he left them without regret; yet not till he had fufficient opportunity of counting the coft, and of knowing the value of what he gave up. If happiness could have been found in claffical attainments, in an elegant taste, in the exertions of wit, fancy, and genius, and in the esteem and converse of such persons as in these refpects were moft congenial with himself, he would have been happy. But he was not-He wondered (as thoufands in a fimilar fituation ftill do) that he fhould continue diffatisfied, with all the means apparently conducive to fatisfaction within his reach -But in due time, the cause of his disappointment was difcovered to him-He had lived without God in the world. In a memorable hour, the wisdom which is from above vifited his heart. Then he felt himself a wanderer, and then he found a guide. Upon this change of views, a change of plan and conduct followed of course. When he faw the busy and the gay world in its true light, he left it with as little reluctance as a prifoner, when called to liberty, leaves his dungeon. Not that he became a Cynic or an Afcetic

-A heart filled with love to God, will affuredly breathe benevolence to men. But the turn of his temper inclining him to rural life, he indulged it, and the providence of God evidently preparing his way and marking out his retreat,

he retired into the country. By thefe fteps the good hand of God, unknown to me, was providing for me one of the principal bleffings of my life; a friend and a counsellor, in whose company for almost seven years, though we were feldom seven fucceffive waking hours feparated, I always found new pleasure. A friend, who was not only a comfort to myself, but a bleffing to the affectionate poor people, among whom I then lived.

Some time after inclination had thus removed him from the hurry and bustle of life, he was ftill more fecluded by a long indifpofition, and my pleasure was fucceeded by a proportionable degree of anxiety and concern. But a hope, that the God whom he ferved would fupport him under his afiliction, and at length vouchsafe him a happy deliverance, never forfook me. The defirable crifis, I truft, is now nearly approaching. The dawn, the prefage of returning day, is already arrived. He is again enabled to refume his pen, and fome of the first fruits of his recovery are here prefented to the public. In his principal fubjects, the fame acumen which diftinguished him in the early period of life, is happily employed in illuftrating and enforcing the truths of which he received fuch deep and

unalterable impreffions in his maturer years. His fatire, if it may be called fo, is benevolent, (like the operations of the fkilful and humane furgeon who wounds only to heal) dictated by a juft regard for the honour of God, an indignant grief excited by the profligacy of the age, and a tender compaflion for the fouls of men.

His favourite topics are least infifted on in the piece entitled Table Talk; which therefore, with fome regard to the prevailing tafte, and that thofe who are governed by it may not be difcouraged at the very threthold from proceeding farther, is placed first. In most of the larger Poems which follow, his leading defign is more explicitly avowed and purfued. He aims to communicate his own perceptions of the truth, beauty, and influence of the religion of the Bible.-A religion which, however difcredited by the mifconduct of many who have not renounced the Christian name, proves itself, when rightly understood, and cordially embraced, to be the grand defideratum, which alone can relieve the mind of man from painful and unavoidable anxieties, inspire it with stable peace and folid hope, and furnish thofe motives and profpects, which, in the present state of things, are abfolutely ne

ceffary to produce a conduct worthy of a rational creature, diftinguished by a vaftness of capacity, which no affemblage of earthly good can fatisfy, and by a principle and pre-intimation of immortality.

At a time when hypothefis and conjecture in philofophy are fo juftly exploded, and little is confidered as deferving the name of knowledge, which will not stand the test of experiment, the very use of the term experimental in religious concernments, is by too many unhappily rejected with disguft. But we well know, that they who affect to defpife the inward feelings which religious perfons speak of, and to treat them as enthusiasm and folly, have inward feelings of their own, which, though they would, they cannot fupprefs. We have been too long in the fecret ourselves to account the proud, the ambitious, or the voluptuous, happy. We must lose the remembrance of what we once were, before we can believe, that a man is fatisfied with himself, merely because he endeavours to appear fo. A fmile upon the face is often but a malk worn occafionally and in company, to prevent, if poffible, a fufpicion of what at the fame time is paffing in the heart. We know that there

are people, who feldom fmile when they are alone, who therefore are glad to hide themfelves in a throng from the violence of their own reflections; and who, while by their looks and their language they wish to perfuade us they are happy, would be glad to change their conditions with a dog. But in defiance of all their efforts, they continue to think, forebode, and tremble. This we know, for it has been our own ftate, and therefore we know how to commiferate it in others.-From this ftate the Bible relieved us- -When we were led to read it with attention, we found ourselves defcribed. -We learnt the caufes of our inquietude-we were directed to a method of relief-we tried, and we were not disappointed.

Deus nobis hæc otia fecit.

We are now certain that the gospel of Chrift is the power of God unto falvation, to every one that believeth. It has reconciled us to God, and to ourselves, to our duty, and our fituation. It is the balm and cordial of the present life, and a fovereign antidote against the fear of death.

Sed hactenus hæc. Some fmaller pieces upon lefs important fubjects clofe the volume. Not