a town of Oxfordshire in England, seated on the river Thames, over which there is a handsome bridge. It sends malt, corn, and other things, to London in barges. W. Long. c. 40. N. Lat. 51. 34.

a town of Warwickshire in England, seated on the river Alne, in W. Long. 1. 45. N. Lat. 52. 18.

Henley (John), better known by the appellation of Orator Henley, a very singular character, was born at Melton-Mowbray, Leicestershire, in 1691. His father, the Rev. Simon Henley, and his grandfather by his mother's side (John Dowel, M. A.), were both vicars of that parish. Having passed his exercises at Cambridge, and his examination for the degree of B. A. with the particular approbation of Mr Field, Mr Smales, and the master of the college, he returned to his native place, where he was first desired by the trustees of the school in Melton to assist in, and then to take the direction of that school; which he increased and raised from a declining to a flourishing condition. He established here a practice of improving elocution by the public speaking of passages in the classics, morning and afternoon, as well as orations, &c. Here he was invited by a letter from the Rev. Mr Newcombe to be a candidate for a fellowship in St John's; but as he had long been absent, and therefore lessened his personal interest, he declined appearing for it. Here likewise he began his "Universal Grammar," and finished ten languages, with dissertations prefixed, as the most readily introduction to any tongue whatever. In the beginning of this interval he wrote his poem on "Esther," which was approved by the town, and well received. He was ordained a deacon by Dr Wake, then bishop of Lincoln; and after having taken his degree of M. A. was admitted to priest's orders by Dr Gibson, his successor in that see. He formed an early resolution to improve himself in all the advantages of books and conversation the most effectually, on the first opportunity, at London. But he laid the basis of future proficiency in assisting at the curacy of his native town; where he preached many occasional sermons, particularly one at the affizes at Leicester; he then gave a voluntary warning for the choice of a new master and curate, and came to town recommended by above 30 letters from the most considerable men in the country, both of the clergy and laity; but against the inclination of his neighbours and his school, which was now, as from his first entrance upon it, still advancing; and his method being established and approved, one of his own scholars was appointed to succeed him.—In town he published several pieces, as a translation of Pliny's Epistles, of several works of Abbé Vertot, of Montfaucon's Italian Travels in folio, and many other lucubrations. His most generous patron was the earl of Macclesfield, who gave him a benefice in the country, the value of which to a resident would have been above 80 l. a-year; he had likewise a lecture in the city; and preached more charity-sermons about town, was more numerously followed, and raised more for the poor children, than any other preacher, however dignified or distinguished. But when he pressed his desire and promise from a great man of being fixed in town, it passed in the negative. He took the people (it seems) too much from their parish-churches; and as he was not so proper for a London divine, he was very welcome, notwithstanding all difficulties, to be a rural parlor. But it was not for a second rutilation, as he informs us, that he left the fields and the swains of Arcadia to visit the great city; and as he knew it was as lawful to take a licence from the king and parliament at Hicks's-hall as at Doctors Commons (since the ministerial powers of this kingdom are and ought to be parliamentary only), he freely, without compulsion, or being desired or capable of being compelled to reside in the country, gave up his benefice and lecture, certainties for an uncertainty; believing the public would be a more hospitable protector of learning and science, than some of the upper world in his own order.

Mr Henley, in answer to a cavil (that he borrowed from books), proposed, "that if any person would single out any celebrated discourse of an approved writer, dead or living, and point out what he thought excellent in it, and the reasons; he would submit it to the world, whether the most famed composition might not be surpassed in their own excellency, either on that or any different subject."

Henley preached on Sundays upon theological matters, and on Wednesdays upon all other sciences. He declaimed declaimed some years against the greatest persons, and occasionally, says Warburton, did Pope that honour.

The poet in return thus blazons him to infamy:

"But, where each science lifts its modern type, "History her pot, Divinity his pipe, "While proud Philosophy repines to show, "Dishonour fight! his breeches rent below; "Imbrown'd with native bronze, lo Henley stands, "Tuning his voice, and balancing his hands. "How fluent nonentity trickles from his tongue! "How sweet the periods, neither said nor sung! "Still break the benches, Henley! with thy strain, "While Kemble, Hare, and Gibbon preach in vain. "O great restorer of the godly flagge, "Preacher at once and Zan of the age! "O worthy thou of Egypt's holy abodes, "A decent priest where monkies were the gods! "But Fate with butchers plac'd thy prieleth hall, "Meek modern faith to murder, hack, and maul; "And bade thee live to crown Britannia's praise, "In Toland's, Tindal's, and in Woolston's days."

This extraordinary person (who died October 14, 1756) struck medals, which he dispensed as tickets to his subscribers: a star rising to the meridian, with this motto, *Ad summum*, and below, *Inveniam viam aut faciam*. Each auditor paid 1s. He was author of a weekly paper called The Hyp Doctor, for which he had 100l. a year given him. Henley used every Saturday to print an advertisement in the Daily Advertiser, containing an account of the subjects he intended to discourse on the ensuing evening at his oratory near Lincoln's-inn-fields, with a sort of motto before it, which was generally a finer at some public transaction of the preceding week. Dr Cobden, one of Geo. II.'s chaplains, having, in 1748, preached a sermon at St James's from these words, "Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness;" it gave so much displeasure, that the Doctor was struck out of the list of chaplains; and the next Saturday the following parody of his text appeared as a motto to Henley's advertisement:

"Away with the wicked before the king, "And away with the wicked behind him; "His throne it will bless "With righteousness, "And we shall know where to find him."

His audience was generally composed of the lowest ranks; and it is well known that he even collected an infinite number of shoe-makers, by announcing that he could teach them a speedy mode of operation in their businesses, which proved only to be, the making of shoes by cutting off the tops of ready-made boots.