Warrington Academy, i 



o 



persons connected with its first location ; and by degrees 

 a new academy arose, not in its external matters much 

 more prosperous than the first, although always having 

 connected with it men of the highest intellectual rank : 

 the Rev. John Kenrick and the Rev. James Martineau 

 being enough to give it fame, and the Rev. J. J, Tayler 

 to give it a place in the hearts of those who knew him ; 

 these men being too great and good not to be admired 

 even by those who have no sympathy with the same 

 religious community. 



When people laugh at Chowbent as a rough place, it is 

 not unpleasant to note that one of the earliest promoters 

 of the Warrington Academy was from that town, as seen 

 by a letter from Mr, John Mort, minister there, a friend 

 of Priestley's, a man to whom Mrs. Barbauld addressed the 

 following lines : — 



Happy old man ! who, stretched beneath the shade 

 Of large-grown trees, or in the rustic porch 

 With woodbine canopied, where linger yet 

 The hospitable virtues, calm enjoy'st 

 Nature's best blessings all : a healthy age 

 Ruddy and vigorous, native cheerfulness, 

 Plain-hearted friendship, simple piety, 

 The rural manners, and the rural joys 

 Friendly to life. Oh, rude of speech, yet rich 

 In genuine worth, not unobserved shall pass 

 Thy bashful virtues ! for the muse shall mark, 

 Detect thy charities, and call to light 

 Thy secret deeds of Mercy ; 



The ' rude speech ' may be considered as more per- 

 manent than the • large-grown ' trees. 



