The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-21 00:00:00

DEATH OF THE LORD BISHOP

OF ELY.
The Right Rev. Prelate who, for the last nine years,
presided over the see of Ely, closed his earthly career at
two o'clock yesterday morning, to the great grief of all
his relatives and friends. Foi some time past his Lord-
ship's health had been declining ; but within the last
three or four weeks the decay of his strength, and the
diminution of his vital energy, became so evident to his
medical attendants, that no hope of his Lordship's
restoration to health could rationally be entertained.
llis immediate connexions a ere therefore fully prepared
for the melancholy event which took place at the epis-
copal palace in Ely, where he had resided from the com-
mencement of that ilness of which we have now to re-
cord the fatal termination. The deceased prelate was
born in they year 1770, and had therefore entered upon
the 76th year of his age before he breathed his last. 11e
was not a man of showy talents, or remarkably ambi-
tious of literary distinction ; and, though n.it a very
brilliant ornament of the episcopal bench, he was rather
a learned, and, certainly, a discreet man, fur he does not
appear to have placed himself in the front ranks of any
party, either in Church or State, although it could
never be said that he was at all backward in the perfor-
mance of second or third rate duties, whenever the pro-
gress of legislation in matters ecclesiastical called for his
active interference. The subject of this notice, the
Right Rev. Joseph Allen, D.D., successively Bishop of
Bristol 'and of Ely, passed his school and college life
without attracting much attention at the places of his
education, or bringing down uprn his .h.:a.d.either
the reproaches, the jealousy, or the admiration of
his contemporaries. He received his university
education at Trinity College, Cambridge, and ob-
tained a fellowship there; but soon afterwards he ac-
quired a far greater advantage in being apvinted tutor
to Lord Althorp, now Earl Spencer. It is so much a
matter of course for the preceptor of an Earl to become
a dignitary of the Church, that nothing less than a sense
of extreme unfitness ever si:uts out from their hopes so
pleasing a consummation. Soon after the completion
of Lord Althorp's education Dr. Allen was, by the father
of his pupil, presented to the vicarage of Battersea, in
Surrey, and he likewise received a prebendal stall in
Westminster Abbey ; which preferments afforded him
for many years the pleasures of a residence in the metro-
polis, and the more substantial enjoyments derivable
from the possession of 1,5004 a year. He thus became
a member of that eminent corporation the Dean and
Chapter of Westminster; and these reverend personages
are the patrons of the living of St. Bride, in the city of
London. Dr. Allen had not for many years
belonged to their body when the pastoral office
in that important and populous parish became va.
cant, and the result was that the late Bishop of
Ely found himself a pluralist with an increase to
his income of 5624 per annum, which raised its aggre-
gate amount to no less a sum than 2,000/. a year—
almost enough for a bishop. But fortune seemed
never weary of heaping her favours upon Dr. Allen, for
after enjoying this large revenue during a period long
enough to accumulate wealth, he saw the Whigs, to their
own surprise, as well as to the astonishment of the
world, in possession of Downing street ; and he likewise
had the pleasure of seeing that his quondam pupil was
a leading member of the new Administration. Mitres,
crosiers, and all the ensigns of episcopl authority,
naturally presented themselves to the imaginations
of the learned persons who had superintended the
education of the Whig nobility ; and the chapter of
accidents afforded them a rich harvest of deaneries.
and bishoprics. Amongst this number was the see of
Bristol. Bishop Gray, who for seven years had go-
verned that diocese, was in 1834 removed from this
world to a better, and the subject of this memoir
reigned in his stead. He was now a member of the
House of Lords, with increased income and influence.
To do him justice, there is no reason to suppose that he
ever misapplied either, though his name will not descend
to posterity in connexion with any great public services
or any remarkable sacrifice of personal convenience or
advantage. He was, however, by no means unmindful
of his public duties, for when in the possession of full
strength and vigour, he was a frequent attendant on the
debates of the House of Lords, and took a strong in-
terest in all legislative enactments connected with the
Universities and the Church. His Lordship voted
against the third reading of the Irish Church Tempora-
lities Bill, and he also opposed the second reading of the
Bill respecting tithes in Ireland which was introduced in
1334. He refused to give his assent to the removal of the
Jewish disabilities, although he voted in favour of the ad-
mission of Dissenters to our Universities. On the third
reading of the Poor-law Amendment Act he opposed that
measure. This independence of spirit reflects upon his name
some credit, for we need scarcely remind any reader that
the new poor-law was a favourite measure of the Bishop's
patron. When Dr. Allen was translated from the see of
Bristol, in October, 1836, that bishopric was united
to Gloucester under the provision of an Order in Coun-
cil ; and Dr. Monk, then Bishop of the last-mentioned
diocese, became Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, while
Dr. Allen—his friends being still in power—had the
good fortune to be translated to the Bishopric of Ely,
which formerly was worth 10,000/. a-year, but which,
by recent legislative enactments, has been reduced to
5,500/, After having presided over this see for a period
—as already stated—of nine years, the Right Rev. Pre-
late quitted this world, leaving behind him a reputation
not so brilliant as to excite envy, but quite sufficient to
secure respect.--Times.

DOMESTIC POULTRY.
(From the Gardeners' Chronicle).
Amidst the various projects suggested for the
benefit of the rural population, we hail with satisfac-
tion the announcement from the Zoological Society of
London, of the intention of the Council to encourage
an Exhibition of Domestic Poultry at the Gardens in
the Regent's Park, in the course of the ensuing
summer. The little attention at present paid to the
rearing of poultry in England is too plainly shown
by the fact that more than two hundred and fifty
millions of eggs were imported from the Con-
tinent in 1841, 1842, and 1843 ; and, more-
over, that in the two latter years duty was paid
on the importation of live and dead poultry to the
value of 600,0001. Surely, this ought to stimulate
us to be stirring, and if possible to promote the rear-
ing of poultry, one of the modes of doing which may
be anticipated to be the improvement of their breeds.
Thirty years ago six sorts of fowls only were es-
teemed—namely, Ist, the game ; 2d, the white or Eng-
lish ; 3d, the black or Poland ; 4th, the Dorking ; sth,
the large or shakebag ; and 6th, the Malay breed.
The case is now altered. Our space does not
at present permit our enlarging on this sub•
ject farther than to quote one instance of
farm management, as regards poultry, mentioned
by Mr. Arthur Young, as practised by Mr. Boys,
of Kent :—" The labourers' wives and families who
live on Mr. Boys' farm do the whole; he supplies
them with what offal corn is necessary, and they re-
turn Mrs. Boys the grown fowls ready for market,
at 3d. each; 6d. for turkeys and geese; and 3d. for
ducks ; and the account, well kept, states a profit of
201. a year, after all the expenses are paid and the
family well supplied ; and she has, likewise,
all the eggs without any payment. This is
a system equally beneficial to the people who
undertake it and to the farmer." This plan
is still followed in some parts of England,
where circumstances render it practicable. It is in
the belief that it will tend to promote such and simi-
lar arrangements that we augur well of the proposed
measure, and anticipate that part at least of the four
or five hundred thousand pounds, at present paid
every year to our neighbours, may be usefully em-
ployed at home, to the benefit of the farmer, and the
employment and profit of the family of the cottager.