most affectionate and dutiful child. His manner, both in preaching and conversation, was plain and artless. He humbled himself at the feet of all: and the invariable language of his heart, both to God and man, was What I know not, that teach thou me."*

For the salvation of his neighbours Adam Clarke felt an ardent concern: he spoke to each of them concerning spiritual things as often as he had opportunity—went to the houses of several, and, wherever it was acceptable, prayed with them, and read a portion of the Holy Scriptures, and endeavored to expound those portions which best suited the state of their minds.

He did not confine his labor to his immediate neighbourhood, but went several miles into the country, in all directions, exhorting and beseeching the people to turn to God. In such work he spent the whole of the Sabbath. Often he had to travel four, six, and more miles on the Sabbath morning to meet a class. As those classes generally met about eight o'clock in the morning, he was obliged in the winter season, to set out two hours before daylight; and frequently in snow, rain, frost, &c.; nor did any kind of weather ever prevent him from taking these long journeys. Having the love of God shed abroad in his heart, he loved the souls of men, and found no difficulty in obedience :-" Love feels no load." Obedience is painful only to him who has not the love of God in his soul.

In the summer time, after having met one of those distant classes, it was his custom to go to the top of some mountain or high hill; and, having taken a view of the different villages which lay scattered over the lower country,

*The above account of his early friend was written by Dr. Clarke for the Methodist Memorial."

arrange them in his mind, proceed to that which was nearest, walk into it, and enter the first open door; and, after accosting the inhabitants with Peace be to this house, ask them if they were willing he should pray with them? When they consented, he then enquired whether they had any objection to call in a few of their neighbours ? When this was done, he generally gave out a verse of a hymn, sung it, and then gave them an exhortation, prayed with them, and departed to another village, pursuing the same method. It is remarkable that, in no case was he ever refused the permission he sought. He was very young, and this, with his very serious deportment, and the singularity of his conduct, made in all cases a powerful impression in his favor, which his prayers and exhortations never failed to increase. On this plan he has in the course of one day, visited nine or ten villages at considerable distances from each other, and from his own home; and spoke publicly as many times! In these excursions he never went to those villages where the Methodists had established preaching; but to those principally which had no helper; lying at a considerable distance as they generally did from places of public worship. This was sore travail, as, besides speaking so many times, he has walked above twenty miles, and often had little if any thing to eat. But he went on his way rejoicing, and could always sing— "While I do my Master's will,

I carry my heaven about me still."

Though, as we have seen, he was never expert at figures, yet he wished to learn some of the more ornamental branches of the mathematics; and for this end his father placed him under the care of a very eminent mathematician in Coleraine. He continued with this gentleman only long enough to learn Dialling in a general way: I mention this circumstance, because the last secular act of

his life, by which he endeavored to gain his bread, was performed in this science. An acquaintance, Mr. S. H. desired A. C. to make him a horizontal brass dial for his garden. Adam provided the brass, laid on the lines, engraved it himself, and charged for the instrument five shillings! He called for this moderate compensation for his skill and labor two or three times; and the last, just before he left the kingdom: but he never received the cash. He had made several before, for small profits: this last terminated all his operations in gnomonics.

About the winter of 1778 he attempted to learn French. There was no person in the neighbourhood that could help him in the language. Mr. Edward Murphy, of great eminence as a classical teacher, and who then kept his school in the church of Desart Martin, not far from Magherafelt, was the only person who could teach the language in that country. He went thither, lodged with a friend, several miles from the place, attended Mr. Murphy's school, walking out every morning and back every night, in the depth of winter, and sat in the cold church without fire, during the day. This was severe work; but in no case did ever A. C. find a royal road to any point of knowledge, or branch of learning.

Adam had often amused himself with making short hymns, and turning several of the Psalms of David into metre. He once even undertook Solomon's Song; and turned the four first chapters into stanzas of four lines, eights and sixes! but no fragments of these early productions remain, or can be recovered. When his judgment became a little more matured, he devoted his rhyming hours to much better purposes, and paid no attention to the fruit of his juvenile attempts in this line, for which he entertained no kind of respect, but merely as they were proofs of a pious and sincere mind.

He was put apprentice to Mr. Francis Bennet, a linen merchant of Coleraine; and a distant relative of his own, with every prospect of secular advantage. This was in opposition to the opinion of all his religious friends; who were fully persuaded that God had called him to a different employment. His parents, however, not being able, as has already been shewn, to put him in the regular ministry, thought an apprenticeship with Mr. Bennet, on the advantageous ground which his kindness caused him to propose, was a direct opening of Providence, which would eventually lead to a respectable competency. As to himself, he was entirely passive: as yet he knew not the design of the Lord, and his grand point was,—not to get money, but to save his soul.

He went at first a month on trial; that being ended, as much to Mr. B.'s satisfaction, as he could reasonably wish; his parents were expected to take the first opportunity to have him formally bound. This was strangely neglected from time to time, till at last he had been with Mr. Bennet eleven months. During this time, his religious friends strongly and incessantly exhorted him not to enter an apprenticeship, as God had most assuredly called him to the work of the ministry. He laid these things before his parents, who gave them their most decided negative, and insisted on his continuance with Mr. B. This brought him into great perplexity: he had begun to doubt whether the business was such a one as would well comport with his spiritual profit. He thought he saw several things in it that he could hardly do with a clear conscience; and particularly he saw that he must necessarily be much exposed to public company, in attending fairs and markets, in order to purchase the linen from the weavers. A clear conscience he thought would be better than the best inheritance; and he was perfectly

willing to earn his bread with the sweat of his brow at the most laborious and servile employment, rather than gain thousands with the prospect of suffering spiritual loss.

Mr. John Bredin, an eminent minister of God, was then on the Coleraine and Londonderry circuit. He paid much attention to Adam, lent him books and took considerable pains to instruct him in the most important matters, and to cultivate his mind. He, supposing that God had called him to the work of the ministry, wrote concerning him to the late Rev. J.Wesley; who kindly offered to take him for a time to his great school, at Kingswood, near Bristol; where he might increase his classical knowledge, have the opportunity of exercising his ministerial talents in the various societies in that neighbourhood, and thus be better qualified for the general work of the ministry. This he laid before his parents, who received the proposal rather with indignation than with mere dissatisfaction; and entered a strong protest against it. At the same time Mr. Bennet made him a very advantageous offer: told him if he did not like his business he would advance him money, either to be employed in some business at home, or to trade in Irish produce, (butter, hides, and tallow,) to England. This proposal he diligently concealed from his parents, as his mind now strongly led him to embrace the proposal of Mr. Wesley, and to go to England. He accordingly thanked Mr. Bennet for his kind offer, but told him that he had made up his mind to quit the business: and in a short time they parted in a state of friendship and affectionate attachment, which has continued to the present day.

Before I conclude this part of my narrative, I must mention some circumstances which took place while he was with Mr. Bennet,

On many accounts his residence in Coleraine was highly