The National Register.
London, England, 1814-01-02 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

MEMOIR
OF THE LIFE OT
W B. C*L*Y*ll D. I).
*THEM% ISE DISTINGUISHED AS THE ANGELICAL DOCTOR.

( ncialued and cnntinacd.)

Mindful of the homage due to elevated men, the reader
will perceive that it has been an invariable praCtit.e with the •
prel.ent biographer to give becoming dignity to the subject
this memoir. " Dr. and Mr." do not, it will be seen, now
" of cur lir on the same page;" nor has the title of docto:
been here " given and withheld, as though it were an as-
sumed one," but literally awarded, even before it could
have been bestowed at all. ('harmed, it should seem, by
the reius,il f a .volume of Lectures on Scripture Facts,
t! e 171 d vi rcit Vof Ftlimburgh, " the first if trivet-shy in Scot-,
hod.," having re;:d and approved the said volume., thought
limper to confer upon its reverend author the diploma of
Doctor ill Divinity ; not, his friends assure us, " as a matter
of emu test'," althout:,ll common fame tOen rumoured it to
b:.e been i.djukt-il io compliment to plineely influence,
but as " a rewat d for literary attainments." Whether there
existed any foundation for the report respecting ducal inter-
fereeee as-
to the voe, the present writer presumes not to de-
cide.; but it ts cplife certain, that a pompous paiagraph, in-
serted in the rewspaptos of that peliod, did proclaim to the
s,:or:d the im;•ortatit circumstance of the aforesaid diploma
baying been transmitted to the reverend preacher by a Royal
Duke, whose cal iage has sometimes been recognised in the
act of waitiog where the Doctor was preaching. Of this
connection our preacher has occasion to boast.', Respecting
the diplopa it,cll, however, it has been pointedly observed,
That if as long as diploma are marketal le commodities, as
Song as some kw pounds,' transported across the Tweed,
Will C any pc: son a Doctor's degree, as long as
th s is the case, it cannot be so reputable as one which is oh.
fait ed af•er eighte..n years memborship of an English col-
kge, subject to the repeated exercises there wescribed" But
the specification of D. 1). of E. displea,ed Vs friends
44. by this inyid'ous distinction ?" asked a Friend to Truth.
And why," tejoined an adherent to Truth, '" why do you
deem it iiividious.? If a diplima from either of the Scotch
Univelsities be generally esteemed less honourable than
degrees rcgolai tiken at our own, where is the invidiousness
of the remaik ? If it be as honourable, where is the impro-
priety of annexing the initial of the university by which it
was bestowed
• 110411 as tke reverend Doctor son felt lii..lself to stand in
tl4 evangelical world, dist int!uishrd and loved above his con-
temporaries, lie was suddenly compelled to struggle for the
preservation of that ascendancy which he had so astoniihinev
acquired ; and which could brook 'no rival near its throne.'
Another great doctor, scarcely less celebtated than himself,
and now .settled near him, hetv.n ta div!de the_ attention of
his subui ban admirers, and seemed not unlikely to undermine
h s stabil ty. It *a: happy for the 'Angelical ch.ctor,' these.

• B. fore the meeting conclivtpl," reports the 14,tructor newspa-
per, detailing the Pim,: eding,. at the Formation of the BlackivLl;
Auxiliary Bible Soeiety, the Rev. Dr. (:"1"r, who had alroady
"delivered an arimated 'speech, contaiubtg as rich an as.,einbleige of
appropriate allusion us we can recollect lo hare heard. azain
rose.; and a•. aced the Sockty, of t friendly regard of Ms (loyal
Highness the Luke of Kent ! At. the same *time, as it was probable
a Soc.ety would he towed in the Cottutry, upon a more extensive
pl;vn, his Royal Hie,lmess would coosider himself engaged to becoMe
it, l'att•mt." So times go. Either the Relic ions world arc courting
his Royal Highness's patronage, or he k cultivating their approba•
thou ; for they certainly appear to drive ham. tl-b

JAN. 2.

•
ore, under such circumstances, that he was enabled to pro-
duce two additional volumes, -.upon the rare subjects of Pro.
phecy t and Miracles, which have served to support the
scaffolding of his fame.
Finding him described as possessing, " innocence and pu-
rity through life," and having " cheerfully consecrated ta.
lents, which received the highest culture and the highest
polish from edujation, to the best interests of his fe!low men,"
.it is no longer 'surprising to discover that " the most lovely
pat t of the creation," innocent and pure themselves, and
alike impenetrable to " ignorance Lnd vanity and conceit,"
should not merely "attend his preaching," but manifest, at
the same time, something like affectionate sympathy for him;
since, so far from his being " exceedingly ugly," one writer
asks—whether the Doctor is expected to " scarify his visage,-
in order to prevent the admiration which its beauty had ex-
cited? Ladies have, then, admired, and, almost, adored the
Antzelical Doctor;' and the consequence is, that lie is likely .
to tide in his coach during the remainder of his pilgrimage:
Ile is praised, notwithstanding, for hariog thus consecrated
talents " of no common sort ;" yet, granting his talents this
character, to what purpose could he so eligibly have dedicated -
them ? Not to trade, it is plain. Talents like his, aided by
handsomeness of person, could never have turned to such ac-
count any where as in the pulpit. (fele only their possessor
could hope to stand unrivalled, in subduing the heartA and •
commanding the smiles the fair! Preachers are all in all
to their fair devotees. Even ' grave:. as well as leat ned,
clerk.; pros hied they are any thing life personable, not "ex-
ceedingly ugly," may now Iftok, each and all, for matrimonial
prizes. IVhat perverse dolts arc certain catholic priests, who,
contrary to the wishes of their emperor, still refuse to wed,
though Oleic are so many rich women ready to marry them!
They manage these things better here.

(Character of the Doctor in ca►►rm .)

t Statiou this _fact. the Doctor': Friend to Truth hen! since de.
clewed that ..iono copies of the Lecture,. m Prophet le,. wee stilrek
otr ; and that tl•es whole of the fir.t edition of Scripture Facts 'vas
rapidly sold oft though consisting uf 15,161 copies. 4 Miracles'
must have worked still mote wonders.
Wednesday, October 20, 1813, the Rev. W.-11. C"I"r,
sifPes khan), was married, at Lewisham Church. to 'Aliss Maly
1-1..#1045, of Lutterwortli, Leicestershire; whose husband ha% since
described INT, it is said, as " not beautiful, nor learned knit very
2,noil•natured Good-stature Hut tlt, laity's so'c reeeminenda.
tion : for she brought her '' bird ill her hand,'' and hire another " in
the bush,"—having a tortoise down, with a fOrtune in expectancy.
Such was the tremulous sensibility of the bridegrioom, eye!) while in
the church, that he dropped the ring when he wa4 proceeding to
place it on the' lieger of the bride ! Virgins strewed then flower',
however, berme the happy couple. Staler have whispered that the
Dortor was Intuit disappointed, in the nut-et, on learning he could
not be minded by special licence ; and that his vexation was in-
creased, at the last, by the non attendance of the Hon. aNd very
.
Reverend the Dean of Windsor, who, being Rector of Le%%iSillaln, lie
biped %Old 1 hate officiated, but ho, neverthcless, left ;,is Curate
to solemnize the busines.! It was Not behaving quite hauaralik, to
the partica most concerned in it, on so reverend au occasion.

ANGLERS WIT.

[rrnit the Sat ;r;st of go present Month.)
A• Paul I'ermit was passing by a lgook,
He •pied a boy with ozier twig and hook :
Jack knew the r►►gue, fi►r lie sursay'd
His father Zickary Wiseman;
A queer 01(1 quiz. a chandler by l,i, trade,
A •tarcli'd, stiff, formal, most precise man.
" How n►wt,•' said Gunge," what luck, what seek you in the

_
brook?"
" The Devil, Sir," in haste replied young Wiseman.
66 ilideed! and pray with what d' 'e bait vony hook?'
amwer'd.rtraiglitre Yotir H9ltoqp.Ax EXCASEAS,AN,*'