THOMAS, Archbishop of Canterbury, and the friend of Bishop Butler and of Bishop Berkeley, was born at the village of Sibthorn, in Nottinghamshire, in 1693. Designed originally for the dissenting church, of which his parents were members, he laboured with great assiduity to perfect himself in all liberal arts. He made uncommon progress in every study to which he directed his attention, and by the time he had reached the age of twenty-three, he was one of the best read men of his years in England. His mind being in suspense regarding some of the speculative doctrines of Christianity, he resolved in 1716 to study medicine. With this intention he went to London and Paris; but he had not long resided abroad when an offer came to him from Joseph Butler, whose school-fellow he had been, and who was now preacher at the Rolls, to enter the Church of England. Secker, after some deliberation, complied with his friend's proposal, and he arrived in England in August 1720. He went to Leyden next year and took his degree of M.D., and on his return was made Bachelor of Arts of Exeter College, Oxford. Secker now spent a considerable part of his time in London, where he became acquainted with Dr. Clarke and with Bishop Berkeley. Bishop Talbot being appointed to the see of Durham in 1726, Secker accompanied him in 1723 and received the rectorship of Houghton-le-Spring. In 1725-26, Butler published his celebrated Sermons, and Secker seems to have revised them previous to publication. In 1727 he exchanged his situation for that of prebendary of Durham and rector of Ryton, and in 1732 he was made chaplain to the king. Secker was now rising rapidly into notice as a preacher and a divine, and in 1733 he was transferred to St James's as rector. He went to Oxford the same year and took his degree of LL.D., and two years afterwards he found himself Bishop of Bristol. In 1737 he was chosen Bishop of Oxford on the promotion of the learned Dr. Potter to Canterbury. In 1750 he was installed dean of St Paul's, and eight years afterwards he was elevated to the see of Canterbury. From this period Archbishop Secker resided constantly in his palace at Lambeth. He had been afflicted with gout for many years, which now proved almost intolerable. It threw him into a fever, of which he died on the 3rd of August 1768.