THE REV. DAVID WILLIAMS.

THE life of this gentleman is not barren of incident, for unlike that of moft men of letters, his has been active and enterprizing; and very few of his movements have been unaccompanied with a corref pondent effect.

Mr. Williams was born in Wales. His father's circumftances having become fomewhat embarraffed, in confequence of unfuccefsful fpeculations in mines, he fought for refuge from the reflections incident to the state into which he had involved himself, and numerous family, by flying to the comforts of religion.

He at this time refided in Glamorganfhire, where his fon David was born; who, with his other children, was fent to a neighbouring fchool for education. Old Mr. Williams, by affociating with the methodists, had imbibed their principles and enthusiasm; and refolved to train up his fon to the church, probably intending him for a teacher among his fect, and, no doubt, expecting him to become one of its faints!

David difcovered lively and promifing abilities; but fuch as by no means qualified him for the ftation defigned for him, to which, indeed, he had an infuperable repugnance. Yet a parent's dying injunc tions controlled his refolution, and he went reluc tantly through the preparatory forms of education, neceffary to fit him for the diffenting miniftry.

His first appearance, in the character of a preacher, was at Froome, in Somerfetihire; where, although he could not conceal the diflike he entertained to the

primnefs

primnefs and preciseness of the diffenters; yet he foon made himself beloved and admired by his congregation. His reputation for abilities fpread fo rapidly, that at the age of twenty-two he was invited to Exeter, as the fucceffor of two celebrated paftors; and he underwent the requifite formalities of ordination, in order to qualify him for the miniftry in the Arian congregation there.

Soon after this, he embarked in a plan which originated at Liverpool, to introduce a Socinian liturgy among the diffenters. A fociety, for this purpofe, had been founded at the Octagon chapel there, by the perfons who had conceived the defign; and Mr. Williams foon perfuaded his congregation to adopt it this affords no common inftance of their attachment to him! In that city he might have lived an eafy and agreeable life; but he at length became dif gufted at fome hypocritical schemes he had discovered, and actually determined to quit the weft of England.

On his arrival in London, he received fome diftinguished civilities from the diffenters, and did duty at one of their congregations at Highgate, until he had prepared a plan of education which he meant to carry into practice.

While at Highgate, he preached a courfe of "Sermons on Religious Hypocrify," which he published in two volumes, 8vo. In 1770, he wrote a poignant "Letter to Mr. Garrick, on his Conduct and Talents as Manager and Performer;" this was followed by a work called "The Philofopher," confifting of three

polemical

polemical converfations; with dedications to Lord Mansfield, and the Bishop of Gloucefter.

When a refpectable body of clergy, chiefly dif fenters, met at the Feathers tavern, to petition for relief in the fubfcription to the Thirty-nine Articles, Mr. Williams was applied to, and, at their folicitation, drew up fome "Effays on public Worship, Patriotifm, and Projects of Reformation ;" which were printed and published, but are faid to contain fentiments approximating more towards deifm than his employers wifhed. An appendix was added afterwards, which is peculiarly fevere on the conduct of the diffenters, with whom he afterwards broke off all connexion.

About the year 1773, being then refident at Chelfea, he brought forward his plan of education, founded on the outline given by Commenius, when he was invited here, to reform the English schools, and whose defign was fruftrated by the civil wars. Mr. Williams diftinguifhed himself, on this occafion, in fuch a manner, that although he was a ftranger in the neighbourhood, and his religious tenets lay under fome imputation among the orthodox, yet he met with great encouragement. The honorarium of his pupils was high; but, notwithstanding this, their number was confiderable. He was now in a fair way of making his fortune, and of introducing a more rational and easy mode of education; when, at this critical period, he loft his wife-a loss, which, notwithstanding all his philofophical fortitude, he was unable to fupport: he accordingly fled both from his

habitation

habitation and inftitution, to take fhelter in a remote part of Derbyshire, where, for fome time, he indulged his melancholy.

While at Chelsea, he published a Treatife on Education, in a duodecimo volume; which contains fome uncommonly acute and judicious remarks on that fubject, and difclofes his fentiments with refpect to revealed religion.

During his refidence there, the celebrated Dr. Franklin, with whom he was intimate, took refuge in his houfe, from the ftorm he apprehended would follow Mr. Wedderburne's unwarranted attack on him at the council-board; an event which is faid to have had more effect towards the crifis which foon followed, than can be eafily imagined. And here, we are affured it was that the philofopher of Pennfylvania, concerted with his friend the plan of a deiftical and philofophical lecture. This fcheme was, at length, carried into practice; for on his return to London, Mr. Williams opened a chapel in Margaret-ftreet, Cavendish-fquare, in which he was fupported by feveral perfons of confequence and fortune, &c. &c. The complexion of his difcourfes was, however, neither relifhed by churchmen nor diffenters; accordingly, although many went to hear him, few enrolled their names as members..

While officiating in this capacity, he published the Inauguration Sermon, two volumes of Lectures on the Univerfal Principles of Religion and Morality, and a Liturgy for the Chapel. Notwithstanding a

* Now Lord Loughborough.

variety

variety of obftacles, he continued his labours, during a period of nearly four years; but as the fubfcribers did not increafe, he removed to a private room, where he delivered his opinions before thofe who fupported the inflitution. His fociety was, indeed, small; but it was as refpectable as any in England.

Mr. Williams's other publications confift of a pamphlet on "The Nature and Extent of Intellectual Liberty;" "a Plan of Affociation, on Conftitutional Principles," a tract written at the time of the riots in London; "Letters on Political Liberty;" occafioned by the country meetings and affociations, in 1782; "Lectures on Political Principles," "Lectures on Education;" and, a "Hiftory of Monmouthshire," in one volume, 4to.

Several anonymous works have been attributed to Mr. Williams, fuch as 66 Royal Recollections;" but this is fo infinitely beneath his abilities, that no one of his friends can allow it to be his. The "Leffons to a Young Prince," and "An Apology for profefsing the Religion of Nature in the eighteenth Century," may poffibly have come from his pen, and they are not unworthy of it. Some of the above works,* which must be allowed to poffefs a large fhare of intrinfic merit, fhew that Mr. W. had early turned his thoughts to political enquiries; and this important branch of knowledge is faid to have been firft fuggefted to his mind, in confequence of his affiftance having been called for, in fome parliamentary tranfactions.

His religious and political opinions at length con

nected