town of England, in Lancashire, seated on a branch of the river Lune, and beautified with a handsome parochial chapel. The ruins of a decayed castle are still to be seen here. W. Long. 2. 20. N. Lat. 54. 6.

Horn-gate, a town of England, in Lincolnshire. It had a castle, as the name imports; from the architecture of which, and the Roman coins that are sometimes dug up here, it is thought to have been a camp or station of the Romans. The town is well built, and is almost surrounded with water. It is a signatory of 13 lordships. In these lordships there are several chapels for the convenience of the inhabitants, who are at too great a distance from the mother-church, and pretty numerous. It has a market on Saturdays, and fairs in June and August.

Horndon, a town of Essex in England. It stands near a rivulet, that at a small distance from hence falls into the Thames, which is there called the Hope. E. Long. 0. 30. N. Lat. 51. 20.

Horne, George, an English prelate of great eminence, was born in the vicinity of Maidstone, in the county of Kent, in the year 1730. His father was rector of Oatham, and having for some time acted in the capacity of a tutor at Oxford, was well qualified to superintend the education of his son George. However, that he might not be spoiled by too long a residence at home, he was, by the advice of a friend, sent to Maidstone school at the age of 13, where he continued under an eminent teacher for two years, and acquired some knowledge of oriental literature, particularly the Hebrew, and went to Oxford in his 15th year. Here HORNE indefatigably laboured to store his mind with almost every branch of useful learning, and resolved to make polite literature subservient to the knowledge and illustration of the Scriptures. He studied the Hebrew more attentively, and was wisely exhorted to abandon the method of Buxtorf, so encumbered with that load of rubbish, the maficent punctuation. The rectitude of his conduct, and the vivacity of his conversation, gained him the esteem of every person with whom he was acquainted. In the year 1749 he was made B. A. and next year was elected to a fellowship in Magdalen college, without any solicitation upon his part.

About this time he became a proflyte to what are called the mysteries of Hutchisonianism, chiefly through the influence of Mr William Jones. His mind, at the age of 19, was completely fettered by those doctrines, believing that it was the design of Sir Isaac Newton and Dr Clarke, to subvert the theology of the Scriptures, and introduce the stoical anima mundi into the place of the God of the universe! Under the influence of such an infatuated whim, it is not astonishing that he should endeavour to discredit the system of Newton. He obtained the degree of M. A. in the year 1752, when he engaged in a controversy on the subject of the cherubim, in the Gentleman's Magazine, subscribing himself Ingenuus. With a view to recommend the writings of Hutchinson, he published "A fair, candid, and impartial state of the case between Sir Isaac Newton and Mr Hutchinson; in which is shewn, how far a system of physics is capable of mathematical demonstration; how far Sir Isaac's, as such a system, has that demonstration; and consequently, what regard Mr Hutchinson's claim may deserve to have paid it." In the year 1753 Mr Horne entered into holy orders, and acquired high reputation as a public speaker, as his compositions were excellent, and his elocution graceful. While preaching before the university, he introduced some of his peculiar notions, which again led him into controversy. A piece made its appearance, entitled "A word to the Hutchinsonians; or, remarks on three extraordinary sermons, lately preached before the university of Oxford, by Dr Patten, Mr Wetherell, and Mr Horne." To this our author replied in his "Apology for certain gentlemen in the university of Oxford, asperfed in a late anonymous pamphlet," &c. The vindication of the hint to the Hutchinsonians, was supposed to be the production of Dr Kennicott, who became afterwards so famous for his labours in collating Hebrew manuscripts, and his valuable edition of the Hebrew Bible. He (Mr Horne) was chosen proctor of the university in 1758, and on the honourable termination of his authority was created B. D. When Mr (afterwards Dr) Kennicott, gave the world proposals for collating the text of the Hebrew Bible, for the purpose of correcting the original, and preparing for a new translation, Mr Horne was very much alarmed. He falsely apprehended that the adoption of such a measure would overwhelm the sacred text with licentious criticism; on which account he published, in 1760, "A view of Mr Kennicott's method of correcting the Hebrew text, with three queries formed thereon, and humbly submitted to the consideration of the learned and Christian world." But an acquaintance which thus began in hostility was converted afterwards into genuine friendship, which continued through the whole of life.

In 1764, Mr Horne was created D. D. although as yet advanced to no conspicuous station. On the death of Dr Jenner, the president of Magdalen college, Dr Horne was appointed to succeed him in a post at once honourable and valuable, in the beginning of 1768, after which we are informed that he exchanged a single for a married life. Next year he published "Considerations on the life and death of St John the Baptist, being the substance of several sermons preached by him before the university." In 1771, he was chosen chaplain in ordinary to his majesty, which he held for ten years. In 1772, when a number of clergymen had formed the resolution of petitioning parliament for relief as to the subscribing the liturgy and thirty-nine articles, Dr Horne determined, if possible, to defeat their object, for which purpose he published "Considerations on the projected reformation of the church of England, in a letter to Lord North."

He now set about the finishing of his greatest work, which had occupied his attention for almost 20 years. This was his "Commentary on the Book of Psalms," which appeared in 1776, in 2 vols quarto. It exhibits profound erudition, a great genius, and fervent piety; and is perused with much pleasure and advantage by every judge of merit. In the same year he was chosen vice-chancellor of the university, which he held till the latter end of the year 1780. On the publication of Dr Adam Smith's letter, containing an account of the death of Mr David Hume, Dr Horne, in the year 1777, publicly animadverted upon it, in "A letter to Adam Smith, L. L. D. on the life, death, and philosophy of his friend David Hume, Esq., by one of the people called Christians." In this work he exposes the absurdities of the Scotch philosopher's performance, to the contempt of the religious world, with clear and conclusive reasoning, and keen but good-humoured irony. In 1779, Dr Horne published "Discourses on various subjects and occasions," in two volumes octavo, which have procured the approbation of all descriptions of readers.

As vice-chancellor of the university he became acquainted with Lord North, to whose interest, joined with that of Lord Hawkebury, he was indebted, in 1781, for the deanery of Canterbury. His time was now divided between this city and Oxford, and the conscientious discharge of every part of his complex duty made him universally beloved. In 1784 he published letters on infidelity, similar to his reply to Dr Adam Smith. The books against which he levelled his ridicule are, "An apology for the life and writings of David Hume, Esq.;" Hume's "Dialogues on natural religion;" An essay on suicide by the same author, and a treatise entitled "Doubts of the Infidels." In the year 1790, when Dr Bagot was translated to the see of St Alph, Dr Horne was appointed to succeed him in the see of Norwich. His last literary labours were "Observations on the case of the Protestant dissenters with reference to the corporation and test acts," 1790; and "A charge intended to have been delivered to the clergy of the diocese of Norwich," at his first visitation, 1791. When he was raised to the episcopal dignity, his health, always delicate, began rapidly to decline; decline; but from the waters of Bath he received great relief, to which place he repaired a third time in the harvest of 1791. On his way he was seized with a stroke of the palsy, and after languishing for a few weeks, he died at Bath on the 17th of January 1792, in the 62nd year of his age.

He was powerfully animated in his last moments by those hopes which spring from the promises of the gospel, and the inexplicable satisfaction of a well-spent life. His erudition was extensive, his piety sincere, and his whole life exemplary. His charity, both of a public and private nature, was very extensive, and if not in debt at the end of the year, he was perfectly satisfied. His posthumous works are, vols iii. and iv. of "Discourses on several subjects and occasions;" a volume of sermons; and "Cautions to the readers of Mr Law."