He also appointed £10. per annum for a librarian, together with the accommodation of the house, a stipend, long since found inadequate as a remuneration for the duties of the office. Though Dr. Williams departed to his reward in February 1716, yet the preliminary arrangements for carrying the provisions of his testament into effect, were not complete till 1727, when the trustees not finding any suitable building, purchased the site of the present library for £450. and obtained from the Court of Chancery permission to appropriate £1518. out of the founder's estates, for the erection of the house, according to the estimate. But it happened, then, as it has often done since, that the estimate was not equal to the expenditure, and the Chancellor's grant was exhausted before the building was completed. It being thought highly inexpedient to apply again to that Court, it was agreed by the trustees, March 1729, to address the following circular to their friends :-" Dr. Williams's library being near finished, some additions of great advantage to the common interest, it is apprehended may be made upon the foundation of that building, consistent with the Doctor's design of additions and of general use, which will require a considerable expense, and yet cannot be defrayed out of his estate, according to the allowance made by the Court of Chancery for erecting the library. It is, therefore, proposed, that any who are inclined to forward that service, would contribute what they see proper for such a purpose.'

This appeal produced the desired supply, and members both of the Independent and Presbyterian bodies, liberally subscribed for its completion, so that by the close of that year, the trustees transacted their business at the house.

The library has received since

that period many valuable additions, by the munificence of several eminent ministers and laymen of the Three Denominations, amongst whom Dr. William Harris stands pre-eminent, having bequeathed a noble collection of 240 folio, 364 quarto, and 1355 octavo volumes to the trustees. Its increase has, however, been gradual, for unlike the libraries of the Universities, and of other privileged bodies connected with the Ecclesiastical Establishment of the country, it does not swell its catalogues at the cost of authors and publishers, but simply by the voluntary donations of those enlightened individuals, who can appreciate the importance of such an Institution to the Dissenters of the metropolis.*

On the 7th of February, 1816, a century having elapsed since the death of the founder, the trustees, with their select friends, assembled at the library to hear an oration, delivered by the late Dr. J. Lindsay, commemorative of that event, and afterwards they adjourned for a celebration dinner, at which Matt. Wood, Esq. M. P., and the Lord Mayor of the City for that year, was invited to preside, being a Dissenter, whose theological opinions are said to harmonize with those of the majority of the present trustees.

The reader being now in possession of the leading historical facts connected with this library, it only remains to furnish a descriptive sketch of its general appearance and contents. The frontage of the building is in perfect aecordance with the wishes of the founder, for though it presents the appearance of great respectability, yet it has not the imposing air of

* Dr. Williams's trustees have within the last few years, appropriated £50. per annum to the library, and each new lay trustee subscribes, ou entering on his office, 10. 10s., for the same purposes; but these united, can do little more than keep the books in respectable repair.

a public institution. The groundfloor, which contains, to the right and left, spacious parlours, are devoted to the service of the librarian, together with the other apartments on the basement story. By a staircase, ornamented with portraits, the visitor ascends to the library itself, which occupies two spacious rooms on the first floor.

The front room, which extends the whole width of the building, is fitted up with mahogany glasscases and presses, which have a very uniform and elegant appearance. Over these cases are ranged twenty-five original portraits of distinguished puritan and nonconformist ministers. The chimney-piece to the left is adorned with a fine portrait of Dr. Williams, while that on the right is ornamented by a brilliant likeness of Rev. Richard Baxter.

The second room occupies the whole depth of the premises, and is fitted up with twelve stalls, above which are arranged near forty portraits. The situation of the adjoining premises prevented the introduction of side windows in this room, and the builder, instead of overcoming this inconvenience, by the introduction of a central lantern, of capacity sufficient to diffuse an equal body of light throughout the apartment, resorted to the miserable expedient of placing small windows in the ceiling over the stalls, which distribute the light so partially, that all the portraits are thrown into the most unfavourable shade, except those immediately beneath the glare of these petty apertures. In the upper part of this room is placed a handsome wainscot press, which contains some valuable manuscripts, and other articles that are rare and curious. These apart ments are capable of receiving forty thousand volumes, though the catalogue does not contain half that number. There are, however, many very rare tracts, early editions,

and costly works in the collection. Of the rare tracts it will be enough to say there are two hundred and thirty-eight volumes of sermons and tracts, published during the civil war of Charles the First, of which, the sermons, preached before the Parliament, fill thirty-two volumes. Among the early editions may be enumerated "The Salisbury Liturgy," A. D. 1530, finely illuminated; "The Hours of the Virgins," Paris, A.D. 1498; the printing and wood-cuts are finely executed; the first edition of" Milton's Paradise Lost," and early impressions of his other works; and of the costly works it will be sufficient to mention the classic pages of Grævius and Gronovius, extending through more than thirty folios, with that great national work Rymer's Fadera, in twenty volumes, folio.

Amongst the manuscripts are a beautifully illuminated Bible; a well-written copy of Wicliffe's Testament, in black letter, about the reign of Henry the Fourth. But there are two copies of the Scriptures, which are peculiarly calculated to interest the pious visitants, from the circumstances under which they were transcribed. The older MS. contains "The Old and New Testaments, in short hand, 1686," which were copied, during many a wakeful night, by a zealous Protestant, in the reign of James II., who, fearing that the attempts of that monarch to re-establish popery would terminate in the suppression of the sacred Scriptures, resolved at least to secure a copy for his own use by this ingenious method. The other MS. contains the whole Book of Psalms, and all the New Testament, except the Revelations, in fifteen volumes, folio, written in characters an inch long, on a black paper, manufactured on purpose, with a white ink. This perfectly unique copy was written, in 1745, at the cost of a Mr. Harris, a

tradesman of London, whose sight having decayed with age so as to prevent his reading the Scriptures, though printed in the largest type, he incurred the expense of this transcription, that he might enjoy those sources of comfort which 66 are more to be desired than gold, yea than much fine gold." The religious sentiments of this venerable man may be inferred from the fact, that Dr. Owen's "Faith of God's Elect" was also copied for him in the same style, which occupies three volumes, folio. Besides the MSS. of the learned John Howe, from which the two last volumes of the octavo edition of his works were selected, and many other fragments of the dissenting fathers, there are three volumes, folio, of peculiar interest; "Minutes of the Sessions of the Assembly of Divines, from Aug. 4, 1643, to April 24, 1652." These have been considered the official journals of that body, but Mr. Orme doubts the fact,* and suggests that they are the notes which Dr. Thomas Goodwin took of its transactions. They are, however, curious and original documents, and would doubtless throw considerable light on the history of that venerable Assembly.

In the various beautiful portraits which adorn this Institution, there is much that is characteristic and interesting. Indeed the spectator might almost read the history of nonconformity in the pictures of its champions. In the countenances of the puritans and elder Bartholomew confessors are the traces of inflexible sternness and peculiar suffering. In the portraits of Baxter, Howe, Bates, Alsop, Cradock, and Annesley he may discover the fine intelligence, the profound wisdom, the poignant wit, and the courtly carriage which were developed by their controversies, and demanded by their

Life of Dr. Owen, page 478.

associations; whilst, in the round, sleek, happy countenances of their worthy successors, he may read that confession which, as applied to them, was so ominous to the churches, "Other men have laboured, and we have entered into their labours."

Here this sketch must close; but it would be unjust to the memory of Dr. Williams, and a loss to the reader, not to record the munificent provisions which his trustees are empowered to administer, and which will therefore form the subject of a future paper. Z. Z.

ON THE CHARACTER OF GAIUS. "Some angel guide my pencil while I draw."-CowPER.

THE portraitures of Scripture are distinguished by their faithfulness and simplicity. All its sketches are characteristic, and present at once the moral features of the individuals whose virtues or vices are recorded. Every attentive reader must be impressed with the force and vividness of their representations. This is especially evident in their constant use for the purposes of practical reference and biographical illustration. The individuality of character is preserved in each separate memorial, while the characters themselves, by the fulness and comprehensiveness of the diction, are representatives of classes, and are capable of application to the living or the dead, as censure or commendation may require. Who does not find a volume of materials for description in the view given us by the holy apostle of the intolerance of Diotrephes? The name is now generic, and serves as a convenient symbol for ecclesiastical despotism. A similar remark applies to the lovely contrast presented by the same apostle in the character of GAIUS, 3 John i. 6.

There is some doubt as to the

individual to whom this epistle was addressed, whether he was the "Gaius of Derbe," (Acts xx. 4.) or the "Gaius of Corinth," at whose house Paul wrote his epistle to the Romans, (see chap. xvi. 23.) and who was baptized by that apostle, at the commencement of his ministry in Corinth. The latter is the generally adopted opinion, and there is indeed an accordance between Paul's reference to his distinguished hospitality as not only his "host," but also" of the whole Church," and the account which the beloved disciple has given of his eminent liberality. The principal objection is founded on the supposition, that the Gaius, addressed by John, was one of his converts; and it can scarcely be doubted that the Corinthian convert, of the same name, was one whom the Apostle Paul's ministry had brought to " the obedience of the faith." In these circumstances of perplexity, it is difficult to arrive at a satisfactory decision; nor is it of any practical consequence that it should be formed. Let us therefore abandon the work of conjecture, and study the portraiture of Christian excellence before us. The first and most important principle, to which we are led by the Apostle's account, and from which all the other Christian virtues acquired their vigour and consistency,

was HIS EMINENT SPIRITUALITY.

We naturally infer from the epistle, that Gaius was in circumstances of indisposition; and, probably, his temporal affairs were not so flourishing as they had formerly been. The large demands made on his liberality in the support of the Christian cause, amidst all the trials and persecutions to which its ministry and professors were exposed, might have affected his resources, and diminished his means of beneficence. But amidst these afflictions "his soul prospered." Oh! what reasons for devout congratulation must have suggested

themselves to the mind of the venerable apostle, while he referred to the decisive indications of his spiritual health, and made his estimate of that spirituality the measure of his wishes for his temporal prosperity! How often, with the deepest and most poignant regret, may we invert the order of this wish; and when we see our friends advancing to affluence and opulence, and succeeding in their secular pursuits, fervently pray that their souls may prosper" in proportion to the success of their worldly concerns!

Numerous are the proofs of spiritual health; and the figurative allusion furnishes an interesting analogy. In a state of perfect health, there is appetite, vigour, and enjoyment. The bounties of providence are received with a zest and a relish, which no delicacies can impart to the valetudinarian, and no expense can procure for the diseased. Similar are the indications of spiritual health. The provision appointed as the aliment of the soul, the true pabulum vitæ, is enjoyed with holy gratitude. There is a “ hungering and thirsting after righteousness," in consequence of which the ordinances of religion are observed with regularity, and attended with advantage. In the sacred exercises of meditation and prayer, faith "the hidden manna," and from the "bread of life," and the "fountain of living waters," purer far than

lives

upon

Siloa's brook that flowed Fast by the oracle of God," derives those supplies of strength and consolation, which invigorate the Christian traveller in his course, and fit him for the perils and the conflicts of his pilgrimage. No class of metaphorical illustration is more frequently introduced in the descriptions of the sacred volume, than such as are derived from those ordinary means of subsistence on which animal life is

tradesman of London, whose sight having decayed with age so as to prevent his reading the Scriptures, though printed in the largest type, he incurred the expense of this transcription, that he might enjoy those sources of comfort which are more to be desired than gold, yea than much fine gold." The religious sentiments of this venerable man may be inferred from the fact, that Dr. Owen's "Faith of God's Elect" was also copied for him in the same style, which occupies three volumes, folio. Besides the MSS. of the learned John Howe, from 'which the two last volumes of the octavo edition of his works were selected, and many other fragments of the dissenting fathers, there are three volumes, folio, of peculiar interest; "Minutes of the Sessions of the Assembly of Divines, from Aug. 4, 1643, to April 24, 1652." These have been considered the official journals of that body, but Mr. Orme doubts the fact,* and suggests that they are the notes which Dr. Thomas Goodwin took of its transactions. They are, however, curious and original documents, and would doubtless throw considerable light on the history of that venerable Assembly.

In the various beautiful portraits which adorn this Institution, there is much that is characteristic and interesting. Indeed the spectator might almost read the history of nonconformity in the pictures of its champions. In the countenances of the puritans and elder Bartholomew confessors are the traces of inflexible sternness and peculiar suffering. In the portraits of Baxter, Howe, Bates, Alsop, Cradock, and Annesley he may discover the fine intelligence, the profound wisdom, the poignant wit, and the courtly carriage which were developed by their controversies, and demanded by their

* Life of Dr. Owen, page 478.

associations; whilst, in the round, sleek, happy countenances of their worthy successors, he may read that confession which, as applied to them, was so ominous to the churches, "Other men have laboured, and we have entered into their labours."

Here this sketch must close; but it would be unjust to the memory of Dr. Williams, and a loss to the reader, not to record the munificent provisions which his trustees are empowered to administer, and which will therefore form the subject of a future paper. Z. Z.Z

n

ON THE CHARACTER OF GAIUS. "Some angel guide my pencil while I draw."-CowPER.

THE portraitures of Scripture are distinguished by their faithfulness and simplicity. All its sketches are characteristic, and present at once the moral features of the individuals whose virtues or vices are recorded. Every attentive reader must be impressed with the force and vividness of their representations. This is especially evident in their constant use for the purposes of practical reference and biographical illustration. The individuality of character is preserved in each separate memorial, while the characters themselves, by the fulness and comprehensiveness of the diction, are representatives of classes, and are capable of application to the living or the dead, as censure or commendation may require. Who does not find a volume of materials for description in the view given us by the holy apostle of the intolerance of Diotrephes? The name is now generic, and serves as a convenient symbol for ecclesiastical despotism. A similar remark applies to the lovely contrast presented by the same apostle in the character of GAIUS, 3 John i. 6.

There is some doubt as to the