It is short, and may be rather denominated a character than a life. It is however very interesting, and breathes a warmth which such a subject would naturally excite in the writer's mind. Collyer's "Sacred Interpreter" was re-published by Dr. Paley, and recommended by him to the attention of the public. He was examining chaplain during many years to the Bishop of Carlisle, and had frequent opportunities of observing its usefulness. His recommendation, added to its own merits, bestowed a considerable degree of popularity on the work, which it still continues to enjoy. The writings of Dr. Paley, which display great knowledge of the human heart, and great acquaintance with common life, prove that this knowledge may be acquired by reading and thinking, without perpetually mixing in various and crowded society, His life has been spent in the retirement of a college and of a provincial town. To the metropolis, where alone living pictures of the human mind in all its forms are exhibited, he has only paid short and occasional visits. This circumstance has made his connections with the republic of letters rest almost solely on his works. An eminent writer resident in the capital is naturally connected with many of the literary characters which a great city always attracts and retains. But Dr. Paley's friendships are not among authors; and there is perhaps no writer of the same celebrity of whose history less has been communicated to the public. His writings are on serious subjects, admitting of the display only of powerful reasoning, and profound and accurate thinking; but his conversation is distinguished by a perpetual flow of exquisite and original humour, and by a sprightliness and felicity of expression peculiar to himself. His anecdotes are happy combinations of amusing circumstances, not tedious by their length, or disgusting by frequent repetition. He betrays no literary fastidiousness: the most trifling subjects of the day are sometimes adorned by his wit. It will be esteemed a proof, though it is not a pleasing one, of his powers, that many have been delighted by his conversation, have been astonished in recollecting its topics to discover their meanness, when no longer dazzled by the brilliancy of the circumstances with which his genius had con. nected them. who He has a fondness for company, which always attends the power of pleasing it. Since he obtained the living of Bishop-Wearmouth, and the sub-deanry of Lincoln, he has divided his residence between those two places, and mixes a good deal in the societies which they afford, though not so much as to interfere with the domestic habits which his literary pursuits and a large family have necessarily produced. It may here with propriety be mentioned, as an article of literary intelligence, that Dr. Paley's abilities have been for some time employed on a very important subject, and that the public may expect soon to enjoy the fruits of his labours. • The subject is understood to be " Natural Theology." ROBERT ROBERT RODDAM, Esa. ADMIRAL OF THE WHITE, &c. &c. &c. ADMIRAL RODDAM is brother to the late Edward Roddam, of Roddam, in the county of Northumberland, Esquire, and third son of Edward Roddam, of Roddam, and Little Houghton, Esquire, by Jane, daughter of Robert Shelly, Esquire, born at Richmond, in Yorkshire, and a merchant of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The family of Roddam is believed to be one of the most primeval in the British dominions; the Scottish Heraldry most likely contains their more remote lineage, as upon an old pedigree of the family is written the. following grant, in Saxon characters: "I King Athelston gives unto the Pole Roddam, "From mee and mine, to thee and thine, "Before my wife Maude, my daughter Maudlin, and my eldest The English Heraldry first mentions Eleanora Roddam, married to Robert Umfraville, Earl of Angus, anno 1184, 31st H. II. ob. 2 E. II. Vin. No. 149, fo. 79. and Dug. Bar. 1. Vol. fo. 506, in the College of Arms. Lucy, daughter and heir of Philip de Rime, I. 10. Sir John Roddam, of Roddam, Knight, Lord of Houghton, in right of his wife Ellen, daughter and heiress of John Houghton, of Houghton, in the county of Northumberland, Esquire. Sir John Roddam was slaine in the Palme Sunday ffielde with the Earle of Northumberland Northumberland in battaile, the 7th anno 1491, the 19th day of March. William de Roddam. Thomas. William de Roddam, 49th King Henry III. William married the daughter and heiress of Thomas D'Esplee, Sir John slain at the battle of Towton, Edward III. Joane, daughter of Adam de Roddam, married Thomas de Umfraville, ob. 10 Rich. II. and from those the Roddams, of Roddam, have descended in a direct line to this day, intermarrying with the families of Greys, of Chillingham, in Northumberland; Swinburnes, of Eethingham; Lisles, of Felton, &c. &c. &c. The Roddams had originally possessed a great portion of the north part of Northumberland; but the little progress of improvement, added to the varying governments and warring events of former ages, caused their property to be much reduced; which is laughably and satirically noticed by the laconic author of a supposed will of a northern clergyman, written near thirty years ago, who laments that the proud Roddams and Delavals, who merrily dance in their rags, cannot sell their lineage. King Athelston's grant of the only part of the antient inheritance that they now retain is circumstantially and more particu larly larly mentioned in Historia Majoris Britanniæ tam Angliæ quam Scotiæ; per Joannam Majorem nomine qui-· dem Scotum professione autem Theologum è veterum monumentis concinnata, giving certain and indubitable proofs of the antiquity of their ancestry; in which the author, mentioning an irruption of the English into Scotland in the reign of King Richard the Second, says, When they burnt the monasterics of Melros, Driburg, Newbottel, and Edinburgh, and returned back without damage. After their departure, Robert Stewart, Earl of Fife, second son of the King of Scotland, having with him James Earl of Douglas, and Archibald Earl of Galway, with thirty thousand men, entered England by Solway Frith, and finding the adjacent country rich and abundant, carried off very great spoil. While he was there, a most ancient charter was brought to their commander Robert, in which was thus written, I King Athelston Giffis heir to Paulane Odam and Roddam Ale gud and als fair Als evir tha myn ware And *yair to witness Mald my wife. The same Robert, then Duke of Albany, was chosen Governor of Scotland (during the detention of his nephew King James the First in England), whenever he heard long charters and other similar writings, be used to say, that in ancient times there Yair to, would be anciently written in Saxon characters yaiɲto. 1802-3. K was |