further downward in society. The na views and Magazines constitute another source from which the literary attainments and habits of the pretent age are drawn. It is contended, indeed, that they make superficial readers; but we conceive that it is better, in every respect, that the mass of a nation should read superficially than not at all; and though most who read in this manner may never feel a desire, or acquire a habit of reading in a more solid and useful manner, yet there can be no doubt, that many have, by means of Reviews and Magazines, been introduced to works of greater utility, and been led to cultivate their minds with diligence and effect. The great number and extensive circulation of newspapers form another source from which the literary habits and attainments of the present age are drawn. It is not to be supposed, that even the lowest orders who read the newspapers, can read them with any satisfaction, without acquiring a superficial acquaintance with the geography of the places that are mentioned in them; and the habit of reading them must produce, not only more information, but a greater portion of intellect than they could otherwise have attained to. In the second place, the literary habits and attainments of the present age, the origin of which we have endeavoured to trace to the advantages of education now so generally enjoyed, have been further formed by the ample means of information so widely scattered On the whole, therefore, to whatin all parts of the country. We ever class in society we look, we are well aware of the evils that shall find it possessed of more inoften result from circulating li- formation, and with its faculties braries; and that by far the largest more exercised and improved, than portion of their contents are calcu- the same class could boast of at any lated only to enervate the mind, former period: so that, even after injure the character, and waste the making a most ample allowance time of those who read them. But, for all the disadvantages and bad after all, we apprehend that the op- consequences that result from the portunities of information, which rage for learning a little of every even the worst of them afford, will species of literature and science, counterbalance the mischiefs that we may safely pronounce, that they produce. the people of Britain have adThe number and variety of Re- vanced very considerably beyond their ancestors in discarding error, in the attainment of truth, and in every species of useful and orna mental knowledge. The principal object of this Retrospect will have been attained, if we have succeeded in proving that in all the various departments of literature, and even in some of the departments of science, the characteristic features of British intellect may be traced; that these strongly resemble the features of the national character; and that both are principally distinguished from the intellect and general character of other nations, by a preference of home to society,-of domestic duties and pleasures, to the duties and pleasures of public life;-by a most true and exquisite relish for the various scenery of nature;-by a preference of what is solid and practical, to what is merely superficial and speculative;-by a fondness for communion with their own thoughts, always serious, and not unfrequently tinged with melancholy;-by a strong and comprehensive grasp of intellect ;-by a pure and correct, rather than a very refined and elegant taste;-and by a high sense of honour and moral obligation. BIOGRAPHICAL ANECDOTES AND CHARACTERS. PART I. ARTICLE I.-ANECDOTES of the LIFE of RICHARD WATSON, Bishop of Landaff, written by himself at different intervals, and revised in 1814. Published by his son, Richard Watson, LL.B. Prebendary of Landaff and Wells. TH HIS work possesses none of the more graceful and delightful charms of Biography: it contains scarcely any incidents of the bishop's early life; it does not exhibit him, except when dressed out and prepared for his duties as a dignitary of the Church, or a politician. It disappoints us even with regard to literary anecdotes; for of these there is scarcely one: and to the bishop's literary friends we are never introduced. The mode in which it is written, too, is entirely destitute of that ease, frankness, and familiarity, which often compensate for paucity, or want of importance, in the materials of Biography. Its merits are of quite a different kind: they arise from the insight which it gives us into the political 'intrigues of the day, and into the bishop's own character. This work confirms the popular belief (if it needed confirmation), that gratitude and merit, and even the public benefit, weigh little with statesmen ; and that the ministers of the Established Church are too often drawn aside, by the connexion of that Church with the State, from the high and rigid disdain of the powers and honours and wealth of this world, which the Christian religion so pointedly and uniformly inculcate. With respect to the bishop's own character, its lineaments were strongly marked, and he has drawn them so that they cannot be mistaken. He had a very high opinion of his own merits;-both of his merits arising from his intellectual powers and acquirements, and from his private and public conduct. He professed himself an independent man, and that he would always act, in his religious and political capacity, from principle. He was sensible that thus he could not be useful useful or acceptable to ministers; and yet his book is full of angry and unmanly expressions of disappointment, that ministers did not patronize and advance him in the Church. He seems to have wished to have had all the praise from the public, that could result from independence and consistency, and at the same time, a due portion of those honours and emoluments which he himself knew ministers reserved for such as served them. In short, he seems to have been possessed of considerable vigour of mind,-to have rated his own merits sufficiently high,-to have been rather haughty and ambitious,-and to have had principle enough to be independent, but not strength of mind and principle sufficient to be independent and content at the same time. Our Extracts will justify the character we have given of him. DR. WATSON APPOINTED A BISHOP. ON coming home (July 2, 1782) from creating the doctors in the Senate house, I was informed that Lord Rockingham had died the day before. This would have been a dreadful blow to a man of ambition, but it gave me no concern on my own account; for though he had flatteringly told me, that he was so perfectly satisfied with my public conduct, that he should be glad of an opportunity of serving the country in serving me, yet I had no expectation that he had then an intention (as I was afterwards told by lord John Cavendish he had) of promoting me to a bishopric. I sincerely regretted the great loss which the public sustained by his death; for he was a minister of greater ability than was generally believed, and he possessed that integrity of constitutional principle, without which the greatest ability is calculated only to do great mischief. When lord John Cavendish informed me of lord Rockingham's intention towards me, he informed me also, that I might apply with probable effect either to the duke of Grafton or the duke of Rutland but I made no application to either of them; I called however at Euston on the following Monday, in my way to Yarmouth. The duke of Grafton then told me that the bishop of Landaff (Barrington) would probably be translated to the See of Salisbury, which had become vacant a few days before the death of lord Rockingham, and that he had asked lord Shelburne, who had been appointed first Lord of the Treasury, to permit me to succeed to the bishopric of Landaff. This unsolicited kindness of the duke of Grafton gratified my feelings very much, for my spirit of independence was ever too high for my circumstances.-Lord Shelburne, the Duke informed me, seemed very well disposed towards me, but would not suffer him to write to me; and he had asked the Duke whether he thought the appointment would be agreeable to the duke of Rutland. Notwithstanding this hint, I could not bring myself to write to the duke of Rutland, F 2 who who had not at that time forsaken the friends of lord Rockingham. I knew his great regard for me, but I abhorred the idea of pressing a young nobleman to ask a favour of the new minister, which might in its consequences sully the purity of his political principles, and be the means of attaching him without due consideration to lord Shelburne's administration. Not that I had any reason to think ill of the new mi nister : I was personally unacquainted with him, but I was no stranger to the talents he had shown in opposing lord North's American war; and lord Rockingham had told me, that lord Shelburne had behaved very honourably to him in not accepting the Treasury, which the King had offered to him in preference to lord Rockingham. I mention this circumstance in mere justice to lord Shelburne; whose constitutional principles and enlarged views of public policy rendered him peculiarly fitted to sustain the character of a great statesman in the highest office. On the 12th of the same month, the duke of Rutland wrote to me at Yarmouth-that he had determined to support lord Shelburne's administration, as he had received the most positive assurances, that the independency of America was to be acknowledged, and the wishes of the people relative to a parliamentary reform granted. He further told me, that the bishopric of Landaff, he had reason to believe, would be disposed of in my favour if he asked it; and desired to know, whether, if the offer should be made, I would accept it. I returned for answer that I conceived there could be no dishonour in my accepting a bishopric from an administration which he had pre viously determined to support; and that I had expected lord Shelburne would have given me the bishopric without application, but that if I must owe it to the interposition of some great man, I had rather owe it to that of His Grace than to any other. On Sunday, July 21st, I received an express from the duke of Rutland, informing me that he had seen lord Shelburne, who had anticipated his wishes, by mentioning me for the vacant bishopric before he had asked it. I kissed hands on the 26th of that month, and was received, as the phrase is, very graciously; this was the first time that I had ever been at St. James's. In this manner did I acquire a bishopric. But I have no great reason to be proud of the promotion; for I think I owed it not to any regard which he who gave it me bad to the zeal and industry with which I had for many years discharged the functions, and fulfilled the duties, of an academic life; but to the opinion which, from my sermon, he had erroneously entertained, that I was a warm, and might become an useful. partisan. Lord Shelburne, indeed, had expressed to the duke of Grafton his expectation, that I would occasionally write a pamphlet for their administration. The Duke did me justice in assuring him, that he had perfectly mistaken my character; that though I might write on an abstract question, concerning government or the principles of legislation, it would not be with a view of assisting any administration. I had written in support of the principles of the revolution, because I thought those principles useful to the state, and I saw them vilified and neglected; I had taken part |