deavour to serve me in a way that should be more acceptable. He did fo, and gave me a living in the city, * Afterwards he gave me a Doctor's Degree. I thought it too late in life, as I told him, to go and take it at Cambridge, under a Profeffor, who, in point of academical standing, might have taken his first degree under me, when I was Moderator. I was willing to owe this favour to Him, which I would not have asked or accepted from any other Archbishop,

"That fome perfons, befides Mr. Say, did recommend me to him, I know, and was obliged to them for it. But I must add, that on this occafion, they did only mudovla olpuve, spur the free courfer; σπένδονα ὀρύνειν,

and that he would have done what he did without their interpofition."

Thus far from the Author's private papers. In the Journal Britannique, published at the Hague,

St. Dunstan's in the Eaft,

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amongst

amongft many other notices taken of Dr. Jortin's different writings as they occurred in publication, the following is placed at the head of his Six Differtations upon different Subjects; a work, of whofe merit the learned need no information.

"Ces Differtations ont pour auteur un homme, qui fe diftingue également par fes connoiffances, et par les vertus. Litterateur du premier ordre, il n' eftime l'etude des Mots que ce que lle vaut, et qu'autant qu'elle conduit à la science des Chofes. Verfé dans la lecture des anciens Auteurs, et dans les recherches de l'Antiquité, il ne fe fait point une gloire de décrier fon fiécle, et de donner une injufte préférence à ceux qui l'ont précédé. Confacré par etat à l'inftruction des hommes, il leur préfente une Religion fimple, et destinée a les rendre contens de la Vie, et prepares a la Mort. Plus jaloux de trouver le Vrai, que d' inventer du Neuf, il ne s' attache à aucun fyftême; n' affecte point la fingularité; promet rarement des demon

* In 8vo. printed for Whifton and White London. 1755

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trations, et manque plus rarement encore à fes promeffes. Modefte enfin, et modéré, il n' attache point la gloire à deprimer ceux qui courent la même carrière, ou qui penfent differeinment de lui. A ces traits, que mon coeur a tracés, que la voix publique confirme, et qu'un Prelat univerfellement refpecté des gens de lettres et des gens de bien a confacrés, il eft peu de lecteurs, du moins dans hotre Ifle, qui ne reconnoiffent Mr. le Docteur JORTIN."*

The Author of thefe Differtations is a man equally diftinguished for Science and Virtue. Of the higheft clafs in Literature, his unstudied regard for words is folely proportioned to their confequence, as they stand in connection with his fubject, and conduce to the knowledge of things. Perfectly familiarized to ancient writers, and deep in the researches of Antiquity, he never seeks to raise himself on the depreffion of the times in which he lives, by giving an undue preference to those which

See the Journal Brit. Vol. XVII. Mois de Novre, et de Decre. 1755. Page 373.

have gone before him.

His facred profeffiott

naturally difpofed him to confult the inftruction of others; and to effect this, he presents to them a religion, fimple in its appearance, and calculated to render them happy in exiftence here, and prepared for their great change. He is more follicitous to investigate truth than to fabricate novelty; and, as being unfhackled by any system, he aims not at fingularity; feldom leads you to expect a demonstration; and when he does, is fure to fulfil his engagements. In difpofition equally modeft and temperate, he does not make it his boaft to depreciate either those who run with him in the fame courfe, or those who think differently from him. From thefe outlines, dictated by my own heart, confirmed by the public voice, and fanctioned by a prelate of univerfal esteem amongst men of worth and letters, few readers, in Britain at least, can fail to anticipate the name of DOCTOR JORTIN."

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Such

- Such were the fentiments of a learned foreigner; and, to fhew that fuch are the fentiments of our own countrymen, the following extracts are adduced.

In the Preface to Dr. Newton's edition of Milton's Poems, first published in 1749, we find that amiable editor expreffing the affistance which he had received from our author, amongst many others, in the course of that elaborate work. 66 I am obliged too to Mr. JORTIN for fome remarks, which he conveyed to me by the hands of Dr. Pearce [afterwards Bishop of Rochefter.] They are chiefly upon Milton's Imitations of the Ancients; but every thing that proceeds from him is of value, whether in poetry, criticifm, or divinity; as appears from his Lufus Poetici, his Miscellaneous Obfervations upon Authors, and his Difcourfes concerning the truth of the Chriftian Religion."

In the third Volume, Preface to Paradife Regained, &c. He fays, "The notes, as upon the PARADISE LOST, fo likewise upon the PARADISE

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