and munificence were in full proportion: her thread of life was drawn out to a great age, even beyond that of the doctor's; and thus this excellent man, through her kindness, and that of her daughter, the present (1780) Mrs. Eliza ́beth Abney, who in a like degree esteemed and honoured him, enjoyed all the benefits and felicities he experienced at his first entrance into this family, till his days were numbered and finished, and, like a shock of corn in its season, he ascended into the regions of perfect and immortal life and joy."

In this retreat, he wrote the whole or nearly the whole of those works which have immortalized his name as a divine, poet, and philosopher. He occasionally preached, and in the pulpit, says Dr. Johnson, though his low stature, which very little exceeded five feet, graced him with no advantages of appearance, yet the gravity and propriety of his utterance made his discourses very efficacious. Such was his flow of thoughts, and such his promptitude of language, that in the latter part of his life he did not precompose his cursory sermons; but having adjusted the heads, and sketched out some particulars, trusted for success to his extemporary powers.

He continued many years to study and to preach, and to do good by his instruction and example, till at last the infirmities of age disabled him from the more laborious part of his ministerial functions, and being no longer capable of public duty, he offered to remit the salary appendant to it, but his congregation would not accept the resignation. His income did not exceed one hundred pounds, of which he allowed one third to the poor.

His death was distinguished by steady faith and composure, and deprived the world of his useful labours and example, Nov. 25, 1748, in the seventy-fifth year of his age, He expired in that house where his life had been prolonged and made comfortable by a long continuance of kind and tender attentions, of which there are few examples.

Dr. Johnson's character of him, in that admirable life be wrote for the English poets, may be received with confidence. Few men have left such purity of character, or such monuments of laborious piety. He has provided instruction for all ages, from those who are lisping their first lessons, to the enlightened readers of Malbranche and Locke; he has left neither corporeal nor spiritual nature unexamined; he has taught the art of reasoning, and the

science of the stars. His character, therefore, must be formed from the multiplicity and diversity of his attainments, rather than from any single performance, for it would not be safe to claim for him the highest rank in any single denomination of literary diguity; yet perhaps there was nothing in which he would not have excelled, if he had not divided his powers to different pursuits.

His entire works have been published in six volumes quarto, and more recently in octavo; but some pieces published under the title of his "Posthumous works," are considered as spurious, with the exception of his letters to his friends, which probably are genuine. Of his philosophical compositions, those most likely to perpetuate his name, are his "Logic," and "Improvement of the Mind." In point. of popularity, his "Psalms and Hymns" far exceed all publications of the last century, and it is said that for many years past, communibus annis, nearly fifty thousand copies. have been printed of these in Great Britain, Ireland, and America.

Of late years a very important part of Dr. Watts's character has been called in question. It has been confidently asserted by some anti-trinitarians, that before his death he was come over to their party, and that he left some papers behind him, containing a recantation of his former sentiments, which his executors thought it most prudent to suppress. But against this charge he has been defended by the late rev. Samuel Palmer of Hackney, who published, in 1785, "The Life of Dr. Watts," &c. with, among other additions, "An authentic account of his last sentiments on the Trinity." In this account Mr. Palmer endeavours to demonstrate that Dr. Watts never gave up the orthodox faith in the doctrine of the Trinity, but that he had somewhat altered his judgment with respect to the manner of expressing and maintaining it. Upon a careful perusal of the whole, we are inclined to think that Mr. Palmer has not removed all the difficulties attending the question; although on the other hand he has ably and. fully vindicated Dr. Watts from the last evidence to be produced from his own pen; and all that remains to affect the character of the doctor rests on an anonymous accusation in a literary journal, (Month. Rev. vol. LXVI. p. 170,) the author of which we suspect to be Dr. Kippis, who is no longer to be called upon for the proofs of his assertion. With respect to the reports propagated by some Arian and

Socinian writers, that the author revised his Hymns and Psalms, a little before his death, in order to render them, as they say, "wholly unexceptionable to every Christian professor," they are generally discredited. Yet in reliance on this report, editions have been published, in which his sentiments have been mutilated, with no sparing hand, to accommodate them to Socinian principles.

About

WATTS (WILLIAM), a learned sufferer during the usurpation, was born near Lynn in Norfolk, about the end of the sixteenth century, and was educated at Caius college, Cambridge, where he took his degree of A. B. in 1610, and that of A. M. in 1614, in which last he was incorporated at Oxford in 1618. After leaving college, he travelled abroad and became master of various languages. On his return he was made chaplain in ordinary to king Charles I. In 1639 he took his degree of D. D. at Oxford, and had the living of St. Alban's, Wood-street, but the time of his admission does not appear. He was afterwards chaplain under the earl of Arundel, general of the forces in the Scotch expedition in 1639, and prebendary of Wells. 1642, his living in London was sequestered, his wife and family turned out of doors, and himself compelled to fly. Some small pittance is said to have been afterwards given to his family out of the sale of his goods. He now joined the king, who appointed him to attend as chaplain upon prince Rupert, and he was present with his highness in all his engagements. He also served under the prince on board of ship, and was with him when he was blocked up in the harbour at Kingsale in Ireland. While here, Dr. Watts was "taken with a distemper which no physic could cure," and of which he died in 1649. Dr. Watts is often mentioned by Vossius, as one of the most learned men of his time. He had a principal hand in Spelman's Glossary, and was the editor of Matthew Paris, a fine edition printed at London in 1640, fol. In the preface he acknowledges his obligations to sir Henry Spelmau. He also published in 1631, a translation of "St. Augustine's Confessions," with marginal notes, &c. 12mo. Wood mentions some other treatises from his pen, but it seems doubtful if they were printed. Wood adds that he published, before the civil wars of England began, “ several numbers of news

1 Life by Gibbons-by Dr. Johnson-and by Mr. Palmer.-Wilson's Hist. of Dissenting Churches.

books," which appear to be the newspapers called "The German Intelligencer," 1630, and the "Swedish Intelligencer," 1631; but he was educated for other and more important labours, had the unhappy circumstances of the times permitted him the quiet use and enjoyment of his time and talents. 1

WAYNFLETE (WILLIAM OF), the illustrious founder of Magdalen college, Oxford, was the eldest son of Richard Patten, or Barbour, of Waynflete in Lincolnshire, by Margery, daughter of sir William Brereton, knight; and had for his brother John Patten, dean of Chichester, but the precise time of his birth is no where ascertained. According to the custom of his day, he took the surname of Waynflete from his native place. He was educated at Winchester school, and studied afterwards at Oxford, but. in what college is uncertain. The historian of Winchester is inclined to prefer New college, which is most consistent with the progress of education at Wykeham's school. Wood acknowledges that although his name does not occur among the fellows of New college, nor among those of Merton, where Holinshed places him, unless he was a chaplain or postmaster, yet "the general vogue is for the college of William of Wykeham." Wherever he studied, his proficiency in the literature of the times, and in philosophy and divinity, in which last he took the degree of bachelor, is said to have been great, and the fame he acquired as schoolmaster at Winchester, with the classical library he formed, is a proof that he surpassed in such learning as was then attainable.

Of his preferments in the church, we have no account that is not liable to suspicion. Wood says that he was rector of Wraxall in 1433, which is barely possible, although at this time he was master of Winchester school; and that he was rector of Chedsey in 1469, which is highly improbable, because he had then been twenty years bishop of Winchester. It is, however, more clearly ascertained

It ap

* Dr. Chandler has recovered some particulars which are more authentic than what Wood furnished. pears by these that in 1420, April 21, he occurs as an unbeneficed acolyte, under the name of William Barbor: in 1420, Jan. 21, William Barbor be

came a subdeacon by the style of William Waynflete of Spalding: March 18, of the same year, he was ordained deacon, and in 1426, Jan. 21st, presbyter, on the title of the house of Spalding.

1 Ath. Ox. vol. I. new edit.-Walker's Sufferings.-Lloyd's Memoirs.-Chalmers Life of Ruddiman, p. 112.

a

that about 1429 he was appointed head master of Win chester school, where he displayed great abilities as teacher. In 1438, he was master of St. Mary Magdalen hospital near Winchester, which is supposed to have suggested to him the name and patroness of his foundation at Oxford.

In 1440, when Henry VI. visited Winchester for the purpose of inspecting the discipline, constitution, and progress of Wykeham's-school, on the model of which he had begun to found one at Eton, he procured the consent of Waynflete to remove thither, with thirty five of his scholars and five fellows, whose education our founder superintended until December 21, 1442, when he was appointed provost of that celebrated seminary. On the death of cardinal Beaufort in 1447, he was advanced to the see of Winchester, which he held for the long space of thirty-nine years, during which he amply justified the recommendation of the king, being distinguished "for piety, learning, and prudence." His highness honoured with his presence the ceremony of his enthronement.

His acknowledged talents and political sagacity procured him the unreserved confidence of his royal master, who appears to have treated him with condescending familiarity, employed him in some affairs of critical importance, and received throughout the whole of his turbulent reign abundant proofs of his invariable loyalty and attachment. In 1450, when the rebellion of Jack Cade burst forth, Waynflete, who had retired to the nunnery of Holywell, was sent for by the king to Canterbury, and advised the issuing a proclamation offering pardon to all concerned in the rebellion, except Cade himself; in consequence of which the rebels dispersed, and left their leader to his fate. Soon after, when Richard, duke of York, took up arms, the king sent our prelate, with the bishop of Ely, to inquire his reasons for so alarming a step. The duke replied, that his only view was to remove evil counsellors from his highness, and particularly the duke of Somerset. Waynflete and his colleague having made this report, the king ordered the duke of Somerset to be imprisoned, and received the duke of York with kindness, who on his part took a solemn oath of future allegiance and fidelity; which, however, he violated at the battle of Northampton in 1460. In October 1453, Waynflete baptised the young prince of Wales by the name of Edward, afterwards Edward IV.