est resolutions, to print a performance which he has such a very mean opinion of himself, and to expose his reputation in genius and literature to the hazard of being bandied about, throughout the whole nation by those two merciless setts, of waggish reviewers; who make nothing at all of laughing at human folly. Were my friends wicked enough to expose me to such disagreeable hardships, I should certainly renounce their friendship for ever. I might indeed say, that The Life of Joseph is published by request, if I thought it would promote the sale of it; but then I should mean the request of my bookseller, who had some hope of making a few pounds by it, if published. But Joseph shall go without disguise, whether it succeed or not.

What is the most wonderful of all in me is, I am not afraid to appear in print, even in this age, discerning as it is: Not that I think myself censure proof: Very far from it. But I have a reason more formidable, and which effectually secures me from apprehending any evil at the hand of the critic; and that other authors may attain the same happiness, I shall reveal the important secret to them. And it is this. I shall be glad to have every fault in the performance pointed out, that I may make the second impression more perfect than the first; therefore the more curious they are in noting its defects, and candid in communicating them to me, the more shall I deem the critics my friends.

Having given an account of myself, sufficient to satisfy any reasonable reader, I proceed to observe that I have a class of people in my eye, and for whose sakes chiefly this little performance is sent abroad, amongst whom I hope to have even some admirers. I mean the young and rising ge neration; whose felicity I hope I can say I have very much at heart. If I can but get their good opinion, I care not who else snarl at the Life of Joseph. I have been much conversant with the geniusses and tempers of young ones, both in my own family of seven children, and in a much larger sphere of action; and have had frequent occasion to mark with regret, that the harsh and severe methods which many take. with a view to form the young mind to agreeable habits, have quite the contrary tendency. I have an utter aversion to the crabbed countenance of the cynical pedagogue, who has no other way of imparting instruction but upon the end of his cane, or face of his ferula. If the terrible man, and terrible he is to the little lovely creatures, who shrink as it were into nothing, and shudder at his tremendous menace, would only consider that it is impossible to divide hatred from servile fear, he would perhaps see it necessary to aim at gaining the affection of his young pupils, in order to insure his own success. Or if he himself would go to school to

common sense, and learn to dress virtue in its native attrac tions, and learning in its own innate loveliness, he might spare the labour of the cane and ferula, enjoy the love and esteem of his pupils, instead of their dread and hatred; and return them to their parents good proficients in useful learning, instead of branding them with the infamous name of dunce. A name, however, that always proclaims the master's incapacity to teach; and but very seldom want of ability in the boy to learn. Want of ability to learn is very rarely the case; and want of inclination would be much seldomer found than it is, if care was taken to entertain the fancy whilst we would inform the understanding. If learning was made to resemble play rather than slavery, it would become a pleasure instead of a burden. I never yet found that I could succeed by mere precept and penalty; but if I was happy enough to hit upon the turn of my pupil's fancy, I never failed of the desired success. Fancy is an active principle and will be employed, though in different subjects it operates variously.

The Life of Joseph is designed to entertain my young reader, without vitiating his mind; by setting before him one of the most amiable of sacred characters, in the person of Joseph, the hero of the story. I am not aware of having at all departed from the spirit of the text, nor from the rules of probability. I have indeed ventured upon a few conjectures and fictious possibilities, which some very grave reader may perhaps be offended with; but in this I am kept in countenance by the most orthodox of our commentators, who all have their suppositions and conjectures on many places of sacred scripture. It may be, my young reader could even wish that I had more enlarged upon the fanciful part of the story. To him I would make this apology for myself. I wrote with caution, always keeping in my eye the people above referred to, and was cautious of offending them; for I know that it is possible for a man to be deemed an heretic, for a few things which to them appear to be new and out of the beaten tract of orthodoxy; therefore I had a restraint upon my own inclination, which otherwise would have led me to give a free scope to my fancy.

The work is divided into eight books, each of which may be read at a sitting, even by those young gentlemen and ladies, who have a great deal of other amusements to attend to. Should The Life of Joseph, the son of Israel, be acceptable to those for whom it is designed, I am not certain that I shall not send something more of the same kind abroad inte the world.

THE LIFE OF JOSEPH.

ARGUMENT.

it

Jacob entertains his family with the history of his own life and that of his fathers-Joseph's private reflections upon -His first dream-His brethrens' envy on account of it -Judah and Simeon's different reflections upon Joseph's dream-Reuben endeavours to remove their jealousyBelphegor's resolution to blow the flame-Simeon's dream inspired by that devil-Joseph's second dream-His brethrens' resolution to murder him-The patriarch's care about his sons-Joseph sent to enquire after their welfarė -A Canaanite finds him and invites him to his tent, where he tarries till morning and dreams an alarming dream-He departs for Dothan-His brethen consult about putting him to death-Reuben interposeth, is exposeth to danger from their resentment, and is upbraided with defiling his father's bed-Joseph intercedes for his life in vain Recites his last alarming dream in order to move their pity-Reuben dissembles with a view to divert his brethrens purpose, and persuades them to cast him into a pit-Joseph's prayer in the pit-Abel, the protomartyr, appears to him, comforts and instructs him.

BOOK THE FIRST.

IT was at the end of autumn, when the bounties of Providence were safely gathered in, that venerable Jacob entertained his convened family with the history of his own life, and the lives of his father Isaac, and Abraham his grandfather. A story so full of interesting incidents, related in a manner truly pathetic, sometimes excited the friendly tear and at others the cheerful smile, upon the countenances of his audiences. None was more affected than pious Joseph, who seemed earnestly to catch every syllable in the narration; little Benjamin

indeed marking the emotions of his brethrens hearts, by their countenances, gave undoubted tokens of filial piety, as well as his elders, Joseph, lovely Rachel's eldest born, was absorbed in contemplating the vicissitudes experienced by his revered parent, and could not forbear sympathising with him in every part of the history, whilst tears bright as orient pearls ran down his cheek. Even when alone he could not but ruminate on the wisdom and goodness of the God of heaven, in setting virtuous Jacob before Esau the profane; notwithstanding nature and Isaac's choice seemed to have designed otherwise, Says he to himself when alone, "Raw and unexperienced as I am, young and untaught either in the mysteries of religion, or the mazes of deceit among men of this world, I can see a very wide difference between my father and my uncle Esau. A greater difference there was not between the roughness of the latter, and the delicacy of the former, when examined by experienced Isaac's careful touch, than there is between their two minds, formed so very different from one another. And who made, or could make the difference but God, from whom the spirit of life originally came, and who formed them both in the same maternal womb. I adore thee, O my God, that the promise is with my father Jacob," Often did he reflect with pleasure and delight on the gracious visits, which the patriarch received from the Almighty at Bethel and Peniel. "Oh," said he, "that this same God, the God of my father, may be with me, even as he hath been with him! that this God, may be my God, in the land of the living, and my guide and portion for ever and ever."

Thus meditating on the changes through which Providence had brought his father, and earnestly imploring grace to imitate the patriarchal conduct, he was seized by the lulling charms of balmy rest, and sunk beneath the superiority of the angel of drowsiAs he slept, he dreamed, and lo! all his brethren and he were together in the neighbouring field,

ness,

laboriously reaping the nodding harvest; when, to his amazement, the sheaf which he had last reaped stood upright in the midst, as a governor; and all his brethens sheaves, as so many loyal subjects, hastened to pay their court, falling down prostrate before it. Unacquainted with malice and envy, and not knowing but his brethren were as free from it as himself, he very innocently told them his dream: but alas! the distinguished regard at all times shewed him by his indulgent parent, had already called up the demons of malice and envy to possess their unequal hearts. They heard him with attention, and felt the impression in their hearts, but could not hinder the disagreeable sensation from discovering itself on their countenances; so sure an index is the countenance to the heart. He, as a youth who loves instruction, asked them what could be the meaning of such a dream? But they disguised their apprehensions, and with affected disdain turned from him, telling him they understood nothing of the matter. But no sooner was he departed from them, than they entered into a consultation among themselves, relating to the affair. Judah first began, " My brethren,” said he," the dream which the youth has related to us, however innocent and thoughtless he may be respecting the event, appears to me something more than the influence of mere imagination: and if my judgment is not misled, it is ominous of superior dignity in the person of Joseph, or the dominion of his seed over the children of his father." "For my own part," returned Simeon, "I consider the whole as the fruit of ambition; you know he has been fostered up in a vain conceit of himself, by the overweening fondness of an indulgent and doting parent. Seeing himself placed first in the paternal affection, who knows but his pretended dream is a scheme concerted to root himself the deeper in his father's heart, with a view to supplant us of the patriarchal blessing, as our father did our uncle Esau? Or if he really did dream what he has now related, is it not pretty plain from thence, that it is owing to his mind run