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Stukeley's Account of Abury, a temple of the British Druids, in North Wiltshire.

Warburton's Divine Legation of Moses, Book IV. More's Mystery of Iniquity, Second part.

Hurd's Introduction to the Study of the Prophecies, Sermon IX.

Faber's Sacred Calendar of Prophecy, Vol. I. ch. 1. Jones's Lectures on the Figurative Language of Scripture.

Several of these works are very curious, and remarkably interesting.

MATTHEW HABERSHON.

Bonner's Hall, near Hackney;

July, 1842.

MEMOIR

OF

CHARLES DAUBUZ, M.A.

Extinctus amabitur.-Hor.

CHARLES DAUBUZ, or DAUBUS, was born in the province of Guienne in France. His only surviving parent, Julia Daubuz, professing the reformed religion, was driven in 1686 from her native country, by that relentless persecution which preceded the revocation of the edict of Nantes. She, with her family, found an asylum in England, where many of her distressed countrymen were known to enjoy an undisturbed liberty of conscience, and the free exercise of their religion. Charles, her son, destined to the ministry from his earliest years, was admitted a Sizer of Queen's College, in the University of Cambridge, Jan. 10, 1689. He obtained his first degree in Arts, Jan. 13, 1693, and was appointed librarian of his college, March 21, in the same year. He continued in that appointment to August 10th, 1695, when he probably left the University. A few months previous to his taking the degree of A.M July 2nd, 1699, he was presented by the dean and chapter of York to the Vicarage of Brotherton, a small village near Ferrybridge, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. This vicarage, of the annual value of sixty or seventy pounds, was all the preferment he ever enjoyed. To support a numerous and infant family, (for at his death he left a widow and eight children, the eldest of whom was not fourteen

B

Three years

years old), he was under the necessity of engaging himself in the education of several gentlemen's sons in the neighbourhood. Notwithstanding his contracted income, he made some additions to the vicarage house. ago, when part of it was repaired, three golden coins of the reign of Louis XIV. were found in the wall, which were no doubt placed there by Mr. Daubuz. He was a constant resident in his parish until the time of his death. His remains were interred in the churchyard of Brotherton, at the east end of the church. A neat marble slab, erected to his memory, is still extant near the east window in the church, the inscription on which is now almost defaced.

He is said to have been in his person tall and graceful, of a strong and healthy constitution, of a swarthy complexion, wearing his own black hair flowing in curls, his voice full of energy, with a most persuasive and impressive delivery of his sermons. He always retained the character of a pious, humble, and benevolent man. parishioners, who long regretted the loss of their excellent pastor, loved and respected him.

His

Claude, one of his sons, educated at Catharine Hall, in Cambridge, was honoured with the notice of the family of the Ramsdens of Byrom, in the parish of Brotherton. He was for some time vicar of Huddersfield in Yorkshire ; and was afterwards presented, by Sir George Saville, Bart., to a valuable living in Nottinghamshire. He died at Pontefract, Sept. 15, 1760, in the 51st year of his age, and was buried near his father. His memory is held in much estimation at Huddersfield, where he is frequently spoken of as a clergyman of great learning and merit.

Mr. Daubuz, the subject of this paper, always discovered a most ardent attachment to sacred literature. Those intervals of leisure, which his employments afforded him, he devoted to his professional studies. In the privacy of his retirement at Brotherton, unpatronised and unrewarded, with scarce a single smile of favour to exhilarate his labours, or to animate his pursuits, he composed the

whole of his Perpetual Commentary on the Revelation of St. John, with a learned and elaborate Preliminary Discourse, concerning the principles upon which that Revelation is to be understood. Were I inclined to use the embellishments of panegyric, I might expatiate at large upon his singular modesty-his most extensive and strictly accurate knowledge of the Greek and Latin authors,—his happy application of that knowledge in elucidating the words of prophecy,-his intimate acquaintance with the symbolical character and language of the eastern nations, and his temperate and discreet judgment, totally remote from the indulgence of fancy and capricious conjecture.

The following anecdote was communicated to me from the best authority :-When he had finished his Commentary, he went to Cambridge to consult Dr. Bentley, the great critic of the age. The Doctor, as it is supposed, thinking that Mr. Daubuz would outshine him in learning, and eclipse his glory, or, which is more probable, knowing that works of that kind, however excellent they might be, were little relished in those times, did not encourage him to publish it. Upon which Mr. Daubuz returned home, wearied in body and unhappy in mind, sickened of a pleuritic fever, and died in a few days. The book was published soon after his death.

The merit of this pious and truly learned man seems to have been disregarded in his life-time; nor has due justice been done to his memory since his demise. The pleasure which, in the course of my studies, I have derived from his writings, has induced me to propose some inquiries concerning him, and to contribute my mite of grateful respect to his valuable and amiable qualities.

His saltem accumulem donis, hoc fungar inani

Munere.

Mr. Lancaster, not unknown by his own writings, has abridged the Perpetual Commentary on the Revelation of St. John. In his dedication to Dr. Potter, then Bishop of Oxford, he justly observes, that "this great work of Mr.

Daubuz lay concealed from, and is even as yet but little known to, the learned world; which, however prejudiced persons might be against reading anything of this nature, by reason of the numerous and absurd explications which have been given by others, would scarce have happened, if his work had been ushered into the world under the patronage of some learned name.”

We cannot but lament that the strange and unaccountable predilection which has long impeded the study of the Apocalypse, and some other prophetic parts of Scripture, should have rendered the literary reputation of this eminent divine less conspicuous. It is an easy matter to treat with ridicule and contempt the discussion even of the most serious and interesting subjects. No efforts of superior genius are required to represent the explication of a prophecy as a fortunate conjecture, to resolve it into the fervour of credulous enthusiasm, or the inventions of a strong and lively imagination. But, in the present improved state of Scriptural knowledge, a modest, humble, and cautious discretion, under the guidance and good blessing of God, if it does not afford clear and solid conviction, will at least command our approbation. Facts are stubborn things-the evidence which they adduce is irresistible. If an ingenuous appeal to them, adjusted by a prudent and chastised criticism, uniformly conducts us in the examination of the inspired deposits of prophetic truth, no consequences can result from our researches in any degree hostile to the authority of revealed religion.*

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Mr. Daubuz succeeded the first Balguy, in the mastership of the Grammar-school of Sheffield, and was the early tutor of John Balguy. He was a native of Guienne, but at twelve years of age was driven from his native country,

*The above account of Mr. Daubuz, is from the pen of Thomas Zouch, A.M., Rector of Wycliffe, Yorkshire. See "An Address delivered to the Clergy of the Deaneries of Richmond, Catterick, and Boroughbridge, at the Visitation held in 1792."

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