WILLIAM SAMUEL POWELL, TWENTY-EIGHTH

MASTER.

ELECTED JANUARY 25, 1765.

On the death of Dr. Newcome, no less than seven candidates started to succeed him, who were, Dr. Rutherforth who had been long tutor in the college, Dr. Brooke who succeeded him in the Margaret professorship, Dr. Ogden now Woodwardian professor of Natural History, Mr. Skinner late orator of the university, Dr. 5 Powell1 late tutor in the college, Mr. Alvis fellow of the college, and Mr. now Dr. Frampton, fellow also.

How the intrigues of this conclave were carried on is more than I know, being then settled in Buckinghamshire, and never enquiring about it since my return into Cambridgeshire. The result of it how- 10 ever was propitious to Dr. Powell, who was unanimously elected master on the 25 January 1765: a post he maintained with the greatest reputation and honour to himself, and credit and advantage to the society, for the space of ten years, bating six days.

As his friend Dr. Balguy archdeacon of Winchester, in his pre- 15 face to Dr. Powell's Discourses on various subjects, published the year after his death in 8vo. at London, has given the outlines of his life, which centre chiefly in his literary productions, those being the most important memoirs of an academic; I shall have the less trouble to collect materials, and refer those who are inquisitive about them 20 to what Dr. Balguy has said in his preface; who observes in general, that his life was uniformly devoted to the interests of sound philosophy and true religion. Yet as some persons may not be altogether of the dogmatical opinion of some morose critics', who think every thing besides an account of the literary productions in a studious man's life "is generally a repetition of insignificant actions, and "might be almost as briefly dispatched as the history of the antedi"luvians is by Moses, when he tells us, that they lived so many years, "begat sons and daughters, and then died," and may happen to think

1 Arms. Or, a Chevron between 3 lions' paws erect, gules. v. my Vol. 57, p. 376.

2 Critical Review for 1776, p. 131.

25

a few other kind of anecdotes spread here and there may give a life and vivacity to a mere dull recital of account of books, I shall venture to follow my old beaten track, and interlard my account of this doctor's life with such scraps as I have collected and put down 5 in several of my volumes; add digressions, or not, as I see proper, without asking leave of these Catos. These shew a man as much as his books.

Wm. Samuel Powell was born at Colchester in the year 1717', and was admitted into this college in 1734. In the year 1741, he was 10 taken into the family of the late lord viscount Townshend, as private tutor to his second son the hon. Charles Townshend afterwards chancellor of the exchequer: and about the end of that year was instituted to the rectory of Colkirk in Norfolk, on lord Townshend's presentation.

15

He returned to college the year after: took the degree of M.A. and began to read lectures in the college, under, and as assistant to, Mr. Wrigley and Mr. Tunstall but in the year 1744 he became principal tutor: and the following year was senior taxor of the university. In 1749 he took his degree of B.D. and in 1753 was insti20 tuted to the rectory of Stibbard', in the gift of lord Townshend. In 1757 he took his degree of D.D. and then preached before the university on commencement Sunday, in defence of subscriptions to the articles, and printed his sermon; which, if it gave offence then to the underminers of the established church, gave much more some 15 25 years after, when he reprinted it. In 1761 he quitted the college and took a house in London; but did not resign his fellowship till 1763. Upon the vacancy occasioned by Dr. Newcome's death, he was unanimously elected 3 master of this college on Friday Jan. 25, St. Paul's conversion 1765, and on the ensuing election of a vice-chan30 cellor in November following the choice fell upon him: for soon after his being made master, he quitted his house in town and came to reside at college, to the sole government of which he dedicated his future life. One circumstance had like to have made a breach between him and his fellows, on his first coming among them: for as 35 he was beneficed by a private patron, they little suspected, that a person of his sufficiency, with his mastership, would have quitted his preferment, in order to better it at the expense of the college, which could have sent off a fellow with a college living. But herein they reckoned with ut their host: for some 2 or 3 years after his 40 accession to the mastership, the rectory of Freshwater in the Isle of Wight falling vacant by the death of Mr. Culme, no one imagined it would be taken by the master, for the reasons alleged: but herein

1 [Sept. 27 O. S. Balguy].

2

[He resigned Colkirk in 1753, that it might be consolidated with Stibbard, another of ld. Townshend's livings: and was again instituted the next day. Balguy].

3 [Camb. Chron. No. 118, 26 Jan. 1765].

they were as much disappointed, as they were chagrined: for as he was authorized by the donation to do so, he took institution to it', and generally went thither after the commencement for some months. Indeed it was worth his taking: and no one knew or attended to calculations more than he did: for Dr. Ewin of Cam- 5 bridge, who had been his pupil and was much in his confidence, going with him to Freshwater in the summer of 1772, told me on his return, that the master made £500. per an. of it, and might without any injustice raise it to £700. It was not till 1768, that he was instituted to this living: having two years before, in December2 10 1766, been made archdeacon of Colchester by the king, who had that presentation on the promotion of Dr. Moss to the see of St. David's.

Some few years before he attained the mastership of this college, a relation3, with whom he had very little acquaintance and less ex- 15 pectation from, left him an ample fortune of about £600. per annum: and to do him all justice, he well deserved it: for he was both hospitable and generous; and being a single man, had an income equal to most bishopricks, and sufficient room to exercise his generosity.

I have already observed, that in 1757 he preached the commence- 20 ment sermon, in defence of subscriptions required by our church. Things were then only brewing: but in 1772, a formal society was instituted at the Feathers tavern in London, by numbers of the clergy who called themselves of the established church, archdeacon Blackburn at the head of them; in order to petition parliament to 25 throw aside all subscriptions, and to let every one into the service and preferments of the church that would only acknowledge the authority of the old and new testament: they were also for taking away all subscriptions in the university; and so leave every one at large to act and do as he pleased. The infatuation was so strong, 30 that several members of the university were led astray by it; and I am sorry to record it, that one whole college, and that none of the least, both head and fellows, subscribed this petition. The parliament was too wise to be caught by their plausibilities; they saw it was a scheme that had been hatching by the dissenters for many 35 years: the Candid Disquisitions gave the alarm and now the king being harassed by a republican faction, and Wilkes and liberty in full sail, they thought it good to fish in troubled waters, and laid hold of the opportunity, when every thing was in a ferment. It was evidently a scheme of the republican faction to throw all things into 4o confusion: the deists, Socinians, Arians all joined in the riot: but

1 [Cambr. Chron. 29 Oct. 1768].

2 [12 Dec. Hardy's Le Neve, II. 344].

3 [In 1759 he came into possession of an estate in Essex: devised to him by Mr. Reynolds, a relative of his mother's. This lady had two other children who survived her: the Rev. Mr. Jolland by her first husband, and Mrs. Susan Powell by her second. Balguy].

Providence blasted their designs. Mr. Jebb, a professed Arian, was the great and busy agitator at Cambridge: him the master opposed in all his wild schemes of reformation: and when he found his mischief at Cambridge was so ably counteracted, he reluctantly left the 5 place, where he had done more harm by his lectures and activity, than one can conceive; and flung off his gown, and publickly avowed his unbelief of the divinity of our Saviour: he now studies physic in London.

Upon this occasion Dr. Powell thought proper to give a new 10 edition of his aforesaid sermon: accordingly the 4th edition of it was printed at Cambridge in 8vo. Ao. 17721, in hopes of doing service among the younger scholars, who had been tutored and lectured by the faction, in hopes they would all formally refuse subscription at matriculation. This republication enraged the faction against him: 15 and a most impudent letter, addressed to him, in the London Chronicle of Jan. 25, 1772, signed Camillus, appeared in that paper: which for no other reason, than to shew the violence and humour of that period, I will give a place here to.

20 'Sir,

'To the rev. Dr. Powell.

'I have heard it observed by a worthy orthodox divine, that 'upon your idea the devil might subscribe. But I think that per'sonage is still under greater obligations to you. You have not only 'opened a way for him to the first dignity in the English church, 25 'but have also supplied him with the means of making devils of 'your brethren. The reprinting of your celebrated commencement sermon at this juncture is judged by many persons to be done with 'a design to conciliate the minds of the undergraduates3 to sub'scription: the thought of which, notwithstanding the Jesuitical 30 'logic of certain tutors, fills them with disquietude; or in other 'words, this republication is esteemed an effort to despoil the un'suspecting simplicity of youth of that native honour and integrity, 'which will hereafter be but ill exchanged for a superior knowledge ' of the world.

35

'You assert that a subscription in youth, "implies only a gene'ral belief of the articles, grounded partly on their own observa'tion, and partly on the authority of others." It may be difficult to 'draw the discriminating line in this semi-Pope proposition; but 'even this motley species of subscription will not suit the case of 40 'the Cambridge questionists. It is a well known fact that the 'generality of the young men have no opportunity even of reading 'the 39 articles previously to their subscription. Nay, what is more

1 [Price 6d. Advertisement in Cambr. Chron. 18 Jan. 1772].

2

[By Dr. John Jebb. See his Works III. 50—52, where it begins with the words: The reprinting, etc.].

[of Cambridge, in Jebb].

'remarkable, not even at the time of subscription itself; as the 'articles set at the head of the registrary's book are not the 39 'articles of religion, but the 3 articles of the 36th canon of our 'church. They are not therefore partly to subscribe them upon 'their own observation, and partly upon the authority of others: 5 'but it is to be feared, that they entirely surrender their right of pri'vate judgement into the hands of their superiors, and shew as im'plicit a submission to the decisions of our church, as our ancestors 'were wont to do to papal Rome.

'I have long desired to have some discourse with you upon the 10 case of Mr. H., who believed, and often solemnly asserted that upon conviction he believed, all the 39 articles of religion; but was notwithstanding refused by you a proper testimonial of his ortho'doxy. How do you reconcile your refusal of such testimonial with that spirit of moderation, which you affect in your discourse? It 15 'is in vain you will plead irregularity of behaviour. Yourself bore 'testimony to his sobriety, piety and learning, by the subscription 'of your own hand.

'I shall conclude my letter with the following facts, which I ' mention more for the edification of others, than of yourself.

20

'In the month of June 1769, a petition was offered by the undergraduates, for an alteration of their statutable dress, and it was 'granted. In the month of January 1772, a petition was offered by 'the undergraduates, either to be released from an unstatutable 'subscription, or to be instructed in those articles which they 25 'would shortly be called upon to subscribe: and this their modest, 'their reasonable, their righteous petition was treated with con'tempt. Blush, Cambridge! blush!

CAMILLUS.

It was probably forged at Mr. Jebb's anvil; tho' he even con- 30 descends to be an advocate for the methodists, rather than not to find matter of abuse: for I suppose Mr. H. means Mr. Hill, then a young scholar of St. John's college, who, while he was an undergraduate and not in orders, went preaching about in Cambridge and the neighbouring villages, and particularly in a barn at Water- 35 beche, where was a numerous seminary of the disciples of Mr. Berridge of Clare hall, called from him Berridges, and who to this day send out preachers, gardeners, collar-makers, shop-keepers, &c. into many of the adjacent villages. It was for this irregularity, perhaps, that the master thought proper to refuse a testimonial. He 40 is son, I think, of Sir Roland Hill, and is now in orders and in repute with his people, and has this year, 1777, printed a warm pamphlet against Mr. John Westley, one of the patriarchs of his

1 [register's in Jebb].

2 [own om.]

3 Mr. Westley has since replied to it, as by the Crit. Rev. of last month, July, 1777.