same person's invitation, he preached at the Abbey on a holiday. Here I must inform the reader, that it is a custom for the servants of the church, upon all holidays, Sundays excepted, betwixt the sermon and evening prayers, to shew the tombs and effigies of the kings and queens in wax, to the meaner sort of people, who then flock thither from all quarters of the town, and pay their two-pence to see the Play of the Dead Volks, as I have heard a Devonshire clown, not improperly, call it. These perceiving Dr. Barrow in the pulpit, after the hour was past, and fearing to lose that time in hearing, which they thought they could more profitably employ in receiving; these, I say, became impatient, and caused the organ to be struck up against him, and would not give over till they had blowed him down.

"But the sermon of the greatest length was that concerning charity, before the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, at the Spital; in speaking which he spent three hours and a half. Being asked, after he came down from the pulpit, whether he was not tired; "yes, indeed," said he, "I began to be weary with standing so long."

His personal appearance was mean, and in his dress he was negligent, if not slovenly, which was apt to prejudice his hearers against him where he was not known, of which Dr. Pope relates the following remarkable instance.

"Dr. Wilkins, then minister of St. Lawrence Jewry, and afterwards Bishop of Chester, being obliged

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obliged, by some indisposition, to keep his chamber, desired Dr. Barrow to give him a sermon the next Sunday, which he readily consented to do. Accordingly, at the time appointed, he came with an aspect pale and meagre, and unpromising, slovenly and carelessly dressed, his collar unbuttoned, his hair uncombed, &c. Thus accoutred, he mounts the pulpit, begins his prayer, which, whether he did read or not, I cannot positively assert or deny. Immediately all the congregation was in an uproar, as if the church were falling, and they scampering to save their lives, each shifting for himself with great precipitation; there was such a noise of pattens of serving-maids, and ordinary women, and of unlocking of pews, and cracking of seats, caused by the younger sort hastily climbing over them, that, I confess, I thought all the congregation were mad; but the good doctor seeming not to take notice of this disturbance, proceeds, names his text, and preached his sermon to two or three gathered, or rather left together, of which number, as it fortunately happened, Mr. Baxter, the eminent non-conformist was one; who afterwards gave Dr. Wilkins a visit, and commended the sermon to that degree, that he said, he never heard a better discourse. There was also amongst those who staid, a certain young man, who thus accosted Dr. Barrow, as he came down from the pulpit, Sir, be not dismayed, for I assure you it was a good sermon." By his age and dress he seemed

to

to be an apprentice, or, at the best, the foreman of a shop; but we never heard more of him. I asked the doctor, what he thought, when he saw the congregation running away from him? "I thought," said he, they did not like me or my sermon, and I have no reason to be angry with them for that."-"But what was your opinion," said I," of the apprentice ?"-" I take him," replied he, "to be a very civil person, and if I could meet with him, I would present him with a bottle of wine." There were then in the parish a company of formal, grave, and wealthy citizens, who having been many years under famous ministers, as Dr. Wilkins, Bishop Ward, Bishop Reynolds, Mr. Vines, &c. had a great opinion of their skill in divinity, and their ability to judge of the goodness and badness of sermons. Many of these came in a body to Dr. Wilkins, to expostu late with him, why he suffered such an ignorant, scandalous fellow, meaning Dr. Barrow, to have the use of his pulpit. I cannot precisely tell whether it was the same day, or some time after in that week, but I am certain it happened to be when Mr. Baxter was with Dr. Wilkins. They came, as I said before, in full cry, saying, they wondered he should permit such a man to preach before them, who looked like a starved cavalier, who had been long sequestered, and out of his living for delinquency, and came up to London to beg, now that the king was restored; and much more to this purpose. He let them run them

selves out of breath; and when they had done he replied to them in this manner. "The person you thus despise, I assure you, is a pious man, an eminent scholar, and an excellent preacher; for the truth of the last, I appeal to Mr. Baxter here present, who heard the sermon you so much vilify. I am sure you believe Mr. Baxter is a competent judge, and will pronounce according to truth." Then turning to him, "Pray, Sir, said he, "do me the favour to declare your opinion concerning the sermon now in controversy, which you heard at our church last Sunday." Then did Mr. Baxter very candidly give the sermon the praise it deserved; nay, more, he said "that he could willingly have been his auditor all day long." -When they heard Mr. Baxter give him this high encomium, they were pricked in their hearts, and all of them became ashamed, confounded, and speechless; for though they had a good opinion of themselves, yet they durst not pretend to be equal to Mr. Baxter. But at length, after some pause, they all, one after another, confessed, " they did not hear one word of the sermon, but were carried to mislike it, by his unpromising garb and mien, the reading of his prayer, and the going away of the congregation;" for they would not, by any means, have it thought, if they had heard the sermon, they should not have concurred with the judgment of Mr. Baxter. After their shame was a little over, they earnestly desired Dr. Wilkins to procure Dr. Barrow to preach again, en

gaging themselves to make him amends, by bringing to his sermon their wives and children, their men-servants, and maid-servants, in a word, their whole families, and to enjoin them not to leave the church till the blessing was pronounced. Dr. Wilkins promised to use his utmost endeavour for their satisfaction, and accordingly solicited Dr. Barrow to appear once more upon that stage, but all in vain; for he could not, by any persuasions, be prevailed upon to comply with the request of such conceited hypocritical coxcombs."

His sermons, for richness of matter, variety of illustration, and closeness of reasoning, are among the first in the English language; and he was so careful in the composition of them, that he generally transcribed them three or four times, his greatest difficulty being always to please himself.

He left little behind him except his books, which were so well chosen, that they sold for more than they first cost. Though he never could be prevailed upon to sit for his picture, some of his friends contrived to have it taken without his knowlege, whilst they diverted him with such discourse as fixed his attention. This picture was painted by the ingenious Mrs. Beale, and from it the engraved portrait of the doctor was taken. He was of a healthy constitution, and very fond of tobacco, which he used to call his panpharmacon, or universal medicine, and fancied that a pipe helped to compose and regulate