tianity. A West-Indian proprietor of slaves consequently arraigned Mr. Hall as a wild enthusiast. The reason was sufficiently obvious: Mr. Hall gave it as his opinion that "Slavery introduces the most horrible confusion, since it degrades human beings from the denomination of persons, to that of things; and by merging the interests of the slave in those of the master, he becomes a mere appendage to the existence of another, instead of preserving the dignity which belongs to a reasonable and accountable nature. * * *** It would be difficult to find a parallel to it in any age or nation, with the exception of those unhappy persons who are carried captive by the piratical states of Barbary. Scourged, branded, and sold, at the discretion of their masters, the slaves in our West-India islands are doomed to a life of incessant toil." One extract more shall suffice; it is with pleasure that I refer the reader to this masterly and eloquent pamphlet:" It is no small aggravation of the cruelty of this system, that its unhappy victims have not been exposed to it as the punishment of crime; but by the violence of ruffians, who having traversed the ocean in quest of human prey, forcibly tore them from their native shores, and the embraces of their dearest relations, in order to expose them to sale in a distant quarter of the globe. The forms of judicial inquiry, the examination of witnesses, the proof of guilt, and the sentence of a judge, were not the precursors of this most dire calamity;-it was the assault of brutal violence on helpless weakness and unsuspecting

innocence; it was the grasp of the marauder and the assassin hurrying away his victims, amidst shrieks of horror and the piercing accents of despair, which prepared these scenes of woe. These, and the descendants of these, are the persons who compose the Black population of our slave colonies.

We behold these children of nature, for the purpose chiefly of supplying us with the ingredient which sweetens our repasts, compelled by men, who call themselves Christians, to exhaust to its dregs a more bitter cup than is usually allotted to the greatest adepts in crime."

After staying a Sabbath in Bristol, I returned to London, having engaged to visit Mr. Hall again shortly. In the September following, I found his health impaired by his sufferings, and nothing but · large doses of laudanum freed him from pain, and enabled him to preach and to go into company. He appeared quite reconciled to Bristol. Instead of taking the laudanum with a gauge, he now had it made into opium pills.

During one evening which he spent with me, being in the greatest agony for a quarter of an hour, he laid his hands on the table, and frequently cried out from the violence of the pain in his back. After taking some additional pills from his box, he said, 66 There, sir, that quantity is equal to 250 drops of laudanum, and makes up 1500 drops which I have taken to-day." As the dose did not produce immediate relief, he resolved to take 250 additional drops. I expostulated, and recommended him to wait for some warm tea, that it might have

time to be diffused through the system. He did so; and was remarkably cheerful the remainder of the evening. We were now joined by a medical friend. Mr. Hall immediately commenced a conversation with him, by remarking, "What a merciful provision laudanum is, sir! I could not exist without it. It seems as if Providence had designed it as a specific for me. Most persons complain that it affects the head, and stupifies them; it has, however, a contrary influence upon me; I always feel more lively after taking it. How do you account for this, sir?" The gentleman confessed his inability to account for it; and stated that Mr. Hall's was a solitary instance.

There was at this time a young gentleman at Bristol possessed of very considerable talents, who was destined for the church. His parents were dissenters. Being very desirous of an interview with Mr. Hall, for the purpose of obtaining his recommendation of suitable books, I mentioned the circumstance to Mr. Hall. "No, sir," he replied, "I shall not do any such thing. His tutor is the proper person to recommend the best books; I have met with the same thing before, sir, and have had my name bandied about everywhere with the books I have recommended. Besides this, sir, it would be very inconsistent in me as a dissenter, to be accessary to his going into the church,*

* Since reading the Editor's note, prefixed to p. 192, Vol. III. of Mr. Hall's collected Works, it has been considered necessary to state, that however 'gross' the 'taste,' in his opinion, which dictated the passage there referred to, so far from Mr. Hall's objections to the Established Church having suffered any diminution,

especially as his parents are dissenters. You say he has seriously studied the question of dissent: I can make every allowance, sir, for a conscientious young man, who has been educated a churchman; but I cannot conceive it possible for any youth, having been brought up as a dissenter, seriously to decide in favour of the church, without having some sinister views. The argument upon this subject is very clear, and lies in a very narrow compass. Jesus Christ is the sole lawgiver in his church. He said, My kingdom is not of this world. It was to be distinct and separate; whoever, then, attempts to connect his kingdom or church with the state, or with the honours, the dignities, and emoluments of this world, whatever may be the pretence, makes it a worldly sanctuary, and disobeys the will of the lawgiver." Mr. Hall had this temptation presented to him in the meridian of life, and nobly made the sacrifice. He is now receiving the reward of his fidelity. He has heard the blessed sentence-Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. It is nearly thirty years since he exclaimed, "Who, my friends, would not labour with all his might to become the friend of God? to aspire after eternal they followed him through the whole of his life, and but increased with his declining years. The same may be stated as to his early political principles. "Educated" (to use his own words) "in the principles of Mr. Fox, and in the purest and best days of Mr. Pitt, to which advancing years and experience have increased his attachment, it is impossible that he should entertain a doubt that an important Reform in our representation is essentially connected with the freedom, the glory, and the happiness, of the British empire."

honours, that he may receive a divine reward, and carry the trophies of victory into the presence of his God?" He rests from his labours, and his works do follow him.

I made another effort to prevail upon him to print some sermons, especially as Mrs. Hall warmly seconded the request. He had been urged to print a discourse recently delivered, while it was fresh in his mind. I offered to wait upon him one hour every morning, to take it down at his leisure in short-hand, and return to him daily a deciphered copy for his correction. To this he replied, "No, sir; I never could dictate to an amanuensis." 'But, sir,' I observed, 'you can sit on the sofa, and smoke your pipe; and if I sit behind, you will have nothing to do but speak a little slower than in the pulpit, and it will be only thinking aloud.' "No, sir, I cannot do that." 'May I beg, sir, that you will make the trial of the exordium, and I do not think that you would experience any inconvenience.' 66 No, sir, I must decline it." A short time after this, on Mrs. Hall's urging the subject upon him, I supported her when she had left the room, he remained silent for a few moments, and then rose from the sofa, and, in a most serious and determined manner, said, "Mr. Greene, I must beg that you will never mention the subject of writing for the press any more. I am quite teased about it: the frequent solicitations of my friends have become quite unpleasant to me."

:

Although this was decisive, a few weeks only elapsed before his friends at Bristol resolved to