the accusation. In a few days after he was seized with a disorder, which, at first, was not expected to be dangerous; but, growing daily more languid and dejected, at last a fever seized him, and he expired on the 1st of August, 1743, in the forty-sixth year of his age, leaving behind him a character strangely chequered with vices and good qualities. Lady Huntingdon and Lady Fanny obtained, in the circle of their friends, some small contributions, which they sent to Mr. Dagge, to defray the expenses of the interment.

Anne, Countess of Macclesfield, was the daughter of Lady Mason. Having lived some time upon very uneasy terms with her husband, Lord Macclesfield applied not to the ecclesiastical courts for a divorce, but to the parliament for an act by which his marriage might be dissolved, the nuptial contract totally annulled, and the children of his wife illegitimatized. Her fortune, which was very great, was repaid her, and she was shortly after married to Colonel Brett. Born with a legal claim to honour and affluence, Richard Savage was in two months deprived of it by parliament, and disowned by his motherdoomed to poverty and obscurity, and launched upon the ocean of life, only that he might be swallowed by its quicksands, or dashed upon its rocks. He was unfortunately accused of murder -tried, and condemned to perish by the evidence of an infamous woman and his mother, had not justice and compassion procured for him an advocate of rank too great to be rejected unheard, and of virtue too eminent to be heard without being believed. His merit and calamities happened to reach the ear of the Countess of Hertford, who engaged in his support with all the tenderness that is excited by pity, and all the zeal which is kindled by generosity; and, demanding an audience of the Queen, laid before her the whole series of his mother's cruelty, exposed the improbability of an accusation by which he was charged with intent to commit a murder that could produce no advantage, and soon convinced her how little his former conduct could deserve to be mentioned as a reason for extraordinary severity. The interposition of this lady was so successful, that he was soon after admitted to bail, and not long afterwards released by the King. It would be difficult to conjecture from what motives his mother could persecute him in a manner so outrageous and implacable, and for what reason she could employ all the arts of malice, and all the snares of calumny, to take away the life of her own son-of a son who never injured her, who was never supported at her expense, and who obstructed no object of pleasure or advantage.

During one of Lady Huntingdon's visits to Bath, she was one

VOL. II.B B

day accosted in the street by a very elderly gentlewoman, who with much politeness inquired her address, intending to do herself the pleasure of calling on her Ladyship. Lady Huntingdon omitted to ask the name of the individual who seemed so anxious to cultivate her acquaintance, and some time after left Bath without hearing or seeing any thing more of the old lady. After the lapse of nearly a year, Lady Huntingdon received a visit from a nobleman, who presented her with the following letter from Mrs. Colonel Brett, dated Old Bond-street, London. Reduced to the brink of the grave by a dangerous illness, she penned this remarkable letter, which was presented by her nephew, the Lord Viscount Tyrconnel, to Lady Huntingdon,a letter written under the most alarming apprehensions of an awakened conscience, soliciting in the most eager and pressing terms the favour of an interview with her Ladyship:

Madam,-This will be handed to you by Lord Tyrconnel, who was so obliging as to inform me of your arrival in London. By this time, perhaps, you may have forgotten the person who took the liberty of asking your address in Bath; and I have to apologize for my seeming rudeness in not availing myself of the pleasure I then intended, which, from your great politeness, and the high opinion I entertained of your goodness, I anticipated would be highly gratifying to me, though personally unknown to you. The day after I saw your Ladyship, I was seized with such a violent illness, that I thought I should have died; and even now whilst I write, a shuddering horror steals over me at the recollection of what I then endured from the terrifying apprehensions of an alarmed conscience. When you call to mind some transactions in the life of the miserable individual who now addresses you, perhaps you will recoil with disgust from any association with a being so depraved and so debased. But, oh, dear Madam, recollect for a moment that I am touching my last hour, and that the prospect is dark and dreary as the tomb to which I am so rapidly hastening. I tremble, yes, my knees smite against each other, at the apprehension of the sentence I must receive at that awful tribunal, before which I must so soon appear. But I trust there may be mercy, even for me, vile offender as I am.

"I will not trespass any longer on your Ladyship's valuable time, but merely to say that Lord Tyrconnel will kindly take charge of any answer which your Ladyship may think proper to make to my letter.

"With the most profound respect for your Ladyship's chracter, and veneration of your benevolent and exalted principles, I remain, Madam, your truly humble servant, "ANNE BRETT."

What answer Lady Huntingdon gave to Lord Tyrconnel it is not difficult to conjecture; and that her Ladyship saw the cidevant Lady Macclesfield before her removal to an eternal world, and used the utmost tenderness and fidelity in the discharge of

an important duty, there can be but little doubt. It is deeply to be regretted that no memorandum remains that can shed any light on the final close of the life of this singular and extraordinary woman. She died, October 11, 1753, at her house in Old Bond-street, aged above fourscore.

The most popular supplies at this period, at Bristol and Kingswood, were the well-known Howel Harris, John Edwards, afterwards of Leeds, Thomas Adams, Herbert Jenkins, James Relly, and Edward Godwin.+

Mr. Relly, a native of North Wales, was a wild, ungovernable youth, and addicted to bad company. In one of Mr. Whitefield's excursions through Wales, young Relly agreed, with some other lads of his own stamp, to go and hear Mr. Whitefield preach, that he might have an opportunity of laughing at the Methodists. They commenced their sport by making a noise, and ridicu ling the preacher, to the disturbance of the congregation. At length, Mr. Whitefield's discourse, which was delivered with his usual energy, so riveted the attention of young Relly, that, when his companions wished him to retire, he resolved to stay behind, and from that time became serious. Soon after, forming an acquaintance with Mr. Whitefield, he became one of his most strenuous supporters, in which he was joined by his brother John; and, in a little time, both commenced preachers of that faith they had so often laboured to destroy. Mr. James Relly was first situated near Nasboth, in South Wales, where he continued to preach, in connexion with the Calvinistic Methodists, for some years. During his residence at this place, he took frequent journeys to Bristol; and on his way, would often stop at Kingswood, and other places, to discourse with the colliers. Mr. Relly afterwards separated from Mr. Whitefield, and removed to London: in process of time, he took the meetinghouse in Bartholomew-close, where he continued to preach till his death, April 25, 1778. His remains were interred in the Baptist burial-ground, Maze Pond, Southwark, where a neat monument is erected to his memory. The term Antinomian is said to have been first applied to him by Mr. Wesley, and it has been fixed upon his followers ever since. He published a variety of pieces in defence of his peculiar sentiments-a volume of hymns, and an elegy on the death of Mr. Whitefield. There are two portraits of him; the one engraved by June, the other by Sylvester Harding.

Mr. Godwin was the eldest son of the Rev. Edward Godwin, for upwards of forty years minister of the Presbyterian church in Little St. Helen's, London. His mother was the daughter of a worthy ejected minister, who was a considerable loser by his nonconformity, and widow of the Rev. Samuel Jones, of Tewkesbury, who was the tutor of Secker, Bishop Butler, Drs. Chandler and Gifford, and the Rev. Rr. Pearsall of Taunton. Though not trained to the ministry, Mr. Edward Godwin commenced 'preacher in Mr. Whitefield's connexion but died in early life. He was very useful in London, and other places, where he laboured very diligently, and was esteemed a very popular speaker. Whilst resident at Bristol, he published several sermons, preached before the Tabernacle Society; and also a small volume of hymns, dedicated to Marmaduke Gwyn, Esq, of Garth, the father of Mrs. Charles Wesley-a brief Account of God's Work in the British Army in Flanders, Christian Tales, and an Account of God's dealings with himself; and other publications. His brother was a Dissenting minister at Guestwick, in Norfolk, where he died in November 1772, in the fiftieth year of his age.

This gentleman was father of Mr. William Godwin, well known to the world by his "Political Justice," and other writings. He married the celebrated Mary Woolstonecroft, the author of The Rights of Women," and left a daughter, Mary, who married in December, 1816, the late Percy Bysshe Shelly, Esq., the poet. He was drowned in 1822, leaving a son, Percy Florence, heir to the

During the four years that Mr. Whitefield was absent in America, the cause of Methodism rose to great popularity at Bristol and Kingswood, by the zeal and eloquence of his fellowlabourers. The most popular preachers amongst the itinerant labourers who at this period supplied those congregations, were Mr. Relly and Mr. Godwin. The former, when writing to his brother, who was then preaching at the Tabernacle, in London, says:

-

"There seems to be a shaking among the dry bones at Bristol; I trust the scales will fall from their eyes shortly. The flock at Kingswood begins to spread its wings, and flee away towards Jesus. I found God amongst them these two Sabbath-days in a glorious manner. I go from hence to Bath once a week, and the Lord seems to revive his work among his people there. On Thursday many people of fashion heard me, and were affected with the discourse; indeed, the Word seems to run and be glorified among them. Oh that it may take deep root in all their hearts! My greatest grief at present is to see the Church fallen from her first love, and iniquity running down our streets, and very few laying it to heart, to see the watchman leave the walls, and keep silence while hell prevails. Oh that the Almighty God would bow the heavens, and make known his power on the earth, that hell might quake and devils tremble, while God's favourites are gathered home; for surely I long to see the nations bow to Christ's sceptre, that we may hear nothing but hallelujah and hosannah through the camp of God."*

1

Baronetcy of his grandfather, Sir Timothy Shelly, Bart., of Castle Goring, county of Sussex. Mrs. Shelly is also a writer, but partakes of some of the fatal sentiments of her father and mother. Two of the sisters of Mary Woolstonecroft many years since kept a respectable school in Dublin; but they were Socinians, members of the anti-trinitarian meeting in Sand-street, under the pastoral care of the late Dr. Moody.

Christian History, page 214. This work was 'published in numbers, in 1747, and consists of a collection of letters from Mr. Whitefield, Mr. Howel Davies, Howel Harris, Adams, Edwards, Godwin, Kinsman, Relly, and several of the early preachers in the Tabernacle connexion, relating to the progress of the Gospel in England, Wales, Scotland, and America.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

Mr. Daniel Rowlands-Mr. Howel Davies-Effects of their preaching at Bristol-Mr. Whitefield visits Bristol-Letter to Lady Huntingdon-Letter to the Countess Delitz-Portsmouth Tabernacle-Lady Huntingdon visits Bristol-Mr. Whitefield in Bristol-Lady Huntingdon's Benevolence to the Prisoners Commencement of the Tabernacle-Letters from Lord Chesterfield and Lord Bath-Mr. Charles Wesley-Opening of the Tabernacle_ Mrs. Grinfield-Illness of Mr. Wesley-Mrs. Charles Wesley's illness-Lady Huntingdon attends her-Mr. Whitefield's Letter to Mr. Charles Wesley— Mr. Croom-Mr. Cornelius Winter-Mr. Hogg-Mr. Shipman-Letter to Mr. Winter-Letter from Lady Huntingdon to Mr. Shipman-Mr. Shipman's Death-Lord Barham-Lady Huntingdon's Chapel opened-Mr. OwenLetters to Mr. Evans-New Chapel opened.

THE Calvinistic Methodists were now strengthened by the accession of the Welsh beneficed clergyman, Mr. Daniel Rowlands, Rector of Llangeitto and Chaplain to the Duke of Leinster, and Mr. Howel Davies, Rector of Prengast, near Haverfordwest, men of energetic and extraordinary eloquence. Men unfettered with worldly cares, and almost unconnected with the world, these apostolic men lived alone, and were striking emblems of primitive simplicity. Their manner of life carried the mind many centuries back, and set it down in the apostolic age. Such undissembled piety and such unaffected integrity are not the general characteristics of latter days. Wholly devoted to their Master's work, and treading in his steps, these indefatigable labourers went about continually preaching the doctrines of the Cross; and the great Head of the Church was graciously pleased to make manifest by them the savour of his grace. Their audiences were very large wherever they were called to proclaim the Gospel of the grace of God; and the stated number of communicants at the monthly sacraments in their churches, was seldom less than two thousand, and often more than four thousand. Mr. Whitefield, being present on an occasion of this sort, says "The power of God at the sacrament, under the ministry of Mr. Rowlands, was enough to make a person's heart burn within him. At seven of the morning have I seen perhaps ten thousand from different parts, in the midst of a sermon, crying Gogunniant bendyitti, ready to leap for joy."

Deeply acquainted with the Gospel scheme of salvation by Jesus Christ, they published the glad tidings with all the fervour