have been more sorry," he adds "at the disappointment, did I not know that it could not have taken place unless the Lord had had wise reasons for permitting it."

December 22, he states that he had sent a few Bibles, for which, if his correspondent was not prepared to pay without expense to himself," he would go a begging for it."

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February 24, 1789. If no unexpected hindrance arises, you will receive, as soon as they can be got ready and sent, another cargo of Bibles; one hundred to give away, at Mr. Thornton's expense, and the other two or three hundred to sell... I believe that the whole impression of Welsh Bibles is now nearly exhausted; and I would be thankful that the Lord has made me, almost without my having any thought of it, an instrument of bringing a considerable number out of the warehouses, to be disseminated where they were wanted."

October 19, 1792. A further supply of Bibles had been procured through another friend, and he says, "I trust that the Lord, who hath put it into the hearts of so many in Wales to love his holy word, will also put it into the hearts of their more wealthy brethren in England to use effectual methods of supplying them with Bibles. I have no counsel to offer; but am ready to be active in the good service in any way I can.-I rejoice to hear, that your people go on well, and are a comfort to you: and I think I do feel more willingness than formerly, that others should have the satisfaction of enlarged usefulness, and I the mortification of much disappointment in that respect."

Letters of a later date announce the new edition of the Welsh Bible in 1799, consisting of ten thousand Bibles, and two thousand additional copies of the New Testament; out of which he appears to have procured eight or nine hundred copies of the whole Bible; and the correspondence closes, May 3, 1800, with observing, "The demand has already so far exceeded the impression, that each person is put off with fewer than he applied for, and thought he had secured!”lə ək

HIS COMMENTARY ON THE SCRIPTURES. [ DEATH OF MRS. SCOTT.

"As I had read over the whole of the scriptures repeatedly, I trust with constant prayer, and considering how almost every verse might be applied, as if I had been called to preach upon it; I had often thought that I should like to preach through the Bible for instruction from every part crowded upon my mind, as I read and meditated from day to day. While I was in this frame of mind, a proposal was made to me to write notes on the Bible, to be published, with the sacred text, in weekly numbers. On this proposal, I consulted some, who, as I understood, well knew the persons making it, and were themselves respectable characters. I also consulted my own friends, and certainly made it, for some time, a constant part of my prayers to be directed aright concerning it: but I am convinced that I did not deliberate, consult, and pray, so long as I should have done; that I was too hasty in determining; and that a great mixture of self-confidence, and presumption of competency for an undertaking, which, if not already executed, I should at present tremble to think of, combined with my desire of being usefully employed. I had hardly an idea of the arduousness of the work, and of the various kinds of talent and

knowledge which it required; of most of which I was at that time destitute. My inclination biassed my judgment. I must also own, that a guinea a week, with some collateral advantages, which I was to receive, promised to be no unacceptable addition to my scanty income; while twenty-five gratuitous copies of the work would prove a useful present to my different relations; to which purpose I actually applied them. It was also a gratification to my active mind, that the proposed work would give me full employment; which I most of all desired.

A

"It never, I own, occurred to me at this time, that any man would undertake a publication, which must, at the lowest computation, cost 2,000, or 3,000; and which would require 351. to be paid down every week; relying entirely on the sale of an incipient work of an obscure author to carry him through it! This proved that I knew little of the world; for such presently appeared to be the situation of the projector, Yet none of my friends cautioned me on this ground.

"After having proceeded so far as to have, beyond expectation, the most encouraging prospects of public acceptance; and having become more and more enthusiastically fond of the employment; I learned, when fifteen numbers had been printed, that, unless money could be procured from my friends, the design must be abandoned. The pretence, indeed, was, that I was likely to exceed the limits proposed, of one hundred, afterwards extended to one hundred and twenty, numbers: but it was manifest, both from the early period of the complaint, and still more by the event, that the money and credit of the pub

lishers were exhausted.-In these circumstances, I could not bear to think of dropping so 'promising a design; and I had not courage to venture on executing it on my own account; though liberal offers of pecuniary assistance were made me for that purpose. The best object of my undertaking has been answered far beyond my hopes: but I stumbled on the worst plan, as to secular matters, that could have been adopted; and my vexations, and distresses, and losses, have been a merciful, yet painful correction of my rashness, presumption, and folly.

"It is not worth while to detail the particulars of my perplexities, and temporary resources, and renewed difficulties, and new plans; or of the debts which I contracted, in order to support the sinking credit of the publisher, for one person only now sustained that character, the other having speedily seceded. Suffice it to say, that, by the help of friends, and by sinking some legacies which came to me, I supported him to the close; though the expense far exceeded calculation, and indeed what would have been the amount in the hands of a prudent and solvent publisher."

The cost of the first edition (amounting to three thousand copies!) was not less, I believe, than 6,000%. or 7,000l. The publisher reckoned it at 10,000/. or 11,000/.

The work extended, indeed, much beyond its proposed limits, reaching to one hundred and seventyfour numbers instead of one hundred and forty, to which it had been ultimately fixed: but all beyond the one hundred and forty numbers I printed at my own expense and risk; and all beyond one hundred