north, near Oundle. The first is Barnwell Castle, the seat of the Duke of Buccleugh; next to this is the seat of Lord Lilford; then the residence of the Lady Fitzpatrick, at Farming Woods, formerly belonging to Lord Ossory. Then the lordship of Biggen, now belonging to Watts Russel, Esq.; Lord Cardigan's seat, at Dean; Lord Westmoreland's, at Aythorpe; Earl Carysfort's, at Elton; and last, not least, Earl Fitzwilliam's, that prince of noblemen, at Milton. Such a cluster of noblemen's seats, perhaps, is not to be found so near any other market-town in the kingdom. I have been informed that, during the last war, oak timber was annually shipped from these woods and forests, to the amount of half a million sterling, for the use of his majesty's dock-yards. Mr. Hall appeared interested with this information. A return of the pain in his back, unfortunately, prevented him from riding out to gratify his curiosity. He was therefore necessitated to have recourse to large doses of laudanum every night, in order to alleviate his extreme suffering. He generally took a pipe with him when he retired to his chamber, being in the habit of rising in the night, and reclining on the bedside carpets, for the purpose of smoking and reading for an hour or two, when wakeful, or when the pain came on. I lent him a volume of Beddome's Sermons, which he read through during this visit. I inquired his opinion of the sermons. He was delighted with them, and surprised when I told him that they had not reached a second edition. "I am astonished at that, sir, for they are very evangelical, and there is a good choice of subjects: there is a bone, and sinew, and marrow in them, that shows a great mind. I like them, sir, because they are so full of thought; they furnish matter for the mind to dwell upon. It is true they are very short; but it must be remembered that they are posthumous, and were never intended for publication: they are little more than skeletons. I like them the better for their compactness. It shows the taste of the age, sir: they would have been more approved had they been long, and verbose, and showy. They supply materials for thinking, sir: some persons, however, don't like to think, sir. In short, sir, I do not know any sermons of the kind equal to them in the English language. I believe they are destined to be much more extensively read and appreciated." I mentioned several instances in which we had lent them, and they had been found eminently useful; in families, and in sick-cham bers, where they could be read in twenty minutes, without fatigue to the patient.

He preached one evening, during his visit to Oundle, from Man dieth and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? He chose this subject on account of several recent deaths in our family connexions. The discourse was very impressive, particularly that part of it in which he pursued the inquiry, Where is he? For a few minutes he gave us one of the finest metaphysical disquisitions upon matter and spirit that I ever heard or read. His object was to prove that matter is infinitely divisible; and that the soul is independent, and will go into a separate state. Man giveth up the ghost. Here he showed the folly and absurdity, as well as the unscriptural notion, of

the doctrine of materialism; and, with great solemnity, pursued the inquiry, Where is he? He followed the spirit of a good man to his entrance into the heavenly state; "he pierced the invisible world, and looked into eternity," and described the blessedness of the dead who die in the Lord. He then referred to the condition of the wicked man: Where is HE? and described the awful situation of those who die in their sins; that one of the severest denunciations of the Saviour was, that they should die in their sins. If ye believe not that I am (he is supplied by the translators here, improperly), ye shall die in your sins.” He repeated it with great emphasis and earnestness, " Die in your sins" then entered into a warm expostulation, "Why will ye die, O house of Israel? why will ye die ?" with invitations to come to the Saviour for life. I took no notes of this sermon, which I regret.

It is impossible to give an accurate account of the various topics of conversation which passed in the course of the week, while Mr. Hall was with us. Never did we enjoy his company so much. When free from pain, he experienced that exquisite state of feeling described by Dr. Paley, when speaking of the "transition from pain to ease, which none knew but those who have experienced it." At such times he became quite playful and entertaining; at other times he was serious and devout. Mr. Hall was pre-eminently a man of prayer. When reading the Scriptures in the family, he pursued an admirable plan for exciting attention by occasional observations on particular passages, or on the phraseology of the text, and by inducing a few minutes' conversation by interrogatory remarks: "That is very striking: did you observe it in that connexion? What do you think of that, sir? How absurd, on the Socinian notion, is this language! Why, sir, it would be quite nonsense."

On the Saturday morning we left Oundle for Leicester. Mr. Hall was fond of fast driving, but wished for a long time at the different places where we rested. "Now give me all the time you can, sir, when we stop. It is a maxim with me, that the present place is the best place. You know, sir, I can lie on three chairs and ease my back. We need not hurry to get to Leicester, sir; it will be quite time enough if we arrive by ten or eleven o'clock. Mrs. Hall will not expect me earlier. She will be surprised to see me before that time, and I do not want to meet any person to-night." I remonstrated, knowing the difficulty there was in getting him to start. "Well then, sir, we will say not before nine o'clock, if you please." This preliminary settled, he started the subject of the funds. "I do not know," said he, "how it is that I never could understand the principle of the funding system, particularly the sinking fund. I cannot see how the debt is to be redeemed by it: perhaps it is owing to my stupidity. Now, sir, I wish that you would give me some information about this financial arrangement." I said that, unless the sinking fund was intended to mystify and deceive, I could not account for it. Would it not be better to pay off annually a portion of the debt, on a plan similar to that which is adopted in common life? For example, if a man owes a thousand pounds, and has no capital to pay it, but is in

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the receipt of an income of three hundred a year, he agrees with his creditors to pay one hundred per annum towards the amount for which he is indebted. Thus the debt and interest are annually diminished, and both parties are benefited. Mr. Hall condemned the present sys. tem, and then launched forth against it. I soon discovered that he understood more of the subject than he would acknowledge, which was his usual plan for eliciting conversation. He was well acquainted with the writings of Dr. Price, and other political economists; he then eulogized Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations, especially his principles of free trade and the subdivision of labour. These," said Mr. Hall, are sure principles, sir; and they are destined to triumph." In short, there was not a subject connected with general knowledge the general principles of which he did not understand. Persons were sure to derive instruction from Mr. Hall, if they drew him into conversation; either by not assenting, or by modest inquiries for information. His talents would have rendered him a first-rate statesman, being well acquainted with international law and the rights of belligerants. He had read and studied Grotius, Vattel, and the most celebrated author. ities. By his brilliant and overpowering eloquence, he would have shone as a star of the first magnitude in either house of Parliament. With the science of jurisprudence he was well acquainted he had an extensive knowledge of the common, civil, and canon laws. [ have heard barristers with whom he has conversed, and who were absolutely astonished at his knowledge of these subjects, exclaim "Where could this man get this wisdom?" They have frequently declared that they learned more in two or three hours from him, respecting the general principles of law, than they had done from books.

:

We arrived safely at Leicester, after breaking the shafts of my gig by the additional weight which was thrown upon them by a contrived horizontal position of Mr. Hall for the purpose of alleviating the pain in his back. Mrs. Hall was anxious to learn whether Mr. Hall was aware that it was the time of the assizes at Leicester, when many of the barristers attended his meeting-house. I told her that, as he had not alluded to the circumstance, I did not think he recollected it. She begged that I would not mention it, as it was too late, and it might make Mr. Hall uneasy; and we knew that it would not matter if he were thrown upon his resources.

When Mr. Hall arrived at the meeting-house there were a number of the barristers present. As soon as he entered the pulpit, I saw, by the expression of his countenance, that he recognised them; but it was remarkable that, had he been informed of the event, he could scarcely have fixed on a subject more useful and appropriate. The discourse was founded on these words, The truth as it is in Jesus: not as it is in Moses, in Paul, or any other authority, but THE truth as it is in JESUS.* It was observed that most of the barristers appeared to feel oppressed by the closeness of attention which was requisite fully to estimate the weight of evidence produced. Any person who

* The notes of this sermon may be found in this volume -B

was not in the secret would have imagined that it was prepared for the occasion.

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As we were walking home, I said to Mr. Hall, "What an astonishing sermon you have given us this morning, sir! I never heard you deliver a discourse with so much rapidity." Why, sir," he replied, "my only chance of getting through was by galloping on as fast as I could: I was thrown on my resources, and had no conception of its being the assizes till I entered the pulpit and saw the counsellors. I never preached from that subject before, sir." I said, " But when could you prepare the sermon, sir? for we have been together all the week, and you have had no time." Why, sir, I will tell you; I thought of it at intervals, and during the night. Beddome's Sermons, which you lent me, suggested the subject, and I fixed the outline in my mind, and perhaps was excited by the unexpected appearance of men of talent."

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Being desirous to learn from Mr. Hall the particulars of the interview between the celebrated Mr. Hone and himself, I mentioned to Mr. Hall that I had been informed Mr. Hone called upon him, at Watford, for an explanation and an apology, and that he complied with the request. Well, sir, what of that? Who told you? What have you heard?" I replied, "It has been stated that Mr. Hone considered his reputation was injured by being coupled with Carlile, in the Reply to the Strictures in the Christian Guardian, where he is charged with blasphemy. He denied the charge, and begged to be informed on what work or passage in his writings the charge was founded. There can be no mistake, sir," said Mr. Hone, "for in the next page you define blasphemy, which you say is 'the speaking contumeliously of God?"" "Well, sir," said Mr. Hall," the account is mainly correct; I was wrong, and I certainly did apologize to Mr. Hone; there is nothing contrary to true dignity in that, sir. I once made you an apology when you were a young man, sir, on discovering that I had been mistaken. To confess an error is an act of common justice between man and man.* Now, sir, I will tell you the sequel. I said, 'I am not acquainted, Mr. Hone, with your writings; but I am bound to believe you when you say that you have never made use of blasphemous language, and that you are a believer in Christianity; but by some means I have received the impression, in common with several other persons, that you cherished the same principles with Carlile. I hope, sir, as that is not the case, that you will take an early opportunity of making your belief known to the public; it will be the best method of doing away with the unfavourable impression.' Mr. Hone left me perfectly satisfied.† Sir," he continued, "it is false honour, and false dignity, when we refuse to apologize for an error. Men frequently subject themselves to the necessity

See this edition of Mr. Hall's Works, vol. iii., p. 259, letter liii. to the Rev. James Phillips. + I cannot deny myself the pleasure of placing on record, in this place, the fact that Mr. Hone, a man of splendid talents and learning, whose name is identified with the literature of his country, but who was long entangled in the meshes of infidelity, became, for many years before his death, a decided and eminent Christian. More transparency of mind or warmth of heart I never expect to meet with on earth. It was my happiness and profit to enjoy his friendship, and to be charmed with his childlike simplicity and fervent devotion. His name will long be fragrant to a large circle of VOL. IV.-H

either of telling a lie,* or hazarding their own lives, or the life of a fellow-creature, merely to support an imaginary dignity." Yes, sir," I replied: "this reminds me of a circumstance which occurred some few years since, at the opening of a new session in Parliament. The late Mr. Whitbread having inveighed, in strong terms, against the conduct of Mr. Perceval's administration, was called to order by Mr Perceval, who rose, with great warmth, and said the honourable gentleman was pursuing the same course of argument and invectives, in opposing the measures of government, as he had done in the former sessions; and then became quite personal, adding, 'So true is it—

"Destroy the web of sophistry, in vain;

The creature's at its dirty work again."

Mr. Whitbread instantly called him to order, and demanded satisfaction for such contemptuous language. Mr. Perceval, instead of acknowledging his error and making a direct apology, shielded himself by the subterfuge that he did not mean anything personal.' Now, sir, not only Mr. Whitbread, but all who heard or read Mr. Perceval's language, must know that he was personal. The whole point was in the words 'the creature' and 'the dirty work;' stripped of its personality, there could be no meaning in the allusion." "Certainly not," said Mr. Hall; "Mr. Perceval ought at once to have expressed his regret for having wounded the feelings of Mr. Whitbread, or confessed that he had been betrayed by the heat of debate, and have begged his pardon; that, sir, would have been noble and truly dignified."

While Mr. Hall was at all times willing to concede to the rights of others, he was equally tenacious of his own; and such was his commanding appearance, that none dared to commit the slightest rudeness in his company.

Some years before this period, he learned, from undoubted authority, that a clergyman of his acquaintance had made some unjust and illiberal charges against the Baptists and himself. An explanation. was demanded, which was for a long time delayed. Mr. Hall, consequently, declined all intercourse with the clergyman. Two mutual friends at length waited on Mr. Hall, to inquire the terms upon which he would meet this gentleman at a dinner-party. He replied, that he had not the slightest objection to do so, provided their friend would either make him an apology, or declare that he did not allude to himself directly or indirectly. On this being stated to the gentleman, he chose the latter alternative. The parties met, and a partial reconciliation took place. When Mr. Hall informed me of the circumstance, I said, "You know, sir, from the best authority, that he did allude to you, both directly and indirectly." "Very well, sir," he replied, "Mr. had his choice, either to deny it or to make an apology. If he chose to tell a lie, that is not my concern; my honour, as a gentleman and a minister, is satisfied."

On the Christian duty of forgiveness, Mr. Hall was of opinion that

attached friends, who will cherish the remembrance of his Christian virtues, and his powerful ad vocacy of the principles of civil and religious liberty.-B.

* Lord Bacon says, "When a man ieth he is brave towards God and a coward towards men."— GREENE.