Miracles, in Two Discourses, 8vo. 1701; The Reasonable Communicant, &c. 8vo. 1704; Sixteen Practical Discourses upon the relative Duties of Parents and Children, Husbands and Wives, Masters and Servants, &c. 2 vols. 8vo. 1705; The Thirteenth Chapter to the Romans vindicated, &c. 8vo. 1710; The Judgment of the Church of England, in the Case of Lay-baptism, and of Dissenter's Baptism, 8vo. 2 vols. 1712. These pieces reflect much credit upon the talents and intentions of the writer, and were received by the public with no small degree of deference and favour.

To the political principles of the Bishop, however, which were those of pure Whiggism, the prejudices of party paid little respect. The change in the government which took place toward the close of 1710 threw the friends of his lordship out of power; and as he was too conscientious to disguise his dislike of the measures of the Tory administration, and even went so far as to publish his opinions of their conduct in a Fast-sermon, it became the determination of ministers to embrace the next opportunity that should occur of expressing their resentment. This was afforded them so early as 1712, by his lordship publishing Four Sermons: 1. On the Death of Queen Mary, 1694. 2. On the Death of the Duke of Gloucester, 1700. 3. On the Death of

King William, 1701. 4. On the Queen's Accession to the Throne, in 1702. With a Preface. London, 8vo. As he had formerly preached these sermons with great approbation, they were of course not assailable; but the preface, which contained the most pointed reprobation of the political system of the Tories, was instantly seized upon, and condemned by a motion of the House of Commons to be burned by the common hang

man.

The consequence of this injudicious order was, that the work was not only purchased clandes-tinely, and circulated with avidity, but Steele introduced the preface into the Spectator. "If the design was to intimidate me," remarks the Bishop," they have lost it utterly; or, if to suppress the book, it happens much otherwise; for every body's curiosity is awakened by this usage, and the bookseller finds his account in it above any one else. The Spectator has conveyed above fourteen thousand of them into other people's hands, that would otherwise have never seen or heard of it *. This celebrated preface, and Steele's introductory observations, form N° 384 of the Spectator, which, " says the annotator, was not published till twelve o'clock, that it might come out pre

* Letter to the Bishop of Salisbury, Biographia Britannica, vol. iii. p. 1974, Note.

cisely at the hour of her Majesty's breakfast, and that no time might be left for deliberating about serving it up with that meal, as usual." The preface is well written, in a manly clear style, and with a marked abhorrence of the then fashionable doctrine, that Christianity is the friend of arbitrary power.

After a life of exemplary virtue and utility, Bishop Fleetwood paid the debt of nature, at Tottenham, in Middlesex, in 1723, and in his sixty-seventh year.

"His various merits," remarks his latest biographer, "entitle him to the character of a great and a good man. His learning in the different branches more immediately connected with his profession was very respectable, and he was intimately conversant in British history and antiquities. His life was so studious, that there were very few of his hours during which he allowed himself any relaxation.-As a prelate of the church of England, he did honour to his station by his dignified and prudent deportment; and in the diocese of St. Asaph, where he was almost the general patron, he took particular care to fill the vacant churches with virtuous and worthy clergymen, paying no regard to the solicitations of the great and powerful on behalf of any persons who were not found to answer that de

scription. To the poor and necessitous he was a generous benefactor, and a liberal encourager of every truly charitable design. To the interests of civil and religious liberty he was ardently attached, and was greatly concerned to see so much passion and uncharitableness as were occasioned in his time by difference of opinion in matters of religion; rightly judging, that mere mistakes, and such differences as did not influence practice, were to be borne with. He was also modest, humble, uncensorious, and calm and meek in his temper; but at the same time possessed a degree of cool and sedate courage, which he did not fail to exhibit on proper occasions; and to crown the whole, he was a bright pattern of innocence of life, integrity of heart, and sanctity of manners. We cannot persuade ourselves to omit recording a curious anecdote of our prelate, which is related in the "Richardsoniana," page 333-335, and which we shall give in the words of the author, Mr. Jonathan Richardson, junior: "One of our great divines, a most worthy as well as reverend bishop (Fleetwood), told my father (in my hearing), who was full of doubts and scruples then in matters of faith, when I was a boy, that, where mystery began religion ended. It makes wild work where reason does not govern the raptures which religious enthusiasm inspires.

The same excellent and honest divine advised my father at that time, as he was depressed with doubts, to make a truce with texts and fathers, and read Don Quixote, telling him withal, that, in his present situation of mind and weakness of spirit, he was not capable of doing them justice, nor was equal to such high points of speculation. 'Ah, doctor!' said my father; but if I should be mistaken, and put up with an erroneous faith?' 'Well,' said the good divine, and constant friend (for he loved my father for his sincere and warm desire to know his duty, and how he might best please his Maker), Well, and if you should?' 'If I should!' said my father in surprise: if I should be mistaken, after the most diligent enquiry I can make, I am sure to make God my enemy!'' Are you so?' said Fleetwood, warmly; then he is no God for me:' which expression (for they were his very words, as I have often heard my dear father relate them) he proceeded to explain and soften, by giving him a just and reasonable idea of the common Father of mankind *."

30. HENEAGE TWISDEN was the seventh son of Sir William Twisden, Bart. He was cut off, by

* Morgan's Life of Fleetwood, Aikin's General Biography, vol. iv. p. 129, 130.