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May ; the blessing of Almighty God attend you ! Be assured * you have a large share -in 1 the heart and prayers O < J « - 'T ' * ¦ " "• . ¦¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ " ¦ ..--«* Dear Sir ,, 46 Your affectionate friend and €€ servant « C ? . ASH WORTH . "
When the writer of this biographical sketch calls to his recollection the great modesty end retiring diffidence , ¦ which were so remarkably evinced in the deportment of its subject * and which occasioned his being much Jess known in the world , and
even in the narrow circle of society In which it is the usual lot of dissenting ministers to move , than many whose attainments and capacities of usefulness have , perhaps , been much
inferior , he feels some degree of hesitation in giving to the public letters 'which bear such distinguished testimony to great excellence as a man , a Christian and a scholar ., He almost
feels a consciousness , that could the deceased have contemplated this applicatioa of them * , be would have wished for their destruction . But such eminent worth of character may not pass unrecorded . So amiable an example ought to be held forth for the imitation of others . May God grant that it may be thus useful !
Of Mr . Astleys situation at Davesitry , the only particulars that have hitherto been discovered , by the writer-of this article , are contained in the following extracts , frown a copy of a letter written by him to Dr . Beoson ^ dated " -Daventry ,- Oct , 20 th , 1757-¦
* ?'• • I spend my time at Daventry with great pleasure : every thing is conducted in a very friendly and agreeable manner . I am bow studying the Evidences of Christianity , which , on account of a change made lately iii ' -the course of our lectures bv Mr .
' Ashworth , we are to go through before we proceed to Ethics . Along with the Evidences I am engaged with the Jewish Antiquities . These form properly part of the business of the last year . The reason of the
alteration is this . We had begun Natural and Experimental Philosophy with Mr . Clark 9 the last year * and had gone through ' Mechanics , Pneumatics afftd Hydrostatics with him ; but as MftT&ylor , whoswcceeded Mr . Clark , did not wish to engage with Natural
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Philosophy this year , and Mr . * s&-worthf could not ; e ^ nVeriiently ^ ^ ee exchanged it for ifcg Jewish AMIquities , artd shall conclude , the tdeW < S of Natural Philosophy the next fe&r . Mr . Taylor is universally respected in the academy . He is a gentleman of great modesty aiid affability . We ? are under no restraints here as to our
sentiments , have liberty to read any books , make any objections , and talk freely upon any subject . How Mr . Ash worth may be affected to the gentlemen who agree or differ with him , I do not know ; but his outward
behaviour is friendly to all , and with the rest I have great reason to honour and esteem him . Mr . Taylor is very good in taking notice of the students ^ and conversing with them . He is very communicative , and his
behaviour amongst us speaks his desire of making up the loss of Mr . Clark to this academy . Both our tutors site very candid hearers of any of our performances , which are , praying in the family in the evening , and two orations
every session j in the last year but one * praying in public in the meeting at the evening lecture s j and * in the last year , preaching . " Of his fellow-students at Daventry > the one with whom he formed the
strictest friendship and intimacy , and with * whom he kept up a constant intercourse and correspondence , was the Rev «> Thomas Threlkeld , of whom a biographical memoir was given in Vol . IL of the Monthly Repository ,, communicated bv the late Rev . Dr .
Barnes . With him * both at Daveotrys and afterwards at Warrington , Mr . Astley was in the habit of speading two hours , three evenings in every week , in mutual studies of the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures . In July , 1758 , Mr . Astley was removed , with
his friend Threlkeld , to the academy recently established at Warrington , by the advice of T > r . Benson . What particular reasons might lead to this change , the writer is unacquainted with ; but he has frequently heard the subject of this memoir express the
great satisfaction he felt on becoming a student in the Warrington Academy , and the uniform pleasure he experienced during a three years' residence in i t * The full and very interesting fiistory of this academy , with the list of Us students , communicated
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Memoir of the hie Rev * Thomas Asflem S 3
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 2, 1818, page 83, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2473/page/3/
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