Hobart  was  ordained  at  the  same  time.  Thou^  he  was
several  years  younger  than  myself,  was  elected  nearly  a  year
after  my  dection,  and  was  chosen  to  be  but  an  assistant
Bishop,  stiU  he  was  registered  as  my  Senior,  and  uniformly
had  the  precedence.  The  purpose  of  this  partiality  was  that
he,  rather  than  I,  should,  in  the  probable  course  of  events,
be  the  presiding  Bishop.  I  Would 'to  God  it  might  so  have
been.  Through  all  my  life,  I  have  delighted  most  in  retire-
ment. To  appear  in  any  pubHc  or  conspicuous  station,  has
ever  been  unpleasant ;  and,  as  far  as  duty  would  admit,  I
bave  avoided  it.  It  was  with  great  reluctance  that  I  after»
ivaids  consented  to  preside  in  the  house  of  Bishops.    It '


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166  mifoiE  ov

much  oiore  painful  to  m^  iBrom  tny  knomng  tliat  waA
measures  had  been  taken  to  prevent  it*  The  whole  buanefls
has  been  much  blessed  to  me  in  the  subduing  of  a  proud
heart  My  first  two  ordinations  were  not  a  litde  blessed  in
the  same  way;  but  much  more  this  last  Indeed,  whether
or  not  it  be  considered  as  boasting,  I  can  truly  say:  that,  at
no  period  of  my  life,  haye  I  thought  that  I  had  less  honor  in
this  world  than  to  my  merits  was  due.  In  particular  cases,
certainly,  (which  may  no  doubt  be  said  of  almost  ereij  pep-
son,  who  has  occupied  a  conspicuous  station  in  society,)  I
hare  been  unjustly  censured,  and  my  motives  and  conduct
have  not  been  always  duly  appreciated :  but  in  more  instances
my  failings  have  not  been  generally  known.  A  retrospect
of  my  life  past  presents  a  most  humiliating  view  of  sins  and
foUies."

It  may  be  thought  by  some  that  the  above  paragraph,
assigning  the  reason  why  Bidiop  Hobart  was  put  in  pre*
cedency  to  Bishop  Griswold,  had  better  been  omitted  in  the
present  memoir.  In  reply  to  such  a  suggestion^  however,  I
have  two  reasons  to  assign  for  its  insertion.
