'stances under which they were communi'cated, but from their having no immediate

' relation with the object of my work. Opi'nions, however, on authors who have been

long dead, and on their writings, may or may not, I imagine, be mentioned, according ' as they may fall within my plan.

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' I intend, in the first division of the work, ' to give an account of the conversations ' with my friends; and as I was the princi'pal speaker, this part will contain my arguments in favour of religion, while the objections and difficulties that were started, ' will be stated and examined, without ascrib'ing this to this, or that to that individual. 'As all these friends are alive, delicacy re

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quires that I should be general and brief ' in all that relates to them, not from an 'idea that any shame will accrue to them 'for wishing to hear and understand reli'gion, but from deference to the repugnance 'which every one has to appearing before * the public unnecessarily. The second di' vision will attempt to convey a view of the ' chief external evidences, but, above all, of ' the internal evidences of Christianity, drawn ' entirely from the Scriptures themselves, and 'divested of all theological theories and 'technicalities, in the most simple and per'spicuous manner of which I am capable ; ' and if my execution of this part of the sub'ject could equal, which I know it will not,

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my design, I think that a scheme of religion so pure, perfect, and complete, accounting ' for the state of man, solving the difficulties ' of moral and physical evil, suiting the ac'tual condition and circumstances of man'kind and pointing out the only road to hap'piness here and hereafter, could be pre* sented, that the most exalted reason, if fairly ' exercised, would be compelled to recognise 'the impress of divinity in the Christian 'revelation. The third division will contain 'an account of my conversations with Lord 'Byron, written with the same precautions ' which I use in the first division, except that ' I mention his name on the ground that these ' conversations do more credit to his lordship ' with respect to religious opinion, than can ' be inferred from many of his writings. The ' last part of the work will contain an exami'nation of the extent to which real Chris' tian principles appear to pervade and influ'ence the different ranks of society; of the 'causes which have hitherto retarded the 'spread of Christianity, and the means cal'culated to promote its progress in future.

C

،

Of the delicacy and difficulty of my ' undertaking I am aware; yet, if written a 'with spirit of truth and integrity, it may, 'though imperfect in its execution, be useful 'to many. I shall leave this question to 'be decided by my friends. There will be ' less difficulty in touching on Lord Byron's ' views of religion than you imagine, because 'I shall not form a creed for him, which I 'fear he had not taken time to do for him'self, but I shall simply relate facts which, ' when contrasted with many of his writings, 'render his character more amiable; and I ' shall consult both delicacy and justice in ex'cluding most of his opinions and anecdotes ' relating to living individuals both public ' and private.

The chief difficulty which presents itself ' to me is, whether I am justified in availing 'myself of these conversations with so cele'brated a man, in order to give additional 'interest to a work, the object of which I ' profess to be utility. If my doing so would ' injure his character or fame in the slightest ' degree, there could not be a moment's hesi

'tation in deciding on the baseness of the

' measure. But as far as I can judge, a true 'statement of what occurred will place his

'lordship's character in a fairer light than ' he has himself done in many of his writ'ings, or than can, perhaps, be done by a

friendly biographer. The brightest parts of

' his life were those which he spent in Ce'phalonia and Missolunghi, and the fact of 'his wishing to hear Christianity explained

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by one, merely because he believed him * sincere; confessing that he derived no happiness from his unsettled notions on religion; expressing a desire to be convinced; ' and his carrying with him religious books, ' and promising to give the subject a more ' attentive study than he had ever done, will ' throw a certain lustre over the darker shade ' of his fame, and a mixture of hope and sympathy over his character and memory, ' in the minds of all Christians. It will, moreover, take him from the ranks of such men as Hume, Gibbon, and Voltaire, in ' which too many will be disposed to place ' him, and deprive deists of the right of

' quoting him as a cool, deliberate rejector of • Christianity.

' I shall submit this difficulty to my friends ' in England, and be guided by their opinion; * and should they judge that the reasons for 'using his lordship's name are fair, I shall

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' then, if you wish it, submit to you, or any ' of his friends, every part of the work which ' relates to him, and attend to every reason'able objection or suggestion-I except, 'however, any opinions I may give on his ' character and writings, derived from sources open to all: though, even on these points, you may not find much to which to object; ' for I shall neither praise nor blame his lord'ship so much as some of his friends on the ' one hand, or some of his enemies on the 'other, might probably desire. My opinions 'shall be free and impartial, given with that 'moderation which truth requires, and with ' that delicacy which is due to the memory of 'a man whose hospitality and kindness I ' have shared.

'I have two or three letters only in my 'possession from his lordship, which relate 'to a young Turkish girl whom he intended ' to place ultimately with his daughter, but 'whom, for a while, he wished to be with me.

I intended to publish them as a proof of his 'romantic generosity and benevolence; but ' if you have the least objection, they shall ' be suppressed.

'I am satisfied with the fairness of the 'motives which influence me; but as I may