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Methodists in his Memoirs. In 1806 he removed from Alvestone to Taunton, the town in which he served his apprenticeship, where he purchased some houses, and expended 30007. in erecting a chapel for the use of the Wesleyan Methodists, to which he added a salary of 150l. per annum for the preacher. In front of this building appears the following inscription:

"This Temple is erected as a monument of God's mercy, in convincing an Infidel of the important Truths of Christianity.

"Man, consult thy whole existence, and be safe."

The Wesleyan Methodists continued to preach in this chapel until 1810, when a dispute arose between Mr Lackington and the Conference, respecting the conveyance of the same, according to the Wesleyan scheme of church government, from which the latter could not deviate. The terms upon which the conveyance was required being deemed illiberal by Mr Lackington, he requested the president of the New Connection, named Kilhamites,* to send him a preacher. His request was attended to, and a Mr Henley was despatched to Taunton to preach in Mr Lackington's chapel; and, as he possessed considerable eloquence and abilities, it was much frequented during the year that he officiated. At the expiration of that period, however, being informed that the principles of Mr Henley bordered on Calvinism, Mr Lackington applied once more to the Conference, who sent him a Mr Beaumont, with whom he soon after engaged in a paper war, which at length terminated in the purchase of the chapel by the Wesleyans for 10007. Mr Lackington continued to reside at Taun

* So called from Alexander Kilham, formerly a Wesleyan preacher of some note; but, dissenting from his brethren on the subject of church government, he was expelled the Connection, on which event he raised a society of his own, which has since been called "The New Connection."

ton for two years longer, when his health declining, he determined to live by the sea-side, and finally chose Budleigh Sulterton, in Devonshire, for his future abode. Here he built another chapel, which cost him 2000., and appointed Mr Hawkey, a retired captain in the army, whose father had been recorder of Exeter, his minister, with a salary of 150l. per annum. This salary, with the use of the chapel, Mr Hawkey was to enjoy for his life, after which, the latter was to fall to the Wesleyan connection, and the money appropriated to secure the salary to be divided among the donor's relations.

Soon after this event the health of the eccentric subject of this little volume rapidly declined, and he became subject to epileptic fits. These were succeeded by apoplexy and paralysis, under the effect of which he survived longer than might have been expected, until at length his decease took place on the 22nd of November 1815, in the seventieth year of his age, and his remains were interred in Budleigh church-yard.

It is easy to find more important autobiographies than that of this pertinacious bookseller, sceptic and methodist, but few are more lively, curious, or characteristic.

INDEX.

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AUTHOR'S motives for publishing his Life....
Author's gratitude to his customers

Author's thanks to some booksellers.

.....

Additions since the first edition, why not printed sepa-

rately

All alive, alive O! in W

cathedral

Author's birth not predicted, nor his nativity calculated
bound apprentice to a shoemaker

learns to read; is born again

his rigid application to study of divinity..

thodist sermon

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leaps out of a two-story window to hear a Me-

composes songs before he could write

92

relapses into Methodism

94

converts his friends

96

great talents for controversy..

100

lucubrations like to prove fatal..

100

lives on bread and tea only

103

- travels to Bridgewater, Taunton, Exeter, and

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falls in love with a dairy-maid; his spiritual
courtship.

109

attaches himself to Hannah Allen, another holy
sister

111

married to Nancy Smith, the dairy-maid

114

Author begins the world with a halfpenny

lives on water-gruel to support his sick wife
sets off for, and arrives in, London

is shocked at the wickedness of London; his

PAGE

115

118

121

consolation.

122

goes to receive his legacy, loses part, commits
a faux-pas

125

turns bookseller; his motive for so doing

130

marries Miss Turton....

150

attention to metaphysics

157

quits the Methodists; some reasons why
general opinion of Methodists

158

172

A man believes himself to be the Holy Ghost.

Anecdotes very curious of very spiritual ladies

cannot be rivalled in business

mode of stating his profits and expenses..
visits his old masters.

Amorous gentleman and blundering ostler, a story
Abstinence taught, but not practised, by preachers.
Apple and old iron-stall keepers turn preachers
Almanack vender

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An old buck tempted by his maid and the devil ..
A man to speak less of himself than he really is, is

folly, not modesty

Anecdotes of very carnal and very spiritual ladies.
Authors publishing and selling their own books never

231

258

290

84

158

190

49

75

261

188

138

142

227

answers

Authors should be careful in choosing their publishers ib.
Address to covetuous tradesmen

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Black and white devil, a story

Bowden family, characters of; their library

Bowden, George and John converted

Band meetings, account of

-, select, only for such as are perfect

Booksellers are benefited by our authors selling cheap 263
Baldwin, Mr, a strange story of

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Bottomly, Shaw and Wheeler, save the author from

86

133

149

42

...

50

55

74

76

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