The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-03-28 00:00:00

THE LATE BISHOP OF DURHAM.

Dr. Barrington was the fifth and youngest son of the first Via.
count of that family. lie was both on the 26th of May, 1734, and
was a posthumous child, being born a few weeks aftev his father's
death. The Bishop was educated at Eton, and Action College,
in Oxford, of which society he was Fellow for several years. On
ails taking orders. he was apposnted Chaplain to George IL, and
subsequently to his late Majesty.
For his highest preferment,' he was mainly indebted to his own
merit, and to the favour which that merit procured hint with his
late excellent Majesty. In time. although his first elevation to the
Bench was owing to the influence of his brother, Viscount Barring-
tun, at that time Secretary at War, yet his subsequent advance.
ment was, in each instance, the Act of the King himself. His
translation to Salisbury, in particnlar. was contrary to the ear-
nest andlrepeated instances of the Minister of the day, the Earl of
Shelburne, who was anxious to obtain that See for a political
friend and partisan of his own, the late Bishop ilinchcliffe. His
final promotion to the Bishopric of Durham was the unsolicited
act of the same gracious and royal patron ; but not without the
hearty concurrence of Mr. Pitt, who, in deference to the merits
of Bishop Barrington, on less than to the wishes of his sovereign,
was content to waive the pretensions of at least one candidate of
powerful connexions and high parliamentary interest.
The conduct of this Prelate in the government of three dioceses
in succession, during the long, perhaps unexampled,period of fifty-
seven years, was marked by the most exemplary zeal, diligence,
kindness, and discretion. In him, the clerical delinquent never
failed to find a vigilant and resolute asserter of the offended dis-
cipline of the Church ; whilst that most useful and meritorious of
alt chnracters, the faithful parish priest, was cheered by his fa-
vour. and rewarded by his patronage. As a patron. indeed, lie
stood pre-eminent. Never, perhaps, have the rici dignities add
benefices in the gift of the see of Durham, been bestowed with
so much attention to the claims of merit. It repeatedly happened,
that his most opulent preferments were conferred on persons ut-
terly unknown to hien, except by their characters and by their li-
terary lahoitra. The instance of Paley is one of several:—the first
communication he ever resoived from Bishop Barrington, was the
mnouncement of his appointment to the rich Rectory of Bishop
Wearmouth t and, we believe, the first title they ever saw each
other, was when collation was given. The exercise of patronage
was, indeed. uniformly regarded by him es involving duties of
the moat solemn and important kind; and it is a proof of thelun-
common firmness, as well as integrity, of his mind, that although
his life was protracted se far beyond the ordinary Nodes of mortal
existence, he preserved himself so the last. unfettered by the ties of
consanguinity, or personal fervour, in the free exercise of this
great trust.
How well he continued to discharge it, wan evinced within a very
few weeks of his death ; when one of the most valuable of the stalls
of Durham becoming vaunt, he availed binrself of the occasion to
advance at one the three distinguished mimes of Gisborne, Sumner,
and Gilly.
Dr. Van 3liblere, the prevent Bishop of Llandaff, is spoken of
as the successor of the velecrable Bishop Barrington, and an ap-
pointment more creditable to the ministry could not take plant.
This Prelate, we belie*, bas no interest whatever beyond thee
which his talents and ednduet have procured for him. "The new
Bishop, who has recently published a life of Bishop Waterland,
, was for several years Regina Professor of DlstiuitT at Oxford.
The Bishopric of lAantialL and Deaoery of St. Paula, by this
emulation, will become mast.

The report at the King's Lodge, Windsor Park, yes-
terdav, was, " His Majesty continues to go on extremely

Yesterday the Duke of York sat to Behnes for his
marble bust, at the artist's residence in Dean-street, Soho.
Yesterday morning., about eleven o'clock, the Earl and
Countess of Liverpool left tows for Walmer Castle.

Mr. Wilmot Horton left town on Sunday for Siilton.
Despatches were revived yesterday at the Foreign-
office, from Lord Granville, oar Ambassador at Paris.
The outside of the roof of the house building for the
Make of Clarence, is nenrly completesl. The south end
was yesterday covered with slates. The roof of the house
building for the Duke of York is in a state of great for-
wardn.sa.

The entrance to St. James's Park by Pimlico-gate con-
tinues impassable for carriages and horses, owing to the
workszgotng on for turning the sewer.
Mr. Ramble commenced an engagement at Edinburgh
on Monday evening, as Don !Felix in The Wonder, in
which be was admirably supported by Mrs. 11. Siddons as
Viulinste.

The Blue Coat Boys made their annual visit to the
Lord Mayor yesterday morning, and afterwards adjourned
to the Royal Exchange, followed by a numerous concourse
of relations and friends. On this occasion the dealers in
cakes, fruit, &c. are admitted; their articles were in ge-
neral demand, and ftom all appearances they had no rea-
son to complain of scarcity of ntoney, or falling off of trade.
The races of Killarney will take place in the ensuing
summer—probably in the month of June or beginning of
July. The-preliminary preparations are complete—princi-
piny provided by the munificent liberality of the Earl of
Kenmare. and the gather members of this noble family.
A magnificent stag hunt on the lakes will close the amuse-
mews.

The Ross, Leominster; Dadlow Kington, and Lcdbory
banks were all assailed, more or less, last week, but they
stood firm, and met every 11:smantl.
Messrs. Heathcote, of Tiverton, who have long been
celebrated for their lace-manufactures, have lately planted
several thousand mulberry trees in that neighbourhood, for
the purpose of introducing the rearing of silk in that part
of the country. _ _ _

PARISH .Et.r.cTlors.—The elections which annually
occur at the present season for parish officers, are this year
more than Usually-productive of personality and recrimina-
tion between the various candidates for parochial distinc-
tion in some of the parishes north-east of the Metropolis.
In St. Luke's parish the lucrative situation of Vestry
Clerk is very warmly contested, a strong party having been
formed in oppositiotr to Mr. W'ilks, the present clerk, who
has enjoyed the office for many years. In the neighbour-
Mg pat ish of S. Leonard's, Shoreditch, also, a schism has
fur some time past existed, in consequence of the exertions
of Mr. Purland, and some of his brethren in office, to ex-
pose and reform certain mal-practices it: the administration
of the finances, and the management of the poor of that
parish. The reformists, however, have to encounter the
formidable oppasition of the church-wardens and other of
the officers, au(' each party is nit the alert to meet the ex•
I reeted struggle at the approaching election.