THE HISTORY Ог THE LIFE ог THOMAS ELLWOOD: WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. "" Hebrews, xi. 2. LONDON: WHITTAKER, TREACHER, AND ARNOT, AVE-MARIA-LANE. MDCCCXXIX. 010-5-28 BR INTRODUCTION. THE autobiography of THOMAS ELLWOOD would deserve a place in this collection were it nothing more than unsophisticated record of the operation of a new principle of faith and conscience upon an ingenuous and enthusiastic mind. Its claim upon the attention of the student of human character in all its diversities, is, however, much enhanced by the proofs which it affords of the folly and cruelty of religious persecution, as well as by much curious matter in illustration of the early progress and proceedings of the remarkable body to whom the writer belonged. Like William Penn, a gentleman by birth, and brought up in notions altogether repugnant to the new doctrines which he embraced, the rapid and decided manner in which he appears to have made up his mind, and his conscientious encounter of the difficulties and hardships which ensued from parental anger, and consequent poverty, render Ellwood a highly interesting character. Nor is that interest at all decreased by the harmless and unconscious vanity which now and then pervades the narrative in respect to the author's argumentative and poetical powers. The temporary connexion of Ellwood with the poet Milton also, and the curious fact that a casual remark of his led to the production of "Paradise Regained," give additional value to a fragment so essentially characteristic. |
