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Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal church in the State of Pennsylvania.

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Rector of Christ-Church, St. Peter's, and St. James's, in the city of Philadelphia, and Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the state of Pennsylvania.

WILLIAM WHITE, D. D. bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the state of Pennsylvania, and rector of Christ-Church, St. Peter's, and St. James's, in the city of Phila delphia, was born in the said city on the fourth of April (N. S.) 1748, was educated in the college of the same, and there graduated A. B. in May, 1765, and A. M. about three years afterwards. He was ordained deacon by Dr. Philip Young, bishop of Norwich, under letters dimissory from Dr. Richard Terrick, bishop of London, on the twenty-third of December, 1770, and priest by the same bishop Terrick, on the twenty-fifth day of April, 1772.

Having, while in England, been conditionally nominated to the place of assistant minister in Christ-Church and St. Peter's, he was regularly elected to the same, on the thirtieth day of

VOL. IV.

November, 1772, and was elected rector of the said churches on the fifteenth day of April, 1779. He graduated D. D. in the University of Pennsylvania on the fourth day of July, 1781, being the first person named for that degree in the said institution. He was elected bishop of the church in Pennsylvania, September, fourteenth, 1786; and was consecrated to the episcopacy on the fourth day of February, 1787, by Dr. John Moore, archbishop of Canterbury, assisted by Dr. William Markham, archbishop of York, Dr. Charles Moss, bishop of Bath and Wells, and Dr. John Hinchcliff, bishop of Peterborough.

N. B. The likeness prefixed to this biography is copied, by permission of Mr. Benjamin Tanner, from his large and elegant engraving from a painting by Stewart in 1795.

CRITICISM-FOR THE PORT FOLIO.

ADAMS'S LECTURES ON RHETORIC.

Lectures on Rhetoric and Oratory, delivered to the classes of senior and junior sophisters in Harvard university. By John Quincy Adams, L L. D. late Boylston professor of rhetoric and oratory. In two volumes. Cambridge: printed by Hilliard and Metcalf. 1810.

It seems Nicholas Boylston, esquire, a merchant of Boston, in 1771 bequeathed 1500/ to found this professorship. His example found no follower for thirty-three years; when, thanks to the patronage of bullion, commerce and literature were reconciled; the only "living fountain" of whatever is "beauteous or sublime" in this institution, was proved to be contained in the fund itself, the salient interest of which had by this time made it adequate to the object.

The world have, in these volumes, the first course of lectures under this professorship, of the "style and sentiments" of which it is for us to take "cognisance."

Το say that Mr. Adams writes not like a professor may be to pay him no very equivocal compliment; but he surely would not rank with

"The mob of gentlemen, who write with ease.”

That he writes with genius is not sufficient. It is especially required of one in his situation, that he should write with correctness. Otherwise his very genius may pander to error. It may go far to consecrate corrupt beauties and gain them general reception. Noscitur à sociis. They come recommended from the hand that introduces them. The very brilliancy, which can catch and keep attention, unless well directed, is, from this aptitude, dangerous. The more the attention is rivetted and rapt, the more likely is what is said to be remembered and imitated. The mind is the more yielding; the impression deeper; and greater care should be had of the perfectness of the device. Genius sets the pattern for habits. If bad, they will still be worn, for they are the robes of greatness. Genius makes vices sweet; and those who dare not aspire to "snatch a grace beyond the reach of art," may yet attempt to bedizen their characters dulcibus vitiis. To be said to abound with these has been thought proud eulogy. But it is eulogy a scholar should renounce. It can gra, tify only depraved vanity. The same strength of character which can decorate vice, is certainly better employed in commending virtue, and involves high responsibility in composition, as in life.

To apply these remarks to the work before us, allowance must first be made for its appearance under circumstances, that rendered revision impracticable. The canons of criticism may be said to consider all publications as voluntary acts, and therefore admit not apologies. Not however so to be critics as to forget we are patriots, but, for the ambassador, pardoning much tó the professor, these lectures will still remain luminous bodies, in which there are points of opacity not to be overlooked. Errors, that on the most deliberate revision, would not have been corrected or acknowledged, are certainly fair objects of notice. Such as illegitimate words, or words which the fathers of our language

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