petulance and to punish delinquency *. In his severity, however, at all times was mingled that glow of endearing affection, with which the parent anxiously consults the welfare of his child.

His zeal for the promotion of elegant literature induced him to embrace every opportunity of enriching the schools of Beverley and Wakefield with a valuable collection of books. The

*The severity formerly exercised in many of our public schools was, probably, necessary to enforce salutary discipline, to check thoughtless levity, and to chastise stubborn laziness. It will not displease the reader to know the reasons, which induced the celebrated ROGER ASCHAM to compose his Treatise on Education. This elaborate work of the Latin Secretary and Tutor for the Greek tongue to Queen Elizabeth (published about three years after his death by his wife Margaret, who dedicates it to Sir William Cecil, principal Secretary of State) was first undertaken on occasion of some discourse which happened at the Secretary's table, in his apartment at Windsor, when the Court was retired thither at the time of a great plague in London, in 1563. Sir William telling the company, he had heard that divers scholars of Eton had run away that morning from the school for fear of beating,' it produced their different sentiments, "Whether mildness or severity had the best effect in the scholastic education of youth?" Mr. Ascham inclined, as Cecil had done, to the milder course; and used such arguments, that Sir Richard Sackville, Treasurer of the Exchequer (then present) afterward prevailed upon him to draw his thoughts out upon the teaching and training of youth into a regular Treatise, for the use, among others, of his grandson Master Robert Sackville.

(Catalogue of Pamphlets in the Harleian Library, p. 221.)

libraries in each of those schools were furnished, through his means, with volumes more precious than the gems of India; the best editions of the Greek and Latin classics, and the works of modern critics, historians, and poets. For this instance of benevolent and judicious care, the Corporation of Beverley expressed their sentiments of grateful remembrance, by causing a marble tablet to be erected with the following inscription :

VIRO REVERENDO

JOHANNI CLARKE, A. M.
QUÒD HANC BIBLIOTHECAM,

AD QUAM PENÈ INANEM ACCESSERAT,
LIBRIS

QUICUNQUE IN POLITIORE HUMANITATE
HABENTUR PRÆCIPUI

CONSILIO-CURA-AUCTORITATE SUA PARATIS
PER QUINDECIM ANNOS,

QUIBUS INSIGNI CUM DOCTRINÆ ET DILIGENTIÆ LAUDE

HUIC SCHOLÆ PRÆFUIT,

MUNERE DECEDENS ANNO MDCCLI
IN USUM SCHOLÆ PUBLICUM

INSTRUCTAM RELIQUIT

PRÆTOR ATQUE SENATUS BEVERLACENSIS
PONI CURAVERUNT.

If any part of his professional character was objectionable, it was the scrupulous exactness, which he observed in revising and correcting the

exercises of his pupils *. A perfect judge of fine writing, I had almost said a hypercritic, he assigned to that employment a much larger allotment of time than seemed to be consistent

with his other engagements. He scrutinised every word, and even weighed every syllable, with a diligence which was not, perhaps, always necessary. He was exquisitely nice in the choice of his language, even in the daily task of writing letters on the topics of common life; and the elegance and correctness, with which they were penned, cost him more labour than can be thought requisite for the despatch of the ordinary business of the world. It may be deemed almost a misfortune to possess such a delicate refinement of taste, as approximates to fastidi

ousness.

From the temper and disposition of a pedant he was entirely removed. No supercilious frown contracted his brow; words of contemptuous insolence, or of petulant censure, never flowed from his lips. No affectation of superior learning, no bold confidence of dogmatical assertion, de. based his demeanour.

Such was his native distrust of himself, that in public company he seldom ventured to declare his sentiments upon subjects, which were per

*This paragraph excited the animadversion of a respectable critical Journal, the Monthly Review.

VOL. II.

C

fectly familiar to his mind: but, in private conversation with two or three select friends, he communicated his knowledge with the most ingenuous freedom. He was equally ready both to give, and to receive, instruction. With the scholar described by Chaucer,

Sounding in morall virtue was his speech,

And gladly would he learne, and gladly teach.

It has been suggested, that he published no specimens of his own composition. For this omission, if it should be deemed a defect, various reasons might be alleged. But it is sufficient to observe, that he forgot not the department, in which Providence had fixed him. The arduous task of instructing youth, his allotted portion in life, engrossed his entire attention. I have however some cause to think, that if he had been fortunate enough to have obtained an exemption from the labours of his occupation by a comfortable provision, and indulged in the decline of life with a sound body and the free enjoyment of his mental faculties, he would have enriched the literary world with a work, which would not have disgraced the fame of the accomplished scholar.

Of the excellency of our civil and ecclesiastical constitution he justly entertained the most respectful sentiments: and these he studiously endeavoured to inculcate into his scholars. No one

loved his country with a more cordial affection. Every event, which tended to promote it's prosperity, filled him with an exultation almost enthusiastic; whilst any disastrous accident sunk his mind into dejection. If he had lived to see the romantic plans of those men, who under the specious idea of reform are vainly ambitious to excite discontent amidst a happy people, how serious would have been his indignation! One virtuous effort to amend the morals of society would have availed with him more than ten thousand airy schemes of political innovation.

His religious character I contemplate with the sincerest pleasure. Deeply affected with the momentous truths of Revelation himself, he had no wish nearer to his heart, than that of impressing a due sense of them upon the minds of others. A lovely pattern of Christian faith and Christian practice, he exhibited in his life and conversation the vital energy of inward religion ; and uniformly displayed that charming simplicity of manners, which so strongly characterised the great Doctor of the Jewish Law, dignified by our Divine Master with the title of an Israelite indeed, in whom there was no guile-a title, infinitely surpassing all the distinctions of earthly grandeur !

And though, from his natural diffidence, he could seldom persuade himself to preach before a crowded audience, he was always ready to assist a