CHANNING, WILLIAM ELLERY, D.D., was the sou of an eminent merchant of Newport, Rhode Island, United States, where he was born on the 12th of April, 1780, He was educated at Harvard College, and his first views are said to have been directed to the medi cal profession; but he was eventually induced by the lectures or advice of the Hollis professor of divinity to enter the ministry in the Uni tarian communion, which however was not then distinguished in the United States from what is commonly called orthodox Christianity by to slier • has sa bow, He took his degree In 1798, and soon after went to VIrvinie, and spent some time there as a teacher ; but in 1803 be was appointed to the office In ehleh he remained for the rest of his hf.—that of pastor of the Federal-street congregation in Boston. At this tam he was considered to lean to what are called erangelleal virus; and sutra of the neighbouring clergymen of other persuasions used oessalottally to preach from his pulpit. Th. own preaching early drew attention by its superior polish and eloquence ; but not, it would appear, to eny runatkable degree till ha had officiated for some years, when his theology assumed • atom decided character, and his emigre ration, having considerably increased, built hint a larger church, and in 18.4 gave him a colleague, the lien. Ur. Gannett. What first brought him into general Delia in his own country were several semen. which he published during the war of 1812. These were followed by a number of papers in the 'Christian Disciple,' the • Christian ExunInor; and perhaps other Boston reviews or magazines. In England however 1)r. Channings name was not much heard of till after the appearance of LI. • Remarks on the Character and Writings of John Ildten; originally published in the form of a review of the ' Treatise of Christian Doctrine' in the' Christian Examiner' for 1826.
In the name publication for 1829 appeared his 'Remarks on the Life and Character of Napoleon Bonaparte; as a review of Scott's ' Life of Nepolens.' In 1830 a collection of Channing's writings was published in a royal 8vo volume at Boston, under the title of 'lleriews, Diacoanea, and Misorlianles.' lie continued to produce occasional tracts, discourse., and other writings during the remainder of his life, of which several subsequent collections were formed, both in America and In England ; but the most complete we believe is that published at Glasgow in 6 vole. 8vo, of which the first five were brought out in 1810, with the sanction and assistance of Dr. Charming himself, and the sixth in 1844 under the authority of his son, Mr. W. F. Chinning. The subjects principally treated of, besides those already mentioned, are war, temperance, public cdncation, the church, and especially the abolition of negro slavery, of which measure Chinning was one of the warmest advocates. Ilis death took place at Burlington, Vermont, on the 2nd of October 1842.
Charming is one of the most striking writers America has produced ; and his works, besides their attractions of style, are all animated by a pure and lofty His eloquence however, though often imposing, Lam not much nature or real fire; its splendour is mostly verbal; the thoughts are true and just., rather than new or profound ; it is exciting on a first perusal, hot will hardly bear a second. Nothing that ho ha. written therefore has conch chance of long retaining its reputation ; there is too little in it of the spirit of life ; too little of anything that can be called Its own, and that is not to be found else where. Both in its rhetorical character however and in its strain of sentiment it was well calculated to produce an immediate effect.