—S 
vi] 
1808.] 
panoply of truth, in defence of our civil and 
ecclesiastical constitution. It was there he 
struck his adversaries with consternation, and 
we beheld the host of jacobins shrinking away. 
from hefore his face, and creeping into their 
caverns of darkness, But we are Mere, per- 
haps, betrayed into expressions too violent for 
plain prose, which reminds us of ‘another 
part oftour friend’s literary so 
mean lis poetical genius. That he. contri, 
buted. sonie fine pieces of poetry to ‘4 the 
Cornwall and Devon poets,’” is well known. 
These were published in two small octavo 
volumes; and theeditor has now in his pos- 
session a sufficient quantity of good verse, 
by Mr. Whitaker, to fill forty.or fifty pages 
of a third volume, new in contemplation. 
The last work upon which Mr. Whitaker em- 
ployed his pen was a life of St. Neot, the 
eldest brother of King Alfred, which, indeed, 
has not yet made its appearance, but most of 
the proof sheets of which he lived to correct. 
We have thus, with rapid glances, reviewed 
the productions of Mr. W.in the scveral de- 
partments of the historian, the theologist, 
the critic, the politician, andthe poet. Ver- 
Satility, like: Whitaker's, is, in truth, of rare 
occurrence. Butstill more rare is the spjen- 
dour of original genius, exhibited in walks so 
various. Not that Mr. W. was equally happy 
in them all. Ilis characteristic traits as a 
writer, were acute discernment, anda velo- 
city of ideas: which acquired new force in 
composition, and a power of combiningimages 
in a manner peculiarly striking, and of fling- 
ing on every topic of discussion the strongest 
- illustration. With little scruple, therefore, 
we hazard an opinion, that though his chief 
excellence be recoghized in antiquarian re= 
search, hie would have risen to higher emi- 
nence as a poet, had he cultivated in early 
youth the faveur of the Muses. Be this, 
however, as it may—there are none who will 
deem, us extravagant in pronouncing, that 
‘Mr. W. was a ‘ great” literary character: 
That he was ‘<*good” as, well as great, would 
sufficiently appear in the recollection of any 
period .of his life; whether we saw him 
adandoning preferment .from principle, and 
heard him ‘* reasoning of righteousness and 
judgment to. come 3” or whether, amongst 
his parishioners, we witnessed his unaficcted 
€arnestness of preaching, his humility in con- 
verting with the poorest cottagers, his since- 
3 rity in assisting them with advice, bis tender- 
ness in offering them consolation, and his 
charity in relieving their distresses. It is 
true, tothe same warmth of temper, toge- 
ther with a sense of good intentions, we must 
attribute an irritability at times destructive 
of social comfort, an impetuousness that 
brouked not opposition, and bore down ail be- 
fore it. ‘Ibis precipitation was in. part also 
to be traced to his ignorance of the world ; 
to his simplicity in belieying others like him- 
_self; precisely what they seemed to be; and 
on the detection of is error, his anger at dis- 
—_—° + 
Account of the late Revs J. Whitaker. 
489 
simulation or hypocrisy.. But his generat 
good humour, his hospitality, and his convi~. 
vial pleasantry, were surely enough to atene 
for those sudden bursts of passion, thuse flashes 
which betrayed his ‘* human frailty,” buc 
still argued genius. And they who knew, 
how *' fearfully and wonderfully he was 
made,” could bear from a Whitaker what 
they could not so well have tolerated inano- 
ther. In his family, Mr. W. was uniformly, 
regular 5 nor did he suffer at any time his 
literary cares to trench on his domestic du- 
ties. The loss of such a man must be deem- 
ed as it were a chasm both in public and pri- 
vate life. But, for the latter,. we may truly 
say, that if ever wife bad cause to Jament 
the kind and faithful husband, or *children, 
the affectionate parent, or servants the in- 
dulgent master; the family at, Ruan-Lany-~ 
horne must feel their loss irreparablef. Such 
wasthe historian of Manchester and the, rec- 
tor of Ruan-Lanyhorne, of whom we have 
givena very hasty sketch; we hope, how- 
ever, a just and impartial one. That he should 
have hived to the age of 75 is rather to be 
wondered. For, strong as was -his bodily 
constitution, his mind, ever active and reste 
less, must have worn out (we should ‘hase 
presumed) even that athletic frame, long-te- 
fore the period assigned to man’s existence. 
Amidst his ardent and indefatigable researches 
into the antiquities of London, his friends 
detected the first symptoms of bodily decay, 
His journey to London, his vast. exertions . 
there in procuring information, his energetic 
and. various conversation with literary cha- 
racters, brought on a.debility which he little 
regarded, till it alarmed him in a, stroke of 
paralysis. From this he never recovered to 
such a degree, as to be able to resume, with 
any good effect, his studies or occupations. 
But, for the last year, his decline has been 
gradual; and it was such as might be con- 
templated with pleasures since he, was sen~ 
sible of his approaching dissolution, yet in- 
variably supported by the faith of a christian. 
His indeed was the resignation, the cheerfuly 
ness becoming a primitive disciple of ‘that 
Jesus, in whose mercies he reposed, and to 
whom only he looked for acceptance. And 
he who would derive comfort from the pros- 
pect of death, should keep in view this 
venerable divine, who at peace with him- 
self, his. fellow creatures, and his God, sank 
as into quiet slumber, wichout a trouble or a 
pain, and with a smile on his countenance 
expired. , r , 
At his seat in Berkshire, the Right 
Honourable Guy Carleton, Lard Dorchester, 
Knight of the Bath, a General in the army, 
Colonel of the 4th or Queen’s own Dragoons, 
Governor of Fort Charlemont in Ireland, and 
Governor-General and Commander in Chiet 
* Twoamiable daughters. 
+ Mrs. W, wasa Miss Tregenaa, of an ane 
cient Coynisn family. 4 
in 
