The sexagenarian; or, the recollections of a literary life (Volume 1 of 2)Beloe, William
General
The sexagenarian; or, the recollections of a literary life (Volume 1 of 2)
Beloe, William
Authors, English; Beloe, William, 1756-1817; English literature -- Anecdotes
After an interval, perhaps somewhat too long protracted, the streams
returned to their proper channels.—Their sentiments of delicacy and
honour led each of them, to the honourable performance of their first
engagements.—The gentleman received the distinctions which had been
promised him, but whether from the causes which have been recited above,
whether from infirmity of health, or from worldly vexations, it cannot
be said, but true it is, that his mind became soured, and his manners
captious and irritable. In contradiction to his former character of
courtesy and kindness, he was always involved in controversy and dispute,
and at length died at a premature age, unpopular and unbeloved. Of the
lady it is only necessary to say, that she became the amiable mother
of numerous children, and for any thing known to the contrary, may yet
be alive to peruse this narrative; if she does, she will bear willing
testimony to its accuracy.
During his residence in the university, our friend appears to have
constantly frequented the divinity schools whenever Dr. Watson presided
as Regius Professor. He expresses with great warmth how much he was
charmed with the grace of his manner, the dignity of his deportment, the
elegance of his latinity, and the fluency of his diction. He seems to
have regarded him with awe and reverence, yet he certainly had a certain
solemn pompousness of demeanour, which rendered him less acceptable to
many.—He was not at the time of which we are speaking elevated to the
Episcopacy, but he was soon afterwards. An honest publican, who was
his neighbour, in order to testify his great respect for Dr. Watson,
took down his long established sign of Bishop Blaize and substituted
for it the head of Dr. Watson; a wicked wag of the university, saving
his presence, we believe he is now a Bishop, wrote an epigram on the
occasion.
Two of a trade can ne’er agree,
No proverb e’er was juster,
They’ve ta’en down Bishop Blaize do you see,
And put up Bishop Bluster.
At this period also Dr. Hallifax presided in the law schools with great
dignity and effect. He was an admirable scholar, and spoke Latin with
peculiar facility and elegance. About the period of our friend’s leaving
the university, he also was made a Bishop, and the edition which he
subsequently published of Butler’s Analogy, sufficiently demonstrates
that those honours were not improperly bestowed. Bishop Watson yet
survives; but it is a matter of some regret that none of his friends
have undertaken to give a more extended biographical sketch of Bishop
Hallifax. He was a very considerable man, of great abilities and of
profound learning. He also filled highly dignified and important offices,
and it seems unjust that one so circumstanced and conditioned, should
be suffered to pass away, without some more substantial memorial of his
worth and usefulness, than has yet appeared.
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