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    contained in two'Ctf his chapters ^ coul d not be repelled . My answer bad a great tun , and is still sought after , though it was only a month ' s work in the long" vacation . But if I bad been longer about it , though 1 might have stuffed it with more learning ,

    and made it more bulky , I am not certain thai I should have made it better . The manner in which I had treated Mr . Gibbon , displeased some of the doughty polemics of the time ; they were angry with me for not having bespattered him with a portion of that theological dirt , which Warhurton

    had so liberally thrown at his antagonists . One of that gentleman ' s greatest admirers , ( Bishop Huid , ) was even so uncandid as to entertain , from the gentleness of my language , a suspicion of my sincerity ; saying of the Apology , it was well enough ifltoas in earnest" Pp . 60 , 61 .

    Of a variety of complimentary letters that Dr . Watson received on the publication of the Apology , he has inserted one from Dr . Jebb , of whom , warmed as appears by the panegyric which it contains , he says that he is desirous that " his name should go down to posterity as his friend . "

    Two friendly notes passed between Mr . Gibbon and Dr . Watson , on this occasion y and when the historian replied to his various antagonists in 1779 , he treated Dr . Watson with great courtesy * who sent him a friendly

    Jetter , in which there is this passage , agreeing with one which we have already quoted ( p . 52 ) , " I have no Jiope of a future existence * except that which is grounded on the truth of Christianity "

    u This letter was published in Mr . GibbotTs Miscellaneous Works and Life , in 1796 , and no sooner published than noticed by the king ' , who spoke tome of it at his levee , calling * it an odd letter . I did not immediately recollect the purport of it *

    but on His Majesty s repeating his observation , it occurred to me , and I instantly said to him , that I had frequently met with respectable men who cherished an expectation of a future state , though they rejected Christianity as an imposture , and that I thought my publicly declaring- that

    I was of a contrary opinion might perhaps induce Mr . Gibbon , and other suchhie , n , to make a deeper investigation into itie Iruth of religion than they had hitherto done . His Majesty expressed hiinself perfectly satisfied , both with my opinion and

    with iny motive for mentioning- it to Mr . < Gibfeo > r PpV 6 dj 67 . Ifl . the eflbits that were made about - 0 M * ' "tiratt ) by tfr& various eounticp of

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    England ; to rouse the legislature to attempt to / diminish the influence of the Crown , Dr . Watson took a distinguished part . Seeing an ambiguous advertisement of a County Reciting , published by the Sheriff of

    Huntingdonshire , where as Regius Professor of Divinity he had considerable property , he wrote two letters to the Duke of Manchester ; then Lord Lieutenant of the County , which he has preserved , and which are worthy of the place which they occupy . In the

    second letter , he says , too truly , Every man of consequence almost in the kingdom , has a son , relation , friend or dependent , whom he wishes to provide for ; and unfortunately for the liberty of this country , the Crown has the means of gratifying th $ expectation of them all . P . 68 ,

    The Doctor preached the Fast Sermon before the University , in 1780 , which was published and eagerly bought up : the city of London purchased a whole edition of one thousand copies , which they distributed

    gratis . In relation to this discourse we have the following passages and letter , which open a curious scene of church discord , and in which the biographer begins those complaints of neglect , which are repeated tiJl the reader is tired and filled with a

    sentiment less flattering than even pity : the conclusion of the extract is finely written : "The Archhisliop of Canterhury ( Cornwallis ) had expressed himself rather petulantly , in the presence of Lord Camden ,

    against my sermon , * The Principles of the Revolution vindicated , ' and was rej !> roved for it hy His Lordship , who told him thtit it contained the principles in which His Grace , as well as himself , had heen educated . I sent a copy of my Fast Sermon to him with the following * letter : ;

    " < Cambridge , Feb . 7 , 1780 . " * My Lo ? id AnctiFisiiop , : " One of my sermons , has , Iliave been informed , met with your Grace ^ s disapprobation ; and this may have a similar fate . I have no wish but to speak \^ lmt appears to me iq be ' lKe / triith ^ ^ pod ^ ever ^ p ^ P ^ ^^ arid never yet thought of f » lc » sisjng ; lany person or party when I spoke from the pulpit ; so tliat if l ^ am in ! an- ' erroiyifc is at \ eu % t both involutitary nhd ^ disinterested . I WtfiSp come to' London $ < hut my situation in this plaee , suftiaiently diilicult and labo iioysj ^ i res me , i ^ ^ e-oj ^ w ^ n ^ r ^^ wic ^ right hot io be ot « r / po ^ e / / , aod it ce ^ tBinl . v .. v ' : ir . 1 Si I is « , . . . ¦ ¦ v

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    130 Review . ~ - * Life of the Bishop of Landujf .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 2, 1818, page 130, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2473/page/50/