on the Continent, or the poor inmates of the London jail, his alacrity and diligence in doing good were alike worthy to be commended and imitated. There was a holy energy of character and singleness of purpose about him, which will always enable its possessor to accomplish great things. Regarding habitually every faculty he possessed as a talent bestowed upon him for the proper use of which he was responsible, his labours were unceasing that he might be enabled to render an account with joy. He fulfilled closely the directions of one whose friendship was a source of delight to him, believing as one who knew that his salvation depended on faith, and labouring to adorn that faith as though it were to be found in return for the merit of his works.

To be admitted to the freedom of unreserved intercourse with such a man-to hear him pour forth from the treasure of his heart the secret thoughts which gushed from its hidden fountains-to enter with him to the inner chambers of reflection, and join with him in the consultations from which his mighty acts resulted, would have been esteemed an inestimable privilege; and to this his sons have admitted us. From the period at which he was converted, a change which he himself describes as being as great as that which transformed the persecutor of the primitive church into the apostle of the Gentiles, he kept regular records of the daily events of his life and the changing feelings of his heart. What proportion of these have been published by his sons none but themselves know. It has been enough, however, to place his character on the most exalted platform of human excellence. Having adopted for his standard the highest possible model, the example of the incarnate Son of God, and continually comparing himself, not with himself and other equally fallible men, but with this supreme pattern of excellence, his Diary will be found to abound with those humble confessions of unworthiness and guilt which properly result from such self-examination, whilst the testimony of those who, without witnessing, or being privy to the struggles by which the inbred corruption of the heart was kept in subjection, saw only the precious fruit which resulted from his self-denying labours, exhibits the impression made by his example on all by whom he was surrounded. It is not, however, to be supposed that his lot was exempt from those "cruel mockings," and that "shame," and that "malignant blackening calumny," the influence of which he has himself so feelingly de. picted. These are declared by the unerring wisdom of Him who needed not that any should tell him, for he knew what was in man," to be the unavoidable portion of his followers. In the memoir we find traces of them enough to indicate that he partook of a large portion of that "evil speaking which will follow good works." But for all he possessed a sovereign balm of which he continually availed himself in that spirit of prayer which formed the most marked trait of his character. Whether oppressed by the care of empires or the trifling anxieties of life, he still sought that wisdom which God hath promised to bestow liberally on all who seek it; and that he realized the fulfilment of the promise, his whole career, which was most truly like that of the "light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day," affords manifest demonstration. His votes in the House of

PREFACE.

Commons, his intercourse with society and with his family, were all sanctified by prayer; and at no stage of his career did he appear to be ashamed to confess his dependence on the grace of God thus sought. How rare an example does he exhibit when we behold him, the familiar friend not only of princes, nobles, and prime-ministers, but sought after as the companion of kings, withdrawing from the glare of earthly greatness and favour to pray with the sick servants of his acquaintance or the penitent convict in his cell! When we thus see the hidden sources of his strength and power, we cannot wonder at the success which crowned all his efforts, nor at the boldness with which he separated himself, when convinced of the necessity of doing so, from those friends with whom he commonly acted in concert of principle and feeling. Such legislators, like the righteous men sought in vain in Sodom, to adopt the idea of Mr. W.'s favourite poet, save a country. Such was the source of that courage which led him to face the threatened violence of the excited population on the one hand, and on the other to incur the hazard of sacrificing the friendship even of Pitt, when the conflict arose between duty to his friend and his God. There was, however, another feature in his character which, springing from the same source, pervaded equally all his actions. This was his entire independence. Whether in politics or religion, he examined for himself with minuteness of scrutiny and quickness of perception, and when he saw the right he pursued it steadfastly, no matter who saw differently. Yet that this resulted from no hasty determination followed up by obstinate persistance in his own opinions without regard to consequences, the memoir contains abundant proof. In religion the same character of mind which led him at the outset of his career to forfeit a positive advantage rather than subscribe to articles of faith which he did not hold, caused him in after life, when the most dispassionate examination had resulted in the full adoption of those very Articles, to adhere to them with all the fondness of the most intense devotion, and his Diary abounds with entries which indicate his attachment to the Church of England. Thus, when on one occasion, he accompanied a friend whom he dearly loved, and whose Christian character he held in the highest estimation, to a dissenting place of worship, he comments on the manner in which it was conducted on his return, specifying the absence of "Scripture reading and Common Prayer" as reasons for the thankfulness he expresses that he did not belong to their communion; and frequently he remarks in his Diary on the self-denial he exercised in abstaining from frequenting other places of worship, lest his example might weaken the attachment of any to that portion of the church of Jesus which he esteemed most nearly conformed to the model of primitive Christianity in doctrine, discipline, and form of prayer. And yet with all this attachment to her formularies, how far was he from that narrow-minded bigotry which would confine the favour of God within any limits! While he wished to see the church foremost in every good word and work, how ready was he to seek the co-operation of those who thought differently. Methodists and even Baptists were proud of his friendship, and looked to him as their advocate, and he did not hesitate to admit "Friends" to the favour

of intimacy, expressing his admiration of their devotedness to every good work: nor did he fear to stand almost alone among truly religious men, in supporting the admission of Romanists to seats in Parliament, much as he deprecated the errors into which he believed them to be fallen. The same entire independence was shown too in his views on the great question which so engrossed his thoughts during the twenty years of his prime; and if all the advocates of Negro emancipation had manifested the same temper, and prosecuted the enterprise in the same spirit of charity, neither thinking evil nor answering railing by railing, (to say nothing of those who appear to think that loud and angry denunciation is the strongest weapon in their armoury,) the true supporters of the cause would have had less reason to wish to be "delivered from their friends."

There is no intention of entering here into the merits of this questio vxeata. The abridgment and republication of this memoir was not undertaken with the view of its exercising any influence upon it. The circumstances of Great Britain and the United States are so dissimilar, that no reasoning can be brought from the one to bear upon the other. The expression of thankfulness that England could be just while she was generous, which flowed from the dying lips of the great Champion of British Emancipation, separates the actors there from the agitators here, not less widely than the ocean which rolls between the countries. Most fervently is the coming of that time to be desired, when, through the prevalence of Christian faith and practice, wrong and violence and oppression shall be banished from the earth; when the servant shall be found 'doing service with good will as to the Lord and not to man,” and the master rendering to the servant that which is just and equal." But every unhallowed weapon employed in the cause recoils on the head of him that uses it, and every unbidden hand stretched forth in the service but calls destruction on its mover, while the poor objects of sympathy are made to groan in still deeper bondage, from the misdirected efforts of their ill-judging friends.

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The publication of his work on "Practical Christianity" was another of those efforts which required the exercise of great firmness of principle, not only from the reproach to which it subjected him among worldly men, but still more from its own peculiar character: stigmatized by the bigoted of one side as "Calvinistic," and by those of the other as "Legal," it came forth unsupported by any party in the church, depending for its success only on its truth and conformity to the Word of God, and its adaptedness to the wants of man. Yet where is there a book which has more approved itself to the judgment and the heart? Where is there one (a few only excepted, such as Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress and the works of Baxter and Doddridge,) whose influence has been more extensive? Not to mention those who have owed their conversion to its instrumentality, what multitudes have found strength and confirmation in its pages. But had every copy been destroyed except that which, blown on the wings of chance, as the world would say-carried, doubtless, by the angels of God, each humble Christian will believefound its way to the lowly parsonage of an insignificant village in

the Isle of Wight, still from so small a seed has started up so noble a growth as has caused, and will cause to the end of time "joy in the presence of the angels of God" more abundant than can now be known or conceived. What countless numbers in every quarter of the world owe their salvation to the agency of Legh Richmond's writings and but for Wilberforce's "Practical View," Legh Richmond had passed through life unconverted himself and unblessed to others. But zealous and faithful as he was in all he undertook, there was always an unwillingness to put himself forward, and discretion in judging what might be promoted and what injured by his agency. When, for instance, the friends of Jenner sought to procure for him parliamentary compensation for the pecuniary loss to which he was subjected in the prosecution of those experiments which resulted in conferring upon mankind the highest temporal boon which ever was bestowed on our race, Wilberforce was applied to, to take upon himself the lead in the House of Commons. What were the motives by which he was induced to decline we are not informed, but that they were wholly foreign from any want of interest in the case itself, is proved by the following letter, which has recently been printed in the life of Jenner.

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My dear Sir,

"Palace Yard, Feb. 24, 1802.

I have often thought of addressing you on the subject we conversed about formerly; that, I mean, of your valuable discovery becoming the topic of parliamentary discussion, with a view to your receiving some compensation for your eminent services to the community. I hoped long ere now to see the matter brought forward, and always intended, whenever it should be so, to give you my best assistance on a principle of duty. I really thought, as I told you, there were reasons why I was by no means an eligible introducer of the subject; and I could not just now undertake it, on account of my being engaged to render a similar service (though contrary to my own judgment) to another gentleman. But are you aware that Friday next is the last day for presenting private petitions, and that a petition is the proper mode of bringing your discovery before Parliament? If I can be of any use in advising you, I shall be unaffectedly glad, and in rendering you any assistance I am able.

At all events I am persuaded you will do justice to the motive which prompts me to address you thus frankly, and believe me, with esteem and regard,

tion.

Dear Sir,

There was nothing more remarkable in his whole history, than the triumph it exhibits of the Divine Grace over natural imperfecMost truly could he say, "by the grace of God I am what I am." Naturally versatile, nay by more than one of his warmest admirers his mind is spoken of as volatile, nothing short of the powerful control of the all-absorbing feeling of love in return for the love bestowed on him, could have enabled him to persevere

as he did, abounding in the work of the Lord. Mr. Gurney, in his delightful "Familiar Sketch," which no one can read without the regret that it is so exceedingly cursory, and the greater part of which has been embodied in this work with his own consent, speaking of this trait says, "I have mentioned the quickness with which he used to turn from one object of thought and conversation to another. In fact, there was nothing more remarkable in him than his versatility. His mind was of a highly discursive character; and it was often extremely amusing to observe how, while pursuing any particular subject, he was caught by some bright idea which flashed across his path and carried him off (for a time at least) in a wholly different direction. This peculiarity belonged to his genius, and was even a means of multiplying the instruction which his conversation afforded. *** But the volubility of his intellect was balanced by the stability and faithfulness of his moral qualities. Where the happiness of man and the glory of God were in his view, he was for ever recurring to his point."-That he had other failings cannot be doubted that they "had not dominion over him," but were kept in subjection, is manifest by the following memoir which displays the secret workings of his heart, and brings the reader acquainted, not only with the results but with the struggles by which the victory was attained. This constitutes its only merit. The very nature of its composition renders it irregular, and it was at one time designed to remodel it entirely. But a more attentive examination resulted in the conviction, that whatever it might gain in regularity would be more than counterbalanced by the loss of that fresh, personal, autobiographic character which now constitutes its charm. Wilberforce is made to tell the story of his own life, in his own words, and nothing is introduced except where it was necessary by way of explanation, or to preserve the connexion. Many of the papers which afford the material of the work he had directed should be destroyed, but was induced to permit his nearest relations to make from them such selections as they should think it advisable to publish. It is intended to issue an additional volume of correspondence, for which all who admire him, and this includes all the admirers of virtue and excellence, will wait with anxious impatience.

It appears proper before closing this preface, to notice briefly the fact that an unhappy controversy has been excited in England, by the manner in which the original work treats the character and labours of Mr. Clarkson. That the most cordial and entirely mutual friendship existed between them, closed only by death, is plainly manifest to all who examine the question, and most deeply is it to be lamented, that names so long joined in holy fellowship should now be dissevered; lovely in life how sad that in death they should be divided! It has been the endeavour in preparing this abridgment to omit every thing bearing on the subject, from the thorough conviction that each did what he could, and that as fellow-members of one body each was found, working in his appointed place in harmony and with good feeling toward the other; and it is to be hoped that the temporary cloud which has cast its dark shadow upon a scene which was once illuminated by the bright glow of holy affection may soon be forgotten, and nothing be remembered but their cordial co-operation and mutual esteem.