Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-01-08
M | S G E L L A n Y.
CLERICAL ANECDOTES.

The following "reminiscences and anecdotes
are from the new volume of Rev. DR.. Spragues
"Annals of the American Pulpit -
DIR. MC'sPARRAN's WARNING AGAINST EMGRA-
TIoN.
In 1852, DIR. McSparran wrote work, which
was published in Dublin, in the following year,
entitled, "AMERICA DIssECTED, being full and
true account of all the American Colonies show
ing the intcmperance of the climates, excessive
heat and cold, and sudden violent changes of
weather, terrible and miSchievous thunder and
lightning; bad and unwholesome air, destruc-
tive to human bodies; badness Of money; dan
ger from enemies; but above all, to the souls of
the poor people that remove thither, from the
multifarious wicked and pestient heresies that
prevail in those parts. In several letters from
Reverend Divine of the Church of England.
Missionary to America, and Doctor of Divinity /:
Published as a caution to unsteady people, who
may be tempted to leave their native country"
1t is due to DIR. McSparan to say that this title
is supposed to have been prefxcd by the pub
Usher, and not by the author The work had
become extremely rare, until it was reprinted,
in lS47, in the Appendix to Updike's "History
0f ~" Tr;ooopal f'hnrch in Narraganeottn -
BISHOP BERKELEY's VISIT TO AMERICA.
From the time of his arrival in Ireland, he
had been occupied with project for the con-
version of the North American Indians, by
means of Missionary College, to be establish
ed in Bermuda. He, accordingly, obtained CO.
adjutors, and made proposal to the Govern
ment, which resulted in the granting of Char
ter by George the First and the sum of twen-
ty thousand pounds for carrying the scheme in
to effect was promised, in due time, by the Min
lister, Sir Robert Walpole.
Trusting to these promising appearances, DIR.
Berkeley was married. in August, 1928, to
Anne, the eldest daughter of John Forster, ESQ.,,
Speaker of the Irish House of Commons; and
actually set sail in September following for
Rhode Island, with view of making an ar
rangement there for supplying his College with
such provisions as might be wanted from the
Northern Colony. He took with him his wife,
a Miss Hancock, Mr.. Smibert,-the celebrated
artist, and two gentlemen of wealth, of the
name of James and Dalton, valuable library,
and large amount of his own property. He
purchased a country seat and farm in the neigh
borhood of Newport, where he resided about
two years and half. His house, which he call
ed "Whitehall," was situated in what is now
Middletown, about three miles North East from
the State House III Newport, near a beautiful
water-course, which runs Southwark towards
Sachuest Beach, lie built his house in val
ICY, lOt IoHl COiilildllulllS Il me view
Of tho oarrounding country and the ocean; and
his reasons for .prefering the valley to the hill
were that, 'to enjoy the prospect from the hill,
he must visit it only occasionally that if his
constant residence should be on the hill, the
view would be so common as to lose all its
charms" About mile and half south from
his house, he had his chair and writing appa-
ratus placed in a natural alcove, which he found
among the hanging rocks and there was writ
ten the greater part of his "Minute Philosopher"
During his residence on the Island, he oiliciated,
the greater part of the time, at Trinity Church,
Newporti and, after his return to England he
sent, as a donation to the church, in 1888, a
magnificent organ, which, few years since, was
in state of good preservation. The influence
of his sojourn in this country was most benign
not only in Rhode Island but elsewhere, as his
talents and learning, as well as fine moral and
social qualities rendered him an object of great
and general attraction.
The enterprise which brought him hither
however, signally failed. Walpole's promise of
twenty thousand pounds turned out to be worth
nothing. Dr. Gibson, the Bishop of London