tists, wholly fled from the different sects. The Presbyterians have either deserted to the world, or sunk under the influence of a lukewarm ministry; and the Independents have gone over in a body to the Methodists. Indifference and enthusiasm have thinned the ranks of the old stock, and those whe remain behind are lost in the croud of modern religionists.

In the composition of the work, the author has adopted the topographical order, as best suited to his subject; and in ascertaining the limits of his divisions, has followed the best writers upon the history of London. After describing the situation of his places, he has given a particular account of the different revolutions that each has undergone, detailing the succession of pastors in each church, the variation in numbers, doctrinal sentiment, and such other particulars as were deemed necessary, or could be ascertained. The lives that follow the introductory matter, will be found, perhaps, not the least interesting part of the performance. In drawing them up, the author has paid a particular attention to facts, and as far as his materials would permit, has rendered them subservient to the cause of literature. There being a great sameness in character, he has usually compressed that part of biography, and in the application of its leading features has sometimes consulted his own judgment in preference to the indiscriminate adulation of partial or injudicious friends. To serious persons, christian biogra

phy has always been a source of profitable amusement, and in this part of his work, the author trusts he has not neglected the great interests of religion. In order to this, he has not thought it necessary to make any sacrifice of principle, nor to compromise the leading features of nonconformity. The power of religion never shone in brighter lustre than it did in many of the worthies here recorded; and the talents they displayed in defending the great truths of Christianity, raised them to an equal eminence with their conforming brethren. If these excellent characters are to be construed by modern Dissenters into formalists and bigots, the author cannot expect a treatment much different, nor is he desirous of better company. The truth is, that bigotry and charity are terms but little understood, though artfully noised abroad till they delude the passions of the multitude.

As there is some appearance of novelty attached to this performance, persons unacquainted with Dissenters, may annex to it notions of singularity. But they should recollect that our ideas are comparative; and as the author writes for Dissenters, he expects the same latitude for them, that would be granted to an antiquarian in compiling any local history. The subject he has chosen, has been strangely passed over by all who have undertaken to write concerning the history of London. This can only be attributed to those sectarian prejudices

that always abound amongst national Christians; but it is high time that they should be laid aside, and that the human character should be estimated by a more accurate standard. The parochial churches, and other public buildings in the metropolis, have received ample illustration from the pen of the historian, and the pages of our biographies are crouded with the lives of churchmen. But no one has hitherto explored the sanctuaries of Dissenters, nor recorded the biography of their pastors. To supply this chasm the present undertaking was attempted; and it is presumed, that the facts recorded in these volumes will afford sufficient evidence that learning, talents, and piety, are not confined to any party or denomination of Christians.

It was an object with the author to make his work a repository of useful information. For this purpose, he has brought together a large collection of facts, for which, in all material cases, he has quoted his authorities. If he has sometimes descended to a minuteness more acceptable to the antiquarian than to the general reader, he has not forgotten the entertainment of the latter, for whose sake he has occasionally enlivened his pages with anecdote. In the course of his inquiries it will be found that he has brought to light many places which were scarcely known to be in existence, and has recorded the lives of many excellent persons, whose names are not to be found in any other publication. Some apology may, perhaps, be

deemed necessary for inserting so many of the ejected ministers, whose lives are to be met with in the Nonconformists' Memorial. Buts as the work would not be complete without them, so it will be found that the accounts here inserted interfere very little with that performance, which he has but seldom consulted. The whole of such lives are re-written, most of them considerably enlarged from other sources, and Even in this view, some of them entirely new. therefore, the two works illustrate each other. But those worthies occupy only a small portion of these volumes. It is their successors whose lives the author has most laboured, and he hopes they will be found not altogether destitute of interest. That a work consisting almost wholly of facts and dates should be free from errors, is not to be expected: That they are so numerous the author greatly regrets, and must cast himself upon the reader's indulgence.

In the ensuing pages, the reader will meet with frequent references to places of which he will not find any account. To explain this, it is necessary to inform him, that the author designed, originally, to extend his work through the whole of the British metropolis, and the circumjacent villages; but finding that he could not comprise the whole in four volumes, he has restricted himself to those places that are within the cities of London and Westminster, and the Borough of Southwark. If those who feel interested in the performance, regret

that it is not extended to another volume, so as to include all the places they could wish, they must not blame the author, but those to whom it appertains to encourage such an undertaking. Posterity will, perhaps, think that it reflects no credit upon Dissenters of the present day that they can scarcely muster three hundred persons who feel interested in what concerns the affairs of their own churches. That the work is not better deserving their patronage is matter of regret to the author, who wishes it had fallen into abler hands.

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For the facts upon which this history is founded, the author has had recourse to a variety of sources, both printed and manuscript, as well as to oral information. The valuable records belonging to the societies in White'salley, Barbican, Devonshire-square, New-court, and Stepney, have afforded him many useful particulars relating to contemporary churches. That the Dissenters in general have not been more careful in preserving their records, and in noting down the transactions relating to their body seems very surprising, and argues a carelessness that merits censure. In the infancy of their societies they were more particular; but as their discipline relaxed, they grew remiss in the registry of events, and their early records having fallen into private hands are, in most cases, lost. Most of our old churches know little more of their history than what is derived from tradition; a defect which the present