The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-03-09 00:00:00

THE REV. DU. PARR.
__-........._

This great literary character breathed his last on Sunday
evening, at his residence at Hatton, near Warwick. His
last attack was so severe, that for several weeks past all
hopes of his recovery had been-given up. His extraordi-
nary mind was to the last unclouded, sad its fortitude un•
subdued.

Dr. Samuel Parr was born at Harrow-on-the-Hill,
where his father exercised the profession of a surgeon
with considerable reputation. He was placed, in 1748,
at Harrow school (a seminary long celebrated for pro-
ducing accomplished scholars and distinguished charge-
tell), and was head boy at the age of fourteen. Dr.
Slimier, then master of the school, held his talents in
such high esteem as to appoint him one of the sub-
preceptors in a few years after; and it was, we under-
stand, by the admonitions of Dr. Parr, that Mr. Sheridan,
then a boy on the lower forms, was roused from his natural
indolence, and induced to cultivate, with care, those extra•
ordinary powers which were afterwards displayed with so
much brilliancy in the theatre and the rename.
Previously to his appointment as principal assistant:at
Harrow, lie had been entered of Emanuel College, Cam-
bridge, where he soon became conspicuous by his classical
acquirements, and the spirit and energy with which his
academic exercises were written. On the death of DI.
Sumner, he waeprevailed upon by the advice of his friends
to become a candidate for the place of muter; but a!though
their hopes of success were sanguine, his south proved an
insuperable objection. Disappointed in time attainment of
an object which promised an affluent and respectable settle
ment, Dr: Parr left Harrow, and established a school at
Stanmore. After a residence of some years at Staninore,
he was appointed in 1777 master of the endowed achcol at
Colchester; and was next year promoted to the superin-
tendence of the grammar school at Norwich, a situation of
considerable emolument. Although lie had been ordaineg ,
in 1769, while at Harrow, he had been either negligent of
acquiring fame as a preacher, or no proper opportunity
had presented itself since that period, for we find that his
first claim to eminence, in the eloquence of the pulpit, is •
derived from two sermons delivered at Norwich, for the
benefit of the charity schools of that city. These discourses
which were justly admired for soundness of doctrine, pa-
thetic invocation, 'and perspicuity and force of language,
have been since published. The patronage of Bishop
Lowth, obtained, as it is generally supposed, by the ex-
traordinary merit of his first sermon, conferred on him a
prebend in the cathedral of St. Paul ; and in 1786 he was
presented by Lady Trafford to the perpetual curacy of
Hatton, situated in the vicinity of Warwick. He was ad-
mitted in 1781, by the University of Oxford, to the degree
of LL.D. while at Norwich ; and having resigned his
school in that city, he retired to the village of Hatton,
where he confined himself to the tuition of seven pupils.
With the exception of his Sermons, the Doctor was
hitherto unknown as a writer; but his preface to the three
books of Bellendenus de Stalu, and his dedication for each
part,rendered him an object of general inquiry and euloginm
on the part of the learned, who candidly admitted, that,
in point of strength of sentiment, purity of style, and the
ruricsa felicitas of expression, they were not inferior to the
most finished pieces of modern Lainity. His reply to Dr.
Conihe's " Statement of Facts" also gave him a distin-
guished rank as an author in his own language.
In 1789 he caine forward as the editor of Tracts, by
Warburton, and a Warburtonian, not admitted into the
collection of their respective works. To this publication
he appears to have been induced by the marked neglect
of the Bishop of Worc:•ster, by ahem the Tracts were
omitted in his superb edition of Warburton's Works. The
dedication and preface to the Two tracts of a Warburtoidan,
which conclude the volume, are perhaps the happiest of
Dr. Parr's compositions.
Dr. Parr married Mies llaisendale shortly after he was
ordained; lie was married to his second wife within these
few years.
We shall not attempt, in the short space which we could
allot to such a task, to delineate the character of this dis-
tinguished scholar. He was manly the last, if not the very
last, of the Old School. His learning was extensive, and his
Memory was stored with the richest treasures of classical
literature. He had these treasures always at command ;
he had also at command, what is infinitely more va-
luable, the exhaustless riches of an original-mind—of a
mind cast in a mould of its own--eteleived with powers of
the very first order, and with an energy which exercise •
could not weary, nor application exhaust. With griefs
he united a disposition full of benevolence, and a heart
replete with social kindness. He was the firm friend of
civil and religious liberty. There was nothing of selfish-
ness about his character; all his sentiments, whether
in religion or in politics, partook of that liberality
which made a part of his nature. He made a present of
the whole of his plate to Sir Samuel Rcmilly, some time
previous to the death of that great man, as a testimony of
the high sense which he entertained of the integrity of his
principles, and the purity of his patriotism. Dr. Parr's
powers of conversation and of controversy were unrivalled.
It was in this sphere he shone, and it was in this
sphere that he delighted to live and move. He was
conscious of his own strength, and he was never
slow to mani:est it. In private, when he had no care
for fame, and his polemical talents were at rest, he was
a most endearing and excellent companion. It was in the
summer-house of his Parsonage at Hatton, which he need
good humoundly to call " his den," that, divided tem,en
the charm of social confidence and the delight of his
pipe—which was hardly ever out of his hand—he gave out
freely all the researches of his philosophic mind, and all
the resources of his lively and luminous wit; and then it
was that he shone to admiration. It is with the remembrance
of him at such a period now strong in our memory, that
we feel, in all its force, the impressive truth that " whin
death makes such a dispersion of knowledge and intellect
—when such a man is carried to his grave—the mind can
feel but one emotion : we consider the vanity of every
thing beneath the sun—we perceive what shadows we are—
and what shadows we pursue.

The French Government is putting down all clubs ia
Peril; even such as exclude all politics are not excepted.
A gentleman has been in the neighbourhood of Montrose
lately looking out for hunting quarters for Colonel Gordon,
of Cairnese. The habits of this celebrated character are no
less remarkable than his disinterested generosity. He ge-
netally rises every morning at four o'clock, and remains in
his library till eight. After breakfast he mounts his horse,
and continues the chase generally till four or five, when he
spends the evening with a few friends. Independent of
the personal exertions of the Colonel in behalf of the Greeks,
he has presented them with no less than 20,0001. in aid of
their cause.—Montrose Review.
Vens.—The practice of giving veils to servants was
grown to such excess about fifty years ago, that, that
eminent character Jonas Hanway wrote a tract eipressly
on the subject, entitled " Eight Letters to the Duke of
----, on the Custom of Valle-giving in England."
Mr. H. being once politely reproached by a friend in a
high station for not coining oftener to dine with him,
"Indeed, my Lord (replies he), I cannot Ilford it." It
was Sir Timothy Waldo that first put Mr. Ilenway
writing respecting it. Sir Timothy had dined with the
Duke of ,N ---, and on leaving his house was conttie
Luting to the support and insolence of a train of servants
who lined the hall ; and a: last put a crown into the hand
of, the 000 k, who returned it, saying, "Sir, I do not take
silrer." "Don't you, indeed !" said the worthy Baronet,
putting it in his pocket," then I do not give gold."
IN•crivirr.—Polybius relate,, that when the battle
was begun which was to decide the fate of the Macedo-
nian empire, Perseus basely withdrew to the city I'ydna,
under pretence of sacrificing, to Hercules—" a god (revs
Plutarch) that is not wont to regard the offerings of cowards,
or grant such requests as are unjust; it not being reasonable
that he who never shoots should carry away the prize--
that he should triumph who sneaks from the battle—or he
who takes no pains should meet with sneers!. To Emilius'e
petition the god listened, for lie prayed for victory with
his sword in his hand, and- was fighting at the same time
that he implored the Divine assistance.' There are some
who base too mean an opinion of their own abilities, abd
by fancying themselves to be useless, become so, and dare
not attempt many things in which they are capable of suc-
ceeding, and which they ought to perform. This be.
haviour arises mere from indu.irtice or yneancholy than from
humility.