A memoir of the Rev. Legh Richmond

Front matter

^c

M *V DOUO BRICK CHURCH CHAPEL

A MEMOIR

Preface

and indeed forms, in conjunction with tlie above urgent intreaty, the warrant and authority for the present underta king.

The editor furtlier avails liimself of tliis opportunity tc avow his personal obHgations to Mr. Gauxtlett. for the various materials he has supplied, relative to the earlier part of Mr. Richmond's life and ministry, and for the general use he kindly allowed of the papers and documents which he had prepared.

To the Rev. J. Fry, Rector of Emberton, the editor is indebted for correcting and revising the press, as well as foi some judicious suggestions.

He also begs to present his acknowledgments to the relatives, and numerous correspondents of Mr. Richmond, who have furnished him with so many interesting letters for insertion in the present Memoir.

Circumstances, over which he has had no control, have rery much restricted him in the time necessary for completing his undertaking. On these grounds, he has to solicit the indulgence of the public. He cannot dismiss the work, without expressing his earnest prayer that its perusal may be accompanied by the divine blessing ; and that it may be made subservient to the increase of piety in our own Church, and to the general edification of the Church of Christ among all who read it.

Chap. I

i*aga

Pi eliminary remarks — Birth of Leg-h Richmond — His ancestry ; education ; and incidents of early years — Promise of talent — Completion of his education at school , 9

CHAP. H.

Comprising* the period from his entrance at the University, till his marriage, and acceptance of the curacy of Brading* in the Isle of Wight. 13

CHAP. IIL

His entrance on his professional duties — Remarkable change in his views and conduct, and the incident that occasioned it — Reflections on the foregoing event. 20

CHAP. IV.

Developement of his character — ^Dedication of his time and thoughts to profitable objects — Fondness for the scenes of nature — Spiritual reflections upon them — Zeal in his ministerial duties — Letters and Diary — Remarks. 26

CHAP. V.

Relation of circumstances occurring during the period of the foregoing chapter. 48

CHAP. VI.

His removal from the Isle of Wight — Temporary connexion with the Lock Hospital, in London — and final settlement at Turvey. . . 61

CHAP. VIL Commencement of his ministerial labours at Turvey — Former state of the parish — Plans and exertions for its improvement — Judicious rules and regulations of his Friendly Society — Effect of his exertions — His ' Fathers of the English Church' — Doctrine and mode of preaching — Brief reflections on controversy 66

CHAP. VIH.

His talent for extempore preaching — Authority and expediency of this mode considered — Family letters — Commencement of the editor's ac quaintance with him — Public institutions — Vindication of their character, necessity, and usefulness. 88

CONTENTS.

CHAP. IX.

Page

His anniversary sermon for the Church Missionary Society— Meetingat Bedford, in behalf of the Jews — Bedfordshire Bible Society—Tours for the Jewish and Church Missionary Societies — Extracts from his Journals — Success of these tours — Their influence on the general interests of relicrion — On his own personal improvement — On that ol his paridh and family. . 119

CHAP. X.

Detection of an extraordinary imposture by Mr. Richmond — Publica- ♦ ion of his tracts— Review of them— Their great popularity and cxicnsive circulation, &c. — American editions — Remarks on the subject- -Mr. Richmond's connexion with the Tract Society. . . 16?

CHAP. XI.

His appointment as chaplain to the Duke of Kent— Mrs. Richmond's illness— New school-room— Report of his son's death — Embarrassment, arising from his publication of ' The Fathers of the English Church' — Interview with the Emperor of Russia — Letters to and from his Imperial Majesty — Princess Metstchersky — Letters to Mrs. Livius — Verses written on the marriage of a friend's daughter. . 180

CHAP. xn.

Letters — Poetry — Description of Lake scenery — Brief account of his first tour to Scotland — His sentiments on Oratorios — Tribute to the memory of his mother, &c. 201

CHAP. XIIL A Tribute of affectionate veneration for the memory of a deceased Mother ; — in a series of Letters to his Children. By the Rev. Legh Richmond . 215

CHAP. XIV

Letter, and verses — Extracts from Diary — Tours to Scotland — lona—

Letters; friendly, family, and pastoral — ^Memoir of Miss Sinclair. . 241

CHAP. XV.

Death of his infant — Marriage of his eldest daughter — Visit to the North of Ireland — Texts on the walls of liis church — Extract of a letter to liis daughter F — . — Isle of Wight tour — Pastoral letter — Journal — His son Will^erforce's illness and death — Reflections — Marriage of his daughter H — . — Nugent's shipwreck, and death — Letters — Apocryplud question — Mr. Richmond's opinion on the mode of preaching to the Jews — His sentiments on other subjects— Journey to Cromer — Conversation w ith tlie editor — Meditation in his study. 2G9

CHAP. XVL CloBing' scene — Funeral — Remarks on his character, &c* • . . 'J20

MEMOIRS.

Chapter I

Preliminary remarks — Birth of Legh Richmond— His ancestry ; education ; and incident* of early years— Promise of talent r- Completion of his education at school.

To record the excellences of departed worth, and to endeavour to perpetuate their remembrance, is a tribute no less due to the present than to succeeding generations. Biography, indeed, has usually selected, as the subject of its memoirs, the lives of heroes and statesmen, in preference to the milder though more useful virtues of the pious and the good ; because the passions and interests of men never fail to be excited by the achievements of war, and the disclosures of the cabinet. But in pleading the cause of religious biography, may we not urge the superior importance of its subject, and the hallowed tendency of its aim 1 Is the skill and discernment, employed in increasing the resources and glory of earthly kingdoms, to be compared with the divine science of saving immortal souls 1 Are the triumphs of the cause of God less real, because they are eternal ? Are its victories less interesting, because their object is to contract the limits of death and sin, and to extend the empire of the Son of God 1 It is no small praise to the age in which we live, that religion begins at length to assume the pre-eminence which its high claims and heaven-born character demand. The drama of human life has long been characterized by portentous events ; and reflecting minds seem disposed to recognise in the past convulsions of empires, as well as in the elements of discord that are silently preparing the way for new conflicts, that an Almighty hand intends to make these events subservient to the accomplishment of his purposes, and to the establishment of his kingdom.

Among those who have contributed to the revival of religion in the present day, the subject of the following memoir stands highly distinguished. His name has been too long associated with every exertion to promote the growth of piety, both at home and abroad, not to have excited a very general solicitude for whatever may ' illustrate the history and character of a man, who has so often delighted the public by his eloquence, stimulated it by his zeal, and edified it by his example. It is to comply with this desire, as well as to fulfil the claims of a long and most confidental intercourse that the present memoir is now presented.

The Rev. Legh Richmond was descended from an ancestry hignly respectable on the side of both his parents, each of whom was related to some of the principal families in the counties of Lancaster and Chester. His father, Dr. Henry Richmond, practised as a physician, first at Liverpool, and afterwards at Bath, where he resided for several years. His death occurred at Stockport, in Cheshire, in the year 1806; of which place the Rev. Legh Richmond, grand father to the subject of this memoir, was formerly rector.

Dr. Henry Richmond was the fifth in lineal male descent from Oliver Richmond, Esq. of Ashton Keynes, in the county of Wilts, on which estate his ancestors had resided from the time of the Conquest.

The mother of Mr. Richmond was the daughter of John Atherton, Esq. of Walton Hall, near Liverpool, and by the maternal side first cousin to Dr. Henry Richmond.

As some additional account of the family appears in the progress of this work, recorded by his own pen, any farther statement in this place would be superfluous.

Legh Richmond was born at Liverpool, on January 29th, 1772. It w^as his privilege to have a most estimable mother, endued with a superior understanding, which had been cultivated and improved by an excellent education and subsequent study. In addition to her natural talents and acquirements, she uniformly manifested a deep sense of the importance of religion.

This affectionate and conscientious parent anxiously instructed him, from his infancy, in the Holy Scriptures, and in the principles of religion, as far as her own knowledge and experience enabled her; a duty which was subsequently well repaid by her son, who became the happy and honoured instrument of imparting to his beloved mother clearer and more enlarged views of divine truth than were generally prevalent during the last generation. It seems highly probable that the seeds of piety were then sown, which in a future period, and under circumstances of a providential nature, were destined to produce a ricli and abundant harvest.

Ye that are mothers, and whose office it more peculiarly is to instil into the minds of your- offspring an habitual reverence for God, and a knowledge of the truths of the Gospel; be earnest in your endeavours to fulfil the duties which Providence has assigned to you, and which your tenderness, your affection, and the constant recurrence of favourable opportunities, so admirably fit you to discharge. Consecrate them to God in early youth ; and remember that the child of many prayers is in possession of a richer treasure than the heir of the amplest honours and the highest dignities : for the child of many prayers can never perish, so long as prayer is availing. To faith all things are possible, and the promise stands firm, "I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring. Pray then for them, and with them. There is an efficacy in the bended knee, in the outstretched hand, in the uplifted heart, in the accents of prayer issuing from the lips of a mother, supplicating God to bless her child, which faith may interpret for its encouragement, and the future shall one day realise. There is also a solemnity in the act itself, peculiarly calculated to elicit all the best feelings of the heart, and to quicken it in the diligent use of the means most adapted, through divine mercy, to insure the blessing.

Discouragements may arise ; — impressions that once excited hope may vanish; — the fruit may not be apparent; yet, in after-times, under circumstances of the most unpromising nature — amid scenes, perhaps, of folly, vice, and dissipation — or in the more sober moments of sickness and sorrow, the remembrance of a praying mother may present itself with overwhelming emotions to the heart. The events of early days may rise up in quick succession before the mind, until the long-lost wanderer, recovered from his slumber of death and sin, may live to be a monument of the pardoning mercy of God, and his last accents be those of gratitude and praise for a pious mother.

It was in the period of Legh Richmond's childhood, that the accident occurred which occasioned the lameness to which he was subject during the remainder of his life. In leaping from a wall, he fell with violence to the ground, and injured the left leg, so as to contract its growth, and impair its strength. It is a remarkable coincidence, that somev/hat of a similar occurrence befel one of his own sons, and was attended with precisely the same effects. It was in consequence of this accident that Mr. Richmond received the rudiments of his early education under the sole tuition of his father, who was an excellent classical scholar, and well acquainted with literature in general.

In addition to his proficiency in classical and other elementary studies, he made considerable progress, during this period, in the science of music ; a predilection for which, he retained to the end of his life.

The activity of his mind soon began to develope itself. Some specimens of the productions of his early years have been preserved by the partiality of his friends ; and as youthful talent generally deliglits to assume a poetic form, his first efforts were devoted to the Muses.

We insert tlie following, which were written when he was twelve years of age : —

nefore the eaxih and soa to man were given, Or stars were spotted o'er the crj'stal heaven ; • The face of nature was ihrou-zhout the same —

A rusged heap, and Chaos wa-s its name ; Nor any thing but piled-up heaps were there, And earth and sea were njixed with fire and air : No radiant sun by day afforded light, Nor waning Piioibe shone in midst of night : Nor eartli self poised in fluid air was placed, Or sea, with circling arms, the earth embraced.

ON THE MORNING.

Behold, the earth is clad in sober gray, And twinkling stars foretell the approach ofdaj. The hare runs timid o'er the bladed grass.

And early shepherds on the meadows pass.

In splendid majesty the morning star Welcomes Aurora in her rosy car.

The lark, the early herald of the morn.

Whose tender sides soft gentle plumes adorn, Flies from her nest above all human sight.

And to the skies sublime she bends her flight Her pleasing notes the ambient hills repeat, And day o'er half the world resumes its seat ; The 'splendent sun's ethereal light appears. And nature wipes away her dewy tears. —

A few lines in imitation of Pope, may be considered as no uniuccessful illustration of the poet's rule : —

'Tis not enough, no harshness gives oflence, The sound should seem an echo to the sense.' — The line should soften when the bleat of sheep And gentle zephyrs sooth to placid sleep ; When din of rattling thunderbolts is heard, The roughest words to softer are preferred When purling rivulets translucent glide, The liquid letters then should form a tide. Within a labyrinth, the line seems vext, Mazy, inextricable, and i^erplcxU But when the rougher storms fierce rage on high. And heave the angry billows to the sky ; When rattling rain comes hissing down in showers, And to the whirlixx)! in a torrent pours ; The line should rage, and every letter move. As if great Jove was storming from above.

In the year 1784, wlien Legh Richmond was in his thirteenth year, he was consigned totlie care of Mr. Breach, of Reading, for the purpose of obtaining further assistance on account of his laraenei5:^ as well as to pursue the course of his education. He was subsequently removed to Blanford, in Dorsetshire, and placed under the tuition of the Rev. Mr. Jones, vicar of Loders, and curate of Blandford ; and having made a very creditable proficiency in his studies, and completed his education at school, he was finally sent, in the year 1789, being then seventeen years of age, to the university of Cambridge.

CHAPTER n.

Comprising the period from his entrance at the University^ to his marriage^ and aC' ceptance of the curacy of Brading in the Isle of Wight.

Mr. Richmond was entered at Trinity College, Cambridge, in the month of August, 1789. The following particulars have been communicated in a letter from the Reverend A. J. Crespin, vicar of Renhold, Bedfordshire, a contemporary^ of his in the University, and with whom he formed an intimate friendship, which continued to the period of his death.

" I perfectly well remember that our dear departed friend came to Cambridge for admission about Midsummer, in the year 1789. I was just one year his senior. It was then the custom at Trinity College, that one of the under-graduates should take the candidate for admission to the dean, and to one or two others, and then to the master, for examination. It fell to my lot to perform this office for Legh Richmond, and thus our friendship commenced. He came into residence, according to the usual plan, in the following October; we were both among the candidates for foundation scholarships, and after a public examination of two or three days, we were happy in finding our names among the successful candidates ; and as we afterwards dined every day at the same table, the bands of our friendship were drawn still closer. * * *

" I can with perfect truth affirm, that during the under-graduateship of Mr. Richmond, he applied himself closelj^ to his studies, and was considered and acknowledged by all, to be a young man of great abilities and correct conduct."

A letter from the Rev. William Tate, chaplain of the Dock-yard, Portsmouth, and tutor of the naval academy, contains a further and more detailed account of Mr. Richmond's residence at college.

" Mr. Richmond and myself were of the same year at Cambridge, and had the same college tutor, the late Rev. Thomas Jones. We wore not, however, in the same lecture room till within a year of our taking the degree of A. B.; hence cur intimacy did not commence till about the beginning of 1793. Mr. Richmond came to college with a high character for his proficiency, both in classics and mathematics. In fact, I often heard him spoken of as likely to be one of the third or fourth highest wranglers. At the annual college examination in May, he was each year in the first class, and consequently was a prize-man. I do not recollect that he ever was a candidate for a University prize ; indeed, I think that although he was an extremely good classic, he did not consider himself sufficiently practised in writing Greek or Latin verse, to venture a competition in this respect with the distinguished men from the great public schools.

" That he had a great fondness for social life is not to be wondered at, as he was so well informed on most subjects, and had such a fluency of language, that conversation with him never flagged, and his company was generally acceptable. He visited at the Lodge, Dr. Postlethwaite being then master, and was noticed by some of the senior fellows, in consequence, I presume, of their having been friends of his father. Dr. Richmond, who had himself been a fellow of the college, and whose name stands in the Tripos as having been the tenth senior optime, in January, 1764.

" Mr. Richmond's great recreation was music, in which I suppose you are aware he was eminently skilled. He always had a piano-forte in his room, and played on the organ also. To any tune he could, as he played, make an extempore thorough bass. His musical talents gave rise to a great intimacy and friendship with the late Dr. Hague, the professor of music, and also with Dr. Jowett, then tutor of Trinity Hall, who used to have frequent musical parties at his apartments, at which I believe Mr. Richmond was gener2dly present. He was at all times attentive to the studies of the University, and preserved, throughout, the character of a reading man. Mr. Copley, (now the Lord Chancellor) had apartments directly under those of Mr. Richmond, and as they were both reading hard, they commonly, for some months before taking the degree of A. B., had coffee together after midnight. He went through the public exercises of the schools, preparatory to his degree, with great credit, and was accordingly placed by the moderator in the first class. Owing, however, to ill health, he did not go into the senate-house to stand the final examination. Dr. Butler, master of Harrow School, was the senior wrangler, and Mr. Copley the second; and I have a printed Tripos for 1794, now lying before me. at the bottom of which are the following words. —

f Ds. Richmond, Trin. i . .

V J censcbantur.

"I believe our year was the last in which those who went out CEgrot. in the first class, were noticed in the Tripos. Ever since, the names of such graduates have been omitted in the list of honours; and the Cambridge Calendar, in giving a list of honours for each year, has omitted the names of the (Egrot. in 1794, and all the preceding years, although they were actually printed in the original lists. Mr. Richmond was for some years collectmg materials for a great work which he intended to publish, on the theory as well as history of music. After taking his degree, he applied himself with great ardour to his favourite study, and took much pains to provide materials for his intended musical publication, which he hoped might be ready for the press in the course of two or three years. I have frequently sat with him, while, for hours together, he was making experiments with his musical plates, of which he had a great number, some of glass and some of copper, of all the common regular forms ; as circles, ellipses, squares, rhombuses, pentagons, &c. These he screwed down at a particular point, so as to be perfectly horizontal ; and then, having sprinkled fine sand over the surface, the bow of a violin was drawn across the edge, so as to draw forth a musical note ; and, by the vibration thus caused, the sand was shaken from the vibrating parts, and became collected in one line or more, formed by the quiescent points. It seemed very remarkable, that whenever that particular note, which was the fundamental of any plate, was sounded by it, the sand invariably took the form of a cross, having its centre in the centre of the plate. All other notes, which could be sounded by the same plate, diverged from the fundamental note, according to a certain scale; and every one caused the sand to take a different form. Sometimes it seemed to take the figure of two opposite hyperbolas ; but in whatever form it rested, the figures on the different sides of a straight line, drawn through the centre of the plate, were exactly the counterparts of each other. The lines formed by the quiescent points, in the vibrations of such plates, were calculated by Euler, as may be seen by the Transactions of the Imperial Society of Petersburg, (Acta Petropolitana ;) but the results are little satisfactory, being commonly expressed in hyperbolic forms, and not assuming a tangible shape.

" About this time Mr. Richmond was member of a small club, formed by six or eight Trinity men, for the discussion of philosophical subjects. They met once a week at each other's rooms ; and, to prevent expense in giving suppers, nothing more was to be provided than red-herrings, bread, cheese, and beer. Hence they

16 MEMOIUS OF THE

called this society the " Red-Herring Club." The respectability of the members appears from this circumstance, that nearly every one obtained a fellowship. Mr. Richmond took a leading part at this time in another small society, which was named "The Harmonic Society." The members were nuisical amateurs, who, in turn, gave a concert every fortnight, at which, with the help of two or three hired musicians, they performed pieces out of Handel and other celebrated composers, together with catches, glees, &c. In 1796 was published, by Mr. Dixon, a townsman of Cambridge, and one of the members of the Harmonic Society, a collection of glees and rounds, for three, four, and five voices, composed by the members of that society. In this publication, out of seventeen pieces, seven were contributed by Mr. Richmond.

"In 1796, IVIr. Richmond began seriously to think of taking orders, and of marrying on a curacy. In that situation, he intended conscientiously to do his duty, though he had not the deep sense he afterwards entertained of the vast importance and responsibility of the charge he was about to undertake."

The important period to which Mr. Tate alludes was now arrived, when it became necessary that he should no longer delay his choice of a profession — that choice, which exercises so powerful an influence over all the events and circumstances of future life, and in which our usefulness and moral responsibility are so deeply involved.

It was the wish and intention of Dr. Richmond that his son should direct his attention to the law, with the view of being called to the bar ; but the predominant views of his mind, after taking his degree will appear in the following letter : —

" Cambridge, Feb. ISth, 1794.

"My dear Father,

" It has long been my wish to write to you on the subject which has occupied so much of my attention of late ; and on which, during the solemn interval of my confinement, I had more frequent opportunities of meditating than on any former occasion. I hope and trust that I have thought more seriously on this subject, and have pursued a more regular train of sound rctisoning and self-examination on account of my illness, than if I had enjoyed an uninterrupted series of good health. The time is now arrived when, after having p<\ssed through the regular forms of an academic education, it is expected tliat a young man should select his profession; and on the foundation (which he either has, or ought to have laid in the university) of sound learning and good morals, should begin to raise a superstructure of such materials as may render him an ornament to his profession, and a satisfaction to his friends.

" I should here feel myself guilty of much ingratitude, or at least of much unpardonable neglect, if I did not, at this period of my life, return you my most sincere and unfeigned thanks for the repeated testimonies of affection and generosity, which I have experienced for upwards of two-and-twenty years at your hands : more especially do I feel myself indebted to you, during the last four years, for placing me in a situation in w^hich I have enjoyed numberless happy hours ; have formed friendships and connexions, which are a source of honest pride and satisfaction ; and have had an opportunity (which I hope I have not entirely thrown away) of making great proficiency in such studies and acquirements, as must and will be the chief basis of my future usefulness and happiness. If such be the obligations which I owe to your kindness, what must be my insensibility to every tie of affection, and to every principle of honourable feeling, were I deficient in my expressions of gratitude to the benevolent author of so many blessings. Indeed, sir, I am neither ungrateful nor insensible. It has not been my custom, hitherto, to make long professions, nor to enter into a detail of my internal feelings ; and, perhaps, owing to a deficiency of this kind, I may have suffered in your opinion, on some particular occasions, more than I deserved. It now appears, therefore, to be the more advisable to unfold myself at large, observing, at the same time, that the chief faults and errors of which I hitherto have been, and of which I am still, I fear, too susceptible,' have not arisen from any source of moral depravity, or innate viciousness ; but from an evil, which I see much too prevalent among young men, and from the contagion of which I have not been entirely able to escape ; I mean, the want of resolution to resist temptation, when it is opposed to their better convictions. A very moderate acquaintance with the younger part, at least, of mankind, will convince any observer, that a certain degree of irresolution is by no means inconsistent with many better qualities, and often has its origin rather in the influence of external example, than in any real viciousness of the heart. But I can truly say, that I am very desirous of becoming such as your most sanguine wishes could expect, and I look up to a superior Power for assist ance not to violate these my resolutions.

" It appears to me, that in reviewing the respective merits of tlie different professions, and in determining upon one of them, a very intimate self-examination is requisite, previous to the formation of any fixed resolution. It has been my endeavour for five months past to pursue this difficult undertaking; and I hope I have not failed in the attempt The church and the law are the two subjects to whicli I have directed my attention. I have consulted my own inclinations, abilities, deficiencies, merits and demerits, and examined them in as many points of view as I have been able, in order to determine which of those professions was the best calculated to promote my own happiness, and the welfare of others. My present determination is in favour of the former, principally from the following considerations. The sacred profession is in itself witliout doubt tlie most respectable and the most useful in which any man of principle and education can possibly be engaged. The benefits which it is the province of the clergyman to bestow on his fellow-creatures are more widely disseminated, and are in themselves more intrinsically valuable, than those of every other profession or employment united together. To a conscientious mind, therefore, that line of life appears to be the most eligible, in which he may be enabled to do the most solid good to mankind.