CHAPTER XIII. Christian friendship.--Rev. J. Storry.-Martha Hick.-Excessive labour.-Skill in farming.-Sensibility.-Extempore speaking. -Common sense.-Young's Night Thoughts.-Mercy.—Critics. -Living Epistles.-Shadow of Death.-Attitudes.-Conversation.—Backslider restored.-A School Address.-Hymns.-The wig.-The "Factory Question."-Affability.—Visits.—London. -Collections. - Published Sermons. - Hard toil.-Titles of Public Addresses.-The Reform Bill.-War.-The Cholera.— The tax-cart.—Invitations.—Travelling conducive to health.— Dr. Clarke and the Rev. Richard Watson.-Successful begging. -Manner.-Stripes of Transgressors.-Power over an audi. tory.-Providence.-Mr. Reinhardt.—Mrs. Turton.— Willingness to labour.-The Auctioneer's stand.-Piety maintained. -Rev. Robert Aitkin.—Sociability.-Good done at Barwick.— A travelling feat.-Contentment.--The North.-The Theological Institution.-Additional labour. Ir is disputed by some writers, whether a vigorous friendship can strike root in a bosom chilled by years. Though this sentiment comprehends a general truth, and the most lasting friendships are usually the produce of early life, when persons are susceptible of warm and affectionate impressions, there are exceptions,-and Mr. Dawson was one. The fire of nature never ceased to burn ;-he had a deep and ready insight into real worth, and never failed to affix his own approving stamp upon what he valued. There is a great deal of difference too in the character of real friendship, when Divine grace enters into companionship with the finer feelings of the heart. Friendship is not a thing that a person can "regularly undertake to cultivate," but seems to be born with some persons, as they may be born poets. Two men may meet, as Goldsmith observes, and may imperceptibly find their hearts filled with good nature for each other, when they were at first only in the pursuit of pleasure or relaxation: then the current of tenderness widens as it proceeds. Mere speculators in friendship expect too much; and by drawing the bands too closely, they at length break them, and so dissolve the connection. Catharine Phillips seems to have had a just, and therefore, an exalted notion of friendship. It is to reduce her verse into prose, an abstract of the truly noble flame of love-love, purified from all its dross---love refinednext to angelic for its strength,-that which antedates the joys of eternity-and is an epitome of heaven: or, to return to her poetry ;— "Thick waters shew no images of things; Friends are each other's mirrors, and should be Such was Mr. Dawson, as a friend; and such was the friendship he enjoyed with the Rev. John Storry while he travelled in the Leeds circuit, and to which friendship he refers in a note, dated 1831—the year before the demise of that excellent man, and useful minister of God. Wesleyan ministers did not occupy an ordinary place in his esteem; and it was his delight when he could avail himself of an opportunity, on visiting Leeds, of returning into the country with them, when their labour lay at Barwick or the neighbourhood, for the evening: nor was it less an enjoyment on their part to be in his society. He refers to the Rev. R. Treffry, sen., and others, in this way. In the month of February, of this year,-1831, Mr. Dawson paid a visit to the widow of Samuel Hick, and presented her with a copy of the Memoir of her husband. Though like her careful namesake-Martha, her true nobility of soul never forsook her. On Mr. Dawson presenting her with the first-fruits of the profits of the first edition, she observed, "I cannot think of taking anything, till I know that Mr.shall suffer no loss by it; and it was not till she was satisfied on this point, that she could be induced to accept the offering. With all the prudence and care which characterized her proceedings, proper occasions were all that was necessary to draw out the fine independant spirit which she possessed, and of the credit of which she had though not intentionally, been partly deprived, from the heedless exuberance of her husband's givings. Her faculties were now somewhat impaired; and the year following, she left the world, if not with Samuel's triumph, yet in Christian peace. Though this year, like its predecessors, was distinguished for little short of a hundred journies, exclusive of his regular work, and some of them long, there were two or three months in the spring which exceeded anything he had before accomplished in travelling, and which could only have been performed by another minister besides himself in the Wesleyan Connexion -the Rev. Robert Newton, whose Herculean ministerial labours are unequalled, perhaps, in ancient or modern history. In the months of April and May, including a few days in June, he either occupied the pulpits or was on the platforms, engaged often in double, and sometimes treble services, at Tadcaster, Huddersfield, Old Chapel-Leeds, Liverpool, Chester, Micklefield, Aberford, Armley, Weeton, Barnsley, Doncaster, Epworth, Leicester, Long Eaton, Nottingham, Alfreton, Mansfield, Brunswick-Leeds, Pudsey, Farnley, York, Newark, Boston, Sibsy, Wainfleet, Spilsby, Raithby, Horncastle, Lincoln, Seacroft, Chapel Town, Barwick, Albion-Street-Leeds, Stamford Bridge, Dewsbury, Darlington, Wakefield, Barnard Castle, Bramham, Burnley, Todmordon, Sowerby, London, &c. And yet, mixed up with these, as heretofore, we find during the intervals, when at home a day, or a few hours, the following items in his memorandum book,-"Oat Stack got in."-" Finished sowing at Ashole."-"Sowed barley on the Car."—" Sowed Well Close.”—“ Finished a survey." "Winnowed oats in top granary."-"Settled accounts in different places." -"At Barwick Court."-" Made a duck-pond.”"At Leeds market."- "At Collieries.". 66 Measuring Cutting potatoes to set."-"Thatched the holm." "Set potatoes.' -"Sowing Sweed turnip seed in Quarry Close."-" Clipping sheep," &c.- "Winnowing wheat," &c. These things were not barely superintended by him, but as has been intimated elsewhere, it was work in which he often took a share. Idleness would have been a heavy affliction to him, as it must be to all who are subject to it; for man must be always either doing or suffering. Well he knew, with Franklin, that "Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry all easy; and he that rises late must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night; while laziness travels so slow, that poverty soon overtakes malt.". him." He was a living comment on that text, as his biography hitherto attests,-"Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord." As an agriculturist, he was considered one of the best in the neighbourhood; and, as a workman, few men who entered the field could compete with him. He had a way of doing every thing peculiar to himself. Mr. J. Agar, of York, stated, that even in catching a horse in the field, there was a peculiarity. He gained the confidence of animals the most shy, and would have caught them after others had failed in the attempt. His brother Richard informed the biographer, that, for firmness, expedition, and neatness, in binding sheaves, he never saw his equal: the same in making a stack. Mr. Outhwaite of Leeds, also observed, that he could generally obtain a shilling per load more for his corn in the market, than other farmers. This partly arose from the confidence people reposed in him-his knowledge of the markets and his selling at the commencement of business. He rarely overstood the market, but despatched business at once, and was at liberty while others were hanging on to the last. The chapels opened or re-opened by him in the course of the year, were those of Long Eaton, Hensal, Colton, Gateshead Fell, Oakham, and the ParkSheffield. He observed to the biographer, in reference to the Oakham chapel, that he was obliged to take the mail coach, in consequence of the line of road he had to travel, and to engage a seat in the inside, because of the night and the state of the weather, and that when his expenses were deducted from the collections, he felt exquisite pain. In this way, it may be remarked, he was often rewarded by his sensibilities for the toil, |