A very singular character was John Henley, M A. com monly called Orator Henley. He was born at Melton-Mow-bray,"Leicestershire, in 1691. His father, the Rev. Simon Henley, and his maternal grandfather, John Dowel, M. A. were both vicars of that parish. Having passed his exercises at Cambridge, and obtained the degree of B. A. he returned to his native place, where he was desired by the trustees to take the direction of the school, which he soon raised to a flourishing condition. Here he began his Universal Grammar ; finished ten languages, with dissertations prefixed ; and wrote his poem on Esther, which was well received. He was ordained a deacon by Dr. Wake, then Bishop of Lincoln ; and having taken his degree of M. A. was admitted to priest's orders by Dr. Gibson. After preaching many occasional sermons, he went to London, recommended by above thirty letters from the most considerable men in the country, both of the clergy and laity. He there published Translations of Pliny's Epistles, of several works of Abbe Vertot, of Mont-faucon's Italian Travels, in folio, and many original lucubrations. His most generous patron was the Earl of Maccles field, who gave him a benefice in the country, the value of which, to a resident, would have been above £80 a year; he had likewise a lecture in the city ; sermons about town; was more numerously followed, and raised more for the poor children, than any other preacher, except the celebrated George Whitfield. But when he pressed his promise from a great man, of being fixed in town, it was negatived. He then gave up his benefice and lecture, believing the public would be a more hospitable protector of learning and science, than some of the higher ranks in his own order. He preached on Sundays on theological matters, and on Wednesdays upon all other sciences. He declaimed several years against the greatest persons, and occasionally, says Warburton, did Pope that honour. That great poet, however, retaliated in the following satirical lines:

Orator Henley.

"Imbrown'd with native bronze, lo, Ilemcy stands, Tuning his voice, and balancing his hands. How fluent nonsense trickles from his tongue ! How sweet the periods, neither said nor sung! Still break the benches, Henley, with thy strain, While Kennet, Hare, and Gibson, preach in vain, O great restorer of the good old age, Preacher at once, and zany of thy age V

Instead of tickets, this extraordinary person struck medals, which he dispersed among his subscribers : A star rising to the meridian, with this motto,"Ad Summa," and below," Inve-niam viam, aut faciam" " Each auditor paid us" He was author of a weekly paper, called "The Hyp Doctor," for which he had £100 a year In his advertisements and lectures, he often introduced materical and humorous remarks on the public transactions of the times. He once collected an audience of a great number of shoemakers, by announcing that he could teach them a speedy mode of operation in their business ; which proved only to be, the making of shoes from ready-made boots. He died on the 14th of October, 1756, in his 65th year.