> 
ue 
3796.] 
bear teftimony for thee when thou fland- 
eft at the judgment. 
Hear my words, and incline thine ear 
to my fayings! Quarrel not with thy 
neighbours, and, if thou beholdeft in 
them aught wrong, proclaim not their 
infamy with thy tongue. 
Gather up gold- and poffeffions, and 
tell not thy wife where they are, even 
though fhe be good. 
The day is fhort, the work is much. 
Let not the grief of to-morrow torment 
thee, for thou knoweft not what to-day 
may bring forth.”’ 
Such are the Proverbs of Ben Sira, 
the nephew of Jeremiah the prophet. 
Mr. Gibbon could not have objected to 
shefe that they are too liberal for a Jew ! 
Drofius has colleéted the few Hebrew 
adages that remain, in the fame little 
volume. If you approve of what [ have 
tranflated, I will fend thofe likewife. 
am, tir, ac. 
pas 
ee 
Yo the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
te late Mr. Robert Robinfon, of 
Chefterton, near Cambridge, was a 
perfon no lefs diftinguithed by the origi- 
nality of his genius, than by his attain- 
ments in knowledge, and the lufire of 
his virtues : few characters in the private 
walks of life more obtained the efteem 
and admiration of his friends, or were 
better qualified to fill a fuperior ffation. 
I reckon it a great happinefs of my life 
to have enjoyed his friendfhsp for many - 
years ; and in drawing up the following 
fummary of his character, 1 with to pay 
a tribute of refpect to his memory : 
There is a defcription of people, who 
feem to think that nothing great can exift, 
but within a particular circle. What- 
ever eminence men may arrive at, in in- 
tellectual endowments, they are fure to 
be reminded of the difadvantages of their 
early years, or of their particular pro- 
feffions, as though talents were the inhe- 
ritance of the great, and fame was the 
attendant of family. I have fometimes 
been led to obferve, that perfons who 
have the leaft pretenfions to boaft of their 
families, are frequently betrayed into 
his frivolity of conduét : they 
“¢ Forget the dunghills where they grew, 
6¢ And think themfelves the Lord knows who.”? 
the outfet of life, under what thefe gen- 
rlemen may reckon difadvantages. But 
-were they real difadvantages; or were 
Charatter of the Rev. R, Rebinfare 
Mr. Robinfon certainly laboured, at. 
qut 
they any other than fuch as may even- 
tually prove the higheft benefits? The 
exertions made by men who emerge 
from ob{curity, have formed the greateft 
characters that ever exifted in fociety 3 
and, generally (peaking, fuch characters 
poffefs a beauty that render them in a 
high degree amiable and endearing. ‘Che 
moft intimate friends of the benevolent 
Mr. Robinfon knew, that a prevailing 
feature in his chara¢tér wasan uncommon 
regard tothe lower ordersof fociety. In 
their company he ufed to fhade his fplen- 
did abilities, and always appeared as 
the friend and companion. ‘This con- 
du& gave him great advantage in hig 
paftoral and political charaéter. - Na 
man, perhaps, ever excelled him in the 
art of fetting the lower ranks of people 
to refleét, and in infpiring them with li- 
berality and benevolence ; at the fame 
time his philanthropy was fo confpicuous, 
and his addrefs: to mfiauating, that peo- 
ple of the moft polite and elegant man- 
ners admired his charaétér, and imbibed 
his principles. Generally fpeaking, it 
will be found, that reformers exift a- 
mong people, zullius generis, rather than 
among privileged orders. 
Love of Independence was a qua- 
lity by which Mr. Robinfon food 
eminently diftinguifhed. This difpofi- 
tion is reckoned worthy of cenfure,, ra- 
ther than praife, by fuch as are proud of 
retainers; ‘and there is: a {pecies ‘of 
this temper, that unqueftionably de. 
ferves animadverfion. If, under the no- 
tion of independence, men are too proud 
to receivea civility, or too felfith to con- 
fer one; if they become dead to the fo- 
cial paffions, and infentible to 
of others, they are mifanthropes, and 
their love of independence is but a more 
refined degree of felffhnefs. To men 
of fuch oharaéters, it may be faid, as it 
was on another occafion : ‘‘ take a ladder, 
and go to heaven by yourfelves.” 
Robinfon’s love of independence rofe 
out of an enlarged liberality of mind, 
and a great fenfibility of temper. He 
poffeffed the focial afeétions in a very 
high degree, and the various duties of 
life were difcharged by him with energy 
and ftriétnefs. His mind was formed 
for fpeculation, his heart was the feat of 
fympathy. He was a diffenting mini. 
fter, ranked among the firft of public 
{peakers, and obtained great popularity 
among all parties of Chriftians. But 
his love of independence inclined him not 
to rely entirely on his profeffion, for fup. 
port; and in every part of his life he 
feemed 
the meric 




