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ated his life. Fully aware of the event, he desired to receive the holy communion from the hands of a neighbouring clergyman, and conversed with him for a short time. That which he had long anticipated could not take him by surprise: his house was always set in order, and he was at all times prepared to yield up his spirit to Him who gave it. His faculties being entire, and his mind in its full strength, he devoted several hours of the day preceding his dissolution to the dictating of some additions to the little postscript which has been lately mentioned; and on parting from the person who had received his instructions, he expressed his satisfaction that it was thus completed, and desired him to attend punctually at eleven o'clock in the forenoon of the next day, saying that he must soon set out on his long journey. A few minutes before noon, as his servant was assisting him to rise, he expired without a sigh or groan. Thus, to use the words of one who well knew and highly esteemed him, the poor lost a generous benefactor, his neighbours a bright example, and those who were more intimately connected with him, a kind and valuable friend. His remains were deposited in a spot which he had marked out in the churchyard of the parish of Oystermouth, near the western extremity of the bay of Swansea; attended by a considerable number of the gentlemen resident in the neighbourhood, who were anxious to testify their sense of his merits, and their regret at the loss which they had individually sustained. These feelings were not confined to the bosom of intimate friends, or to the common language of every day. The sigh of regret was universal; all could tell that one stream of bounty to the poor was cut off, and one powerful stimulus to active exertion and to the support of sound principles, was suddenly checked.

"Of Mr. T. Bowdler's charities no notice has yet been taken; a few words will perhaps suffice; but so important a feature in the character of a Christian must not be altogether overlooked. He practised the most strict economy in regulating his own expences, and thus acquired the means of being bountiful to others, beyond what his means might seem to

allow. To the charitable institutions in his neighbourhood he was a liberal contributor; and to all who were in distress he was ready to offer his aid. Nor should it be omitted that he had a remarkably kind and affectionate manner with him, which won the regard of those with whom he conversed; and he was ready to converse cheerfully and familiarly with all of every degree. The points however which most engaged his attention, were the providing of accommodation at the parish church for the lower orders, and instruction for their children. With these objects in view he contributed largely to an additional gallery in the church; and he printed a selection of chapters from the Old Testament, for the use of the Church of England Sunday School Society in Swansea, to which he prefixed an Introduction, explaining the reasons for the particular selection which he had made, but containing likewise several useful and interesting remarks on some portions both of the historical and prophetical writings. The interest which he took in the school, and his solicitude to promote instruction upon sound religious principles, may be illustrated by one circumstance. When several persons had withdrawn their subscription in consequence of a misunderstanding which had arisen from the appointmont of an improper person as mistress, he promptly engaged to make good the deficiency to the amount of twenty-five or thirty pounds, and continued it for some time, till new subscriptions rendered it unnecessary.

"By his will Mr.T.Bowdler, mindful of the blessings which he had enjoyed, and the source from which they came, be- • queathed twenty-five pounds to the poor of the parishes of Swansea and Oystermouth, and of Box, in which he was born; and a like sum to be given to poor persons within three miles of St. Boniface, adding these words:

"I consider these last four bequests as humble marks of my gratitude to Almighty God, for the happiness which he graciously permitted me to enjoy during a considerable portion of my life in the undisturbed tranquillity of these retired,

but friendly abodes of peace, and religious, but cheerful meditation.'

"To the church of Swansea he also bequeathed a favourite picture, painted by Sasse Ferrati, in the following terms:

“Whereas I am possessed of an invaluable picture of the Virgin Mary and our infant Saviour, my wish is that it may be placed, after my death, as an altar-piece in the chancel of my parish church of St. Mary, Swansea; thus dedicating the picture to the temple of my God, in humble and grateful acknowledgement of the happy tranquillity with which his merciful Providence has blessed the evening of my life in this parish; for this purpose, I leave the above-mentioned picture in trust to the following persons,' &c. &c.

"This bequest was gratefully acknowledged by the parishioners at a full meeting, where, after much honourable mention had been made of the pious benefactor, the following resolution was unanimously adopted :

"Resolved, That the late Thomas Bowdler, Esq., of Rhyddings in this parish, having bequeathed a valuable picture (of the Holy Family) to be affixed as an altar-piece to the chancel of this church, the parishioners duly convened and assembled in vestry on the 18th of April 1825, do most respectfully and thankfully accept this interesting decoration of the church, and with all due regard for the exemplary life and character of the pious donor, do unanimously resolve, that this, his tribute of Christian principle at the altar of the Most High God, shall be suitably honoured and carefully preserved; and that this record of their judgment and feelings shall be inserted in the archives of the parish, with every testimony of their grateful and respectful consideration.'

"The intention of the donor would, however, have been but partially executed, by adding this ornament to the church; he had a higher object, that of bringing about an improvement in the chancel, and an increased accommodation for the poor; and this, it is hoped, may be effected, measures having been adopted at the meeting to make such repairs and alter

ations as may add considerably to the decency of the sanctuary, and to receiving a considerable portion of the large population of that parish to enjoy the blessings of divine worship. Thus, in death, as in his life, has this servant of God contributed to the glory of his Maker and Redeemer, and the essential good of his fellow-creatures."

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The intentions of Mr. Bowdler in his "Family Shakspeare," have been so grossly and generally misrepresented, that it is but justice to his memory to subjoin the preface to the first edition of the work.

"If a presumptuous artist should undertake to remove a supposed defect in the Transfiguration of Raphael, or in the Belvidere Apollo, and in making the attempt should injure one of those invaluable productions of art and genius, I should consider his name as deserving never to be mentioned, or mentioned only with his who set fire to the Temple of Diana. But the works of the poet may be considered in a very dif ferent light from those of the painter and the statuary. Shakspeare, inimitable Shakspeare, will remain the subject of admiration as long as taste and literature shall exist, and his writings will be handed down to posterity in their native beauty, although the present attempt to add to his fame should prove entirely abortive. Here, then, is the great difference. If the endeavour to improve the picture or the statue should be unsuccessful, the beauty of the original would be destroyed, and the injury be irreparable. In such a case, let the artist refrain from using the chisel or the pencil: but with the works of the poet no such danger occurs, and the critic need not be afraid of employing his pen, for the original will continue unimpaired, although his own labours should immediately be consigned to oblivion. That Shakspeare is the first of dramatic writers will be denied by few, and I doubt whether it will be denied by any who have

really studied his works, and compared the beauties which they contain with the very finest productions either of our own or of former ages. It must, however, be acknowledged, by his warmest admirers, that some defects are to be found in the writings of our immortal bard. The language is not always faultless. Many words and expressions occur which are of so indecent a nature, as to render it highly desirable that they should be erased. Of these, the greater part were evidently introduced to gratify the bad taste of the age in which he lived, and the rest may perhaps be ascribed to his own unbridled fancy. But neither the vicious taste of the age, nor the most brilliant effusions of wit, can afford an excuse for profaneness or obscenity; and if these could be obliterated, the transcendent genius of the poet would undoubtedly shine with more unclouded lustre. To banish every thing of this nature from the writings of Shakspeare is the object of the present undertaking. My earnest wish is to render his plays unsullied by any scene, by any speech, or, if possible, by any word that can give pain to the most chaste, or offence to the most religious of his readers. Of the latter kind, the examples are by no means numerous, for the writings of our author are, for the most part, favourable to religion and morality. There are, however, in some of his plays, allusions to scripture, which are introduced so unnecessarily, and on such trifling occasions, and are expressed with so much levity, as to call imperiously for their erasement. As an example of this kind, I may quote a scene in the fifth act of "Love's Labour's Lost," in which an allusion is made (very improperly) to one of the most serious and awful passages in the New Testament. I flatter myself that every reader of the FAMILY SHAKSPEARE will be pleased at perceiving that what is so manifestly improper, is not permitted to be seen in it. The most sacred word in our language is omitted in several instances, in which it appeared as a mere expletive; and it is changed into the word heaven, in a still greater number, where the occasion of using it did not appear sufficiently serious to justify its employment.

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