explanation of Revealed Religion. He loft his father when he was fix months old. At a period of life when he was capable of forming a judgment on fo important a queftion as that of a profeffion, he was led, from inclination, to decide in favour of the church; his three elder brothers having chofen the army, the law, and the fea.

Dr. Barrington received the first principles of his education at Eton school, which well-conducted feminary has produced many learned and eminent public characters. From Eton his lordfhip was removed to Merton college in Oxford; in which fociety he entered as a gentleman commoner, A. D. 1752, and was elected fellow of the fame in 1755. It is well known that Dr. Barrington applied the whole time of his refidence with diligence and an unwearied appliU 2 cation

cation to his ftudies; and when the university had refolved in 1756, that the countefs dowager of Pomfret fhould be publicly thanked for her magnificent prefent of the remains of the very celebrated Arundelian collection of ancient fta tues; he was folicited by the vicechancellor to undertake to fhew the connection between works of fcience and of art. This he did in an cration delivered in the theatre, which gained him much applaufe.

Towards the end of that year he took orders; in 1760 he was ap-. pointed chaplain to the late king; and in 1761 promoted to a canonry of Chrift church.

In 1768 a refidentiaryfhip of St. Paul's becoming vacant, by the death of Dr. Secker, it was offered to him, unapplied for. The air of Amen-corner difagreeing with the health of his lady, Mrs. Barrington, he exchanged this preferment in 1776, with Dr. Douglafs, for a canonry of Windfor.

In the fummer of the year 1769, his lordfhip was promoted to the bishopric of Landaff. In the course of the enfuing feffion, he first took an active part in parliament, oppofing a bill brought in to eftablith a playhoufe in Liverpool. This he did on the ground of thinking it lefs detrimental to every provincial town, to leave players fubject to the controul of the magifrates of the place, than of the Lord Chamberlain. His Lordship was a warm advocate, and friend, in defence of the royal marriagebill; and replied, in the course of the debate, to the able fpeeches of the first lord Lyttleton, and bishop Lowth.

The unparalleled pitch to which the crime of adultery had advanced, particularly in noble families, in the year 1779, and the grofs collufion in obtaining acts of parliament for divorces, having created the molt alarming apprehenfions in the

mind of every one, impreffed with the leaft degree of ferioufnefs, our worthy bishop thought it his duty to attempt giving a check, at least to an evil, which he hoped to diminifh, though he could not expect to cure. With this view he brought in a bill, the principles of which was to render the fubfequent marriage of the adulterous parties invalid.

was

The part he took on this occafion, and the fpeech he made on moving the bill, gave general fatiffaction. The bill paffed the house of lords with very little oppofition, and no divifion. It had not the fame good fortune in the other houfe. Mr. Fox exerted his talents and his influence among the young members. The minifters gave the bill no fupport, and it was rejected by the commons in a very thin houfe. In the year 1781 the bishop had a large thare on the negative fide of the queftion, in the general debate which brought on by a motion to recommit an inclofure bill; in which the advantages and difadvantages of exchanging tythe for land was fully difcuffed. He foon after replied, on the fame fubject, to lord prefident Bathurft; who moved the houfe to refolve itself into a committee for the purpose of establishing certain refolutions relative to the commutation of tythes for land. The lord prefident withdrew his motion; which had it been carried, would, in the bishop's opinion, have materially affected the interefts of that most useful and refpectable body of men, the parochial clergy.

In the year 1770, the bishop publifhed a new and improved edition of his father's Works in 3 vols 8vo.

Of his own, there have hitherto appeared only two Sermons; and a large contibution to the 4to edition of Boyer's critical conjectures and obfervations on the New Teftament, It generally believed that he

Owes

owes his tranflation to the See of Salisbury in 1782, folely to his Majefty's favourable opinion. His Lordfhip's place of refidence is Salisbury Palace, in Wiltshire, and the annual

income of his fee, as rated in the King's books, one thousand three hundred eighty-five pounds, five thillings and ninepence.

ANTIENT

MEMOIRS

OF THE LIFE OF ST. POLYCARP, BISHOP OF SMYRNA, AN APOSTOLICAL FATHER, AND SCHOLAR OF ST. JOHN.

T. Polycarp was born towards the latter end of Nero's reign; the place of his birth is not certainly known; fome think it was at Smyrna. It is afferted, that he was fold in his. youth, and purchased by a noble matron named Callifto, by whom he was brought up, and at her death made heir to her eftate ; which, though very confiderable, he spent in works of charity. Several antient authors affirm, that he was a difciple of St. John; and both Irenæus, (who was his fcholar) and Jerom affure us, that he converfed familiarly with the Apoftles, and with many who had feen our Lord in the flesh.

He was firft Deacon and Catechift of the church of Smyrna, an office which he difcharged with great reputation; and was afterwards, as many of the ancients affirm, by St. John made Bishop of the fame place; though Irenæus, and the Alexandrian Chronicle, affert it to be done by the apoftles.

He is generally believed to be the perfon mentioned Rev. ii. 8. under the title of the Angel of the Church of Smyrna; and if fo, how well he discharged his duty in that important ftation, may be learned from the declaration of our Lord himself, (fee Rev. ii. 8, &c.) in which it is obfervable, that he ftands entirely un

reproved, though all but one of the neighbouring Bishops fell under cenfure; a remarkable proof of his fidelity and diligence.

With regard to his character in the world, it was excellent to a very high degree. The Chriftians of his time fpeak of him with the greatest refpect; declaring, that he was adorned with all kinds of piety, a teacher, truly apoftolical and prophetical, that every word that went out of his mouth either had or would be fulfilled; and that, of all the martyrs of that place, he alone was had in memory of all men, being fpoken of by the very Gentiles themselves in every place, as having been not only an eminent teacher, but alfo a glorious martyr; and fo very diftinguithed was his reputation among the enemies of Chriftianity, that they not only called him the Doctor of Afia, the father of the Chriftians, and the overthrower of their gods; but after his death express their fears, left the Chriftians fhould make him the object of their worship, inftead of Christ.

His care of the church was not confined to the place immediately committed to his infpection; but extended itself even unto Rome; whither he went, on account of the controverly concerning the time of keeping Eafter; and though he did not fo far prevail on thofe, who were of a different opinion from himself, as to bring them over to his fentiments, yet he was entertained with all poffible refpect and esteem.

While he was there he employed

his