brought in on the 7th of May, read a second time on the 8th, committed on the 10th, and sent down to the House of Commons on the 13th*. But the unfairness of this facetious nobleman, in matters which relate to religion and the bishops, is too well known to require further notice.

Sir James Mackintosh had the remark of Lord Orford, respecting Bishop Butler, in view, when, in allusion to the anxiety of George II., to confer distinction upon those whom his exemplary consort honoured, he said, "The king was desirous of inserting the name of the queen's metaphysical favourite (Bishop Butler), in the Regency Bill of seventeen hundred and fifty-one."

There is a passage in one of Secker's sermons, upon the subject of slander, the justice of which will be universally admitted :-" One raises a story to divert the company at the expense of a person, who, it may be, hath not given the least ground for it. A second catches what he hears; perhaps believes it too hastily; perhaps does not believe, but tells it notwithstanding. A third fills it up with plausible circumstances; the general voice repeats it; and then, what every body says passes for certain. If the composition of it be seasoned with a small spice of wit, it is universally relished, but there is almost always at the bottom of this

* Vide Hansard's Parliamentary Debates, 1751, p. 998, and Dodington's Diary.

practice, a latent malignity of heart against our fellow creatures."-Vol. i. p. 153.

Bishop Butler, in his admirable sermon on the Government of the Tongue, has so accurately traced this evil habit to its source; and has so clearly unfolded the process by which it is sometimes conducted, that the following extract from the discourse in question cannot be deemed out of place. Of "TALKATIVENESS," that is, "a disposition to be talking, abstracted from the consideration of what is to be said; with very little or no regard to, or thought of, doing either good or harm," he observes;

"It is perhaps true, that they who are addicted to this folly, would choose to confine themselves to trifles and indifferent subjects, and so intend only to be guilty of being impertinent: but as they cannot go on for ever talking of nothing, as common matters will not afford a sufficient fund for perpetual continued discourse: when subjects of this kind are exhausted, they will go on to defamation, scandal, divulging of secrets, their own secrets, as well as those of others; anything rather than be silent. They are plainly hurried on, in the heat of their talk, to say quite different things from what they first intended, and which they afterwards wish unsaid; or improper things, which they had no other end in saying, but only to afford employment to their tongue. And if these people expect to be heard and regarded, for there are

some content merely with talking, they will invent to engage your attention: and, when they have heard the least imperfect hint of an affair, they will out of their own head, add the circumstances of time and place, and other matters to make out their story, and give the appearance of probability to it: not that they have any concern about being believed, otherwise than as a means of being heard.

"And further, when persons, who indulge themselves in these liberties of the tongue, are in any degree offended with another, as little disgusts and misunderstandings will be, they allow themselves to defame and revile such an one without any moderation or bounds; though the offence is so very slight, that they themselves would not do, nor perhaps wish him an injury in any other way. And in this case, the scandal and revilings are chiefly owing to talkativeness, and not bridling their tongue; and so come under our present subject. The least occasion in the world, will make the humour break out, in this particular way, or in another. It is like a torrent, which must and will flow; but the least thing imaginable will, first of all, give it either this or another direction, turn it into this or that channel: or like a fire; the nature of which, when in a heap of combustible matter, is to spread and lay waste all around; but any one of a thousand little accidents will occasion it to break out first, either in this or another particular part."

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CHAPTER IX.

Butler at Hampstead.-Painted glass in his mansion there.Some of it presented to Oriel College.-Secker often at Hampstead with Butler.-Miss Talbot's allusion to their frequent intercourse.-Bishop Benson's ditto.-Alterations at the Castle at Durham, and Auckland.-Munificent subscription to the County Hospital.-Butler's habits at Durham.-His view of ecclesiastical revenues.-Anecdote of his liberality.-Ditto of his simple mode of living, when alone. His rule for disposing of preferment.-Did not prefer his relatives as such.-Reverend Jonathan Butler. Remark of his nephew, John Butler.-Butler's delicacy of feeling in his memoranda book.-His diligence in investigating character.-His fondness for music.

DURING the latter years of Butler's life he resided, when attending his duties in parliament, at Hampstead, in a mansion which he purchased and retained until his decease. This house was formerly the residence of Sir Henry Vane, by whom it was erected, and who was taken from thence to the Tower, prior to his execution on the 14th of June, 1662. The bishop ornamented some of the windows of his mansion with a considerable quantity of painted glass, consisting of various scriptural subjects, some of which were beautifully executed, with inscriptions in old English characters, of the date of 1571. There were figures of the apostles, with their names in Latin in small oblong squares, which were re

ported by local tradition to have been presented to him by the Pope: a tradition which might possibly have grown out of the attack upon the Durham Charge, and have been employed as another link in the chain to prove Bishop Butler a papist! There were also modern pieces of inferior workmanship, of a small oval shape; and one circular painting representing St. Paul seated, and surrounded by rich gothic sculpture, circumscribed, "Sigillum Com'une Decani et Capituli Eccl'ie Pauli London."

In the upper story of the house was a very large apartment, since divided into several smaller ones, and extending along the whole floor of the edifice, which was used as the bishop's library. Many of the apartments were hung with tapestry. Although this house has been considerably altered since the author of the Analogy resided in it, it retains enough of its original character to render it an interesting object. The back part, entrance hall, and carved staircase, for many years had undergone no material change. The garden was laid out in the ancient style, with an avenue of elms at the termination of it. An adjoining house, which has been entirely modernized, was formed out of the offices attached to the bishop's mansion; and this, too, contained painted glass in several of the windows, being a continuation of the Scriptural series alluded to.

Such was Butler's mansion, according to the