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JOHANNES WILKINS, nuper episcopus Cestriensis. M. Beale p. Blooteling sc. large h. sh.

JOHANNES WILKINS, &c. White sc. Before his "Principles and Duties of Natural Religion," 1675; 8vo.

JOHANNES WILKINS, &c. Sturt sc. 8vo. prefixed to his " Art of Flying."

JOHN WILKINS; in the "Oxford Almanack,” 1738,

1739.

15 Nov.

1668.

Dr. Wilkins, a man of a penetrating genius and enlarged under- Consec. standing, seems to have been born for the improvement of every kind of knowledge to which he applied himself. He was a very able naturalist and mathematician, and an excellent divine. He disdained to tread in the beaten track of philosophy, as his forefathers had done; but struck into the new road pointed out by the great Lord Bacon. Considerable discoveries were made by him and the ingenious persons who assembled at his lodgings in Oxford, before the incorporation of the Royal Society; which was prinand, I believe, discoursed much better on each head than the other would have done. In the judgment he made of other men, he always preferred the good temper of their minds above all other qualities they were masters of. I have had the honour to converse with many of the most eminent men at home and abroad, but I never yet met with any one that in all respects equalled him. He had a large and generous soul, and a courage that nothing was too hard for; when he was basely calumniated, he supported himself by the only true heroism, if I may so phrase it, I mean by exalted Christianity, and by turning all the slander of his enemies into the best use of studying and knowing himself, and keeping a constant guard and watch upon his words and actions; practising ever after (though hardly to be discovered, unless by nice and long observers) a strict course of life, and a constant mortification. Not any of the bishops' bench, I may say not all of them, had that interest and authority in the House of Lords which he had. He had easily mastered all the forms of proceeding. He had studied much of our laws, especially those of the parliament, and was not to be brow-beat or daunted by the arrogance or titles of any courtier or favourite. His presence of mind, and readiness of elocution, accompanied with good breeding and an inimitable wit, gave him a greater superiority than any other lord could pretend to from his dignity of office. In him we lost the greatest abilities, the usefulest conversation, the faithfulest friendship, and one who had a mind that practised the best virtues itself, and a wit that was best able to recommend them to others; as Dr. Spratt well expresses it in his life of Mr. Cowley."

I make no apology for exceeding my usual length in this note; the character will best apologize for itself.

Consec.
6 March,
1669.

cipally contrived by Theodore Haak, Mr. Hartlib, and himself. His books on prayer and preaching, and especially his "Principles and Duties of Natural Religion," shew how able a divine he was. His "Essay towards a real Character and Philosophical Language,' is a masterpiece of invention,† yet has been laughed at together with his chimeras: but even these shew themselves to be the chimeras of a man of genius. He projected the impracticable" Art of Flying," when the nature of the air was but imperfectly known. That branch of philosophy was soon after much improved by the experiments of his friend Mr. Boyle. This excellent person whose character was truly exemplary, as well as extraordinary, died much lamented, the 19th Nov. 1672.

PETRUS GUNNING, Eliensis episcopus. Loggan sc. large h. sh.

PETER GUNNING; inscribed, "The Bishop of Ely." J. S. (mith) exc. small 4to. mezz.

There is a portrait of him in the university library, and another in the library of St. John's College, in Cambridge.

Peter Gunning, a man of quick and lively parts, and of uncommon elocution, was one of the most distinguished persons of his Translat. time in polemical divinity. He even carried the war into the enemy's from Chi- quarters, and not only attacked the Papists, but the sectaries of

chester,

4 Mar. 1674.

every denomination. As the Bible was the book which he principally studied, he was scarcely equalled as a textuary. He was also well read in the fathers and ecclesiastical historians, which his memory enabled him to quote upon every occasion. His zeal for his religion, which was grounded upon the knowledge of it, was indeed extraordinary; but it never carried him to the usual ex

See "Parl. Hist." xxi. p. 204, Notes.

+ The Index to this " Essay," by the famous Dr. William Lloyd, is also in its kind a masterpiece.

Such was his attempt to shew the possibility of a voyage to the moon; to which the Dutchess of Newcastle§ made this objection: "Doctor, where am I to find a place for baiting at, in the way up to that planet?" Madam, said he, of all the people in the world, I never expected that question from you, who have built so many castles in the air, that you may lie every night at one of your own.

See her character, Class IX.

cesses of bigotry; nor was he ever known to hate a man's person, because he was no friend to his tenets. He, soon after the restoration, succeeded Dr. Tuckney, a nonconformist, in the mastership 1661. of St. John's College, in Cambridge, and in the chair of regius professor of divinity in that university. The ejected professor was surprised to find a generous friend and benefactor in his successor, who settled on him a handsome annuity for life. He and Dr. Pearson were the chief disputants against the Presbyterian divines, at the conference held at the Savoy, in the beginning of this reign." Bishop Burnet informs us, that " he was a dark and perplexed preacher," and that his sermons abounded with Greek and Hebrew, and quotations from the fathers. He was nevertheless admired by the court ladies: the king said, "they admired his preaching, because they did not understand him."+ Almost all his writings are on subjects of controversy. Ob. 6 July, 1684, Et. 71. See more

of him in a discourse by Dr. Humfrey Gower, in two sermons preached soon after his death.§

See a particular account of this conference in the " Life of Baxter," folio. + He was handsome in his person, and graceful in his manner. This alone would account for his being admired by the ladies, without that exercise, or rather play of the imagination, which is sometimes occasioned by an unintelligible discourse. + See Wood.

Dr. John Edwards, in the manuscript of his own Life, in the possession of the Rev. Mr. Beadon, of St. John's College, in Cambridge, says, " that he devoured plenty of authors, but digested none. Though he was at the pains to make long collections, yet he could not make use of them, not being able to reduce them into order, and bring them into any tolerable compass: whence it was, that whenever he came into the pulpit, he marred all with his intolerable length, and stretched his auditors upon the rack." It should be observed here, that Edwards and he were not friends.

"

Mr. Baker, a man of more candour, in his manuscript History of St. John's College," speaks thus of him: "He was not the most popular preacher, being too digressive and immethodical; but what was wanting in his method was made up by his looks, the most graceful and venerable I ever saw. So that though his discourses were generally long, yet to me they were never tedious; and I could cheerfullyfollow him through all his rambles, having something in them extremely charming and apostolical, either from the gracefulness of his person, or the strength and authority wherewith they were delivered."||

See a good account of him in Masters's "History of C. C. C. C." p. 157, 158. "One little story of him is yet remembered in his diocess of Ely, for which he will perhaps be deemed a sophister. An enthusiast had been holding forth about the country that the world would be at an end in a year's time. He had got a

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Consec.

9 Feb. 1672.

JOHANNES PEARSONUS, episcopus Cestriensis, &c. W. Sonman (Sunman) p. Van Hove sc. h. sh. JOHANNES PEARSON, Et. 70. Elder sc. h. sh.

JOHN PEARSON, bishop of Chester, Æt. 70, 1682. Loggan sc. h. sh.

There is a whole length of him by Whood, disciple of Richardson, in Trinity College-hall, in Cambridge. It resembles the head by Loggan, which is the truest likeness of him.

This very learned and pious prelate was successively master of Jesus and Trinity Colleges, in Cambridge, and also Margaret professor of divinity in that university. He enjoyed several other very considerable preferments in this reign, which were as much above his ambition, as they were below his merit. He was eminently read in ecclesiastical history and antiquity, and was a most exact chronologist. He applied himself to every kind of learning that he thought essential to his profession; and was in every kind a master. His works are not numerous, but they are all excellent; and some of the least of them shew that he was one of the completest divines of his age. The chief are, his " Exposition of the Creed," in English, and his " Vindication of St. Ignatius's Epistles," in Latin. The former, which has gone through twelve or thirteen editions, is one of the most finished pieces of theology in our language. It is itself a body of divinity, but not a body without a spirit. The style of it is just; the periods are, for the most part, well turned; the method is very exact; and it is in general free from those errors which are too often found in theological systems. He

The assemblage of whole length portraits of truly great men, educated in this college, gives its hall a noble and venerable appearance.

+ There is a translation of this book into Latin by a foreign divine, who styles himself" Simon Joannes Arnoldus, Ecclesiarum balliviæ, sive præfecturæ Sonnenburgensis Inspector."

train after him, who neglected their business, and were every day improving in madness. The bishop sent for him and some of his proselytes, but made no impression by reason and argument; for the bottle was full, and all that was poured on afterward ran over. He found that this leader had some estate, for which he offered him two years' purchase. The man insisted upon twenty as the common price, which wrought so upon his converts that they all left him upon it."-Nath. Salmon's" Lives of Eng. Bishops," p. 259.

died, after having entirely lost his memory, the 16th of July, 1686,*

JOHN FELL, bishop of Oxford; sitting; in the same print with John Dolben, bishop of Rochester, and Dr. Richard Allestry. Bishop Dolben is in the middle, Dr. Allestry is on his right hand, and Bishop Fell on his left. Lely p. Loggan exc. large h. sh. mezz.

Portraits of all three are at Christ Church. There is one of Dr. Allestry in the picture gallery at Oxford: this was given by Dr. Bathurst: and there is another in the provost's lodge at Eton College.

JOHN FELL, &c. Sir P. Lilly p. W. Richardson exc. JOHN FELL; in the "Oxford Almanack," 1724; among the right hand

group.

1675.

Dr. John Fell, born at Longworth, in the county of Berks, bishop Consec. of Oxford, and dean of Christ Church, was one of the most shining 6 Feb. ornaments and munificent benefactors to that college. His excellent government, while he was at the head of it, raised his reputation for discipline to a higher pitch than it ever rose to in any former period; and it is well known that some of the most distinguished persons that the kingdom itself ever produced, were trained up under his inspection. He may be traced as a benefactor through several parts of his diocess; and his munificence is seen in every part of his college. The best rectories belonging to it were purchased by him, and he settled on it no less than ten exhibitions. He for many years published annually some book, generally a classic author, to which he wrote a preface and notes, and presented it to the students of his house as a new year's gift. Some of his writings are a proof of the depth, others of the elegance, of his learn

There is a print of a divine, in a common clerical habit, whose name is Pearson. As I know not where to put it with propriety, I shall mention it in this place. It is in 12mo. or small 8vo. and engraved by Van Hove. Under the head are these lines:

Prudence and piety agree

Herein to make an harmony:

Engravers wonders work with ayres ;
But Pearson pierceth with his prayers.

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