view they directed their attention to resist the growing profanation of the Lord's day; to introduce wholesome regulations into prisons and houses of correction; and to prevent, or, if necessary, to punish, the vending of licentious prints and publications. Some good was effected in these respects, and in procuring an improvement in the state of the police of the metropolis, and of the laws respecting vagrants and parish apprentices. Some of these objects have since. been pursued with greater vigour by the Society for the Suppression of Vice, by whose steady and unobtrusive labours, a marked improvement has been effected in London and many other places. Its success is proved by the contrast which, as has been remarked by a very intelligent observer, is exhibited in the state of morals, between our own metropolis and that of France; while in Paris, the most abominable incentives to vice are officiously obtruded upon the notice of young persons, they are scarcely accessible in London to those who, already vicious, industriously look for them. To the Proclamation Society, and to every attempt to improve the morals or the condition of the lower orders, Mr. T. Bowdler, during his residence in London, afforded a ready assistance; not less willing to employ his means and his talents for the benefit of the distressed, and the reformation of the vicious, than to those objects which are generally more attractive to a man of polite and liberal education.

"His residence in the metropolis during some portion of the year continued till 1800, when finding his health considerably impaired, and wearied perhaps with living constantly in society, where moreover he saw his friends dropping around him, he quitted London altogether, and retired to St. Boniface in the Isle of Wight, where he lived ten years. St. Boniface is, perhaps, in respect of beauty and romantic scenery, the most captivating spot in the whole of that enchanting island; and Mr. T. Bowdler was well calculated to taste and enjoy all its charms. In this beautiful retirement, with an elegant and well-selected library, occasionally visited by his friends and nearest relatives, he passed his years with much comfort and consider

able improvement to his health. His time was at his own command, he was subject to few interruptions, and seldom perhaps could an elegant retirement be enjoyed in greater perfection. Here he took much delight in exercising his good offices for the benefit of his poorer neighbours, administering relief in their distress, and medicine in sickness, and practising charity with that cheerful spirit which God loveth. The ten years which he spent at this place were, by the favour of God, remarkably peaceful and serene; and he cherished the remembrance of them through the rest of his life. His thoughts at the time may be best described by himself, in some extracts from a paper which he read to his servants on Easter-eve, when he was preparing for his departure.

There are particular periods in the life of almost every man when he is called on, in an especial degree, to reflect most seriously on his situation in respect to his spiritual concerns. Such a period I feel the present moment to be in my own life, and such it may be considered in a certain degree in the life of every one of you. When, after a long residence in the same spot, an entire change of scene is going to take place, if any person approaches the altar of his God, it becomes particularly necessary for him to reflect how he has employed his time past, and how he may improve to greater advantage the time that is to come, if the mercy of his Creator should prolong his existence in this uncertain life. This should be done by all persons suitably to their situation; but without pretending to point out what others ought to do, I can sufficiently convey my opinion, by describing what I feel to be my own duty.

The first consideration which presents itself, when I look back on the events of the ten years which I have spent at St. Boniface, is the immense debt of gratitude which I owe to the Almighty, for the blessings which I have enjoyed during this period of my life. If we think of the melancholy state of the greater part of the world during the last ten years, and consider how few men during that period have enjoyed so large a share of tranquillity and comfort as myself, what ideas does

this consideration suggest of the feelings of gratitude which ought to be excited in my breast towards the Almighty Dispenser of these mercies; and this leads me to the awful consideration, Have I made a proper use of the great blessings which have been bestowed on me? Have I enjoyed them with thankfulness, or have I perversely refused to be happy, when I ought to have been so? Have I expressed my gratitude to Almighty God for the blessings which he has bestowed on me, by endeavouring to communicate them to my fellow-creatures, and have I endeavoured to deserve happiness myself, by striv ing to promote the happiness of those who are placed within the reach of my exertions? Whatever defects, or faults, or crimes, I may discover in my own conduct (and let me observe to you that we often sadly deceive ourselves with respect to the name and the degree of blame which we ought to annex. to various instances of our misconduct), whatever, I say, I can thus discover in myself, I ought humbly to confess at the altar of my God, asking his pardon for what is past, for the merits of my Saviour whose death is there commemorated, › and imploring the assistance of his Holy Spirit to render my efforts for the future more successful in endeavouring to avoid the repetition of those offences. And here it is my duty to confess, not only what I have done that is wrong, but also › what I have neglected to do, which my duty to God or to my neighbour enjoined me to perform; praying at the same time that I may, in my new abode, bear in mind those omissions, and make greater exertions for the future.

When we ask for pardon of our offences, and the assistance of his Holy Spirit from the Almighty, we have it not in our power to make him any return for those mercies, but he has graciously been pleased to point out the terms on which he is willing to bestow them; namely, that we act by our fellow-creatures, as we pray him to act by us. This brings me to what I consider as a very important part of my duty at this moment; which is, the complete forgiveness of whatever injuries have been done to me during my life in general, and my residence at St. Boniface in particular. I

must here observe, that the situation of one man with respect to another, is widely different from the situation of a poor worm of the earth, in respect to his Creator. In the latter case, confession is necessary to obtain forgiveness; but in my opinion this ought never to be required in the former; I should be much inclined to fear that my forgiveness of him who had injured me, was very far from what a Christian's ought to be, if I exacted for it such an act of humiliation as the requiring my fellow-creature to confess to me that he had injured me. All that in my opinion I have a right to require is, that my enemy should alter his conduct, and forbear to injure me any more.

As this subject is very important, I shall dwell a little longer upon it, and notice one expression which is frequently used in common conversation, but which requires some explanation, or at least should be used with great caution, if it be used at all. People frequently say of the man who has done them an injury, I can forgive it, but I cannot forget it. I fear this too often means that they neither forgive nor forget it; and their talking of it gives great reason to believe that this is the case. In another sense, however, the expression is very proper. It is so, if we mean nothing more by it, than that we remember the injury that has been done to us no farther, than to be on our guard in respect to the person who has done it, and not expose ourselves to a repetition of it. This, indeed, it is right for us to do. Our safety requires it in many instances. But our remembrance of the injury ought to go no farther; for it becomes criminal in us, if we make the injuries which have been done us a subject of cur conversation, thereby returning evil for evil.

What I have further to observe, may be summed up in a few words. To-morrow it will be our duty at the altar of our God, to ask his forgiveness of our offences for the sake of our blessed Saviour, whose death and sacrifice will there be commemorated. At the same time we ought all of us to pray to God Almighty to assist us with his Spirit, to enable us during the remainder of our lives to avoid those offences

which we have here committed, and to perform those duties which we have here neglected. We also ought all of us to express our grateful thanks to our Almighty Benefactor, for the good things which he has here bestowed on us. And this we should do, without suffering one sinful murmur to invade our breasts, on account of those comforts being about to be taken away. Lastly, we ought to pray to Him most fervently, that in the next change of scene, and during the remainder of our lives, He will bestow his blessing upon us, and enable us by his gracious assistance, so to conduct ourselves during the period that he may think proper to continue our existence in this world, that in the world to come we may attain eternal life, through the mercy of our God, and the meritorious sacrifice of our blessed Redeemer.'

66 Being unable to obtain an extension of his lease at St. Boniface, or to find another residence in its neighbourhood, Mr. T. Bowdler quitted the Isle of Wight in 1810, and in the close of that year with much kindness took upon himself the charge of accompanying his nephew to Malta, and watching his health during the succeeding winter and spring. Malta was a place of much interest to him. It had been the residence of the friend of his bosom, Lieutenant-General Villettes, who had commanded there during some of the most important years of the late war. Here, too, he was enabled, by his own observations, to form an opinion upon a subject which had always engaged much of his attention, the comparative temperature of the climate of the countries bordering on the Mediterranean and of the islands in that sea, and the choice of a proper residence for persons, the delicacy of whose health will not endure a winter in England. The result of his observations was afterwards given to the public, and will be noticed shortly.

"On his return from Malta he fixed his residence at the Rhyddings, near Swansea, in a small house situated on the rising ground immediately above the sea, and commanding a view of that beautiful bay. The neighbourhood of the sea was to him an object of particular attention, as it secured to