(Vol. v., p. 416.)
Like your correspondent MR. CLARK, I too have kept a sharp look-out for
this curious piece ascribed to Baxter; but having been unable to track it,
I had long since come to the conclusion that its existence was apocryphal.
The Rev. James Graves, in his _Spiritual Quixote_, written to ridicule
Moravians and Methodists, notes it "as a very good book of old Baxter's,"
among several others of questionable identity, forming the library of
Geoffrey Wildgoose's grandmother.
When we recollect the temptation offered in the quaint and uncouth titles
of the old Presbyterians, we can hardly wonder at their enemies improving
upon them; and in this way, it appears to me, we are to account for the
respectable name of Baxter being popularly attached to a book which
everybody talks about, but which nobody has seen.
It is again mentioned by Richard Cooksey, in his _Life of Lord Somers_,
Worcester, 1791, and, taking its existence for granted, the author is
astonished that Baxter, whom he extols to the skies, "could so far
condescend to the temper and debased humour of the times as to entitle one
of his tracts _A Shove_, &c. Commenting upon this, Wilson, in his _History
of Dissenting Churches_, London, 1808, is the next who alludes to the book
in question, but merely to shift its authorship from "the famous Richard
Baxter of Kidderminster" to a more obscure individual of the same
name,--described as "an elder (in 1692) of the Particular Baptist
congregation worshipping in Winchester House." Of this person he says, "I
know nothing excepting that he appears to have been a Fifth Monarchy man,
and to have been far gone in enthusiasm."
Although thus doubting that the author of the _Saints' Rest_ wrote such a
book as that described, I {516} do not deny that there is a piece bearing
the title in existence; but upon it the name of "_William_ Bunyan" figures
as the author. A copy of this was in the Theological Portion of the late
Mr. Rodd's books, sold by Sotheby & Co. in 1850, and bears the imprint of
"London, 1768." This, I am inclined to think, is the only _Shove_ MR. CLARK
is likely to meet with; and although I can give no further account of it, I
am disposed to consider it the spurious catchpenny of some ignorant
scoffer, who, taking his _cue_ from Graves, or rather from some earlier
writer who has noticed it, thought it would be a good _spec._, and
therefore launched into the world _his_ "_Effectual Shove_."