the remaining portion of his existence here, is known only to that All-seeing Mind, to whom the hearts of men are open, and who, amidst the darkness of decline and death, is to the righteous an everlasting light and glory *.

The distress, which the approaching loss of this excellent man brought on a house of which he now remained the sole male representative, needs not be described. He was attended with the most faithful care and tenderness; and the even, although rapid, decay of life within him, allowed almost to its last hour the melancholy pleasure of viewing him still forming a part of the small domestic circle, at the once happy mansion of Fulham. On the day preceding his death, he breakfasted as usual with the family. His weakness was much increased; and he was several times compelled to lie down on his bed during the course of the afternoon. He appeared often to labour for breath. Night, and partial repose, came on. In the morning, his countenance was changed-in colour only;-in expression it remained unaltered. About four o'clock in the afternoon he fell into a tranquil slumber, in which, without a struggle or a sigh, he breathed his last +. His decease was a gradual (and, to those who watched around him, an imperceptible) decline into total rest. He

* An anecdote of an extraordinary nature is related of Mr. Sharp on the above-mentioned point. From an opinion which he had adopted, of the striking resemblance of many actual circumstances of his own time to those which, in the scriptural prophecies, are believed to announce the happy state of the good on earth, he had encouraged in his mind a belief that the desired period was speedily approaching, and once, in the fervour of his hopes, declared its probable arrival in the ensuing spring. Being then in company with several ministers of the Gospel, he was asked by one of them if he did not speak of these things doubtingly. "Not at all," was his reply, "but as a positive truth." Mr. H- a Baptist preacher, exclaimed, "What would we give, Mr. Sharp,

for such a faith as yours!"

+ Some circumstances, just now communicated by a near relation, are too interesting to be wholly omitted.

During the further decline of his strength, he frequently entered the room where the family were assembled, and, taking a seat near to them, continued-sometimes for hours-to look stedfastly on them, appearing pleased with being in their company, but without uttering a word. When on his death-bed, his two widowed sisters were his constant attendants. To the last he continued frequently to look at the family portraits, which hung round the room, with the most earnest and affecting expression, as if tracing the resemblances, and then naming them, one by one" My dear Father," "My good Mother," "My dear brother William." These affectionate ideas seemed to occupy his mind to the latest moment.

only ceased from his mortal state;—and who shall presume to judge, if the prepossession of his pure and holy feelings was not in that moment accomplished? He ceased from life, when that life could no longer be powerfully exerted to combat the pride, to promote the virtue, and enlarge the happiness, of his fellow-creatures.

May it

not be pardonable to think, that Providence had allotted to a creature of so pure a spirit the entire development and use of his high faculties in this his station, and that their exhaustion was the signal of his departure? The talent, which had been entrusted to him, was faithfully disbursed, and he returned to the bosom of the Giver! He expired on the 6th July, 1813.

The news of his death immediately drew forth marks of the highest respect from the public bodies, with which he had been connected. Among the Directors of the African Institution, Lord Teignmouth and Mr. Wilberforce expressed their desire to accompany the funeral of their lamented companion: and, a meeting being summoned, the Duke of Gloucester, announcing with tears the loss they had sustained, proposed that Mr. Sharp's executors should be requested to allow a deputation of their Society to pay the last tribute of respect to his person, by attending his remains to the grave. The circumstance is thus honourably noticed in the Eighth Report of the African Institution.

"Since the last General Meeting, the Directors have been deprived by death of the assistance and services of their venerable coadjutor, Mr. GRANVILLE SHARP.

"As a mark of the high esteem and respect, which was entertained by the Board, for one, who not only had been an active and unwearied Director of this Institution, from the time of its first establishment almost to the close of his long and well-spent life, but also one of the earliest and most able instruments, under Providence, in promoting the Abolition of the Slave Trade, the Board deputed two of the Vice-Presidents, and three of the Directors, to represent them at the funeral; which was also attended by some other distinguished Members of the Institution."

The Bible Society was not behind-hand in its tribute of peculiar respect. The following advertisement appeared in all the public papers :—

66 BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

"At a Meeting of the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society, held at the New London. Tavern, Cheapside, on Monday the 2d of August, 1813:

"The following Resolution was unanimously adopted, and ordered to be published.

"It having pleased God, in the course of his providence, to call Granville Sharp, Esq. to his heavenly rest, the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society feel a mournful pleasure in recording their veneration for his character, and their gratitude for his services. In him, the Committee recognise the venerable person, under whose auspices the Society was formed; the earliest and largest benefactor to their library; and one of the most regular, diligent, and useful attendants at the meetings for the transaction of business. While the Committee acknowledge the obligations of the Society to the extent and accuracy of his Biblical learning, they feel it their duty to bear particular and affectionate testimony to the integrity of his mind, the simplicity of his spirit, and the philanthropy of his heart. The Committee desire to bless God for having continued so long among them an instrument of so great usefulness; and they trust that the benefit of his labours may be perpetuated and extended by the influence of his example. "JOHN OWEN,

Nor were the expressions of gratitude, which the remembrance of his useful labours had called forth, confined to the metropolitan societies. At a meeting of the Shropshire Auxiliary Bible Society, held on the 13th July, 1814, the Rev. Archdeacon Corbett, in an affectionate encomium on Mr. Sharp's character (from which the following is an extract), noticed with particular distinction his public services. He remarked, when announcing the business of the day, that "they met under circumstances which excited no ordinary feeling, as they had to regret the decease of the first Chairman of the British and Foreign Bible Society."

"I had the honour" (continued the speaker) " and the happiness of his acquaintance for nearly the last thirty years of his existence upon earth. He was learned in no common degree: he was humble in the greatest degree. His benevolence knew no bounds; and his piety was exemplary. He may be looked upon, in his earlier exertions, as the author of whatever degree of personal

liberty has been since restored to the inhabitants of Africa; and we view him, in his later labours, contributing to mature that plan by which the freedom of religious truth is now offered to all the world.

"Though nurtured in the bosom of the Church of England, he was her zealous disciple not so much from education as from conviction. He was deeply read in all the principles of natural and revealed religion; and his learning was more particularly employed in studying the writings of the Old and New Testament in their original tongues.

"I have a satisfaction in repeating, that this amiable man, to whom the term Orthodox, in its purest and best sense, may be perhaps more exactly applied than to almost any other person, was one of the early promoters of that plan by which the Bible is disseminated."

His remains were, on the 13th of July, deposited in the family vault at Fulham, the funeral being attended by Thomas John Lloyd Baker, Esq.; the Rev. John Hutton; Granville Wheeler, Esq.; Gregory Esley, Esq.; and John Erskine, Esq., relatives;—and by the Right Hon. Nicholas Vansittart; Lord Calthorpe; William Wilberforce, Esq.; Thomas Babington, Esq.; Rev. John Owen; Thomas Harrison, Esq.; Sir Charles Blicke; and John Bayford, Esq.;—and by the family servants. The Service was read by the Rev. William Wood, Vicar. The following epitaph, written by the Rev. John Owen, Rector of Paglesham, in Essex, was placed on the north side of the tomb.

HERE,

BY THE REMAINS

OF THE BROTHER AND SISTER WHOM HE TENDERLY Loved,

LIE THOSE OF

GRANVILLE SHARP, ESQ.

AT THE AGE OF SEVENTY-EIGHT, THIS VENERABLE PHILANTHROPIST

TERMINATED HIS CAREER

OF ALMOST UNPARALLELED ACTIVITY AND usefulness,

JULY 6th 1813;

LEAVING BEHIND HIM A NAME

THAT WILL BE CHERISHED WITH AFFECTION AND GRATITUDE,
AS LONG AS ANY HOMAGE SHALL BE PAID TO THOSE PRINCIPLES
OF JUSTICE, HUMANITY, AND RELIGION,

WHICH, FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY,

HE PROMOTED BY HIS EXERTIONS,

AND ADORNED BY HIS EXAMPLE.

To the former affectionate testimonies of respect was added another, of a still more public nature, announced in the same Report of the African Institution.

After noticing the deputation of Directors who attended Mr. Sharp's funeral, the Report proceeds :

"Not conceiving that they should acquit themselves of the debt of gratitude due to Mr. Sharp for his assiduous and unceasing efforts in the cause of the Abolition by this measure alone, the Board are desirous to pay a more permanent tribute of respect to his memory; and for that purpose have in contemplation to erect a Monument in Westminster Abbey, which shall record his eminent services in the cause of humanity."

The Monument, thus proposed, has been since erected, in that part of Westminster Abbey so well known by the name of Poet's Corner. The work is executed by Mr. Chantrey, and exhibits, in the centre, a medallion of Mr. Sharp; and, on one side, in low relief, a lion and lamb lying down together; on the other, an African, in the act of supplication (taken from the seal of the African Institution).

The following is the inscription, written by William Smith, Esq., Member for Norwich.