CHAPTER XII.
Intimately connected with the above distinguished personages, but more particularly with the Bishop of ⸺, was ⸺ ⸺, the first and present Bishop of ⸺. He, I should think, will not feel a false shame in being classed among those who, having nothing to boast on the score of their birth, make their way to a situation of eminence and honour, by the exercise of laudable industry, and no inconsiderable abilities. What his father was, does not appear, nor is it of consequence. He was, when young, dependent upon an uncle, who was a respectable attorney. His first destination was for trade, and he was bound apprentice to a grocer, in which situation the Sexagenarian had seen him employed; but he had a taste and talent for more exalted things than weighing plums, and breaking sugar, and had also the good fortune to have his wishes seconded and promoted by his kind relative. He was admitted of ⸺ college where he took his degrees with much credit. After taking orders, he returned to the Provincial town, where his friends resided, and from whence he discharged the humble duty of a curate in various neighbouring churches. He was at length a candidate for a preferment, the appointment to which was vested in the parish, and after a strenuous opposition he succeeded. There was a decent house, and an income perhaps of two hundred pounds a year, and probably at that period, the utmost of his ambition did not soar to any thing much more elevated. At this crisis, most fortunately for him, his friend Dr. P. was placed on the bench of Bishops, and immediately nominated Mr. ⸺ to be his domestic chaplain.
The brightest prospects now opened to his view, nor was he disappointed. His first preferments were two good livings in ⸺, in the vicinity of the bishop’s residence, to which was afterwards added a Stall in the Cathedral. It appeared about this period to government, to be expedient to fix an ecclesiastical establishment in the province of ⸺, of which a Bishop was to be the head. The intimacy between the Bishop of L. and the Prime Minister still, indeed always, continued, and his recommendation of his friend and chaplain, to fill this eminent office, was accordingly accepted. Dr. ⸺ was consecrated Lord Bishop of ⸺, with a noble salary, afterwards increased to 3000l., a year. Here perhaps he still continues, in the useful and honourable discharge of his high functions. It has been doubted, by those who knew him best, whether this splendid banishment was exactly in consonance with the Bishop’s natural propensities. He was, as a young man, of an elegant taste, fond of society, and particularly of female society; attached to the belles lettres, and no contemptible poet. It was a strong contrast to these habits and propensities, to assist in the illumination of Esquimaux, Cheroquees, and their Squaws.
Dr. ⸺ has appeared before the public as an author, but principally as a writer of poetry. Whilst resident at Cambridge, he published a quarto tract of poems, sufficiently elegant, but somewhat of too amatory a cast. He had a peculiar turn for epigrammatic writing, and there are preserved in our manuscript, one or two which probably never have been printed; the insertion of them may tend to enliven our narrative.
About the period before alluded to, an ingenious blind man made his appearance where the Bishop then resided, and, as he had done in various other places, undertook to give philosophical lectures. His name was Moyes, concerning whom, more particular accounts than we are able or desirous to give, may be found, it is believed, in the Gentleman’s Magazine, and other periodical publications of the day. It was a very fashionable thing, and particularly among the ladies, to attend his lectures. Their tender sympathy was excited towards him, from the circumstance of his blindness; but he was also of a goodly form and countenance, lively in his manners, eloquent in his delivery of his lectures, which he also contrived to season with surprizing narratives and amusing anecdotes. One of the hypotheses upon which he chose to dilate, was that of latent heat in bodies. Our lively friend, for such he was then, and probably still continues, availed himself of the popular malady, to produce the following epigram.
Blind Cupid, tired with his celestial joys,
Descends to earth in shape of Dr. Moyes,
With ⸺ dames delights to take his seat,
And fires each female breast with latent heat.
In the same provincial town was established a Catch Club, of which the members were each and all of them, of great musical and vocal accomplishments. Our Sexagenarian seems to have known them well, and had often been delighted with the exertion of their talents. Unfortunately, from some trifling cause or other, a violent schism took place among them. Dr. then Mr. ⸺, did not lose the opportunity of exercising his sarcastical weapons, and the following jeu d’esprit was circulated.
Tis said that affected by fogs of November,
The Catch Club is in a sad case,
But by losing in time every mortified member,
The body’s recovering apace.
Were the attempt to be made either by hunting among the loose pages of our manuscript, or by local enquiry, it would be easy to get together a great many of these trifles; but these may suffice. Some of the venial levities of younger days, promulgated by another Bishop, will be introduced elsewhere. But there seems to be here, somewhat of a deviation from the regular path; and the manuscript appears in danger of entangling our eccentric friend amid the wilds of Canadian forests, or bewildering him in the crowd of his ecclesiastical superiors.
At the period, to which his notes have thus far conducted him, it must be remembered that he merely is seen as an humble under-graduate of Cambridge.
Ridiculus sermo cui vita rebellis abhorret
Ergo cave Doctor dissonus esse tibi.