tions (even these crosse to us), and to fit us for his goode treasure concerning us and ours, I leave you to his grace, ever remaineing, "Sir, "Youres in all reall affection and service, The person to whom this letter is addressed was elder and only brother to the deceased; and a truly brotherly affection subsisted between them. He was then settled as a merchant in London, from whence he afterwards retired to Feversham in Kent, where he passed the latter years of his life. At the date of the above letter he was engaged in procuring for his brother the office of auditor of imprests, in which he had acted as deputy. Such views were suddenly cut off; but his care for his brother's family and friends continued, and his kindness for the father was transferred to the child, to whom, being himself childless, he afterwards became a parent. This boy was all that the father left, two other children having died in infancy. He was, during his early years, under the roof of his grandfather, the bishop of Meath, and was deserving of all the tender care and instruction which were bestowed upon him. He is described as a "very gracious child, very good and hopeful, as little given to any manner of vice or vanity as any of his yeares; one that would not tell a lie for any thing, and very capable of learning." At the age of ten years, his mother having been for some time married to a second husband, captain Annesly, he was sent to England at his uncle's request and his own particular desire, and committed to the care of his paternal relations; circumstances which would not be worth mentioning, but for the sake of introducing two letters from the excellent bishop, the one addressed to the uncle, the other to himself. The former is dated Dublin, July 11, 1671. "Deare Sir, "You have now at leingth your nephew, Thomas Bowdler, my grandchild, and his mother's dareling. By his being so long from you, you may understand our tendernes of him, and unwillingnes to part with him; which had not beene but to yourselfe, now his father, unto whose care every way he is committed, with assureance of good thereby to him. His education hath beene for some time, and last, in mine owne family, there cared for and tutored as mine owne child, and with mine owne child, by this gentleman from whom you now receive him, Mr. Jones; by whom, and by himselfe, and by your owne observation, you may observe his proficiencie in learning according to his yeares, and in piety above his yeares. He hath beene brought up a child of the Church of England; and my request is, that he be so by your fatherly care continued, and kept from seedes of schisme and phanatichisme. God blesse him, and you, and youres. So leaving all of you to the goodenes and protection of the Almighty, I remaine, "Sir, "Youres very affectionately, "HEN. MIDENSIS." The other letter was addressed nearly two years afterwards to his grandson, and is dated Dublin, March 21, 1673. "My Deare Thomas, "You are out of my feare and doubt of your well-being, being in such hands; yet are you not out of my care and remembrance notwithstanding, which you se in this, and I hope you find in my prayers for you daily. Prayers reach all places at what distance soever; and they are moste capable of goode by them who are God's children in love and obedience. Love him therefore (my child), the God of your fathers. He is your father in Christ Jesus, who gave you that goode father you had, and hath raised you up this you now have; whom I beseech God to continue to you, together with his who (I heare) are so tender of you. "Your love to God is seene in serveing him; and let that be your daily study and practice. Let no evil examples, which your age may meete, corrupt you; but follow goodenes. And for your direction in that, continue (what I hope you do) your daily readings of God's word, beside what you heare of it in publique; make it your rule, and act nothing contrary. To all add prayer on all occasions, never to be intermitted, so shall you prosper in all thinges. Remember goode Josiah, who, when he was yet yong, began to seeke after the God of his father David. (2 Chron, xxxiv. 3.) "Be diligent in your studies, which will fit you for every calling whatsoever God shall order you unto. They who want that education have after wished for it; and they who have wastefully mispent their time, and past their opportunity for it, have after repented it too late. God direct you in all, and blesse you. Give my remembrance to your uncle, aunt, and the rest of that goode family. I rest (my deare child) "Your very affectionately loveing grandfather, "HEN. MIDENSIS." The wise man saith, "even a child is known by his doings." Thus it was with the youth to whom this letter was addressed. He engaged in childhood the kindness of his friends, and he realized in manhood all the flattering expectations which their fondness had raised. In truth, he was no ordinary character. Steady in his principles, constant in friendship, correct in his conduct, warm in affection, piously resigned in tribulation, perfectly acquainted with all matters of business, discreet in the management of his own affairs, and generous in assisting others, he attached to himself many excellent friends, and was loved and honored by a large circle of worthy persons. He was placed in the Admiralty before the Revolution, and was next in situation to the learned and excellent Secretary Pepys. This occasioned in him and his brethren in office a strong personal attachment to K. James II., who had acted for some years as Lord High Admiral; their political principles also led them to disapprove a change in the succession; so that upon his being driven from the throne and the country, they all resigned their places, with the exception of one person who had been introduced there out of charity. Let not the debt due from the country to that unfortunate monarch, while he filled that high office, be forgotten in the censure which is sometimes indiscriminately and unsparingly heaped upon him; a debt of gratitude for services rendered by his bravery in fight, by his "transcendant mastery in all maritime knowledge;" (to use Mr. Pepys's expression) and that diligent attention to the navy, by which he contributed more than almost any other individual to its greatness. Let his character be relieved likewise from some of its unpleasing features, when it is recollected that he attached to himself these amiable and excellent individuals, though widely differing from him in religious principles. The name of Mr. Secretary Pepys will always stand high for private worth, as well as for great attainments in literature and science; and Mr. Bowdler, though unknown to posterity, except among his own descendants, was loved and honoured by a circle of friends, whose expressions of kindness are a pleasing testimony to the warmth of his affection and his many excellent qualities. But though he adhered to the deposed monarch from feelings of personal regard, there were other motives which influenced him in continuing in his retirement from public life. And when his brotherin-law wrote to him expressing a hope that all his obligations being gone with King James, who was lately dead, he would begin to reflect on the duty |