By which of the apostles or evangelists are maxims of persecution inculcated? To admonish and advise, is certainly part of the episcopal function, and as the very name denotes, to exercise a becoming vigilance with respect to those who are comprehended in their flock. But suppose an honest, industrious individual, proceeding in the line of his professional duty, which he has invariably found to lead successfully to the object desired, and suppose he declines from conscientious motives, or from pride, or obstinacy, if you please, to deviate from this line, or path, at the haughty suggestion of a superior, be he Dean, or even a Bishop, is he to be persecuted, harassed, exasperated with unrelenting malignity? Lastly, supposing a professional brother, at the time, of equal pretensions in rank, situation, connections, and accomplishments, from whom attention and kindness had been previously received, and through whom, and in concert with whom, a work of high importance to religion, morals, and learning, had been prosecuted, should, in a thoughtless moment, by a mere casual and inadvertent expression, give cause of offence? Is such a trespass not only never to be forgotten or forgiven, but is it compatible with those qualities, which ought to characterize a Christian minister, whatever be his station, to retain a sense of the transgression, implacable, and eternal; and forgetful of former reciprocated kindness, to treat the offender as one deserving to be deprived of “fire and water?” Fye on such Christian ministers, bishops, or what not!! Cupit hic regi proximus ipsi: Clarusque latam via per urbem. CHAPTER XVI. Before the subject of Prelates and Prelacy is definitively concluded, it may be as well to insert one anecdote from the manuscript, which stands alone and unconnected, but which the Sexagenarian states he had from authority not to be disputed. It happened during the ministry of Pitt, that a vacant bishoprick was kept for a long time in abeyance. Among the expectants (for we must not say candidates) was one whose immoderate anxiety and eagerness on the subject, was really ridiculous; (the word in the manuscript was _contemptible_, but this had been erased.) He used to write or send two or three times a day, to the Premier’s Secretary, to learn whether any decision was yet made, and in one of these _grandes epistolæ_, he ingenuously confessed that his solicitude on the subject was so great, that it really deprived him of sleep. It will hardly excite surprize to learn that the above gentleman was not distinguished by greatness of mind, and that he was rather to be classed among the _fruges consumere nati_, than among the _egregia semper patriæ capita_.