healed; subject to violent reactions; indignant at all tyranny of opinion and carried to extremes of resistance, and even of retaliation, where liberty of conscience was concerned. He probably found, that he derived the most valuable assistance from these colloquies, and trusted that, in the composition of his lectures, he could make all the proper deductions for Mr. Blanco White's excesses of opinion, of expression, or of temper. It was natural, at least, that he should make the attempt.

When the course of lectures had been preached, and at length published, it was obvious at once to all who had been familiar with Mr. Blanco White's conversation, that one was only a version of the other. The subjects, the theories, the key words, the books, the very passages were common to the lecturer and the talker. It was evident to several individuals, that what Mr. Blanco White had been frequently urging them to take in hand, Dr. Hampden had at length the industry, the resolution, or the courage to essay. They recognised at once that attempt to apply the Baconian induction to the "scriptural fact," in which poor Mr. Blanco White had long been floundering. They recognised the very letter of the arguments and illustrations urged by Mr. Blanco White against the definitions, distinctions, and conclusions of the schools. That gentleman had some time before undertaken for the 'Theological Library,' a 'History of the Inquisition,' which he had early developed into a history of religious dogmatism from the Apostolic age. We possess the fruits of his labours in his Observations on Heresy and Orthodoxy.' Some time before this he had also determined to publish a translation of Aristotle's 'Organon,' with notes and illustrations from the human mind, and from the ancient and medieval modes of thought. Before 1832 he had completed his notes; or, at least, had written as much matter as it would be expedient to publish. The translation, however, flagged. Neither has appeared that we know of. Not long after this he actually published 'The Law of Anti-Religious Libel Re-considered.' These works we mention to account for the peculiar turn of Mr. Blanco White's reading and speculations in 1831-1832. He had also been reading with enthusiasm, and urging upon his visitors, Guizot's History,' and Victor Cousin; of both of whom, as also other French writers, numerous traces appear in the lectures.

While the lectures were in hand, and these confabulations were in progress, Mr. Blanco White frequently alluded to them with considerable excitement as the steps to a great disclosure that would astonish the University. He became nervous, indeed, at the probable recoil of the attempt, but entertained no doubt that a great advance would be made to the overthrow of religious dogmatism. After the delivery of the lectures, he expressed considerable disappointment, and instanced places in the discussion where the lecturer "stopped." His words were "Dr. Hampden is a rising man, and cannot afford to go farther." There is, however, no reason to believe that Dr. Hampden had ever given him real grounds to expect that he would "go farther;" and poor Mr. Blanco White was not unlikely to feel somewhat aggrieved at finding his labours neither openly recognised nor thoroughly effectuated. Those were his expressions, and their tone was not respectful or friendly to Dr. Hampden, though, when the latter became the subject of a theological "persecution," he felt unqualified interest in the fortunes of his temporary pupil.

These lectures we believe to be as much the products of Mr. Blanco White's mind as certain works penned by Xenophon and Plato are virtually the thoughts of Socrates. There is, indeed, a considerable difference of style between the lectures and Mr. Blanco White's published works even on the same subjects; but they who were acquainted with that extraordinary person will remember that he talked and wrote very differently. He spoke with vigour and terseness, and with his eye upon his subject. When he took up his pen, however, he became immediately surrounded and enfeebled by the gloomy shades of his mental experience, and his many sore grievances with the world. We entertain no doubt that a critical com parison of the Bampton Lectures with Mr. Blanco White's subsequent publications and posthumous Remains will be found to bear out the above

statement.

'The lectures were written in 1831-32. Mr. Blanco White, in his published account of his mental history, says, that from 1829 to the publication of his 'Heresy and Orthodoxy,' in 1835, in which he finally renounced the Trinitarian doctrine, his creed was a " modification of the Sabellian theory," which he explains and pronounces to be a "devout contrivance" that will not bear examination. He discovered that his faith had been really "Unitarianism disguised in words." He subsequently became a Deist, and an anxious, devout, inquiring, and most miserable Deist, he died.

Now, we submit to Dr. Hampden himself, whether these facts do not both require an explanation on his part, and also facilitate it. What is easier than to point out for the benefit of those who may not possess Dr. Hampden's powers of " stopping" in time where he has been led too far by his treacherous guide, where he should have "stopped" rather earlier, where the ground is dangerous, where an argument is presumptuous, or an expression irreverent? By doing this he will neutralize the mischief he may have done, and may still do, and also put a favourable conclusion to this most painful controversy.'

Dr. Hampden in his letter next takes occasion to call attention to his 'devoted service in the ministry of the Gospel for more than a quarter of a century.' He then thinks proper to parallel himself with 'the apostles themselves, following their Lord ' in his persecutions, who were reviled and evil-entreated by 'their brethren.' Also he informs us, that Bull and Hooker suffered under misrepresentations; and enthymematically suggests that he is a persecuted believer also. And finally, that his class was not deserted, nor himself hissed when ascending the pulpit of Christ Church: which assurances, together with the impregnable fact that thousands have heard his Sermons and his Lectures,' we leave in all their modest majesty to speak for themselves, in company with Lord John Russell's. gratifying notification, that he has preached sermons, for which he has been honoured with the approbation of several 'prelates of our Church;' a fact which could only have been extorted from the hesitating and coy confession of the preacher himself.

Into the last division of Dr. Hampden's defence it is simply annoying to follow him. His opponents are infected with the jealousies and heart-burnings of the polemical spirit,' they habitually violate the ninth commandment their objections arise from the corrupt human heart, a warrant for any excess of uncharitableness and even for untruths.' Their charges are 'base,' and 'calumny;' his 'adversaries are reckless,'' prejudiced,' guilty of misrepresentation,' and 'perversion;' are artful, hostile and uncandid,' 'cruel,'' sophistical;' they

6

resort to 'false colouring; they are ' dishonest,' 'invidious,' and act from 'animosity,' and are guilty of 'wrong;' they are anonymous slanderers in newspapers.' And all this he can say while appealing to the All-Seeing God, who tries the heart.' Now the office of a Bishop is, to 'maintain and set forward quietness, love, and peace, among all men.' This florilegium maledictionis, may well speak for itself: we have allowed Dr. Hampden to be his own portrait-painter; he has projected his own image: he has supplied his own illumination and attitude: and there is no likeness so severely faithful as that of the photograph.

But there are some omissions in this letter to which we must in justice advert. First, there is not a word of retractation-not a word of regret, that through his unfortunate style the peace of the Church has been disturbed-not a syllable of sympathy for those who were likely to incur loss of worldly goods for a conscientious suspicion of the soundness of his writings. No, Dr. Merewether's 'corrupt human heart' has led him to risk shipwreck of peace and family duties, and the noble work of rebuilding his cathedral-possibly to forego station and honour, even the very means of life for the sake of indulging, we suppose, in 'base calumny' and 'reckless prejudice.' Why-we earnestly ask, does Dr. Hampden now maintain his sullen silence? Why does he cling to the promotion which he knows can never be completed, if completed at all, without such a mass of complicated suffering and distress, and contumely, and rebuke and blasphemy, separation and sin, as would make the very coldest heart uneasy and melancholy in contemplating it? Where is the conscience-where is the self-denial, where the patient suffering, which can behold all this unmoved and unappealing? Could not Dr. Hampden himself have some considerafor this? Does he delight in forecasting the chains which are to be riveted for the Church? Does the ring of anvil and forge in his ears please him? and, so long as he mounts the throne, is he indifferent to peace?

To conclude: the Oxford censure was 'an unworthy proceeding'-Dr. Hampden is not 'under the censure of the University' it is an illegal measure.'1 Not only does he know,

1 Thomassin, tom. ii. p. 648 (of the French edition), considers universities as founded by Bishops; and he especially instances the University of Paris, which he regards as the model and type of all Universities; and therefore he concludes that theological censures belong to them in right of their constitution. Du Boulay (Bulæus), who wrote the 'History of the University of Paris, gives instances of the exercise of this right. Antony à Wood mentions several Oxford condemnations of the Lollards, and says that the Pope gave the University power to license preachers. The famous Oxford Decree is well known. Another case is remarkably parallel to Dr. Hampden's. Arthur Bury was Prebendary of Exeter, Rector

none more accurately, that the particular form of the privilegium was submitted to by its promoters, and was actually planned by his personal associates and friends, only in, mistaken we fear, deference to his own feelings, and with a laxity, yet tenderness, of expression of which he now adroitly avails himself, but which was then hoped might alleviate the pain which it could not but inflict: but yet more, he knows that the first impulse of an honourable and generous heart when labouring under an unfounded imputation is instantly to have the case decided by law. The law is open: has he ever named the venue-has he challenged a 'legal' measure? in what way would he like the University to express a worthy judgment or, if he has all along thought its judgment in any form illegal, courts of law would have condemned it has he appealed to the Queen in her courts of Westminster? He appealed to the Archbishop, and when that prelate's judgment, in a published correspondence, was declared against him, did he reply in other terms than those scarcely short of rebuke? If Dr. Hampden has been illegally judged, what steps has he taken to set the judgment aside? Once, indeed, he appealed to the very tribunal which condemned him, thereby admitting its competency, and he only gained a repetition of it. While many premiers have promoted many Bishops unqualified, and while Lord John Russell has the distinction of having selected the only man in England who was disqualified, it would have been more dignified and worthy of his responsible station to have compelled his nominee to prove that such disqualification-which while it remains unreversed is a fact-was illegal. A verdict is not undone by railing at it, and calling the judge and jury knaves and fools; but it can always be set aside by a new trial, or a Court of Error.

And here, as far as Dr. Hampden is concerned, this history must leave him, with the fact that the election at Hereford is not canonically completed, and cannot be confirmed in the Archbishop's Court. The case itself is beginning to be understood: Dr. Hampden himself has long since been understood: and the noble conduct of Dean Merewether and Canon Huntingford, and the lustre which such a manly conscientious deed sheds upon the whole Church, is even now candidly and honestly owned by portions of the daily press which have been hitherto among Dr. Hampden's most strenuous supporters. There can be but one opinion both of that act and of the final issue of a cause of which it forms the most distinguished event: and that is, at the very lowest, a most hopeful and an encouraging one.

These great struggles tell a high lesson of faith and patience. Commenced simply under an intolerable and burning sense of painful yet imperious duty, with only a partial and immediate application, they must end, if pursued in singleness and sincerity of heart, in good issues. Who could have thought that such high and enthusiastic displays of feeling, as we have lately had, could have been elicited by one dull mischievous book? Weget into fixed habits of thought and assumption-cold and ungenerous ones that our actual modes and forms of constriction and conventionalities are tied down by some iron necessity-that nothing can break through the hard system of centuries. And then a single act of duty breaks the fatal spell-the world of unrealities, and sophistries, and make-shifts, is disenchanted, and high thoughts come into the Church's mind. And these things, now as ever, tell upon the world and win even its reluctant applause; and the Church's inner life comes out; and the cold mist of apathy lifts, and the bright blue heavens and sharp mountain peaks of progress are disclosed. Such is the might and mystery of duty and self-sacrifice. Deeds of duty cannot be explained away; few try to do it; none succeed in such a misrepresentation. Even now it may be that complete success will not crown the present events: a compromise may ensue: modifications, not a break up, of the system are to be immediately expected, or are to be wished for. Old feelings and stages of thought must die out: they are at present moribund and tottering, but not dead. And yet the real substantial victory is ours: hearts are strengthenedcalumny and misunderstanding are put to silence. Our position is decided. We know Whose we are, and Who is with us. It is by protests, struggles, hoping against hope, by resolute endurance, by winning even a single difficult post and maintaining it, that its triumphs of faith are achieved by the Church. In the thrilling heart, and kindling eye, and burning words of confidence and hope in friends are to be sought the substantial fruits of toil. And if these are already ours-as who shall deny? -the ingathering of the harvest of which such are the firstfruits, may be left to other hands to garner: and for all the disappointments, and disasters, and checks, and downcast thoughts of the past we may well consent to be thankful.

٦٠