spoke to me in a very comfortable manner, giving me to understand that he had very different thoughts of my state from what I had myself. After our discourse, before he withdrew, he went to prayer with me; and among other petitions that he put up in my behalf, he prayed that I might not trust in my own righteousness, which was an expression that, though I did not ask him its import, I knew not well what to make of.

"After my conversation with Mr. Fletcher, I was rather easier, but this decrease of my terrors was but for a few days' duration; for, though I allowed that the promises and comforts he would have me apply to myself, belonged to the generality of sinners, yet I thought they were not intended for me, who had been so dreadful a backslider, and who, by letting my day of grace slip, had sinned beyond the reach of mercy. Besides, I concluded that they could be made effectual to none but such as had faith to apply them, whereas I had no faith, consequently they could avail me nothing. I therefore wrote again to Mr. F., telling him, as nearly as I can remember, that however others might take comfort from the Scripture promises, I feared none of them belonged to me, who had crucified the Son of God afresh, and sinned wilfully after having received the knowledge of the truth.' I told him also, that I found my heart to be exceeding hard and wicked; and that, as all my duties proceeded from a slavish dread of punishment, and not from the principles of faith and love, and were withal so very defective, I thought it was impossible God should ever accept them. In answer to this, the kind and sympathising Mr. F. immediately wrote me a sweet and comfortable letter, telling me that the perusal of the account I had given him had caused him to shed tears of joy to see what great things the Lord had done for my soul, in convincing me experimentally of the insufficiency of all my own doings to justify me before God, and of the necessity of a saving faith in the blood of Jesus. He also sent me The Life and Death of Mr. Haliburton, Professor of Divinity in the University of St. Andrews,' which book I read with the greatest eagerness, as the account Mr. H. therein gives of himself seemed in a very particular manner to tally with my own experience...... I therefore thought that what had been might be; that the same God who had shewed himself so powerfully on the behalf of Mr. Haliburton, and delivered him out of all his troubles, was able to do the same for me."

"You will wonder how I could hold out under all these pressures, the half of

which, I might say, has not been told; and indeed it was impossible I could have held out, had it not been that at those very times when I thought all was over with me, there would now and then dart in upon me some comfortable glimmering of hope, which kept me utterly from fainting.

"In this situation I continued from September, 1757, to January, 1758, when the Vinerian Professor of Oxford being to read a course of lectures upon the Common Law, I resolved to set out for that place, not through any desire I had to attend the lectures, for I had no heart for any such thing, but because I knew I should have chambers to myself in College, and thereby have an opportunity of being much alone, and of giv ing way to those thoughts with which my heart was big, as also of seeking the Lord with greater diligence, if peradventure I might find him. Accordingly, when I arrived at the University, though to save appearances I dragged my body to several of the lectures, yet my poor heavy-laden soul engrossed all my attention; and so sharp was the spiritual anguish I laboured under, that I scarcely saw a beggar in the streets, but I envied his happiness, and would most gladly have changed situations with him, had it been in my power. O, thought I, these happy souls have yet an offer of mercy, and a door of hope open to them, but it is not so with me; I have rejected God so long, that now God has rejected me, as he did Saul; my day of grace is past, irrecoverably past, and I have for ever shut myself out of all the promises.

"All this while, one thing that greatly astonished me was to see the world about me so careless and unconcerned, especially many that were twice my age amongst the Doctors of Divinity, and Fellows of the College. Surely, thought I, these people must be infatuated indeed, thus to mind earthly things and to follow the lusts of the flesh, when an eternity of happiness or misery is before them, when they know not how short a time they have to live, and their everlasting state depends on the present moment."

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And, O, for ever and for ever blessed be his holy name, he did not reject the prayer of the poor destitute; he heard me what time the storm fell upon me, and I make no doubt had heard, and in his purpose at least answered me, from the first day that he inclined my heart to understand, and to seek after him. But he knew better than I did myself, when it was meet to speak peace to my soul, and therefore waited that he might be gracious unto me; first, in order to convince me the more deeply of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and of the desert thereof; secondly, to shew me more experimentally my own weakness and the insufficiency of any righteousness of my own to recommend me to his favour; thirdly, to make me prize more highly, and hunger and thirst more earnestly, for Jesus Christ, and the salvation that is in him. These ends being in some measure answered, on Saturday, February 18th, to the best of my remembrance, the night before the Sacrament, it pleased the Lord, after having given me for a few days before some tastes of his love, first to bring me into a composed frame of spirit, and then to convey such a thorough sense of his pardoning grace and mercy to my poor soul, that I, who was just before trembling upon the brink of despair, did now rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. The love of God was shed abroad in my heart through the Holy Ghost that was given unto me,' even that 'perfect love which casteth out fear; and the Spirit itself bore witness with my spirit, that I was a child of God.""

"For some time after these sensible manifestations of God's love were withdrawn, my mind was composed and my hope lively; but I had still at seasons secret misgivings and many doubts as to the reality of my conversion, which put me seriously to examine my state, whether the Scripture marks of a work of grace were really to be found in me, or not; and in these examinations I had great help from those excellent books, Guthrie's Trial of a saving interest in Christ, and Palmer's Gospel New Creature. Add to this, that being now in London, I had there the opportunity of hearing that faithful minister of Christ, the Rev. Mr. Romaine, whose discourses were so exactly descriptive of and adapted to my own experience, that they afforded me a good confirmation that I was indeed 'passed from death unto life, and from the power of Satan unto God.' During my stay in London, it pleased God to make me acquainted with many of his people, to whom my heart was immediately knit with the closest affection;

yea, so great was my love to all those in whom I discerned the Divine image of the Lord Jesus, that the yearnings of Joseph's heart towards his brethren will but very faintly express it. Be they who for what they would, high or low, rich or poor, ignorant or learned, it mattered not; if I had reason to believe they were born of God and made partakers of a divine nature, they were equally dear to me; my heart was open to receive them without reserve, and I enjoyed the sweetest fellowship and communion with them, whilst all other company was insipid and irksome."

"For about two years after this I was in good measure relieved from those piercing terrors and that deep distress with which I was before overwhelmed. This, you will say, was living upon frames and experiences, more than upon the exceeding great and precious promises made to returning sinners in Christ Jesus. It is true it was so, and of this God soon convinced me; for I now began to doubt whether these great comforts I had set so high a value upon, might not be all delusion, or proceed from the workings of my own spirit; and if so, my case was just as bad as ever. My day of grace might still be past, and nothing yet remain for me but a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation.'

"This was in April, 1759, soon after my return from London into Shropshire, where I had not been long before I wrote to Mr. Fletcher, giving him an account of my state. After this it pleased the Lord to remove my burthen, and to exchange these sharp terrors of the spirit of bondage, for the sweet reviving comforts of the spirit of adoption, shewing me the rich treasures of Gospel promises, and that they, and not my own frames, were to be the ground of my hope and my stay in every time of need. Since this time I may say with Bishop Cowper, that my soul has never experienced the like extremity of terror; and though I have had many ups and downs, many grievous temptations and sharp conflicts, much aridity of soul, deadness, and strong corruptions to fight against, yet have I always found the Lord to be a very present help in trouble; his grace has been sufficient for me in every hour of need, and I doubt not but all his dealings with me, however thwarting to my own ideas of what was fit and meet for me, have some way or other been subservient to my spiritual interest, since his most sure promise is engaged to 'make all things work together for good, to those who love him and are called after his purpose.''

The above auto-biographical account brings us to the close of Mr. Sidney's first chapter. The second is entitled "Mr. Richard Hill the instrument of the conversion of his brother Rowland. His letter to his brothers Rowland and Robert at Eton, and to Rowland at Cambridge." These were written in the years 1762-4. They are admirable letters; warm, energetic, truly evangelical; and, what some persons might not have imagined, solid and sober-minded. Many who admired Sir Richard's piety, might not have expected to find him giving such advice as the following on the duty of attending to academical pursuits.

"Be diligent in your studies. However human learning may prove a snare to such as are vainly puffed up in their fleshly minds, yet in a gracious heart it is very desirable; and if it is your prayer and endeavour that whatsoever attainments you make in profane literature may be subservient to the nobler end of ren

dering you instrumental to the good of souls, and useful to the church of Christ, there is no fear of your being hurt by those detestable maxims and principles with which the most admired classical authors abound; but rather will they be the means of discovering to you the blindness and depravity of human nature, and the necessity of seeking that only true wisdom that cometh from above, and without which all other wisdom will prove in the end to be only refined folly."

In these letters Richard Hill warmly eulogises the writings of Archbishop Leighton, which, such was the temper of the times, were so scarce that Rowland could with difficulty procure a copy. Beveridge's Sacra Privata was another of Sir Richard's most esteemed books, and he used to give copies of it to his friends. The memoir of Halyburton, recommended to him by Mr. Fletcher, had been of singular benefit to himself; but he might not think it equally suitable for all persons and under all circumstances. Hannah More, we remember, says of it in one of her letters:

January 12, 1803. Finished reading 'Halyburton's Life.' It is so ill-written, so full of Scottish idioms and vulgarisms, and so uncouth, that, together with the gloomy state of his mind, it was a heavy labour to get through the first half; but the second made rich amends; it exhibits the most consolatory view of a soul having struggled with and conquered habitual sin; all ending in such a vigorous unshaken faith, and such a triumphant heart, and leave the most cheering imdeath-bed, as must animate the coldest pression of the truth of Christianity. It would be well worth while to abridge, polish, and reprint, this ill-written but striking testimony to the truth of religion.'

Our incidental allusion to Hannah More, reminds us of another of Sir R. Hill's favorite writers, Bishop Hopkins, in connexion with a little incident which she once related to us, as illustrative of Sir Richard's habitual eccentric humour. She was one day, she said, at Bishop Porteus's, when a servant announced " Sir Richard Hill and Bishop Hopkins." The company wondered who this Bishop was, thinking that some Right Reverend prelate had been announced by his name in mistake for his title: when in stalked Sir R. Hill with the most provoking gravity, with a large volume under his arm, which he respectfully introduced to the Bishop of London. It appeared that in a former conversation with his lordship he had referred to Bishop Hopkins, and he now brought the good bishop to speak for himself. We observe in an extract given by Mr. Sidney in the chapter before us, from "A memorandum of books lent out," that "Bishop Hopkins' Sermons were among the number. He placed them in the servants' hall at his father's inansion when a very young man, together with Alleine's Alarm; Shower on Time and Eternity, and on Heaven and Hell; Doolittle on Love to Christ; and a BIBLE. A Bible in a servants' hall is happily now no rarity; nay, in most decent fami

As we have wandered from Sir Richard Hill and Mr. Sidney, to Hannah More and Bishop Hopkins, we will lengthen our excursive chain by introducing the name of Mr. Wilberforce in connection with Sir R. Hill and Hawkstone. We can make a very good link by quoting, from the invaluable memoir of him by his sons, the following entries in his diary. "Au"August 24th, 1789, Left Cowslip Green [then the residence of H. More and her sisters] for Bristol. [Exactly fifty years ago while we are writing; and we may add, exactly eighty from the day of Mr. Wilberforce's birth, August 24th, 1759.] 25th, Over the water, Old Passage, with my sister and Miss Hannah and Patty More; dined at Chepstow. 27th, Miss Mores returned to Bristol; I and my sister on our way. 29th, Reached Hawkstone. Lady Montague, Bryant, [Brian, Sir Richard's youngest brother] magnetizes Sir Richard, &c. Sept. 3rd, Walked with Sir R. Hill over his beautiful place. 4th, Left Sir R. Hill's. Most kindly sorry to part with us. More solitude suits me, though it is pleasing to see this family of love and peace. Arrived at Buxton at night. 5th, For the last week at Sir R. Hill's. He is indeed a good man; but how much time does one waste even in such a house. Let me as often as possible retire up into the mountain, and come down only on errands

The

of usefulness and love." mention of Bishop Hopkins in the very next paragraph, furnishes us with another link; "Serious reading; Hopkins;" especially as we think it quite as likely that the volume was put into his hands or his post-chaise at Hawkstone, as that he brought it from London, or found it in the circulating library at Buxton.

It appears then that Mr. Wilber. force as far back as the year 1789, when he was about thirty years of age, was on sufficient terms of friendship with Sir R. Hill, who was about fifty-seven, to pass a week under his roof; and their mutual regard continued to the end of Sir Richard's life, nearly twenty years after. It might have been as handsome, therefore, if Mr. Wilberforce's filial biographers had not gone out of their way, in one of their volumes, to insert a note respecting Sir R. Hill, which, being episodical, gratuitous, and ungracious, might quite as well have been omitted. Speaking of Bishop Heber's introduction to Mr. Wilberforce in 1807, they remark; "Heber had entered the room with a strong suspicion of his principles, but he left it saying to his friend John Thornton, How an hour's conversation can dissolve the prejudice of years."" This is very proper; as might have been a note to shew how grievously many a candid mind was abused by the false-let us say erring-accusations put forth in "Anti-Jacobin Reviews, British Critics, polemical pamphlets, and even grave books of divinity, and Visitation and University sermons and bishops' charges, against a Wilberforce or a Hannah More, because they dared to uphold, in the face of opposition and obloquy, the doctrines of the Bible and the Church of England. But instead of this, the biographers drag in as follows the name of Sir Richard Hill, to

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whom there had not been the slightest allusion (that we recollect, or that the index points out,) from the entries above quoted up to the year 1807. They say, "Heber had resided in the same parish with Sir Richard Hill; and he had imagined that his sentiments, which he deemed disaffected to the Church, were shared by Mr. Wilberforce." The amiable Heber, it seems, had for years had (6 strong suspicion of Mr. Wilberforce's principles;" and the biographers, passing by the widespread misrepresentation and abuse of which their illustrious father was the object for more than a third of a century; forgetting the invectives and falsifications which had been so pertinaciously urged against him in the circles with which young Heber (he was only twenty-four years of age) was chiefly conversant; are pleased to say that Heber's suspicion arose from his imagining that Wilberforce" shared the sentiments" of an aged country gentleman, then retired from public life; and that the character of those sentiments was "disaffection to the Church." As we cannot find a single line in Mr. Sidney that alludes to Bishop Heber's having so stated, and as the biographers adduce no proof of their allegation, we can only say that they impute to Heber a shallowness of understanding, or an unkindness of heart, which ought to be demonstrated before they are postulated. We doubt not that Heber, in his rides from Hodnet to the neighbouring town of Monmouth, often thought of the Fluellian logic connected with its name and river; and probably Mr. Wilberforce himself, as he passed from Chepstow to Hawkstone, in gazing on the beautiful scenery which opens on the delighted eye as you approach Monmouth from the hills on which winds the road, smiled amidst his

raptures at the recollection of the initial M. of Monmouth and Macedon, and of their respective rivers with "salmons in both." But we do not think that Heber imitated the logic by arguing that Hill and Wilberforce were both called "Methodists," and were both members of parliament, and that therefore they were "all one," and that there were bad principles in both. If it was a fact, and not a conjecture, that he did thus argue, let us have the proof of it; let the words be quoted in which he said, "the baronet of Hawkstone, in his rages, and his furies, and his wraths, and his cholers, and his moods, and his displeasures, and his indignations, and also being a little intoxicate in his prains, is, look you, disaffected to the Church; wherefore upon this sole and simple ground, without any other reason, I have had for many years a strong suspicion against Mr. Wilberforce. 'Tis so like as my fingers is to my fingers." Let us see this notable argument in Heber's words, and we shall know how to deal with it.

Mr. Wilberforce, we are sorry to say, had to suffer much reproach for the mistakes, or worse, of many persons whose piety did not render them infallible in doctrine or practice. While either ignorance or party-spirit remains in the world, no degree of wisdom, or amiableness or soundness of principle, or consistency of life, can prevent suspicions" and "prejudices." Mr. Wilberforce's politics were absurdly decried as democratical, his piety as cant, his theological creed as puritanical hyper-calvinism, and his holy and benevolent life as sheer hypocrisy. The day has not long passed when he, in common with many other excellent men, lay and clerical, unaddicted to any flightiness of opinion, or irregularity of practice— devout Christians and consistent