His first ecclesiastical promotion took place in 1724, when the duke of GRAFTON bestowed on him the Deanery of Derry, worth 11001. per annum; and he now attempted to carry into execution what had long been forming in his benevolent mind, "A scheme for converting the savage Americans to Christianity, by a college to be erected in the Summer Islands, otherwise called the Isles of Bermuda." In this proposal he was sincere and disinterested beyond the usual sacrifices of the benefactors of mankind. He offered to resign his opulent preferment, and to dedicate the remainder of his life to the instruction of the youth in America, on the moderate subsistence of 1001. only, and such was the force of his example, and per haps of his eloquence, that three junior fellows of Trinity College offered to accompany him, and exchange all hopes of preferment at home for 401. per annum in the Atlantic ocean. In his life are detailed, at length, the manly firmness, patience, and assiduity with which Dr. BERKELEY prosecuted this plan, the loss he sustained in his fortune and expectations, and the ultimate causes of its failure, which are not very honourable to the parties concerned.

In 1732, after his return from this expedition, he published his "Minute Philosopher," a work which must ever rescue him from the suspicion of scepticism. In this he pursues the freethinker through the various gradations of atheist, libertine, enthusiast, scorner, critic, metaphysician, fatalist, : and sceptic, and very successfully employs against him several new weapons drawn from his "Theory f Vision." In 1734 he was promoted to the

1

bishoprick of Cloyne, to which he immediately repaired, and afterwards almost constantly resided, faithful in the discharge of every episcopal duty. His zeal for religion prompted him, about this time, to write "The Analyst," against the scepticism of Dr. HALLEY. In this work he demonstrated that mysteries in faith were unjustly objected to by mathematicians, who admitted much greater mysteries, and even falsehoods in science; of which he endeavoured to prove that the doctrine of fluxions furnished an eminent example. This produced a controversy of some length.*

From this time his publications were chiefly upon occasional subjects, except his celebrated "Treatise on Tar-Water," a medicine from which he had experienced relief in a case of nervous colic, and which he wished to recommend to more general use in a pamphlet written with all his ресиliarities of manner, and depth of research, entitled "Siris, a chain of philosophical Reflections and Inquiries concerning the Virtues of Tar-. Water," 1744. It is indeed a chain, says his biographer, which like that of the poet, reaches

This part of Dr. BERKELEY'S life is related by all his Biographers with an unpardonable inattention to dates. It is stated, that our author wrote the Analyst in consequence of a communication of ADDISON respecting Dr. GARTH'S last illness. Now GARTH and ADDISON died within six months of each other, in 1719, about fifteen years before Dr. BERKELEY is said to have written the Analyst, in consequence of ADDISON's information respecting Dr. GARTH's dying words. This Biographer's expression is," ADDISON had given the bishop," &c. who was not Bishop until 1734. But what is of more importance, it is not clear from Dr. BERKELEY'S Life, that he was in England in 1719, when GARTH died, nor afterwards before ADDISON's death.

from earth to heaven, conducting the reader, by an almost imperceptible gradation, from the phenomena of Tar-Water, through the depths of the ancient philosophy, to the sublimest mystery of the Christian religion. It was printed a second time in 1747, and he added "Farther Thoughts on Tar-Water," in 1752. The medicine became exceedingly popular, and continued so for a considerable time, but farther experience has not confirmed its virtues, and it is now fallen into disuse.

In July 1752 our aged prelate removed with his family to Oxford, in order to superintend the education of one of his sons (the late Dr. GEORGE BERKELEY, Prebendary of Canterbury, &c.) and wished to pass the remainder of his life in a place so well suited to his passion for learned retirement; but sensible at the same time of the impropriety of a bishop's non-residence, he endeavoured to exchange his high preferment for a canonry at Oxford. Failing of success in this, he requested permission to resign his bishoprick, but when the KING heard who it was that had presented so extraordinary a petition, he declared that " he should die a bishop in spite of himself," and gave him full liberty to reside where he pleased.

Of this indulgence, however, he was not long permitted to avail himself. On Sunday evening, Jan. 14, 1753, as he was sitting in the midst of his family, listening to the lesson in the Buriał Service (1 Cor. chap. xv.) which his Lady was reading and on which he was commenting, he

* Biog. Brit. vol. 3. Corrigenda prefixed to that vol, art. BERKELEY.

was seized with what the physicians termed a palsy of the heart, and instantly expired. The characters of few men have been handed down with so many testimonies of beauty and excellence: whatever may be thought of some of his writings, his intentions were unquestionably good, and the actions of his whole life were eminently liberal, virtuous, and disinterested. Bishop ATTERBURY declared on one occasion, that he did not think so much understanding, so much knowledge, so much innocence, and such humility, had been the portion of any but Angels, until he saw Mr. BERKELEY. It would not be easy to add so high a panegyric, nor, if the whole of his character be considered, to take from it.

89.*

Dr. BERKELEY'S share in the GUARDIAN has been ascertained, partly on the authority of his son, who claims Nos. 3, 27, 35, 39, 49, 55, 62, 70, 77, and 126, and partly on that of the Annotators, who add to these Nos. 83, 88, and The principal design of these papers is to explain and defend some branch of the evidences of Christianity against the freethinkers of the age, as they were somewhat improperly called, or to elucidate its peculiar doctrines in a popular manner. The style is therefore plain and perspicuous, and the arguments such as are easily comprehended and remembered. In Nos. 35 and 59 an humourous turn is given to the subject of free thinking, by a very ingenious device. With respect to No.3, which was the first publication in opposition

*No. 69 has been claimed for Dr. BERKELEY, Gent. Mag. 1780, p. 125.

to COLLINS's superficial and illiberal" Discourse on Freethinking," there appears some difficulty in the assignment. It is positively claimed by the Bishop's son, as one of the ten papers his father wrote, but in STEELE'S Apology an extract is given from this paper, and it is said in the margin that STEELE was the author. I know not how to reconcile these accounts; there is certain- ly nothing in it that STEELE might not have. written, and the express evidence of his Apology may be allowed to preponderate; on the other hand, the sentiments and manner of this. paper seem connected by strong resemblance with BERKELEY's general mode of treating the subject.

It is asserted by the Annotators, upon unquestionable authority, that Mr. BERKELEY had a guinea and a dinner with STEELE for every pa-, per he furnished. This is the only circumstance that has come to light respecting the pay of the assistants in any of these works. In the SPECTA-, TOR, it is probable that ADDISON and STEELE were joint sharers or proprietors. In the case, of the GUARDIAN, as already noticed, there was a contract between STEELE and TONSON, the nature of which has not been clearly explained.

It has already been observed that no inquiry into POPE's share in the SPECTATOR has been successful; and we cannot certainly prove that he contributed any original article to that work; in the GUARDIAN, however, we can with confidence assign to him eight papers which entitle him to very high praise as an Essayist. These are Nos,