ADVERTISEMENT TO THIS AND THE PRECEDING VOLUME O F TALES. To improve the habits, and raise the principles of the common people, at a time when their dangers and temptations, moral and political, were multiplied beyond the example of any former period, was the motive which impelled the Author of these volumes to devise and profecute the inftitution of the Cheap Repofitory. This plan was established with an humble wish, not only to counteract vice and profligacy on the one hand, but error, difcontent, and falfe religion on the other. And as an appetite for reading had, from a variety of causes, been increasing among the inferior ranks in this country, it was judged expedient, at this critical period, to fupply fuch wholefome 8 wholesome aliment as might give a new direction to their tafte, and abate their relish for thofe corrupt and inflammatory publications which the confequences of the French Revolution have been fo fatally pouring in upon us. The fuccefs of the plan exceeded the most fanguine expectation of its projector. Above two millions of the Tracts were fold within the first year, befides very large numbers in Ireland; and they continue to be very extenfively circulated, in their original form of fingle Tracts, by Evans, in Long-lane, Weft Smithfield, Hatchard in Piccadilly, and Hazard in Bath, as well as in three bound volumes fold by Rivington, Hatchard, and all other bookfellers. As thefe ftories, though principally, are not calculated exclusively for the middle and lower claffes of fociety, the Author has, at the defire of her friends, felected thofe which were written by herself, and prefented them to the public in this collection of her works, in an enlarged and improved form. THE THE SHEPHERD OF SALISBURY PLAIN. MR. JOHNSON, a very worthy charitable gentleman, was travelling fome time ago acrofs one of those vaft plains which are well known in Wiltshire. It was a fine fummer's evening, and he rode flowly that he might have leifure to admire God in the works of his creation. For this gentleman was of opinion, that a walk or a ride was as proper a time as any to think about good things; for which reafon, on fuch occafions, he feldom thought fo much about his money, or his trade, or public news, as at other times, that he might with more ease and fatisfaction enjoy the pious thoughts which the wonderful works of the great Maker VOL. V. B Maker of heaven and earth are intended to raise in the mind. As this ferene contemplation of the vifible heavens insensibly lifted up his mind from the works of God in nature, to the fame God as he is feen in revelation; it occurred to him that this very connexion was clearly intimated by the Royal Prophet in the nineteenth pfalm. That most beautiful defcription of the greatness and power of God exhibited in the former part, plainly feeming intended to introduce, illuftrate, and unfold the operations of the word and spirit of God on the heart in the latter. And he began to run a parallel in his own mind between the effects of that highly poetical and glowing picture of the material fun in fearching and warming the earth, in the first fix verses, and the spiritual operation attributed to the "law of God," which fills up the remaining part of the pfalm. And he perfuaded himself that the divine fpirit which dictated this fine hymn, had left it as a kind of general intimation to |