en plein air, les eaux de Spa, ensuite les eaux de Pyrmont, et les bains froids," his patient "peut venir à jouir de la plus parfaite

santé."

He concludes thus: "Je ne conseille aucun remêde pharmatique.

"7 Out*, 1785.

Thus spelled in the manuscript opinion.

TISSOT."

CHAPTER III.

Mr. Milner takes his degree of B.D.-Professor Smyth's Recollections of his Divinity Act.-Bishop Watson's account of the same Act.-Recollections of Mr. Milner as a Lecturer.-Dr. Maskelyne.-Correspondence.—Mr. Milner, as Jacksonian Professor, endeavours to obtain from the Crown, an annual stipend in support of the Science of Chymistry.-Bishop of Llandaff.-Mr. Milner's mode of life as a Lecturer.-Accident and illness. -Visits his brother at Hull.-Board of Longitude.-Attempt to alter its Constitution.-Energy of Mr. Milner.-Visit to London.-Chymical Pursuits.-Letter from Dr. Priestley.-Visit to Rayrigg, in Westmoreland.-Mode of life there.-Conversational powers.-Visit to Hull.

A.D. 1786. ÆTAT 36.

MR. MILNER took his degree of Bachelor of Divinity in the summer of the year 1786; which year was distinguished in his academical career, by the splendid Divinity Act which he kept against the late Dr. Coulthurst*. Of this Act, which was rendered memorable by the superior powers of both the disputants, I have been favoured by an eye and ear witness†, with the following recollections:

"Dr. Milner was always considered as one of the first men of talents in the place, during all the time I have known the University, and his Act, I remember when I was an Undergraduate, excited the greatest interest.

"Dr. Coulthurst, on account of his talents also, was selected to be his opponent.

"The subject was Paulus Apostolus, de fide et operibus disserens nec sibi, nec aliis apostolis, nec rectæ rationi contradicit.'

"So that the disputation turned on the nature of Faith and Works; and I remember very well the Bishop of Landaff‡ saying, 'Non necesse est descendere in arenam, Arcades enim ambo estis,'-which we all thought a well-turned and wellmerited compliment paid to such distinguished men."

Dr. Coulthurst was second of Cambridge. Wrangler in the year 1775.

Dr. Watson, then Professor of

William Smyth, Esq., Professor Divinity at Cambridge. of Modern History in the University

Bishop Watson gives a strong incidental testimony to the surpassing excellence of this Act, in his Anecdotes of his own Life. After speaking of the usefulness and importance of scholastic disputations, he proceeds thus: "An evil custom has, within these last few years, been introduced into the University: * * * it is the custom of dining late. When I was admitted, and for many years after, every college dined at twelve o'clock, and the students after dinner flocked to the philosophical disputations, which began at two. If the schools, either of philosophy or divinity, shall ever be generally destitute of an audience, there will be an end of all scholastic exertion. I remember having seen the Divinity Schools (when the best Act, by Coulthurst and Milner-Arcades ambo-was keeping, that I ever presided at, and which might justly be called a real academic entertainment) filled with auditors from the top to the bottom; but as soon as the clock struck three, a number of masters of arts, belonging to colleges which dined at three, slunk away from this intellectual feast; and they were followed, as might have been expected, by many under-graduates,-I say as might have been expected; for in all seminaries of education, relaxation of discipline begins with the seniors of the society."

Whatever may be thought of the correctness of Dr. Watson's opinions concerning the utility of disputations in the schools, his testimony thus incidentally given to the excellence of the Act of Coulthurst and Milner, is unquestionably valuable.

During this year, and the six following years, Mr. Milner continued to read alternate courses of philosophical and chemical lectures. With reference to these lectures, Professor Smyth thus speaks:

"Dr. Milner was always considered as a very capital lecturer. The chemical lectures were always well attended; and what with him, and what with his German assistant, Hoffman, the audience was always in a high state of interest and entertainment."

The greater part of the long vacation of this year was passed by Mr. Milner, as usual, at the house of his brother, at Hull.

Among the friends with whom, at this period of his life, he maintained a frequent epistolary intercourse, was the late

Dr. Maskelyne, the Astronomer Royal. Letters treating almost exclusively of astronomical topics contain, of course, but little of general interest; yet a brief postscript to one from Dr. Maskelyne to Mr. Milner, dated "Greenwich, Nov. 1, 1786," may be admitted. "I have given," writes Dr. Maskelyne, "a paper, now printed, to the Royal Society, about the return in the autumn of the year 1788, with great southern declination, of the Comet of 1532 and 1661." ****“I take this opportunity to mention, that as I read your valuable paper on the 'Precession of the Equinoxes' with much pleasure, so I am satisfied of the truth of your theory, having proved it from my own separate investigation. What then are we to think of D'Alembert's laborious book and methods which lead to a contrary conclusion?"

In the beginning of the year 1787, Mr. Milner, as Jacksonian Professor, was anxious, in consideration of " the very considerable onus imposed by the founder, and the expensive nature of the lecture," to obtain from the Crown an annual stipend, in addition to that already enjoyed under Dr. Jackson's will, in support of the science of Chymistry. Dr. Watson, Bishop of Llandaff, and Mr. Milner's own chymical tutor, appeared a likely person to further his views; and, in company with Mr. Wilberforce, he waited upon the bishop, by appointment, at his house in London, to discuss the subject. This visit was paid at about ten o'clock in the evening; and, on their way, the friends had jestingly speculated upon the probable nature of the occupation in which they might find his Lordship engaged. They were admitted, and found the prelate reading St. Augustine. Those who believe that Bishop Watson was a thorough actor, will, perhaps, suspect that the ponderous folio was a part of the preparation made for the expected visitors; and his Lordship's remark at their entrance, "There are not many of the Bench whom you would find thus engaged at this hour of the night," might seem to favour such a suspicion. Be this as it may, the bishop appeared friendly to the plan submitted to his consideration, and Mr. Milner, subsequently, made his application to the King.

A peculiar consistency, certainly, pervaded the character of the subject of this Memoir. In youth and in age he was the

D

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same man. Of this consistency of character the memorial which, on this occasion, he addressed to the Crown, affords an instance. The same mixture of caution, prudence, firmness, and independence, which characterizes this document, is apparent in the whole course of Mr. Milner's conduct; and this both before and after his mind was brought under the steady influence of religious principle. The records of his later life will confirm the truth of this observation.

Without entering into a more particular account of the memorial in question, it may suffice to say, that it answered, at least to a considerable extent, the purpose of its author.

The following letter contains an account of Mr. Milner's mode of life as a lecturer; its object being to induce the friend to whom it was addressed to postpone an intended visit to Cambridge.

"MY DEAR SIR,

"Queen's, Thursday,

March 11th, 1787.

"Your kindness touches me most sensibly; but the more I am convinced of that kindness which induces you to take this journey on my account, the more it becomes my duty to open myself fully to you.

"Then at once-in these circumstances, I think you had better not come.

"In college I lecture from eight to ten in the morningfrom that time till four in the afternoon, I am absolutely so engaged that I can scarcely steal half an hour from preparing my lectures, to dine. At half-past five, I get my coffee, go to chapel, and then lie down for an hour.-I then rise, take my milk-look out various articles, and make notes of natural history, &c., for the succeeding day. This coming every day, keeps me on such a continued stretch, that I am often very much done up with fatigue; and if Mr. Metcalfe, of Christ's Coll., did not assist me, I should not be able to get through.

"Now were you to come, I know I should be induced to steal some hours, the want of which would be felt, and I should be ten times more hurried and fretted. As this is strictly and literally the case, you will think I draw the proper conclusion in advising you to desist, at present, from your most kind views,