commended by Dr Owen, Mr Baxter, and Dr Calamy.

He died in 1701, aged 75.

Clarke, Dr Samuel, a very celebrated English divine, was the son of Edward Clarke, Esq., alderman of Norwich, and one of its representatives in parliament for several years; and born there October 11, 1675. He was instructed in classical learning at the free-school of that town; and in 1691 removed thence to Caius College in Cambridge, where his uncommon abilities soon began to display themselves. Though the philosophy of Des Cartes was at that time the established philosophy of the university, yet Clarke easily mastered the new system of Newton; and in order to his first degree of arts, performed a public exercise in the schools upon a question taken from it. He greatly contributed to the establishment of the Newtonian philosophy by an excellent translation of, and notes upon, Rohault's "Physics," which he finished before he was 22 years of age. The system of natural philosophy then generally taught in the university was that written by Rohault, founded altogether upon Cartesian principles, and very ill translated into Latin. Clarke gave a new translation, and added to it such notes as might lead students insensibly and by degrees to other and truer notions than could be found there. "And this certainly (says Bishop Hoadly) was a more prudent method of introducing truth unknown before, than to attempt to throw aside this treatise entirely, and write a new one instead of it. The success answered exceedingly well to his hopes; and he may justly be styled a great benefactor to the university in this attempt. For by this means the true philosophy has, without any noise, prevailed; and to this day the translation of Rohault is, generally speaking, the standing text for lectures, and his notes the best direction to those who are willing to receive the reality and truth of things in the place of invention and romance." Whiston relates, that in 1697, while he was chaplain to Moore bishop of Norwich, he met young Clarke, then wholly unknown to him, at a coffeehouse in that city; where they entered into a conversation about the Cartesian philosophy, particularly Rohault's "Physics," which Clarke's tutor, as he tells us, had put him upon translating. "The result of this conversation was (says Whiston), that I was greatly surprised that so young a man as Clarke then was should know so much of those sublime discoveries, which were then almost a secret to all but a few particular mathematicians. Nor do I remember (continues he) above one or two at the most, whom I had then met with, that seemed to know so much of that philosophy as Clarke." This translation of Rohault was first printed in 1697, 8vo. There have been four editions of it, in every one of which improvements have been made; especially in the last in 1718, which has the following title: Jacobi Rohaulti Physica, Latinae veritatis, recensuit, et uberioribus jam Annotationibus, ex illusterrimis Isaacii Newtoni Philosophia maxima partem haudvis, amplificavit et ornavit S. Clarke, S.T.P. Accedunt etiam in hac quarta editione novae aliquot tabulae ari incivis, et Annotationes multum fiant auxiliae. Dr John Clarke, late dean of Sarum, and our author's brother, translated this work into English, and published it in 2 vols 8vo.

Afterwards he turned his thoughts to divinity; and in order to fit himself for the sacred function, he studied the Old Testament in the original Hebrew, the New in the original Greek, and the primitive Christian writers. Having taken holy orders, he became chaplain to Moore bishop of Norwich, who was ever after his constant friend and patron. In 1699 he published two treatises: one entitled "Three practical Essays on Baptism, Confirmation, and Repentance;" the other, "Some Reflections on that part of a book called Amyntor, or a Defence of Milton's Life, which relates to the Writings of the Primitive Fathers, and the Canon of the New Testament." In 1701 he published "A Paraphrase upon the Gospel of St Matthew;" which was followed in 1702 by the "Paraphrases upon the Gospels of St Mark and St Luke;" and soon after by a third volume "upon St John." They were afterwards printed together in 2 volumes 8vo; and have since undergone several editions. He intended to have gone through the remaining books of the New Testament, but something accidentally interrupted the execution.

Meanwhile Bishop Moore gave him the rectory of Drayton, near Norwich, and procured for him a parish in that city; and these he served himself in that station when the bishop resided at Norwich. In 1704 he was appointed to preach Boyle's lecture; and the subject he chose was, "The being and attributes of God." He succeeded so well in this, and gave such high satisfaction, that he was appointed to preach the same lecture the next year; when he chose for his subject "The evidences of natural and revealed religion." These sermons were first printed in two distinct volumes; the former in 1705, the latter in 1706. They have been since printed in one volume, under the general title of "A Discourse concerning the Being and Attributes of God, the Obligations of natural Religion, and the Truth and Certainty of the Christian Revelation, in opposition to Hobbes, Spinoza, the Author of the Oracles of Reason, and other Deniers of natural and revealed Religion." Clarke having endeavoured in the first part of his work to show, that the being of a God may be demonstrated by arguments a priori, is unluckily involved in the censure which Pope has passed upon this method of reasoning in the following lines. They are put into the mouth of one of his dunces, addressing himself to the goddess Dulness:

"Let others creep by timid steps and slow, On plain experience lay foundations low, By common sense to common knowledge bred, And loft to nature's cause through nature led. All-seeing in thy mists, we want no guide, Mother of arrogance, and source of pride! We nobly take the high prior road, And reason downward, till we doubt of God."

Dunciad, b. 4. l. 455.

Upon which we have the following note: "Those who, from the effects in this visible world, deduce the eternal power and godhead of the First Cause, though they cannot attain to an adequate idea of the Deity, yet discover so much of him as enables them to see the end of their creation and the means of their happiness; whereas they who take this high prior road, as Hobbes, Spinoza, Des Cartes, and some better reasoners, forers, for one that goes right, ten lose themselves in mists, or ramble after visions, which deprive them of all light of their end, and mislead them in the choice of wrong means." Clarke, it is probable, would not have denied this; and the poet perhaps would have spared his better reasoners, and not have joined them with such company, had he recollected our author's apology for using the argument *a priori*. "The argument *a posteriori* (says he) is indeed by far the most generally useful argument, most easy to be understood, and in some degree suited to all capacities; and therefore it ought always to be insisted upon: But for as much as atheistical writers have sometimes opposed the being and attributes of God by such metaphysical reasonings, as can no otherwise be obviated than by arguing *a priori*; therefore this manner of arguing also is useless and unnecessary in its proper place." To this may be added the answer he made to Mr Whiston upon this occasion, as narrated by the latter in his Historical Memoirs. "When Clarke brought me his book, I was in my garden against St Peter's college in Cambridge, where I then lived. Now I perceived that in these sermons he had dealt a great deal in abstract and metaphysical reasoning. I therefore asked him how he ventured into such subtleties, which I never durst meddle with? and showing him a nettle, or some contemptible weed in my garden, I told him that weed contained better arguments for the being and attributes of God than all his metaphysics. Clarke confessed it to be so; but alleged for himself, that since such philosophers as Hobbes and Spinoza had made use of those kind of subtleties against him, he thought proper to show that the like way of reasoning might be made better use of on the side of religion; which reason or excuse I allowed to be not inconsiderable." Undoubtedly, as the present editor of the Biographia Britannica observes, the grand, the proper, the decisive proof of the existence, perfections, and providence of the Deity, must be drawn from his works. On this proof, as being equally satisfactory to the profoundest philosopher and the meanest peasant, the cause of religion will ever stand secure. Nevertheless, if there be such a thing as an argument *a priori*, why may not speculative men be employed in its examination? Several able divines and philosophers have thought, and still think, that this argument for the being and attributes of God will stand the test of the severest scrutiny; and therefore they cannot be blamed for endeavouring to set it in a convincing light to others. As to the merit, indeed, of the whole work under consideration, including the evidences of natural and revealed religion, it is undoubtedly of the first order. Difficulties may be raised on particular points, and the ablest and most candid inquirers may sometimes see cause to hesitate with regard to the validity of the reasoning; but still, in general, the book reflects honour on the age as well as the author that produced it, and will descend, with distinguished reputation, to a late posterity. The defence, in particular, of the sacred original and authority of Christianity is admirably conducted.

In 1706 he published "A Letter to Mr Dodwell," wherein all the arguments in his epistolary discourse against the immortality of the soul are particularly answered, and the judgment of the fathers, to whom Mr Dodwell had appealed concerning that matter, truly represented. Bishop Hoadly observes, that in this letter he answered Mr Dodwell in so excellent a manner, both with regard to the philosophical part, and to the opinions of some of the primitive writers, upon whom these doctrines were fixed, that it gave universal satisfaction. But this controversy did not stop here; for the celebrated Collins, coming in as a second to Dodwell, went much farther into the philosophy of the dispute, and indeed seemed to produce all that could possibly be said against the immateriality of the soul, as well as the liberty of human actions. This enlarged the scene of the dispute, into which our author entered, and wrote with such a spirit of clearness and demonstration, as at once showed him greatly superior to his adversaries in metaphysical and physical knowledge, and made every intelligent reader rejoice, that such an incident had happened to provoke and extort from him that plenty of strong reasoning and perspicuity of expression, which were indeed very much wanted upon this intricate and obscure subject. "And I am persuaded (continues the bishop), that as what he has written in this controversy comprehends the little that the ancients had said well, and adds still more evidence than ever appeared clearly before, and all in words that have a meaning to them, it will remain the standard of good sense on that side of the question, on which he spent so many of his thoughts, as upon one of his favourite points." Clarke's letter to Dodwell was soon followed by four defences of it, in four several letters to the author of "A letter to the learned Mr Henry Dodwell, containing some Remarks on a pretended Demonstration of the Immateriality and natural Immortality of the Soul, in Mr Clarke's Answer to his late Epistolary Discourse, &c." They were afterwards all printed together; and the "Answer to Toland's Amyntor" added to them. In the midst of all these labours, he found time to show his regard to mathematical and physical studies, and exact knowledge and skill in them. And his natural affection and capacity for these studies were not a little improved by the friendship of Sir Isaac Newton, at whose request he translated his "Optics" into Latin in 1706. With this version Sir Isaac was so highly pleased, that he presented him with the sum of £500, or £100, for each child, Clarke having then five children.

This year also, Bishop Moore, who had long formed a design of fixing him more conspicuously, procured for him the rectory of St Benet's, Paul's Wharf, in London; and soon after carried him to court, and recommended him to the favour of Queen Anne. She appointed him one of her chaplains in ordinary; and, in consideration of his great merit, and at the request of the bishop, presented him to the rectory of St James's, Westminster, when it became vacant in 1709. Upon his advancement to this station, he took the degree of D.D. when the public exercise which he performed for it at Cambridge was prodigiously admired. The questions which he maintained were these:

1. "Nullum fidei Christianae dogma, in sacris scripturis traditum, est recte rationi differentium?" that is, "No article of the Christian faith, delivered in the Holy Scriptures, is disagreeable to right reason."

2. "Sine actionum humarum libertate nulla potest esse religio;" that is, "Without the liberty of human actions..." Clarke's thesis was upon the first of these questions, which being thoroughly sifted by that most acute disputant Professor James, he made an extempore reply, in a continued discourse for near half an hour, with so little hesitation, that many of the auditors declared themselves astonished; and owned, that if they had not been within sight of him, they should have supposed him to have read every word of it from a paper. After this, through the course of the syllabic disputation, he guarded so well against the arts which the professor was a complete master of; replied so readily to the greatest difficulties such an objector could propose; and pressed him so close and hard with clear and intelligible answers, that perhaps there never was such a conflict heard in those schools. The professor, who was a man of humour as well as learning, said to him at the end of the disputation, "Professor, me probè exercuitis;" that is, "On my word, you have worked me sufficiently;" and the members of the university went away, admiring, as indeed they well might, that a man even of Clarke's abilities, after an absence of so many years, and a long course of business of quite another nature, should acquit himself in such a manner, as if this sort of academical exercise had been his constant employment; and with such fluency and purity of expression, as if he had been accustomed to no other language in conversation but Latin. The same year 1709, he revised and corrected Whitton's translation of the "Apolitical Constitutions" into English. Whitton tells us, that his own studies having been chiefly upon other things, and having rendered him incapable of being also a critic in words and languages, he desired his great friend and great critic Dr Clarke to revile that translation, which he was so kind as to agree to.

In 1712, he published a most beautiful and pompous edition of Caesar's commentaries, adorned with elegant sculptures. It is entitled, "C. Julii Caesaris quae extant, accuratissime cum libris editis et m. optmis collata, recognita, et corrigata; accessorum annotationes Samuelis Clarke, S. T. P. item indices locorum, rerumque et verborum, utilissime." It was printed in 1712, folio; and afterwards, in 1720, 8vo. It was dedicated to the great duke of Marlborough, "at a time," says Bishop Hoadly, "when his unequalled victories and successes had raised his glory to the highest pitch abroad, and lessened his interest and favour at home." In the publication of this book, the doctor took particular care of the punctuation. In the annotations, he selected what appeared the best and most judicious in former editors, with some corrections and emendations of his own interference. Mr Addison has spoken of this folio edition of Caesar's commentaries in the following words: "The new edition, which is given us of Caesar's commentaries, has already been taken notice of in foreign gazettes, and is a work that does honour to the English press. It is no wonder that an edition should be very correct, which has passed through the hands of one of the most accurate, learned, and judicious writers this age has produced. The beauty of the paper, of the character, and of the several cuts with which this noble work is illustrated, makes it the finest book that I have ever seen; and is a true instance of the English genius, which, though it does not come the first into any art, generally carries it to greater heights than any other country in the world." This noble work has risen in value from that time to the present. A copy of this edition in large paper, most splendidly bound in morocco, was sold at the Hon. Mr Beauchler's sale for forty-four pounds; and it was said to be purchased by the duke of Grafton. "To a prince or a nobleman (says Dr Harwood), it was a cheap purchase; for it was the most magnificent book I ever beheld." The binding cost Mr Beauchler five guineas.

The same year, 1712, he published his celebrated book entitled, "The Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity," &c. which is divided into three parts. The first is, a collection and explication of all the texts in the "New Testament," relating to the doctrine of the Trinity: in the second, the foregoing doctrine is set forth at large, and explained in particular and distinct propositions; and in the third, the principal passages in the liturgy of the church of England, relating to the doctrine of the Trinity, are considered. Bishop Hoadly applauds our author's method of proceeding, in forming his sentiments upon so important a point: "He knew (says he), and all men agreed, that it was a matter of mere revelation. He did not therefore retire into his closet, and set himself to invent and forge a plausible hypothesis, which might sit easily upon his mind. He had no recourse to abstract and metaphysical reasonings to cover or patronize any system he might have embraced before. But, as a Christian, he laid open the New Testament before him. He searched out every text in which mention was made of the three persons, or any one of them. He accurately examined the meaning of the words used about every one of them; and by the best rules of grammar and critique, and by his skill in language, he endeavoured to fix plainly what was declared about every person, and what was not. And what he thought to be the truth, he published under the title of 'The Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity.' "I am far (says the bishop) from taking upon me to determine, in so difficult a question between him and those who made replies to him; but this I hope I may be allowed to say, that every Christian divine and layman ought to pay his thanks to Dr Clarke for the method into which he brought this dispute; and for that collection of texts of the New Testament by which at last it must be decided, on which side forever the truth may be supposed to lie." Whitton informs us, that some time before the publication of this book, there was a message sent to him from Lord Godolphin and others of Queen Anne's ministers, importing, "That the affairs of the public were with difficulty then kept in the hands of those that were for liberty; that it was therefore an unseasonable time for the publication of a book that would make a great noise and disturbance; and that therefore they desired him to forbear till a fitter opportunity should offer itself;" which message (says he) the doctor had no regard to, but went on according to the dictates of his own conscience with the publication of his book. The ministers, however, were very right in their conjectures; for the work made noise and disturbance enough, and occasioned a great number of books and pamphlets, written by himself and others. Books and pamphlets, however, were not all which the "Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity" occasioned; it made its author obnoxious to the power ecclesiastical, and his book to be complained of by the Lower House of convention. The doctor drew up a preface, and afterwards gave in several explanations, which seemed to satisfy the Upper House; at least the affair was not brought to any issue, the members appearing desirous to prevent dissensions and divisions.

In 1715 and 1716, he had a dispute with the celebrated Leibnitz, relating to the principles of natural philosophy and religion; and a collection of the papers which passed between them was published in 1717. This performance of the doctor's is inscribed to her late Majesty Queen Caroline, then princess of Wales, who was pleased to have the controversy pass through her hands. It related chiefly to the important and difficult subjects of liberty and necessity.

In 1718, Dr Clarke made an alteration in the forms of doxology in the singing psalms, which produced no small noise and disturbance, and occasioned some pamphlets to be written. The alteration was this:

To God, through Christ, his only Son, Immortal glory be, &c.

And

To God, through Christ, his Son, our Lord, All glory be therefore, &c.

A considerable number of these select psalms and hymns having been dispersed by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, before the alteration of the doxologies was taken notice of, he was charged with a design of imposing upon the society; whereas, in truth, the edition of them had been prepared by him for the use of his own parish only, before the society had thoughts of purchasing any of the copies; and as the usual forms of doxology are not established by any legal authority, ecclesiastical or civil, in this he had not offended.

About this time he was presented by the lord Lechmere, the chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, to the mastership of Wigston's hospital in Leicester. In 1724, he published 17 sermons preached on several occasions, 11 of which were never before printed; and the year following, a sermon, preached at the parish-church of St James's, upon the erecting a charity-school for the education of women servants. In 1727, upon the death of Sir Isaac Newton, he was offered by the court the place of master of the mint, worth communibus annis 1200 or 1500l. a-year. But to this secular preferment he could not reconcile himself, and therefore absolutely refused it. Whitton seems to wonder, that Clarke's eulogists should lay so little stress upon this refusal, as to mention it not at all, or at least very negligently; while "he takes it," he says, "to be one of the most glorious actions of his life, and to afford undeniable conviction, that he was in earnest in his religion." In 1728, was published, "A Letter from Dr Clarke to Mr Benjamin Hoadly, F.R.S. occasioned by the controversy, relating to the Proportion of Velocity and Force in Bodies in Motion;" and printed in the Philosophical Transactions, No. 431.

In 1729, he published the 12 first books of "Homer's Iliad." This edition was printed in 4to, and dedicated to the duke of Cumberland. The Latin version is almost entirely new, and annotations are added to the bottom of the pages. Homer, Bishop Hoadly tells us, was Clarke's admired author, even to a degree of something like enthusiasm, hardly natural to his temper, and that in this he went a little beyond the bounds of Horace's judgment, and was so unwilling to allow the favourite poet ever to nod, that he has taken remarkable pains to find out, and give a reason for every passage, word, and title, that could create any suspicion. "The translation, (adds the Bishop,) with his corrections, may now be styled accurate, and his notes, as far as they go, are indeed a treasury of grammatical and critical knowledge. He was called to his task by royal command; and he has performed it in such a manner, as to be worthy of the young prince, for whom it was laboured." The year of its publication was the last of this great man's life. Though not robust, he had always enjoyed a firm state of health, without any indisposition bad enough to confine him, except the small-pox in his youth; till on Sunday May 11, 1729, going out in the morning to preach before the judges at Sergeant's-Inn, he was there seized with a pain in his side, which made it impossible for him to perform the office he was called to; and quickly became so violent, that he was obliged to be carried home. He went to bed, and thought himself so much better in the afternoon, that he would not suffer himself to be bled; against which remedy, it is remarkable that he had entertained strong prejudices. But the pain returning violently about two the next morning, made bleeding absolutely necessary; he appeared to be out of danger, and continued to think himself so, till the Saturday morning following; when, to the inexpressible surprize of all about him, the pain removed from his side to his head; and, after a very short complaint, took away his senses so, that they never returned any more. He continued breathing till within seven and eight of the evening of that day, which was May 17, 1729; and then died, in his 54th year.

Soon after his death were published, from his original manuscripts, by his brother Dr John Clarke, dean of Sarum, "An Exposition of the Church Catechism," and ten volumes of sermons, in 8vo. His "Exposition" is made up of those lectures he read every Thursday morning for some months in the year, at St James's church. In the latter part of his time he revised them with great care, and left them completely prepared for the press. As to the sermons, few discourses in the English language are more judicious, and fewer still are equally instructive. The reasoning and the practical parts are excellent, and the explanations of Scripture are uncommonly valuable. Though Dr Clarke had not the turn of mind which qualified him for moving the passions, and indeed did not make it his object, his sentiments, nevertheless, are frequently expressed with such a clearness of conception, and such a force of language, as to produce in well disposed readers all the effect of the pathetic. Several volumes of sermons have been published since his time, which are far superior in point of elegance and beauty, and we have the highest esteem of their merit. But still if we were called upon to recommend discourses, which abound with the most solid instruction, and promise the most lasting improvement, we should never forget Clarke. a Clarke and a Jortin. Three years after the doctor's death appeared also the Twelve Last books of the Iliad, published in 4to by his son Mr Samuel Clarke, who informs us, in the preface, that his father had filled the annotations to the three first of these books, and as far as the 359th verse of the fourth; and had revised the text and version as far as verse 510 of the same book. Dr Clarke married Catharine, the daughter of the reverend Mr Lockwood, rector of Little Melfingham in Norfolk; in whole good sense and unblameable behaviour he was happy to his death. By her he had seven children, two of whom died before and one a few weeks after him.

Of the character of this great divine, the following short delineation appeared some years since in the Gentleman's Magazine: "Samuel Clarke, D.D. rector of St James's, Westminster: in each several part of useful knowledge and critical learning, perhaps without an equal; in all united, certainly without an equal; in his works, the best defender of religion; in his practice, the greatest ornament to it; in his conversation communicative, and in an uncommon manner instructive; in his preaching and writings, strong, clear, and calm; in his life, high in the esteem of the wife, the good, and the great; in his death, lamented by every friend to learning, truth, and virtue." In the same publication some not inconsiderable anecdotes concerning him are printed, collected by the Rev. Mr Jones of Weymouth. We learned from them, that Dr Clarke was of a very humane and tender disposition. When his young children amused themselves with tormenting and killing flies upon the windows, he not only forbade such practices, but calmly reasoned with them, in such a familiar manner, as was calculated to make a powerful impression upon their minds. He was very ready and condescending in answering applications to him with respect to scruples; numberless instances of which occurred in the course of his life. One thing of which Dr Clarke was peculiarly cautious, was not to lose the least minute of his time. He always carried some book about with him, which he would read whilst riding in a coach or walking in the fields, or if he had any leisure moments free from company or his other studies. Nay, he would read even in company itself, where he might take such a liberty without offence to good manners. His memory was remarkably strong. He told Mr Pyle of Lynn, that he never forgot anything which he had once thoroughly apprehended and understood. The Doctor, with his intimate friends, was perfectly free and easy; but if strangers were introduced, he behaved with much circumspection, conversing only upon common topics.

When he visited Dr Sykes, his usual way was to sit with him upon a couch, and, reclining upon his bosom, to discourse with him, in the most familiar manner, upon such subjects as were agreeable to the taste and judgment of both. When Sir John Germaine lay upon his deathbed, and was in great confusion and trouble of mind, he sent for Dr Clarke, and requested to know of him whether he should receive the sacrament, and what he should do in his sad condition. The Doctor, who was well acquainted with Sir John's pursuits and course of life, sedately replied, that he could not advise him to receive the sacrament, and that he did not think it likely to be of any avail to him with respect to his final welfare. Having said this, he departed without administering the communion, having first recommended the dying man to the mercy of God.

Dr Clarke was of a cheerful, and even playful disposition. An intimate friend of his, the late Rev. Mr Bott, used to relate, that once when he called upon him, he found him swimming upon a table. At another time, when the two Dr Clarkes, Mr Bott, and several men of ability and learning were together, and amusing themselves with diverting tricks, Dr Samuel Clarke, looking out at the window, saw a grave blockhead approaching to the house; upon which he cried out, "Boys, boys, be wise, here comes a fool." This turn of his mind hath since been confirmed by Dr Warton, who, in his observations on the following line of Mr Pope,

"Unthought-of frailties cheat us in the wife,"

says, "Who could imagine that Locke was fond of romances; that Newton once studied astrology; that Dr Clarke valued himself on his agility, and frequently amused himself in a private room of his house, in leaping over the tables and chairs; and that our author himself was a great epicure!" With respect to what is here recorded of Dr Clarke, we can scarcely persuade ourselves to consider it as a frailty. To be perplexed of such a temper as he was, must have been no small degree of happiness; as it probably enabled him to pursue his important and serious studies with greater vivacity and vigour. To be capable of deriving amusement from trivial circumstances, indicates a heart at ease, and may generally be regarded as the concomitant of virtue.

Clarke, William, an English divine, was born at Haghmon-abbey in Shropshire, 1696; and after a grammar-education at Shrewsbury school, was sent to St John's college Cambridge, of which he was elected fellow, Jan. 17. 1716; B.A. 1731; M.A. 1735. He was presented by Archbishop Wake in 1724 to the rectory of Buxted in Sussex, at the particular recommendation of Dr Wotton, whose daughter he married. In 1738 he was made prebendary and residentiary of the cathedral church at Chichester. Some years before this he had given to the public a specimen of his literary abilities, in a preface of his father-in-law Dr Wotton's Leges Walliae Ecclesiasticae et Civiles Hoeli Boni, et aliorum Walliae Principium; or Ecclesiastical and Civil Laws of Howel D Da, and other princes of Wales. There is reason likewise to suppose, that an excellent Discourse on the Commerce of the Romans, which was highly extolled by Dr Taylor in his Elements of the Civil Law, might have been written by our author. It came either from his hand or from that of his friend Mr Bowyer, and is reprinted in that gentleman's Miscellaneous Tracts. But Mr Clarke's chief work was the Connexion of the Roman, Saxon, and English Coins; deducing the Antiquities, Customs, and Manners of each people to modern times: particularly the Origin of Feudal Tenures, and of Parliaments; illustrated throughout with critical and historical Remarks on various Authors both sacred and profane. This work was published, in one volume quarto, in 1767; and its appearance from the press was owing to the the discovery made by Martin Folkes, Esq. of the old Saxon pound. It was dedicated to the duke of Newcastle, whose beneficent disposition is celebrated for having conferred obligations upon the author, which were not the effects of importunity. Mr Clarke's performance was perused in manuscript by Arthur Onslow, Esq. speaker of the house of commons, who honoured him with some useful hints and observations; but he was chiefly indebted to Mr Bowyer, who took upon him all the care of the publication, drew up several of the notes, wrote part of the dissertation on the Roman festere, and formed an admirable index to the whole. By this work our author acquired a great and just reputation. Indeed, it reflects honour upon the country by which it is produced; for there are few performances that are more replete with profound and curious learning. Mr Clarke's last promotions were the chancellorship of the church of Chichester, and the vicarage of Amport, which were bestowed upon him in 1770. These preferments he did not long live to enjoy, departing this life on the 21st of October, in the following year. He had resigned in 1768, the rectory of Buxted to his son Edward. In Mr Nichols's Anecdotes of Bowyer, there are several letters and extracts of letters written to that learned printer by Mr Clarke, which display him to great advantage as a man of piety, a friend, and a scholar.

In a sketch of his character in the Biographia Britannica, furnished by Mr Hayley, who was his intimate acquaintance, he is represented as not only a man of extensive erudition, but as possessed of the pleasing talent of communicating his various knowledge in familiar conversation, without any appearance of pedantry or pretension. Antiquities were the favourite study of Mr Clarke, as his publications sufficiently show; but he was a secret, and by no means an unsuccessful votary of the muses. He wrote English verse with ease, elegance, and spirit. Perhaps there are few better epigrams in our language than the following, which he composed on seeing the words Domus ultima inscribed on the vault belonging to the dukes of Richmond in the cathedral of Chichester.

Did he, who thus inscribed the wall, Not read, or not believe, St Paul, Who says there is, where'er it stands, Another house not made with hands? Or, may we gather from these words, That house is not a house of lords?

Among the happier little pieces of his sportive poetry, there were some animated stanzas, describing the character of the twelve English poets, whose portraits, engraved by Vertue, were the favourite ornament of his parlour: but he set so modest and humble a value on his poetical compositions, that they were seldom committed to paper, and are therefore very imperfectly preserved in the memory of those to whom he sometimes recited them. His taste and judgment in poetry appear indeed very striking in many parts of his learned and elaborate Connexion of Coins. His illustration of Nestor's cup, in particular, may be esteemed as one of the happiest examples of that light and beauty which the learning and spirit of an elegant antiquarian may throw on a cloudy and mistaken passage of an ancient poet. In strict attention to all the duties of his station, in the most active and unwearied charity, he might be regarded as a model to the ministers of God. Though his income was never large, it was his custom to devote a shilling in every guinea that he received to the service of the poor. As a master, as a husband, and as a father, his conduct was amiable and endearing; and to clothe this imperfect sketch of him with his most striking features, he was a man of genuine unaffected piety.