Society, of the Convention of the Diocese, and of the General Convention. And in all these bodies he was an active and efficient member, thoroughly versed in their constitutions and laws, interested in their objects and designs, skilled in their business and attentive to it, anxious for their welfare, prompt in his suggestions, fluent and eloquent in debate, sound, judicious, and practical in all his views. In addition to all this, he was an accurate observer of human nature. He penetrated at once into the character of others, saw their weakness and their strength, and knew how to direct and control them both. With an almost intuitive perception, he comprehended at a glance all the bearings of any subject under discussion, seized upon the leading points, and anticipated its results. If there were any time for preparation, he also brought to it the fruits of mature reflection and industrious research. It may easily be imagined, then, how soon he began to acquire an, influence in all the institutions with which he was connected, and prepared the way for that ascendency which he finally gained in the counsels of the Church.

I now come to a painful part of my subject, which could not, however, be passed over without a misconstruction of my own views, and some injury, perhaps, to the memory of Dr. Hobart; and a brief notice of which, may not be without its bitter and wholesome uses to those who, on light and trivial grounds, may hereafter be disposed to disturb the peace of the Church. When, after a long series of useful labours, and a constant exhibition of those eminent gifts and qualifications which fitted him

for a station of honour and power, it was perceived that there was a general disposition to elevate him to the Episcopal office, from the exercise of which Bishop Moore had withdrawn on account of his infirmities; the Rev. Mr. Jones, who was one of his associates in Trinity Church, published a pamphlet against him, entitled "The Solemn Appeal," with the design and hope of defeating his election. It was a great shock to public feeling; exciting, in the first instance, universal regret, and a loud burst of indignation against the author. The piece, however, contained such charges as were calculated to gratify the malevolent curiosity of some, to create temporary prejudices in others of a more generous cast, and to produce in a few who had no previous good will towards Dr. Hobart, a groundless and lasting dislike. The Church was therefore thrown into a ferment. Parties were formed in behalf of the assailant and the assailed; and many, doubtless, defended the one or vindicated the other with more warmth and violence than became the Gospel of peace and good will. Another class, who were of a quiet and pacific temper, without a due consideration of the merits of the case, condemned them both. But the overwhelming sense of the community was in favour of the accused. Dr. Hobart, for years, was not aware of the unfriendly feelings of Mr. Jones, nor was he fully apprised of the extent of his injurious opinions, and his deep-rooted hostility, until the appearance of his "Solemn Appeal." The subjects of complaint, which, in some cases, arose out of misapprehension, or which, when fairly understood, were of the most trifling nature, may, VOL. I.

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for the most part, be traced to the different temper and character of the parties themselves; they were not of congenial feelings, dispositions, and habits, those elements of harmony and love. It has seldom happened that two persons have been brought into so close a relation to each other, who were more entirely unlike, than Mr. Jones and Dr. Hobart. The first was cold, formal, and stately in his manners; the last, all freedom, cordiality, and warmth. The one was sensitive, suspicious, and reserved; the other communicative, frank, and confiding. The one nurtured resentment-kept a record of hasty sallies of feeling and unguarded sayings, and magnified infirmities into glaring faults; the other never received an offence without seeking at once. to have it explained, in order that it might be over and forgotten, and never gave it without making a prompt and ample atonement. It is not surprising, then, that there should have been occasional misunderstandings and differences between them; and these divisions were not easily healed, for the conciliatory spirit of the one was not always met with a corresponding temper in the other, but the manner was so unkind, and the exactions so rigorous, as to leave nothing to the generous impulses of his

own nature.

A correct judgment of the case, however, can only be formed by a notice of the charges which were brought against him, and of the way in which they were repelled. Mr. Jones asserted, that prejudices had been excited against him throughout the state, and insinuated that they were created by Dr. Hobart, but brought no proof of the truth of his

conjecture. He stated it as a fact, that the young men who were designed for the ministry, to whom he had given his assistance, advice, and direction in their studies, and the hospitality of his house, had, for the most part, upon their entrance into orders, broken off their intercourse with him; and this defection he evidently supposed was to be traced to the same source, though no attempt was made to show the justness of the suspicion. The third charge related to the publication of a piece in the papers, to correct a misstatement in regard to some circumstances connected with General Hamilton's death, which had been inserted without his concurrence, after a previous consultation with himself and another, and which differed in some degree from a paragraph that had been already prepared and met with their joint approbation. The alteration, however, was not made upon the authority of one alone, but of two out of three. The fourth charge was the refusal of Dr. Hobart to preach on his leisure Sunday for Mr. Jones without a return, when the latter had been requested by the Bishop to supply some vacant churches in the country, on the ground that he himself was always very exact in requiring an equivalent for similar offices. In respect to both these cases, some playful and careless, as well as some irritating expressions, were said to have been used; but though a frank apology was made for them, which should have buried them for ever in oblivion, they were, many years after, published to the world. The next was in regard to a censure of Mr. Jones's conduct as a member of the Standing Committee,

for recommending a person as a candidate for orders, of whose fitness he knew that doubts were entertained by two of the members, who, at the time of his admission, were absent. This also led to some remarks which were deemed offensive, though, from his own statement, not stronger, it would seem, than were justified by the occasion. Another ground of complaint, was an intimation from Dr. Hobart that an interchange of pulpits on his part with two clergymen, one of whom was in the habit of deviating from the regular services of the Church, and both of whom had condemned the proceedings of an ecclesiastical court in the degradation of an unworthy minister, would necessarily lead to an interruption of their friendly intercourse; for he considered that conduct so censurable in both respects, ought to receive no countenance from one of his associates. Mr. Jones regarded this intimation as a species of dictation, to which he was not bound to submit, though this was repeatedly disclaimed; and he then recounted new instances of harshness and unkindness in the frequent conversations which arose out of this subject. The most offensive of all the provocations which he complained of having received, was a remark that was made in regard to an indication of his own violence of temper towards another clergyman, though he acknowledged that he felt indignant, and evidently thought that the feeling was natural and just. Another ground of accusation was, that through the same unfriendly influence towards him, he had been turned out of the Standing Committee of the diocese; and finally, that when the time approached