making themselves known to him: his sight, his hearing, and his recollection exceedingly failed; but, being mercifully kept from pain, he generally appeared easy and cheerful. Whatever he uttered was perfectly consistent with the principles he had so long and so honourably maintained. Calling to see him a few days before he died, with one of his most intimate friends, we could not make him recollect either of us; but seeing him afterwards, when sitting up in his chair, I found so much intellect remaining as prdouced a short and affectionate reply, though he was utterly incapable of conversation. Mr Newton declined in this very gradual way, till at length it was painful to ask him a question, or attempt to rouse faculties almost gone; still his friends were anxious to get a word from him, and those friends who survive him will be as anxious to learn the state of his mind in his latest hours. It is quite natural thus to inquire, though it is not important, how such a decided character left this world. I have heard Mr Newton say, when he has heard particular inquiry made about the last expressions of an eminent believer, "Tell me not how the man died, but how he lived." Still I say it is natural to inquire, and I will meet the desire, not by trying to expand uninteresting particulars, but as far as I can collect encouraging facts; and I learn from a paper, kindly sent me by his family, all that is interesting and authentic. About a month before Mr Newton's death, Mr Smith's niece was sitting by him, to whom he said, "It is a great thing to die; and when flesh and heart fail, to have God for the strength of our heart, and our portion for ever I know whom I have believed, and He is able to keep that which I have committed against that great : day. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day." When Mrs Smith came into the room, he said, "I have been meditating on a subject, Come, and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul."" At another time he said, "More light, more love, more liberty-Hereafter I hope, when I shut my eyes on the things of time, I shall open them in a better world. What a thing it is to live under the shadow of the wings of the Almighty! I am going the way of all flesh." And when one replied, “The Lord is gracious,” he answered, "If it were not so, how could I dare to stand before him?" The Wednesday before he died, Mrs Gasked him if his mind was comfortable; he replied, "I am satisfied with the Lord's will." He Mr Newton seemed sensible to his last hour, but expressed nothing remarkable after these words. departed on the 21st, and was buried in the vault of his church the 31st of December 1807, having left the following injunction, in a letter for the direction of his executors. "I propose writing an epitaph for myself, if it may be put up, on a plain marble tablet, near the vestry door, to the following purport:— JOHN NEWTON, Clerk, Once an infidel and libertine, A servant of slaves in Africa, Was by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour Preserved, restored, pardoned, Daughter of the late George Catlett, He resigned her to the Lord who gave On the 15th of December 1790. her, "And I earnestly desire, that no other monument, and no inscription but to this purport, may be attempted for me." The following is a copy of the exordium of Mr Newton's will, dated June 13, 1803 : “In the name of God, amen. I, JOHN NEWTON, of Coleman Street Buildings, in the parish of St Stephen, Coleman Street, in the city of London, Clerk, being through mercy in good health and of sound and disposing mind, memory, and understanding, although in the seventy-eighth year of my age, do, for the settling of my temporal concerns, and for the disposal of all the worldly estate which it hath pleased the Lord in his good providence to give me, make this my last Will and Testament as follows. I commit my soul to my gracious God and Saviour, who mercifully spared and preserved me when I was an apostate, a blasphemer, and an infidel, and delivered me from that state of misery on the coast of Africa into which my obstinate wickedness had plunged me; and who has been pleased to admit me (though most unworthy) to preach his glori ous gospel. I rely with humble confidence upon the atonement and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ, God and Man, which I have often proposed to others as the only foundation whereon a sinner can build his hope; trusting that he will guard and guide me through the uncertain remainder of my life, and that he will then admit me into his presence in his heavenly kingdom. I would have my body deposited in the vault under the parish church of St Mary Woolnoth, close to the coffins of my late dear wife, and my dear niece, Elizabeth Cunningham; and it is my desire, that my funeral may be performed with as little expense as possible, consistent with decency." REVIEW OF MR NEWTON'S CHARACTER. His literary attainments-His ministry-Family habits-Writings -Familiar conversation. THERE seems to be little need of giving a general character of Mr Newton after the particulars which appear in the foregoing Memoirs. He unquestionably was the child of a peculiar providence, in every step of his progress; and his deep sense of the extraordinary dispensation through which he had passed, was the prominent topic in his conversation. Those who personally knew the man, could have no doubt of the probity with which his narrative (singular as it may appear) was written. They, however, who could not view the subject of these Memoirs so nearly as his particular friends did, may wish to learn something farther of his character with respect to his LITERARY ATTAINMENTS—his MINISTRY— his FAMILY HABITS-his WRITINGS and his FAMILIAR CONVERSATION. Of his LITERATURE, we learn from his narrative what he attained in the learned languages, and that by almost incredible efforts. Few men have undertaken such difficulties under such disadvantages. It therefore seems more extra |