animated his labours, or the amiable modesty which accompanied all his virtues. Few have ever passed a more useful, not one a more blameless life; and his whole time was employed either in doing good, or in meditating it. He died April 6, 1743, and lies buried under the cloister of Lincoln's-Inn Chapel. In conjunction with Mr. Peere Williams, Mr. Melmoth was the publisher of Vernon's Reports, and having once an intention of printing his own reports, advertised them a short time before his death, but they have not yet made their appear. ance. The performance however for which he justly deserves to be held in perpetual remembrance is, The Great Importance of a Religious Life,' which was, Mr. Melmoth never being suspected, ascribed by Mr. Walpole in his Royal and Noble Authors' to the first earl of gmont. In this treatise it is not easy to determine whether the elegant simpli city of style, or the persuasive impression of reasoning, is most to be admired. The general approbation with which it was at first received, still continues; and it is but lately that the thirty-ninth edition was sent to the press. During his life he had the secret satisfaction of seeing that his intentions were fulfilled by a very extensive circulation, and it has been computed that since his death upwards of 100,000 copies have been sold. A TREATISE ON SELF-KNOWLEDGE. PART I. CHAPTER I. The nature and importance of the subject. A DESIRE of knowledge is natural to all human minds. And nothing discovers the true quality and disposition of the mind more than the particu. lar kind of knowledge it is most fond of. Thus we see, that low and little minds are most delighted with the knowledge of trifles, as in children; an indolent mind, with that which serves only for amusement, or the entertainment of the fancy; a curious mind is best pleased with facts; a judicious, penetrating mind, with demonstration and mathematical science; a worldly mind esteems no knowledge like that of the world; but a wise and pious man, before all other kinds of knowledge, prefers that of God and his own soul. But some kind of knowledge or other the mind is continually craving after, and after a further proficiency in. And, by considering what kind of know |