you are at liberty to act altogether for yourself. Upon the whole, I believe that you would be an acceptable editor to the generality of the gentlemen.

"Such, my dear friend, are a few of the thoughts which flow into my mind; and I pray the LORD to direct you in the way of benefit for your family, and glory to His name and

cause.

"I remain, my dear friend,
"Most sincerely yours,
"W. SANDYS.

"To Mr. Samuel Drew, St. Austell."

Thus advised, Mr. Drew proceeded to negotiate with Mr. F.; but the conditions proving on inquiry to be unsatisfactory, he declined to accept the newspaper, and Mr. F. sought another purchaser.

In May, 1813, under the title of "Scriptural and Philosophical Arguments to prove the Divinity of Christ, and the Necessity of his Atonement," Mr. Drew published, at the request of his audience, the substance of an extempore discourse delivered at Redruth during the preceding month. Several of the arguments being new, where novelty could not be expected, the pamphlet attracted much attention. No method was taken to give it publicity beyond Cornwall; yet, in the following September, a second edition became necessary to meet the increasing demand and application being made for the discourse from various parts of the kingdom, this edition was soon exhausted. Early in 1814, a proposal was made by the proprietor of Mr. Drew's larger works to purchase the copyright of this pamphlet also: and such was the difference between his fame at this time and his obscurity when he published his "Essay on the Soul," that though he had received only twenty pounds for that work, he sold this single sermon for an equal sum. Since that period, we believe, it has passed through several editions.

In Cornwall, the tenets of Socinianism were, and still are, but little known. At Falmouth there was a small Unitarian congregation; a member of which, who had been previously acquainted with Mr. Drew, undertook to animadvert upon his "Arguments," in a pamphlet that appeared in the autumn of 1813, and was termed by its author a “ Reply." This performance Mr. Drew thought carried with it its own refutation. Yielding, however, to the views and wishes of others, he pub

lished, in the following spring, a closely printed pamphlet of eighty-four pages, entitled, "The Divinity of Christ, and the Necessity of his Atonement, vindicated from the Cavils of Mr. Thomas Prout and his Associates." His reasons for this publication were thus given:—

"It was not long after the pamphlet which bears Mr. Prout's name was published, that several of my friends proposed to me this question,Do you intend to answer it? To these my reply was in the negative; and the reasons which I assigned were, that although he had preposterously called his performance ‘A REPLY' to my dissertation on the doctrines now vindicated, he had not overturned a single argument which I had advanced, nor, only in a few instances, even attempted to do it. In addition to which, my attention was so much engrossed, at that period, with concerns which I deemed of more importance than his pamphlet, that I had no leisure to examine its parts, if I had been so disposed. In the justness of my observations they readily concurred; but, from an apprehension that his pamphlet might fall into the hands of some pious persons who, being unacquainted with controversy, might not be able to distinguish Socinian sophistry from solid argument, they advised me to strip off the visor which it wore, that the unsuspicious might neither be led to forsake the fountain of living waters,' through the delusion of false appearances, nor be induced to turn aside from the holy commandment delivered unto them.'

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"It was also urged, that although Mr. Prout's pamphlet contained no reply to the arguments of mine, yet, as it included a kind of abstract of Socinian argumentation, the confidence with which it was written might induce the superficial to think that its reasonings might correspond with that tone of bold decision which had tempted the professed author to throw down the gauntlet, and even challenge the whole Christian world; and which, if it met with no opposition, might finally incline him to substitute the boast of victory for the blush of shame."

The notice bestowed upon his sermon, the author little anticipated. In the British Critic for 1814, it was mentioned in terms of high approbation; and a passage in one of Mr. Drew's letters to Mr. Polwhele intimates that in him he had recognised his friendly reviewer. In the high places of Socinianism its arguments were deemed sufficiently important to demand further scrutiny; and "A Comparative View of some of Mr. Drew's Scriptural and Philosophical Arguments to prove the Divinity of Christ, and the Necessity of his Atonement," was published in London in 1815; but this professed exami

nation of his reasonings he either never saw, or seeing did not deem a reply necessary.

From several quarters he was urged to take up the subject of Redemption through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, in a more extended way than a sermon would permit, and fully exhibit the inconsistency of Socinianism with reason and with Scripture. "A complete treatise on this momentous topic, written by you," observes one correspondent, "will be an immortal work—a standard book, like Paley's Evidences—so well done that it will not need to be done again." The subject would have been perfectly congenial with Mr. Drew's views and habits of thinking; but other matters then forced themselves upon his attention, and he conceived that an essay on the Trinity, upon which he knew his friend Professor Kidd to be then engaged, would supersede any similar undertaking.

Dr. Clarke, in his correspondence with Mr. D., says, "I gave the copy of your sermon which you sent me to Lord Teignmouth. He is uncommonly pleased with it, and has been sending it about among several other lords." Mr. Drew had the further satisfaction of knowing that, in one case at least, the publication of his sermon had produced conviction. A friend in London, to whose care he had consigned a few copies, writes thus:sold one of your sermons on the Divinity of Christ to a Unitarian, and have the pleasure to say that, from reading it, he has been led to exchange his erroneous sentiments for the doctrine maintained by you."

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These pamphlets against Unitarianism were the occasion of numerous letters to the author, of which we have space only for the following :—

"MY DEAR SIR,

"Creed, June 17th, 1814.

"Many circumstances have prevented me from thanking you, as soon as I could wish to have done, for your very kind letter of the 10th of May, and for your pamphlet which accompanied it. I feel myself much obliged to you for both.

"The object of your pamphlet is to establish what I conceive to be the very essence of our religion, and to vindicate important and awful truths from cavils. I have read what you have written with much satisfaction. There is considerable acuteness in your mode of treating your subject, and also originality in your arguments, which, upon a question so often and so variously discussed, was not to be expected. It is, I think, calculated to do much good: it will have weight with those who

are humble and teachable ;-but, alas! there are those still in the world who seeing will not see, and hearing will not understand.' I fear that Mr. Prout, and men of his character and opinions, will not easily be silenced. There is a flippant selfsufficiency in the style and argument of all the Socinian writers whom I have consulted, that seems to bid defiance to conviction. After what the sober part of mankind would consider as a defeat, they will patch up their broken weapons, and limp again into the field and when they have tired and disgusted both opponents and readers, they will utter the shout of victory. "The renowned Socinian champion Priestley, with all his arts and antics of controversy, serves as their flügel-man in the field. Your parallel between Thomas Paine and Thomas Prout happens very happily, and the coincidence is to be easily traced up to natural causes. Such men cannot brook to be hemmed in by the ordinary barriers which restrain opinions within reasonable limits. 'Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us!'-But 'professing themselves to be wise, they have become fools.'

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'I was concerned to see, that, in the preface to your pamphlet, you mention domestic afflictions; I hope they are removed.

"Yours truly,

"WM. GREGOR."

In March, 1814, overtures were made to Mr. Drew, by a provincial publishing house, to_write a History of all Religions, similar to that of Evans or Bellamy. This he at first felt disposed to undertake; but the terms offered were not such as he approved, and he was dissuaded from it by his friend Dr. Clarke, who remarked to him, "You have earned a little reputation by what you have already written :-it is the easiest thing in the world for an author to write himself out of credit. Beware of this."

A proposition from a London bookseller, to prepare a work on Witchcraft, Demoniacal Possession, Supernatural Appearances, &c., he also declined.

SECTION XX.

Death of Mr. Drew's father-Examination of Dr. Kidd's Essay on the Trinity-Publication of the History of Cornwall-Mr. Drew is appointed by the Methodist Conference to write the Life of Dr. Coke.

EARLY in 1814 Mr. Drew had to follow his aged father to the grave. The good old man had many years before relinquished his farm; and taking a retired lodging, depended chiefly upon his two children for subsistence. Labouring under the infirmities of more than fourscore years, his unusual octogenarian vigour and activity were now rapidly declining; and "like a shock of corn fully ripe," he was about to be gathered into the heavenly garner. There is so much simplicity and pious feeling in a short letter written by him to his son not long before his death, that its insertion, we think, will gratify the reader.

me.

"MY DEAR SON SAMUEL,

"When it is poor times with you, it is miserable times with How can it be otherwise, when I am dependent upon you?—I have been asked whether you have been kind to me, and my answer hath been, that a better son never was born, and that your love and affection did sometimes overpower me. Our good God can make a little go a good way. I have had garments from Mr. P—, I have shoes from my son-in-law, I have money from you, and I have got grace from God, who is the Author of all. Don't you, in any shape, reflect upon yourself, fearing I have been wanting any thing. While you live, I have no gloomy thoughts of wanting; and I am persuaded the Lord will prolong your life for some wise purposes. When I begin to reflect that you are my son, I can hardly bear the honour-that I should be raised up to be so favoured—I, who am not worthy of the ground I tread on-I, who was taken up out of the horrible pit of mire and clay-and, what is more than all, that I should be called a child of God.

"The Lord bless you the Lord be with you-the Lord be gracious unto you, and give you peace, and all your family, for ever. Amen.

"From your unworthy father,
"J. DREW.

"May 29, 1812."