tive, that his authorship tended only to poverty, and evidently somewhat sickened him of the business. To get rid of his stock, he employed travelling booksellers. But in some instances he fell into very bad hands. Some got between two and three hundred pounds worth of his books, together with an advance of money, who sold what they could, but never made him any remittances, returned his books, or even favoured him with any account. Truly, it could be no wonder that he grew tired of the business, and that he was willing to sell off his stock at primecost and under.

He published six letters addressed to the Methodist Societies, in defence of the great doctrines of "Justification by Faith, and the Witness of the Spirit." These letters were occasioned by an attack made, in the year 1809, on the Doctor and the Methodist preachers, respecting those points, by the Rev. Melville Horne, of Macclesfield. It was at a time when there was some noise in the religious, and especially the Methodistic world, on account of the impeachment and expulsion of Mr. Joseph Cook, a Methodist preacher, for preaching and publishing sentiments contrary to the sentiments of Mr. Wesley, and the Methodists, on those heads.

And here it may not be improper to remark, that when the Doctor became such an extensive author and publisher, it cannot be supposed that he could do without some help, especially when his other numerous employments are taken into the account. Accordingly he engaged in his service, Mr. Samuel Drew, author of the "Essay on the Resurrection of the Body," and the " Essay on the Immortality of the Soul," and other works. Mr. Drew had no small share in writing the letters to Mr. Horne. Any competent person,

who shall examine the style and logic, I think, may be convinced of this. It was with the same assistance that he began to publish a history of the bible, intended to have been comprised in three handsome quarto volumes, and to be comprised in about eighty-eight numbers, at one shilling, or forty-four, at two shillings each. He published about half a dozen numbers of this; but his encouragement was not sufficient to induce him to go on. Neither Mr. Drew's abilities, nor his own name and titles, could procure a sufficient vent for what he published. Besides sundry smaller publications, "partly written, and partly selected by Dr. Coke," he published a new edition of "The Life of Christ, an heroic poem, in ten books: originally written by the Rev. Samuel Wesley, Vicar of Epworth, in Lincolnshire, and father of the late Rev. and venerable John Wesley, in two volumes."

This poem was first published towards the close of the seventeenth century, and then passed through more than one edition. For some time it attracted considerable notice from such as were religious; but after living its day, it retired into the shades, and was almost forgotten. For more than a century it remained under the mantle of oblivion. In general, the design of Mr. Wesley remained unaltered. The contents preceding each book, and the note subjoined, continue nearly as they were. But in the poem itself, the variations are considerable. But the book is considerably enlarged. For to remedy its various defects, and bring it as near to perfection as possible, more than two thousand lines are added in the various parts. Each book has received an addition of lines; several, of some hundreds. There is a passage in the Doctor's preface of which I so much feel the weight in my present

undertaking, that I cannot refrain from transcribing it says he, "There is perhaps no species of writing more entertaining than that of biographical narrative; but its utility must in no small degree depend upon the character of him who becomes the subject of historical relation. This must always form the criterion, when the writer presents to the world a faithful delineation. An individual, who has been honoured for probity and virtue, may become an example to thousands, who may view him as a pattern worthy of imitation and his history may diffuse virtues through various departments of life, to which our calculations cannot reach."

The above poem, in 2 vols. price 6s. may be had at the City-Road, London. One of the last works which bears his name, if I may not call it the very last of all, as it was not all printed off, nor even all written, as the conclusion shews, when he embarked for India, is, "A History of the West Indies, containing the natural, civil, and ecclesiastical history of each island: with an account of the missions instituted in those islands, from the commencement of their civilization; but more especially of the missions which have been established in that archipelago by the society late in connexion with the Rev. John Wesley." This work is comprised in three octavo volumes, upon good paper, handsomely and closely printed, containing 1,465 pages, price £1. 11s. 6d.

He apprises his readers that he shall avail himself of every extant authority: and expresses his own ideas in the words of a principal authority, that of Mr. Bryan Edwards, of whose history of the West Indies he makes a large use" I have endeavoured to collect useful knowledge wheresoever it lay; and when I have found books

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that supplied what I sought, I have sometimes been content to adopt, without alteration, what was thus furnished to my hands."

As one principal part of my work was proposed, before its commencement, to be devoted to accounts of missions, and especially those promoted by Dr. Coke, and along with those missions, to give some geographical and historical accounts of those distant regions, where some of the principal of them have been established, it appears to me, that this is the most proper stage of my history of the Doctor, to say what I have to say of the West Indies.

THE WEST INDIES.

And now, reader, we are going to be amused and regaled for a while, in one of the most romantic and pleasant regions upon the globe. Such all who have visited those islands allow the West Indies to be. But while we may briefly notice the natural beauties, as well as history of those insulated paradises, our principal subject must be religion, and especially as there promoted by Dr. Coke. And to contemplate the spread of the everlasting gospel, and its transforming influences upon the lowest tribes of the descendants of our general parent Adam, must afford no small portion of the purest pleasure to every genuine christian. Such a religious pleasure, combined with the beauties of nature, now lies before us. Here we shall find many of the sable sons and daughters of Ham, shewing forth the praises of Him who hath called them out of darkness into marvellous light, and who, till lately, never heard of the Saviour's name. The comforts derived from religion have softened and even sweetened slavery itself; so that they are not only resigned

to their state, but even thankful to that mysterious and gracious providence, who has thus brought the greatest good out of the greatest evil. Supported by a hope full of immortality, and filled with peace and joy in believing, the poor injured African endures as seeing him who is invisible, and glories in tribulation, while he looks forward to that rest which remaineth for the people of God. And from Abraham's bosom will many of these see some of their former tyrants and oppressors in that place where he was who cried, and said, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame." Many a slave-holder would be glad of a similar service from his lately abused negro, when both are arrived in the world of spirits. But I am not denouncing any general indiscriminating vengeance. It is said by some, that some slave proprietors are good people, and treat their slaves very mildly and kindly. So far so good. But I am not prepared to prove how dealing in slavery can consist with genuine christianity but that, on the contrary, is not our present business. The question of the slave trade has been amply discussed by the public, and especially in the British senate, in our time, and Great Britain has had the honour of being the first nation upon earth, which has formally and solemnly renounced the iniquitous traffic. May she never resume it, and may all nations follow her example.

The islands which have obtained the name of the West Indies, are considerable in number, and of very different sizes. They are situated in an extensive excavation, apparently scooped out by the hand of Providence, near to the most southern part of the northern continent of America.

In the western world, we behold an immense