Written by himself at above seventy years of age, who has been twice compelled to submit to a bankruptcy, without any other cause but a little want of capital, by putting his hand a little too far, which has happened to many a good and clever man, and been his ruin; but he is thankful and grateful to the Almighty, for his preservation and ability to write this, to justify himself and he hopes to benefit society and the world, hoping it may be of use to young men of the rising generation, to guard merit and innocence against error, prejudice, weakness, falsehood, wickedness, and treachery, which have been exercised against him, which many people say, would have killed thousands of men or driven them mad; but little do even such know all the secret causes of his grief, which delicacy will not allow him to declare; though he feels to declare all the secret causes, would complete his justification, which was the original cause of his writing, and at times much inclined to do so, but delicacy and prudence step in, and forbids and conquers his strong and almost unconquerable inclination.

I was born at the village of Flockton, near Wakefield, ́ of reputable but humble parents, who by their industry, care, and economy, became able and willing to give me a good education, but being one of the most stupid ignorant lads, that perhaps ever went to school, to sixteen or seventeen years of age I may truly say, I could learn nothing but reading, writing and accounts until that time, being more fond of being among the sheep or horses, than going to school; about that age I left school, and was at home with my three brothers, all bringing up to the same occupation, I began to consider we were too many at home for one trade, and though I was sensible of my own ignorance, I felt a spirit of enterprize, and went to London about the age of twenty, into the banking house of Messrs. Fuller, Baker, and Halford. I went in the stage coach, we were a week going, when I got there I called a coach to take me to my friend Mr. Brook's, I forgot to take the number of it, and lost a pair of good boots in the coach: when I had been there about two years, my father and three brothers made a contract for the Flockton Colliery, and their other business increasing, they joined in soliciting me to leave London, and join in the colliery, and all their other concerns, which after repeated solicitations, I consented to, though I felt a strong inclination to pursue my good fortune in London. And being all ignorant and inexperienced in collieries, we soon laid

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out six thousand pounds in opening this colliery, and laying a Newcastle waggon-way with wood, (for iron roads were not known at that time) but this was the greatest folly, because a turnpike road lay on one side of it, all down hill, and nearer than the waggon-way, which cost us a mint of money, and being made of wood, our returns at that time, could not in any degree justify the expence of making a wood road and repairing of it with wood. But this was done by the managing brother by his own will Though the opening of the colliery' was done by a short drain, no fire engine, such was our ignorance and folly at that time, that I do think with the hard and long experience which I have since gained, I could establish the same work with little more than twice six thousand shillings. And it is a very singular fact, that the master colliers in this part, have generally begun this trade in ignorance, without going apprentice, as boys do to all other trades, which is the only way I can account for so many losing money or miscarrying. My good father died at sixty-seven years of age, and with a good name, left each of his seven children a small estate, without incumbrance, but not gained by the colliery, for I believe it was near six thousand pounds in debt, when he died, and my pretty little estate was mortgaged after his death, to support this colliery, with the aid of my application and industry, without which, I believe we should have failed, for at that time I gained much by the wood, corn, and malt trades, and the managing partner was so ill, he could do nothing but look after the colliery, it being very near home, and we laboured with it near twenty long years, and it monopolized our capital, by which we might have gained much by our corn, malt, and wood trades. One of the brothers being in a bad state of health, and unable to travel from home, became the manager of the colliery, and got more experience than any of us, and at the time we were near six thousand pounds out of pocket, he discovered he could dry some coal joining to ours, by the drains we had made, at so much expence, time, and trouble; and without our knowledge or consent, bought. some coal of Sir Thomas Blackett, and began to work it by our drains, agents, workmen, tools, &c. &c. in short sacrificed the interest of the joint colliery, to the interest of his private one, which had a tendency to deprive us of our birth right; as a proof of this, he was saying one Friday at Wakefield Market, how many coals he was selling a week, in the presence of Mr. Joseph

Whitaker, the then agent to the Halifax navigation || company, who said what are you doing with the other colliery, you are burning the candle at three ends, or both ends and the middle. This conduct gave his partners much offence, and occasioned much complaining, to reconcile us he said, if we would surrender the lease to him for eighteen years, he would give each of us £300. a year for that term, (perhaps with a further view than the present profit to him) which we agreed to accept, but on as strong conditions as could be expressed, that we should stand in the very same shoes at the end of the term, as to our tenant right to the Flockton Colliery as we did before we made such surrender. But he made us very little compensation towards the heavy sum we had laid out and time spent in doing it. It pleased the Almighty to call him to his mercy, a few years before the expiration of the lease, which he had taken care to get made three years longer than the surrender, with what view he got it made longer will soon appear. And he appointed me one of his executors to his will, with two others who had no experience in collieries, which we began to execute, but in the most disorderly and ruinous way, and I could not take upon me to dictate much to the two others, because I had been humbled and depreciated as will appear hereafter. One of them took the lead, and he was implicitly supported by the other and the widow in all his folly, so that it was in vain for me to attempt to control them. I saw no remedy but the following, and told my brother in what a ruinous way we were conducting our executorship, and that I saw no remedy, but we three offering to give the executors more per year than my late brother had given us, which they agreed to, and we offered, free and independent of all management and outgoings whatever, in the very same way our brother had done to us, to the expiration of the rest of the term, that being the time we were to be reinstated as partners, and to the capital, and then to renew the lease with his two children, they to have the same share as their father.

His widow had the folly to pretend to take offence at this generous act of ours, though she was not an executrix, and filed a bill in chancery against me, to turn me out of the trust, for this more than liberal offer. 1 contended with her several years in chancery, till the term was near worn out, and the complexion of the thing much changed, then I said to my attorney, Mr. Lee, if she will pay all expences on both sides, I will resign my trust in form, which she agreed to, and paid all, an enormous sum it must be. Here, in my own defence and justification, I am compelled to tell this lady she is guilty of the grossest ingratitude. She was, perhaps, some very distant relation of my dear wife's, who in her excess of charity, gave invitations to her, her aunt, and sister, and they were all three visitors at the same time for months and months at a time with us, for several years, without being able to make us a return; in short we caressed and did every thing that was kind and more than generous to them, and the managing brother fell in love with and married her, by which she reached the stately eminence she now sits upon. This, I think, is a proof she owes all she has to me, because he would not have known her had not they visited us so repeatedly. And is not only guilty of great ingratitude, but

cruelty, by striking at what she conceived to be a poor man with a wounded reputation,or else she would not have dared to do what she has done. But if she will read the whole of this publication, she may, if she will, discover the reverse, for I here tell her I would not part with my integrity, my honor, my religion, my good name, and all the gifts which God has bestowed upon me, in exchange for millions. Justice is due unto all men. Tread on a worm and it will complain, though not able to defend itself. And I have received many insults from her son-in-law, but I never resent them, I bear them all with great patience and fortitude; nor would I have written this, but in my own defence and justification, because I know they have both had the folly to attempt to defame me many times, but fortunately I have the hope and comfort to believe that my good name is superior to their slander, wherever I am known. Her conduct is a mystery to me, and I will appeal to the world and all who know me, to prove that my friendships are eternal, but my enmities are not so, I know no foundation for her malice, but much for her gratitude. I was the only true, able, and willing friend she had in the world, but she would not know how to value me, perhaps because her judgment was blinded by what she erroneously fancied was her interest.

I am hurt beyond my power to express, that she bas compelled me to censure a woman, it never happened to me before, and I hope it will never happen to me again. I am always a most zealous advocate for the fair, amiable, lovely sex. By these crooked, mysterious, unjust, unwise, and complicated proceedings, were we deprived of our birth-right to the Flockton Colliery. I could enlarge much more upon this nefarious proceeding, but prudence and delicacy forbid me. With this exception, we are one of the most harmonious, affectionate families.

A few years before we began to open our Flockton Colliery, Captain Crowle, of Water Frystone Hall, near Ferrybridge, Yorkshire, began to open a colliery in that estate, and as I knew he was sinking money very fast, and in a very unhappy way with his colliery, I always avoided the subject as much as possible, becauso I think it indelicate and unpolite to mention a subject to any one that is likely to be in the least unpleasant or disagreeable. But he was so fond of his colliery, or so much inclined to gain information, it was the first subject he mentioned when we met at Wakefield Market, and the last when we parted. He built steam engines, sunk pits, laid Newcastle waggon ways with wood, had many law suits with his workmen, &c. and won the colliery, began to get coal, though by this time so much involved, that he was compelled to advertise his colliery to let. A Mr. Lees, of Clark's Field, near Oldham, Lancashire, came to view and treat for it, but returned without making a bargain. without making a bargain. The Captain was so fond of his customer, that he followed him into Lancashire with as much zeal as if he had been going to court a bonny wife, and in the presence of Mrs. Lees did court him to take his colliery. The Captain being a very polite, agreeable, pleasant man, and giving a most plausible account of the colliery, that he made such a favorable impression upon Mrs. Lees, that she interfered, and