NOTICES TO READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS.

Ir appears evident, inasmuch as several articles have occupied more space than we had calculated for them, that we must reluctantly postpone a number of Reviews of books, and observations on Church matters, as well as additional lists of Bishops, until another month.

We give a view of the Round Church at Cambridge, as it is already restored; and purposed to have also given an architectural view of the Bell-tower which is now building, and of the north-west gable of which it forms a part. Probably this will be given hereafter, with some account of the Church.

The Episcopal Lists which we purposed to give were those of Bangor and St. Asaph, respecting which sees so much interest is now felt. It is a cause of great satisfaction to read the accounts of numerous meetings held to petition against the union of those Sees, or rather the suppression of one of them. It is far more necessary to add to the number of our Bishops, that the Episcopal office may be effectually discharged, than to limit their number. We trust our readers will embrace any opportunity that may offer of promoting petitions in favour of the retention of the two Sees of North Wales. Probably, ere another month elapse, we shall be enabled to report something definite on that subject, as well as on important matters relating to the Church of Scotland, and the Establishment of that part of the kingdom, for which, as well as other subjects, we have not space.

We had not room for the letter on Civil Registration. In several particulars we think the excellent writer not perfectly correct. But the diminution of Baptisms, in consequence of that measure, is a subject of very momentous consideration, in several respects. It was aforetime often painful to see the children brought to Baptism, when it seemed to be only for the purpose of registration. We fear no expectation can be entertained that the measure will be abandoned. Appeal should be made to the Registrar General, in all cases where the local Registrars say anything which tends to lead ignorant persons to suppose that Baptism is unnecessary. Although in large and populous parishes the evil can only be partially remedied, the Clergy and the Christian laity must do all in their power to inculcate the necessity of Baptism; and then good may come out of evil-that holy ordinance may be better understood, more highly valued, and more satisfactorily and beneficially received.—“ Latitudinarianism" is withdrawn at the last moment.

"W. C. J." is informed that we have never seen an 8vo. copy of the Prayer-book with Rubrics in red type. The Cambridge Press has supplied such in folio, and quarto; we have not yet seen any other.

"R. W." is informed that our repeated inquiries respecting Dr. John Walker, have led to no further result. All the information respecting him we have yet collected, might be comprised in a few lines. A friend may obtain some information from a particular quarter, the only one which we can further apply to. We will state the result, if any. We will inquire respecting Coventry Cathedral.-We will write to "F. T."

We are much obliged to "W. M., of H."; and to "A. P." and "L. B." for the verses; also to" Y. Z.,"" H. F.," "Constans," "T. F.," & "M. L." We agree with "I. W.M." as to the beauty of the lines. -We have known them many years, and have them in several collections of sacred poetry. They are by the well known Independent, J. Conder.

"A Correspondent" is informed, that the case is simply thus. The people NEVER elect the clergy into the MINISTRY in the Church, though they are privileged to notify to the Bishop any impediment to admission. Out of those who have been nominated by an incumbent, and ordained by the Bishop, first to the diaconate, and then to the priesthood, the patron or patrons of a benefice select one, who, on producing testimonials, &c., is instituted or licensed by the Bishop. The very few cases in which such patronage is vested in the congregation or parishioners afford ample admonitory evidence that no mode of appointment is so mischievous.

Correspondents are informed that the portrait of Dr. Ireland was not in wood but in glyphography, a new art, which, though yet in its infancy, is likely to answer well. Our new cover is a composition from several monumental brasses, beautifully executed by the lithographer of the Cambridge Camden Society. The arched and feathered canopy is copied from a mutilated brass of John de Gothurst, in Horsemonden Church, Kent.

Steam-press of W. H. Cox, 5, Great Queen Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields.

THE CHURCH

MAGAZINE.

No. 51.]

MARCH, 1843.

[Vol. V.

BIOGRAPHY.

SIR WILLIAM DAWES, BART., D.D., ARCHBISHOP OF YORK. THIS worthy Prelate, of whom we observed in April, 1842, that he was placed in the See of York at the special request of his excellent predecessor, Archbishop Sharp,-was born September 12, 1671, at Lyons, near Braintree, in Essex; a seat which came into the family from his mother, Jane, only child of Richard Hawkins, of Braintree. His father's family was once very wealthy; Sir Abraham, his great grandfather, having been deemed one of the richest commoners of his time. But in the time of the great rebellion, in consequence of attachment to the royal cause, the fortunes of the family were greatly depressed; estates in Lincolnshire being sequestered, of the value of £1,500 a year, and their family seat at Roehampton, in Surrey, plundered largely. In 1663, not long after the restoration, the king created John, the father of Sir William, Dawes, a baronet, in consideration of these sufferings, and the annual pecuniary aid rendered to the royal family during their exile. The baronetcy became extinct in 1741. (Debrett.)

Sir William was the youngest of three sons, and was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, London, where he made great progress in the usual school pursuits, and also in Hebrew, before he attained the age of fifteen years; having the advantage, in the last mentioned study, of the tuition of Dr. Kidder, afterwards Bishop of Bath and Wells, an eminent oriental scholar, the author of The Demonstration of the Messiah.

At school an accident occurred to him, of which we have ourselves known two serious cases, and we have heard of others, which terminated fatally; and we mention it as a caution to our juvenile readers. "Playing with his companions in Moorfields, one rejoicing night, some squibs, which he had about him, happening to take fire, burnt his thigh, and contracted his sinews to such a degree, that he was obliged to keep his bed a considerable while, and not able to go to school again for the space of a whole year." Not long after his recovery, viz. in Act. term, 1687, he was elected scholar of St. John's College, Oxford, of which he became Fellow. Intending to take orders, he pursued his theological studies; and, before he was eighteen, wrote his Anatomy of Atheism, a poem, in which the arguments for and against the existence of God are urged and

H

answered in a clear and easy method, fitted for the comprehension of the common reader.

One and the same post brought the sad intelligence that his eldest brother, Sir Robert, then a nobleman at St. Catherine's Hall, Cambridge, had died of fever; and that his younger brother, Lieutenant John Dawes, had been drowned. He succeeded thereby to the title, and removed to Catherine's Hall from Oxford, lived in his late brother's chambers, and became M.A. of Cambridge. Before he became twenty-one, he wrote his Duties of the Closet.

He married Frances, eldest daughter of Sir Thomas D'Arcy, of Braxted Lodge, Essex, Bart., a lady whose reputation, as one of the ornaments of her sex in that age, is strongly testified. As soon as he arrived at a competent age, he was ordained, successively Deacon and Priest, by Dr. Compton, Bishop of London; and was often heard to say, that, when he laid aside his lay-habit, he did it with the greatest pleasure in the world, and looked upon holy orders as the highest honour that could be conferred upon him.

Archbishop Tenison presented him, in 1698, to the Rectory and Deanery of Bocking, in Essex; and, in 1697, he had been made Chaplain in ordinary to King William, before whom he preached on the 5th of November in the same year, and in a few days after was sent for to an interview with the King, and made a Prebendary of Worcester by him, merely, as said his Majesty, by way of pledge of his future favour. He was installed August 20, 1698.

Upon the death of Dr. Eachard in 1696, he was unanimously elected Master of St. Catherine's-hall, and although not much above seven_and twenty, had the degree of D.D. conferred upon him by royal mandate, obtained for him by the request of the senate (without which such dispensation is never employed), because he was not yet of sufficient standing to be admitted in the usual course. There was that year a public commencement, and the celebrated Dr. Bentley was appointed to keep the "Public Act," "a theological disputation," says Bishop Monk, in his life of Bentley, "which formerly constituted the principal object of interest at that solemnity; the attention, now engaged by the prize compositions of the students, used then to be directed to the skill and readiness with which the theologian overthrew the studied subtilties of his opponent." Whether Dr. Dawes was one of these opponents or not, he was appointed to preach before the University on the Sunday morning at the public commencement, July 6th; but "upon Dr. Bentley's insisting on his seniority, he voluntarily waved his privilege, and so came up in the afternoon." Dr. Bentley's sermon is printed at the end of a later edition of his Boyle's lectures, entitled "Of Revelation and the Messias."

The author of the life of Sir. W. Dawes, prefixed to his whole works, calls him "this great young man ;" and reviews his conduct as Dean, as Head of a College, and as Vice-chancellor of the University, which last office he, in the usual course, soon after discharged. He particularly mentions his publication of The Duty of Communicating explained and enforced, written in order to introduce the communion monthly at Bocking, which had only been administered at the three great festival seasons.

He completed the chapel of St. Catherine's-hall, left unfinished by his predecessor; and contributed largely thereto; and procured from Queen Anne, with the co-operation of Dr. Sherlock, the improvement of the Mastership, by annexing to it for ever the first Prebend of Norwich,