The benevolence of our author is very conspicuous in his last will, in favour of his widow and son; in which he commands them to extend that beneficence to his poor relations, which they always found from him; and not to suffer any of those to want, whose necessitous merit, had shared in all the external advantages he possessed.  As he may be proposed (considered meerly as a writer) for an example worthy of imitation; so in the character of a dignified clergyman, he has likewise a claim to be copied in those retired and private virtues, in those acts of beneficence and humility, and that unaffected and primitive piety, for which he was justly distinguished.

[Footnote 1:  Elegy in a Country Church-Yard, by Mr. Grey.]

[Footnote 2:  Mr. Cooper, in his ingenious work entitled the Life of Socrates, speaks in a very different strain of the bishop’s History of the Royal Society, which he calls a ‘Fustian History!’ and adds, that ’it was esteemed an excellent competition by the metaphor-hunting mob of silly writings in Charles II’s reign.’]

* * * * *

CHARLES MONTAGUE (Earl of HALLIFAX)

Was born the 16th of April 1661, and received the rudiments of his education at Westminster-school:  From thence he was removed to Trinity-College in Cambridge, where by the brightness of his parts he was early distinguished; and coming to town soon after the death of king Charles the IId. he contracted an intimacy with the earl of Dorset, Sir Charles Sedley, and other wits of the age.  After the accession of king William and queen Mary, having attached himself to the revolution interest, he was sworn one of the council:  He served in parliament for the cities of Durham, and Westminster, at different times, and distinguished himself by his speeches in the House of Commons, on several important affairs.  He was constituted one of the lords commissioners of the treasury, on the 21st of March 1691, and soon after sworn of the privy-council.  In 1694 he was made chancellor and under treasurer of the exchequer.[1] In the year 1695, when the nation was distress’d, by the ill-state of the current coin of this kingdom, he projected the new coining of the silver money; and by his great prudence, and indefatigable industry brought it to bear.  He likewise proposed the issuing exchequer bills, to supply the great scarcity of money, which has since been made use of to the great benefit of the nation.  On the 16th of February, 1697.8, the House of Commons, came to a resolution, ’That it is the opinion of this house, that the honourable Charles Montague, Esq; chancellor of the exchequer, for his good services to this government, does deserve his majesty’s favour.’  His next concern, was the trade to the East-Indies; the settlement of which had been long depending, and was looked on as so nice, and difficult, that it had been referred to the king and council, and from them