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have received on the subject, both by letter and otherwise, have far exceeded my most sanguine and selfflattering expectations; I very sensibly feel the obligation! Their generosity has overwhelmed me! I am overpaid, and remain their debtor !

"A truce with jesting; what I here impart
Is the warm overflowing of a grateful heart;
Come good, come bad, while life or mem'ry last,
My mind shall treasure up your favours past.”

But, lest I should be over vain, I must at the same time declare, that I have received scurrilous abusive letters from several of Mr Wesley's people, merely because I have exposed their ridiculous principles and absurd practices; but more particularly for having pulled off the hypocritical veil from some of those sanctified deceivers which are among them.

The numerous letters of approbation which I have received from rational intelligent gentlemen, convince me that I have not wronged the cause of manly and rational Christianity, nor was it ever my intention so to do.

"But your philosophers will say,

Best things grow worse when they decay.
If Phoebus' ray too fiercely burn,
The richest wines to sourest turn.

E. LLOYD.

I here also present my compliments and sincere thanks to my impartial friends, under the second class of my dedication, for the friendly disposition they have shown, in freely distributing my Memoirs among their customers, and they may be assured, that I will not let slip any opportunity of making them proper returns for all their favours.

I cannot conclude this preface without saying something about this edition.

When I put the first edition to the press, I really intended to print but a small number; so that when I was prevailed on, by some of my friends, to print a very large impression, I had not the least idea of ever

being able to sell the whole; and of course had not any intention of printing other editions. But the rapid sale of the work, and the many letters which I am continually receiving from gentlemen, in various parts of Great Britain and Ireland, who are pleased to honour me with their approbation and thanks, encouraged me to read the whole over with more attention, to correct such typographical errors as had escaped my observation, and to improve the language in numberless places; and yet many errors still remain.

In executing this plan, I perceived that I had omitted to introduce many things which would have been an improvement to the work; and while inserting them, others occurred to my memory, so that most parts of the work are now very much enlarged. But although these additions have increased the expenses of printing and paper to near double, yet I have added but sixpence to the price.

Had

profit been my motive, I could have divided the work into two volumes, and I may add that each volume would have been larger than even some six shilling ones lately published.

To such as ask why these additions had not been printed separately, to the end that such as purchased the first edition, might have had them without purchasing the whole work over again-I answer, had it been practical, I would have done that; but those additions being so many, and so various, rendered that method ridiculous, as every one who will take the trouble to compare the various editions, must readily acknowledge; nor can the purchasers of even the first edition complain with respect to the price, it being equal in size to most new publications which are sold at six shillings. And although some may think that the prefixed head is of no value, I can assure them, that I am of a very different opinion, at least of the original; and I have the pleasure to add, that a very great number of my customers have been

highly pleased to have so striking a likeness of their old bookseller. Nor am I the first bookseller who nas published his head; Mr Nicolson, (commonly called Maps), bookseller at Cambridge, two years since, had his head finely engraven; it is a good likeness, and is sold at ten shillings and sixpence. Francis Kirkman, partner with Richard Hend (last century) prefixed his portrait to a book, entitled "The Witts, or Sport upon Sport," This Francis Kirkman also published Memoirs of his own Life, and probably led the way to John Dunton. See Grainger's Biographical History of Eng, vol. iv. I could make many other apologies

"

But why should I distrust

My judges are as merciful as just:

I know them well, have oft their friendship tried,
And their protection is my boast-my pride."

CUNNINGHAM

VERSES

OCCASIONED BY READING

THE LIFE OF MR JAMES LACKINGTON.

ADDRESSED TO THE INGENIOUS, AUTHOR

BY HIS UNKNOWN FRIEND.

SINCE your pen, friend unknown, such improvement conveys,
'Tis but justice to you that this tribute repays;
For when in the bosom mild gratitude burns,
"Tis a pleasing relief, which the feeling returns:
For as dear as the light to the thoughts of the blind,
Is the pen, or the voice, that enlightens the mind,
And the more, as from nature and genius untaught
Your various adventures and humour are brought,
Which display all the farce of the Methodist plan,
The shame of religion, of reason, and man;
While no libertine motives their secrets dispense,
But propriety joins hand-in-hand with good sense,
Oh! with thee, could the crowd view each sanctified scene,
Where the hypocrite oft wears simplicity's mien,
Where youth, second childhood, and weakness of sex,
Are objects they ever prefer to perplex;

Like thee, they'd contemn, or indignantly leave,
Whom folly and knav'ry combine to deceive;
And whose Newgate conversions blasphemously paint
The wretch most deprav'd the most excellent saint.
Goon; and discover each latent design,

And your rivals expose, who against learning combine
O'er such craft shall fair conduct, like thine, still prevail,
And an envied success lay them low in the scale.
But as time is too short all your steps to retrace,

Let your Life speak the rest, and succeed in their place :

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