short remainder of his life sufficed to carry him only a little way into his narrative; but the fragment which he has been permitted to leave behind is so deeply interesting, as exhibiting clearly and unmistakeably the wondrous working of God's mighty hand, that it has been deemed desirable to make it public, though it was dictated by the author almost with the unstudied freedom of private intercourse, and had not the advantage of his subsequent revision.

May the Lord condescend to accompany this volume with His gracious blessing, and to Him be given the glory due unto His name.

January, 1872.

EARLY RECOLLECTIONS.

I was born at Pimlico, June 7th, 1796. What follows respecting my early childhood, I have often heard related by my beloved mother. The third day after my birth, she awoke out of sleep; I was lying by her side with halfpence on my eyes, which naturally excited her surprise. The nurse had gone down stairs for a few minutes, and my brother, who was between three and four years old, was left in the room. My mother said to him, 'What have you been doing?' He answered, Nurse has let me see a baby with halfpence on its eyes, and I have put halfpence on your baby's eyes.' Within a few hours, violent inflammation of the eyes set in, and the medical attendant sent for Dr. Ware. He said that the inflammation was sufficient to destroy the strongest eye in two hours. Blisters, leeches, and fomentations were used; and at the end of three weeks I was so much reduced that the doctor and nurse said I was dead. But my mother would not believe it, and held me in her lap for not less than six hours, when I began to breathe again. I may indeed say with the Apostle that I have been in deaths oft,' or very near the

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gates of death, as will appear by-and-bye. What I have related was the first remarkable deliverance.

I would add, with reference to my eyes, that Dr. Ware intreated my parents not to allow any quack to put me to pain, under the pretence of restoring sight; but he said he should like to see me when I was about ten or eleven years of age. I remember calling on the doctor, in Bridge Street, Blackfriars. He had a perfect recollection of the case, and of the opinion he gave at first; which opinion was fully confirmed.

I have sometimes thought of what the disciples said to our Lord, respecting the blind man whose sight He recovered: Who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' Our Lord replied, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.' And And may I not say with the Psalmist: 'I am as a wonder unto many; but Thou art my strong refuge?' It is said prophetically of our Lord: 'Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel.'

When I was about two years old, my parents went to live with my maternal grandfather, near Bridgewater, Somersetshire. He wished my father to assist him in the management of his farm. Soon after we arrived, I was sitting one day before the kitchen fire, which, according to the country fashion, was made of wood piled on the hearth, when my brother in play came behind me, and threw me forward on the fire. At that instant a servant came in and caught me up, I having received no material injury. A minute's