~ 
513 
letter to the Rev. Mr. Stebbing, Miniter 
of Stone, in Staffordfhire, where it was 
fuppotfed that Mr. Owen then refided, to 
Gefire him to apprife the Diffenters of his 
parifh, and round about, of the true cna- 
racter of the faid Mr. Owen; and to hin- 
der him, as far as he could, from fettling 
or being encouraged’ in that parifh or 
neighbourhood. Dr. Smallbroke refers, 
in this letter, to a pamphlet which he 
had fent to Mr. Stebbing, ‘* by way of 
auiwer,” he fays, ‘* toa moft f{currileus 
libel wrote ‘* by one Mr. Owen, nor only 
againit myfelf, but likewife all the Bi- 
fhopsand Clergy, andettablifhedChureh.”’* 
Whatever merit this Anfwer might poflefs, 
it is clear that the Bifhop did not care to 
truit his caufe folely to the force of rea- 
foning, or the correttion which wit might 
receive from the pen; but the author of 
the libel was to be ftigmatized, and ferret- 
ed out of his abode. 
Mr. Owen publifhed feveral fingle Ser. 
mons ; among which was one alter the 
battle of Dettingen, and ancther after the 
Gefeat of the rebels at Culloden. 
Diicourfes were animated expreflions: of 
his attachment to the Houfe of Hanover, 
and of his zeal in the caufe of liberty. 
To the particulars concerning Mr. Je- 
remiah Jones, in your Magazine for April, 
p- 240, 241, I would add, that he receiy- 
ed part of his academical education under 
Dr. Benion, a man of great genius and 
clofe application, who kept a feminary at 
-Shrewfbury. After the death of Mr. Sa- 
mucl Jones, of Tewkfbury, he had the di- 
rection of the ftudies of a few pupils at 
Naiifworth. h Peg 
Taxnion, 20th May, 1803. 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
LSURs. 
R. Kippis, in his Memoirs of Dr. 
Lardner, prefixed to the edition of 
his works printed in the year 17388, 
does not mention the following cir- 
sumftance, which moft of his readers 
and your’s will be gratified to know ; viz. 
that in the year 1745 he publifhed a vo- 
jume of pofthumous Sermons, compofed by 
Mr. Kirby Reyoer, a Minifter in Briftol, 
who appears to have been his intimate 
friend ; to which he prefixed a fhort pre- 
face, containing brief memoirs of the au- 
thor. As every thing which came from 
the pen of fo confiderable a man as Dr. 
Lardner, is worthy of being known and 
preiervea ; and as biographical anecdotes 
wes 
* Cordiai-for Low Spirits, vel. i, p. 267, 
263, Noite. x 
Thefe. 
Anecdote of Mr. Fames Owen—Mr. K. Reyner. [July ty 
form an agreeable part of your Mifcel- 
lany, I have tranfcribed this fall pro- 
duétion of the Doétor’s pen for your ule, 
from the volume of Sermons now betore 
me, which was publifhed by a fubfcrip~ 
tion, countenanced»by a number of re- 
{pe€table names, among which I find thar 
of Dr. Haac Watts. . 
Iam, Sir, your's, &c. 
S. PALMER. 
Hackney, May 17, 18034. 
Dr. LarpNer’s Preface to a Volume ef 
Sermons, by Kirpy Reyner, Minifier 
in Tucker-fireet, Briftol. 
When Mr. Reyner’s relations defired 
me to revife his Sermons, which he had 
left writ out’ fair ; fome of which had 
been tranfcribed by him from time to 
time, at the requeft, and for the private 
ule of particular friends, others of thenr 
a little before his death, with a view of 
fending them to the prefs; though I was 
fully employed, 1 complied without much 
reluctance: efteeming it but a (mall piece 
of refpect to the memory of a deceafed 
friend, and not knowing, but that by 
fuch a fervice I might be more ufeful, 
than in publifhing any thing of my own. 
The defign ot the Sermons which are 
here offered* to the public, is to promote 
true picty, not any party views and inte- 
refts, The great duties of life, and dili- 
gence therein, are enforced from the im- 
portant principles of religion, in which 
Chriftians are generally agreed. The 
preacher is in earneft. He is perfuad- 
ed himfelf, and ~ endeavours to per- 
fuade others; and JT hope he will do fo. 
For which reafon I cannot but wifh that 
thefe Sermons may come into many hands, 
And I fincerely pray, that the divine 
blefing may accompany the reading of 
them, whether in the clofet or the family. 
They may be peculiarly agreeable to the 
author’s friends at Briftol, whofe memo- 
ries will be refrefhed with fome of thole 
things which they formerly heard with 
attention and pleafure; and who were 
witnefles of his converfation, an amiable 
example of the virtues, and a living re- 
commendation of the religious principles 
which he inculcated upon others. But 
they will be, I think, very acceptable to 
all ferious and well-difpofed perfons in 
general. 
As fome may he defirous to fee me- 
moirs of the author, I fhall mention 
briefly the few following particulars ; 
Mr. Kirby Reyner was born near 
Wakeneld, in Yoikfhire. He ftudied 
acaicmiical learaing wider Mr. Jollie, at 
Attercl ff, 
