as for the excellence of her understanding. She was called at a very early age to parental responsibility; for she was not quite eighteen when this her eldest son was born. A proof of her fitness for such a privilege, as well as of her son's early promise, may be given in what she often said of his duty to herself: "He never disobeyed me, from the time he could understand what I said."

Mr. Davison was educated at the Grammar School at Durham, on the Chapter Foundation, Dr. Britton being head master. From thence, the Chapter allowing him a year of grace, as a token of special approbation, he proceeded to Christ Church, Oxford, where he was matriculated, Oct. 27th, 1794, being then seventeen years of age. He obtained one of the Craven Scholarships in 1798, which he resigned in 1802, proceeded B.A. June 6th, 1798, and was elected Fellow of Oriel in 1800. He proceeded M.A. July 9th, 1801, and shortly afterwards retired for a time from the University, to an engagement of private tuition. But about 1810, he returned to residence, and became one of the Tutors of the College; in which post he continued, serving also occasionally as Public Examiner, as preacher at Whitehall, and in other University offices, until November 1817, when he was presented by the Earl of Liverpool, Prime Minister in the Regency of George IV., to the Vicarage of Sutterton, near Boston, in Lincolnshire. In 1818 (Oct. 22), he took the degree of Bachelor in Divinity. He had been ordained Deacon, Dec. 20th, 1801, by Bishop Randolph, in Christ Church Cathedral, and Priest in 1803, March 6th, by Bishop Douglas, in the parish Church of New Windsor. His title to Priest's Orders seems to have been the Vicarage of Seagry, in the Hundred of Malmesbury, a little to the east between that place and Chippenham;

to which he was presented by the grandfather of the present Earl of Carnarvon. But he quickly resigned his interest in this place, finding that he could not reside there.

In his office of Tutor, and indeed throughout his life, it was impossible for any one really to know him without being certain of the exceeding warmth of his heart, and of his generous indulgence for all but immoral error: although perhaps his whole character might be cast in a mould of severer goodness than this age could easily endure. He always shewed himself particularly anxious to favour and befriend all kinds of moral worth, as distinct from mere ability. His pupils knew him to be especially on his guard against the idolizing of intellectual talent and successful study. He saw nothing admirable in it, except as guided by an energetic sense of duty.

The following extract of a letter is inserted as expressive of this feeling :

"Coltersworth, Lincolnshire.

-"I am cast upon this place by the division of my journey between York and London. It is a great spot, for it has Newton on the right and Sanderson on the left. My mind turns most to Boothby Pagnel. Newton I can only admire. Sanderson is nearer to imitation, though still far above it. What a delight it is to dwell upon the memory of such a man! much more would it be to be able to live like him."

A different kind of instance of the same disposition in

him is afforded by the following lines which he wrote and placed upon a tablet in the Church of Upton-upon-Severn, to the memory of a good poor woman.

"Patient, devoted servant of her God,

The heavenward path this humble woman trod;
Beheld a jarring world, and shunn'd its strife,
Reproving only by her peaceful life.

The Book of Truth she ponder'd line by line,
In memory stor'd its oracles divine;

The Holy Table by her Saviour spread
Ducly she sought, to taste of Angels' bread.
Rich in content, with piety her gain,
And still devout when tried by torturing pain.
To Him who gave resigning her calm breath,
In meek tranquillity she sunk to death,
And now, life's trial done, her sleeping dust
Awaits the glorious rising of the just."

How cordial he was in his friendships, how deeply he laid their foundation, and how keen yet gentle his feeling of any disappointment in them, a few casual lines will shew:

"When I see one instance of an acquaintance which looked once like friendship and kindness taking such a turn, I only feel the greater gratitude in reflecting on the confidence I have in the unchangeable kindness of some other minds. In this number I reckon your own. May I live to the last with your regard and affection for me undiminished, and may we be blest together, and others also, in the peace of an eternal home! There is some happiness in even wishing this, as I now do, with most sincere prayer for it."

The air of Sutterton so entirely disagreed with his health, that he could not have remained there in any case. And in November of the following year, 1818, he had an opportunity of leaving it.

The Rectory of Washington, between Gateshead and Sunderland, was pressed upon his acceptance by the Bishop of Durham, Dr. Shute Barrington, and he removed into the north accordingly. In 1819, July 20th, he married Mary, eldest daughter of Robert Thorp, Esq., of Alnwick, in Northumberland. The early part of his residence at Washington was a very trying time, from the political excitement which prevailed among the colliers, on account of the tumult at Manchester in 1819. This occasioned him to write among other things, his Dialogue between a Christian and a Reformer, which will be found near the end of this volume. Other striking instances of his laboriousness and courage as a pastor at that critical time might be mentioned, but for the reason given above.

But it seems allowable to state in his own words a part of his thoughts, on the chief difficulties, and some of the duties, of a parochial clergyman :

"I wish I could say any thing of the improvement of my parish. But indeed piety and morals are at a low ebb among us. A serious apprehension of the doctrines of religion, as truths to live by, is the thing I look for and seldom find. A gross worldly spirit, with no notion or desire of better things, is the character of most of those who live within my parish. Many are actively wicked in their lives; some few are Christians in practice. The leaven of revolutionary opinions, joined with infidelity more or less disguised, is still fermenting. Then a spirit of

schism, perfectly regardless of the obligations of Christian union, an enthusiastic creed, and a popular bigotry, take hold of those who profess to seek religion. A licentious odium towards the clergy of the Church helps the confusion. All these particular hinderances I have found in my way, besides the general inaptitude and disinclination of men to take up the Christian yoke, and live by the faith of that which they do not see. A sad sign of the want of religion is, that so few care for the exercise of prayer: if they have no sermon, they think they have nothing to do at Church.

"Riotous disorderly vice perhaps has been partly checked in some instances; and I hope the well-disposed have been assisted and strengthened. But after all, I have done little. The Sunday School has done some good. It has brought a few under religious impressions for the present. But the trial is, what they will be when they are old enough to enter into life: for a school is a seminary of hope, not of actual virtue. By the numbers of our Sunday School, I might say it has grown very much. The obedient, virtuous, well-trained young Christians who belong to it, are a much smaller portion.

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'My practice is to write a sermon every week; sometimes two; which I try to adapt as closely as I can to the wants of my hearers. To present Scripture Truth in its purity, and make it clear and edifying in the manner of its application, is a work which costs me pains and care. I would fain preach for some good."

It was at this period of his life that he preached and published his Discourses on Prophecy, and upon that