of the earliest I have written since my return has been to acknowledge the receipt of my friend Seyer's letter, and list of Bristol benefactions. His situation, as examining Chaplain to the Bishop of Bristol, gives him an opportunity of knowing a little what a Bishop's correspondence is, and what an occupation also is a long tour of confirmation. He will not, therefore, I hope, have felt much disappointment at not hearing from me before.

You will be glad to hear of the increased number of catechumens in one parish in Cardiganshire, Llanbadarfawr, the mother church to Aberystwyth :

In the year 1809, I confirmed there 225

I hope that St. David's College will increase this growing attachment to the Church.

I regret as much as yourself our distance from each other; so much more is done in an hour's conversation than in a week's correspondence.

I rejoice to hear from all quarters such good accounts of the health of our excellent friend at Barley Wood.

Yours very truly,

T. ST. DAVID'S.

DEAR SIR,

TO THE SAME.

I ARRIVED at Llanidloes this morning, and have employed part of the two hours which I have to stay here, in my way to Kerry, in writing to Mr. Cockerell about the corridor of the College, and to invite him to meet you at Abergwilly on the 28th of August, the day on which I hope (Deo volente) to return home.

I am delighted with your account of our excellent friend Mrs. H. More. It is most consolatory to think that a life which has been so beneficial to the world may yet be continued much longer than there was any hope of last year. I regret extremely that Wales is separated from Barley Wood by "a world of waters," which makes it impracticable for me to visit it, and your own romantic residence.

The horses are getting ready. Adieu. Remember me kindly to Mrs. Harford, and believe me, Yours very truly,

T. ST. DAVID'S.

Ꮓ

CHAP. XXVIII.

THE BISHOP, BY COMMAND OF THE KING, FRAMES A PLAN FOR A ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE. SOME ACCOUNT OF THE PLAN, AND OF HIS ANNIVERSARY DISCOURSES. HE QUESTIONS THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE POSTHUMOUS WORKS ASCRIBED TO MILTON.

1823.

IN the Spring of 1823, the Bishop and his coadjutors were actively engaged in bringing the case of the Welsh College before influential members of both Houses of Parliament, in the hope of procuring, by their exertions, a public grant in aid of it. He himself applied to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London, for permission to refer Lord Liverpool to them, in testimony of the merits of the scheme, a request which was readily granted. The Premier, in the course of various interviews with the Bishop, expressed himself favourably disposed to a public grant, provided it could be so made as not to establish an inconvenient precedent; but he objected, on this ground, to the proposed application to Parliament.

Our frequent meetings upon the business of the College afforded me, during this spring, continual

opportunities of studying his character and habits. He was employed early and late with his books and his pen, and led the life of a laborious student. After breakfast he gave his attention for some hours to professional business, and to the claims of correspondence, and later in the day he often drove to the British Museum to consult manuscripts and learned works, or went to some literary, charitable, or religious meetings. Occasionally he attended the House of Lords.

His daily dinner was two mutton chops, with little or no wine. He usually devoted his evenings to study and writing, and often sat up late at these employments. Such, at this time, was the daily tenor of his life; and his habitual temperance, as we have already remarked, enabled him to pursue this sedentary course without injury to his health. "Spare fare, which oft with gods doth diet," was a topic upon which he loved to expatiate. It had been the habit of his own life; and, in order to point out its advantages to others, he published in a small tract some useful and amusing particulars of the life and maxims of Cornaro, the Italian philosopher, whom Addison has celebrated in the Spectator, as having lived by means of resolute temperance to a very great age, in spite of a delicate and frail constitution. The more I became acquainted with him, the more I was struck by the purity of his feelings; his guileless confidence in the intentions of others; the unvarying peace and cheerfulness of his mind; and

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his habitual kindness of manner and address. His recreations were equally simple and innocent. Religious or literary conversation; the perusal with a friend of fine passages of poetry; a pleasant walk; listening to the tunes of his musical boxes, of which he had several of exquisite quality; such were some of his favourite relaxations, and he enjoyed them with a keen relish. When his nights proved, as they sometimes did, wakeful, he would solace the time by a tune from one of those boxes, which usually stood by his bedside, or by repeating favourite pieces of poetry. Nor were his " Songs in the night" exclusively the songs of Sion." I have heard him expatiate on the pleasure with which he often, on such occasions, went through the whole of Gray's Bard, with a lively admiration of its lofty numbers and sublime imagery. In an age and period when so much of party spirit prevailed in the Church his mind soared above its influence. He had his own firm and decided opinions upon those controverted topics, respecting which good men of the same communion may be allowed to differ; but he was too well acquainted with the facts of Ecclesiastical History, and with the nature of the human mind, to imagine that all can be made to think alike with respect to points upon which the statements of Scripture are not so direct and positive as to preclude reasonable diversity of opinion. He never allowed names of contumely to prejudice his mind,