“Immediately on receipt of thy favour of the 5th, I communicated the contents (so far as they related to the ‘Scriptural Refutation’) to the committee in London, who were much pleased with the offer made to them, and very happy to accept of it. The following is an extract from their minutes:—
“‘At a Committee of the Society for effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade, July 15. 1788.
“‘This Committee, impressed with a sense of the
laudable zeal, and great abilities, manifested by the author of
“A Scriptural
Refutation of a pamphlet, entitled Scriptural Researches on the
Licitness of the Slave Trade,” do gratefully accept his
offer, and request Mr. Barton to
con-
| LIFE OF WILLIAM ROSCOE. | 89 |
“I was not in town myself at the time of this meeting, nor have been since (nor do I know when I shall be again), therefore I have not seen the committee books; but, I suppose, this minute must have been preceded by another, in which the particulars of the offer made by the author would be stated.
“The Committee ordered a new edition, at the same time, which I should imagine must ere this be completed; so that the circulation of this pamphlet will very soon be general over every part of the kingdom, and I trust its utility will be as great as its circulation will be extensive. All who have read it, that I have yet met with, speak of it in terms of the highest commendation; and many are the enquiries and conjectures respecting its author.”
