an addrefs to her majefty, that he would be graciously pleafed to give Mr. Benjamin Hoadly fome dignity in the church, for his ftrenuous afferting and vindicating the principles of that revolution which is the foundation of our prefent establishment in church and ftate. This made him odious to all the Jacobites, Nonjurors, and fome others; and fome impotent endeavours were used to have him laid afide in the queen's laft parliament; but he carried it both at his corporation, and afterwards in the house of commons.

Mr. Henley wrote feveral things, though he did not put his name to them; and very frequently affifted the writers of the "Tatler" and "Medley [A]." No man wrote with more wit and more gaiety. He affected a low fimplicity in his writings, and in particular was extremely happy in touching the manners and paffions of parents and children, mafters and fervants, peasants and tradesmen, using their expreffions fo naturally and aptly, that he has very frequently disguised by it both his merit and character.

His moft darling diverfion was mufic, of which he was entirely mafter; his teft the ftandard of the beau monde; and after the Italian mufic came in, there was not an opera could be fure of applaufe, till it had had his approbation. He was fuch an admirer of Purcell's mufic, and the English manner, that he did not immediately relifh the Italian; but his good judgement foon threw off that partiality, and he was at last more fond of it. Whether he composed himself, we know not; but he fung with art, and played on feveral inftruments with judgement. He wrote feveral poems for music, and almost finished the opera of "Alexander," fet by Purcell. As Mr. Henley's tafte inclined him to music, Mr. Norton's was led by the drama, having a theatre at Southwick, where Betterton, Booth, Mills, Wilks, Mrs. Barry, Mrs. Bracegirdle, Mrs. Oldfield, and the moft noted players in town, were entertained for two or three months in the vacation, and acted comedies and tragedies, in which the owner of the houfe had frequently a part; the gentlemen and ladies coming thither from the neighbouring country 20 miles about, and a band of mufic always attending. The fcenes and all other dramatic representations were in form.

Such were the refined pleasures of these two gentlemen; of the latter (fays the author of Mr. Henley's life in 1712) the

[A] No. XXXI, of "The Medley," in particular was his; and feveral "Tatlers," both in the four volumes of Steele, and in Harrison's fifth volume.

Jefs

lefs muft be faid, because he is ftill living. Of the former, one cannot fay too much. He was one of the Kit-Cat club, a fociety of more diftinction than any of the illuftrati in Italy, confifting of perfons of the first quality and merit, who meet weekly, and divert themselves with wine, wit, and good humour; offending none, and pleafing all, every one being in his turn mafter of the feaft. This converfation neceffarily brought Mr. Henley into an intimacy with all the great and the gay. And he added always as much honour to whatever company he was in, as he received from it. But his friend Dr. Garth has done him fo much juftice, in a dedication of his "Difpenfary," that it would be wrong to omit it [B].

The too early and much-lamented death of this incomparable perfon happened in Aug. 1711.

Mr. Henley had two fifters; Williamsa, married to that eminent merchant Sir Theodore Janffen, knight, who for the peace of his confcience, and the maintenance of his religion, many years ago retired with what fortune he could bring along with him, which was very confiderable, from France into England; the other fifter was the wife of Henry Cornifh, Efq; a very worthy merchant and citizen, fome time commiffioner of the Stamp-office, and member of the houfe of commons in divers parliaments.

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[B]" A man of your character," fays the doctor, "can no more prevent << a dedication, than he would encou. " rage one; for merit, like a virgin's "blushes, is ftill moft difcovered, when "it labours moft to be concealed." "Tis hard, that to think well of you, "fhould be but juftice, and to tell you " fo, fhould be an offence: thus, ra"ther than violate your modefty, "must be wanting to your virtues, "and, to gratify one good quality, do "C wrong to a thoufand-The world," continues he, "generally measures our "efteem by the ardour of our pre"tences, and will fcarce believe that "fo much zeal in the heart can be "confiftent with fo much faintnefs in "the expreffions; but when they re"flect on your readinefs to do good, "and your induftry to hide it; on CC your paffion to oblige, and your pain "to hear it owned; they'll conclude « that acknowledgements would be un

"grateful to a perfon, who even feems "to receive the obligations he con"fers."-He adds; " but though I "fhould not perfuade myself to be fi"lent on all occafions, thofe more "polite arts, which till of late have "languifhed and decayed, would ap<< pear under their prefent advantages, "and own you for one of their genekr rous restorers: infomuch, that fculp"ture now breathes, painting speaks, "mufic ravishes, and as you help to "refine our taste, you diftinguish your "own."-He concludes thus: "Your "approbation of this poem, is the "only exception to the opinion the "world has of your judgement, that "ought to relish nothing so much as "what you write yourfelf: but you are "refolved to forget to be a critic, by "remembering to be a friend to fay

Oratory
Tranfac-

tions, p.1,2.

Ibid. p. 2,3,

Thid. p. 5.

HENLEY (JOHN), better known by the appellation of "Orator Henley," has furnished the world [A] with memorials of himself, which are certainly worth preferving. He was born at Melton Mowbray, Leicefterfhire, Aug. 3, 1692. His father, the Rev. Simon Henley, and his grandfather, by his mother's fide (John Dowel, M. A.) were both vicars of that parifh. His grandfather by his father's fide, John Henley, M. A. was likewife a clergyman, rector of Salmonby and Thetford in Lincolnshire. He was educated among the Diffenters, and conformed at the Restoration. Mr. J. Henley was bred up firft in the free-school of Melton, under Mr. Daffy, a diligent and expert grammarian: his paffion for learning, his defire of excelling others, and his unwearied attachment to study, fhewed themselves in him very early, and were the principles of his life. From this fchool he was removed to that of Okeham in Rutland, where, under Mr. Wright, eminent for his command of the Greek and Hebrew tongues, he still improved: there he was led by his genius to cultivate the graces of English and Latin poetry; the earl of Nottingham often declared his approbation of his juvenile performances: there never was occafion to make use of severity, or impose any task upon him; his maxim and refolution was always to be the first of his clafs, and captain of the school. He likewife made feveral exercises in the Hebrew tongue [B].

He was hence tranflated about the age of 17 to St. John'scollege in Cambridge; where, on his examination by Dr. Gower then mafter, Dr. Lambert, Dr. Edmundson, and others, he was particularly approved. He began here to be uneafy; he was impatient, that fyftems of all forts were put into his hands, and that he incurred the danger of losing his intereft, and the fcandal of heterodoxy, if (as his genius led him) he freely difputed all propofitions, &c. He was always impatient under thefe fetters of the free-born mind, and privately refolved, fome time or other, to enter his proteft against any perfon's being bred like a flave, who is born an Englishman. Here he observed, likewife, that the space of four years was employed, on the forming of fuch qualifications as might be mastered to more perfection in a fourth part of the time. He paffed his exercises here, and his examination for the degree of B. A. with the particular appro

[A] In the "Oratory Tranfac"tions," N° I. under the fictitious name of Welftede.

John's, he wrote a letter to the "Spec"tator," dated from that college, Feb. 3, 1712, figned Peter de Quir, abound[B] Whilft an undergraduate at St. ing with quaintnefs and local wit.

bation of Mr. Field, Mr. Smales, and the mafter of the college. He likewife found it a great defect, that though he was brought up for a clergyman, he was not inftructed to preach, or pray, or read prayers, or fpeak, or catechife, or confer, or refolve a cafe of confcience, or understand the Scriptures, or form any natural and clear idea of the Christian religion. He determined there fome time to lay a foun- Ibid. p. 4• dation for removing fuch a complaint, that men may be educated for their proper bufinefs, and not be under the greatest disadvantages in that station, where they ought to be the most excellent. After he had commenced B. A. he Ibid. p. 5, was first desired by the trustees of the school in Melton to affift in, and then to take the direction of, that school; which he increased and raifed from a declining to a flourishing condition. He established here a practice of improving elocution by the public speaking of paffages in the claffics, morning and afternoon, as well as orations, &c. Here he was invited by a letter from the Rev. Mr. Newcome, to be a candidate for a fellowship in St. John's; but as he had long been absent, and therefore leffened his perfonal intereft, he declined appearing for it. Here likewise he began his “Uni"verfal Grammar," and finished ten languages, with differtations prefixed, as the most ready introduction to any tongue whatever. In the beginning of this interval he wrote his poem on "Efther," which was approved by the town, and well received. On the occafion of his " Grammars,' Dr. Hutchinson wrote him a complimentary letter [c].

He was ordained a deacon by Dr. Wake, then bishop of Lincoln; and after having taken his degree of M. A. was admitted to prieft's orders by Dr. Gibson, his fucceffor in that fee. The examination for orders was very fhort and fuperficial, and, by Henley's account of the qualifications," it is not ne"ceffary to conform to the Chriftian religion, in order to "the deaconfhip or the priesthood; but to fubfcribe (whe"ther you have ftudied the matter, or believe it or no) to Ibid. p. toj "the fyftem of the church."

He formed an early refolution to improve himself in all the advantages of books and conversation the most effectually, on the first opportunity, at London. But he laid the bafis of future proficiency in affifting at the curacy of his native town; where he preached many occafional fermons, particularly one at the affizes at Leicester: he then gave a voluntary warning for the choice of a new master and curate,

[c] See this in " Oratory Tranfactions,” p. 7. VOL. VII. D

and

II.

and came to town recommended by above 30 letters from the most confiderable men in the country, both of the clergy and laity, but against the inclination of his neighbours and his fchool, which was now, as from his firft entrance upon it, ftill advancing: and his method being established and apIbid. p. 11, proved, one of his own fcholars was appointed to fucceed him.

12.

Ibid. p. 12.

66

In town, he publifhed feveral pieces, as a tranflation of Pliny's Epiftles," of feveral works of Abbé Vertot, of Montfaucon's " Italian Travels" in folio, and many other lucubrations. His moft generous patron was the earl of Macclesfield, who gave him a benefice in the country, the value of which to a refident would have been above 8ol. a year; he had likewife a lecture in the city; and preached more charity-fermons about town, was more numerously followed, and raifed more for the poor children, than any other preacher, however dignified or diftinguished. This popularity, with his. enterprizing fpirit, and introducing regular action into the pulpit, were " the true caufes," he fays,

why fome obftructed his rifing in town, from envy, jealoufy, and a difrelish of those who are not qualified to be "complete fpaniels. For there was no objection to his be

ing tofled into a country benefice by the way of the sea, "as far as Galilee of the Gentiles (like a pendulum fwing❝ing one way as far as the other)." Two eminent convocation-men, Mr. Ellis and Mr. Barnard, with Dr. Pearce, vicar of St. Martin's, figned his credentials. He was employed as an affiftant preacher by Dr. Burfcough, afterwards bifhop of Limerick, by many who were of the first rank in the church, and the late celebrated lord Molefworth presented him with a scarf, as his chaplain. But when he preffed his defire, and promife from a great man, of being fixed in town, it paffed in the negative. He took the people too much from their parish-churches; and as he was not fo proper for a London divine (in the fpeech, not the fentiments, of one who had engaged to place him there) he was very welcome, notwithstanding all difficulties, to be a rural paftor. But it was not for a fecond ruftication, that he left the fields and the fwains of Arcadia to vifit the great city: and as he knew it was as lawful to take a licence from the king and parliament, at Hicks's-hall, as at Doctors Commons (" fince the ministerial powers: of this kingdom are and ought to be parliamentary only") he freely, without compulfion, or being defired or capable of being compelled to refide in the country, gave up his benefice and lecture, certainties for an uncertainty,

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