"The necessity I have been under of submitting recently to a surgical operation on myself, with a long summer of sickness to every member of my family, and accumulated troubles of earlier origin, and of another nature, have prevented me too often from satisfying the wishes of readers, and the claims of correspondents. I crave that they will be pleased to receive this as a general apology, in lieu of particular notices, and in the stead of promises to effect what I can no longer hope to accomplish, and forbear to attempt. "WM. HONE. "December 12. 1827." J. M. G. Worcester. Mr. Hone, whose friendship I enjoyed for some years, became toward the latter part of his life a devout and humble Christian, and member of the dissenting church under the pastorate of the Rev. Thomas Binney, to which also several members of his family[3] belonged. Meeting him accidentally, about ten years since, in Great Bell Alley, London Wall, he led me to a small bookshop, kept I think by one of his daughters, and showed me part of a pamphlet he was then engaged upon, relative to _his own_ religious life and experience, as I understood him. This, I believe, has never appeared, though he published in 1841 _The early Life and Conversion of William Hone_, of Ripley[4], his father. [Footnote 3: "His wife, four daughters, and a son-in-law."] [Footnote 4: London: T. Ward and Co. 8vo. pp. 48.] At p. 46. of this interesting narrative, he subjoins an extract from a new edition of Simpson's _Plea for Religion_, printed for Jackson and Walford, describing the happy change which had taken place in his own mind. To this account, written, as Mr. Hone says, "by a very dear friend who knows me intimately," he sets his affirmation; so that there can be no doubt of its accuracy. A Life of William Hone, by one who could treat it philosophically, would be so deeply interesting, that I am surprised it has never been undertaken. "The history of my three days' trials in Guildhall," says he, "may be dug out from the journals of the period: the history of my mind and heart, my scepticism, my atheism, and God's final dealings with me, remains to be written. If my life be prolonged a few months, the work may appear in my lifetime." This was written June 3, 1841. Was any progress, and what, made in it? Who so fit to "gather up the fragments," as his late pastor, Mr. Binney, the deeply thoughtful author of one of our best biographies extant, the _Life of Sir T. F. Buxton_? DOUGLAS ALLPORT. [The concluding words of our correspondent are calculated to mislead our readers. _The Life_ of Sir T. F. Buxton is by his son; whereas Mr. Binney's is merely a _sketch of his character_, with that of other eminent individuals, published, we believe, in a small pamphlet.] PLAIDS AND TARTANS. (Vol. iv., pp. 7. 77.)