"136 Memoirs of the late 
and composed. with wonderful facility, 
so that writing was rather a pleasurethan 
a work of labour to him; and he has ac- 
tually written many hundreds of sermons 
which he never preached, and other 
serious compositions which have lain 
dormant in his study. Beside the pieces 
above-mentioned, which were inserted 
in the Memoirs of the Manchester Lite- 
rary and Plilosophical Society, he never 
published any thing but a Discourse upon 
the commencement of the academy which 
he undertook to conduct, a Feneral Ser- 
mon upon the death of his friend the 
Rev. Thomas Threikeld, of Rochdaie, 
with some Account of his Life, and parti- 
cularly of his extraordinary memory, 
annexed to it, aad some smaller Pieces 
which have been given to the public 
withaut his name, cliefly in.different pe- 
ricdical- works: but though Dr, Barnes 
bas published so litde, he has written 
more than most men; probably the truth 
would not be exceeded by saying as much 
as Richard Baxter himself wrote, in the 
course of his uncommonly active and la- 
borious life. Considered asa preacher, 
he possessed great exceilencies. Hehad 
a strong and sonorous voice, his sermons 
were serious and striking, and he deli- 
vered them with uncomimen animation, 
jd in a very impressive manner. He 
“wually wrote them at fulilength, but in 
the delivery of them he seldom confined 
himself strictly to his notes; and at his 
lectures, which were perhaps his most 
popular addresses, he always spoke ex- 
tempore. ne of the last objects of a 
public nature which engaged his atten- 
. tion was a Bible Seciety, which has lately 
been established in Manchester, aux- 
ifiary to the grand association of this kind 
1 London. Tn the promotion and forme 
ation of this aoble institution he felt a 
warta Interest; and one of the last times 
that he ever spoke in public was at a 
meeting of its friends and promoters, 
upon which occasion, thougi: his impaired 
strength did not permit him to say much, 
he delivered his sentiments with peculiar 
animation and feeling in favour of its im- 
portant design ; and this honourable ef- 
tort of his zeal in the cause of God and 
religion, may he justly said to have con- 
tributed to wild the horizon of his setting 
sun, which, in various respects, went 
down amidst an effulgence of glory, to 
rise again in unclouded and everlasting 
splendour. In his private character the 
Rev. Dr. Barnes was truly amiable and 
“Reo, Joseph Barnes. 
[Sept. ly 
exemplary. The most. distinguishing 
feature of it was his fervent piety, and to 
this were added thestrictest integrity and 
uptrightness, both of mind and conduct; 
great disinterestedness; and an ardent 
active benevolence, which made him, 
always ready to every service by which 
he could either beneft or oblige others. 
He was particularly liberal in the relief 
of the poor, with whose necessities he 
was acquainted. In his general disposi- 
tion, he had great natural vivacity, as 
well as an habitual cheerfuiness. founded 
upon religious principles aud hopes con- 
stantly influencing his mind; and his 
manners were remarkably conciliating, 
such as actually engaged the esteem and 
afection of all who had the, happiness of 
knowing him, His conversation was pe= 
culiarly interesting and entertaining, yet 
always of a perfectly innocent, and gene- 
rally of a profitable, nature and tendency. 
He exceedingly disapproved of all ludi- 
crous allasions to the holy Scriptures, 1n 
particular, and of a light way of speaking 
of sacred things in general; and he was 
himself scrupulously careful never to open 
his lips upon any scrious subject, and, 
especially, never to nention the name of- 
God, without a becoming seriousness and — 
reverence. In his habits of life, he was 
very abstemious, eating only plain food. 
with great moderation, and never tasting 
any spirituous or fermented liquors; but 
he enjoyed, in geueral, a sound state of 
health, and an equal flow of spirits, such 
as few have the happiness fo experience. 
His constitution was naturally strong and. 
good, though he had from his birth an 
enlarged arm, which might appear to a 
stranger to mdicate some original malady. 
or unhealthy tendency of his bodily frame. 
His natural vigour, however, began visi- 
bly to decline, at least a year before his 
death, though he continued to perform 
his usual labours, and went through 
them with apparent ease to himself 
till within a few of the last months. 
An asthmatical affection, which had mas 
nifested itself for some time, and been 
gradually increasing, then began toassume 
a very serious and alarming appearance, 
attended at the-same time, with some 
paralytic symptoms, in consequence of 
which it became necessary for him to de- 
sist from all public duty. Upon this he 
retired to his country-house at Ferney- 
side, near Bolton, where he was regue 
Jarly visited by his medical friends and - 
former pupils at the academy, Dr. aa as 
