The names of several Bishops next occur, forming a separate class
of those, who, whatever they are, or may have been, certainly
exhibit examples of individuals whose ultimate success in life was
disproportionate to their first expectations on entering the great
theatre of the world.
The fair and reasonable presumption is, in the clerical profession, as in
that of the law—certain offices must be filled, to which it is natural to
suppose that the most eligible will be appointed. Moreover, the longer
the catalogue may happen to be, of ecclesiastics who have risen to the
most exalted stations from humble beginnings, the stronger the argument
will be, to disprove the assertion generally made, and too universally
believed, that such stations are only to be obtained by political
interest or intrigue.
Of these distinguished personages, many have before been more or
less circumstantially mentioned. The following is merely a sort of
recapitulation, bearing upon the single point of extraordinary success in
the procurement of worldly honours.
The circumstances and causes which led to the elevation of the late
venerable Archbishop Moore, are too well known to require repetition, and
the dignity which he obtained was too well merited to excite discontent,
or provoke invidious remark. His Grace’s ultimate station in life must
however far, very far, have exceeded his most sanguine expectations, when
first entering the world.
The honours also of the excellent Bishop Porteus, however well deserved
and beneficially exercised, beyond doubt, much exceeded all the possible
calculations and hopes of his early life. The successes of such an
individual command the greater admiration, because they were not obtained
by any interposition of the great, by any political connection, or
indeed by the exertion of interest of any kind. They were the result of
a zealous, pious, uninterrupted attention to the general duties of his
profession, with a particular regard to those of the stations, which
he immediately filled. He may nevertheless, with strict propriety, be
introduced in the class of those, who have eminently been distinguished
by good fortune.
The Bishop of L. has been already spoken of, and in terms with which it
is hoped his Lordship will express no dissatisfaction. He surely can have
no reluctance to confess, that his name is not improperly inserted in
this catalogue.
This may be no unsuitable place to insert a whimsical anecdote of his
Lordship, which though of a humble and indeed insignificant denomination,
may surely be called a fortunate incident.
Some time after his Lordship had been appointed to the Deanery of the
Metropolitan Church, he retained his confidential situation about the
person of Mr. Pitt, and regularly every morning attended the minister in
Downing-street, when in residence at St. Paul’s. Returning one evening
from Westminster to the city, he somewhere at the bottom of the Strand
pulled out his handkerchief, and with it, as afterwards appeared, his
purse. He heard it fall, and remarked the spot, but his natural shortness
of sight, added to the darkness of the evening, prevented his finding it.
On his walking the next morning to Westminster, his Lordship paused at
the place where the accident had happened the night before, and actually
saw his purse, which had just slipped off the curb-stone, and probably
had been overlooked by ten thousand passengers.
The two next examples of good fortune going as it were hand in hand
with merit universally allowed, reflect the highest honour upon Lord
Sidmouth, who was Prime Minister at the time. It is indeed no more than
an act of candour and justice to this noble Lord, to acknowledge, that
during the whole period of his enjoyment of power, short indeed, but in
this at least memorable, the ecclesiastical offices in the appointment
of the Crown, were well and honourably filled by individuals, whose sole
recommendations were their learning, their piety, and their virtue: of
which these two persons about to be mentioned, were conspicuous examples.
The first of these excellent men was Bishop H. who had for a long series
of years honourably and usefully distinguished himself in a great
seminary, by superintending the morals and the education of youth.
He was ever remarkable for his sound learning, and his conscientious,
firm, and consistent discharge of all his duties. It is therefore hardly
necessary to add, that his appointment to this high office, diffused
universal satisfaction among all the true friends of the church.
The next appointment of the kind is entitled to the same language
of panegyric, whether we consider the discernment and disinterested
generosity of the patron, or the great and various merits of the person
promoted.
Bishop B. was of respectable though humble origin, but was distinguished,
at a very early period, both for his love of learning, and his success in
the pursuit of it.
His accomplishments, added to his most truly irreproachable conduct,
soon recommended him to his superiors. Few names stood higher in the
estimation of scholars, and he was also classed among the ablest and most
zealous vindicators of our Church establishment, at a perilous period,
when it was in danger of being undermined by false brethren from within,
as well as threatened by formidable enemies from without. His promotion
was of course hailed by all, as an auspicious omen of the intention of
the Minister, to render the Episcopal Bench venerable for its piety,
admired for its talents, and respected for its erudition.
How Bishop B. has borne and exercised his faculties, has been
sufficiently observable. Upon this subject there is neither occasion or
opportunity here to expatiate. It is enough to be able to appeal to his
exemplary conduct in his diocese, which, from conscientious motives, he
has again and again refused to exchange for more lucrative situations, as
well as to numerous publications alike remarkable for their learning and
their piety.
The next Episcopal character who appears to merit a distinguished place
among the more successful adventurers in life, is one who did not
obtain this high station from his abilities, though of a superior kind,
nor from his literary productions, though of these there are many in
existence. He obtained his promotion from the friendship of a Minister,
discerning, cautious, accurate, and above all, strictly tenacious of the
characters of those whom he distinguished, and most strenuously resolute
in enforcing the rigid performance of all clerical duties, by whom of
course, his virtues must have been known, and his merits approved.
The appointment did certainly at first, excite some degree of surprize.
The venerable Bishop of Landaff, on being informed of the event, was with
difficulty prevailed upon to believe it; but perhaps there was an old
grudge, which on this occasion darted like a spectre on his recollection.
There is, however, neither the intention nor the desire to discuss in
this place either the merit of the receiver, or the sagacity of the
giver, of these honours; leave therefore is respectfully taken of them
both, with the simple remark, that Bishop ⸺ was certainly very, very
fortunate.
The elevation of those to the higher offices of the church, who have
been employed for a series of years in superintending the education of
the sons of our nobility, is honourable to all parties concerned, and
excites neither envy nor surprize. It implies on one side a consistent,
vigilant, and unvaried attention to the duties imposed and undertaken,
and on the other, a correspondent sense of services received, an
acknowledgment of merit, and a determination to reward it.
Many are the amiable and excellent individuals who, by pursuing this
path, have arrived at the most exalted honours of the profession, which
they have subsequently adorned by their virtues.
Nevertheless, whoever they may be, or may have been, all who have thus
risen to greatness, may, with the strictest propriety, be denominated
fortunate. Patrons sometimes either pay the tribute of mortality, or lose
their political influence, which in our country often changes hands,
before the opportunity presents itself, of rewarding the virtues they
have tried and approved. Differences of opinion may also eventually
arise, some “lis de tribus capellis” may intervene, abruptly to dissolve
connections, which in their origin afforded the strongest presumptions of
hope and advantage.
The persons of the description to which the above remarks allude, were
the bishops of E. and L. the first of whom owed his elevation to the
noble family of R. and the latter to that of A.
About twenty years since, it was a sort of fashionable amusement among
scholars, to translate the popular Elegy of Gray in a Country Church
yard, into Greek. There were some critics who doubted whether this
admirable composition was calculated to make its appearance in a Grecian
dress; nevertheless, the former of these Prelates was one of the more
successful adventurers, and he dedicated his translation to the Duke of
R. who was at that time become a member of the University of Cambridge.
Of the latter Prelate, the Sexagenarian appears to have had very little
knowledge.
We have now to cross the water, where we shall find some illustrious
members of the Episcopal Bench, who cannot reasonably be offended at
being classed among the favourites of fortune. But it is time to end this
chapter.
Ut enim in corporibus magnæ dissimilitudines sunt, alios enim
videmus velocitate ad cursum, alios viribus ad luctandum
valere, itemque in formis, aliis dignitatem inesse, aliis
venustatem, sic in animis exsistunt etiam majores varietates.