finement. He confidered every fally of wit that tended to mortify the hearers, as one of the greatest abuses of that talent; and in his delightful converfation, fo totally abftained from recurring to religion or scripture, as subjects of his wit, that those who were moft intimate with him observed, that in his common and unguarded focial hours, he ever ftrictly abftained from using the name of the Supreme Being, unless when it was rendered neceffary, by the immediate fubject of the conversation.

No perfon felt more for the miseries of others, nor more ftrictly practifed the neceffity imposed on those who form the fuperior ranks in life, to reconcile the lower claffes to their prefent condition, by contributing the utmost to render them happy. He was moft kind and courteous to all his inferiors, and affifted them in their wants and diftreffes; ever confidering his poor neighbours in the country as parts of his family, and as fuch entitled to his care and protection.

Such was this eminent man in the private walks of life, and the principles on which that conduct was founded, when expanded as motives for his public character in a large sphere of action, rendered him equally praife worthy in that as in the former.

As an author, he held a distinguished place among thofe who have excelled. Whatever he publifhed, either in profe or verfe, was fought for with avidity, and read with pleasure, by those who were efteemed the best judges in compofition.

The Free Inquiry into the Nature and Origin of Moral Evil, was the first of his works, on account of which he was attacked. In the fecond edition of this book, he an

fwers his adverfaries, with that candour and good humour, which he always observed, both in his writings and converfation; and makes a declaration of the end proposed in writing that treatise, in the following words.

"That his intentions were to reconcile the numerous evils, fo confpicuous in the creation, with the wisdom, power, and goodnefs of the Creator; to fhew that no more of them are admitted by him, than are neceffary towards promoting univerfal good; and from thence perfuade men to an entire refignation to his allwife, but incomprehenfible difpenfations; to afcertain the nature of virtue, and to enforce the practice of it; to prove the certainty of a future ftate, and the juftice of the rewards and punishments that will attend it; to recommend fubmiffion to national governments, and conformity to national religions, notwithstanding the evils and defects which will unavoidably adhere to them; and laftly, to fhew the excellence and credibility of the christian religion, to reconcile fome of its most abftrufe doctrines with reafon, and to anfwer all the objections to its authority, which have been drawn from its imperfections and abuses." "To the truth of this folemn declaration, all who were acquainted with the author's undertaking, readily gave their unfeigned

affent."

In the fummer of the year 1776, he published a "View of the Internal Evidence of the Chriftian Religion," without his name. The reception it met with, was fuch as feldom is fhewn to the compofitions of the most approved

authors.

This was a work, with which the clergy and the laity were in general pleased, many of them delighted. It was

tranflated into foreign languages, and in a short time went through three editions, to the last of which, by the advice of friends, the author put his name. It was written under a full conviction of the truth of the christian difpenfation, and a fincere zeal for its fervice. The author, ftrucken with the beauties of its principles and doctrines, fo effential to the happiness of human creatures in the prefent and future ftate, thought that a fhort and clear representation of their internal excellence might allure the attention, and procure a belief in the truth of the christian religion from those, who read but little and think lefs, and who form too confiderable a part of the bulk of mankind, not to attract the notice and care of him, who felt himself interested in the happiness of the whole hu

man race.

Though the book was attacked, and the author treated with afperity by two able writers, yet the number of private letters he received from thofe, on whom this work had the effect his benevolent intention propofed, afforded him abundant fource of confolation.

These letters, many of which the author received, contain acknowledgments from feveral perfons, whom this book had led from unbelief to a full conviction of the truths he had endeavoured to establish.

They are written with that humility and pious gratitude, which the primitive chriftians expreffed to their inftructors in the wonderful difpenfation of the gofpel.

The good effects of this work were not confined to this country, they operated in diftant parts of the world; it propagated the chriftian religion in India, as appears by a letter thence, in which the writer, confeffing his former

L

infidelity, and the pains he had long in vain taken, by means of books written in defence of christianity, to give his affent to it, concludes in these words. "I eager ly wished to believe, but could not fatisfactorily. But now, I thank God, Soame Jenyns' reafons have, I hope, triumphed over all my doubts, and I have given an unfeigned and full affent to his three propofitions, which, in my opinion, prove all that is wanted to be cleared up."

Mr. Jenyns was twice married, and his laft wife furvived him. He died of a fever, after a few days illness, on the 18th day of December, 1787, at his houfe in Tilney Street, Audley Square, in his 83d year. On his death bed, he reviewed his life, with a vifible gleam of joy, and glori ed in the belief, that his Internal Evidence had been useful.

The parish minifter, to whom the public is indebted for a fketch of his life, left this teftimony, that while he "regiftered the burial of Soame Jenyns, he regretted the lofs of one of the most amiable of men, and one of the trueft christians, who united the finest understanding to the best heart."

Biographia Britannica.-Jenyns' Works.

DR. DAVID HARTLEY.

DAVID HARTLEY, a celebrated physician and ingenious author, was born on the 30th of Auguft, 1705. His father was a very worthy and respectable clergyman, vicar of Armley, in the county of York. He received the first rudiments of instruction at a private school, and his academical education at Cambridge. Being originally in

tended for the church, he for fome time directed his thoughts and ftudies towards that object; but upon a clofer confideration of the conditions attached to the cler ical profeffion, was reftrained by fome fcuples, which made him reluctant to fubfcribe the thirty nine articles. In confequence of thefe fcruples, he became difqualified 'for the pursuit of his first plan of devoting himself to the perfonal functions and service of the church. However, he ftill continued to the end of his life, a well affected member of the church of England, approving of its practical doctrines, and conforming to its public worship. As the church of England maintains all the useful principles of christian morality, he did not think it neceffary to separate himself from its communion, on account of fome contefted articles of speculative and abftrufe opinion. He was a catholic christian, in the most extenfive and liberal fenfe of the term. On the fubject of religious controverfy, he has left the following testimony of his fentiments, in the laft fection of propofition eighty eighth, on religious knowledge, viz. "The great differences of opinion, and contentions which happen on religious matters, are plainly owing to the violence of mens' paffions more than to any other caufe. When religion has had its due effect in reftraining these, and producing true candour, we may expect a unity of opinion, both in religious and other matters, as far as is neceffary for useful and practical purpofes."

Though Doctor Hartley's talents were very general, yet undoubtedly his preeminent faculties were formed for the moral and religious fciences. These talents displayed themselves in the carlieft parts of life with fo much diftinc