SOME ACCOUNT OF

THE LIFE OF MR. SEDDON.

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THE Rev. John Seddon, author of the following fermons, was near thirty years one of the ministers to a respectable society of Proteftant Dissenters in Manchester. His life devoted to the quiet discharge of pastoral duty presents not many scenes that claim the public attention. Yet fome who venerate his memory, will perhaps be gratified with the few anecdotes that are here fubjoined.

The family of Seddon is of French extraction. The name so lately as the reign of Elizabeth was written Sedanne, and tradiţio

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dition reports that his ancestors came originally from Sedan in the time of William the Conqueror. They had formerly large estates in the neighbourhood of Manchester and Bolton in the Moors, and appear to have intermarried with some of the principal families in Lancashire.

His father the Rev. Peter Seddon, was a dissenting minister at Penrith, and afterward at Cockey-moor near Bolton. He was interred at this last place, with the following inscription on his tomb.

"Here resteth the body of the Rev. Mr. " Peter Seddon, a good scholar, an excellent " preacher, eminent for piety, industry, and "great humility, who departed this life "April 26, 1731, in the forty-third year of " his age."

The Rev. John Seddon was born at Lomax-fold, Little Lever, in the parish of Bolton,

Bolton, in the year 1716 or 1717. He was placed at Stand school, under the care of Mr. William Walker. He was afterward a pupil of Dr. Rotheram who prefided over an academy at Kendal, and from Kendal he removed to the university of Glasgow, where he took the degree of Master of Arts, and finished his education.

He appears to have been early patronised by the fociety of proteftant dissenters in Manchester, who kindly contributed to the expence of his education; and on or before his quitting the university of Glasgow, chose him assistant minister to their pastor the Rev. Mr. Joseph Mottershead.

With Mr. Mottershead, whose prudent and exemplary conduct gained universal respect, he lived on terms of intimacy and friendship. He was married to his daughter Elizabeth in the year 1743, and by her had several children, none of whom now furvive. His only descendant is the fon

of his daughter Abigail, who married a relation of the name of Seddon, and died in 1774.

His juvenile years are said to have been remarkably sprightly and cheerful. He was however far from being of a strong constitution, and his too great exertions, probably excited by an overflow of spirits, brought on a nervous and weakly habit, which rendered him a valetudinarian for many of the last years of life. It is particularly mentioned that he received an irreparable injury to his health from walking to Chowbent one Sunday morning, a distance of twelve miles from Manchester, and returning the fame day after having performed divine service.

In his temper he was mild, friendly and affectionate, in his address courteous and obliging, in conversation affable and communicative. He was very liberal to the poor, and unwilling to deny any one who applied