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congregation, in the year 1777. Here his stipend being small and inadequate to his wants, he became a writer in several of the London 'The London Review,' London Maperiodicals, among which were gazine,' General Evening Post,' St James's Chronicle,' and some others. He was also taken notice of and assisted by some distinguished persons in his neighbourhood. In 1780 he became a writer in the Monthly Review." About the same time he took part in the controversy then going on between Dr Priestley, Dr Price, and others, on the materiality of the human soul. Mr Badcock published a small pamphlet, but of great ability, entitled 'A slight sketch of the controversy between Dr Priestley and his opponents.' In 1781 he distinguished himself as the reviewer and opponent of Mr Madan's work, entitled Thelyphthora.' The review was considered an eminent display of learning, argumentation, and genius. The same year he wrote a poem under the title of The Hermitage.' In the controversy respecting Chatterton, Mr Badcock also took a distinguished part in the character of reviewer. Upon the publication of Dr Priestley's History of the corruptions of Christianity,' Mr Badcock undertook the review of it in the Monthly. He bent the chief resources of his learning and genius against that part which relates to the opinions concerning Jesus Christ. Mr Badcock's first article appeared in the Monthly Review' for June, 1783. In less than a month Dr Priestley published a 'Reply,' though the conclusion of the article had not yet appeared. The review evidently pained and mortified Dr Priestley to a very high degree, especially as coming from a periodical conducted by some of his friends. He did not, however, know the writer of the article. In the September following appeared the remainder of the review, with an answer to Dr Priestley's defence. It was generally admitted to be a most triumphant refutation of Dr Priestley's opinions, as well as one of the most elaborate specimens of criticism that modern times had furnished.

In the early part of 1783 Dr White of Wadham college, Oxford, and professor of Arabic, was chosen Bampton lecturer for the ensuing year, and highly appreciating Mr Badcock's talents and learning, he took a journey to South Molton for the purpose of engaging his assistance. He readily engaged in the service, and furnished very considerable, and certainly the most able and eloquent, parts of these distinguished sermons. The secret was kept for some years; but at length, after Mr Badcock's death, it was made public in consequence of a note of hand for £500 being found among his papers, signed by Professor White, and which had been given for an engagement into which Mr Badcock had entered to assist Dr White in a history of Egypt. Dr White being compelled after Mr Badcock's death to pay the whole of that sum, he published a statement of the whole of his literary obligations to Mr Badcock, and also to Dr Parr, who had rendered some little assistance in the Bampton lectures. It appears from Dr White's own statement that Badcock furnished nearly the whole of the first lecture, the best part of the 3d, about a fourth of lecture 5th, almost the whole of the 7th, and nearly half of the 8th, with about onefourth of the notes to the whole volume. Besides these services, Badcock supplied occasionally manuscript sermons to Dr White and some of his friends.

In the year 1786 Mr Badcock quitted the dissenting ministry, and in

His

the following year was ordained by Dr Ross, bishop of Exeter. ordination was distinguished by these remarkable facts; he was not examined in any branches of learning; he received deacon's orders one Sunday, and priest's orders the following. Upon Mr Badcock's saying that he neither expected nor desired such marks of distinction. The bishop replied, "But, Mr Badcock, I choose to distinguish you." He received a curacy at Broad-Clyst, near Exeter. Shortly after his ordination he was constrained through repeated and violent pains in the head to resign his curacy. He became, however, assistant preacher to Dr Gabriel at the Octagon chapel, Bath. During his residence at Bath he preached and printed a charity sermon which was not published, and also preached an assize sermon that was much admired, and printed after his death. He died at the house of his friend, Sir John Chichester, Bart., in London, on 19th May, 1788, in the 41st year of his age. Besides his publications and writings already mentioned, he was the author of some curious memoirs of the family of Mr John Wesley, and some fugitive pieces. He commenced a history of his native county, some of the materials of which are said-by a writer in The Gentleman's Magazine'-to have fallen into the hands of Sir Lawrence Palk. We suspect that the materials here alluded to consisted of the history of the dissenters, and their congregations in that county. The whole of which, or nearly so, has, we believe, been latterly published in The Congregational Magazine,' under the head of Dissenting Statistics for Devonshire." Mr Badcock was one of the most distinguished literary men of his day. His judgment was singularly acute and comprehensive; his learning profound and various; his genius fertile and lively, but regulated by a most exquisite taste. As a writer his style was both powerful and popular; singularly finished, yet perfectly easy and graceful. It is to be deeply regretted that the printed remains of such a man should consist almost entirely of fragments, patches of other men's sermons, and critiques.

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Bishop Shipley.

BORN A. D. 1714.-DIED A. D. 1788.

JONATHAN SHIPLEY was born in 1714, and after having received a liberal education, was sent to Christ church, Oxford, where he graduated about the year 1735, and proceeded to the degree of M. A. in 1738. While at the university, he wrote a monody on the death of Queen Caroline, which was considered of very superior merit. He became a prebendary of Winchester in 1743, and two years afterwards, chaplain to the duke of Cumberland, whom he accompanied to the continent. On his return to England in 1748, he took the degrees of B. D. and D. D., and obtained successively a canonry of Christ church, Oxford, the deanery of Winchester, the livings of Silchester and Chinbolton, and the bishopric of St Asaph. This last preferment took place in 1769, on the death of Bishop Newcombe. He died on the 9th of December, 1788, leaving a son-the celebrated Dean Shipley-and

See Congregational Magazine for 1825.

He

two daughters, one of whom was married to Sir William Jones. distinguished himself in the political world chiefly by his hostility to the American war, which, it is supposed, precluded him from further preferment. In 1774 he printed A Speech intended to have been spoken on the Bill for altering the Charters of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay. His collective works, comprising sermons, charges, and parliamentary orations, edited by Mainwaring, were published in 1792. Bishop Shipley was a man of considerable talents and sterling integrity.

Robert Robinson.

BORN A. d. 1735.—died A. D. 1790.

ROBERT ROBINSON was born at Swaffham in the county of Norfolk, on the 8th of October, 1735. His father was a native of Scotland. His mother was descended from a respectable family, and to the advantages of a good education she added an amiable temper and gentleness of manners. They had three children, of whom Robert was the youngest. He was put to school when six years old, and soon drew the attention of his teacher, as exhibiting more than usual promise. In the mean time, his father removed from Swaffham, and settled at Scaring. He soon after died, and left the destitute mother to provide for herself and three children. At Scaring was a grammar-school where Lord Thurlow and some other distinguished persons received the rudiments of their education. Desirous of encouraging her son's predilection for learning, Mrs Robinson made an effort to maintain him at this school; but her resources proved inadequate to the expense. So favourable an impression had he made, however, on his teacher, the Rev. Joseph Brett, and so much did this gentleman respect the motives and virtues of the mother, that he kindly offered to instruct his pupil without compensation. On these terms he continued at school till he was fourteen years old, studied French and Latin, and made rapid proficiency in most of the branches commonly pursued at such institutions. The time had now come when it was necessary to decide on his future destination. So many discouragements were in the way of his being a scholar, and so many difficulties to be encountered, that he was finally bound apprentice to a hair-dresser in London. To this new employment he at first devoted himself with commendable industry, received the approbation of his master, and was able to boast of a due proficiency in the mysteries of his trade. But his mind was too active to rest in vacuity; his love of books too strong to be conquered by the routine of a barber's shop. It was his custom to rise at four in the morning, and from that hour till called to his master's service, he was busy in reading such books as he could collect from the cheap stalls, or borrow from his friends.

His thoughts early took a religious bias; and after going to London, a constant attendance on public worship was among his greatest pleasures. Gill, Guise, Romaine, and Whitefield, were his favourite preachHis diary at this time indicates no small degree of religious enthusiasm, and proves him to have gradually attached himself to the

ers.

Methodists. Whitefield, in short, was his adviser and friend, to whom he applied in all cases of spiritual difficulty, and with whom he familiarly corresponded. On one occasion, Whitefield read to his congregation at the Tabernacle, two of Robinson's letters, while the writer was present. Encouraged by the favourable opinion of so distinguished a man, and moved by the advice of his friends, it is not a matter of surprise that he should begin to think himself destined to walk in a broader sphere than the one on which he had entered. So great, indeed, was the esteem and respect which he gained by his genius and good character, that his master was not reluctant to comply with the general voice, and give up his indentures.

At the age of nineteen he commenced preaching among the Methodists. His youth, his amiable manners, his vivacity and native eloquence, drew around him many hearers, and gave a charm to his preaching which could not fail to please. His voice was clear and melodious, his elocution easy and distinct, his language flowing, and all his external accomplishments engaging. These advantages, heightened by a liberal degree of youthful enthusiasm, crowned his first efforts with success, and animated his future exertions. He spared no pains to cultivate the powers which nature had bestowed on him, and frequently. declaimed by the hour in private, that he might acquire the habit of a ready delivery, and a free use of language. In this practice the foundation was laid of his subsequent eminence as a public speaker. Among the Methodists, Robinson preached chiefly in Norwich, and different parts of Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. While thus employed he resisted a temptation which deserves to be recorded as a proof of his early integrity and strength of principle. The incident is thus mentioned by Dr Rees in his sermon preached on the occasion of Mr Robinson's death:-"A rich relation, who had promised to provide liberally for him, and who had bequeathed him a considerable sum in his will, threatened to deprive him of every advantage which he had been encouraged to expect, unless he quitted his connexion with the dissenters; but the rights of conscience, and the approbation of God, were superior, in his regard, to every worldly consideration; he preserved his integrity, steadily maintained his principles, and persevered in his connexion with the dissenters, but forfeited the favour of his relation and every advantage, which, living or dying, he had in his power to bestow."

ner.

The causes leading to his separation from the Methodists are not distinctly known; but he had not preached with them more than two years, when, at the head of a few persons associated for the purpose, he formed an Independent society in Norwich. At this time he was a Calvinist. He adopted the rules and discipline common to other Independent churches, and administered the ordinances after the same manIn the year 1759, not long after this society was organized, Mr Robinson was invited to take charge of a Baptist congregation at Cambridge. He was already convinced that adults were the only proper subjects of baptism, and he had himself been baptized by immersion. The Cambridge society was small, and the pecuniary circumstances of its members such as to afford him no more than a very scanty support. When he commenced preaching in Cambridge he was twenty-three years of age, and two years afterwards he was ordained according to

the usual mode of the dissenters. He had been married a little before to a young lady of Norwich.

Mr Robinson's own account of his settlement, written at a later period of his life, will show his prospects to have been not the most flattering. In reference to this subject, he observes," The settlement of Robinson seems rather a romantic than rational undertaking, for this pastor was to be maintained. He had not received above ten guineas from his own family for some years; he had no future prospect of receiving any; his grandfather had cut him off with a legacy of half-aguinea. He had received only a hundred pounds with his wife, and this he had diminished among the Methodists. He had never inquired what his congregation would allow him, nor had any body proposed any thing. They had paid him for the first half-year three pounds twelve shillings and fivepence; they had increased since, but not enough to maintain him frugally; there was no prospect of so poor a people supplying him long, especially should his family increase, which it was likely to do. Besides, the congregation, through the libertinism of many of its former members, had acquired a bad character. These would have been insurmountable difficulties to an older and wiser man; but he was a boy, and the love of his flock was a million to him. His settlement, therefore, on this article, should be no precedent for future settlements." His congregation, however, grew larger, and the time came when his annual income was increased to more than ninety pounds. At first he lived at Fulbourn, five miles from the place of his Sabbath duties, where he contracted an acquaintance with Mr Graves, a gentleman of property and benevolence, from whom he received many substantial tokens of friendship. He next removed to Hauxton, about the same distance from Cambridge, where he resided for several years, the tenant of a humble cottage, devoted assiduously to his professional labours, and providing for the support of a numerous family and an aged mother. On the Sabbath he often preached three times, and during the week several times in the neighbouring villages. He was intimate with all the surrounding clergy among the dissenters, and had, for his early companions, Rowland Hill and Charles de Coetlogon.

In the midst of his professional labours, he was a diligent student in theology and literature. Free access to the libraries of the university of Cambridge, and conversation with the learned men residing there, enabled him to pursue his studies with advantage. He was an admirer of Saurin, and in 1770 translated and published two of his sermons. The success of his project was quite equal to his expectation, and he afterwards translated at different times, five volumes of sermons selected from Saurin. These have gone through several editions; and, together with a sixth volume by Hunter, and a seventh by Sutcliffe, constitute the works of Saurin as they now appear in the English dress.

While residing at Hauxton, Robinson also published his 'Arcana, or the Principles of the late Petitioners to Parliament for Relief in Matter of Subscription, in Eight Letters to a Friend.' These letters were adapted to the times, and attracted a lively attention. The dissenters were making all possible exertions to have the law repealed, which required from them subscription to the articles: Presbyterians and Baptists, orthodox and heterodox,-united their forces to abolish a law, which operated with equal severity on them all, and which was in itself