the ift of February 1730-1, he refigned his vicarage of Swavesey, and not long after fettled in London, where he was engaged as reader and preacher at a chapel belonging to the parish of St. Giles in the Fields, then in New street, near Great Ruffel-ftreet, Bloomfbury. In this fituation he continued till 1746.

On Mr. Jortia's removal to London he published "Four fermons on the truth of the Chriftian religion," in a small volume in duodecimo.’—

In the years 1731, and 1732, Mr. Jortin, in conjunction with fome literary friends, publifhed in a feries of twenty-four fixpenny numbers, "Miscellaneous obfervations upon authors ancient and modern;" making together two volumes in octavo.'—

Our author's skill and tafte for critical learning were again exhibited in fome excellent "Remarks on Spencer's poems," pubJifhed in 1734, in octavo; to which were fubjoined "Remarks on Milton f." And in a periodical work, entitled, "The prefent ftate of the republic of Letters," for Auguft in the fame year, he publifhe Remarks on Seneca ."

་་

M. Jortin vas prefented by the earl of Winchelfea to the vicarage of Eatwell in Kent, worth about one hundred and twenty pounds a year, fome time in 1737; but the air of the place not agreeing with his health, he foon refigned it, and returned to London. He, therefore, continued to officiate at the chapel in Newfreet, until he was appointed (March 20, 1746-7,) by his friend Dr. Zachary Pearce, then rector of St. Martin's in the Fields, afternoon preacher at a chapel of eafe belonging to that parish in Oxenden-ftreet, in the place of the Rev. Johnfon, then lately deccafed; in which fituation he continued till 1760.

in the year 1746, Mr. Jortin published his " Difcourfes concerning the truth of the Chriftian religion," which included the fubftance of the "Four difcourfes" before mentioned, and have fince paffed through feveral editions §.'

Still in thy foul his image keep,

Who haftes to meet thee there.
Safe o'er the dark and dreary fhore
In queft of thee I'll roam;
Love with his lamp fhall run before,

And break the circling gloom."

Reprinted in "Tracts philological, &c." vol. i. p. 54-285. with additional notes, by anonymous, p. 287-306.'

345

Reprinted in "Tracts philological, &c." vol. i. p. 307

Article ix. figned J-reprinted in "Tracts philological, &c." P. 404-424. where it is incorporated with two other short papers on Seneca's tragedies from "Mif. Obfervations," vol. i. p. 55, and 127.2

6

§ The fecond edition was published the next year, 1747; the third 1752; the fourth 1768.'

Mr.

• Mr. Warburton, then preacher at Lincoln's Inn, engaged Mr. Jortin, in the year 1747, to affift him occafionally at the chapel there, and he continued his affiftant about three years.

Upon the tranflation of Dr. Matthew Hutton from the fee of Bangor to the archbishopric of York, Dr. Zachary Pearce was appointed to fucceed him. Dr. Pearce requested Mr. Jortin to preach the fermon at his confecration in the parish church of Kenfington, on February 21, 1747; which was afterwards published, with the ufual authoritative mandate prefixed, JUSSU SUPER10RUM.'

On the recommendation of archbishop Herring, and bishop Sherlock, Mr. Jortin was appointed, by the earl of Burlington, on the 26th of December 1749, preacher of the lecture founded by Mr. Boyle. An appointment, honourable from the nature of the foundation; and from the relpectable characters of feveral of the clergy who had preceded him in the duties of it, and we may also add, from the patronage of the noble trustee, and the recommendation of the two prelates, at whose instance he had received it.'

The mutual friendship between Mr. Warburton and Mr. Jortin continued after their connection at Lincoln's Inn chapel had ceafed; infomuch that the former announced, in the fecond edition of his JULIAN, the fpeedy publication of his "learned friend Mr. Jortin's curious differtations on ecclefiaftical antiquity; compofed, like his life, not in the fpirit of controverfy, nor, what is ftill worse, of party, but of truth and candor *.”—

Mr. Warburton's favourable notification of the forwardness of the "Remarks on ecclefiaftical hiftory," was very foon followed by the publication of the first volume, early in the year 1751; and however fanguine may have been the expectations of the friends of Mr. Jortin, they were not difappointed.'

Hitherto it should feem that Mr. Jortin had partaken of fome of the ingredients which are too frequently found to constitute a fcholar's wages, according to Erafmus, "fhort commons and little reputation, mixed with much envy and detraction." He had many friends who knew how to value his learning, but none of them had hitherto fuccessfully fought to reward it. Certain jealousies were entertained of his liberal and catholic principles, though it was very generally acknowledged that his writings would be read and admired as long as any pittances of good fenfe, folid erudition, and exalted liberality of mind, fhould remain upon English ground. To take off, as much as might be, any reproach to his patron, the "Difcourfes on the truth of the Chriftian religion" were made the oftenfible motive for prefenting him with the preferment defigned for him. "The dangerous preface was then in its infancy," as a certain writer expreffes himself," and the outcry against it had not reached the ulterior banks of the Thames. It has, however, been faid, that the patron never heard the laft of his injudicious munifi

• See Warburton's "Julian," zd edit. 1751. p. 316, note.'

cence

cence to a man, who had affronted, (as certain druids are wont to fay,) the establishment that maintained him *."

Be this, however, as it may, in the month of May 1751, archbishop Herring gave Mr. Jortin, unfolicited, the rectory of St. Dunian in the Eaft, London, worth two hundred pounds a year; "a favor valuable in icfelf, but made doubly fo by the giver, by the manner, by being conferred upon one," as him felf fays," who had received few obligations of this kind, and by fettling him amongst those whom he had great reafon to love and to esteem +." Nothing could more enhance the obligation, than the public and handsome manner in which it was conferred. The account which is given of the interview between the archbishop and Mr. Jortin is, I believe, authentic, and has in it fome circumstances which fhew the Jiberal and amiable character of the prelate, and characterize the fimple manners of the clerk. Mr. Jortin dined at the feaft of the fons of the clergy, where archbishop Herring was prefent, and on being told that the archbishop was defirous of renewing his acquaintance with him, he prepared for going to the upper end of the room, by looking for his hat, among a great number which lay together in a confused manner; but being told by his friends that his hat was by no means neceffary, he proceeded to the prelate without it. The archbishop complimented him on his talents and learning, and clofed the converfation, by giving him, in the prefence of the clergy, the re&tory of St. Dunstan in the Eaft. Mr. Jortin then returned to his feat, telling his friends, "I have loft my hat, but I have got a living ‡."

In Auguft this year, Mr. Jortin paid a vifit to his friends at Cambridge, where he had not been fince the time of his quitting the univerfity; but it is most probable that this journey, in the autumn of I 1751, was principally intended as a vifit to the libraries in the univerfity; and the more fo, as he was at that time much occupied in preparing the fecond volume of the "Remarks" for the prefs, and which was published the following fpring.'

Mr. Jortin had the continuation of his "Remarks on Ecclefiaftical History" in fo great forwardnefs for the prefs, that he pubJifhed the fecond volume in the fpring 1752. And having been fo lately patronized by archbishop Herring, he introduced it with a dedication to that worthy and benevolent prelate, in language not indeed of "modern politenefs, but of ancient fimplicity."

The refentment which he had incurred from the orthodox, by the catholic fpirit which he had fhewn in his former volume, though then freth in his mind, and ftill working to his further prejudice, he did not wish to dwell upon, but rather to look on the favourable fide of the contingent events of human life. In this view, I apprehend, he obferves, in his dedication, that "the difcourte

*See" Collection of Letters and Effays," vol. iii. p. 262.'

See dedication to the fecond vol. of" Remarks on E. H." p. iv.'

See "Gentleman's Magazine," for 1773, P. 438, and Ni

chols's Anecdotes of Bowyer, p. 260, note *.'

* See "Anecdotes of Bowyer," p. 260, note*.'

fies which we experience, are things too common and too infignificant to deferve a place in our memory, or in our writings; it is beft, (fays he,) to bury them in eternal oblivion, and in their room to fubftitute the good offices of our friends, which ought to be remembered and recorded with pleafure."

In excufe for his omitting to make a laboured difplay of the good qualities of his benefactor, or, as is too often the cafe, to afcribe to him the poffeffion of thofe attainments which did not belong to him, he concludes by telling us, in true claffic purity of fentiment, that it was a custom among the ancients, "NOT TO SACRIFICE to HEROES, TILL AFTER SUN-SET." And that this was not merely a happy thought, founded in fact, and applied in compliment, we may have the best proof by turning to what he fays of the fame great man, after his deceafe, and when his dignities and patronage were in the poffeffion of a fucceffor who was of a quite contrary fpirit*.

The defign of the whole of this work, agreeably to a former intimation, was "to defend and recommend Chriftianity, which was then, and continues to be daily affaulted and infulted."

Mr. Jortin was fond of mufic, and learned it after he came to refide in London in 1730. He was a good player of thorough-bas on the harpsichord. His mafter was Mr. Petit, a Frenchman, who

After citing an honorable teftimony of Erafmus to the memory of archbishop Warham, (Life of Erafmus, vol. i. p. 42.) he proceeds," it is with a melancholy kind of pleafure that I tranfcribe thefe paffages, and fhall in other parts of this work infert other teftimonies to the honor of the archbishop; whilft in the character of this amiable prelate, drawn by fo malterly a hand, I contemplate that of my late patron, (Thomas Herring, archbishop of Canterbury,) who, befides the good qualities in which he refembled Warham, had piety without fuperftition, and moderation without meanness, an open and a liberal way of thinking, and a conftant attachment to the caufe of fober and rational liberty both civil and religious. Thus he lived and died, and few men ever paffed through this malevolent world, better beloved, and lefs cenfured, than he.

"He told me once, with an obliging condefcenfion, which I can never forget, that he would be to me what Warham was to Erafmus; and what he promised, he performed: only less fortunate in the choice of his humble friend, who could not be to him what Erafmus was to Warham. But if thefe pages fhould live, protected by the fubject which they treat, and the materials of which they are compofed, they may perhaps affift in doing justice to his memory.

His mibi dilectum nomen, manefque verendos,

His faltem accumulem donis, et fungar amico
Munere! non totus, raptus licet, optime Præful,
Eriperis redit os placidum, morefque benigni,
Et venit ante oculos, et pectore vivit imago,"

is

is faid to have been a good player of Corelli's mufic on the violin But the scholar appears to have considered and attended to it as a fcience, as well as an amufement and relaxation from feverer ftudies. That Milton + fhould attune his lyre was natural, but that the rough and inflexible Luther † fhould be a composer and performer on mafic is extraordinary. Jortin was led to mufic by genius and temper. We have before had occafion to speak of his genius and talents for poetry; we may now form a very competent opinion of his tafte and judgment in a fifter art, from his "Letter concerning the music of the ancients." This letter is addreffed to Mr. Avifon, the author of an "Effay on mufical expreffion," and is added, without his name, to the fecond edition of that Effay, printed 1753; but is given to its proper owner in the third edition publifhed 1775 .'

In 1754 was published the third volume of our author's "Remarks on ecclefiaftical hiftory.'

• Archbishop Herring's friendfhip for Mr. Jortin was fhewn on different occafions by rendering him fubftantial fervices, by intending others in which he was not able to fucceed, and by general attentions which marked his regard and efteem for Mr. Jortin.

In the year 1755, the archbishop conferred upon him the degree of doctor in divinity. "I thought it too late in life," writes Jortin in a private manufcript, as I told him, to go and take it at Cambridge, under a profeffor, who, in point of academical ftanding, might have taken his firft degree under me, when I was moderator. I was willing to owe this favour to him, which I would not have asked or accepted from any other archbishop."

But, befides the complimentary accommodation of Dr. Jortin, in fparing him a difagreeable errand to Cambridge, as he flates it above, he was alfo excufed fubfcribing the thirty nine articles, agreeably to the privilege of difpenfing with fech fubfcription, which is uniformly claimed and exercifed by the archbishops of Canterbury.'

In the fame year (1755,) in which he was preferred to his degree in divinity, he published his "Six differtations on different fubjects," which are equally remarkable, (fays Dr. Knox) for talle, learning, originality, and ingenuity §." They are upon fubjects theological, moral, and hiftorical, and as fuch," fays their author in a very short preface, "of general ufe and application. The laft effay," adds he, "is rather of the philological kind, and intended for thofe who are fomewhat converfant with the claffic writers, and with the learned languages."

Dr. Warburton having given a vifionary account of the fixth book of the Eneid, as a reprefentation of the Eleufinian mySee Nichols's" Anecdotes of Bowyer," p. 259.'

+ See "Letter," p. 26.'

See "Life of Erafmus," vol. i. p. 126.'

Republished in "Tracts philological," &c. 1790, vol. ii.

P. 1-29.

§ See Knox's "Effays."

fteries,