I must strive to recal the image of my dear husband to my remembrance. Never may I lose the recollection of his placid, his tender, his affectionate. look, when he thought I had done some→ thing worthy of praise and commendation. O can I ever forget the kind expressions he so frequently used towards me. I reflect with delight inexpressible on the repeated assurances he gave me, that I had done my duty as a wife in an acceptable manner. I held him in high esteem: I would not have grieved him willingly. I will strive by attention to my children, and to all to whom he would have wished me to be attentive, to make the best return in my power. He, I trust, is removed to a state in which my poor services could make no addition to his happiness. My company is no loss to him yet I hope he will be glad to meet with me again. O that it may be my lot to pass an eternity with him in the regions of bliss! My health has been but indifferent for some days. The fears of sudden death have frequently assailed me; but, I thank God, I have no dread of an hereafter. I trust whenever my Lord coines, he will find me watching: a profitable servant I cannot be, but I hope I am a faithful one. O great and glorious Lord God Almighty, Maker of every thing in heaven and earth, I adore thee with the most profound veneration. I acknow ledge thine infinite goodness and compassion: I implore thy forgiveness of all my sins: I humble myself before thee, confessing my unworthiness. O Lord, vouchsafe to accept me for my Redeemer's sake. Blessed and adorable Saviour, Son of the everlasting Father, receive, I beseech thee, the willing homage of a heart most zealously devoted to thy service. Vouchsafe to own me, blessed Lord, as thy disciple, as thy handmaid. Reject me not, I earnestly beg. My cause is in thy hands. O deign to prosper it. Spirit of Sanctification, vouchsafe to descend upon me: I open my heart to receive thee. O that it may become the temple of thy abode ! Whatever thou findest amiss in it, cleanse and purify by thy all sanctifying grace. Strengthen *me, blessed Spirit, to do my duty. O leave me not to myself, lest I go astray from the right path. De O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, shed thy gracious benedic-, tion upon me and my family. Preserve us from the dangers and temptations of the world. fend and protect us from all our enemies, spiritual and temporal; and, finally, conduct us to thine eternal kingdom. O Lord, I beseech thee particularly to preserve my dear daughter through all the perils of child-bearing, and make her in due time the joyful mother of a hopeful child, that it may be among thy chosen people! June 19. Yesterday the long suspended affair, relating to my books for charity-schools, was determined. The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge have adopted them, and I have the greatest reason in the world to believe that they will be widely circulated. I will proceed with humility and zeal, exerting my,best abilities, rejoicing in the favour of the Lord, not coveting the applauses of mankind. It has already been noticed, that Mrs. Trimmer was honoured by the approbation of several of the Dignitaries of the Church, and one letter from the venerable Bishop of London has been inserted in these pages. The following letter will evince that she was happy enough to retain the good opinion of his Lordship. In the year 1803, he gave a convincing proof of it, by bestowing the living of Heston upon one of her sons, who had entered a short time before into the Church. The kind and condescending manner in which this favour was conferred, and the regard the good Bishop paid to the comfort of Mrs. Trimmer, by placing her son near her, more than doubled the obligation, and was indelibly impressed on her heart, and on the hearts of all those belonging to her. TO MRS. TRIMMER. Fulham, June 20. Madam, Be pleased to accept my best thanks for your very valuable and obliging present. At my leisure I shall look over all your tracts with care; but from what little I have been already able to read of them, they appear to me extremely well calculated to answer the pious and benevolent purposes you have in view. The youth of this country are under infinite obligations to you for the pains you have taken in various ways to instil the principles of true religion into their hearts: and I am particularly happy that my Diocese is likely to be so much benefited by your instructions. That God may give his blessing to your laudable exertions in so good a cause, is the sincere prayer of, Madam, Your obliged and obedient Servant, B. LONDON. The high estimation in which the writings of Bishop Horsley are held, render any apologies for the introduction of the letter alluded to in the diary of Mrs. Trimmer unnecessary, since all re spect the opinions of so able a divine, on a subject of Christian education. Madam, TO THE SAME. I have too long delayed to make my acknowments for your favour of the 17th, and the tracts that accompanied it. The good intention of them speaks sufficiently for itself; and from the general reputation of your writings in the world, I have no doubt of the ability of the execution. I have looked into them, and am happy to find observations upon the education of the children of the poor, which very much coincide with my own opinions. I am particularly pleased with the attestation of a person of your experience to the practicability of teaching the poorest children the whole of the Christian Religion. I have long been persuaded, that if the attempt to give them that instruction fail, it must be owing to some impropriety or defect in the manner of conveying it. For it was not by scraps of morality, with the aid of the single doctrine of a future retribution, but by unfolding the whole mystery of godliness to the common people, that the first preachers of the Gospel produced so wonderful a change in the nanners of the whole world. I have put the tracts you sent me into the hands of the Secretary of the Society, and have told him that I shall attend at |