sedate and holy fervour, which was so edifying in the church, never failed to animate these less public addresses to heaven. On Sunday evenings, one hour was devoted to reading the Holy Scriptures in his family, with some practical comment, and the instructive lesson began and ended with prayer. At the same time it was a rule with him, not to encroach on the duties of this day by writing letters, much less by the too common practice of travelling. It was always, within his walls, a day of peculiar hospitality, and equal cheerfulness.

From parochial labours, to literary pursuits, the transition is easy and natural. and natural. About the About the year 1766, and for some time afterwards, he employed himself, with much care and diligence, in composing an exposition of the Apocalypse. The work was finished, but never published; and he once mentioned the circumstance to a very worthy friend, as an instance of the success of prayer. It was his humble request to God, that, if his system were wrong, the work might never see the light; and it so proved, that, whenever he thought of revising his papers, and preparing them for the press, something still intervened and hindered his design. With regard to the interpretation of the unaccomplished prophecies in this awful book, he remarked at a later period,

having an eye to what he had written on the subject, "I once thought I had it all very clearly before me; but I now suspect we know very little of the matter."

In 1767, and 1768, he published three short, but able pamphlets, on the subject of the confessional: his name, however, he did not give; partly, no doubt, from his native modesty, and still more, to avoid, as far as possible, dispute and altercation.

In September 1768, at the earnest request of his early friend and patron, Mr. Drake, he went abroad with Mr. William Drake; and pursued nearly the same tour with the son, which, as we have seen above, he performed six-and-twenty years before, in company with the father. Now, as before, religion was the guide and companion of his way. The journal of his former tour concludes with a Latin sentence, expressive of gratitude for safety and protection, to the God of all power and all goodness. The second journal ends thus: "Blessed be his good providence, who hath protected us during our journey, and brought us back, in health and safety, to the land of our nativity." He landed at Dover October 12. 1769.

On his arrival at Malpas, he was welcomed with rejoicing, which it is equally impossible to

describe or forget. The whole parish crowded to see him; and every one that saw him, blessed him. His own joy on the occasion, if more serene (as the poet pourtrays the passion, "tacitum pertentant gaudia pectus") was not less heartfelt for, indeed, he loved his flock with sincere affection; and, upon his return to them, applied himself, with new ardour, to his pastoral duties and theological studies.

Of these his studies, one of his first productions was the "Discourses on the Four Gospels." The sermon which opens the subject was, in substance, first preached in the parish church of Blithfield: probably while he was rector; but certainly before the year 1768. It was afterward, June 2. 1771, preached before the University, of which he still continued a member. His learned audience desired him to publish what they had heard with so much satisfaction. Such approbation induced him maturely to reconsider the subject; and he threw into an appendix the proofs of certain points, which it had been necessary, in the sermon, to assume as granted. The matter grew upon him, till the work acquired its present form and size. Having submitted it, at different times, to the perusal and censure of some very learned and judicious friends, he at last, in compliance with

their repeated solicitations, gave up the manuscript for publication. It came out in the spring of 1778 but even then, by his own good will, his name would not have appeared; which was given, with his acquiescence rather than consent, by his worthy friend and brother-in-law, the Reverend Dr. Winchester, who superintended the publication.

In the course of this work, it afforded him great satisfaction to find, that the internal evidence all along confirmed external testimony; that the Gospels were published in the same order in which they now stand; and that each of them was written with that especial view and design, which the early fathers and the tradition of the church respectively assigned to them.

Various letters were received by Dr. Townson, in consequence of this publication, highly honourable to the work and to its author. His friend, Bishop Lowth, after reading it through, delivers this opinion: "It is a capital performance; and sets every part of the subject it treats of, in a more clear and convincing light, than it ever appeared in before."

But he received testimony to the merit of his book, on which he set a higher value than on the commendation of any individual, however

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exalted in character, or dignified by station. This was the degree of Doctor in Divinity, by diploma, which "was, with perfect unanimity, conferred on him," in full convocation, by the University of Oxford, February 23. 1779. His sense of this honour he expressed in the following letter to Dr. Horne, then Vice-Chancellor, afterwards the worthy Bishop of Norwich: —

، MR. VICE-CHANCELLOR,

"Last post, March 2., I received the favour of your letter, in which you are so kind as to acquaint me, that the degree of D. D. by diploma, has been conferred on me by the convocation.

"No testimony can be given to any one's labours more valuable than the suffrage of the University of Oxford. But my pretensions are so far exceeded by the honour which has been done me, I must consider this honour as designed by the University not to distinguish one, but to encourage all to the study of useful learning, and especially of the Holy Scriptures, when they see how well-meant endeavours are rewarded in the first among the seats of literature.

،، Be pleased, Mr. Vice-Chancellor, to accept, and to testify to the heads of colleges and the convocation, my most grateful acknowledgments,