THE RIGHT REV. WILLIAM VAN MILDERT, D.D., LATE BISHOP OF DURHAM.-THE UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM.

THE mention in our last number, of the foundation of St. David's College in Wales, through the efforts of Bishop Burgess, has reminded us of a still later effort in behalf of the cause of sound learning and religious education, with which the name of Bishop Van Mildert is associated.

This Prelate was son of Cornelius Van Mildert, a London merchant, whose father, Abraham, removed from Amsterdam, and settled in Londou. William was the second and sole survivor of three sons, and was born in London, in 1756. He received his education at Merchant Taylor's School, London, and at Queen's College, Oxford, where he became B.A., 1787; M.A., 1790; D.D., 1813. He was first curate of Lewknor, Oxfordshire; and afterwards of Witham in Essex; and was presented in 1795, by his cousin and brother-in-law, C. Ives, Esq., to the Rectory of Bradden, Northamptonshire. He was removed at the close of 1796, to the Rectory of St. Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside; the Grocers' Company, to which he was chaplain, having that turn as their third of the patronage of that Church. Early in his city residence, he preached the Lady Moyer's lectures in St. Paul's Cathedral. These were appointed by the founder to be on subjects relating to the doctrine of the Trinity: but they have now ceased, the annuity which furnished the stipend having terminated. The standard and learned treatises of Waterland, Berriman, Gloster, Ridley, and others, were the valuable result of that foundation.

Between 1802 and 1805, Mr. Van Mildert preached the lectures established by the Hon. Robert Boyle, and produced the two excellent volumes, on the Rise and Progress of Infidelity, with a refutation of its principles and

reasonings. These, and his Bampton Lectures, preached at Oxford in 1814, on Scripture Interpretation, have completely established his reputation as a learned and judicious divine.

In 1812, he received the honourable appointment of Preacher to the Society of Lincoln's Inn; and the following year, at the instance of Lord Liverpool, was made Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford. In 1819, he was consecrated Bishop of Llandaff; and the following year became Dean of St. Paul's, and then resigned his Professorship at Oxford. On the death of Bishop Barrington in 1826, he was translated to the see of Durham.

The bishop's style, whether in writing or speaking, was, like his character, remarkable in its simplicity and perspicuity. His understanding was vigorous and comprehensive, his learning accurate and deep, his apprehension quick, his temper highly sensitive, but generous, kind, and forgiving. To forgive injuries was the habit of his life; he was never known to resent them. His uprightness and conscientiousness were remarkable, and the great element of his character was a deep, habitual, and pervading sense of religion. The labour of his life and the faculties of his mind were steadily directed to the maintenance and vindication of Christian truth.

His public and private charities were very large, so much so, as to absorb all his large professional income, when the see of Durham had not been reduced as it now is in amount of revenue. He died poor in consequence, the provision for his widow principally consisting of the beneficial interest he had secured to her in life policies, to be realized at his decease, which took place, after some years of affliction, on the 21st of February, 1836.

THE UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM, although for the most part endowed out of the revenues of the Dean and Chapter, was also largely indebted to Bishop Van Mildert's zeal and munificence in its institution. He contributed at first one, and then two thousand pounds annually until his death.

"The great and increasing population of the North of England, and its remoteness from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, have long pointed out the expediency of establishing in that part of the Kingdom an Institution which should secure to its inhabitants the advantages of a sound and yet not expensive academical education. It was perceived by the late Bishop Van Mildert, and by the Dean and Chapter of Durham, that the means of supplying the acknowledged deficiency might be provided from the resources of that body, not only without contravening, but in exact conformity with the principles upon which it was incorporated; the education of youth being enumerated among the objects of the establishment, both in its charter of foundation and in its statutes. The Dean and Chapter were endowed by Henry VIII., not only with the revenue of the Benedictine Priory at Durham, but also with those of the College connected with it in the University of Oxford, but which College was dissolved at the Reformation on account of its connexion with the Priory, and all the endowments of both were assigned to the Dean and Chapter. That body, therefore, is the representative of the ancient College, as well as of the ancient Priory, and therefore if the charter and statutes had been silent as to such an object, there would have been a manifest propriety in replacing the suppressed College by the foundation of a new one at Durham.

That College and University is now in full operation. The funds conveyed under enabling acts, and given under authority of the Ecclesiastical Commission, aided by many donations of the Bishop and other private benefactors, have enabled its promoters to bring it already into a considerable extent of usefulness. The plans pursued are founded upon a wise adaptation of whatever in the systems adopted at Oxford and Cambridge seemed likely to suit the purposes intended, and the persons and localities whose benefit was contemplated. All the usual degrees are to be obtained by similar residence, dicipline, and passing the required examinations. Twenty-four Fellowships will eventually be founded, tenable for a limited number of years; about two of which are supplied every year from meritorious graduates. There is also provision for a kind of Theological degree, termed "a Licentiate in Theology," which may be attained either by graduates of Durham, Oxford, or Cambridge, after a year's course and examination, or by others after three years. This valuable provision for the wants of the Church in the Northern dioceses, is also accompanied by another with reference to the degree of "Civil Engineer," to be obtained by ascertained proficiency during course of three years. Moreover, the Lectures are open, under certain regulations, to others who are not full members of the body, and are not intending to graduate in any of the Faculties, or to seek the rank of Licentiate in Theology, or Civil Engineer.

Every particular respecting the history, progress, and system, of this third University belonging to the Church of England, may be found in the Durham University Calendar, now lying before us,-an interesting manual of about 120 octavo pages, and to be procured through any bookseller from Rivingtons', London.

THE CONSECRATION OF SCIENCE. -No. VIII.

ON THE BASIS OF SCRITPURAL PRINCIPLES.

THE moral security of Scientific Institutions, which, as we have shown, the founders and managers are in duty bound to provide for, must not rest on present, or possibly future, individual worth and sentiment. The tenure of life is at best uncertain, and virtue is not hereditary, whilst the studious and self-devoted are too often sacrificed on the altar of their own inordinate pursuits. Too many realise the fate of Henry Kirke White-so exquisitely drawn by one who was himself a victim, as well as a priest, of unhallowed literature:

Oh what a noble heart was here undone,
When Science' self destroy'd her favourite son!
Yes, she too much indulged thy fond pursuit,
She sow'd the seeds, but death has reap'd the fruit.
'Twas thine own genius gave the final blow,
And help'd to plant the wound that laid thee low :
So the struck eagle, stretch'd upon the plain,
No more through rolling clouds to soar again,
View'd his own feathor in the fatal dart,
And wing'd the shaft, that quiver'd in his heart;

Keen were his pangs, but keener far to feel,
He nurs'd the pinion which impell'd the steel;
While the same plumage, that had warm'd his nest,
Drank the last life drop of his bleeding breast.*

Such a frail tenure of religious protection, cannot be relied on for an hour, -A body can only be permanently governed by certain known rules, based on acknowledged principles. These can be appealed to, and will check if not prevent moral deterioration : for though laws may be liable to mutation, principles are not; and even the former are less changeable than men. And though there is some truth in the saying that, for the time being," that is the best government which is best administered," yet men, looking wisely into the future, are not unnecessarily anxious that their form of government should be the best possible, as well as the persons who hold the reins. And though laws depend for their efficiency on their administration; still no administration can be rightly efficient with bad laws. But make the laws good, and suffering virtue has an appeal which will speak with the voice of thunder.

While therefore the discordant breath of religious controversy is to be excluded fron Institutions for the promotion of Science, as "gendering strife," and lowering rather than advancing religious feeling, it is morally and politically right, that the angel of Sacred Truth, drawing tones of praise to the Creator and Redeemer from every string of the lyre of science, and enforcing moral sentiment from the highest authorities of literature, be not silenced, but listened to with reverence and joy.

And it is equally a duty and benefit to acknowledge that while such societies are not intended solely or immediately for religious purposes, they own none that are inconsistent with the promotion of true piety, nor sanction any outrage of its laws.

Among the principles thus adopted, the obligation of the Sabbath should be plainly owned, and its sanctity jealously guarded from infraction. That at least is due to eternity, even should transitory affairs absorb the rest. A society so formed would in truth augment the sources, as well as recipients of knowledge, advance the lasting moral and political prosperity of the community itself; and above all, obtain, we might well hope, the smile of HIM whose "favour is better than life." For he hath declared, "Them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." Hence the prayer of faith-and faith is true wisdom-"Let thy work appear unto thy servants and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish Thou the work of our hands, the work of our hands, establish Thou it."+

But it is not only morally wrong and politically inexpedient, but most arrogant and absurd, to exclude the philosophy of the soul and the moral and religious history of our species-the most ancient and sublime compositions of inspiration acting upon native genius,-from the circle of science and literature. It is to treat of the planetary system, but overlook the central force and glory of the sun. Religion is partly built on science, natural and revealed, and partly on faith. That part which is absolutely known, whether by contemplation, revelation, or history should be acknowledged as Science: and

must be a necessary part of a complete system of knowledge: while the inculcation of what is future, and known only by faith, may be properly treated of in more solemn assemblies alone.

For instance, the Sacred History of the Creation is a most precious record; and the more it is studied, will be found to agree with the real evidences of nature: though not with the fanciful theories of men.-The Philology of the Sacred volume may almost absorb the grammarian and rhetorician. Hebrew Literature is as distinct a subject from the matter revealed as the doctrine of the Greek article is from the doctrine of the New Testament; or as English Grammar is from the theory of light: and yet all mutually contribute to the general advancement and improvement of the student. Light which displays other objects discloses also itself. Historical and geographical elucidations of Scripture afford ample scope for the antiquary. The laws of Moses and the evidence of the Gospel supply matter for the lawyer. The natural history, diseases, and physical phenomena of the Holy Land, may be subjects of vast interest to the physician. All these have been and may be as scientifically treated, and have as proper proofs attached to them, as mathematical theorems or legal documents; and as such have satisfied the minds and influenced the lives of Newton, and Blackstone, and Davy, and Hale.

That the same may be enunciated of moral truths has been thus ably maintained by one who attained the second place among the Wranglers in the mathematical tripos of 1834;* and who has since devoted his mental powers and acquirements to the study of prophecy. The Spirit of man has its own definitions; and those not cold and silent as geometry; but vocal with strong emotions, and endued with a living power; its truths are in their nature as prolific; the opening is the same, and why should it not lead to certainties as sure and conclusions as various? The powers of reasoning, memory, imagination, have, in all ages, been lawfully and nobly employed in con-nection with the Sacred Scriptures. It remained for the superficiality of the nineteenth century to effect that "even things lawful and useful are made to minister to the disparagement of our holy religion. It is excluded from books of what are called 'useful knowledge;' it is not admitted into literary and scientific societies; and whole encyclopædias are written upon the tacit understanding that God has never spoken to mankind, and that there is no soul, no heaven, no hell, no eternity."

To exclude Bible Science and Literature from Systems of Instruction, whether in universities or schools, is tacitly, at least, to maintain that its relations are not science, or that its literature is inconsiderable. The literature of Scripture is indeed a small matter compared with its doctrines and facts; but it can never be inconsiderable, it can never be overlooked by a sound critic, any more than its precepts can be neglected by a sound moralist. The fashionable idea seems to be that there is nothing so uncertain as religion, and therefore, nothing is so fair a subject for neglect or exclusion. We admit that there are many and vast differences between the creeds of different religionists, but among churches and even sects, who profess to make the Scriptures their Rule of Faith, there is a general harmony on the essential doctrines contained in the three Creeds. So far therefore at least there is a

*Rev. Thos. R. Rirks, M.A., in an oration delivered before the members of Trinity College, Cambridge,—“ Ón the Analogy of Mathematical and Moral Certainty."