CHAPTER IV.

Butler raised to the see of Bristol.-Letter to Sir R. Walpole.Some passages in that letter explained.-Made Dean of St. Paul's.- Resigns Stanhope, and stall at Rochester.Bishop of Exeter's letter to Dr. Goddard.-Butler's habits at Stanhope.-Observations on the anecdote of the importunity of beggars.-Bishop Van Mildert's anecdote of Butler at Stanhope.-Mrs. Talbot and her daughter at Stanhope.Correspondence between Butler and Lord Kaimes.-David Hume wishes to be introduced to Butler.-Hume's letters to Kaimes about Butler.-Gives a living to his first tutor, Philip Barton.-Ordains his nephew Joseph, and presents him to the living of Shadwell.-Story of his displeasure at his Nephew's first text.-Presents him to the prebend of Islington.-Butler made Clerk of the Closet to the King.-Proceedings at Bristol. Erects a cross in the private chapel.-Henry Martyn's remark.-Anecdote of Butler by Dean Tucker.-Notice of Dean Tucker.

BUTLER having been strongly recommended to the favour of the king, by the deceased queen, and also by the lord chancellor Talbot, the brother of his early friend, it is not surprising that the weight of such influence, together with the unanimous voice of the learned public, which was loud in his favour, should speedily advance him to the Episcopal Bench. It will be accordingly found that in the autumn of the year after the death of the queen, upon the see of Bristol becoming vacant by the translation of Dr. Gooch to the see of Norwich, the author of the Analogy

was promoted to that high dignity; and as his memoranda book shows, was consecrated to it on the 3d of December, 1738. Upon receiving a communication upon the subject, from the minister of the day, Sir Robert Walpole, Butler wrote the following characteristic reply.

"Sir,

"Stanhope, August 28, 1738.

"I received yesterday, from your own hand, (an honour which I ought very particularly to acknowledge,) the information that the king had nominated me to the bishoprick of Bristol. I most truly think myself very highly obliged to his Majesty, as much, all things considered, as any subject in his dominions; for, I know no greater obligation, than to find the queen's condescending goodness and kind intentions towards me, transferred to his Majesty. Nor is it possible, while I live, to be without the most grateful sense of his favour to me, whether the effects of it be greater or less; for, this must in some measure depend upon accidents. Indeed, the bishoprick of Bristol is not very suitable either to the condition of my fortune, or the circumstances of my preferment; nor, as I should have thought, answerable to the recommendation with which I was honoured. But you will excuse me, sir, if I think of this last with greater sensibility than the conduct of affairs will admit of.

"But without entering further into detail, I

desire, sir, you will please to let his Majesty know, that I humbly accept this instance of his favour with the utmost possible gratitude.

"I beg leave, also, sir, to return you my humble thanks for your good offices upon this, and all occasions; and for your very obliging expressions of regard to,

Sir,

Your most obedient, most faithful,

and most humble Servant,

JOSEPH BUTLER."

"By means of my distance from Durham, I had not yours, sir, till yesterday, so that this is the first post I could answer it."

The conscientious mind of Butler was uneasy under the pressure of duties which he could not discharge to his own satisfaction; and this led to his stipulation with the lord chancellor Talbot, upon being appointed his chaplain, that he should be allowed to pass half the year amongst his parishioners at Stanhope. The same feeling of doubt, as to the compatibility of the new duties awaiting him in the episcopal character, with a due attention to those already devolving upon him, arose in his mind, when he contemplated the relative distance between London, Bristol, and Stanhope; each of which places would urge its claims upon him; and when, moreover, from the poverty of the see of Bristol, which did not

yield 4007. per annum, it would be out of his power to preside over that diocese, if he resigned the benefice which supplied him with the larger part of his income. This view of the case suggested his remark to Sir R. Walpole, that "the bishoprick of Bristol was not very suitable either to the condition of his fortune, or the circumstances of his preferment;" and it will presently appear, that he took the earliest practicable opportunity of escaping from the difficulty in which he was thereby placed, by relinquishing his parochial charge, which he could no longer satisfactorily superintend.

Little more than a year elapsed from his consecration to the see of Bristol, before the deanery of St. Paul's became vacant; when the king presented him to this new dignity, early in the spring of 1740, and he was installed upon the 24th of May. No sooner, therefore, was he in possession of the deanery of St. Paul's, than he resigned the valuable living of Stanhope, and also gave up his prebendal stall at Rochester. He thereby relieved himself from the pressure of duties which were incompatible with his other avocations, and confined himself entirely to his engagements in London, and to those of his episcopal charge. Of the private life and habits of Butler, during his long seclusion and periodical residence at Stanhope, few traces remain. He appears to have possessed the respect and veneration of his parishioners, in

a high degree, and to have returned their regard with sincere cordiality and affection.

In a letter from the present Lord Bishop of Exeter, Dr. Philpotts, to the archdeacon of Lincoln, Dr. Goddard, are the following allusions to Butler, at Stanhope:

"My dear Sir,

"Exeter, Jan. 25, 1835.

"I earnestly wish I could justify the report made to you by the provost of Oriel, that I could supply you with several anecdotes of Bishop Butler. The truth, however, is, that although tantalized by seeming opportunities of acquiring some information respecting the private life and habits of one, to whom I have been accustomed to look up as the greatest of uninspired men, I have been mortified by my almost entire failure. In the rectory of Stanhope, I was successor to him after an interval of eighty years; and one of my earliest employments there, was to search for reliques of my illustrious predecessor. I was assured, that an old parishioner, who, with a tolerably clear memory, had reached the age of ninety-three or ninety-four, recollected him well. To him I frequently went, and in almost all my conversations, endeavoured to elicit something respecting Rector Butler.' He remembered him well-but, as I ought, perhaps, to have anticipated, could tell me nothing for what chance was there, that one who was a joiner's apprentice, of thirteen years of age,