This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1821. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... " rowed ornaments; and, immersed in nobler pursuits " of literature, before consecrated to a still more exalt* " ed purpose, he paid but little attention to outward " decorations. Being observed to pass by rather neg" ligently attired, a visitor enquired of his friend, a " master of one of the colleges, Who is that slovenly " person with his stockings down ? The master replied, " That slovenly person as you call him, is one of the " greatest geniuses of the age, and is likely to be one of " the greatest men in the kino-dom." * He resided principally at Oxford, till he took his degree of Muster of Arts, which he did on the fifteenth day of October, 1737, having been ordained a deacon at Hereford a year before, by the then bishop of that see, Dr. Henry Egerton; whether by a nomination to a cure in his diocese, or by letters dismissory from some other bishop, is not certain. His first engagement, after he was in orders, was the curacy of Loe Trenchard, near Lidford in Devonshire. He went there upon a visit with one of his cotemporaries at Oxford, whose father lived at Lidford; and upon the express condition, that his friend would find him employment in the way of his profession. This employment was accordingly found for him in the church aforementioned, which he served for six months, most probably, of the year in which he took his master's degree. In the year following, he was resident at Epsom, in Surrey, as appears by a letter, dated from that place, October 4th, 1738, and written to Mr. Warburton, upon the publication of his first volume of the Divine Legation of Moses; of which letter some notice shall be presently taken. And on the fifteenth day of December, in the same year, he was ordained a priest by the then bishop of Winchester, Dr. Benjamin Hoadly. Hi...