"Multum habent folicitudinis, non parum "forfan invidiæ, veræ delectationis nihil, nifi

66

quoties occurrit, occurrit autem raro, infig"nis benefaciendi occafio*." Thefe were not mere Words of Courfe; they were the genuine Sentiments of his Heart; his whole Conduct bore Teftimony to the Sincerity with which he spoke. He had never once through his whole Life afked Preferment for himself, nor fhewn any unbecoming Eagerness for it; and the Use he made of his newly acquired Dignity very clearly fhewed, that Rank, and Wealth, and Power had in no other Light any Charms for him, than as they enlarged the Sphere of his active and industrious Benevolence.

The firft Thing that engaged his Attention was the Care of his new Diocefe, which he immediately visited. And finding that partly the real, and partly the prefumed, Unwholesomeness of fome Parts of it had deterred too many from living on their Benefices, he made this the firft Article of his Charge, and preffed the Neceffity of Refidence upon his Clergy, in the ftrongest, yet most affectionate Terms +.

* Oratio Synodalis, p. 368, 369.

+ First Charge to the Diocese of Canterbury, p. 207-219.

But

But whenever particular Circumstances rendered the perfonal Prefence of the Minifter himself clearly impracticable, he then carneftly recommended peculiar Care in the Choice of a Subftitute; and fo much Tenderness and Liberality in the Provifion made for him as might be fome Compensation for the Unhealthinefs or Difagreeableness of his Situation.* Yet as

this would, he knew, bear hard on fome Incumbents, whofe fmall Preferments, or narrow Circumftances, or numerous Families obliged them to obtain Help on as eafy Terms as they well could; in fuch Cafes he frequently made an Addition himself to the Curate's Salary, and as a ftill further Encouragement, rewarded occafionally with Preferment, thofe who had refided long upon their Cures, and performed their Duty well; efpecially in unwholefomé Places.

In little more than two Years after his Grace's Promotion to the See of Canterbury, died the late King GEORGE the Second. Of what paffed on that Occafion, and of the Form obferved in proclaiming our prefent moft gracious Sovereign, (in which the Arch

Firft Charge to the Diocese of Canterbury, p. 219-222.

bishop of Course took the Lead) his Grace has left an Account in Writing. He did the fame with regard to the fubfequent Ceremonials of marrying and crowning their prefent Majefties, which in Confequence of his Station he had the Honour to folemnize, and in which he found a great Want of proper Precedents and Directions. He had before, when Rector of St. James's, baptized the new King, (who was born in that Parish) and he was afterwards called upon to perform the fame Office for the greatest Part of his Majefty's Children;-a remarkable, and perhaps unexampled, Concurrence of fuch Incidents in the Life of one Man.

From the Time that he was made Dean of St. Paul's, his late Majefty used to speak to him at his Levee occafionally, but with no particular Marks of Diftinction. But after he became Archbishop, the King treated him with much Kindness, and on one Occafion was pleased to affure him very particularly, that he was perfectly satisfied with the Whole of his Conduct in that Station. And furely his Majefty, as well as all his People, has good Reason to be fo. For never did any. one support the Rank, or discharge the various Duties, of a Metropolitan, with more true Dignity, Wisdom,

and

and Moderation, than Archbishop SECKER*. He confidered himself as the natural Guardian, not only of that Church, over which he prefided, but of Learning, Virtue, and Religion at large; and, from the Eminence on which he was placed, looked round with a watchful Eye on every Thing that concerned them, embracing readily all fit Opportunities to pro-. mote their Interefts, and oppofing, as far as he was able, all Attempts to injure them.

Men of real Genius or extenfive Knowledge, he fought out and encouraged. Even those of humbler Talents, provided their Industry was great, and their Intentions good, he treated with Kindness and Condefcenfion. Both Sorts he would frequently employ in Undertakings fuited to their respective Abilities, and rewarded them in Ways fuited to their respective Wants, He affifted them with Books, promoted Sub

Ecquâ vero in parte fpem noftram fefellit? imo vero exfuperavit. Sine offenfione partium, fine invidiâ, fine ambitione, ecclefiæ principatum adeptus, fine arrogantiâ cum dignitate verâ fuftinuit; magni vir animi, & verè axixos, qui politiam ecclefiafticam animo complectebatur, confilio dirigebat, auctoritate tuebatur, exemplo ornabat; in negotiis impiger & indefeffus, nihil a fe alienum putabat quod ad clericorum jura, mores, famamque pertinebat; auctoritate ita ufus ut nihil pro libidine aut infolentiâ imperii affectaret, fed omnia ad oxodo communefque ecclefiæ utilitates referret. Johannis Burton ad amicum epiftola, p. 14. Printed at Oxford, in 1768, and fold by

RIVINGTON.

scriptions

scriptions to their Works, contributed largely to them himself, talked with them on their private Concerns, entered warmly into their Interefts, ufed his Credit for them with the Great, gave them Preferments of his own. He expended upwards of £.300, in arranging and improving the Manuscript Library at Lambeth. And having obferved with Concern, that the Library of printed Books in that Palace had received no Acceffions fince the Time of Archbishop TENNISON, he made it his Bufinefs to collect Books in all Languages from moft Parts of Europe at a very great Expence, with a View of supplying that Chafm; which he accordingly did, by leaving them to the Library at his Death, and thereby rendered that Collection one of the nobleft and most ufeful in the Kingdom.

All Designs and Inftitutions that tended to advance good Morals and true Religion he patronized with Zeal and Generofity. He contributed largely to the Maintenance of Schools for the Poor, to rebuilding or repairing Parfonage Houses and Places of Worship, and gave at one Time no less than £.500 towards erecting a Chapel in the Parish of Lambeth, to which he afterwards added near £.100

more.

To the Society for promoting Chrif