Long prefaces to Narratives have seldom, I believe,the honour of being read through. If theNarrative possess interest, a tedious recommendationonly detains the reader from his enjoyment;and if it possess none, it aggravates his disappointment.—Ishall, therefore, be very brief.

The subject of the following Memoir has beenconnected with the church under my pastoral care,nearly since its formation, in the year 1803:—and,from this, as well as from a circumstance inhis religious history, which the reader will discovertowards the close of the narrative, it mayperhaps be thought, that my recommendations are,in some degree, dictated by feelings of partiality.I hope I shall never be so dead to Christian sensibility,as to feel nothing of the peculiar interestwhich the circumstance alluded to, is fitted to produce.Yet I may say with truth, that the very consciousnessof this interest has made me the morejealous and scrupulous in giving the advice topublish; an advice which I never should havegiven, unless from a sincere conviction, that theNarrative is fitted both to please and to profit; togratify curiosity, and, through the blessing of God,to impart instruction and spiritual benefit.

The remarks of a private in the ranks, when heis a man of any shrewdness and observation, onthe incidents that come within his notice, in thecampaigns in which he is engaged, have in them aparticular interest.—Whilst we are pleased withthe degree of intelligence which they discover, weat the same time feel a satisfying confidence, thatthey contain 'a plain unvarnished tale;' unaffectedby any temptation, either 'in aught to extenuate,'or 'to set down aught in malice.'

The religious experience of the writer, I consideras especially instructive.—It sets before us, Ibelieve, in honest simplicity, the workings of asensible and thoughtful mind, and of a conscience,which had never entirely lost its early impressions;—theconvictions, and distresses, and reasonings,—theself-righteous and self confident resolutions,and the necessary failures and inconsistencies,of an awakened but unrenewed state;—thenatural reluctance of man to part with sel