y fast, and whose known benevolence was much
practised upon by beggars. Archbishop Blackburne, when asked by Queen
Caroline whether he was still alive, answered, "He is not dead, madam, but
buried." In 1733 he was made chaplain to Lord Chancellor Talbot, elder
brother of his dead friend Edward, and in 1736 prebendary of Rochester. In
the same year he was appointed clerk of the closet to the queen, and had to
take part in the metaphysical conversation parties which she loved to
gather round her. He met Berkeley frequently, but in his writings does not
refer to him. In 1736 also appeared his great work, _The Analogy of
Religion_.

In 1737 Queen Caroline died; on her deathbed she recommended Butler to the
favour of her husband. George seemed to think his obligation sufficiently
discharged by appointing Butler in 1738 to the bishopric of Bristol, the
poorest see in the kingdom. The severe but dignified letter to Walpole, in
which Butler accepted the preferment, showed that the slight was felt and
resented. Two years later, however, the bishop was presented to the rich
deanery of St Paul's, and in 1746 was made clerk of the closet to the king.
In 1747 the primacy was offered to Butler, who, it is said, declined it, on
the ground that "it was too late for him to try to support a falling
church." The story has not the best authority, and though the desponding
tone of some of Butler's writings may give it colour, it is not in harmony
with the rest of his life, for in 1750 he accepted the see of Durham,
vacant by the death of Edward Chandler. His charge to the clergy of the
diocese, the only charge of his known to us, is a weighty and valuable
address on the importance of external forms in religion. This, together
with the fact that over the altar of his private chapel at Bristol he had a
cross of white marble, gave rise to an absurd rumour that the bishop had
too great a leaning towards Romanism. At Durham he was very charitable, and
expended large sums in building and decorating his church and residence.
His private expenses were exceedingly small. Shortly after his translation
his constitution began to break up, and he died on the 16th of June 1752,
at Bath, whither he had removed for his health. He was buried in the
cathedral of Bristol, and over his grave a monument was erected in 1834,
with an epitaph by Southey. According to his express orders, all his MSS.
were burned after his death. Bishop Butler was never married. His p