its members, which he at times did, he patiently endured it, and was as unremitting as ever in his endeavours for the promotion of the best interests of the church in general, as well as of those individuals themselves.

Mr. Littlewood was the firm friend of religion and religious people. He was a Baptist from conviction, and acted up to his conviction with an undeviating consistency. But he loved all who loved our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, though they did not

portionally great. In Mr. Littlewood, however, it was a measure absolutely necessary, and productive of very happy effects; for it not only enabled him to provide for a very numerous family, and to do much general good, but put it in his power to raise the church from the lowest state of poverty to such a degree of prosperity, as to be able to make a comfortable provision for his successor. His school was also an eminent blessing to the town and neighbourhood. Many of the children of the most re-in all respects follow with him. spectable families were educated at it; not a few of whom rank high in trading and commercial life, and retain a very great affection and respect for their pious and assiduous tutor. As a proof of this they have, since his lamented death, without the knowledge of his family, entered into a resolution to erect a handsome monument to his memory, and have opened a subscription among themselves for that pur-which he belonged, and did much

pose.

As a preacher, Mr. Littlewood was respectable and useful: his sermons were pious, serious, and evangelical; greatly remote from dry speculation, and merely moral harangue; from pomp of language, and vulgar neglect; from legality, or Antinomian licentiousness; and his success was very considerable. As a pastor, he was faithful, affectionate, and meek. Though the church was greatly indebted to him for a series of the most disinterested labours, he never carried himself with a haughtiness towards the meanest individual in it, nor gave any of them to understand that he thought them under any obligations to him; and even when he met with unkind and disrespectful treatment from some of

His heart and his house were open to Christians of every denomination. He always availed himself of the ministerial labours

of his brethren of other names, and was in his turn very highly esteemed by them: nothing that concerned the interests of Christ and of the souls of men was treated with indifference by him. He took a lively interest in the concerns of the denomination to

to serve it, both by his labours and his property.

He cultivated learning himself, and was a friend to the cultiva He felt and tion of it in others. lamented that so small a portion of it had fallen to the lot of the ministers of the denomination to which he belonged, especially in the northern part of the kingdom, and wished to see a remedy applied to that evil. Hence, when a design of an academy was first projected and attempted to be realized, chiefly by the munificence of the late Mr. Bury, of Sabden, between whom and himself there had subsisted almost from their youth an intimate friendship, he was one of the first and most zealous ofits friends. He was a liberal donor at its first establishment, and afterwards a

constant subscriber. He gave his labours, as Secretary, and watched over its interests with a parental solicitude.

Few things afforded him more pleasure than the prosperity of that institution. The President of it takes this opportunity of expressing his gratitude to the Great Giver of all good for that large share he has possessed of the unshaken friendship of this excellent man, and for the great benefits he has derived from that friendship, both in the concerns of the academy and of the denomination at large, while he sincerely and deeply laments his death as one of the severest losses himself and the institution could sustain. His only consolation under it is, that Christ ever lives.

friends. Nothing was wanting to make their residence most agreeable; and in their society he took peculiar delight. His heart glowed and his eyes sparkled with pleasure, while he enter tained them and enjoyed their conversation. If any minister of the gospel, of whatever denomination, passed through the town, it was to him a high gratification to catch a sermon from him in his large and commodious school room, and afterwards to afford him every accommodation, and to enjoy his conversation for the evening. In such instances, which did not seldom happen, we never failed to see the cheerful, the hospitable, the friendly, the generous, the pious Mr. Littlewood.

The impressions of these excellencies, and the recollections of these interviews, are deeply engraven on the minds of consider

other Christian friends, in the neighbourhood and in distant parts of the kingdom, and will long remain as the signatures of his worth, and the loss they have sustained by his death.

Of his conduct in his domestic relations, of husband and of father, we need say little.-The tears and painful feelings occasioned by his sudden death, in a widow and twelve children, speak its excellence more loudly and forcibly than any language of ours is capable of.

Mr. Littlewood was a man of great generosity and hospitality; with pleasure he laboured for the good of the people of his imme-able numbers of ministers and of diate charge, though the compensation he at any time received from them was very inconsiderable, and often less than he one way or other expended on their behalf. In assisting the various pious and charitable institutions which have of late years been established, particularly the Bible Society; in contributing to the various cases for the assistance of poor congregations; in rebuilding or enlarging their places of worship, as well as in numerous instances in the relief of private distress, he was one of the first, the most cheerful, and, according to his ability, the most generous of givers. His ear was never deaf, nor was his heart ever insensible to the cries of the poor, nor was his hand backward to the administering the peeded relief. His house was ever open to the reception and accommodation of his Christian

Till within the last three years, Mr. Littlewood, though corpulent and accustomed to much close and sedentary application, and then in the 60th year of his age, enjoyed uninterrupted health and vigour. But in the autumn of 1814, feeling some unfavourable symptoms, which, in the opinion of the faculty, indicated the approach of an apoplexy, he adopted, by

He

continued for two hours speechless and motionless, a laborious breathing being nearly the only remaining sign of life; and at ten minutes after twelve he breathed his last, and his spirit took its flight, we doubt not, to the regions of immortal blessedness.

On the following Saturday his mortal remains were deposited in a vault, in the place of worship in which, for thirty-two years, he had faithfully and affectionately preached the gospel, and within a few yards of the pulpit from which but in the preceding Lord's day he had been twice preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ.

Mr. Stevens, late of Manchester, now his successor, read a portion of scripture; Dr. Steadman, of Bradford, engaged in prayer on the mournful occasion; and Mr. Fisher, of Byrom-street, Liverpool, delivered an affectionate and appropriate address; and the solemnity was closed in prayer by Mr. Hargreaves, of Ogden.

the directions of his medical atten- diately procured, but in vain. dant, a considerable change of re- | gimen. This so far succeeded as for a while to ward off the stroke, but produced a visible diminution of that vigour of body and mind which had before distinguished him. His friends at a distance, who saw him comparatively seldom, remarked that he appeared much older than he did previous to the period above mentioned. He, however, continued in general well, and able to go through his labours, both in the school and in the pulpit, without interruption, until the night of Lord's day, Sep. tember 28, 1817. For some time previous to this period, he appeared to be improving in health and cheerfulness; and on that Lord's-day, he went through the public services, and afterwards presided at a church meeting, with more than usual vigour and animation. Nor was any unfavourable symptom perceivable, except his complaining to Mrs. Littlewood, as he was returning home from the last of the services, of an unusual degree of weariness. This, however, was not such as to excite any degree of alarm. He engaged in the usual religious exercises of the family after he returned home: he joined with them in singing a hymn: he supped, and appeared quite well. Soon after supper, however, he was oppressed with drowsiness, and Mrs. Littlewood perceived a small degree of contraction in his upper lip. In compliance with her wishes, he retired about ten o'clock; but was no sooner laid down in bed than he was arrested by the messenger of death: he was seized with a severe apoplectic fit, which deprived him of the power of speech and of motion. Medical assistance was imme

His funeral sermon was preached by Dr. Steadman, on the afternoon of the next day, to a very crowded auditory, from Matthew, xxv. 21, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." The place of worship was filled some time prior to the commencement of the service; many stood without during the whole time, and great numbers returned, being unable to gain admittance, or even to get within hearing. The other ministers of the town testified their respect for his memory, by preaching funeral sermons in their own places of wor ship; one of which, by the Rev.

Mr. Foster, has been since published. Similar tributes of respect were paid him by all the ministers of his acquaintance in the whole of the surrounding country.

bosom of his Father and his
God.

"The calm retreat, the silent shade,
With prayer and praise agree,
And seem, by thy sweet bounty made,
To those who follow thee."

Mr. Littlewood was twice married. His second wife was Miss The garden is much more conSarah Edensor, descended from tracted in its boundaries than I a very respectable family in expected; the far greater part is Shropshire, but for some time laid out in a fine lawn before the previous to her marriage a resi-house, and the whole of it is dent in the vicinity of Rochdale. plain, but yet adorned with some She survives to mourn her loss. taste. The whole is preserved in On her the cares of the family the finest order, and the trees, devolve, and by her, in connec-which are numerous, are rich and tion with Mr. William Littlewood, the third son of her much loved and much lamented partner, the school will be continued on the same plan as before, and it is cheerfully hoped, with the same encouragement and success.

He had in the whole the large number of twenty-four children, only twelve of whom survive him.

A VISIT

TO THE

beautiful. There is a statue, by the side of the walk, not indeed of any particular excellence, of a Dutchman on skates, with a gun on his shoulder and a dog by his side, with a snipe in his mouth, and some lesser ornaments:

The chief attraction, perhaps, in a great measure, because it was the favourite spot of its owner, the scene of some of his most elevated and happy moments, is the root house. It is a summer house of considerable size, built chiefly with the

Seat of the late John Howard, roots of trees, and thickly over

OF CARDINGTON, BEDFORdshire.

spread with ivy. It has a very venerable and interesting appear. ance. As we enter it, we pass under an arch of roots, covered with the same beautiful evergreen. The pathway is adorned with very smooth pebbles, and large shells. At the door is a small sun-dial, which has en graven on it the admonitory word IRREVOCABILE. The first ob

HAVING lately been in this interesting neighbourhood, I rose early to visit the abode of this distinguished character. The golden sunshine had overspread the landscape, and the whole creation was paying its homage to the adorable Creator. Full of the recollection of this most ex-ject I observed was an inscripcellent Philanthropist, on one of tion, very suitable to this scene the sweetest mornings with which of devout retirement; it was as we have been favoured, I entered follows: on the pleasure ground and garden, doubtless, often the scene of his animated devotion; where, like Nathaniel, under the shade of some fine tree, he poured his sorrows and his tears, into the

VOL. X.

"O solitude! blest state of life below, Friend to our thought, and balm of all

our woe;

Far from throng'd cities my abode res

move,

To realms of innocence, and peace, and love."

2 B

I thought the other furniture of this solitary abode, in a high degree characteristic of the pious architect of this small, but interesting, residence. I send you an inventory :

An admirable model of the horrid prison of the Bastille in France, made of cane, but in a state of decay.-A rustic table, with a figure on it representing Devotion meditating on the scriptures.-Two hour glasses.-A chandelier covered with moss. A painting of Martin Luther.Turf and mat seats.-A foreign fruit basket.-A large piece of touchwood, of great weight, petrified, perfectly saturated with mineral qualities.-A large bone of a whale, dug out of the earth near the root house.-A bookcase, containing the following works: Nature Displayed; Hervey's Theron and Aspasio; Calamy's Life of Baxter; The Spectator; and a Bible lay in a recess in the window.

This last incomparable article excited inquiry. My guide, who is eighty-five years of age, and was employed by Howard to plant his demesne, told me that the Bible I held in my hand had been placed in this rural abode, by his beloved master, and that he used to retire several hours every day, to read the book of God, and for purposes of secret devotion. Seating myself in the Philanthropist's peculiar posture, I read audibly the sixty-fifth Psalm. My venerable attendant seemed exceedingly interested; nor do I think it presumptuous to affirm, that the place was once more "the house of God, and the gate of heaven."

Near the entrance of the garden is a large urn, between two fine Scotch firs, and underneath it the following inscription by the late Samuel Whitbread, Esq.

"This garden was formed, the root house built, and the trees which overshadow and adorn them, were planted in the year 1762, by John Howard, the in this retirement, before his virtuous Philanthropist, who lived for many years energies were called into action; and he quitted it to become the Benefactor of Mankind. To this spot he eagerly returned to pass the interval between those labours which ended in his death, and have ensured to him a guiltless and imperishable fame.

"Joshua Crockford, whose hands put master's eye, has spent the intervening the seedlings into the earth under his years in constantly watching and assisting their growth. Exhibiting in this, his narrow circle, a model of sobriety, He still lives industry, and neatness. in his 80th year, faithful to his duties, and strong to fulfil them. Contented with his station, pleased with his charge, and full of the remembrance of his be

loved master."

S. W. August 10, 1812.

Entering the place of worship belonging to the parish, I perceived a small marble, bearing the name and age of the Philan thropist, with the place where he died, and the emphatic sentence, "Christ is my hope." His last words to his servant were, "Give my love to my friends at Cardington-tell them I go to their Father and my Father, to their God and my God."

A few paces beyond the monument of Mr. Howard, I beheld an object which instantly aroused all the feelings of my mind-it was the coffin of Samuel Whitbread: I glanced on it-I could not bear to gaze, and turned away-I felt the vanity of all sublunary good: in that solemn Connected with the root house moment I let go earth, and enis a cold bath, which Mr. How-deavoured to lay hold on heaven, ard was accustomed to use every through Jesus Christ. morning.

Reader! forget, not, that the