AN ACCOUNT OF THE EARLY PART OF THE Life, and Convincement OF THOMAS MELHUISH, LATE OF TAUNTON. Given by himself in a Letter to a Friend: Together with › A Short Account of his subsequent Life, &c. With EXTRACTS from fome of his LETTERS Collected and arranged by two Friends, NOTICE BY THE EDITORS. The materials from which the annexed account is compiled, being very incomplete, we rely on the candour of thofe into whofe hands it may fall, to make fuitable allowance for any incorrectness or deficiencies that may appear; hoping the ferious reader will think with us, that the value of this little compilation fufficiently warrants its being brought forward to general notice, even in its prefent imperfect state. AN ACCOUNT, &c. IT may not be amifs to introduce the following letter with a fhort account of our friend in his early life. He was born at Bradninch in Devonshire, about the year 1737, of parents not then profeffing with Friends: but his mother foon afterwards joined the Society, his father continuing in profeffion with the national church. Having learnt the bufinefs of a taylor, he travelled to London for employment as a journeyman in that line, about the twentieth year of his age, and having been previously brought acquainted with the principles of Friends, he foon formed an intimacy with fome in that city, particularly the family of the Marfhmans, who kindly noticed and entertained him; which doubtlefs proved a fingular favour to him, and made a lasting impreffion of gratitude on his mind, opening the way to a correfpondence after his return. into |