Tenison, and part of the letter to De Foe's Review, post, p. 25.*

The notes in the Appendix A. are from the pen of the Editor.

The ensuing particulars of the elder Melmoth come from the Books of the Society of Lincoln's Inn:-Admitted a member, 25th April, 1699; Called to the Bench, 17th June, 1719; Treasurer for the year 1730; Buried in the Cloister, under the Chapel, 14th April, 1743.+

The portrait of Melmoth is prefixed to the first edition of The great Importance of a Religious Life considered, 1711, and also to the Memoirs of 1796. The former is engraved by Richardson; § the latter is engraved by Schiavonetti, and has subjoined to it these verses,

Ars utinam Mores Animumque effingere possit:
Pulchrior in terris nulla Tabella foret.

12, NEW SQUARE, LINCOLN'S INN,

20th August, 1849.

C. P. C.

In the Memoirs of 1796, the first mentioned anonymous letter, the correspondence with the Rev. Mr. Norris, the anonymous letter to Archbishop Tenison, and part of the letter to De Foe's Review, fill forty pages.

† App. A, note 2.

See App. B, post, pp. 163-191. Remarkable Persons buried in the Cloister under Lincoln's Inn Chapel.

§ App. A, note 3.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR.-Melmoth accustomed from

his youth to practise that admirable precept of the sacred

writers, to commune with his own heart-There cannot be

a more edifying spectacle than to behold a man, in that

season of life when the passions are apt to be too warm and

impetuous for considerate reflection, disburthening in the

bosom of a person, who has his veneration and confidence,

the pressure of his alarmed conscience, too feelingly alive,

perhaps, to little frailties-Christians have the happy ad-

vantage of a real and animating model of excellence in the

person of the Divine Author of their religion-Melmoth

hesitating respecting the oath to be taken on his call to the

Bar, and being the more inclined to hesitate, lest motives of

interest should prevent him from viewing the question in its

true light, complete conviction is carried to his mind by
the Letters of the Rev. Mr. Norris-Melmoth, in a con-

flict between the most legitimate passion of the human

heart, and the exquisite sensibility of a conscience too un-

pliant to be warped by interest, resorts to the private me-

ditations of his closet, and that the result of his most deli-

berate resolutions might be present to his mind, when he

should have most occasion to recollect them, transcribes

his thoughts upon paper-It is probable, both from reason.

and revelation, as well as from the general opinion of man-

kind in all ages and nations, that superior intelligences are

not indifferent spectators of the moral actions of the in-

habitants of this lower orb-It may perhaps be an ingredient

in the beatitude of just men made perfect to look down

upon those persons who, by following their steps, are candi-

dates for admission into the same regions of immortal felicity

-State of the stage during the seventeenth and considerable

part of the eighteenth centuries-Melmoth's exertions to

---

procure its reformation-Melmoth having no other leisure

from the necessary occupations of his profession than what

remained every Sabbath, after joining in the sacred and

established functions of the day, invariably appropriates

that small portion of his valuable time to the private medi-

tations of his closet-Melmoth composes the Great Im-

portance of a Religious Life-Melmoth publishes Forms of

Occasional Prayers relating to the Sacrament, together with

an Account of the end for which that Rite was instituted-

Melmoth makes large extracts of the most striking pas-

sages in Addison's Moral Essays, and the Practical Ser-

mons of Dr. Samuel Clarke-Complete master of his pro-

fession, Melmoth discharged its offices with an integrity

equalled only by the science with which he performed

them - Melmoth having in a certain case advised the

querist to pursue his claim in a court of law, and not in-

stantly adverting to a dormant statute which stood in the

way of his client's supposed right, no sooner discovered

the inadvertence than he sent for the attorney, and not only

returned his fee but reimbursed the costs of the unsuccess-

ful plaintiff
Pp. 17-34

SHORT CHARACTER OF THE AUTHOR, from the pen
of his Son, prefixed to some editions of the Great Im-
portance

pp. 35,

36

pp. 37-40

pp. 41-112

CHAPTER I.-The voice of reason, the dictates of conscience,

and the Holy Scriptures loudly proclaim, that when this

short life is ended, we enter upon the regions of eternity,

and shall be for ever happy or miserable, according as we

demean ourselves in this time of our trial and probation

Whatever some may think, and how much soever they

may applaud their own wisdom in contriving schemes to be

rich and great, yet if their chief care and concern is taken

up about these things, it is certain they will be found fools

when weighed in the balance of true wisdom-Folly of

confining our ambitious pursuits within the limits of this

world, without considering what will be the condition of

our souls hereafter-There are too many content for the

sake of a present short-lived happiness to be miserable

for ever hereafter-A wretched piece of folly the sinner is

guilty of (how wise soever he may think himself, and how

much soever he may despise the sober part of mankind)

when he first enters upon a life of wickedness-He is then

evidencing to all the world that life and death being set

before him, he has determined his choice to the latter-

The minds of unthinking men possessed with an opinion

that religion is a sour, morose, ill-natured thing, an enemy

to whatever is pleasant and cheerful; and that whoever en-

gages in the practice of it, must from that instant renounce

all the pleasure and enjoyments of this life-There is no

pleasure like that of a good conscience, no real and solid

happiness but what results from a life of virtue and holi-

ness-A comparison made of the happiness of the man de-

livered from fear, and shame, and self-condemnation, the

sure attendants of a guilty conscience, by considering what

is the pleasure of a redeemed captive when restored to his

country, his liberty, and his friends, or of a mariner got

safe to shore after a storm, wherein he was every moment

in expectation of being swallowed up in the deep-More

true peace and satisfaction in conquering one vicious habit

than is ever met with in the most sensual enjoyment—

Nothing can give a man so exquisite a satisfaction as to re-

flect upon the actions of a well-spent life-For a man to

think that he is answering the end of his creation; that he

is doing the work for which he is sent into the world,

cheers and refreshes his soul with a solid, substantial, and

lasting pleasure, in comparison whereof all the vain and

empty enjoyments of this world are as nothing-The liber-

tine may flatter himself as he pleases, and think to deceive

others by putting on an air of gaiety and pleasantness, but

it is certain his mind can never be long at rest-A man,

by a long course of wickedness, may arrive at a hardened

state, but no one will think this to be a state of happiness

-If we consider a wicked man with respect to this world

only abstractedly from what will be his portion hereafter, we

shall find that there are many and great evils to which he

is exposed, besides the torments of a guilty conscience—

Question, whether the practice of virtue and righteousness

is not the most likely way a man can take to promote his

present as well as future happiness, and to make his pil-

grimage here on earth a state of tolerable ease and comfort

-The excellency of religion is, that it not only secures to

us a reversion of endless happiness, but makes our lives at

present easy and delightful - The pleasures of sin are

weak, short-lived, and only varnished over; they begin and

end almost in the same moment, and can never be pur-

chased but at the expense of much succeeding trouble,

shame and self-condemnation-The pleasures, which result

from a holy and religious life, are substantial, sincere,

steady and secure―They leave no disgust upon the mind,

no loathings and dislike, are neither accompanied with

shame, nor followed with remorse or sadness--In religion

we find a delight and satisfaction which is solid, substantial

and lasting; a delight that grows and improves under

thought and reflection-A good conscience is a perpetual

source of joy and consolation—As a good conscience gives a

relish to all our outward enjoyments, so it abates and takes

off the edge of the sharpest afflictions, and not only enables

a man to bear up under present evils, but fortifies him

against the dread and apprehension of future ones-There

are numberless calamities from which wealth and power

can never shelter us-Nothing can alleviate the pressure of

worldly troubles but a good life-The consciousness of

having in some measure lived holily and unblameably,

will make a man look up with humble assurance to the

Great Supporter of his being-The author hopes to make

it fully appear, that nothing is so likely to secure a man's

happiness in this world as a strict observance of the

precepts and duties of religion-Whoever desires to live

happily, must live holily- The providence of God watches

over and supports good men in this world-The author

would not be understood to say that a wicked man has

not prospered, or a good man been unsuccessful in this

world We may certainly conclude, that a strict ob-

servance of the duties of the Christian religion, is the

most likely way a man can take to thrive and prosper in