F797] 
efit the iron hand of defpotifm, whether civil 
or intelleétual, ler exertions to awaken in the 
minds of her oppreffed fex a fenfe of their de- 
gradation, and to reitore them to the dignity of 
reafon and yirtue, were attive and inceffant : 
by her impailioned reafoning and glowiag elo- 
quence, the fabric of voluptuous prejudice has 
been fhaken to its foundation, and totters to- 
wards its> fall: while her philofophic mind, 
taking a wider range, perceived and lamented 
in the defeéts of civil inftitutions, interwoven 
in their texture, and infeparabie from them, the 
caufes of thofe partial evils, deftructive to 
virtue and happinefs, which poifon focial in- 
tercourfe and deform domettic life. 
The hiftory of this fingular woman (till 
within a very /ate period) has been that of one 
continued -ftruggle with adverfe circumftances, 
cares, and forrows, combated, in every initance 
but one (over which humanity fheds its fotteit 
tear) with heroic fortitude. A victim to the 
vices and prejudices of mankind, her ardent, 
ingenuous, unconguerable fpirit, refifted their 
contagion, contemned their injuftice, rofe fu- 
perior to injury, and refted firmly on its owa 
refources and powers Her various excellencies 
and attra¢tive qualities, at length, triumphing 
over her malignant deftiny, placed her in a 
fituation congenial to her feelings, where Her 
ardent affections and admirable talents found 
ample exercife. A wife, a mother, furrounded 
by tender, admiring, intellizent friends, her 
heart expanded, her powers acquired new Yi- 
gour, life brightened, and futurity opened a 
profpett beaming with hope and promife. At 
this intere(ting period, a fatal. coincidence of 
events blafted every fair and fond expectation ; 
and death, attended with more than its accuf- 
tomed pangs and terrors, tore from the haplefs 
offspring, the tender hufband, the numerous and 
zealous friends, from fociety and from the 
world, the mether, wife, beloved companion, 
the ornament of her fex, the enlightened ad- 
vocate for freedom, and the benevolent friend 
of human kind. | : 
*: Not friends alone fuch obfequies deplore ; 
“ They make mankind the mourner, carry 
“« fighs 
¢¢ Far as the fatal fame can wing its way.”’ 
On Wednefday, the 13th of September, 
at his houfe, at Homerton, the reverend Joun 
Fett, born, in the year 1732, at Cocker- 
mouth. He was the eldeft of the two fons of 
Mr. Daniel Fell, who, in confequence of an 
jl-treated rheumatic affection, was obliged to 
fuffer one of his arms to be amputated, and 
who procured a maintenance by keeping a day 
and evening icheol. About 45 years fince, he 
ofien walked from fix to ten miles on the Sa- 
turday afternoon, and on the Sabbath preached 
and expounded the feriptures to fmall aftemblies 
of the peafantry, in the obfcure villages near 
Lampleugh. He was much refpected: for he 
was a pious man, endowed with a good under- 
ftanding and a facetious difpofition: in fine, he 
was an Tjraelte without guile;” an hone 
pian, “ who went about doing gaoa,””-—blis fon, 
Deaths in Ditin Urs. Godwin....Rev. F. Fell. 
233 
the fubje& of this notice, was brought up in the 
bufinefs of a taylor, and came with letters of 
recormmendation to London, where “he was 
immediately employed by a native of Cumbcres 
land, of the fame trade, a perfon whofe hof. 
pitable and amiable difpofition, in fotterin 
juvenile merit, will be long remembered with 
gratitude and refpect. Mr. Fell had been but a 
fhort time in the metropolis, when his tafte for 
literature and his ferious turn of mind attracted 
the notice of a gentleman, whofe liberality placed 
himat the academy at Mile-cnd,then fuperintend. 
ed by Dr. Walker. Mr. Fell was, at this time, in 
the nineteenth year of his age; but, by abridg- 
ing the hours ufually allotted to reft and amute- 
ment, and proportionably extending thofe of 
application to his ftudies;, and, by the affiduous 
exercife of a quick, vigorous, and comprehenfive 
mind, he made rapid advances in learning, gave 
his tutors and patrons the utmoft fatisfaction ; 
and, in due time, was appointed to preach to a 
congregation at Beccles, near Yarmouth. He 
was afterwards invited to take upon himfelf the 
paftoral office in a congregation of Proteftant 
diffenters, at Thaxted, in Effex, where he was 
not only extenfively ufeful, and greatly beloved 
by his congregation, but his amiable deport- 
ment, and diligence in all the duties of his fta. 
tion, attraéted the regard even of all the re- 
fpeAable perfons of the eftablifhed church. At 
Thaxted, Mr Fell boarded and educated a few 
young gentlemen, among whom was the only 
fon of his early patron, It was during his re~ 
fidence there, that he diftinguifhed himfelf by 
the rapid production of fome well-written pub- 
lications, which conduced to eftablith his cha- 
ragter as a fcholar; one of thefe was his reply 
to ‘* Farmers Treatife on the Demoniacs.’? 
After Mr. Fell had thus happily refided feveral 
years at Thaxted, he was unfortunately pre- 
vailed upon to remove to Homerton, near Lon- 
don, to be the refident tutor at an academy, 
appertaining to the clafs of diffenters called 
‘6 Independents.’” The difcipline among the 
pupils had for fome time been relaxed, thert of 
the ftri& rules prefcribed by thofe whofe bounty 
conftitutes its fupport: it was not improved by 
the arrival of the new profefior, who, with his 
former pupils, had never found it neceflary te 
exert.a very ftern authority. Mr. Fell himfelf, 
it is faid, was guilty of a contempt of the Sab- 
bath, in prefuming to read a new‘paper on the 
Lord’s Day, at that period of the lait year when 
every humane breaft was filled with anguifh and 
anxiety at the dreadful wounds alternately in- 
flicted and received by the armies of Auftria 
and France ——A committee, who direfted. the 
management of the academy, met, about a 
twelvemonth fince, to take into confideration 
the charges which had been alleged againft the 
veverend fuperintendant. Mr. Fell was expelled 
from his ftation, without being heard in his own 
defence. Mr, Fell, though difplaced, was nei-~ 
ther degraded nor difgraced; he, neverthelefs, 
was compelled to quit his dwelling, and had a - 
new home to feck. ** The world was all before 
“ him, Providence his guide.” He had fearcely 
leit 
