man to add something to his journal, with a view to give an account of his books and writings; but he was prevented by the debility produced by an asthmatic disorder, to which, for the last few years of his life, he was subject. His 'Davideis' was therefore his latest publication, although he survived its appearance nearly two years. His death was produced by a paralytic attack with which he was seized on the 23d February 1713, and under the effects of which he lingered until the 1st of the following month, when his dissolution took place under circumstances evincing great composure and serenity. This event happened at Hanger Hill, near Amersham, Buckinghamshire, where he resided in great retirement, and apparently unconnected with business of any kind. He had lost his wife, who was a minister, about four years before. His own station in the society of Friends was that of elder, although he also sometimes appeared as a minister. The abilities displayed by Thomas Ellwood in the assemblies of the body to which he belonged, rendered him a leader of great utility; and the loss of his services was very profoundly lamented, as appears by various testimonies to his worth, prefaced to former editions of his journal. One of these, after an extract illustrative of his character, thus concludes :"Thomas Ellwood was a man of a comely aspect, of a free and generous disposition, of a courteous and affable temper, and pleasant conversation: a gentleman, a scholar, a true Christian, an eminent author, a good neighbour, and kind friend." Testimony less disposed by connexion to be partial, will, with some slight qualification as to learning and authorship, acquiesce in this description. Thomas Ellwood was certainly a man of considerable abilities, who possessed much natural sagacity, and was not without a share of learning. A small portion of conscious vanity on this score, which however chiefly exhi bited itself in a misconception of his poetical talents, while it but slightly detracts from the general solidity of his character,-as already insinuated in our brief introduction,-tends to render more conspicuous his single-mindedness and freedom from all disguise; and taken altogether, his talents merit respect, and his integrity admiration. A catalogue of the publications of a copious writer forming itself an illustration of character, a list of those of Thomas Ellwood is subjoined LIST OF T. ELLWOOD'S WRITINGS. 1. An Alarm to the Priests, &c. 4to. 1 sheet 1660 1674 3. Forgery no Christianity, against T. Plant, 8vo. 9 sheets 1674 1676 4. Truth prevailing and detecting Error, an An- 1678 1682 1683 1683 1683 10. Rogero Mastix; a Rod for W. Rogers, 4to. 4 sheets 1685 11. An Epistle to Friends, 4to. 1686 12. The Account from Wycombe, lately published by John Raunce and Charles Harris, Examined and found false, 4to. 2 sheets 1689 13. A Reply to J. H.'s Answer to W. Penn's Examination and State of Liberty Spiritual, 4to. 13 sheets 1691 14. Answer to Leonard Key's late printed sheet, broadside 16. A 15. Deceit Discovered and Malice Manifested, in Fair Examination of a Foul Paper by J. LIST OF T. ELLWOOD'S WRITINGS. 213 17. An Epistle to Friends; briefly commemorating the gracious dealings of the Lord with them, and warning them to beware of that spirit of contention and division which hath appeared of late in George Keith, 8vo. 5 sheets 18. A Further Discovery of that Spirit of Conten- 20. An Answer to G. Keith's Narrative of his pro- sheets 22. Sacred History of the Old Testament, folio, 150 1694 1694 1695 1696 1699 1705 1707 24. Sacred History of the New Testament, folio, 111 sheets 1709 25. Davideis. The Life of David, King of Israel, a Poem, 8vo. 20 sheets 1712 MANUSCRIPTS. 1. An Answer to a Paper directed to the Members of the Society of Quakers, especially to those that frequent the Town of Feversham, in Kent. 1672. To which the Priest replying, T. Ellwood wrote a Rejoinder. The whole about 15 sheets. 1672 or 1673. 2. A Reply to the Priest's second Book, called The Right of Tithes Re-asserted.' 46 sheets. About 1681. 3. Some Remarks on Gerard Crosse's General History of the Quakers,' in Latin. 3 or 4 sheets. About 1695 or 1696. 4. A Rejoinder to the Book called 'Satan Disrobed, by the 214 LIST OF T. ELLWOOD'S WRITINGS. Author of the Snake in the Grass, in Reply to T. Ellwood's Answer to G. Keith's Narrative.' 27 sheets. 1696. 5. Some Instructions for Children. About 2 sheets. 6. An Answer to G. Keith's Deism of W. Penn and his Brethren. 37 sheets. 1700. 7. An Answer to John Shockling, Priest of Ash, near Sandwich, in Kent, concerning Baptism, 1701; and a Rejoinder to his Reply, 1702; about 3 sheets. 8. The Tithe Dialogue Improved, for the better explaining the present State of Tithes, by the same Method of a Dialogue, supposed to be holden between a Titheman and a Quaker. 6 sheets. 1707. 9. A volume of Miscellaneous Poems. About 20 sheets. 10. Several Decades of Letters to particular Persons. About 35 sheets. 11. To Robert Snow, in Answer to his Objections. 12 An Account of Tithes in general. LONDON: GOLDEN SQUARE. |