verance in so commendable a part, in whatever difficulties it might at first involve him, in the end raised his character above malice and envy, and gave him that weight and influence in everything he undertook, which nothing but an approved sincerity can give. Whatever his other virtues were, their lustre was greatly increased by his humility. To conquer religious pride is one of the best effects of religion; an effect which his religion in the most amiable manner produced. Thus far, however, he hath had many imitators. The principal recommendations of him, and the distinguishing parts of his character, were, his conscientious discharge of the duties of a Clergyman, his extensive benevolence, and his exalted piety. As to the discharge of his function, no man could be more strongly influenced by what he thought the duties of it. The motives of convenience, or present interest, had no kind of weight with him. As the income was no part of his concern, he only considered the office, which he thought such a charge as a man would rather dread than solicit; but when Providence called him to it, (for what was not procured by any endeavours of his own he could not but ascribe to Providence,) he accepted it, though with reluctance. He then showed, that if a sense of the importance of his office made him distrust his abilities, it made him most diligent in exerting them. As soon as ever he undertook the care of a parish, it immediately engrossed his whole attention. The pleasures of life he totally relinquished, even

his favourite pursuits of learning. This was the more commendable in him, as he had always a strong inclination for retirement, and was often violently tempted to shut himself up in some University at home or abroad, and live there sequestered from the world. But his conscience corrected his inclination, as he thought the life of a mere recluse by no means agreeable to the active principles of Christianity. Nay, the very repose to which his age laid claim, he would not indulge; but, as long as he had strength sufficient, persevered in the laborious practice of such methods of instruction as he imagined might most benefit those under his care. Of popular applause he was quite regardless, so far as mere reputation was concerned; but as the favour of the multitude was one step towards gaining their attention, in that light he valued it. He reproved vice wherever he observed it, with the utmost freedom. As he was contented in his station and superior to all dependence, he avoided the danger of being tempted to any unbecoming compliance; and whether he reproved in public or private, his unblameable life and the seriousness with which he spoke gave an irresistible weight to what he said. He studied the low capacities of the people among whom he lived, and knew how to adapt his arguments to their apprehensions. Hence the effects that his preaching had upon them are said to have been often very surprising. In particular it is related, that, as he was once recommending honesty in a part of the country

notoriously addicted to thieving, a man, struck with the warmth and earnestness with which he spoke, stood up in the midst of a large congregation and freely confessed his dishonesty, and how heartily he repented of it.

With regard to his benevolence never, certainly, had any man more disinterested views, or made the common good more the study of his life, which was, indeed, the best comment upon the great Christian principle of universal charity. He called nothing his own; there was nothing he could not readily part with for the service of others. In his charitable distributions he had no measure but the bounds of his income, of which the least portion was always laid out on himself. Nor did he give as if he was granting a favour, but as if he was paying a debt; all obsequious service the generosity of his heart disdained. He was the more particularly careful to give away in his lifetime whatever he could save for the poor, as he had often seen and regretted the abuse of posthumous charities. It is my design, at my departure, (says he, writing to a friend,) to leave no more behind me, but to bury me and pay my debts." What little he did leave he left wholly to the poor, deducting a few slight tokens of remembrance that he bequeathed to his friends. How vain it was for those who were not in real want to expect anything from him, he plainly showed by his own behaviour, for when a legacy was left him he returned it back again to such of the relations of the legatee as

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stood in more need of it. Such instances of benevolence gained him the title of the FATHER OF THE POOR!

Although a constant advocate for the marriage of Priests, he was never married himself.

Thus lived and died the Northern Apostle!

Viewed with such a life, how mean and contemptible do the idle amusements of the great appear! How trifling that uninterrupted succession of serious folly which engages so great a part of mankind, crowding into so small a compass each real concern of life! How much more nobly doth that person act who, unmoved by all that the world calls great and happy, can separate appearances from realities, attending only to what is just and right; who, not content with the closet-attainment of speculative virtue, maintains each worthy resolution that he forms, persevering steadily, like this excellent man, in the conscientious discharge of the duties of that station, whatever that station is, in which Providence hath placed him!

In the south transept of the Church at Houghton-le-Spring, is his monument—a massy altar-tomb of freestone, with some ornaments of chain-work on the sides; and on the west end the arms of Gilpin in bas-relief-namely, a boar under On each side of the escutcheon in raised

a tree. letters

BERNERDS GILPIN,

Rector hujus ecclesiæ, obiit quarto die Martii,

An, Dom. 1583.

Benry Airay*.

PROVOST OF QUEEN'S COLLEGE, AND VICE-CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD.

1560-1616.

"Bold was the man who durst engage

For piety in such an age."HUDIBRAS.

ANY men get while alive the dignified title of learned; few-very few deserve it: Henry Airay did both,-he acquired and deserved it. Two centuries and a half have swept over his remains, but to give them the hardihood of antiquity. Dr. Collinson, the late Provost of Queen's College Oxford, himself a man of strong head and great industry, used to say, that Henry Airay was the most learned man the House (the College) ever had within its walls from Westmorland or Cumberland. Dr. Fox, the present amiable head of that Institution (if we are rightly informed), thinks so too;—

* See Wood's Ath. Oxon.; Annals of Colleges and Halls, Biog. Brit.