humorous kind were repeated by old people many years after his death. Wright was indeed a genial man. His social qualities endeared him to his neighbours, who esteemed his company, very highly, and were delighted to listen to his lively and humorous fire-side talk. He was a great reader, and loved his quiet paper and his book, but he loved also the company of his friends. His life was chequered with many serious troubles, and his sensitive mind was continually fretted and worried by the petty malice of his first wife's relatives, but he was notwithstanding all, no sour-faced ascetic, but possessed of a warm heart and was well known as a friend and well wisher to a wide and ever increasing circle, who loved the man and admired his talents. He has been accused of being sarcastic, and it must be confessed there is some truth in the charge; his forte however was piquant wit and lively banter; he had faults doubtless, as all mortals have, but he was withal a notable man in his day and generation, a man of strong intellect and great force of character. The motives which led him into the arena of theological controversy were perhaps not always pure, but he did yeoman service on behalf of a feeble flock, and is well worthy of honour. He died January 30th, 1801, of an attack of typhus fever, aged 65 years, and lies buried in the graveyard of the old Whitechapel of the North, Cleckheaton. [Wright was born at Moulter Hill, Halifax.—EDITOR.]

Dialogue -Richard and Matthew.

ONE day, as Richard walk'd abroad
Along the fields, in thoughtful mood,
Revolving in uncertain thought,

The different schemes by preachers taught;

The different methods of salvation

Bliss t' attain and shun damnation;

And very wishful in his mind

The safest way to heaven to find;

But much perplex'd and puzzled quite,
At which was wrong or which was right;
While this affirms, and that denies,
What this calls truth, that says is lies.
Yet both their proofs bring from the Bible,

To show their scheme is justifiable;
Each wond'ring how the scriptures can
Be twisted so by any man.

As Richard slowly walk'd the plain, And various thoughts disturb'd his brain, He Matthew meets, a neighb'ring man; And thus the conference began.

MATT.-How fares my friend? What thoughts employ Your mind, or thoughts of grief or joy?

You seem indeed in thought profound,

And studious meditation drown'd.

RICH. I think it very strange, my friend,
To hear religious folk contend
With such a fierce and bitter zeal,
About what doctrine's good or ill;
To argue, write, and preach so long,
Concerning which is right or wrong.
While each, and ev'ry one pretend
To be to sacred truth a friend,
They make that book their only rule,
Which Christians own infallible,
For guiding through life's dubious maze :
Yet they explain it fifty ways!
Churchmen, Presbyterians, Quakers,
New-lights, Independents, Shakers,
Anabaptists, Antinomians,

Methodists, and Sandimonians;
Supralapsarians, and Moravians,

Sublapsarians, and Baxterians;
Ranters, Mystics, Puritans,
Inghamites and Lutherans ;
Many besides of old renown,
Not easy to be noted down,
Calvinists, Arians, and Socinians,
Pelagians, Papists, and Arminians;
Churches Greek, and Latin too,
With many more, both old and new,
Than you would think, or I can shew,

Now, my dear friend, were you to sound
These diffrent sects in order round,
They'd every one in turn, you'd find,
Be right; and ev'ry other blind!
And from the Bible clearly shew,
That all which they profess is true;
And be quite positive and sure
Their doctrines are both just and pure,
That they expound the scripture right,
And set it in its genuine light;

As if their sect above the rest,
Infallibility possest;

As they alone deserv'd esteem,

And wisdom liv'd and dy'd with them! "Now which are wise, and which are fools ? "The reader's tost among those tools; “The more he reads, the more perplex'd, “The comment ruining the text: While all these parties to derive Their system from the Bible strive, Most leave the genuine sense behind, A sense more suitable to find; And while their learning they display Explain the meaning quite away.

What shall a poor enquirer do,

To know what's false, and what is true?
While diff'rent parties so much vary,
And give their judgments so contrary.
Surely 'tis possible to know

The truth of what the scriptures shew;
Those fundamental truths at least
Which all must know, or can't be blest:
Else were we a most wretched race!
What thinks my friend upon the case ?

MATT. Richard, completely to explain
The various points all these maintain,
Would be an endless task indeed!
Suffer me therefore to proceed,
(Waving the whims all these conceive)
To tell you, friend, what I believe.

Thornton & Pearson, Printers, Barkerend Road, Bradford.