thoroughly initiated in the elements of human learning, appears probable; his knowledge, indeed, seems to have been all that he carried with him to Cambridge, except a very scanty stock of money, the most persevering economy, and a habit of application, that defied imitation, and almost belief. He was admitted of Trinity College about the year 1755, and his true blue worsted stockings and coarse mottled coat, both of which doubtless evinced themselves of home-spun manufacture; together with a northern, or provincial accent, are still commemorated by tradition in the annals of that celebrated institution. Nor ought such trifles to be over-looked in this place for when it is recollected, that his unimpeachable morals, rapid progress, and uniform good conduct, either served to overcome or to obliterate the prejudices arising from these petty obstacles, the very mention of them conveys.an appropriate lesson to the raw, young, and uninformed Tyro.

Mr. Watson was twenty-two years old when he took his first degree, having obtained that of B. A. in 1759; he proceeded A.M. in 1762; when he stood high among the Wranglers; and finally crowned his academical promotions as D.D. in 1791. The Doctor appears at an early period to have obtained the respect of his own college, which could not be long unconscious of his worth; and to this was added the esteem of the whole university, in consequence of an incident which might have proved prejudicial to a person less discreet. The late Duke of Grafton, who was then their Chancellor, having made an improper recommendation of a candidate for a vacant office, he gave a spirited opposition to the appointment; but took care at the same time to mingle his objections with so much suavity of manner, as actually to obtain the friendship. of the nobleman in question. Indeed, at an early period, he appears to have imbibed a due knowledge of the world and its affairs for although he never excelled in mathematics, a study, then, as now deemed so essential at Trinity College; yet he soon obtained precedency of those who were deeply versed in all its most abstruse branches. Thus Postlethwayte, one of his ablest opponents as a Wrangler, could demonstrate himself fit

only for a small rectory in the country, while Watson was soon enabled to become his Diocesan !

A fellowship obtained some time before, afforded something like present independence, while a college tutorship led to future honours and emoluments. The present Lord Carysfort was one of his early pupils; and to another, the late Mr. Luther, afterwards M. P. for the county of Essex, he was indebted for a large portion of that affluence which accompanied the latter period of his life; while by means of a thirdthe late Duke of Rutland, he was at length enabled to attain a mitre.

At the period alluded to, modern chemistry, then in its infant state in Great Britain, appears to have been unknown, or at least unattended to in the university of Cambridge. This may be fairly deduced from the circumstance, that a gentleman elected Public Professor of this science, was notoriously ignorant of the first principles of the art. Luckily, however, the office fell to the lot of Mr. Watson, in 1764, who determined that it should not be a sinecure. Immediately after his nomination, he associated Hoffman, supposed to be a good practical chemist, in his labours, and by his means learned the rudiments of the art, in which he was to instruct others. It is well known in the university that their first attempts were rude, awkward, and unsuccesful. During the course of their joint experiments, both they, and their workshop, are said to have been "blown into the air!" but luckily escaping with only a few bruises and contusions, they proceeded in their doubtful and dangerous labours, until considerable progress had been effected. Immediately on this, the subject of the present memoir having commenced his public lectures, adopted the nomenclature then in use, but since become obsolete; and exhibited his apparatus and his experiments to a crowded and admiring audience. The discourses of the new Professor were of a popular nature; he did not pretend to enter into the depths of science, but contented himself with explaining the more · obvious principles; and above all demonstrating the intimate connection between chemistry and manufactures.

His fortune was now assured. In 1771 he was created Doctor of Divinity by royal mandate; and in the course of the same year, was unanimously elected Regius Professor of Divinity to the university of Cambridge; to which office, the rectory of Somersham, in Huntingdonshire is annexed. On this, he, married a lady of respectable connections, with whom he had been long acquainted, and soon began to have a family around him, for which he was now enabled to provide.

By this time his reputation had extended throughout the whole kingdom, and the Royal Society, anxious to incorporate a man of such talents among its members, immediately proceeded to his election. Many of his papers, soon after, were published in the Philosophical Transactions; and those connected with chemistry were at length selected, and engrafted into his Essays.

Meanwhile, his friends and admirers were not inattentive to his clerical interests: for in 1774, he was presented to a prebendal stall in the church of Ely; and in 1780, succeeded Dr. Plumptre, as archdeacon of that diocese. In the course of the same year he obtained the rectory of Northwold, in Norfolk; while his patron and former pupil, the Duke of Rutland, now presented him to the valuable rectory of Knaptoft, in the county of Leicester, as an earnest of his future intentions.

It may be here fairly and truly stated, without intending any insult to Oxford, that anterior to the French Revolution, the university of Cambridge was uniformly distinguished by Whig principles, and all those liberal notions both in respect to politics and religion, which were introduced with, or rather confirmed by William III. It was not until the year 1776, that Dr. Watson had an opportunity of publicly maintaining his own opinions on those interesting subjects. Being then nominated to preach before his own university, on the anniversary of the Restoration, he delivered a discourse, which was soon after printed, under the title of "The Principles of the Revolution vindicated," which attracted a considerable share of notice and popularity. Another of the same nature,

and professing the same tenets, on the anniversary of His present Majesty's accession to the throne, produced a controversy; but like all similar contentions, the disputants were soon lost in their own smoke; and we now only recollect " An Heroic Epistle to Dr. Watson;" the author of which, supposed to be the same with that "to Sir William Chambers," remains still unknown.

Having thus vindicated the principles of general liberty, and justified the revolution of 1688, Dr. Watson next proceeded to justify Christianity itself, from the attacks of sophistry, scepticisin, and infidelity. The late Mr. Gibbon, fond of ease, luxury, and enjoyment, had relinquished his political opinions for a place; but in his religious tenets, he appears to have remained firm and sincere until the very last. In two of the chapters of his celebrated work on "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," he had attacked the religion of Christ; and he was now answered by means of a work, entitled, “An Apology for Christianity, in a Series of Letters, addressed to Edward Gibbon, Esq." This immediately became a popular production; for, instead of calling in the assistance of the secular power, or commencing his attack with the violence of bigotted zeal; Dr. Watson displayed all the mildness of a true Christian, and all the good manners of a well-bred gentleman,

In 1780, he published another sermon, preached before his own university, in the beginning of the same year (Feb. 4th), on the day appointed for the general fast; and in 1781, he produced his first volume of " Chemical Essays." This was soon after followed by four additional ones.

At length, by the influence of the Duke of Rutland, to whom this work was inscribed, he obtained the mitre; and thus owed to a lucky incident, what his own merit had fully entitled him to. From that moment he seems to have abandoned his once favourite pursuit, as will be seen from the following quotation from the preface to his fifth and last volume:

"When I was elected Professor of Divinity in 1771, I determined to abandon, for ever, the study of chemistry, and I did abandon it for several years; but the veteris vestigia flammæ still continued to delight me, and at length seduced me from my purpose.

"When I was made a Bishop, in 1782, I again determined to quit my favourite pursuit: the volume which I now offer to the public is a sad proof of the imbecility of my resolution.

"I have on this day, however, offered a sacrifice to other people's notions, I confess, rather than to my own opinion of episcopal decorum - I have destroyed all my chemical manuscripts. A prospect of returning health might have persuaded me to pursue this delightful science; but I have now certainly done with it for ever; at least, I have taken the most effectual step I could, to wean myself from an attachment to it; for, with the holy zeal of the idolators of old, who had been addicted to curious arts- I have burned my books."

Soon after his consecration, the new Bishop attracted the notice of both the clerical profession and the public at large, by "A Letter addressed to the Archbishop of Canterbury," on the equilization of the Church Revenues. His Lordship, on this occasion, proved himself the sincere friend of the great body of the clergy, by demonstrating the hardships to which those who possessed scanty livings, were subjected. Yet, although his arguments were conclusive, and his facts incontrovertible, neither the Metropolitan himself, nor any of those possessed of rich livings, were much pleased, perhaps, with this address.* The

* As this work, which has been lately re-published in the Pamphleteer (No. XVI.) formerly excited much attention, and is still worthy of perusal, we shall here give an analysis of it. After some prefatory remarks complimentary to the clergy in general, and the Bench of Bishops in particular, Dr. Watson fairly states his object to be twofold, viz. "An Alteration respecting the Revenue of the Bishops and the inferior Clergy;"—"not by means of a parity of Preferments, but a better apportioned Distribution of what the State allows for the Maintenance of the established Clergy."

1. He wishes to make the Bishoprics more equal to each other, both with respect to income and patronage, by annexing part of the estates, and part of the preferments of the richer bishoprics, as they become vacant, to the poorer; which would prevent the