26o HISTORY OF THE [BOOK. n. 



IN this delightful island, thus variegated by the 

 hand of nature, and improved by the industry of man, 

 it was my fortune to pass the spring of my life, un- 

 der the protection and guidance of men whose wis- 

 dom instructed, whose virtues I hope improved me, 

 and whose tenderness towards me expired only 

 with the last sigh that deprived me of them for ever. 

 Towards persons whose memories are thus dear to 

 me, who were at once a blessing and an ornament to 

 the country of which I write, my readers will, I 

 hope, alknv me to offer in this place, a tribute of affec- 

 tionate and respectful remembrance. One of those 

 persons devoted some years to the improvement of 

 my mind in the pursuits of knowledge. From the 

 precepts and instructions, and still more from the 

 beautiful compositions, of ISAAC TEALE, I imbibed 

 in my youth that relish for polite literature, the enjoy- 

 ment of which is now become the solace of my de- 

 clining years. If the public has received my w r ritings 

 with favour, it becomes me to declare that, whatever 

 merit they possess is due to the lessons inculcated, 

 and the examples supplied by my revered and lament- 

 ed friend. He was a clergyman of the church of Eng- 

 land, and having for twenty years discharged the pas- 

 toral duties of a country curacy in an obscure part of 

 Kent, was reluctantly prevailed on, at the age of for- 

 ty-five, to exchange his stipend of AO per annum, 

 for preferment in Jamaica. Here his virtues, learning 

 talents, attracted the notice of my distinguished 



