This eminent divine, who alike by talents and ac-quirements did honour to his order and his church, was remarkable for a clear and vigorous intellect, and distinguished by originality of character. His nature was shrewd, homely, and benevolent; and his theological works have been extensively read, deservedly appreciated, and highly influential for good.

William Paley was born at Peterborough, in July 1743. His family was old and respectable; and his grandfather was proprietor of and resided on their small hereditary estate of Langcliffe, in the

Craven of Yorkshire. The archdeacon's father, a younger son, was brought up to the clerical profession, and being instituted to the vicarage of Help-stone, in Northamptonshire, fixed his residence, for a while, at the birth-place of his celebrated son. Being a man of considerable classical attainments, he was, about two years later, appointed to the head-mastership of Giggleswick Grammar-school; and resigning his living, he removed to the scene of his new vocation, which was the native parish at once of himself and his wife, a woman of active mind and vigorous faculties. She was soon blessed with three daughters to occupy her more special attention, so that young Paley was educated principally under the eye of his father.

At school, the embryo divine exhibited a more studious turn than is generally observed in boys; and he seems, even then, to have exercised his natural abilities to some purpose. He soon surpassed most of his companions in the studies of the class, finding no worthy rival save in the son of the second master. This rather delicate circumstance does not appear to have been rendered less so by the parental partiality of the teachers for their offspring, which was so exercised, that Paley and his competitor for school-room distinction found themselves vanquished or triumphant, just as the sire of one or the other happened to officiate at the lesson. Though ardent in the pursuit of knowledge, and peculiarly attentive to everything that came under his observation, Paley did not, at this period, show excessive excellence in such compositions as class exercises, though con-sidered as a fair scholar for his years. He was particularly fond of inquiring into mechanism, and seized every opportunity of conversing on the subject with workmen capable of giving him information. Though mentally very active, he was physically quite the reverse; and cared not to engage in the ordinary diversions that enlivened the play-ground. Angling was the amusement in which he took most delight, and his fondness was such that it endured though many long years. Nevertheless, though taking no interest in their sports, he was a decided favourite with the jovial workers of mischief, from the good qualities he possessed, and the lively and entertaining conversation in which they were manifested. Sometimes he raised their laughter, and won their applause, by mimicking the performance of a conjurer whom he had seen at some of the rural fairs, which at an extremely early age he was in the habit of frequenting to study human character, as displayed in various classes.

On one occasion, having attended the assizes at Lancaster, he was so interested in the proceedings, than on his return home he luxuriated in the dignity of presiding mimically as a judge, and having some of the other boys brought before him to be tried, convicted, and sentenced. In after years, when settled in the metropolis, he still retained so much of his liking for such scenes, as prompted him to be a pretty regular attender at the different courts of law, when he had the time to spare. It is not to be supposed, that with such an inclination and faculty to imitate the words and actions of his elders, he would refrain from now and then treating his young comrades to a short sermon.

Before leaving the school, Paley had ascended from one class to another, excelling in each, and finally obtaining unquestionable pre-eminence over his juvenile compeers; and in November 1758 he was taken by his father to be admitted as a sizar of Christ's College, Cambridge. They performed the journey thither on horseback; and equestrian proficiency not being among the future theologian's early accomplishments, he had repeated tumbles from the pony he rode. The reverend scion of Langcliffe, no doubt marvelling that a son of his should be so deficient in a true English exercise, at first expressed considerable alarm at his awkwardness; but as the fall was multiplied seven times, without any bones being broken, he became quite accustomed to the catastrophe; and on hearing a thump on the ground behind him merely turned his head a little on one side, and said, "Get up, and take care of thy money, lad."

In the autumn of the next year, Paley became a resident member of Christ's College, having meantime attended a school at Ripon, for the purpose of being grounded in algebra and geometry. On the evening of his second departure for Cambridge, his father observed to a pupil who boarded with him, — "My son is now gone to col-lege: he'll turn out a great man—very great indeed, I'm certain of it; for he has by far the clearest head I ever met with in my life." He was now little more than sixteen years old, but had a peculiar look, which impressed people with an idea that he was much older. His new companions, at first, made merry at the provincial cut of his clothes and the careless rusticity of his manners, together with his strange mental absence and his want of attention to the usages of society; but he does not appear on that account to have decked himself out in fashionable attire, studied graceful airs, or taken refuge in fine affectations. Nevertheless, his high talents and sterling qualities becoming known, he was regarded with interest and admiration. He could converse with rare fluency; his remarks were, at times, singularly judicious; and he had no objection, when in a humorous vein.

to turn the laugh against himself. The latter course he vindicated by saying, that "lie who is not sometimes a fool, is always one."

These agreeable qualities made his company much sought after in his second year at Cambridge, and his circle of acquaintances became, perhaps, inconveniently large. He was, therefore, much occupied with the gaieties of society; and his rooms, which were seldom locked, either by day or night, became the resort of numerous young men of mettle Still he was far from neglecting his learning; and while they were noisily or jocundly talking and disputing, he would quietly seat himself in a corner, and pursue his studies as if alone. But he had no systematic plan of reading, and merely chose his books according to the whim of the hour; some times amusing himself with replying to, and proposing, mathematical questions in the diaries or magazines. He was most deficient in the virtue of early rising, was too often the last to arrive at morning prayers, and generally spent the evening mirthfully at a coffee-house frequented by fellows and masters of art. Thus it happened, that during the two first years of his undergraduateship, his talents had been turned to little account,—his single feat being a few verses on the death of George the Second, published in a periodical. Indeed, according to his own statement, he was constantly in society, not of an immoral, but of an idle and expensive kind, and spent the time happily enough, hut somewhat unprofitable.

On entering upon his third year, however, he was suddenly awakened to a new life; and Cambridge speedily saw another sight. Early one morning he was roused by one of his friends, who came to his bed-side and said, with solemn earnestness: —"Paley, I have been thinking what a fool you are! I could do nothing, probably, if I were to try, and besides, can afford the life I lead. You could do everything, and can't afford it. I have had no sleep during the night on account of these reflections, and am now come to inform you, that if you persist in your indolence I must renounce your society."

Fortunately, the words were not spoken in vain. They incited the gifted youth, to whom they were addressed, into immediate action. He was a good deal surprised and impressed with the visit; and having meditated on and formed his plan for the future, he resolved to redeem lost time. Then giving orders to have his fire prepared every evening, so that he might light it himself on rising, he vowed to do something worthy of his abilities. Henceforth, eschewing every other pursuit, he devoted himself to laborious study. At five o'clock each morning he was at his books, and continued to read during the whole day, with the exception of the hours when his attendance was required in chapel or hall Before the gates were closed, he issued forth to refresh himself with food and a dose of milk-punch. "And thus, on taking my bachelor's de gree," he said, "I became senior wrangler." With the latter distinction in view, Paley had obtained his father's consent to avail himself of a private tutor; but the honour was not won without much toil, anxiety, and application. The success of another student of ability and perseverance was talked of as certain; and intelligence of the exertions making to ensure it was often brought to Paley's rooms. On such occasions he would say to his informant, "I see your motive in telling me all this; I thank you for it;" and his intellectual industry brought him off victorious

Having accomplished this honourable triumph he removed to Greenwich, as assistant in an academy there. This situation he soon relinquished, but without changing his residence. He acted as private tutor to a young gentleman who had been under his care at the academy; and, on taking deacon's orders, engaged himself as curate in the parish, and began to preach regularly.

In 1765 he was a successful candidate for one of the prizes given by the members for the Uni-versity of Cambridge, for the best dissertation in

Latin prose. Next year he was elected a fellow of Christ Church, where he was soon after appointed one of the assistant-tutors. His moral lectures, delivered while in this position, afterwards supplied him with the materials for his work on "Moral and Political Philosophy;" those on divinity con-tained the substance of what he gave to the public in his "Evidences of Christianity," and the germ of his "Horse Paulinae;" while others on the writings of Dr. Clarke had in them much of what he advanced in his "Natural Theology," a short time before his death.

Having, for some years, been one of the preachers in the Chapel Royal at Whitehall, Paley was, in 1775, presented to the rectory of Musgrave, a small living in Westmoreland. A handsome damsel of "merry Carlisle" had previously won his heart; so he married, settled in his parish, and there enjoyed some of his pleasantest days. The village was situated on the hanks of the river Eden, which, like himself, had its origin in the county of York; and he could thus freely indulge his piscatory pro-pensity. He also attempted the cultivation of a small farm; but this enterprise only brought him the usual reward of amateur agriculturists—some slight pecuniary loss.

In 1780 he was presented to a prebendal stall in the cathedral at Carlisle, of which he became archdeacon soon after. In 1795 he was installed as sub-dean of Lincoln, took the degree of D.D. at Cambridge, and was presented to the rectory of Bishop-Wearmouth, where he spent the remaining years of his life. On the 25th of May, 1805, he tranquilly breathed his last, and his mortal remains being conveyed to Carlisle, were interred in one of the aisles of the cathedral.