monds, and dart from every fuperfice, giving more light to the beholders than they receive themselves.

Her benevolence, indeed, knew no bounds; the diftrefs of others carried her out of herfelf; and the rested not till he had relieved or comforted them. The warmth of her compaffion often made her fo diligent, that many things occurred to her, which might have efcaped a lefs interested obferver.

In like manner, the entered with fuch spirit into whatever the read, and the emotions thereby raised were fo ftrong, that it foon became a part of her mind.

Enthufiaftic fentiments of devotion at this period actuated her; her Creator was almoft apparent to her fenfes in his works; but they were moftly the grand or folemn features of Nature which the delighted to contemplate. She would stand and behold the waves rolling, and think of the voice that could ftill the tumultuous deep.

These propenfities gave the colour to her mind, before the paffions began to exercise their tyrannic fway, and particularly pointed out those which the foil would have a tendency to nurfe.

Years after, when wandering through the fame scenes, her imagination has ftrayed back, to trace the firft placid fentiments they infpired, and the would earnestly defire to regain the fame peaceful tranquillity.

Many nights fhe fet up, if I may be allowed the expreffion, converfing with the Author of Nature, making verfes, and finging hymns of her own compofing. She confidered alfo, and tried to difcern what end her various faculties were deftined to purfue; and had a glimpse of a truth, which afterwards more fully unfolded itself.

She thought that only an infinite Being could fill the human foul, and that when other objects were followed as a means of happiness, the delufion led to mifery, the confequence of difappointment. Under the influence of ardent affections, how often has she forgot this conviction, VOL. IV.

D

and

and as often returned to it again, when it ftruck her with redoubled force. Often did she tafte unmixed delight; her joys, her ecftacies arofe from genius.

She was now fifteen, and fhe wifhed to receive the holy facrament; and perufing the fcriptures, and difcuffing fome points of doctrine which puzzled her, the would fit up half the night, her favourite time for em ploying her mind; the too plainly perceived that the faw through a glafs darkly; and that the bounds fet to ftop our intellectual researches, is one of the trials of a probationary state.

But her affections were roufed by the difplay of divine mercy; and the eagerly defired to commemorate the dying love of her great benefactor. The night before the important day when the was to take on herself her baptifmal vow, fhe could not go to bed; the fun broke in on her meditations, and found her not exhaufted by her watching.

The orient pearls were ftrewed around-the hailed the morn, and fung with wild delight, Glory to God on high, good will towards men. She was indeed fo much affected when the joined in the prayer for her eternal prefervation, that the could hardly conceal her violent emotions; and the recollection never failed to wake her dormant piety when earthly paffions made it grow languid.

These various movements of her mind were not commented on, nor were the luxuriant shoots restrained by culture. The fervants and the poor adored her.

In order to be enabled to gratify herself in the highest degree, the practifed the most rigid oeconomy, and had fuch power over her appetites and whims, that without any great effort fhe conquered them fo entirely, that when her understanding or affections had an object, the almost forgot she had a body which required nourish

ment.

ON

ON THE DEATH OF ANN.

"My opinions on fome subjects are not wavering; my purfuit through life has ever been the fame: in folitude were my sentiments formed; they are indelible, and nothing can efface them but death.-No, death itself cannot efface them, or my foul must be created afresh, and not improved. Yet a little while am I parted from my Ann-I could not exift without the hope of feeing her again-I could not bear to think that time could wear away an affection that was founded on what is not liable to perish; you might as well attempt to perfuade me that my foul is matter, and that its feelings arofe from certain modifications of it."

"Dear enthufiaftic creature," whifpered Henry, "how you fteal into my foul." She ftill continued. "The fame turn of mind which leads me to adore the Author of all Perfection-which leads me to conclude that he only can fill my foul; forces me to admire the faint image the fhadows of his attributes here below; and my imagination gives still bolder ftrokes to them. I know I am in fome degree under the influence of a delufion-but does not this ftrong delufion prove that I myfelfam of fubtiler effence than the trodden clod:" thefe flights of the imagination point to futurity; I cannot banish them. Every caufe in nature produces an effect; and am I an exception to the general rule? Have I defires implanted in me only to make me miferable? will they never be gratified? fhall I never be happy? My feelings do not accord with the notion of folitary happiness. In a state of bliss, it will be the fociety of beings we can love, without the alloy that earthly infirmities mix with our beft affections, that will conftitute great part of our happiness.

"With these notions can I conform to the maxims of worldly wisdom? Can I liften to the cold di&tates of worldly prudence, and bid my tumultuous paffions cafe to vex me, be ftill, find content in grovelling pursuits,

God Omnipotent reigned, and would remain for ever, and ever!-Why then did the fear the forrows that 'were paffing away, when the knew that He would bind up the broken hearted, and receive those who came out of great tribulation. She retired to her cabin; and wrote in the little book that was now her only confident. It was after midnight.

"At this foleinn hour, the great day of judgment fills my thoughts; the day of retribution, when the fe crets of all hearts will be revealed; when all worldly diftinctions will fade away, and be no more feen. I have not words to exprefs the fublime images which the bare contemplation of this awful day raises in my mind. Then, indeed, the Lord Omnipotent will reign, and He will wipe the tearful eye, and fupport the trembling heart-yet a little while He hideth his face, and the dun fhades of forrow, and the thick clouds of folly, feparate us from our God; but when the glad dawn of an eternal day breaks, we shall know even as we are known, Here we walk by faith, and not by fight; and we have this alternative, either to enjoy the pleafures of life, which are but for a feafon, or look forward to the prize of our high calling, and with fortitude, and that wif dom which is from above, endeavour to bear the war fare of life. We know that many run the race; but he that striveth obtaineth the crown of victory. Our race is an arduous one! How many are betrayed by traitors lodged in their own breafts, who wear the garb of Virtue, and are so near akin; we figh to think they should ever lead into folly, and flide imperceptibly into vice. Surely any thing like happiness is madnefs! Shall probationers of an hour prefume to pluck the fruit of immortality, before they have conquered death? it is guarded; when the great day, to which I allude, arrives, the way will again be opened. Ye dear delufions, gay deceits, farewel! and yet I cannot banish ye for ever; ftill does my panting foul push forward, and live in futurity, in the deep fhades o'er which dark nefs

hangs.

hangs. I try to pierce the gloom, and find a reftingplace, where my thirft of knowledge will be gratified, and my ardent affections find an object to fix them. Every thing material muft change; happiness and this fluctuating principle is not compatible. Eternity, immateriality, and happiness,-what are ye? How fhall I grafp the mighty and fleeting conceptions ye create ?" After writing, ferenely, the delivered her foul into the hands of the Father of Spirits; and slept in peace.

SENSIBILITY.

Senfibility is the most exquifite feeling of which the human foul is fufceptible: when it pervades us, we feel happy; and could it last unmixed, we might form fome conjecture of the bliss of those paradifical days, when the obedient paffions were under the dominion of reafon, and the impulfes of the heart did not need correction.

It is this quickness, this delicacy of feeling, which enables us to relish the fublime touches of the poet, and the painter; it is this, which expands the foul, gives an enthufiaftic greatnefs, mixed with tenderness, when we view the magnificent objects of nature; or hear of a good action. The fame effect we experience in the fpring, when we hail the the returning fun, and the confequent renovation of nature; when the flowers unfold them. felves, and exhale their fweets, and the voice of mufic is heard in the land. Softened by tenderness; the foul is difpofed to be virtuous. Is any fenfual gratification to be compared to that of feeling the eyes moistened after having comforted the unfortunate?

Senfibility is indeed the foundation of all our happinefs; but thefe raptures are unknown to the depraved fenfualift, who is only moved by what ftrikes his grofs fenfes; the delicate embellishments of nature escape his notice; as do the gentle and interefting affections.But it is only to be felt; it escapes difcuffion.

(To be continued.)

THE