he surmounted, in no common degree, the almost total want of education. His circumstances were very narrow, and for many years he struggled with urgent difficulties. But he rose above " them ; and, though never affluent, his credit was supported, and he lived in more comfortable circumstances to the age of seventy-six years. I was the tenth of thirteen children, ten of whom lived to maturity; and my eldest brother was twenty-three years older than my youngest sister.” Mr Scott's mother, too, seems to have been a valuable woman, and from her he learnt to read; a neighbouring day-school afforded him the means of acquiring the first elements of Latin. At eight years of age, he was transferred to a different seminary, where he made some progress in the common acquisitions of youth. His elder brother had been trained to the medical profession, and was a surgeon's mate in the navy; but his zeal in the pursuit of knowledge, leading him to expose himself to a malignant fever which was raging among the crew of a ship of war just arrived from a foreign station, he fell a victim to its ravages. This event altered the destination of Thomas, who, having exhibited a certain degree of readiness in acquiring information, was singled out from the rest of the family to enjoy the advantages of a professional training. After spending five years, not to much propose, at school in Yorkshire, he was bound apprentice to a surgeon and apothecary practising in the vicinity, but misconducted himself so grossly, as to give his master "a plausible reason for dismissing" him at the expiration of two months.

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With, as we suppose, a sort of vindictive feeling on the part of his father, inexcusable in itself, and mischievous in its consequences, the delinquent was now set to do the most laborious and dirty parts of the work belonging to a grazier." His previous modes of life had not prepared him for this exposure to the vicissitudes of a wintry season, amid the damps and inundations of a low and unwholesome site, and his constitution sustained repeated shocks, of which, in after life, he felt the injurious effects. Yet even amid these hardships, the force of Mr Scott's character, mixed indeed with much pride and passion, bore him up without complaint, and his parents had not knowledge enough of the human mind to discern the elements of noble qualities which were discernible through all the gloom and turbulence of his spirit. Strong convictions frequently prevailed within him, and he was often assailed by appalling temptations, but that gracious Being who was preparing him through all this severe discipline for happy and honourable service

in the church of Christ, kept him from despair. For about nine years he followed his harassing employment, associating with the riotous, the vulgar, and the profane, but still cherishing the secret hope of better days, and persevering amid all discouragements, in giving to his mind such culture as came within his reach. At length Mr Scott, having discovered that in the ultimate disposal of the family property, his interests were to be completely sacrificed, applied himself with redoubled diligence to the study of his "few torn Latin books," with his Eton Greek grammar, and, having been one day harshly and undeservedly reproved by his father, fiercely retorted, and renouncing his shepherd's life and garb, declared his intention of never resuming either. He then left his paternal dwelling, slept that night at his brother's house, and after returning home to pay some necessary attention to the flock which he had left, set off for Boston, and waited on a clergyman to whom he was slightly known. His object in this visit must be stated in his own words. "To this clergyman I opened my mind with hesitation and trepidation and nothing could well exceed his astonishment when he heard my purpose of attempting to obtain orders. He knew me only as a shepherd, somewhat more conversible, perhaps, than others in that station, and immediately asked, 'Do you known any thing of Latin and Greek?' I told him I had received education, but that for almost ten years I had never seen a Greek book, except the grammar. He instantly took down a Greek Testament, and put it into my hands; and without difficulty I read several verses, giving both the Latin and English rendering of them, according to the custom of our school. On this, having strongly expressed his surprise, he said, 'Our visitation will be next week; the archdeacon, Dr Gordon, will be here; and, if you will be in the town, I will mention you to him, and induce him, if I can, to send for you.' This being settled, I returned immediately to my father for the intervening days; knowing how much, at that season, he wanted my help, for services which he could no longer perform himself, and which he was not accustomed to intrust to servants."

Mr Scott had to encounter many obstacles before the wish of his heart was gratified. After an interview with the archdeacon, who gave him reason to hope for final approbation, he applied with redoubled diligence to his studies, and at the appointed time presented himself in London for ordination, but failed in procuring admission as a candidate. Ascertaining that the real ground of objection arose from a most unfounded suspicion of Methodism!-he solicited an introduction to the bishop, who treated him with courtesy, but negatived his application, until he should obtain his father's consent, and a satisfactory attestation from some beneficed clergymen in his own neighbourhood. With this answer, in the 26th year of his age, and with every avenue apparently closed against him, baffled but not disheartened, the subject of our memoir quitted London, and on the day of his return home, "after walking twenty miles in the forenoon," laid aside his "clerical clothes,” resumed his "shepherd's dress, and sheered eleven large sheep in the afternoon." After some further difficulties he obtained his father's reluctant consent, and such additional documents as were sufficient to gain him admission as a probationer; his answers were satisfactory, and Dr Gordon, the examiner, expressed his approbation in forcible language. He was ordained deacon in September, 1772, and priest in March of

the following year. His state of mind when he took upon himself the ministerial office, was afterwards described by himself in the strongest terms of reprobation. "I deliberately judge," are his own words, "this whole transaction to have been the most atrocious wickedness of my life; as far as I understood such controversies, I was nearly a Socinian and Pelagian, and wholly an Arminian. While I was preparing for the solemn office, I lived, as before, in known sin, and in utter neglect of prayer; my whole preparation consisting of nothing else than an attention to those studies which were more immediately requisite for reputably passing through the previous examination."

His first labours were in the curacies of Stoke and Weston Underwood, in Buckinghamshire, with the occasional supply of Gayhurst, where he made a pleasant acquaintance with George Wrighte, Esq. a man of wealth and influence. Whatever of error and obscurity might rest upon his religious views, his labours, at least, on assuming his new office, were exemplary; he studied the scriptures diligently, and was indefatigable in the acquisition of the languages and dialects which are connected with biblical investigation. "No cost," he writes to one of his sisters, "do I in the least grudge to procure advantageous methods of pursuing my studies. So far is a multiplicity of studies, a diversity of pursuits, from overburdening my memory, that, by exercising it, I find it in a high degree more retentive; as well as the comprehending faculty more quick. Nothing can give greater satisfaction than these considerations do. I proceed with alacrity; I think with expedition. Of the Hebrew, some twenty weeks ago I knew not a letter; and I have now read through one hundred and nineteen of the Psalms, and twentythree chapters of Genesis; and commonly now read two chapters in the time above mentioned, tracing every word to its original, unfolding every verbal difficulty."

The religious progress of Mr Scott's mind has been very minutely and satisfactorily related by himself in that most interesting tract entitled, 'The Force of Truth.' On the removal of Mr Newton to London, from Olney, Mr Scott succeeded him in the latter place. In 1785, he received an invitation to become joint-preacher at the Lock hospital from the governors of that institution, which, after due deliberation, he accepted. He found, however, that he had placed himself in a situation which brought him many anxieties and vexations, with a very inadequate allotment of the good things of this life. His preaching was unpopular; his fearless and universal offer of the invitations of the gospel, and his practical strain of appeal, exposed him to the charge of Arminianism, while his stern and uncompromising regard to consistency, involved him at times in unpleasant circumstances. Still he persevered, and by the steady and undeviating rectitude of his course, bore down all opposition. His work was indeed laborious, and scantily paid. His "salary at the Lock was no more than £80; his Bread-street lectureship produced him £30;" and he preached on alternate Sabbaths in Lothbury church at six in the morning for "7s. 6d. a time:" he had in addition such presents as the precarious liberality of his friends might induce them to bestow. While in this situation a proposal was made to Mr Scott that he should write a commentary on the Bible, to be published in weekly numbers; and for this the remuneration was to be one guinea for each number. He acceded, and commenced in Jan

uary, 1788, but when the fifteenth publication had appeared, the very impudent intimation was made to him, that unless he could procure money from his friends, the work must cease. In this dilemma, he adopted the worst possible alternative; instead of taking the wiser hazard of making himself the master of his own materials, he strained every nerve to keep his publisher afloat, and the whole business terminated in the bankruptcy of the bookseller, with enormous loss to Mr Scott, involving not only the whole of his slender property, but leaving him £500 pounds in debt. After much embarrassment, a second edition was undertaken, and the sale was prosperous, but in consequence of the rise in paper and printing, as well as of other circumstances connected with Mr Scott's habits of composition, the proceeds of the work scarcely covered the original cost. And when, on the preparation of a third edition, he transferred the copyright, his ultimate remuneration for the labour of above twenty-one years, was less than £1000. In 1807 he received "a parchment, by which," he writes, "I am constituted D. D. by the Dickensonian college, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, by persons whose names I never before heard."-We do not find this distinction recorded in the title page to any of his works. Mr Scott was unfortunate in his early commercial connections. His first bookseller imposed on him grossly; and the publication of a third edition involved him in a chancery suit, which ended in the discomfiture of his adversary. His last publishers were, happily, honourable men, and in addition to the punctual discharge of their engagements, exonerated him from all expense on account of the law proceedings. Twelve thousand copies of the commentary have been printed in England, and at least double that number in America; the retail price of the whole would amount to the large sum of £199,900.

A severe illness in 1801 compelled Mr Scott to give up his morning lecture at Lothbury; and in the same year, he obtained the living of Aston Sandford. In 1802 he was appointed sole chaplain to the Lock, but in the following year removed wholly to Aston. This rectory was nominally worth £180 annually, but the expenses consequent on building a new parsonage house, reduced that small amount to less than £100. Such were the honours and rewards with which the ecclesiastical establishment of England crowned one of the best and most useful of her sons ! The man who would have conferred honour on a mitre, was overlooked amid the higher claims of courtiers and university graduates. The quiet and seclusion which he enjoyed in this small village, enabled him to pursue without interruption his other plans. In 1807, however, he acceded to the request of the Church Missionary society, that he would undertake the preparation of their missionaries; a labour in which he persevered until, in 1814, his impaired health compelled him to resign the charge. It is to be mentioned as an illustration of the unbroken energy of his mind at this advanced age, that in compliance with the very singular request of the society, he mastered the Susoo and Arabic languages, for the purpose of instructing his pupils. In 1813 Mr Scott made an unexpected discovery, which required all the fortitude even of his resolute spirit to bear up against. He had hoped, and on plausible grounds, that the sale of his copyright and of his works would cover all his debts; but on coming to a settlement with his printer, he discovered that large quantities of his printed stock were still on hand, and on

striking a final balance, he found himself in debt to the amount of £1200. In this dilemma, agitated with the overwhelming apprehension of "dying insolvent," the only resource which occurred to him was to issue a circular to a few friends, stating the facts, and soliciting their purchase of his works in five volumes octavo, at a reduced price. The result was delightful. His friends exerted themselves on all sides. From Cambridge he received, through Mr Simeon, £590, as "a present, beside a considerable sum for books." From Bristol and from York liberal donations were sent him, and in addition to the purchase of the works which he tendered for sale, he "received at least £2000, as presents, in little more than two months." On the 16th of April, 1821, this good and faithful servant entered into the joy of his Lord.

Bishop Middleton.

BORN A. D. 1769.-died A. D. 1822.

THIS prelate was the only son of the Rev. Thomas Middleton of Kedleston, in Derbyshire. He was educated at Christ's hospital and Cambridge. After taking the degree of B. A. in 1792, he was ordained deacon, and in 1795 was presented to the rectory of Tansor, in Northamptonshire. Here he passed some years in comparative obscurity; but the appearance of his ، Treatise on the Greek Article, in 1808, brought him into notice and repute in the literary world. In 1811 he was presented to the vicarage of St Pancras, Middlesex, and in 1812 to the archdeaconry of Huntingdon.

When it was resolved by government to introduce an Episcopalian establishment into the British possessions in India, Dr Middleton was recommended as the first bishop of Calcutta, and was consecrated to that office in May, 1814, at Lambeth palace. In the month of June following he embarked at Portsmouth, and in November reached Bengal. He entered with zeal on the duties of his high office; made a tour of five thousand miles with the view of inquiring into the moral aspect of Hindostan; established a Mission college at Calcutta ; and maintained an active correspondence with the Church Missionary society in England, on the subject of the spiritual wants of India. His career promised to be one of great activity and usefulness, but was suddenly cut short on the 8th of July, 1822.

Abraham Rees, D. D.

BORN A. D. 1743. DIED A. D. 1824.

DR ABRAHAM REES was the son of the Rev. Lewis Rees, a Welsh dissenting minister. He was educated for the ministry; and in 1768 was chosen pastor of a congregation in the borough of Southwark, London. In 1786 he was chosen fellow of the Royal society, in consequence of the ability he had displayed in editing an edition of Chambers's Cyclopaedia. In 1802 he published the first volume of his great undertaking, commonly known by the name of 'Rees' Cyclopædia,'