solicitude for a worthy successor to Dr. Dopping in the bishoprick of Meath; and he expressed this solicitude in three letters of the 29th of April, 1697, addressed to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of Salisbury, and Sir Robert Southwell."* And from a subsequent letter to Sir Robert Southwell he appears to have been well satisfied with the result. "As to the late disposal of the preferments in Ireland," he says, writing from Bath, July 19, 1697, they are better than I could have wished."+ The see of Meath, the most important of the vacancies," was filled by the translation from Clogher of Bishop Tennison, of whose episcopal character there has been occasion already to speak with respect."+ "In 1699 the bishoprick of Kilmore and Ardagh, formerly the see of the deprived Bishop Sheridan, again became vacant by the death of Bishop Smith. The nine years immediately following the king's accession, had been remarkable for an unusual rapidity in the succession of the Irish bishops. My Lord,' the Bishop of Derry writes to the Archbishop of Canterbury, we have, amongst other misfortunes, had a very great mortality of bishops since the Revolution, insomuch that, when his majesty has nominated a successor to the Bishop of Kilmore, now dead, it will be the twentieth he has named since the Revolution, besides removes; and most of them have died young men, that is, under fifty. I hear that Dr. Downs and Dr. Harrison are named for the bishopricks of Kilmore and Ardagh; they are good men both; more particularly Dr. Downs is not only considerable for his gravity and prudence, but likewise for his learning, both in divinity, ecclesiastical laws, and other sciences."§ The bishopric was conferred on Bishop Watershall, translated from Cork and Ross, who was succeeded in the latter see by the person thus particularly recommended. "No other memorable change occurred in the Irish hierarchy during the latter years of King William; but his last episcopal appointment was so remarkable for the circumstances, both those which had preceded and those which followed it, that it seems to require a few passing words of notice. "Robert Huntingdon, a native of Gloucestershire, and a fellow of Merton College, Oxford, having completed his course of philosophy in that university, devoted himself with delight to the study of divinity and the Oriental languages; and being thus prepared, accepted the office of chaplain to the English factory at Aleppo. Eleven years passed abroad enabled him to visit, not only the stated scene of his duties, but Smyrna, Ephesus, Thyatira, Scanderoon, and Jerusalem; dread of the wild Arabs prevented him from gaining more than a distant view of the ruins of Palmyra. During this period for procuring ancient manuscripts in the Arabick, Syriack, Samaritan, Hebrew, and Coptic languages, in all of which he was remarkably skilled, he employed the agency of Jews, Syrians, Americans, Greeks, Samaritans, and Mahometans, as well as of the Romish missionaries scattered over the east, and with the same object engaged in epistolary correspondence with the inmates of the eastern monasteries, especially that of Mount Carmel, and with the Patriarch of Antioch, the Archbishop of Mount Sinai, and the Primate of Cyprus. The treasures of the Bodleian Library bear witness to the extent and success of his labours. "Returning through Italy and France to Oxford, in 1682, he soon afterwards took his doctor's degree in divinity. And the provostship of Trinity College, Dublin, about the same time becoming vacant by the promotion of Narcissus Marsh to the bishoprick of Ferns and Leighlin, he was, much against his inclination, prevailed on by Bishop Fell to accept the charge, which he executed with remarkable wisdom and diligence; and was, at the same time, in conjunction with Bishop Marsh, instrumental in preparing for publication Mr. Boyle's edition of the Irish version of the Holy Scriptures. On the college being occupied by the soldiers of King James's army, he retired for security to England, whence he returned after the settlement; but, in about a year, withdrew from his office, to the enjoyment of rural tranquillity and domestic comfort in the parish of Great Hallingbury, in Essex. Bishop Sheridan's deprivation being expected, Archbishop Marsh, as noted in his diary, Jan. 23, 1692, wrote to Archbishop Tillotson and Bishop Burnet to procure the bishoprick of Kilmore for Dr. Huntingdon, who was, in consequence, appointed to succeed to the vacant see, but resisted every persuasion to accept the appointment. His objection could not have been on the score of the oath of allegiance, for he must have recently taken it on institution to his English benefice. Possibly he may have been unwilling at that period to accept any favour from the crown. Possibly he may have felt a generous repugnance to accept a preferment vacated by its former possessor by deprivation for conscience' sake. That his objection did not extend to the acceptance of the episcopal office, and that it was not founded on an absolute predilection for parochial occupation in a private sphere, may be inferred from the sequel; for when, after an interval of about eight years, Bishop Cairncross, who, on Bishop Smith's translation to Kilmore, had succeeded to Raphoe, as before related, vacated the latter see by death, Dr. Huntington accepted the appointment, and was consecrated by his friend the Archbishop of Dublin, on the 21st of August, 1701.+ But twelve days completed his episcopal life; for, on the 2nd of September following, he died, in the sixty-sixth year of his age, when his remains were deposited in the college chapel, and his life not long afterwards was written and published by his friend Dr. Thomas Smith. His successor was not appointed till near the end of the next year, Bishop Huntington being the last Irish prelate advanced to that dignity in the reign of King William." Reviewing the state of religion in this reign, Bishop Mant ob serves "In the appointments to the episcopate, those who were especially intrusted with that important duty, of whom the queen herself, during her life, was probably in Ireland, as in England, the chief authority, seem to have acted for the most part with integrity and discretion. The nomination of one person, indeed, selected rather for his military than for his religious qualities, for his political than his ecclesiastical services, and to whom a marshal's baton might have been a more characteristic compensation than a bishop's crosier, however commended at the time of popular excitement, may be well, by the judgment of the sober-minded Christian, deemed questionable at least, if not [It appears from the Life of Dr. Pocock (by Twells) prefixed to his works, (p. 77,) that it was "through the recommendation of Bishop Fell to the Duke of Ormond" that the appointment had been made. Dr. Huntington, as well as Archbishop Marsh, was an intimate friend of Dr. Pocock, and several interesting notices of his travels and inquiries occur in Pocock's Life.] [It would seem most probable that Dr. Huntington's objection to accept of the bishopric of Kilmore was on the ground of its being vacant by the deprival of a nonjuring bishop. His case would then be precisely the same with that of Bishop Beveridge, who refused the see of Bath and Wells, vacant by the deprival of Bishop Ken, but, some years afterwards, accepted the bishopric of St. Asapb.] Mant, vol. ii. pp. 102-105. [It appears, indeed, from more than one instance, above referred to, that this was the case.] objectionable. If, on occasion of another nomination, there is cause to doubt its propriety by reason of a remark which it drew forth from Archbishop Marsh, as to the want of worthiness in the individual, the withdrawal of a third person, who had been named under an impression of his fitness, but who was subsequently set aside, on suspicion of his deficiency in moral qualifications, may serve to exempt the crown from the charge of a wilful dereliction of duty. Meanwhile, the episcopal appointments in general were unexceptionable and commendable; and the names of Narcissus Marsh, successively promoted to the archbishoprics of Cashel and Dublin, of Tennison, and King, and Foy, and Foley, and Huntington, respectively translated or consecrated to the bishoprics of Clogher, Derry, Waterford and Lismore, Down and Connor, and Raphoe, reflect honour on those who recommended and appointed them."+ Of the persons thus appointed, it may be observed, that the four first were recommended by the English bishops and divines who had been expressly commissioned for the purpose; and the two last mentioned, we may conclude from the extracts given above, were appointed with the express sanction, or in consequence of the recommendation, of those who held the highest place in the church of England, and were most consulted in ecclesiastical matters. SACRED POETRY. SUGGESTED BY A PASSAGE IN A PAROCHIAL SERMON BY THE REV. J. H. NEWMAN: "Wherever faith in Christ is, there is Christ himself. He said to Martba, Believest thou this?' Wherever there is a heart to answer, Lord, I believe,' there Christ is present." fied.] LORD! in the hour of youth and glee, Lord! as the tide of life runs on, And youth, and mirth, and glee are gone; Thy strength'ning hand is there! Lord! when around the flood-gates burst Of sin, in all her shapes accurst; When to despair the soul is fain, Then may the heav'nly word sustain, Lord! when the bursting, anguish'd heart [The archbishop's judgment, as has been already observed, was too sadly veri † Mant, vol. ii. pp. 121, 2. Vid. sup. vol. xvii. pp. 19, 20. Lord! in the hour of weary age, Lord! on the couch of sickness laid, Lord! when the eternal gates unclose, Lord! while our earthly course we run,— That thou art with us there! F. M. H. Oxford. A HYMN, TO BE SUNG ON THE COMMENCEMENT OF A NEW CHURCH IN AUSTRALIND, WHICи is TO TAKE PRECEDENCE OF THE SETTLERS' HOUSES. "The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build."—Neb. ii. 20. Amwell. FAR distant from our early home, Poor pilgrims on these southern coasts, A weary band, we humbly come To bend before the Lord of Hosts. We will not give our temples sleep, We find a dwelling-place for Thee! Not for ourselves we dare to lay, Though houseless, e'en a single stone; Since the wild beast has found a lair, And soaring birds have built their nest, Let us, of greater worth, prepare A house wherein our souls may rest. Here in the wilds the place we find, M. B. 21 CORRESPONDENCE. The Editor begs to remind his readers that he is not responsible for the opinions THE WALDENSIAN MANUSCRIPTS IN TRINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN. (Continued from vol. xix. p. 637.) VI. A MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTION OF PROSE TRACTS IN THE ROMANCE OR WALDENSIAN DIALECT. A PARCHMENT volume, 6 inches by 4, containing 123 numbered leaves. The initial letters, titles of tracts, &c., are inserted in red ink, and some of them are adorned with yellow paint; but there is no other attempt at ornament in the volume. It is written in a blackletter hand of the sixteenth century, and is dated at the end 1523. Its contents are as follow: I. Fol. 1. a. A tract, headed in rubric, from its initial words, Si tu departires la preciosa cosa de lavil; and beginning, "Si tu departires la cosa preciosa de lavil tu seres enayma la mia boca czoes si tu departires li vici de las vertucz," &c. From this tract the volume has been entitled in the catalogue of the library, and by the bookbinder's lettering on the back, Liber de preciosa cosa. II. Fol. 2. a. A tract, entitled, De las vertucz teologials; and beginning, "Ara sensec d'las vertucz teologials. Czo es fe, sperancza, e carita." I am not certain whether this should be considered as a separate tract, or as only a chapter or section of the foregoing. It quotes Augustin, Chrysostom, Jerome, the Book of Wisdom very frequently; also "Terenci," "Tuli," [i.e. Cicero,] and "Seneca.' On the back of fol. 11, the treatise goes on to speak of the four cardinal virtues, "Ara sensec d'las 4 vertucz cardenals," which seems to favour the idea that the former portion of the tract, on the theological virtues, should not be considered as a distinct work, notwithstanding the separate title which the scribe has prefixed to it. Prayer, (Ara sensec de l'oracion, fol. 23. b.,) and the hindrances of prayer, (Delempachament d'loracion, fol. 25. b.,) are treated of under the virtue of Justice. III. On the upper margin of fol. 29. a. there is the rubrical title, "L'Beneuranzas," and on the same page is a section or chapter, beginning, A quilh que fameian e seteian justicia. This is identical with the tract entitled De la iusticia, in the volume described in the British Magazine for May, (p. 505, No. XI. ;) but in the present copy there is much that is omitted in the former, and the passages of Scripture are quoted at length, and not broken off with an "&c.," as in the former copy. The next four sections are headed, in rubric, "misericordios," "li mond decor son beneura," "li pacient son bencura," "Aquilh que suffron." These titles, however, are only the initial words of the paragraphs that follow. On the upper margin of fol. 30. a. is the heading, in rubric, "beneuras." I am not certain whether this tract should be considered as distinct from the Treatise on the Virtues |