ftruggle got out of the fack, and after tumbling about awhile over the dead bodies, he at last found his way down ftairs, and off he fet, leaving Mr. Longbottom and his wife in the utmost confternation. The old wiredrawer related this story to my brother Philip Lackington.

Having now, I dare fay, had enough of Ghofteffes, I will proceed with my narration.

During the time that I lived with the

Baker, my name became fo celebrated for felling a large number of pies, puddings, &c. that for feveral years following, application was made to my father, for him to permit me to fell Almanacks a few market days before and after Christmas. In this employ I took great delight, the country people being highly pleafed with me, and purchasing a great number of my Almanacks, which excited envy in the itinerant venders of Moore, Wing, Poor Robin, &c. to fuch a degree, that my father often expreffed his anxiety left they should fome way or other do me a mifchief. But I had not the leaft concern,

for

for poffeffing a light pair of heels, I always kept at a proper distance.

O, my friend, little did I imagine at that time, that I should ever excite the fame poor mean fpirit in many of the book fellers of London and other places! but,

66

Envy at laft crawls forth, from hell's dire throng, "Of all the direfull'ft! her black locks hung long, "Attir'd with curling ferpents; her pale skin "Was almost dropp'd from her fharp bones within, "And at her breast ftuck vipers, which did prey

Upon her panting heart both night and day, "Sucking black blood from thence: which to repair, "Both day and night they left fresh poisons there. "Her garments were deep-ftain'd with human gore, "And torn by her own hands, in which the bore "A knotted whip and bowl, which to the brim, "Did green gall, and the juice of worn wood swim; "With which when she was drunk, the furious grew, "And lafh'd herfelf: thus from th' accurfed crew, "Envy, the worft of fiends, herfeif prefents, Envy, good only when the herfelf torments."

"Man's profperity, that is, his chief happin fs,

"And to grieve at that.”

I was fourteen years and a half old when I went with my father to work at Taunton, seven miles from Wellington. We had been there about a fortnight, when my father informed our mafter, George Bowden, that he would return to Wellington again. Mr. Bowden was then pleased to inform my father that he had taken a liking to me, and propofed taking me apprentice; I feconded Mr. Bowden's motion (having a better profpect in continuing with Mr. Bowden than in returning to Wellington with my father), as he offered to take me without any premium, and to find me in every thing. My father accepted his offer, and I was immediately bound apprentice for seven years to Mr. George and Mrs. Mary Bowden, as honeft and worthy a couple as ever carried on a trade.

"Religious, punctual, frugal, and fo forth;
"Their word would pass for more than they were worth."
POPE.

They carefully attended to their fhop fix days in the week, and on the seventh went with their family twice to an anabaptift

meeting;

meeting; where little attention was paid to fpeculative doctrines; but where found morality was conftantly inculcated.

"For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight,
"His can't be wrong whofe life is in the right."

But in this, as in many other places of wor-
thip, it was performed in a dull fpiritlefs
manner; fo that the excellent morality
taught there was not fo much attended to
as it would have been had it been enforced,
or re-enforced by the captivating powers of
oratory.

I well remember, that although I conftantly attended this place, it was a year or two before I took the leaft notice of the fermon, which was read; nor had I any idea that I had the leaft concern in what the minister was (as 'tis called) preaching about. For,

"Who a cold, dull, lifeless drawling keeps,

"One half his audience laughs, whilft t'other fleeps.

"Sermons, like plays, fome please us at the ear,

"But never will a ferious reading bear;

" Some

"Some in the clofet edify enough,

That from the pulpit feem'd but forry stuff. << 'Tis thus there are who by ill reading spoil Young's pointed fenfe, or Atterbury's ftyle! "While others, by the force of eloquence,

"Make that feem fine, which scarce is common fenfe. "But fome will preach without the least pretence

To virtue, learning, art, or eloquence.

"Why not? you cry: they plainly fee, no doubt* A priest may grow right reverend without.”

Art of Preaching.

I am,

Dear Friend,

Yours.

LETTER