Few characters arc, upon the whole, more entitled to our veneration than Bishop Butler. I his works will con tinue to bear testimony to his strength of mind, and ori ginality of view, as long as their subjects shall interest the world ; and he stay be ranked among the ablest de fenders of revelation, shire the age of the apostles. The selection of his topics was sometimes unavoidably influ enced by the questions of the day. Some of them are such as, perhaps, would not now be discussed with much interest ; but, if they have ceased to agitate the philoso phical world, it is in a great measure owing to the rigid accuracy with which they were finally elucidated by him self. It has indeed been remarked, that his reasoning is generally better calculated to silence than to convince ; and that, by dwelling so much on the uncertainty and im perfections of the inkrences of reason, lie is apt to pro duce a sceptical turn of mind. This, however, was but the manner of the times. The infidels of those days did not all pretend to reject revelation as a subject of ration al enquiry. They attacked particular points with all the of metaphysical argumentation ; and hence a necessity was imposed on the friends of religion, to dispute every inch aground with corresponding minute ness.
Dr Butler's greatest praise is not that of an admirable SS titer ; he was equally distinguished as a man and a Christian. I lis private benefactions were numerous,
and his example in promoting charitable institutions emi nently conspicuous. Ills piety was truly sincere and fervent, leaning, perhaps, a little to the gloomy and as cetic : a character NS iliCh it possibly derived, in part, irons his t.arly education, and partly from a natural dis position inclined to melancholy. Ilis munificence was in all respects equal to the great means with which Pro\ idence had blessed' him. Whilst bishop of Bristol, he expended, in repairing and improving the episcopal palace, 40001. ; being more than the whole emoluments of that see amounted to during his incumbency. At Durham, he supported the episcopal dignity with equal grandeur. Ile set apart three days in the week for doing the honours of the bishopric, and entertained the principal i7entry of the county' in the most princely style. To his table were invited even the poorest of his clergy ; whom he occasionally N kited at their parishes, and treated with : to utmost kindness and condescension. Bishop Butkr was tief tr married. At his death, it is said that he or dered all his manuscripts to be burnt, without inspection. See Brag. Brit. ; and Ilalifax's Preface and Notes to the (E)