12 LIFE OF REV. JOHN MURRAY. My parents were the religious children of religious parents, and grand parents: they were the more religious on that account; and, as the descendants of ancient noble families value themselves on their pedigree, stimulating their children from considerations of ancestry to act up to the illustrious examples which they exhibit and emblazon, uniformly insisting that they shall avoid mixing with the plebeian race; so, as soon as I appeared to pay attention to interesting tales, I was made acquainted with the characters of my grand pa rents. My paternal grandfather, however, possessed only negative religion; that is, his affection for my grandmother obliged him to conform to her, in every thing; and he esteemed himself happy, in be⚫ing blest with a wife, who, from principle and inclination, was both able and willing to take upon herself the care and culture of her children. How long this grandfather lived, I am unable to say; but my grandmother was, with respect to her religious attachments, more fortunate in a second marriage. She was united to a Mr. Beattie, a man of considerable note, in every point of view. It was by this gentleman's name, 1 became acquainted with my grandmother: I remember, when very young, to have seen his picture, which gave me a very high idea of his person. It was his son, who was governor of the fortress, in the harbor of Cork. My grandmother soon lost this second husband, and never married again. She was, in the morning and meridian of her life, a celebrated beauty: the remains of a fine face were visible when I knew her: I never beheld a more beautiful old lady. Traces of affluence were conspicuous in her dwelling, her furniture, and apparel; she was an immedate descendant of an ancient and honorable family in France; her father's name was Barroux, one of the noblesse, and a dweller in the town of Paimboeuf, on the river Loire, between the city of Nantes, and the mouth of said river. Mr. Barroux having buried his lady, who left him two daughters, thought proper, as was then the custom of people of distinctiou, to educate his eldest daughter in England; this step banished her from her native country, and from her father: she never saw either more. Attaching herself to a family of Episcopalians, she became a zealous Protestant, which, together with her selecting a husband of the same persuasion, confirmed her an exile forever. The irritated feeling of her father admitted no appeal: his affections were totally alienated: he was a high-spirited, obstinate man, and he swore in his wrath, he would wed the first woman he met, provided he could obtain her consent, and she was not absolutely disgusting. The first who presented happened to be his chambermaid the made known to her his vow, was accepted with gratitude, and they were speedily married. Not many years after this event, the old gentleman died, leaving no issue by his second marriage: and, as he left no wili, his daughter, who continued under the paternal roof, entered into possession of the whole estate; she, however, survived her father only three LIFE OF REV. JOHN MURRAY. 13 veeks, when my grandmother became the only legal heir to the roperty, both of her father and her sister. A large share of the personal estate was conveyed to England, y two priests; and the real estate was tendered to my grandmoth, on condition that she would read her recantation, renounce the amnable doctrines of the Church of England, and receive the Host, s the real presence. My grandmother, and my father, after a conerence, which continued but a few moments, cheerfully concurred a relinquishment of the estate, and united in declaring, that, on rims so calculated to prostrate their integrity, they would not acept the whole kingdom of France. The clergyman returned to Le Gallic shore, and the person left in the house, for the purpose taking charge of the estate, until the heirs at law should recover eir senses, continued in the quiet possession of an inheritance, orth five hundred pounds sterling per annum. "When the estate as thus, upon religious principles, surrendered, I was about five ars of age; but having frequently heard my father circumstantialrelate the transaction, as I advanced in life, my bosom often acowledged a latent wish, that he had accepted an inheritance to Dich his natural claim was indubitable, upon the terms offered by e ecclesiastics, which were, that my grandmother and my faer should, in so many words, qualify themselves for the possession their right, while, in their hearts, they continued to judge for emselves. But from a conduct so questionable, the guileless heart my upright parent spontaneously revolted; and, for myself, ile revolving years gave me to exult in his decision, the detec of so reprehensible a principle, in my own bosom, and at so eara period, originated much contrition. Yet, notwithstanding the y considerable sacrifice made by my father, his uniform efforts amanded all the necessaries, and many of the elegancies of life. children multiplied; four sons and five daughters augmented felicities; he received from nature a strong mind, his parents towed upon him a good education, and he was universally rected and beloved. The parents of my mother were well known to me; her father's ne was James Rolt, his ancestors were all English; he was in y life a bon-vivant, and even when he became the head of a ily, his reprehensible pursuits were nothing diminished; the sisuffering of his wedded companion were strongly expressed in wan countenance and broken health. The circumstances of conversion from dissipation to a life of severe piety were rather arkable, and were considered in his day as miraculous. f the piety of my paternal grandfather, or my maternal grandher, I have little to say. I have never heard that they allowed mselves in any improper indulgences, and as they were the adrs of their devout companions, it is a fair conclusion, that they › at least negatively pious, and that if they did not lead, they rfully followed, in cultivating a pious disposition in the minds 2* LIFE OF REV. JOHN MURRAY. 15 vere castigation would be the consequence. Pious supplications were the accompaniments of the chastisements which were inflicted, so that I often passed from the terror of the rod, to the terrifying apprehensions of future and never-ending misery. Upon these errific occasions, the most solemn resolutions were formed, and ny vows were marked by floods of tears. I would no more ofFend either my father, or his God; I dared not to say my God, for I had heard my father declare, that for any individual, not the elect of God, to say of God, or to God, 'OUR FATHER,' was nothing beter than blasphemy: when most devout, I was prevented from deiving consolation from my pious breathings, by a persuasion that was a reprobate, predestined to eternal perdition. In fact, I beeved that I had nothing to hope, but every thing to fear, both rom my Creator, and my father; and these soul-appalling considrations, by enforcing a conclusion, that I was but inaking proviFon for alternate torture, threw a cloud over every innocent enjoy nent. About the time that I attained my eleventh year, (1751) my ther removed to Ireland, and though I dreaded going with him my where, I was the only individual of the family whom he comelled to accompany him. Yet I was captivated by the charms of Ovelty. London filled me with amazement, and my fond, my Oprehensive father was in continual dread of losing me; while e severity he practised to detain me near him, by invigorating y desires to escape from his presence, increased the evil. We quitted London in the middle of April, and, reaching Bristol, rried but a little while in that city. At Pill, five miles from Bris■, between my father and myself, a final separation was on the int of taking place. In the Bristol river the tide is extremely pid: I stepped into a boat on the slip, and letting it loose, the ce of the current almost instantly carried it off into the channel, d had it been ebb instead of flood tide, I must inevitably have me out to sea, and most probably should never have been heard more: but the flood tide carried me with great rapidity up the er, and the only fear I experienced was from the effects of my her's indignation. The poor gentleman, with a number of comssionate individuals, were engaged, until almost twelve o'clock, searching the town, and the harbor, and had returned home inquishing every hope of my restoration. In the midst of the eam I found a large flat-bottomed boat at anchor, to which, king fast the boat I was in, I consequently proceeded no farther. midnight, I heard voices on the side of the river, when, earnestmploring their aid, and offering a liberal reward, they came in ir boat, and, conveying me on shore, conducted me to my lodgs; but no language can describe my dismay, as I drew near my ner, who was immediately preparing to administer the deserved stisement, when the benevolent hostess interposed, and in pityving accents exclaimed: 'Oh, for God's sake let the poor Blood |