The Bishop of Lincoln (Dr. Wordsworth) has announced his intention
of resigning his see on or before Lady Day next, owing to the infirmity of his health, which has been much increased by the serious illness of this year. His resignation will be received with universal regret. If we have a saint en the Episcopal Bench, it is generally admitted that Dr. Wordsworth is the man ; and often as we have been unable to agree with his rather narrow principles of Churchmanship, we have never supposed for a moment that doctrinal straitlacedness is half so injurious to the influence of the Episcopacy as an example of saintly life is beneficial to it. We sincerely hope that a suc- cessor may be named for Dr. Wordsworth who will be worthy of him in spirituality of character, and who may yet have intel- lectual breadth and force enough to avoid some of the mistakes which he has committed. Such a successor might easily be named, and would add greatly to the strength of the Northern Episcopate both in popularity and eloquence, while few would deny that even in spirituality of character he might hope at least to emulate Dr. Wordsworth. If we do not name him it is only because we think that newspaper nominations of Bishoprics are generally a mistake, and rather tend to prevent the fulfil- ment of the wish which inspires them, than to fulfil it.
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