Mr. Knox, will instantly recognize its fidelity: they who did not know him, will feel, that the man thus faithfully depicted, should not, as, indeed, he cannot, pass unheeded to the tomb; 'even in his ashes live his wonted fires' and every enlightened observer of human nature, will love to look upon so bright a specimen of its improved state, in all his native simplicity; his mind in its every-day dress, his very air and countenance almost restored to life,.. such as the writer has viewed them a thousand times, such as, at this moment, they seem to rise before him!

But, had he no imperfections, no weaknesses, no infirmities? Reader, what human being is without them? But his were such, as never interfered with christian excellence. Be it only your constant effort, to live as he lived, and to die as he died, .. and then, assuredly, you will neither live nor die in vain.

East Hill, Wandsworth.

J. L.

The editor feels assured, that he will be more than excused, for having, in this introduction, extracted so much, from the correspondence, and conversation, of his departed friend: the truth is, that, had he not kept in view the retiring modesty, which always characterized that friend, he should, probably, have extracted much more. His feelings have been admirably expressed, by cardinal Quirini, in speaking of the matchless FENELON: ..

'Hærent memoriæ meæ argumenta omnia, quæ, à præsule illo narrata, seu disputata, sitientibus auribus captavi; et prætereà, quænam ea fuerint, oculis meis nunc fidem faciunt plures ejusdem literæ, quibus nihil stat pretiosius in scriniis meis.'. . COMMENT. HISTOR, DE REB. PERTIN, AD AUG. MAR. CARD. QUIRINUM. 1749.

PREFACE

TO THE

FIRST DUBLIN EDITION.

THE following collection of bishop Burnet's biographical pieces, is made more complete than in any former edition, by the insertion of the sermon at the funeral of Mr. Boyle *; and by a selection of the most interesting characters, in the bishop's history of his own life and times. It may, therefore, on the whole, be recommended to the intelligent and serious public, as one of the most instructive volumes of the biographical kind, that has ever issued from the press.

In the life of sir Matthew Hale, we do not, merely, see a character improved and adorned by the christian graces and virtues, but we behold christianity itself, substantially exemplified. We see its power to convert the soul,' in that radical change which it effects in the youth: while every subsequent action of the man, concurs to prove, that the ideal character of wisdom, which some ancient philosophers described as the mark to be

* A slight transposition of the materials, has been judged proper in this edition: the characters have been placed immediately after the lives; and the address to posterity, after the sermon for Mr. Boyle, as a general conclusion to the whole. ED.

aimed at, though without any hope of attainment, is, in all its valuable features, actually realized in the true christian.

What, but christianity could have given to judge Hale that uniform ascendancy over every thing selfish and secular, by means of which, he so undeviatingly kept the path of pure heroic virtue, as to be alike looked up to and revered, by parties and interests the most opposite to each other? Is there, in human history, any fact more extraordinary, than, that the advocate of Strafford and Laud, and of king Charles, (had leave been given for pleading,) should be raised to the bench, by Cromwell? And again, that a judge of Cromwell's should be, not only reinstated by Charles II., but compelled by him, against his own will, to accept of the very highest judicial trust? Such is the triumph of genuine Christianity! a triumph, which is, in some degree, renewed, whenever the name of Hale is even professionally repeated: since the appeal is evidently made, not more to the authority of the judge, than to the integrity of the man. If Burnet had never written more, than the life of sir Matthew Hale, this alone would have entitled him to the gratitude of the christian world : there being no work of the kind, better worth the study, whether of the professional, or private man; of all, who would truly learn, how to live, or how to die.

Respecting the passages in the life of the earl of Rochester, nothing could easily be added to the encomium of Dr. Johnson: It is a work, which the critic ought to read, for its elegance; the phi

losopher, for its arguments; and the saint, for its piety. It were an injury to the reader, to offer him an abridgment.'

In the sermon at Mr. Boyle's funeral, we have an exquisite delineation of the true christian philo. sopher. We see a most enlightened, and powerful mind, penetrating the yet unexplored recesses of nature; opening new paths to profound and useful science; and aiding future investigation, by admirable inventions. Who is there, that pretends to scientific knowledge, even in this age of arrogant self-esteem, who would venture to withhold respect from the venerable name of BOYLE? Yet, we see this great and good man, bowing before his God, with the humility of a child; never pronouncing the hallowed name, without some mark of unaffected veneration; and counting all his knowledge of physical nature, to be but infant ignorance, compared with that heavenly wisdom, which he sought, and found, in the sacred volumes of Revelation. The portraiture of such a man, executed by one who was qualified to do it ample justice, both from intimate knowledge, and congenial feeling, well deserves to be rescued from obscurity; especially at a time, when the baleful effects of science falsely so called,' have made it necessary to recur to the only genuine philosophy, . . the WISDOM FROM

ABOVE.

The shorter extracts which are added, scarcely need to be recommended to attention. As sketches of character, they cannot fail to be interesting; since, they, not only, have that strength which always

glowing, yet mellowed richness of colouring, then only observable, when the subjects were eminent for that goodness, to which his own heart was devoted. This remark will be verified, in all the characters which have been selected, but above all, in that of the apostolic LEIGHTON; than whom, since the very earliest age of the church, christianity never had a more perfect votary, or a more illustrious ornament. An over-recluseness of temper seems to have been his only foible: but, as this did not abate his liberality toward those of other habits, so, it was amply compensated by that sublimity of piety, which placed him, as it were,

In regions mild of calm and serene air,

Above the smoke and stir of this dim spot,

Which men call earth.'

It was thought this collection could not be better concluded, than with the bishop's own parting exhortation, with which he ends that admirable set of counsels to posterity, subjoined to the History of his Own Times. So noble, and, at the same time, so comprehensive a view of practical piety, perhaps, has in no other instance, proceeded from an uninspired pen. It is not too much to say, that no piece of human writing more truly deserves to be familiarized to every eye, and to be engraven on every heart.

Dublin, Nov. 17. 1803.