for the election of an Assistant Bishop, Dr. Hobart declined any conversation, in reference to this subject, with one who had been selected to oppose his advancement, and favoured the measures which his friends had adopted to secure his own.

This is in substance a full and fair statement of all the charges which could be reduced to a specific form. Several of them are mere matters of inference and surmise; others of so trifling a nature, that a lofty mind would have scorned to notice them. Some of the accusations relate to points in which every one has a right to think and act for himself, and the only things of the least degree of seriousness and weight which were alleged against him with any semblance of proof, were a quickness of temper, an unguardedness of speech, and occasional unkindness of manner, which are often observed in the most noble and generous natures, and are found to be the only infirmities, amidst all the other perfections and graces of the Christian character. Besides, the matters complained of were, with one single exception, personal wrongs, where, from selflove, the party who thought himself aggrieved ought to have entertained a great distrust of his own judgment, and not rashly intruded them on the notice of the public; and much more should have been borne in meekness and silence, before he furnished such a subject of scandal to religion, and of grief to the Church. The ambition, intolerance, and tyranny which he ascribed to Dr. Hobart, had there been sufficient grounds for the charge, would have been an effectual barrier to his elevation; for these are qualities too conspicuous and glaring to escape

public observation, and too odious to meet with public favour and reward.

Dr. Hobart completely vindicated himself against all the charges of the "Solemn Appeal." He showed that there was not the slightest ground for the suspicion of Mr. Jones, that he had raised up prejudices against him throughout the diocese. He established this point, not merely by the most solemn denial of it on his own part, but by the full and explicit testimony of others. He proved, by the written declarations of a great number of his most intimate clerical and lay friends, to whom he was in the habit of unbosoming himself without restraint, that, for a long course of years, he had never, even in the freest moments of social converse, uttered a single word to his disadvantage, but had always spoken of him with kindness and respect. And he did not alter his course towards him until he discovered, from various quarters, in a way which left no room for doubt, that his friendly feelings were not reciprocated that Mr. Jones decried his controversial writings-accused him of ambition and self-gratulation-made the most injurious representations against his character-declared that he had drawn up charges against another clergyman that he was not able to substantiate-and favoured a plan, as there was good reason to believe, for turning him out of the office of Secretary of the Convention. Even then, from his earnest desire to preserve the peace of the Church, it was shown by the statements of friends with whom he was in habits of daily intercourse, that he spoke of these matters with great delicacy and reserve, and acted with remark

able forbearance and kindness. The intimation of his having employed unworthy means to estrange from Mr. Jones the affections of most of the young men who were designed for the ministry, was disproved by their denial of the fact; and the cause assigned by some of them for the alienation, was the disrespectful, unjust, and calumnious manner in which he was accustomed to speak of his brethren. In the several cases in which it was alleged that Dr. Hobart had acted with discourtesy and unkindness, he gave the most satisfactory explanations of his conduct; and, where he himself had disapproved of his colleague's, he showed that it was not from a censorious temper, nor a spirit of dictation, but to preserve friendship and harmony among themselves, and to vindicate the authority of the Church. And with respect to the numerous accusations of bitterness and asperity in his language, and to the imputations of violence, impetuosity, and passion in his manner, he utterly denied that there had been any breach of civility and decorum, or any warmth but what naturally arose out of the earnestness of debate. Some conversations had been misunderstood, others changed in their character by omissions, all exaggerated and discoloured. And finally, he contrasted his conduct with that of Mr. Jones, showing with how little justice and propriety he could complain, who, at the very time that he was treated with unsuspecting confidence, was secretly attempting to destroy the reputation and influence of his brother, who, on one occasion, in a conversation with a clergyman, intimated "that he was pursuing a system of favouritism and denunciation-enlarged

on what he deemed his imperfections and vicesand produced the impression that he was a hasty, ambitious, and ill-bred man, not worthy of the ministerial character, nor deserving of the confidence of his brethren;" who, on another occasion, observed that "this ambitious young man was aiming at the top of the ladder, and they must pull him down; that if he should be elected to the Episcopate, they whould have such a scene of tyranny exercised in the Church, as had not been seen since the days of Archbishop Laud;" and who, in the "Solemn Appeal," asserted that "his ruling motive of action was the attainment of power, influence, and selfexaltation; that his advancement would be promotive of a system of intolerance and tyranny, and subject the clergy to a state of servile submission."

How were these odious traits of character to be reconciled with the warm, enthusiastic, and general admiration which it had always been his happiness to enjoy! May I not appeal to every one who has read this account of his life, and followed him from childhood to youth, and youth to manhood, whether there be not a strong presumption even against the charges of the minor faults which were attributed to him, in the extent to which they were carried? It has been a source of the highest gratification to me, in every stage of my inquiries, that all which I knew of him myself, has been confirmed by the accounts of others, and furnished new reasons for admiration and love. Purity of heart and life, the kindliest domestic affections, the warmest attachments in youth enduring till death dissevered them, disinterestedness in his views, elevation of senti

ment, singleness of purpose, fervent piety, devotion to the Church of the living God; all is beautiful, consistent, and harmonious throughout. Friendship was the solace of his life, and no man whom I ever knew so quickly inspired and so fully enjoyed it, amidst the checks and interruptions which it is apt to meet with in this selfish world.

The dark picture, therefore, which was drawn of him in the "Solemn Appeal," was so much at variance with his general character, that it would be an utter violation of probability to suppose it faithful and correct.

Such was the prevailing sentiment at the time when it appeared. Dr. Hobart was elected to the Episcopal office by the suffrages of the great body of the clergy and laity; and none had more reason to deplore the effects of this rash and intemperate publication than its unhappy author, whom it deprived at once of an enviable situation, and irreparably injured in the public esteem.

And here I will take occasion to remark, that I entered upon this subject with unfeigned reluctance, and have reviewed it with the utmost pain and regret; but it was so intimately connected with an important period of Bishop Hobart's life, as to make silence impossible. I have not written under the influence of early prejudice and dislike. In my youth I entertained a respect for Mr. Jones's character, and had a due sense of his kindness. The change in my opinions arose entirely out of his public conduct. But, much as I disapproved of this, it was not without commiseration for its consequences to himself; and God knows, that, if it VOL. I.

18