ADVERTISEMENT.

SIR MATTHEW HALE was twice married; first, to Anne More, the sister of Sir Henry More, of Fanley, Berks, Knight; and secondly, to Anne, daughter of Bishop, Esq. of

the same place. By the former he had six children: Robert, Matthew, Thomas, Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth. They were all living in 1662, the date affixed to one of these letters; and the eldest, Robert, was at that time in his 23d year. It is to this son he alludes in the above-mentioned letter, when he says, "Let the original be laid up safely for your brother R." These letters of Sir Matthew Hale were written when he was on the circuit :-thus the duties of the parent were fulfilled, without interfering with those of the judge.

Of these children, Robert died in 1670, I Matthew in 1675, and Thomas, in May, 1676, > half a year before his father. These were sad blows to a sinking man, whose children appear to have been most dear to him. But he had 2 other cares to occupy his latter days, and others b claims upon him as a parent. His son Roberte a had married Frances, daughter of Sir Francis Chokke, of Avington, Berkshire, Knight. But she dying at nearly the same time with her husband, the charge of their five orphan children, all of them infants, devolved upon Sir Matthew and his second wife. Thus he had another young family to protect and educate in his old age. With these he pursued the same system which he had adopted towards his own children; writing to them a long letter of sound advice, which was become the more nesi! cessary, as in the common course of events he could not hope much longer to superintend their conduct. It is preserved among his MSS. in Lincoln's Inn library, and is entitled, “A

Letter of Advice to my Grandchildren; especially to my two Sons, Matthew and Gabriel Hale, and to my three Daughters, Anne, Mary, and Frances Hale, all Children of my eldest Son Robert Hale, and Frances his Wife, both deceased." These all survived their grandfather. The three girls died at the ages of 16, 17, and 18 years.

The Four Letters of Sir Matthew Hale to his own Children are now, for the first time, presented to the public in a handsome volume, and with the text comparatively free from errors. For subject and style, and it is hoped for accuracy and elegance, the work deserves to be considered as a standard English classic, fit for the instruction of youth, and the edification of all men.

The Account of the Good Steward is added to the Letters, with the view of rendering them the more complete. Being the work of

the same hand, it is pleasing to see all those precepts which are enforced in the former part of the volume, embodied, and reduced to practice in this latter treatise, which, as it contains a summary of the whole faith and duty of a Christian, has been adjudged by many to be little more than a portrait of its estimable author.

The Memoir prefixed to this edition, was composed chiefly from the excellent Life of Sir Matthew Hale, and the Appendix to that account written by Mr. Richard Baxter. The length and minute detail of both those articles, prevented the Editor from reprinting them, as he wished, in their original form.