70 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SANCROFT. 



and never consenting to do so, from the com^ 

 mands or solicitations of others, when he could 

 with any decency avoid it. But, few as his re^ 

 maining works are, they are sufficient in value 

 to place him in a rank of considerable distinc- 

 tion for literary eminence. He seems to have 

 been, during the whole of his life, a close and 

 regular student ; and, especially in his earlier 

 years spent in the bosom of the University, to 

 have taken a wide range of literary pursuit, 

 cultivating not only the severer and more solid 

 branches of theology, ethics, and natural 

 science, but also the lighter studies connected 

 with works of taste and imagination. He was 

 evidently a keen and quick observer of passing 

 events, and was able to trace with a discrimi- 

 nating eye the nicer traits of the characters of 

 men, and the motives, concealed beneath the 

 surface, by which their conduct was influenced. 

 His talents, it may be inferred from his writings, 

 were rather solid, than bright ; and he excelled 

 rather in clearness of understanding and cor- 

 rectness of reasoning, than in power of genius : 

 still there are parts of his writings which claim 

 for him no mean credit for strength and origi- 

 nality of conception. His memory seems to have 

 been strong and retentive ; and since, through 

 study and labour, he furnished it with abundant 

 materials, he was able to command a store of 



