every throb of ambition, and forbade me to launch into a more active course of life, I embraced the first opportunity of an ordination, at once to feclude myfelf from fecular employments, and to gratify my fedentary and ftudious difpofition.

Το engage in the most facred of all offices, without a more laudable view, may be excufed in the eyes of an unthinking world, but muft certainly render a man highly culpable in the fight of heaven; and, though I am not confcious of ever difgracing my profeffion, except my poverty and misfortunes may be thought to have degraded it, I have often reflected, with fhame, that I was not influenced by worthier motives.

Having affumed the facred habit, I fet out for my native place with a pain and reluctance I had never before experienced. I reflected, that I was now not only bidding adieu for ever to the feats of the mufes, and leaving behind me fome valuable friends, to whom I was attached by a fimilarity of ftudies; but had likewife the melancholy confideration to fupport, that I had no longer a father to receive me in his longing arms, or a faithful friend to guard me from the deceptions of the world. At the fight of my native manfion, the tears gufhed involuntarily from my eyes: I was overcome with contending paffions, and could fcarcely fupport myself into the room where my relations were ready to receive me, before I fell liftlefs on the floor, and enjoyed a temporary fufpenfion of thought, and a confequent relaxation from mifery.

On recovering, I found the whole family anxiously attentive to my welfare; and my mother, from her apprehensions for me, was in a ftate little better than that from which I was restored. She, however, foon regained ftrength to blefs God that I was fafe, and that fhe had lived to fee me in holy orders.

Regardless of fecuring any little advantage that might have accrued to me from my acceptance of a curacy, I continued fome time with my mother and elder brother, profecuting my theological ftudies with much application, and only allowing proper intervals for exercife, or company. Time, the grand rettorer, affitted by thofe doctrines of chriftianity which are peculiarly comforting to the afflicted, brought me by degrees to a neceflary compofure of mind. I gradually regained my wonted ferenity, and was ardently looking forward to my future deftination; when a fresh accident plunged me into the depths of mifery, and not only taught me to defpair of finding friendship in a heart where the maxims of virtue are not inherent, but convinced me that the ties of blood may be burit afander at the infligations of paffion, and a brother with lefs reluctance facrificed, than a ferfual appetite abandoned. 3 A 2

Το

To alleviate the grief occafioned by a beloved partner's lofs, my mother had requested the company of a young lady, named Olivia, the daughter of a neighbouring clergyman. She had often vifited in our family; and, being nearly of my age, was my conftant companion in every childish purfuit: but, as the impreffion on the breast of infancy is evanefcent as the morning dew, or the bloom of the rofe, her remembrance had been al moft effaced from my mind; and, during the time whice we had recently spent together, I had not felt a fingle emotion in her favour, nor treated her with more attention than the fair, the lovely, and the young, have always a right to expect from the manly and polished heart.

It being now the vernal feafon, I happened, one fine ferne evening, to rove, with a book in my hand, to a confiderable diftance from home; 'till finding the shades of night fuddenly furrounding me, I haftened to return. My nearest way was through tangled woods, and unfrequented paths, and to this I gave the preference; but, before I had proceeded far, a female voice refounded from a neighbouring copfe. Shrieks, entreaties, and prayers, which became more languid as I approached, feemed to be poured out in vain, and the voice died away in broken mumurs. With all the expedition that humanity could inspire, I flew towards the place; but, judge my furprize and fenfations, when I beheld Olivia ftruggling in my brother's arms, and feemingly overcome by her exertions!-At the fight of fuch an unwelcome intruder, my brother feemed confounded with fhame: he inftantly forfook his lovely prize, and, with eyes darting indignation, quitted the fpot without uttering a fingle word.

[To be continued.]

A PLEASING and INTERESTING NARRATION of the DEATH of a CHRISTIAN. In a Letter from a Gentleman to his Brother, in which be gives an Account of the Death of Mrs. MORICE, the Daughter of the celebrated Bishop ATTERBUIT, dated November 30, 1729.

DEAR BROTHER,

IN

N mine of the 9th inftant, from Touloufe, I promised you a more particular account of the death of Mrs. Morice at my arrival here, where I got the 13th; but, within an hour after, was confined to my bed by a fit of the gout, which took me the laft day on the road, and held me ten days; fo that I was not out of my bed for two hours in all that time; but, having now

E

again the ufe of my hand, I do with pleasure write to you, and keep my promife.

On Sunday the 6th inftant, N. S. in the evening, we reached Blagnac, a village not above half a league, by land, from Touloufe; but by water (by reafon of a very strong current, and the windings of the river,) it takes three hours to get up to the town. So it was refolved, rather than expofe Mrs. Morice too much to the fatigue, (of which he had undergone an infinite deal, and bore it with incredible patience,) or keep her late on the water, to reft at Blagnac that night, where he was put to bed in the fame weak condition the ufually had been, but not feemingly worse. But about midnight the women came to Mr. Morice and me, and told us they thought they faw her changed. We rofe, and came to her chamber; where we found her fo ill, that we thought fit to call up the boatmen, and order them to prepare the boat to depart immediately; fearing much, from the change we faw, that, near as fhe was to it, he would scarce live to reach Touloufe, which we all earnestly defired to do, fince no phyfician, or other help, could be had, in the poor place where we then were. She herself prefied this matter; and we well knew, that all her defires and wishes were conftantly bent upon feeing her father, whom the hoped to find at Toulouse. She was taken out of her bed, at her own defire, and carried to the boat with great difficulty, not being able to fit in the chair which Mr. Morice had brought from Bourdeaux, with two chairmen, purely for the carrying her in and out of the boat more at her eafe; and fo we departed thence about two o'clock in the morning, fending two fervants by land, to procure a litter to meet her at the landing-place. About five we arrived there; and foon after fix the litter came, which carried Mrs. Morice to the house in Touloufe, where her father was expecting her arrival, and not knowing, 'till then, how near or how far fhe was, though he had dispatched a man and horfe to get intelligence of us, who happened to mifs us. When the fervants, who had been fent for the litter, returned, she was informed of the bishop's being at Toulouse, and feemed to take new fpirits upon it, which no doubt were of great ufe, to enable her to bear going in the litter, which otherwife the could fcarce have done, even for fo fhort a way. After the had been put into her bed, (where, as I told you, the never flept 'till the flept her laft,) and had a little recovered the fatigue the underwent in the conveyance from the boat, which was about a mile, her father, whom the immediately enquired after, came into her room, and was startled to find her in fo very low a condition. After mutual expreffions of concern and tenderness, she particularly acknowledged the great bleffing

that

that was granted her, of meeting her dear papa, and exerted all the little life that was in her, in grafping his hands with the ut moft force, as the often did; and told him, that meeting was the chief thing that fhe had ardently defired.

The bithop, fome time after, left her chamber, that she might compofe herself, and that he might himself give vent to the just grief he was filled with, to fee his beloved child in a manner expiring. But we found fhe took no reft; fo he foon returned, and then faid prayers by her, and propofed to her the receiving the holy facrament the next morning, when he hoped the might have been a little refreshed in order to it: fhe embraced the of fer with much fatisfaction. He then asked her, for fear of any accident, if he was not defirous to have the abfolution of the church She declared the was, and begged to have it. After fome little private difcourfe with her, he gave it her, in the form prescribed in the vifitation of the fick;" and the expreffed great comfort upon receiving it. A phyfician had been fent for immediately upon her arrival. When he came, he gave little hopes, but faid all depended upon the manner of her paffing that night; and in the mean time prescribed only what would be comfortable and cordial to her stomach and bowels, which the was to take every three hours. It had that effect; for the feemed to lie pretty compofed and eafy the reft of the day; and her purging, which before had been extremely troublesome, became lefs violent.

She once mentioned Dr. Wyntle, who you know had been her phyfician; and who had fo neglected her, as, for fome time be fore the left England, never to come near her, according to his appointment, nor give the leaft direction for her management in the long voyage he was about to make. She faid to the bishop, "Dear papa, has Mr. Morice told you how Dr. Wyntle has ferved us?" Who answered, "Yes, my dear, I know it all; but do not let that trouble you now." She replied, “ Oh, no, papa, I do not trouble myself about that; I have other things to think of at this time, but I did not know whether Mr. Morice had told you."

Hoping by this time he might incline to take a little reft, her father and husband retired, it being between eleven and twelve at night; but about two in the morning the fent one of her women to me, (who lay on the fame floor, in the next room to her,) to defire to fpeak to me; and when I came, the faid, not feemingly with much pain, but with fuch a shortnefs of breath, that he was forced to breathe after every two or three words, "Mr. Evans, I have been working-thefe three hours-and would fain-have the facrament." I wondered at her fending

for

for me on that account, her husband and father being both near at hand; but I found afterwards it was her unwillingness, by a direct meffage from herfelf, too much to alarm either of them. However, being then not apprifed of her reafon for it, I doubted a little of her being in her right fenfes, and faid, " Madam, would you now receive the facrament ?" She faid, "Yes, I would-if poffible-prefently-." Of which the bishop being immediately advised, as was Mr. Morice, and every thing prepared, he came, and adminiftered to her, and to all prefent, the facrament; and afterwards, at her defire, continued repeating the prayers of the church 'till fhe began to draw very near her end; and then he ufed and continued the recommendatory prayer only, the all the while holding her hands in a pofture of prayer, and fometimes joining in a low voice with him.

After this, her father being gone from the bed-fide, fhe called for him. (as fhe had very frequently done,) and again faid to him, "Dear papa-what a bleffing is it-that after-fuch a long-troublefome-journey-we have-the comfort-of this

meeting!"

And indeed, when I reflect on it, and confider the weak condition fhe was in upon the road, the many accidents that happened to retard the voyage, and the laft effort fhe made when the was at the worst towards finishing it, I cannot but think that that meeting feemed granted by heaven to her continual fervent prayers for it.

Ábout this time fhe called to her husband, (who was always in near attendance upon her,) and faid, " Dear Mr. Morice take care of the children-I know you will- -Remember me— to the dutchess of Buckingham,"

She also, in a proper place, recommended her fervants to Mr. Morice.

She now found her feet cold, and ordered them to be rubbed, at the fame time calling for her broth; but when it came, not being able to fwallow it, fhe turned herself on her left fide, and refted her head on her left hand, which the doubled, extending her right hand and arm over the bed-cloaths; and in this pofture the continued drawing her breath fhorter and shorter, but with the least emotion that poffibly could be, 'till fhe at last expired, a quarter before four o'clock on Tuesday morning, November 8, N. S.

An entire refignation to the will of God, a piety towards her father, hufband, and family, made her death full of the religion of a faint, and of the regularity and compofednefs of a philofopher. It was then the gave a feal and fanction to the judgement and affection of her friends; and fhewed one of the belt

.and