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are now quite exploded and out of use: then, as to their meditations, what can they possibly be good for? He that wants the proper materials of thought, may think and meditate for ever to no purpose. Those cobwebs, spun by scholars out of their own brains, being alike unserviceable, either for use or ornament. Proper ideas, or materials, are only to be got by frequenting good company. I know several gentlemen, who, since their appearance in the world, have spent as much time in rubbing off the rust and pedantry of a college education, as they had before in acquiring it."-Minute Philosopher, pp. 35, 36.

"The weather was so fine, we had a mind to spend the day abroad, and take a cold dinner under a shade in some pleasant part of the country. Whereupon, after breakfast, we went down to a beach, about half-a-mile off, where we walked on the smooth sand, with the ocean on one hand, and on the other, wild broken rocks, intermixed with shady trees and springs of water, till the sun began to be uneasy. We then withdrew into a hollow glade between two rocks.

"Here we felt that sort of joyful instinct which a rural scene inspires, and proposed no small pleasure in resuming and continuing our conference without interruption till dinner. But we had hardly seated ourselves, and looked about us, when we saw a fox running by the foot of our mound, in an adjacent thicket. A few moments after we heard a confused noise of the opening of hounds, the winding of horns, and the shouts of the country squires."-Berkley.

It must strike the mind of the reader with surprise now that the island is nearly cleared of wood, that such fine sport was enjoyed by the early inhabitants; but one hundred and twenty-five years have wrought great and surprising changes.

The spot which Berkley so graphically describes, is the Hanging Rocks, which was his favorite retreat; it is near Sachuest Beach, on which he often rambled. It was not far from Whitehall, his former place of residence. The scenery is highly romantic, and, to a mind like his, was justly appreciated. Bishop Berkley, during his residence at Newport, augmented the library of Harvard College, by valuable donations of the Latin and Greek classics. To Yale College he presented eight hundred and eighty volumes; and, on his departure from

Newport, he gave the Whitehall estate, consisting of his mansion and one hundred acres of land, for three scholarships in Latin and Greek. He returned to England in 1733, and died suddenly and calmly at Oxford, January 14th, 1753, in the 73d year of his age.

Bishop Berkley, though an Episcopalian, was no sectarian, as his public gifts plainly show. He was far in advance of the age in which he lived, which is evident from the prophetic vision in his poem, "On the Prospect of Planting Arts and Learning in America."

This extraordinary prophecy may be considered only as the result of long foresight and uncommon sagacity; of a foresight and sagacity stimulated, nevertheless, by exciting feeling and high enthusiasm. So clear a vision of what America would become, was not founded on square miles, or on existing numbers, or on any vulgar laws of statistics. It was an intuitive glance into futurity; it was a grand conception, strong, ardent, glowing, embracing all time since the creation of the world, and all regions of which that world is composed; and, judging of the future by just analogy with the past. And the inimitable imagery and beauty with which the thought is expressed, joined to the conception itself, render it one of the most striking passages in the language.

Could he have lived to this day, to witness the rapid strides which have been made westward, until the Pacific Ocean has been reached, and cities planted by American enterprize, it would have rejoiced his benevolent heart. And it should be matter of exultation and pride to every American, that republican principles are destined to exert a moral, and political influence over this vast continent. Nothing short of the power of God, has wrought such stupendous changes, in so short a period of time.

The high encomium passed on the state of society in Newport, by Bishop Berkley, was highly honorable and commendatory, and should influence the inhabitants to cherish a spirit of mutual forbearance and kindness, toward one another. His mind was not circumscribed and limited to self; he took a broad and comprehensive view of things, and believed that good would ever spring up out of evil. He remarks that "men of narrow capacities, and short sight, being able to see

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no further than one link in a chain of consequences, are shocked at small evils, which attend upon vice. But those who can enlarge their views, and look through a long series of events, may behold happiness resulting from vice, and good springing out of evil, in a thousand instances."-Minute Philosopher.

"The Rev. George Berkley, D. D., was born and educated in Ireland, being of an English family, who had settled there in the time of the Stuarts. His native place was Kilcrin, in the county of Kilkenny, where he was born in 1684. In his youth, like his friend Oglethrope, he was patronized by the Earl of Peterborough, who had an instinct for discovering and bringing forward men of different orders of talent. Berkley was also the intimate friend and companion of Pope, Dean Swift, and Sir Richard Steele, for the latter of whom he wrote several pieces for his periodical, called "The Guardian."

"Displaying at an early age great literary abilities, Berkley soon gained a high reputation in the learned world, by several of those works which still entitle him to be classed among the most profound and original inquirers into the philosophy of mind and the first principles of knowledge. His first work, written before he was twenty years of age, was on mathematics. This was followed at various periods, among other writings, by his "Essay towards a new theory of Vision ;" "Principles of Human Knowledge," and "Alciphron, or the Minute Philo sopher," the latter of which was written dnring his residence in Newport, Rhode Island.

"This great public benefactor was promoted in 1734, through the patronage of Queen Caroline, to the Bishopric of Cloyne, and resided in that diocese until July, 1752, when he removed to Oxford, to superintend the education of his son.

"He had three sons and a daughter. In person he was stout, and well made, his face was benignant and expressive, and his manners elegant, engaging, and enthusiastic. In the latter part of his life he continued his literary labors, and published various of his writings. His "Minute Philosopher," written as we have mentioned during his residence at Newport, Rhode Island, was published in 1732.

"His remains were interred in Christ Church, Oxford, and an elegant monument was erected to his memory by his widow." -New York Atlas.

ELEGANT COUNTRY AND TOWN RESIDENCES.

As Newport increased in wealth and prosperity, many of her eminent citizens turned their attention to the erection of town and country residences; the most splendid of which, was that erected by Col. Godfrey Malborn, about one mile from the State House. It was commenced in 1744, and was some time in the course of completion. It was sixty-four feet front, and fifty-two in depth, and was pronounced the most splendid edifice in all the Colonies. The materials of which it was built was Connecticut stone. It was two stories high, with a doublepitched room, dormer windows, with a cupola, which commanded an extensive view of the ocean, and Narraganset Bay. In architectural style, it is said to have resembled the State House. The fifteen steps leading to the hall were spacious, and standing as the building did on elevated ground, gave to it an imposing appearance. The interior is said to have been equally as grand. The doors were of mahogany, as well as the elegant finished circular stair-way, which led to the attic. An aged gentleman, of Newport, remarked to the author, "that the cost of the stair-way alone, he had heard his father say, was equal to the expense of building the Brenton House, now owned and occupied by Simmons S. Coe, Esq., in Thames-street. The estimated expense of this palace, for it well deserves the appellation, was one hundred thousand dollars.

The farm consisted of upwards of six hundred acres, extending north to Coddington's Cove. The garden, which lay direct in front of the mansion, with natural embankments, embracing as it did ten acres, was enchantingly laid out, with graveled walks, and highly ornamented with box, fruits of the rarest and choicest kinds, flowers, and shrubbery of every description. Three artificial ponds, with the silver fish sporting in the water, gave to the place the most romantic appearance. We have often fancied to ourselves, in our youthful days, when seated on the high flight of steps which led to the spacious hall of this princely mansion, and which commanded an extensive view of the beautiful bay of Newport, of the magnificent state in which Col. Malborn must have lived, far beyond any thing of the present day. It is one thing to have wealth, and another to

COUNTRY SEAT OF COL. G. MALBORN.

know how, and in what manner to appropriate it.

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There was,

at this period, sublime conception and taste, which enabled the gentleman to beautify and adorn the island.

No situation could possibly exhibit a scene more diversified and pleasing than this; here the eye wandered from one beauty, to another more enchanting, and when it seemed to have discovered a still more superior view, the slightest glance presented another, if possible more inviting and wonderful,— apparently raised by the power of magic to captivate the astonished beholder.

This seat was once the resort of all the gay, and great ones of the island, and has been the scene of many a splendid banquet and joyous festivals.

On June 7th, 1766, this elegant dwelling was entirely consumed by fire. The Colonel had a large party at dinner. It was a calamity to be deplored. His name, however, has become immortalized by the erection of this magnificent structure, with the garden attached, which still bears the name of " Malborn's Garden," though but little remains beside the artificial ponds.