, a learned and worthy bencher of LincolnVinn, was born in 1666.
, a learned and worthy
bencher of LincolnVinn, was born in 1666. In conjunction with Mr. Peere Williams, Mr. Melmoth was the publisher of “Vernon’s Reports,
” under an order of the court
of chancery. He had once an intention of printing his own
“Reports;
” and a short time before his death, advertised
them at the end of those of his coadjutor Peere Williams,
as then actually preparing for the press. They have, however, not yet made their appearance. But the performance for which he justly deserves to be held in perpetual
remembrance, is, “The Great Importance of a Religious
Life.
” It is a singular circumstance that the real author
of this most admirable treatise should never have been
publicly known until mentioned in the Anecdotes of
Bowyer. It was ascribed by Walpole in his “Royal and
Noble Authors,
” to the first earl of Egmont. Of this work
Mr. Melmoth’s son says, in the short preface which accompanies it, that “It may add weight, perhaps, to the reflections contained in the following pages, to inform the
reader, that the author’s life was one uniform exemplar of
those precepts, which, with so generous a zeal, and such
an elegant and affecting simplicity of style, he endeavours
to recommend to general practice. He left others to contend for modes of faith, and inflame themselves and the
world with dndless controversy; it was the wiser purpose
of his more ennobled aim, to act up to those clear rules of
conduct which Revelation hath graciously prescribed. He
possessed by temper every moral virtue; by religion every
Christian grace. He had a humanity that melted at every
distress; a charity which not only thought no evil, but
suspected none. He exercised his profession with a skill
and integrity, which nothing could equal, but the disinterested motive that animated his labours, or the amiable
modesty which accompanied all his virtues. He employed
his industry, not to gratify his own desires no man indulged himself less not to accumulate useless wealth no
man more disdained so unworthy a pursuit it was for the
decent advancement of his family, for the generous assistance of his friends, for the ready relief of the indigent.
How often did he exert his distinguished abilities, yet refuse the reward of them, in defence of the widow, the fatherless, and him that had none to help him In a word, few
have ever passed a more useful, not one a more blameless
life y and his whole time was employed either in doing
good, or in meditating it. He died on the 6th day of
April, 1743, and lies buried under the cloister of Lincoln’sinn chapel.
” This passage is repeated in a short tract entitled “Memoirs of a late eminent Advocate,
” published in
from early youth performed the paiuful but indispensable
duty of communing with his own heart, with the severest
and most impartial scrutiny.
” This appears by a copy of
a letter from some eminent casuit, whom he had consulted
respecting certain religious scruples. He was afterwards
perplexed respecting taking the oaths at the revolution,
which happened when he had the prospect of being admitted to the bar. On this occasion he consulted the celebrated Mr. Norris of Bemerton, and a correspondence took
place, part of which is* published in the “Memoirs.
” It
is probable that he was at last convinced of the lawfulness
of the oaths, as he was called to the bar in 1693. There
are other letters and circumstances given in these “Memoirs,
” which tend to raise the character of Mr. Melmoth
as a man of sincerity and humility, not, however, perhaps,
unmixed with what may now be reckoned a degree of superstitious weakness.