MEMOIRS OF JAMES GOUGH.

I was born at Kendal, in Westmoreland, that happy condition, which I really believed on the 27th of twelfth month, 1712, and my them to be established in, by Christ their Reparents, John and Mary Gough, professing deemer and Sovereign.

the truth as held by the people called Quakers, My understanding was enlightened when I received my education in the same profession. very young, to see both my own deficiencies My mother, who was an industrious, care- in duty, and those of many others more adful, well-minded woman, taught me to read; vanced in years; and I thought, if I lived to and when I was a little turned of five years be a man, their harms should be my warnof age, I commenced a scholar in friends' ings.

school in my native town, under the tuition I remember a worthy minister, Joseph Jorof Thomas Rebanks, at which school I con- dan from Virginia, having had the small-pox tinued till my fifteenth year. Having a at a friend's house in Kendal, and being raised good genius, and a propensity to learning, I up again; at the first meeting which he got attained with facility and readiness, the Latin to after it, was drawn out in such a moving and Greek languages; and my quick proficiency therein, I being of little stature for my age, excited admiration, procured me the fame of a great scholar, vastly magnified my little stock of attainments; and also introduced me to the notice of several persons of eminence in the town, who would frequently question me in respect to my learning, and were generally pleased with my ready an

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manner in his ministry, that the meeting in general seemed to be impressed with great tenderness under it; and I then, though but very young, had a share therein. The desir ableness of living so as to obtain divine favour, seemed to be very clearly and strongly set before our view. And the opportunity had some good effect upon my mind for a short season. Here we may remark the advantage that accrues to religious society, and to meetings, In particular, a distinguished justice of where they are favoured with a number of peace, with his wife, took a singular notice faithful elders, living ministers, and spiritualof me, admitting me, young as I was, to freely-minded friends; men of truth, fearing conversation with them, and introducing me, God and hating covetousness." The liveliat times, into grand company which frequent-ness of their spirits; the clearness of their ed their house. The said justice would say, sight, and the uniformity of their conduct and that if my parents would give me up to him, conversation, qualify them to show the people he would send me to the university to receive a proper education. This flattered my ambition, as it was what at that time I heartily wished for.

By these means the seeds of wild natúre, the noxious weeds of pride and vain conceit, the produce of every soil, received strength and nourishment in my early minority, and shot up high for my childish age.

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how they should walk in the pursuit of peace, both by precept and example; precepts drawn from the living spring of experience, and examples formed by a watchful attention to the pointings and limitations of truth. I remember some whose very countenances seemed to command awe, and impress observers with serious consideration; as the salt of the earth, seasoning those amongst whom they walked, But in some sort to counterbalance these with a sense of the truth which lived and preincentives to pride and airy notions, I had the dominated in them; under the powerful influadvantage of receiving my education in a ence thereof, these kept up meetings both for place, in and about which there lived many worship and discipline, and were enabled thereworthy friends, whose exemplary lives and by to keep things in good order, as themselves religious care and labours, often in my early were a good savour in their allotments. On years, made good impressions on my mind, the other hand, we may observe that where which, though my own propensities soon ef- the elders and active friends are not under faced them, left fixed upon my breast an hon- this qualification; but under the form, are ourable esteem for those truly good men and suffering their hearts to go after their covetwomen, with painful reflections under the sense ousness, secretly departing from under the inof my own infidelity, and secret wishes for fluence of this divine principle, the cause and

prevalence of truth too often decline amongst the different ranks of the people, "as in the day when a standard-bearer fainteth."

served; and sometimes I thought their very silence rebuked me. At other times in their company, the love and desire of goodness revived with a strong force; but being withdrawn therefrom, yielding to temptation, often reinstated vice in its wonted seat in my heart, and in the direction of my conduct.

I easily and clearly saw the wide difference between good and bad company, and how much the former was preferable; yet the powerful allurements of the latter, forcibly drew me into, and held me fast in a wretched captivity thereto, manifestly contrary to my better judgment, which I fear is the case of many others.

My mother made it her maxim in her plan of education, to accustom her children to useful employment, frugal fare, and to have our wills crossed, in order hereby to render us better fitted to undergo any future hardships in life, that might be allotted to us. And I have reason to think that her care and endeavours, with the examples and labours of good friends, were to me as "bread cast upon the waters," which appeared after many days. In the intervals of school hours, she would be for employing me in one useful occupation or other. This I thought a great hardship; and There being a large body of friends in the being much mortified thereby, I exerted my county of Westmoreland and the adjacent wits to evade it, often feigning pretences of parts, many of our general meetings were school-tasks and exercises, set me by my very largely attended; and as it was the master, and such like groundless excuses. care of the elders, and other friends conThe great duty of education, to discharge it rightly, needs divine instruction and assistance, as much as any duty in life, and therefore parents have need fervently to pray for it, and faithfully to follow it when received. Otherwise they may be in danger of falling short, and the deviations and miscarriages of the children, at least in part, may lie at their doors.

But if my mother might seem to err on the one hand, viz: that of severity, it is to be feared that the far greater number err on the other hand, that of indulgence and connivance; and that though the former be more painful for the present, yet the latter generally proves more pernicious in its effects and future consequences. I verily believe, I have enjoyed a better state of health, from being brought up in a hardy way, as my constitution was but weak and tender.

cerned for the welfare of the youth, to encourage them very early to attend the meetings of discipline, for their improvement in virtue and sobriety; I attended many of these large meetings, but too frequently without reaping any share of the real benefit intended by them, or receiving any other impressions than those of vanity and airy ambition; so that however such meetings were favoured with divine virtue and power, the dissipation and absence of my foolish, roving mind, rendered it like the barren heath, not profiting by the fruitful shower, or cheering beams of the sun.

There is reason to fear that this may be the case of too many young people, who are pleased to go to these large meetings from other motives than those of piety, and forgetful of the intent and design of them, indulge their corrupt inclinations in very unseasonable gaiety and festivity. What the faithful laUpon a review of my state at this age, my bourers in the church endeavour to build up, recollection represents it as a complication these in their unguarded conduct pull down, of ambition, envy, craft and deceit; but even and sometimes bring reproach and disagreethen, a divine monitor was near me, to mani-able reflections on their religious profession. fest and reprove the corruption of my heart Had these meetings been constantly beauand the evil of my ways. I was sensible of tified with a uniformity in the conduct of my mother's anxious care for my preservation professors, consistent with the divine prinfrom evil, and attainment of good; but I eluded as much as I could, the confinement which she thought conducive thereto, in keeping me under her own eye, and out of the way of corrupting company. I loved liberty; I sought it with eagerness, frequently got it by craft, and abused it to my hurt, as inexperienced young people are apt to do.

In this state, I well remember, I was afraid and ashamed to meet with good friends, such as I loved and honoured, being inwardly convicted from the consciousness of my own vile and unguarded conduct. Sometimes I received from some of them the reproof I de.

ciple of truth and the doctrines of its faithful ministers, they would have proved of much greater service. For as the truth is in itself unspotted, and its excellency unchangeable, the glory and dignity thereof would have shined forth very amiably and attractively in the eyes of the nations, had not the misconduct of its professors frequently and extensively eclipsed its genuine lustre; which merits the solid consideration of all, who have been educated, or have joined in profession with us; both when they attend such meetings, and at all other times.

1727.-Being arrived at my fifteenth year,

my mother was anxious to have me put to some business. Through her persuasion, my father, in the course of his travels, spoke to David Hall, the memoirs of whose life are extant, and for whom my mother had an honourable esteem, and agreed with him to take me as usher to his school, desiring no other terms for me but my board, and such instruction as he might see I yet needed; which gave my mother great satisfaction.

fect work, though he was very willing to think, and to have it thought by others, that it had; and to evade that awful consideration, that the most pure and righteous God is jealous of his honour, and requires our going clean through all that humiliation, labour and patience, which his light in the conscience discovers to be necessary for repairing the dishonour incurred. All palliations or softening excuses; all arts to conciliate human compasShe accompanied me to his house at Skip- sion and favour, are but like fig-leaf coverings, ton in Yorkshire. Here I experienced the through which the nakedness of transgresadvantage of the education she had given sors is manifest to such as are endued with true me, for thereby I was prepared to submit sight, and like daubing over destructive breachmore willingly to continual employ and hard-es with untempered mortar.-But enough of ship. And though many of the boys coming this digression, wishing it may prove useful from full houses and plentiful tables, thought where needed. their fare here mean, as indeed the price for both boarding and tuition was but eight pounds per annum, yet to me it was in general otherwise.

There happened to be in the family at this time two youths, whose cases or events in life, I think not improper to mention, by way of caution; but their names I would wish to be buried in oblivion, unless they may yet be favoured with repentance to salvation.

The one was a lodger in the house. He was a valuable pattern and very helpful in the family. I esteemed him to be in a happy condition, and still believe he was so at that time. He had a few words in the ministry, and grew in his gift; but afterwards becoming exalted, and too fond of applause, he fell into the snares of the grand enemy, and brought a reproach on the truth, and on the ministry. What need hath he that standeth, or thinketh he standeth, to take heed lest he fall!

The other was at that time an apprentice to David Hall. He was afterwards a minister, well esteemed among many friends; but alas! he also shamefully fell. And what renders the case of these my formerly well-beloved friends, still more melancholy, is, that though there is balm in Gilead, yet they and others, whom the enemy has thus wounded and poisoned, will not turn to the physician there, but rather endeavour to have their wounds deceitfully healed.

I remember to have heard one, who had basely fallen in an unguarded hour, boasting a few years after, that he had been washed in the bottom of Jordan, and had brought up stones of memorial; and this in an affected ministerial way, when it appeared not to be the case to any but himself; but rather that the poor man was still under the deception of the crafty enemy, willing to deceive himself, and wanting to deceive others, while he was at best but very superficially washed from deep defilements. Judgment had not had its per

1728. When I had staid in my service at Skipton a little more than a year, my master gave me leave to return to Kendal to see my relations. He made me the bearer also of a letter to my father, wherein he signified, that considering my years, he approved of my qualifications and conduct, and offered wages for my future service. My mother took little notice of the offer; but was exceedingly rejoiced at the other part of the letter, as giving her better hopes on my behalf than she hitherto had.

In the course of the succeeding year, by agreement between my father and my master, I spent three months with Richard Kennedy, writing master in Liverpool, to improve my self in writing, and learn some branches of the mathematics. One seventh-day while here, having always a great propensity to see towns and places that were new to me, I went to see the city of Chester, and lodged two nights at Peter Leadbetter's; in my return by Eastham ferry, which is five miles across to Liverpool, an elderly gentlewoman having got some play-books in the boat, I offered to read for her: as I was reading, some horses in the boat grew unruly, which terrified her very much; so that she put by her play-books, and while we were in the boat, would no more touch them herself, or suffer me to touch one of them.

Many remarkable preservations I had in my younger days; but the most remarkable was during my residence at Liverpool, which happened as follows. One first-day, in the afternoon, I went with some other boys a boating in the dock, which, by means of flood-gates, was kept so full of water as to keep the ships afloat, when the tide was out. We rowed several times from one end of the dock to the other. At length some rude boys, that were stronger than we, took from us our oar, or oars, and this in all probability proved the means of our preservation. For now we

found ourselves obliged to work our way a design to run away by night, it being moon with our hands by the ships to the upper end light; but that kind Providence whose fatherly of the dock. Just as we reached it, we care was over me, when I was too little careheard a noise as of the loudest thunder: ful for my own well-doing, withheld me. climbing up from the boat unto the quay, we When the time proposed for putting my design soon found that the dock gates, being grown in execution arrived, the pernicious conseold were broken down. The water rushing quences of such a procedure, were so clearly out in a rapid torrent, bore down all before it, manifested to my mind, that I was discouraged oversetting and greatly damaging several from the attempt; and therefore concluded pavessels that lay near. The frightful near-tiently to endure what might be permitted to ness of such a danger, and narrow escape befall me, till the termination of the time confrom it so affected my mind, as to invade my tracted for, might bring me my release in a sleep that night, and repeat itself again to my reputable and conscientious way. imagination with aggravations of horror.

At the expiration of my three months here, I went to Kendal yearly meeting, where my father, being just arrived from a journey, in which he had made his way through Skipton, informed me that he had agreed with David Hall to bind me to him for four years longer; this was no agreeable intelligence to me, for although I honoured my worthy master, yet every thing else was not as I could wish it. I thought I could foresee much hardship to be unavoidably my lot; yet as my father had so agreed, I thought it my duty to comply. I endeavoured to put a good heart and face upon it, and so entered upon my part. During these four years my master was frequently abroad at meetings. He did not often miss the quarterly meetings at York, and sometimes attended the yearly meeting at London, and then the care of the scholars in and out of school lay heavy on me.

Near the expiration of my time I wrote to some of my friends, acquainting them, that I intended to try some new place, and received a letter from my good friend John Wilson of Kendal, signifying that Alexander Arscott of Bristol wanted an usher, and offered twenty pounds per annum. Which offer I readily embraced.

1733.-Leaving Skipton, and the yearly meeting at Kendal approaching, I went thither, staid a few days with my mother, and then set forward for Bristol. In my way at Wolverhampton, standing at the door of the inn where I alighted, I saw a crowd of people passing by, and heard it was a Quaker's funeral; whereupon I went to it, and our friend Joshua Toft, whom I do not remember to have seen before, attended it, and was raised up in a large and living testimony, whereby I was afresh reached, and considerably tendered, and thence proceeded on my way, under renewed impressions Both before my coming to Skipton, and of good upon my mind, to Worcester. There while I was there, I often had fresh desires I met with William Beesley going to Bristol kindled in my heart after redemption. I was yearly meeting, with whom I went in comclearly shown the necessity of it, and the pany to Gloucester, but my horse being tired danger of delays in a matter of such conse-I was forced to leave him behind, and walk quence; so that I left off playing for a time, the greatest part of the remainder of the way thinking it great infatuation to squander my in my boots. In a few weeks after, that worthy precious hours in play, when in danger of my minister and elder, John Richardson, of Yorklife, and that too for ever. But the most par-shire, landed in company with Robert Jordan ticular reach I had, was at a meeting in our from Pennsylvania, who bought my horse for school-house, under the baptizing ministry of the same price it cost me. John Fothergill, whereby I was awakened to vigilance for a season, rising early, and carefully attending to every step in my business, and the duties of my station. But soon, the fervour of this sacred flame abated, and I gradually fell back, and became just what I was before; yet I did not forget or wholly lose the sense of this day of my visitation; but often privately lamented my revolt, and I continued still to maintain a good character amongst friends.

My good master Alexander Arscott, was like a kind and tender father to me. He was the eldest son of the parson of Southmolton in Devonshire, and himself educated at the university of Oxford, with intention to fit him for the same function. But when he was just ripe for preferment, and might have had a fair prospect that way, his father being well beloved and respected among the great men in that country, he turned his back on all prospects of this kind, being convinced of the blessed I do not remember much more than what I truth. This was a great mortification to his have already intimated in general of these father and mother, who would both sit weepfour years, save that one time, when my mas-ing by him in the bitterness of their hearts, ter was abroad, I thought myself hardly and as I have heard him relate. This, he added, unreasonably used, and thereupon conceived pierced him deeply, as he sincerely desired to

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path, opens the way for safer and more profitable and edifying connexions, as I often found here, to my solid inward satisfaction, which I hope I shall never forget.

be a dutiful son to tender and indulgent paA cloud came over his understanding, and the enemy in his own breast suggested that he was acting quite wrong. But as he humbled himself before the Most High, im- I was now removed far from all my conploring his direction, he received a fresh sight nexions, my parents, relations and the place that he must forsake father and mother for of my nativity; and was here as a stranger Christ, and be faithful to the manifestation of in a strange land, having at first little or no his will, through all events. His parents be- acquaintance in my new residence. In this came afterwards better reconciled to his solitary situation, it pleased divine Goodchange, when he was settled in good business ness to take notice of me, and to favour me in Bristol, where he kept a school for the chil-afresh with a merciful and reaching visitation dren of friends and others, from that time till of his love to my soul, and more clearly to his decease, being about thirty-five years, and reveal his Son in me, whereby I was given proved helpful to the rest of his father's fami- plainly to see, that my safety here and happily, in procuring them by his interest, places ness hereafter, depended upon my yielding for getting a livelihood. faithful obedience to his requirings, as manifested by his light in my heart; and that his requirings would be only what tended to my real good and lasting welfare.

I came up to Bristol quite plain in my garb, as David Hall would not suffer any other in his family; and it being the time of the yearly meeting, at a friend's house I fell in company with some well-minded friends, one or more of whom observed to me, that sundry young people had come up in the same way from the north of England to the southern parts, particularly to London and Bristol; and after being there a while they ran into the fashions of those places, till they even outstripped the native inhabitants.

This was a day of my soul's espousal to Christ Jesus. I was overcome with his love, and with admiration of his condescending goodness to such an unworthy creature. It being the day of the Lord's power, I was ready and willing to do any thing that I saw I ought to do.

Having a strong inclination to poetry, I had sometimes at Skipton indulged my fancy therein. But now when the Lord's power took hold of me, I sacrificed all my idols and burned all my collection of poems, even though some of them were on what would be called good subjects; for they had too much attracted my mind, and engrossed my thoughts. I was made sensible that these poems were not my proper business, that they took the place of what was really so, and therefore I gave them up. I now saw that I must shut out and leave behind me what others generally crave and pursue, viz: the vain desires and delights, which lead away the mind from that great Being, who wooes us to true happiness.

I had not only been educated in plainness, but also been inwardly convinced of the foundation on which it stood; and upon hearing this account of the ridiculous folly and instability of my country folks, I was sorry that they had given occasion of such remarks to their dishonour, and took up a resolution to continue steady in my old plain way. I do not know that I suffered any external disadvantage by it; but if I had, the cause of truth is worth suffering for, and the Almighty rewards patient suffering in a good cause. But I found that good friends seemed to love me the more on this account; and even others, who were conscious of their degeneracy seem- And indeed my whole delight was in the ed to respect me, as apprehending me to be company of Christ my dear Lord and master. better than themselves; and I had most peace I was directed by him to do all things well, of mind in continuing in my wonted plainness, and to bear all things with meekness. As though I was like a speckled bird, there being on my part I carefully regarded and practised even then very few plain-dressed young people his directions, my soul enjoyed the sweet sense or others in the meeting of Bristol. I have of his approbation. I preferred this before observed that deviating from this path of all the world, which I saw to be of little value plainness, which Truth leads into, and mak- compared with the favour of its Almighty ing departures in dress, opens the way to Creator. To please him I thought well worth intimate connexion with young people out of all the toil and suffering of the day; and the our Society, or libertines in it; and so leads desire of doing it, increased my industry and further and further from a due subjection to strengthened my patience. Thus I enjoyed a Christ's kingdom and government, often mak- good time, and was often overcome with the ing them forget and lose the good which love and kindness of my dear Redeemer. they formerly professed, and consequently draws them along into the utmost danger. Whereas adhering to the truth and its plain VOL. IX.-No. 1.

In him I had now a father, a guardian, and a friend, and an excellent one indeed, who embraced me with the most engaging affection,

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