reprinted in 2 vols. octavo, in 1772 and 1800. His other works are,

'An Essay touching the Gravitation of Fluid Bodies;' 1674. Difficiles Nuga, or Observations concerning the Torricellian Experiment,' &c. 1674.

• Observations touching the Principles of Natural Motion,' &c. 1677.

Contemplations, Moral and Divine,' &c. 1676-1679.

A Translation of the Life of Atticus by Cornelius Nepos;' and • The Primitive Origination of Mankind considered.'

All these were published by himself.

The following were given, posthumously, to the public:

The Judgement of the Nature of True Religion,' &c. 1685. (Published by R. Baxter.)

Several Tracts on Religious and Moral Topics,' 1684.

A Letter to his Children, advising them how to behave in their Speech,'

'A Letter to one of his Sons, after his recovering from the Small-pox.'

'Discourse of the Knowledge of God and Ourselves,' &c. 1688.

Of these an addition, under the title of his Religious and Moral Works,' was published by the Rev. Thomas Thirlwall, in 2 vols. 8vo., in 1805. And, in his own profession,

The Preface to Rolle's Abridgement of Cases.'

Part of the Work entitled, London's Liberties.'

'Pleas of the Crown,' 1678 (the mere plan of his abovementioned larger work).

A Treatise concerning Sheriff's Accounts,' 1683, with his Trial of the Witches.

A Discourse touching Provision for the Poor,' 1685. 'The Original Institution, Power, and Jurisdiction of Parlia ments,' 1707, &c. &c.*

* This last was re-published by Francis Hargrave, Esq. in quarto in 1796, under the title of Hale's Jurisdiction of the

By his will he bequeathed all his law-manuscripts,* which he had been collecting for upward of forty years, to the Society of Lincoln's Inn; ordering, that they should be bound and kept safe together by chaining them, not to be lent out or disposed of; unless any of his posterity, being members of that Society, should desire to transcribe any book, and give good security to restore it again on a fixed day, in which case they were empowered to borrow one volume at a time.' He calls them, indeed, "a treasure not fit for every man's view:" nor, he adds, "is every man capable of making use of them."

Of his great design against Atheism the first part only is printed, Of the Origination of Mankind,' designed to prove the creation of the world, and the truth of the Mosaical history.

The second part was, of the nature of the soul, and of a future state.

The third part was, concerning the attributes of God; from the abstracted ideas of him, the light of nature, the evidence of Providence, the notions of morality, and the voice of conscience.

And the fourth part was, concerning the truth

House of Lords,' with an introductory Preface including a narrative of the same jurisdiction from the Accession of James I.

* Of these MSS. Dr. Burnet has subjoined to his Life a complete Catalogue. He valued books indeed and manuscripts, as his Right Reverend Biographer informs us, above all things in the world; and therefore displayed the greater virtue in resigning (conjointly with his brother-executors, who piously resolved to be the executors of Mr. Selden's will as drawn up in cool blood, and not of his passion) the collection of that gentleman, believed to be one of the most curious in Europe, to the Bodleian library.

and authority of the Scriptures, with answers to the objections against them. These subjects, upon which he spent seven years, he treated with so much consideration, that it is affirmed by one who perused the first draught under his own hand, he did not remember any considerable alteration; perhaps not of twenty words in the whole work.'

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From his writing them only on the evenings of the Lord's-day, when he was in town, and not much oftener when he was in the country, they are less contracted than they probably would have been, if he had possessed more leisure to bring his thoughts into a narrower compass and fewer words.

But making some allowance for the largeness of the stile, the volume which is printed is generally acknowledged to be one of the most perfect pieces, both of learning and reasoning, that has been written on the subject. And the others, it has been stated upon incontrovertible authority, were all of a piece with the first.'

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When he had finished this work, he sent it by an unknown hand to Bishop Wilkins, to desire his judgement of it; directing the bearer to give no other account of the author, than that he was not a clergyman. The Bishop, and his worthy friend Dr. Tillotson, read a great part of it with much pleasure, but could not imagine how a person endowed with so much reason, and possessing such a variety of knowledge, should be so unknown to them, that they could not detect him by those characters, which are so little common. At last Tillotson guessed, it must be the Lord Chief Baron; to which the other presently agreed, wondering that he had been so long in finding it out.. Upon this

they immediately paid him a visit; and Dr. Wilkins thanking him for the entertainment which he had received from his works,' he blushed extremely, not without some displeasure, as apprehending that his messenger had betrayed him: but the Bishop soon told him, He had discovered himself; for the learning of the book was so various, that none but he could be the author of it:' and having a freedom in delivering his opinion of things and persons, which perhaps few ever managed both with so much plainness and prudence, added, Nothing could possibly be better said upon these arguments, if he could bring it into a less compass; but if he had not leisure for that, he thought it much better to have it come out, though a little too large, than that the world should be deprived of the good which it must needs do.' The Judge, however, having no opportunity of revising it, a little before his death sent the first part of it, as it then stood, to the press.

How little he valued wealth, may be satisfactorily inferred from the small fortune, which he left behind him. Of the 900l. per ann., to which he had raised it during a life of frugal subsistence and successful professional labour, a very considerable portion accrued from his share of Mr. Selden's estate.* He

* It" showed his mean estate as to riches," as is observed by the excellent Richard Baxter (to whom, in testimony of his respect and love, he bequeathed forty shillings) that in his will he is put to "distribute the profits of a book or two, when printed, among his friends and servants." With his legacy Baxter purchased a great Bible,' and inserting in it his friend's picture in memory of his love and name, subjoined to it a Character of the illustrious deceased. Without deserving the imputation of Bibliomania in it's least respectable acceptation, any one might covet the possession of such a treasure!

invariably indeed, in addition to his other large and numerous charities, laid aside a tenth part of all his receipts for the poor; which he constantly dispensed with such secrecy, that they who were relieved seldom knew their benefactor.

Having thus mastered things without him, his next study was, to overcome his own inclinations: he was, as he said himself, naturally passionate. I add, as he said himself;' for that appeared by no other evidence, save that occasionally his colour would rise a little: but he so governed himself, that those who lived long about him never saw him disordered with anger, though he met with some trials which the nature of man is ordinarily little able to bear. From one who, after having done him a great injury, came subsequently to him for his advice in the settlement of his estate, he would accept no fee; thus showing, both that he could forgive as a Christian, and that he had in him the soul of a gentleman, not to take money from one who had wronged him so heinously. And when he was asked, How he could use the man so kindly?' his answer was, He thanked God he had learned to forget injuries.'

Beside the great temper, which he expressed in all his public employments, in his family he was a very gentle master. Tender toward all his servants, he never dismissed them, except they were so faulty, that there was no hope of reclaiming them. When any of them had been long out of the way, or had neglected any part of their duty, he would not see them at their first coming home (and sometimes, even, not till the next day) lest, when his displeasure was quick upon him, he might have chidden them indecently: and when he did reprove them, he