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as governor of one of the most respectable colleges in the university of Oxford.

His lordship's ancestors, though persons of inconsiderable fortune and celebrity, were remarkable for a zealous attachment to the established church. His father, a man of good natural talents, and a competent share of acquired learning, was a clergyman, and for several years had the care of a large grammar school at Buckingham. His system of education was not upon the modern plan; but it must be recorded to his credit, that the seminary while under his direction was unusually flourishing, and that it produced many creditable scholars. This worthy divine was tolerably well skilled in the Hebrew tongue, in the rudiments of which he was careful to instruct his son, who, we understand, has since prosecuted the study of it with considerable success: he also took much pains to have him accurately acquainted with the Greek and Latin languages, in which he has also made a most eminent proficiency.

About the year 1766 young Mr. Cleaver was entered at the university of Oxford, where he had not resided long before his superior acquirements recommended him to notice; and he was shortly afterwards elected to the only Buckinghamshire demyship of Magdalen College. In this station he continued for some time, and although it held out to him a certain, but perhaps distant, prospect of a more valuable fellowship than any of those belonging to Brazenose College; nevertheless, upon a vacancy happening among the fellowships of the latter, he chose to offer

himself

himself as a candidate, and was fortunate enough to succeed in the attempt.

Having now attained so honourable a situation in the university, in which he had already attracted much notice, and having proceeded to the degree of master of arts, he devoted himself closely to his classical studies for a considerable length of time. His proficiency in polite literature, his acute understanding, regularity of conduct, and affability of deportment, had procured him many valuable and powerful friends; and the period now approached when he was to be appointed to that post upon which his future fortunes might be said to depend. The heir of the illustrious house of Buckingham was then in want of a private tutor, and none was judged more proper for that appointment than Mr. Cleaver; and, indeed, with respect to attainments, no one can entertain a doubt of his being admirably qualified.

Being now invested with this place of trust, he spared no pains to give satisfaction in the discharge of his duty. He attended the present Marquis of Buckingham for several years; and though the Marquis when at the university was entered at Christ Church College, Mr. Cleaver was still suffered to continue his tutor, and to attend him privately as before. That his noble pupil benefited greatly by the instructions received, is a fact universally known; and we cannot wonder that he has proved so abundantly grateful to his instructor. About this time, having intentions probably of entering into the connubial state, he exchanged his fellowship of Brazenose for the living of Ff2 Cottingham,

.

Cottingham, in Northamptonshire, in the patronage of the principal and fellows of that society, which he retained not more than three years. Whether he had any other church preferment between the time of his vacating the living of Cottingham, and being appointed to a bishopric, is uncertain. During the time of his holding the rectory of Cottingham, Mr. Cleaver married a Miss Ashton, a lady of many personal accomplishments and good family, by whom he has five children, two sons, the elder of whom is a student of Christ Church, Oxford, and the latter a king's scholar of Westminster school, and three daughters.

Though the Marquis of Buckingham had now no longer occasion for his quondam tutor, yet still a mutual esteem was retained, and an intimate friendship kept up between them. Mr. Cleaver's friends did not doubt that in due time they should see him raised to a station of great eminence; nor have their expectations been disappointed.

Mr. Cleaver had much endeared himself to his fellow-collegians during his long residence in the university; and accordingly, upon a vacancy of the headship of Brazenose College, he was elected principal, though not without some opposition; and in that honourable and lucrative situation he continues to this day. He now proceeded to the degrees of B.D. and D.D. and upon the removal of Dr. Porteus to the see of London, was, through the interest of his patron the marquis, appointed bishop of Chester. In the year 1799, upon the death of Dr. Warren, he was translated to the valuable see of Bangor, in which he

will probably remaia for life. We believe it is through the interest of the same generous patron that his younger brother, Dr. Euseby Cleaver, was some years ago presented to the bishopric of Fernes, in Ireland, in which he has hitherto been stationary. Since his lordship has presided at Brazenosc College that society has much increased; and it must in justice be allowed, that the discipline kept up there is far superior to what is to be found in most of the colleges at Oxford; but, notwithstanding his lordship's exertions, we cannot pretend to say that Brazenose has not its share of immorality as well as any of the rest.

As so much of the bishop's time is necessarily taken up in discharging the duties of his situation at Oxford, which is consequently the principal place of his residence, he has not shewn that activity in his diocese which we have reason to suppose he otherwise would; and in a charge delivered to his clergy about four years since, we find him apologizing to them for the same, and assuring them that his frequent infirmities, as well as his other necessary occupations, rather than a want of inclination, had prevented him from paying more attention to their concerns. But, notwithstanding the multiplicity of his vocations elsewhere, it must not be forgotten that he has adopted the most rigorous measures to suppress those clergymen who are called evangelical ministers; and, indeed, with all the good qualities his lordship possesses, we cannot deny that in this respect he is by no means candid. It must not, however, be passed over, that his lordship's charities are extensive, and that he has stood up as

an orthodox defender of the doctrines of the church

of England: and to this end he lately published a sermon, preached before the university, in which he highly censured the objections made by the present Bishop of Lincoln to the damnatory clauses in the Athanasian Creed.

His lordship hath also published three excellent sermons on the Lord's Supper, in which he maintains, with great strength of argument, the opinion stated by the learned Dr. Cudworth, and revived by the profound Warburton, that this sacrament is a feast upon a sacrifice. He is besides the author of "Directions to the younger Clergy on the Choice of Books, 8vo.; a Charge delivered to the Clergy of the Diocese of Chester in 1797; a Sermon preached before the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, 1794; a Sermon on the Design and Formation of the Articles of the Church of England," in which he has combated Calvinism with singular ability and sucTo the bishop the learned world are indebted for that correctness to be found in the beautiful edition of Homer's Iliad lately printed at Oxford, by the munificence of the Grenville family. X. Z.

cess.

DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND.

THE magnificent and splendid stile in which this nobleman lives, and the encouragement he gives to the promotion of genius and science, reflect the highest honours upon himself and his country. To call him the liberal patron, the steady patriot, the sin

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