CURRENT LITERATURE.
The Note-Book of the Bev. Thomas Sally, A.D. 1671-93. Edited by Henry Fishwick. (Printed for the Chetham Society.)—Thomas Solly, belonging to a family of energetic Nonconformists, was called to be pastor of Altham Chapel, near Whalley. He was then but twenty years of age. This was in 1649. His history is a very curious one. He had the exceptional ill-fortune of losing three wives in the course of five years. To be a widower for the third time at the age of twenty-seven, is, one would think, a "record." In 1660 other troubles began. Mr. Solly was of course a Nonconformist of the severest type, and as he had no idea of being silent, he naturally got into no little trouble. Whether he entertained schemes of hostility to the Government is not known, but it is certain that he had close relations with those that did. He was charged with complicity in the Farnley Wood Plot (1663), and he himself records that one of the Rye House conspirators died " Christianly and comfortably " (he was hanged, drawn, and quartered opposite his own house in King Street, Cheapside, — as the editor remarks, "Mr. Solly's idea of dying ' comfortably ' is peculiar"). He had a very strong belief in special providences, arranged for his benefit. Two Bishops who were inclined to be troublesome died opportunely. Again, " one of our solemn dayes of prayer was more signally owned than ordinary, the lord [he always used a small letter] answering us to the fall of meal that week to the half-rate, and in the clearing up of the weather that very day." And " a singular providence of god that I had sold my land in Longton before that litigious suit about it begun ; also that hee speedily took away the man that had causlessly begun the suit." On another occasion he writes, " I the rather begged god's appearance then, that the change of the weather might not bee ascribed to the change of the moon as it is usually." But he
was a very devout person, much given to close self-examination, and, if not over-charitable in his judgment of others, very severe upon himself. He observed a monthly day of retirement, and duly records in his " note-book " the special faults which he lamented on these occasions.
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