Long prefaces to Narratives have seldom, I believe, the honour of being read through. If the Narrative possess interest, a tedious recommendation only detains the reader from his enjoyment; and if it possess none, it aggravates his disappointment.—I shall, therefore, be very brief. The subject of the following Memoir has been connected with the church under my pastoral care, nearly since its formation, in the year 1803:—and, from this, as well as from a circumstance in his religious history, whi

The very kind reception which the public have given to the first edition, has encouraged the Author to improve and enlarge the second. The additions chiefly consist of a more detailed and combined account of the Insurrection in Ireland, and the Expeditions to Holland and Egypt. These additions, he hopes, will make the reading of the Narrative more pleasant, particularly to young persons. He has divided it into chapters, and inserted the number of the regiment he served in; but his name can be of

Dear Pastor , I shall now, according to the best of my ability, attempt to gratify the wish you several years since expressed, that I would arrange into one connected narrative, the various particulars I then communicated to you, of my previous life, and the exercises of my mind; its various workings, and conflicts, until the period when I was brought to the knowledge of Jesus, as the only and all-sufficient Saviour. In drawing up this account of myself, my motive is, to record the loving-kindne

We embarked in the beginning of June for Ireland, on board of the Europa of 60, and the Van Tromp of 54 guns. We had a narrow escape from running ashore amongst the rocks, in a fog, upon the Irish coast: the fog, however, cleared away just in time for us to see our danger. A new scene began to open to us: Ireland was in a state of insurrection; and we were but ill informed of the nature and extent of it. We were told by a pilot, that we got upon the coast to conduct us into Dublin, that the insu

I continued in a very careless and listless state of mind during the passage to England. We landed at Dover, and marched to Barham downs, where we were encamped. About ten thousand troops were assembled at this place in a few days, and Sir Ralph Abercrombie was appointed to command them. Our regiment was put into a brigade under the command of Sir John Moore. Lord Huntly went upon the expedition as Colonel of the regiment, for he was not yet a General upon the English staff. We marched to Ramsga

We left Chelmsford on the 14th of April, and marched to the Isle of Wight, where we lay until the 27th May. I was once in the Methodist meeting house while we lay in the town of Newport. On the 27th May, 1800, we embarked on board the Diadem, 64 guns, and the Inconstant frigate, both armed en flute ( i. e. partially armed), and fitted for the reception of troops. We left all our women and heavy baggage in the Isle of Wight; and as we were not informed where we were going, this circumstance led u

On the forenoon of the 2d March, we cast anchor in Aboukir Bay, the place where the battle of the Nile was fought. Here we lay until the 8th , before the weather would permit us to land; a period of great anxiety, for every hour was giving the enemy time to collect his forces, and prepare the means of defence. This made the prospect increasingly awful. Our regiment was intended to have been one of those which should land first; but the fever having increased so much, that about one half of our n

Preparations having been made for erecting a general hospital in the town of Rosetta, all that were capable of being removed from Aboukir were sent there. I left Aboukir, and was taken on board of a Germ on the 23d June; which sailed in the afternoon; and at day-break next morning, we were near the entrance of the Rosetta branch of the Nile. The surf on the bar, at the mouth of the river, was high; but the Arabs, who navigated the vessel, risked the passage. The hazard on such occasions is consi

After a pleasant passage, having light winds and fine weather, we arrived at Malta on the 23d October. Here our joy was wonderfully heightened by the news of peace. The news had come from France, but they were credit worthy. The only cause of regret was, that such an important and strongly fortified place as Malta, where we now lay, was to be given up. We did not leave Malta until the 26th November, at which delay the soldiers were vexed; but the naval officers were no way anxious to get home, b

Having now finished my narrative, may I take the liberty of adding a few reflections, with a view to direct the minds of those who may read it, to the lessons I should wish them to learn from it. There are two things which are conspicuous in it; the first is, a sinner's weakness ; the second is, a sinner's blindness .—It shows how long and how often I attempted to cleanse my own heart. I made the effort under all the variety of circumstances I have mentioned, but all in vain. I acted under all t