1826.] 
With a mind well stored with classical 
learning, he formed a plan of collecting, 
arvanging, and illustrating all of ancient 
and: modern literature’ which could unfold 
the history; aud throw light upon the pre- 
‘sent ‘state of Scythia. He kept a valuable 
journal-of his observations, from which 
copious: extracts.are given in Dr. Clarke’s 
great work. At that period Mr, Heber 
could not have been:much more.than 17. 
In the year 1801, he gained the chan- 
eellor’s prize at the university, by his 
Carmen Seculare, a spirited and classical 
specimen of Latin verse.. And, in 1803, 
his, talents were displayed to still greater 
advantage, in his celebrated poem of Pa- 
lestine, which gained the prize for Eng- 
lish poetical;composition. Respecting Mr 
Heber’s, character and condcct, and of the 
merits of his poem, Sir Charles Grey, the 
chief justice of Bengal, thus eulogistically 
expressed:himself, at a meeting held at the 
Town-hall of Caleutta, on the 6th May 
last :——“‘ The name of Reginald Heber was 
in every,mouth, his society was courted by 
young and old; he lived in an atmosphere 
of favour, admiration, and regard, from 
which I have never known any one but 
himself. who would not have derived, and 
for life, an unsalutary influence. Towards 
the close of his academical career, he 
crowned his previous honours by the pro- 
duction of his. Palestine; of which single 
work of-the fancy, the elegance and the 
grace haye seeured him a place in the list 
of those who bear the proud title of Eng- 
lish poets. ‘This, according to usage, was 
recited in public ; and when that scene of 
his early triumph comes upon my memory ; 
that elevated rostrum from which he looked 
upon friendly and admiring faces ; that de- 
corated theatre; those grave forms of ec- 
clesiastical dignitaries, mingling with a re- 
splendent throng of rank and beauty ; those 
antique mansions of learning, those vene- 
rable groves, those refreshing streams and 
shaded walks; the vision is broken by ano- 
‘ther, in which the youthful and presiding 
genius of the former scene is beheld, lying 
in his distant grave, amongst the sands of 
Southern India; believe me, the contrast 
is striking, and the recollections most pain- 
ful.’’ 
On the oceasion here alluded to, Mr. 
Heber’s father was in the theatre, and had 
the felicity of witnessing his triumph at the 
8 be of nineteen. ‘The old gentleman, 
immediately upon his return home, was 
seized with a dangerous malady, under 
whieh he lingered, with intervals of remis- 
‘sion, until the month of January 1804, when 
he closed an exemplary life in the 76th 
year of his age. 
~ Mr. Heber’s Palestine was published 
Shortly after its mutation in the second 
volume of the Poetical Register; and, in 
1809, it was republished, with the Passage 
of the Red Sea, a fragment: a production 
evincing great boldness of conception and 
Biographical Memoirs of Eminent Persons. 
-had entered upon his high office. 
599 
vigour of execution. In 1805, Mr. Heber 
produced an English essay, entitled ‘“ The 
Sense of Honour.” | In 1808 he took the 
degree of M.A. ; and in 1809, he published 
a poem under the title of “ Europe, 
Lines on the present War,’’ which at- 
tracted considerable notice. . Soon after- 
wards he relinquished his Fellowship and 
married; his patrimonial preferment, the 
Rectory of Hodnet, in the county of Salop, 
being of sufficient value to render a depen- 
dence upon college preferment unnecessary. 
In 1812 he published a small volume of 
poems and translations; and in 1815, he 
was chosen to deliver the Bampton Lec- 
tures before the University of Oxford, a 
duty which he performed with great. ability. 
His lectures were published in 1816, under 
the title of “‘ The Personality and Office of 
the Christian Comforter, Asserted and Ex- 
plained in a Course of Sermons on John xvi. 
7. Of this production, the Quarterly Re- 
viewers expressed themselves in terms of 
high praise. In 1822 an ‘edition of the 
works of Jeremy Taylor appeared, to which 
was prefixed a life of the bishop, by Mr. 
Heber. By persons of competent judg- 
‘ment, this was regarded as an admirable 
and valuable piece of biography. It, was 
soon afterwards published in a separate 
form, accompanied bya critical examina- 
tion of Bishop Taylor’s writings. 
In May 1822, Mr. Heber was chosen 
preacher at Lincoln’s Inn ; an office which 
few have held for any length of time with- 
out further advancement. His friends, in- 
deed, thought it not presumption to hope 
that, ere long, he might wear the mitre at 
home. However, upon the death of Dr. 
Middleton, the bishopric of Calcutta was 
offered to him; and as worldly ambition 
was not the passion of his soul, he readily 
consented to sacrifice his comforts and his 
expectations, that he might render his ta- 
lents useful in a distant region of the earth. 
He was appointed to the vacant see on the 
14th of May 1823. The University of 
Oxford conferred upon him the degree of 
D.D.,'by diploma, in June ; and he arrived 
at Calcutta on the 11th of October fol- 
lowing. 
The ardent hope of success in his 
important mission, which Dr. Heber ex- 
pressed to the various religious societies in 
England previously to his departure, will 
not be forgotten ; nor the zeal with which 
he declared that he looked forward to the 
time when he should be enabled to preach 
to the natives of India in their own lan- 
guage. His first charge at his visitation, 
on the 27th of May 1824, gave abundant 
proof of the benevolent spirit in which he 
Long 
and laborious were the journies which he 
performed, from one side of the vast Indian 
peninsula to the other, including the island 
of Ceylon, performing at each station the 
active duties of an apostolical bishop. Of 
as however, we have no room to speak 
B2 
