THIS clergyman enjoyed great notoriety while in life, but as he deviated widely from the path usually pursued by members of the clerical profession, in order to acquire distinction, posterity have agreed to consider him in the light of an extravagant charlatan, rather than a man of legitimate genius. He was unquestionably a very eccentric character; but, nevertheless, possessed great learning as well as natural talents of no ordinary description.

Henley received an academical education, and after taking his degree of M. A., was admitted to priest's orders by Dr. Gibson, bishop of Lincoln. He had previously begun his "Universal Grammar," and finished ten languages with dissertations prefixed. His poem on "Esther" had also appeared, and was well received by the public. Hitherto he had only acquired some distinction in the country, and he became impatient to breathe the atmosphere of London, as more congenial with his high aspirations both of fame and profit. To the metropolis he accordingly went, and at once entered on a career of popularity, which may fairly be ascribed to his indefatigable industry, as much as to his talents, though the latter were cer

tainly not without effect, as he introduced a new style of pulpit oratory, and was at once familiar, eloquent, and witty. According to his own account, he preached more charity sermons in one year, was more numerously followed, and raised more money for poor children than all the dignified clergymen put together. Henley's popularity, however, was a bar to his preferment, as it excited the jealousy of his metropolitan superiors, who were moreover enraged to find that his new style of pulpit oratory was likely to throw each and all of them into the shade. To use his own words, "these were the true causes why some obstructed his rising in town, from envy, jealousy, and a disrelish of those who are not qualified to be complete spaniels. For there was no objection to his being tossed into a country benefice by the way of the sea, as far as Galilee of the Gentiles, like a pendulum swinging one way as far as the other." Finding that there was thus no chance of preferment, and perhaps feeling sore under disappointment, he entered on a new career by opening what he called his Oratory, near Lincoln's-inn-fields, in which he lectured on theological subjects on Sundays, and on all other subjects every Wednesday evening. The prospectus which he published smells strongly of puffery, but the lectures took with the public. He describes his own powers, and, in the same breath, the alarm of his clerical brethren, "that he should still proceed and mature this bold scheme, and put the church, and all that, in danger."

The Orator did proceed, and for years levelled his shafts of wit, satire, and abuse, so effectively, that he became the most notorious public character of the day. He spared neither rank nor condition, and even had the courage to attack Pope. The latter retaliated in the following well-known lines:

"But where each science lifts its modern type,

History her pot, Divinity his pipe;

While proud Philosophy repines to show,

Dishonest sight! his breeches rent below;

Imbrown'd with native bronze, lo Henley stands," &c

Henley appears also to have provoked the satire of Hogarth. In the print of the Oratory, the former is represented on a scaffold with a monkey by his side, over which is written Amen; lying near him are a box of pills, and the Hyp-doctor; over his head "The Oratory."-Inveniam viam aut faciam-(the motto on the medals, which the orator dispersed as tickets. to his subscribers.) Over the door, "Ingredere ut proficias;" the inscription over the outer door of St. Paul's school. A parson receiving the money for admission; under him "the Treasury;" a butcher stands as porter. On the left hand, modesty in a cloud; folly in a coach; and a gibbet prepared for merit. People laughing-one marked the scout, introducing a puritan divine; and a boy easing nature. Several grotesque figures, one

M

of them (marked TEE HEE) in a violent fit of laughter; underneath, the following inscription :

AN EXTEMPORE EPIGRAM, MADE AT THE ORATORY.

O, Orator! with brazen face and lungs,

Whose jargon's form'd of ten unlearned tongues,

Why stand'st thou there, a whole long hour, haranguing,
When half the time fits better men for hanging!

Hogarth seems to have thought Henley a good subject for his satirical pencil, since he introduces him repeatedly. In another print, he is painted in the act of christening a child, with the following lines beneath;

"Behold Vilaria, lately brought to bed,

Her cheeks now strangers to their rosy red,
Languid her eyes, yet lovely she appears!
And oh! what fondness her lord's visage wears!
The pamper'd priest, in whose extended arms
The female infant lies with budding charms,
Seeming to ask the name ere he baptize,
Casts at the gossips round his wanton eyes,
While gay Sir Foppling, an accomplish'd ass,
Is courting his own dear image in the glass;
The midwife busied, too, with mighty care,
Adjusts the cap, shows innocency fair;
Behind her stands the clerk, in whose grave face
Sleek Abigail cannot forbear to gaze;
But master, without thought, poor harmless child,
Has on the floor, the holy water spill'd,

Thrown down the hat, the lap-dog gnaws the rose;
And at the fire the nurse is warming clothes.
One guest inquires the parson's name; says Friendly,
Why, don't you know, Sir, 'tis Hyp-doctor Henley."

The clergyman in the "Modern Midnight Conversation," is generally understood to have been meant for Henley; but the bitterest cut of all, was his introduction into the last plate of the Harlot's Progress, where he is represented as drinking gin with a prostitute and female robber, while attending in his clerical character the ceremony of the funeral!

The soubriquet of the Hyp-doctor was given to Henley in consequence of his being editor of a weekly paper under that title. This publication was intended to counteract the effect of the "Craftsman," and it is said that the ministry of the day allowed him £100 a year for his services; but there is no evidence of his having been thus remunerated, and the known parsimony of government towards literary men at that period renders it very improbable.

Henley died 14th October, 1756. His character has been variously painted, but the dark shades predominate in every portraiture. A late

reviewer has summed up its most prominent points as follows:-"He was a scholar of great acquirements, and of no mean genius; hardy and inventive; eloquent and witty; and might have been an ornament to literature, which he made ridiculous; and the pride of the pulpit, which he egregiously disgraced. But, the truth is, that having blunted and worn out that interior feeling which is the instinct of the good man, and the wisdom of the wise, there was no balance in his passions, and the decorum of life was sacrificed to its selfishness. He condescended to live on the follies of the people, and his sordid nature had changed him till he crept licking the dust with the serpent." This is exceedingly severe, but on the whole, just.

HIS woman is a conspicuous character in the annals of quackery. Possessing masculine habits and much personal courage, she distinguished herself accidentally by two or three extraordinary cures, and speedily rose into notoriety as the bonesetter or shape-mistress. Her father, whose name was Wallin, followed the same line of business in Wilts, but having quarrelled with him she left his establishment, and fixed her residence at Epsom. She soon visited London, and her success was beyond expectation. In fact, her progress almost exceeded credibility, as she started into public notice, got married, and set up a carriage, all within a few months of her arrival. Her husband was in the employment of Mr. Ibbotson, mercer, Ludgate-hill, and, it is supposed, must have married her on speculation, as she was hideously ugly. His name was Hill Mapp, and if we can credit the newspaper reports, he first robbed, and then deserted her. In spite of this untoward event, Mrs. Mapp's fame continued to increase, and she divided the suffrages of the town with the famous quacks, Ward and Taylor, who were then also running the race of popularity with pretensions equally wellfounded to infallibility. In the newspapers of the time, we find numerous paragraphs either indicative of her popularity and success, or in ridicule of her pretensions. Of these the following may serve as specimens:

September 23, 1736.-" Mrs. Mapp continues making extraordinary cures; she has now set up an equipage, and on Sunday waited on her majesty."

Saturday, October 16, 1736.-" Mrs. Mapp, the bone-setter, with Dr. Taylor, the oculist, was at the play-house, in Lincoln's-inn-fields, to see a