Berkeley was of a comely figure, a benign and im pressive countenance, and of a robust constitution,' till his health was impaired by his sedentary habits. Few persons were ever held in higher estimation by those who knew him than this excellent whose worth was of so high a standard as to render, the praise of Pope scarcely hyperbolical, when he ascribes, " To Berkeley every virtue under heaien." Bishop Atterbury, after having been in company with Berkeley for the first time, on being asked his opinion of this excellent person, exclaimed with ad miration, " 4 So much understanding, so much knoW ledge, so much innocence, and such humility, I did' not think had been the portion of any but angels, till. I saw this gentleman." That the knowledge off Berkeley was greatly diversified, and extended arts and business of common life, as well as the depths' of science; is amply testified by the authOr of the Court of Augustus, Dr Blackwell, whoM the bishop, wished to engage as one of the professors of his new college in the Bermudas. " I scarce remember," says' Blackwell, " to have conversed with him on that art, liberal, or mechanic, of which he knew not more the ordinary practitioners. With the widest views, he descended into a minute detail, 'andgrudged nei ther pains nor expense for the means of information. He travelled through a part of Sicily on foot ; clam bered over the mountains, and crept into the caverns, to investigate its natural history, and discover the cause of its volcanos : and I have known him sit for hours in forgeries and founderies, to inspect their suc cessive operations. I enter not into his peculiarities
either religious or personal : but admire the extensive genius of the man; and think it a loss to the 'western world, that his noble and exalted plan of an Ameri can university was not carried into execution. Many such spirits in our country would quickly make learn ing wear another face. .
It is thought, that, towards the close of his life, Berkeley began to doubt the solidity of metaphysi cal speculations; and on that account turned his thoughts more to the subjects of politics and medi cine. The ingenious romance, entitled the Adven tures of Signior Gaudentio di Lucca, has been repeat edly ascribed to his pen, but without sufficient autho rity. This performance, it is believed, was the pro duction of a Romish priest, who wrote it for his amusement while a prisoner in the Tower of London. A complete edition of the works of Berkeley, with an account of his life, and several letters, was published in two volumes quarto in 178•; and a volume, con taining his smaller pieces, under the title of Miscella: flies, was printed under his own inspection at Dublin in 1752. (ni)