as being thereby animated to an ardent desire of treading the fame path to blessedness, and tracing the foofteps of the flock to the fhepherd's tent; I am induced the more readily to forward the publication of the following sheets, and the more earnestly to recommend them, with other compofitions of the like nature, to the folid attention of my friends, and particularly to the youth of this generation.

Whom I could wish to be well apprized, that our reading and study, as well as every other occupation of our lives, is moft properly and most profitably employed in the purfuit and acquifition of those virtuous difpofitions, whereby we may please our maker, fill up our stations in life with propriety, and be good examples in our generation, and that it is a matter of important confequence to all, but efpecially to this age of inexperience, to be very very careful, and well directed, in the choice of the books they read, as well as the company they familiarly affociate with, that they be fuch as may make profitable impreffions upon them: these filent companions of the closet communicate a good or evil influence, according to the subjects they treat of, and the manner in which they are treated, with a secret but powerful effect on the tender mind, and the apostle's observation, that "Evil communications corrupt

good manners** is in my opinion, applicable to corrupting books, as well as corrupting compani

ons.

From the clear fenfe they had of the pernicious tendency of fuch compofitions, our friends both in a private and collective capacity, have been frequently concerned to recommend a care in parents and guardians to prevent, and caution youth and others to restrain their inclination in the reading of "Such books as tend to leaven the mind into vani“ty, prophaneness, and infidelity;"† under which description are comprized, "Plays, novels and ro

mances, and all those which have a tendency to "lead the mind from piety, and to oppose or reject "the divine authority of the holy feriptures:" and this licentious age, which hath produced an inundation of fictitious compofitions of the former kind, romances and novels in abundance, presents an occafion to reinforce the caution to our young friends, to beware of touching the unclean thing, left their minds be imperceptibly defiled thereby.

For fuch writings being adapted to the depraved taste of an indolent luxurious generation, they seem more calculated for a diverting entertainment, or the

* 1. Cor. xv. 33.

+ See Yearly Meeting's Epiftles, 1723, 1762, &c.

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amufement of an idle hour, than for profitable inftruction, or real improvement in morals, in understanding, or in temper of mind: and the time employed therein, I judge, in general mispent, or spent to a bad purpofe; and "There's but little need "to drive away that by foolish divertisements, which flies away fo fwiftly of itself; and when once gone 'is never to be recalled. Plays, Balls, Treats, Romances, Mufick, Love-fonnets, and the like, will "be a very invalid plea, for any other purpose than "their Condemnation, who are taken and delighted "therewith, at the revelation of the righteous Judgment of God." William Penn's No Cross no Crown, Chap. 15. Sec. 7. Few, I believe, are much the better or wifer, for the hours they pass in perufing fuch productions. The greater part,' being the invention of corrupt minds, have a very corrupting influence. And those which appear most plausible, are too generally formed to fill the head with romantic ideas, and airy imaginations; to flatter our pride, infuse a taste for fenfual pleafures, nourish our propenfity to worldly grandeur, and the defire of great poffeffions, and to bring the mind into a diffipated ftate: operating in direction diametrically oppofite to the grace of God, which" bringeth falvation; and teacheth us to deny all ungodlinefs, and worldly lufts; and to live foberly,

righteously, and godlily in this present world. For these reasons I am induced on this occafion to caft in my mite, and give my fuffrage to this concern of the fociety, I am connected with in religious fellowship, for the prefervation of their members from hurtful purfuits: defiring they may receive the word of exhortation to refrain from unprofitable or prejudicial compofitions, as well as to peruse with seriousness, such as tend to impress the -mind with religious confiderations, and influence it to the practice of piety and virtue.

From fundry papers which have formerly come into my hands, I have reafon to believe, it was a practice with the author of the enfuing pages, to take down in manufcript frequent reviews of his life, by way of retrospection, and to form a more precife judgment how he was prepared and preparing for the final account; a profitable, rational, and religious exercise! which it might be advantageous for all to employ themselves in every day of their lives. These seem to have been designed merely for his own private use; but at three different periods he commenced a review of the whole, I imagine, with a more extenfive view, the first in the 35th year of his age; the second in the 54th, and the third in the 66th, but had proceeded only a lit

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tle way in the last, when he was removed from this life, I have traced the last, as far as it was carried forward, and the fecond to the end: and from that period, having collected what authentic memorials I could, I have in a supplement continued the narration to the end of his life, which, with the memoirs to which it is annexed, is fubmitted to the candour of the judicious reader.

I have also annexed an epiftle to friends in Ireland, which I found amongst the papers from whence the following memoirs are compiled, which feems defigned for publication, and in which there are many obfervations well worthy the attention of those in particular to whom it is addreffed, and of others into whose hands it may fall.