LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SANCROFT. 5l 



the church, however, which he had latterly 

 filled, it is probable that the various important 

 affairs which demanded his attention, may have 

 afforded little leisure for the cultivation of a 

 literary taste. As years advance too, it gene- 

 rally happens, that the mind is more disposed 

 to repose itself on knowledge already acquired, 

 than to exert much activity in the acquisition 

 of more. With all cultivators of useful infor- 

 mation, in addition to the pleasure arising from 

 the gratification of curiosity, and the exercise 

 of a literary taste, a strong operating motive is 

 derived from contemplating the advantages of 

 the acquirement at some future time, in the in- 

 tercourse and relations of society. Now, when 

 the term of life begins to be visibly approach- 

 ing, when the relish for social intercourse with 

 the world begins to languish, and the portion of 

 life, which is still future, becomes of small ac- 

 count with respect to its whole duration, it 

 seems natural that the ardour for making those 

 acquisitions should gradually abate. There is 

 too a period of life when, valuable as human 

 knowledge is, it is seen and felt to be a mere 

 earthly possession, and, as such, soon to be re- 

 linquished, in common with all that belongs to 

 earth. One, like Archbishop Bancroft, divided 

 from the world by a line which he neither hoped 

 nor desired to pass, with whom the relish for 



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