68 



ATTERBURY. 



Atterbury. to have assisted the Honourable Mr Boyle, (after- 

 rdl Earl of Orrery,) who was under his tuition at 

 Oxford, in the celebrated controversy which that no- 

 bleman earned on with Bentley, respecting the au- 

 thenticity of the epistles of Phalaris. But the most 

 extensive literary contest in which he engaged was 

 with Dr Wake, (afterwards archbishop of Canter- 

 bury,) con.erniiig the rights of convocations. Dr 

 Walce supported the following positions: " 1st, 

 That the right of calling the clergy together in sy- 

 nods is vested solely in the prince ; 2dly, That the 

 clergy, so assembled, have no right to debate or de- 

 termine any point cf doctrine or discipline without 

 his permission ; 3dly, That the prince may annul, al- 

 ter, or suspend, the execution of any of their consti- 

 tutions or decrees ; and lastly, that no synod can dis- 

 solve itself without consent of the prince." Atter- 

 bury opposed these principles, and asserted the right 

 of the clergy to meet and deliberate without any li- 

 cence or qualification. Several pamphlets were writ- 

 ten on both sides by different persons ; but Bishop 

 Atterbury was the most active and able advocate of 

 the high church principles and party. In this, as in 

 all his controversial writings, he expressed himself in 

 very intemperate language, and frequently (if we 

 may believe Bishop Burnet) with no very strict ad- 

 herence to truth.* He received, however, the thanks 

 of the lower house of convocation, for his zeal in as- 

 serting the rights of the clergy, and was compliment- 

 ed by the university of Oxford with the degree of 

 doctor in divinity. He had. been appointed by the 

 convocation one of the committee for comparing Mr 

 Whiston's doctrines with those of the Church of 

 England ; and, in consequence of this appointment, 

 he was principally concerned in drawing up " a re- 

 presentation of the present state of religion." In 

 this performance, which Bishop Burnet calls " a vi- 

 rulent declamation," he contrives to throw the blame 

 of the national wickedness upon those who had late- 

 ly been in power, and even seeks occasion to accuse 

 all the administrations since the Revolution. Before 

 his death, he published a vindication of himself, 

 Bishop Smallridge, and Dr Aldrich, from a charge 

 of having altered and interpolated Lord Clarendon's 

 History of the Rebellion. While he resided in 

 France, he corresponded with many literary charac- 

 ters, and particularly with a M. Thiriot, who has- 

 published several of the bishop's letters, which consist 

 chiefly of criticisms on several French authors. His 



letters to Mr Pope also are preserved, along with the Atterbury 

 letters of that poet ; and it is in this correspondence v \~ ' 

 that his character appeared in the most engaging 

 point of view. The letters of Atterbury are ac- 

 counted superior to those of Pope, in ease and ele- 

 gance of expression ; but the sentiments expressed in 

 them are very irreconcileable with that restless am- 

 bition by which he seems to have been actuated in 

 almost every period of his life. The Sermons of 

 Bishop Atterbury may be considered as his principal 

 work, and as having laid the foundation of his cha- 

 racter as a writer. They are now extant in four . 

 volumes octavo ; of which the two first volumes were 

 published by himself, and the two last by his chaplain 

 Dr Moore. The sermons, however, which Dr Moore 

 has published, were marked by the bishop's own 

 hand as the only ones lit to be printed ; and all the 

 rest which he had written were committed to the 

 flames, partly by himself, and partly by his execu- 

 tors. Several of his sermons were severely attacked 

 by Mr Hoadly ; and he had a dispute with the same 

 writer on the subject of passive obedience. In the 

 course of that controversy, Hoadly clearly shewed* 

 that Atterbury contradicted the sentiments which he 

 himself had advanced when supporting the rights of 

 convocation. In the sermons also, which Hoadly 

 censured, there are several very unguarded positions 

 and unscriptural tenets. Notwithstanding these de- 

 fects, his appearance in the pulpit seem to have gain- 

 ed him many admirers, and have even been consider- 

 ed as the principal'cause of his preferments. Though 

 there is much reason to doubt this, yet it is unde- 

 niable, that they are among the best pulpit composi- 

 tions of that age, and they still maintain a very respec- 

 table character in the opinion of all candid and judi- 

 cious persons.-)- They scarcely, however, di serve the 

 high praise which has been given them, for clear and 

 convincing argument ; but, like all the writings of 

 Atterbury, they are more remarkable for correctness 

 and case than for strength and elegance of language ; 

 for clear and concise illustration, than for forcible 

 reasoning and animated eloquence. 



Upon examining the literary compositions of Bishop 

 Atterbury, there appears, at one glance, the most 

 abundant reason to acknowledge his great abilities, 

 taste, and learning ; but, upon a review of the histo- 

 ry of his life, it is not easy to find equally striking 

 indications of an upright moral and political charac- 

 ter. While contemplating him in this view, it is no 



* " Some books," says the bishop, " were wrote to justify it, (the complaint of the high church party, of the want of 

 convocation,) with great acrimony of style, ami a strain of insolence that was peculiar to one Atterbury, who had indeed 

 very good parts, great learning, and was an excellent preacher, and had many extraordinary things in him, but was both 

 ambitious and virulent out of measure, and had a singular talent of asserting paradoxes with a great assurance, shewing no 

 shame when he was detected in them, though this was done in many instances : But lie let all these pass, without confessing 

 his errors, or pretending to justify himself. He went on, still venting new falsehoods in so barefaced a manner, that he 

 seemed to have outdone the Jesuits themselves." History of his own Timet, vol. ii. p. 249. 



f A writer in the Tatler gives the following very high commendation of Bishop Atterbury's talents as a preacher, and par- 

 ticularly of his powers in elocution : 



" He has so particular a regard to his congregation, that he commits to memory what he has to say to them ; and has so 

 soft and graceful a behaviour, that it must attract your attention. His person, it is to be confessed, is no small recommen- 

 dation ; but he is to be highly commended for not losing that advantage, and adding to the propriety of speech (which n : 

 pass the criticism of I.onginus) an action which would have been approved by Demosthenes. He has a peculiar force in his 

 way ; and lias many of his audience, who could not be intelligent hearers of his discourse, were there not explanation as well 

 as grace in his action. This art of his is used with most exact and honest skill. He never attempts your passions till he has 

 convinced your reason. All the objections which you can form are laid open and dispersed, before he uses the least vehe- 

 mence in his sermon ; but when he thinks he has your head, he very soon wins your heart ; and never pretends to shew the 

 beauty of holiness, till he has convinced you of the truth of it. B. 



