Description
SPRINKLE PUBLICATIONS 1986
THE edition of Scougal, from which this is a transcript, is the only one which has fallen under our notice, printed since 1739, which has the original preface of Bishop Burnet entire, and Archbishop Leighton's Rules for a Holy Life. It is believed to be an exact copy of the first edition, printed under the author's eye.* The commendation of two such names as Burnet and Leighton is sufficient
for any book; but this has received the commendation of the most eminent Christians for almost two hundred years. The Rev. Dr. Gairden, in his funeral-sermon upon Mr. Scougal, says: "Whoever considers the importance of the matter of this book, the clear representation of the life and spirit of true religion and its graces, the proposals of the most effectual motives for attaining to it, together with the natural eloquence of the style, can not but be sensible of the great usefulness of it."
More than a hundred years ago, Mary Stuart, who, with many others bearing that ill-fated name, was exiled from her native Scotland, brought a copy of Scougal to Virginia, which fell into the hands of her
daughter, Mrs. Alexander, of the county of Prince William. From her the famous "Parson Weems" borrowed this copy for the purpose of having it reprinted in America, which was done in Philadelphia, in 1795.
The original copy having been burned in the office, Mr. Weems replaced it by a copy of the new edition, which was said by Mrs. Alexander to be a fac-simile of the copy imported by her mother, Mary Stuart, and it is from this copy that the present reprint is made.
