Thus much for our author's writings. I come now to the character of his person. His complexion and hair was brown, his stature moderate, and habit of body neither fat, or lean. His manner of cloathing plain and unaffected. He was well skilled in Astronomy, Geography, Geometry, Natural History and Botany; and had fo excellent a memory, that he not only remembred what was most remarkable in the books he read, and knew those persons he had once seen, at any distance of time; but the particulars of their conversation. In the latin poets he remembred all that was most acute and pungent, and his observations upon history, both ancient and modern, were fingular, and such as are not made by ordinary readers. He was so much master over his passions, as always to make them controulable by his reason; was never seen transported with mirth, or dejected with forrow; always chearful, but rarely merry, and seldom heard to break a jest without being apt to blush at the levity of it. Those who knew him only by his writings, found themselves deceived in their expectation when they came into his company, from the gravity of his aspect and conversation; for he was fo far from being loquacious, that it was difficult to engage him in any dif course, tho', when once engaged it, he was fingular and uncommon. He was very careful to improve his time, and so impatient of floth and idleness, that he would often say, he could not do nothing. Sir Thomas understood most of the European languages, viz. all contained in Hutter's bible; the Greek and Latin he understood critically. As to his religion, thơ' the gentlemen of his faculty have fallen under the disgrace of having very little; yet he has declared himfelf in his RELIGIO MEDICI to be a steadfaft member of the church of England, preferring its doctrine before any in the world; and for this reason he says himself, 'Because every part of it squares unto his confci'ence, and its articles, constitutions and cu'stoms seem so consonant to reason, &c. He was a man of exemplary patience, which was founded upon true Christian philofophy, and an humble fubmiffion to the providence of God, which he shewed to the day of his death. He died at Norwich on the 19th of October, (the day of his birth) anno 1682, in the seventy seventh year of his age, and was buried in the church of St. Peter's Mancroft, at Norwich, where there is a mural monument erected to his memory, fixed to the South pillar of the altar. RELL i RELIGIO F OR my religion, though there be several circumstances that might perfuade the world I have none at all, as the * general scandal of my profession, the † natural course of my studies, the † indifferency of my behaviour, and difcourse in matters of religion, neither violently defending one, nor with that common ardour and contention opposing another; yet, in despite hereof, I dare, without ufurpation, assume the honourable stile of a Christian: || not that I meer-. ly owe this title to the font, my education, or clime wherein I was born, as being bred up either to confirm those principles my pa rents instilled into my unwary un derstanding, or, by a general confent, proceed in the religion of my country: but having, in my riper years and confirmed judgment, seen and examined all, I find myself obliged by the principles of grace, and the law of mine own reason, to embrace no other name but this: neither doth herein my zeal so far make me forget the general charity I owe unto humanity, as rather to hate than pity Turks, Infidels, and (what is worse) Jews; rather contenting myself to enjoy that happy stile, than maligning those who refufe fo glorious a title. SECT. II. But because the name of a Christian is become too general to express our faith, there being a geography of religions as well as lands, and every clime diftinguished. not only by their laws and limits, but circircumfcribed by their doctrines and rules of faith; to be particular, I am of that reformed new-caft religion, * wherein I dislike nothing but the name; of the fame belief our Saviour taught, the apostles disseminated, the fathers authorised, and the martyrs confirmed; but by the finifter ends of princes, the am bition and avarice of prelates, and the fatal corruption of times, so decayed, impaired, and fallen from its native beauty, that it required the careful and charitable hand of these times to restore it to its primitive integrity, † Now the accidental occafion whereon, the flender means whereby, the low and abject condition of the perfon by whom, fo good a work was set on foot, which in our adversaries beget contempt and scorn, fill me with wonder, and is the very fame objection the infolent Pagans first caft at Christ and his difciples, |