and sixty-four I actually gave away to all purchasers of the work who would accept them; though that portion cost me much above 2001.

"At the close I calculated, in the most favourable manner, my own pecuniary concern in the work: and the result was, that, as nearly as I could ascertain, I had neither gained nor lost, but had performed the whole for nothing. As far as I had hoped for some addition to my income, I was completely disappointed: but, as Providence otherwise supported my family, and upheld my credit, I felt well satisfied; and even rejoiced in having laboured, often far beyond what my health and spirits could well endure, in a work which had been pleasant and profitable to me, and which I hoped would prove useful to others.

"But, alas! much beyond my expectation, my pecuniary difficulties were only commencing, instead of having come to a close. Besides printing, as has been already stated, all the latter part of the work (from the beginning of St. Luke,) on my own account, I had advanced the publisher, more than 800l.-a sum which far exceeded all that I was worth. Still, as the copy-right (which is in such cases usually made the publisher's,) had been mortgaged, or conditionally resold to me for security of this money, I thought myself safe. Moreover, as the work was now finished, and sold well, and the publisher had for some months been exempted from all outgoings on account of it; I had little fear of his being unable to stand his ground: and hence I increased my actual loss, which followed, by declining to receive some money that I might have had, because I thought a near relation of his ought to be relieved from the serious embarrass

ment in which, I was told, he had involved himself in order to serve him.

"Even my more sagacious friends, and those more conversant with transactions of this nature, were of opinion that the publisher's credit was so low, that, even in case of failure, his debts could not amount to any large sum: but, in the event, on his executing à deed of assignment to his creditors, (within five months after the Bible was completed,) claims were made on his estate to the amount of above 10,000l. Still, however, with the latter part of the work in my possession; and with the copy-right pledged to me, and vested in me, unless redeemed by the payment of all that was my due; it appeared to me, that I could have come in, even before à bill of sale, (which he had given,) and have secured my debt, by rendering all the former part of the work of little value with out my concurrence. A commission of bankruptcy would certainly have left me the copy-right, and thẻ concluding part of the work. But I feared that thus to secure payment in full to myself, while scarcely any thing was left to the other creditors, would appear a dishonourable transaction. I said I can go on with my ministry creditably, if I lose 2001. or 300/; but, if I lose my character for integrity, or éven bring it into suspicion, I cannot. I consented, therefore, to come in as a creditor under a deed of trust, delivering up all the latter part of the work in my possession, only retaining the copy-right irredeemably. At first, some creditors were clamorous against my proposal: but, the solicitor employed soon showing them their mistake, my offer was acceded to unanimously: and, at the close of the business, I

T

received from the whole company the unavailing compensation of thanks for my disinterestedness.

"I at first supposed, as I believe the other trustees did, that a dividend of 7s. or 8s. in the pound would be obtained but I never received more than 1s. 2d. in the pound on my 8407., and that after long delays.

"Thus all my little property, arising from a legacy of 1501. from a relation, another of 100%. from John Thornton, Esq. and some others of smaller amount, was sunk as in a vortex; and I was left at least 500 in debt. I lost full 500. by the publication, besides all my labour, and 2001. given me by friends in consideration of what had occurred.

3

"But what was still worse, I fell into discredit as to the management of secular affairs; of which I felt the effects in rather a mortifying manner a few years after, when the trustees determined to sell off all the residue of the edition. This I could have purchased for 4201.; and I was morally certain that it would produce me more than twice that sum, besides precluding all questions about the copy-right: but I could not raise the money. At least, being discouraged by those liberal friends who had before assisted me, I gave it up in despondency, or rather, I trust, in resignation to the will of God; though aware of the consequences, and constantly affirming, that the loan of 4201. at that period would serve me more than the gift of 500/. a year afterwards.

"The whole residue, together with the copper plates from which the prints accompanying the work had been taken, was in consequence sold, in 1798, for 4501., to a person who purchased it with per

mission from me to reprint as much as forty-one numbers, to complete sets, on condition of paying me an acknowledgement of one guinea for each number reprinted. This condition, however, he disre garded; and on the ground of possessing the copperplates, assumed a liberty of printing at his pleasure, -thus virtually advancing a claim to the copy-right. No bookseller therefore could be expected to engage in a new edition, unless the work were taken entirely out of this purchaser's hands: which led me, about a year afterwards to inquire the terms on which he would part with what yet remained unsold; when he demanded 900/. for it, though he acknowledged that he had already received double the purchase money, and had incurred comparatively little expense!

These circumstances, however unfavourable to my temporal interests at the time, have proved a most important benefit to the work. Had I sold it to the booksellers, as I should have done if I could have secured it against encroachment without having recourse to Chancery, I could hardly have failed of being cramped by them, as to the expensive improvements which I contemplated; but, retaining it in my own hands, I added, in a new edition, fifty sheets to the comment, at an expense of 7007.; besides the marginal references, which cost more than 10001. printing.

Many, no doubt, have wondered what could induce me to involve myself in pecuniary transactions to the extent I have done, which have required me to contract debts that I have not yet been able wholly to liquidate; and to struggle with difficulties beyond the conception of most persons, and wholly

beside my inclination, and my talent and turn of mind. This may appear the more extraordinary; after I had firmly declined the most liberal offers of assistance, to enable me to take the work out of the original publisher's hands, and to print it on my own account,―on the ground that this would so occupy my mind about pecuniary concerns, as to unfit me for the work itself. But the fact was, I had now no other alternative left, if I would improve the first rough sketch of a work, which I always deemed the grand business of my life. I must either leave the whole to be reprinted by the purchaser of the residue, sheet by sheet, after the old edition, according as one number or another might be wanted; or I must have recourse to Chan cery, which I greatly dreaded; or I must print on my own account, which I knew I could legally do.-The very friends also, who before declined advancing me 420/., now offered to lend me considerably more; and some others concurred. The booksellers likewise assured me that, as soon as the work was so far advanced that there were any volumes for sale, it would pay its own expenses. Thus encouraged I ventured to undertake it.

"For a considerable time all went on well with my new edition. The sale actually answered the expendi ture, though that was little short of 1000l. a year: and it appeared probable that a profit would accrue to mé sufficient to reimburse my former losses. But at length such an enormous rise took place in the price of paper, attended by a considerable advance in the charge of printing, as, together with the additions I made to the work, caused my estimates to turn out nearly 1000l. too low: and the sale of the