Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/429

 ATTERBURY. bifhnpof Wiivhefter; thodr in the two laft were publifhed attc-r his death, by Dr. Th Mocire, his lordfljip'i ch-.plain [H I. Four aiimininlc " Vifitatioa chaises," accom- pany his " Kpi(io!ary Cone i e." A to liilliop AtUTlniry's character, howcvrr'thc moral and political part of it may have been differently reprell-nttd by the oppofiu- parties, it is universally agreed, that he was a man of great learning arcl uncommon abilities, a fine writer, and a mod excellent preacher [i]. [H] The editor, in excufe of himfeif, his writing, to his feveral promotions for nut publiihing a greater number of in the Church. We (lull conclude the iJifliou's t'olHuimous Sermons, fince Bifliop Atterbury'a character, as a. i i. in. i 35$ every (.>!)'_ will naturally conclude that he left a great many more behind 1 nn, having been a contKint preacher about twenty years, and an occ-ificnal one a pr.-nt lical longer i tills us, in his pre- face, that the true re. 1 . fun of his not cio-
 * n_i ic was this : " He (the 1'ifhio}

" luint a good many ot them himlelf " at I'-nis, and, by a wri'.i'-g found " among what were lift, figr.ified, that " printed ; fo that, without acling " his own performances, of hirh he " was cen.unly the beft judge, no more " to be publifhcd : and it being from 41 ther.ci. refolvid, that no more fhould, " the only effectual way (adds the edi- " tor) was, to commit the reft to the " flames : which wa? accordingly d >nc, " in my preferice, by William Moric", ' l Efqj his dutiful and worthy lon-in- [l] His (carried friend Smalridgr, in the Ipt-ei-h hi nude, when he prefenied him to the (Jpp-r Houfj if >.onv. ca- tion, as Prolocutor, ftyUs him " Vir 44 in nullo liicrarum genere liolper, ir " (.lerifque Artibus et Sludiis diu et " teliciter cxercitatus, in maxime per- " feif literarum dil iplinis perfedVif- " fimiii." Jn his controverli.il wal- ing?, he wa? fometimes too fcvere upon hi^ . ' id dealt rather too much in IV ire ,md inveftr. .;: but tins hi? pane- j,yi to tl'.e n:i'.c:v.! f^r- o: ot his wit, than to any bitternefs of temper, or p-.-fnfe malice. In his Ser- mons, however, he i: not i ;-.'y every .iy unexceptionable, but hir.hly to be com- mented. The tr.:th ir, his talent as a
 * ' thefe were the only ones fit to be
 * ' contraiy to the ft', (hop's opinion of
 * ' could, and therefore no in; re ought
 * ' law and executor."

preacher, with the encomium beflowcd on him by the author of " The Tat- k-r ;" wlv>, having obferved that theN 66, En^lifli clergy too much neglecl the art of (peaking, makes a particular excep- tion with regard to our prelate; who, fays he, "has fo particular a regard to his " congregation, that he commits to his " memory what he has to fay to them ; " and has fo loft and graceful a beha- " viour, that it muft attraft your at- " tention. His perfon," continues this author, " it is to be confeff^d, is " no fmall recommendation ; but he is 4{ to be highly commended for not " lofing that advantage, and adding to " propriety of fpeech (which might " pifs the criticifm of Longinus), aa adlion which would h.ive been ap- 44 proved by Deinofthenes. He has a " peculiar force in his way, and has 4< many of his audience, who could not " be intelligent hearers of his dif- " couri'e, were there no explanation as 11 weil as grace in his action. This ' art of his is ufed with the moft ex.idt " and honeft ikili. He never attempts " your pafhons, till he has convinced " your realon. All the objections ' which you can form, are laid open c and dilperfed, before he ufes the leaft <( vehemence ir. his Sermon ; bin when 44 he thinks he has your head, he very " foon wins your heart, and never prc- ' tends to (hew the Uauly of hclinois, 4 ' till he haj convinced you of the truth <4 of it." In his letters to Pipe, 'cc. Bi/hop Atterbury appears in a pleafing light, both as a wiitcr and as a m.-.n. In eafe and elegance they are fuperior to thofe of Fc.pe, which are more ftudied. There aie in them feveral i . excellent md ;n.ukjb!c, bc.mtiiul rti jivnces to iheciaffics. The Bifhop excelled in hisallufiooito facred as well a: . jihors. that it n-i-y not improperly be l.iid, that be >>v.id his preferment to the pulpit, nor ppy hard r...it -. to trace him, 6 ATT1CUS,