signing the declaration to William, to refuse the oaths to his new sovereign, and yet not assign any reason for his conduct? BISHOP HOUGH. Whenever I behold disinterested sincerity, I bow to it with reverence, however opinions may differ. Strict and severe as to himself, he was kind and tender to others; the friend of the conscientious dissenter, disposed to concede to the scruples of others, he could not induce his mind to offer a new oath of allegiance, whilst his liege sovereign was still living; not, however, uncharitable to those who had not the same scruples; as appears by what he said, during his last illness, to one of his chaplains who had conformed. "You "and I have gone different ways in "these late affairs; but I trust Heaven's gates are wide enough to receive us "both. What I have done, I have "done in the integrity of my heart; "indeed in the great integrity of my "heart." BISHOP GIBSON. I think, Brother, that Mr. Lyttelton, even if he cannot hold Mr. Waller's opinion that age improves the understanding, will at least allow, that it does not absolutely disqualify for public business. MR. LYTTELTON. I do most readily. But now, my Lord Bishop, for your second objection, that age is attended with infirmity of body; is not that in some degree a part of your first? BISHOP HOUGH. It seems to me to deserve to be considered separately.-In estimating the infirmity peculiar to age, we should remember that fallen man is subject to aches and pains, to sickness and disease, in every period of his probationary state; and we must not place to the separate account of old age, what is common to every period of life. Again, there are some constitutions which are naturally infirm; and moreover, in a plurality of instances, those who suffer much in old age, are indebted for their sufferings to the habitual stimulus of vinous or ardent spirits, or to some improper indulgence. As to myself, the lesson of temperance, which our great dramatic poet has put in the mouth of the faithful Adam, has not been lost on me: Л For in my youth I never did apply You will, I am sure, admit that deduction should be made, not only for weakly habits of body, for intemperance, and for neglect and inattention to bodily. health, but also for the indulgence of PASSIONS AND ANXIETIES, as far as the bodily health may be thereby affected. This will confine the infirmities of age within a much smaller circle, than is commonly estimated; leaving little more than what is necessary to wean us from a world, which, with all our complainings, we are apt to love too well; and to prepare for the close of life, in the same manner as the weariness, which we feel at the end of a cheerful and active day, fits us for quiet and calm repose. BISHOP GIBSON. You do not however my dear friend, mean to say that age has no infirmity, except what it derives from collateral circumstances? BISHOP HOUGH. I allow it to be perfectly true, that age lessens the amount of bodily force. But if the quantum of happiness depended on the positive degree of strength, we should rather lament that we have not been endowed with the animal powers of the bull or the elephant; and the strongest of the brute creation would be then more happy and enviable, than the best and wisest of rational beings. I admit, |