fitness ever so great, I should fear to trust myself with it. But the difficulty is, in a considerable degree, obviated, by my having, at this moment, a masterly sketch of his interior character before me, which, some years ago, was given unawares, by De Gérando, in depicting the mental image of Plato. There are many now living, who will, at once, recognize the likeness: ..

'Il possédait, au plus haut dégré, ces facultés brillantes qui président aux arts d'imagination, mais qui constituent aussi, ou qui fécondent, l'esprit d'invention, dans tous les genres; cette vivacité, et cette énergie de conception, qui rendent une nouvelle vie aux objets, en les exprimant, et qui les embellissent encore, en les faisant révivre. Toutefois, et par une rencontre aussi heureuse que rare, il était également doué de ces qualités éminentes,

qui forment les penseurs. Exercé aux méditations profondes, il était capable de suivre, avec incroyable persévérance, les déductions les plus étendues: il savait atteindre, par un regard pénétrant, les distinctions les plus délicates, et quelquefois les plus subtiles. Surtout, il avait reçu le don d'une sensibilité exquise, d'une chaleur, et d'une élévation de l'âme, d'un euthousiasme réfléchi, qui dirigeaient constamment vers l'image du beau et du bon, et qui s'alimentaient des plus pures émanations de la morale.' *

* Biogr. Univ. tom. xxxv. 38.

But the most faithful portrait of his mind, will undoubtedly be found, in the writings which he has left behind him. These are, chiefly, letters, or rather dissertations, (some of them unfinished,) on the most important questions, which it is possible for man to investigate. These papers are now the property of two excellent persons, who affectionately revere his memory; and who, questionless, will, in due time, gratify their friends, and the public, with such a selection of them, as deep interest, guided by sound judgement, will be sure to dictate.

In the letter on clerical pursuits and studies, which the editor has deemed it right to publish, a fair specimen has been afforded of his correspondence. But his powers of conversation were yet more extraordinary. It has been the writer's fortune, often to be in his company, with some of the most remarkable persons of the past and passing age.* It was on such occasions, that his genius pre-eminently shone forth. It is little to say, that he never failed to acquit himself with ability: he actually astonished, and sometimes overpowered, the ablest minds, by the force of his eloquence; while it was uniformly subservient to the highest purposes, and amenable to a jurisdiction, at once more authoritative, and more gentle, than the received rules of ordinary discussion,.. to the undeceptious logic, of a holy, and a pure heart.

* Two of them have recently been called to their reward; Mr. Wilber.

In the year 1809., the editor had abundant opportunities, of seeing him at the very height of his conversational powers. At that period, my friends and medical advisers thought me in a precarious state of health, and recommended, that, for a time, I should absent myself from Ireland, and try the air and climate of this country. Mr. Knox, with his usual kindness, accompanied me; and, in the course of that excursion, I saw his varied, and transcendent abilities drawn forth, in a manner altogether different from any thing I had experienced, during twenty years' previous knowledge of him; some of them, years of the closest intimacy. It seemed impossible, for persons of any mind, to pass a single day in his company, without feeling, that they had met a most remarkable man; and I have lately been astonished, to find, that, after the lapse of three and twenty years, (for, since 1809., he never visited England,) his appearance, his voice, his manner, his very words, were most vividly present, in the recollection of those, who had never once seen him during that interval.

Fortunately, he was one day engaged to dine, in company with Mr. Parkin, a highly intellectual barrister, since deceased. I was not present, being detained at our lodgings, by indisposition. But, as will presently appear, I was richly indemnified. Mr. Parkin, I was told by a friend, was attention itself: but, at the same time he knew how, and he took care, to elicit Mr. Knox s mind: and, in the

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evening, he wrote down his immediate impressions, of what had passed. Never, before, or afterwards, did he meet Mr. Knox; who, indeed, on the next day, took a final leave of London. But, such was the impression made on him, by this one short interview, that, in person, in mind, in manners, and in principles, he was enabled to embody the very image, of this eminent, and remarkable man; and a more perfect, and graphical description I never saw. By the kindness of my friend Mrs. Butterworth, I have, for many years, possessed a copy of this precious document; and (with her permission,) I hasten to give it, in Mr. Parkin's exact words:..

66

Sept. 5. 1809. This afternoon, at Mr. Butterworth's*, I had the happiness to dine in company with Alexander Knox, esq. of Dublin. His person is that of a man of genius. He is rather below the middle size; his head not large; his face rather long, rather narrow, and more rectangular than oval; his features interesting, rather than pleasing; his forehead high, but not wide; his eye quick, his eye-brow elevated; his nose aquiline; his under lip protruded; his muscles very full of motion; his complexion pale, apparently from ill health, but susceptible of a fine glow, when the subject of conversation became animating. His expression of face not unlike Cowper's. He is small-limbed, and thin. He wears spectacles, which very much be

come him. When highly interested, his countenance is full of action, his eye piercing, his cheek suffused, his gestures profuse and energetic, his whole form in motion, and ready to start from his seat. His manner of expression is natural and easy; fluent, in general, but not very fast; he hesitates, occasionally, for a word; and encumbers his diction with long, explanatory parentheses, from which, however, he returns duly to his proper topic. His language is commonly appropriate, and almost invariably pure; sometimes, exquisitely elegant : his imagery is copious, original, very suitable, and, mostly, well made out; occasionally, it is quite sublime. His voice is clear and pleasant, with a very little of the Irish tone.

We sat from three, to half past eight. Too much of the afternoon was occupied with controversy, between Mr. Knox, and Dr. Adam Clarke, on certain topics connected with the methodist institutions. Mr. Knox maintained the necessity of episcopal ordination, as the only regular mode of constituting ministers of religion; but acknowledged the value and necessity, of the labours of methodist and other teachers.

He strongly maintained the necessity of an establishment of religion, as a means of perpetuating the profession of christianity. He very eloquently maintained, that the want of discipline in the church,

much complained of, was one of its happy features.