EXTRACTS FROM REVIEWS OF DAWSON'S MEMOIRS. "The subject of these memoirs was a celebrated Local Preacher among the Wesleyans, and was, in several respects, an extraor dinary man. Possessing great physical energy and superior native genius, he was also distinguished by deep and unblemished piety, burning zeal, unwearied activity, disinterested labours, and extensive usefulness. Mr. Everett has produced an interesting and instructive piece of biography. It abounds with incident, anecdote, and graphic sketches." The PATRIOT, March 17, 1842. "It abounds with amusing anecdotes, dialogues, and repartees, and contains some passages on which all who wish to study human nature in its variety of aspects may meditate with advantage." BAPTIST MAGAZINE, April, 1842. "There has just issued from the press a highly interesting life of the late Mr. Dawson, a man of great originality, and one of the most popular preachers in modern times. In him were combined perhaps, more of the fervour of Baxter and the imagination of Bunyan than can be found in any other minister. The work is perfectly Dawsonian, as much so as Boswell's life of Dr. Johnson is Johnsonian. You see the man in private-in social life-in the pulpit and on the platform, and all so correctly represented, that all those who were acquainted with the original, were his name entirely omitted, would at once exclaim this is Mr. Dawson, for this is his image and superscription." BRISTOL MERCURY, March 19, 1842. "The volume contains some homely wisdom, and original traits of manners, with abundant evidence of the piety of its subject." TAIT'S EDINBURGH MAGAZINE, April, 1842. a Mr. Everett has earned for himself an established reputation for this class of writings by his Memoirs of Daniel Isaac,' his 'Wall's End Miner,' and his 'Village Blacksmith.' The latter work especially brought out his talent for delineation, and fixed him on the pinnacle of biographical fame. The peculiarly captivating style which marks Mr. Everett's former works, distinguishes also the present volume; and though examples of involved, of obscure, and of cramped composition might be picked out, they seem to serve as foils to the general beauty of our author's diction, in which there is an air and a spirit that throw a charm over the whole. The perpetual bubbling up of classical poetry and other literary allusions, intermingled with striking and appropriate metaphor, cannot fail to delight the reader of taste, and to afford an exquisite gratification to the mind previously familiar with general literature. If we were disposed to find fault at all, it would be on the ground of too great a profusion in the use of similes; but even this, we have no doubt, will be more acceptable than otherwise to a numerous class of readers; and were that not the case, what are a few minor defects in the midst of so many excellences? It is not every writer of memoirs that possesses the tact for catching the distinctive features of a character, and so presenting to his readers an actual portrait of the individual subject of his pen: but no one can read the works of Mr. Everett without perceiving that this necessary talent is possessed by him in a high degree, and that he strikes off a likeness true to nature, yet robed in such drapery as only a brilliant imagination could paint, and a discriminating judgment adjust. Such is Everett's Life of Dawson.' The book is not a mere collection of facts and incidents; it is an exhibition of character, in which facts and incidents are abundantly introduced as the faithful colouring and true filling up of an ably drawn outline. Those who knew Mr. D., will know his picture. Those who knew him not, and who love to study real character, will feel themselves not a little obliged to our author for the manner in which he has performed the task assigned him, of bringing such a specimen of humanity under public review through the medium of the press."-NOTTINGHAM MERCURY, April 1, 1842. 6 "This is the biography of an eminent Methodist, of which system it was Mr. Dawson's great object to make his life a perfect exemplification." ATHENEUM, March, 26, 1842. |