a sum greater than his entire receipts from the bishopric. He also subscribed to infirmaries and hospitals in remote parts of the kingdom; and generously attended to the personal difficulties of his clergy. But the diocess was not long to possess its eminent prelate. His constitution, enfeebled by unremitting study, began to fail, soon after his arrival at Durham. As his weakness increased, he was induced to try the Bristol waters, then in high reputation. But he was evidently dying; and was finally removed to Bath, where he expired, June 16, 1752. As it was not the practice of the time to record much of the striking observations, or peculiar habits, of remarkable men, we have but few records of the private hours of Bishop Butler. We may justly regret this omission, as a signal loss to the general treasures of profound and vigorous thought in the world. A mind of such original power, so entirely loose from the fetters of authority, and so constantly employed on objects of the highest interest, must have teemed with maxims of truth and wisdom. Notwithstanding the secluded nature of his life, Butler's writings prove that he had acquired much knowledge of things that lie beyond the study: his remarks on the natural action of the mind are often singularly familiar; and though at the head of subtle disquisition in this country, and gifted with the keenest qualities of the metaphysician, no man's understanding was less wedded to the habitual abstractions, or obscured by the favourite perplexities, of the metaphysician. The chief fault of his work arises from the direct contrary of this love for the obscure. He labours for simplicity; he embarrasses by his eagerness for explanation; he tries so many ways of conducting to his meaning, that the reader is bewildered among them; where some darkness must be left, by the nature of things, he confuses by an effort to cover all with sunshine. Still he has given the world a volume which had the rare fortune of establishing itself in the highest philosophical rank of its day; and of reaching ours without a decrease of its honours. The usual fate of philosophical speculation is, to vanish in the increased light of posterity, or if its material be solid, to be overwhelmed and lost under the accumulation of its improvements; the original altar is hidden in the multitude and richness of its offerings. But to the Analogy little has been added by succeeding science, and nothing has been attempted, equal to supersede its utility. Improvements might obviously be made in condensing its arguments, clearing its language, and reducing its illustrations within simpler forms; and those might authorize its revision; but the great proportions of the work must remain unchanged: they have been made of imperishable materials, they bear the stamp of truth and nature, and are moulded for immortality. Bishop Butler was buried in the cathedral of Bristol, where a plain marble with a Latin inscription covers his grave. But this being much defaced by time, steps are now about to be adopted for the erection of a more suitable memorial. The letter of an intelligent correspondent mentions that "Some admirers of the bishop's character and works have commenced a subscription to erect a monument. A beautiful design, in the gothic style, harmonizing with the church in which it is to stand, has been gratuitously supplied, and has met with the approval of the authorities. The total expense will be comparatively slight, and yet the work will be equal in beauty to much more costly memorials. As there are two tablets, it is intended to place on one of them the striking passage from Origen, quoted by Butler in his Introduction: He who believes the Scripture to have proceeded from Him who is the Author of Nature, may well expect to find the same sort of difficulties in it, as are found in the constitution of nature.' On the other will appear the following inscription, supplied by Mr. Southey, who is a native of Bristol: d Sacred TO THE MEMORY OF JOSEPH BUTLER, D.C.L.' Twelve years Bishop of this Diocess, whose mortal remains are here deposited. the historical and prophetical grounds and that sure testimony of its truth which is found its Analogy to the Constitution and Course of Nature; in the depth of that great argument, there to construct another and irrefragable proof: The work is patronized by the learned and amiable Bishop of the see. The whole intention does great honour to the literary intelligence and liberality of the gentlemen of Bristol. But the nation itself would be honoured by adopting the work; and while it allowed Bristol to lead in this instance, as it deserves, might well feel it a duty to repay, by such respect as posthumous tributes can offer, the undying services of genius, learning, and virtue. G. CROLY. Bishop Butler's academic title has been generally printed LL. D., but it has been altered in the present volume, on the suggestion of the correspondent who has been already alluded to, and who thus writes: "In many copies of the Analogy, and on his tombstone in the cathedral, his title is given as LL. D.; but a literary friend of Butler's own college, (Oriel,) informs me that it should be D. C. L. (Doctor of Civil Law;) the university not having had the power of conferring degress in Canon Law for some centuries. The Registrar of the college confirms his statement; and I see the degree given as D. C. L. in a printed volume of the Oxford Graduates since 1641." |