"This lady has a clear understanding and a sound judgement; has read the polite books, and is a delightful speaker. She has a large share of social wit, and with equal strength and propriety can express the whole series of the passions in comic characters. The pliantness of her disposition can raise and keep a pleasurable sensation, and give a succession of joys to a company. She has what Tertullian somewhere calls the vis colubrina, and in the most various representations, can make her action as bewitching as the discourse of the serpent who seduced the first woman. She can suit her face and person to any attitude, and so perfectly conform her words to her gesture, that she lifts a character at once into the loudest laughter. I have seen nothing like her even on the French stage, in the article of transition from passion to passion in comic life. She is, without all peradventure, the finest actress in the world, in comedy.

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"She is perfection itself, when she plays Moliere's Tartuff, or Cibber's Nonjuror. She likewise takes off Warburton to the greatest exactness; his very voice, and the mien of his visage, as he contemplates, and as he predicates; and when she brings him on with a bit of his Legation in his mouth, or some scraps of his controversy with Stebbing, or Tilliard, or Sykes, or Jackson, one cannot help screeching again with laughter. You see all the vanity and self-sufficiency of this gentleman in her face and manner, when she is drest as a parson, and then, like him, dictates his fancies, and pronounces all the world, except himself, crude writers. Gregory Nazianzen, a crude writer; Bayle, a crude writer; Spenser, a crude writer; and a thousand more besides them. I really believe, if the Doctor saw her at this work, he could not forbear laughing. She sets this cynic and his odd arguments, his raillery, scurrility, and abusive phrases, in so droll a light, that one must want sentiment, who is not pleasantly moved."

These and other ladies, accompanied by our author, undertake a visit to the Western Islands, in which they find various curiosities in nature, and antiquities in art, of which a faithful and detailed account is recorded in the journal of Mrs. Benlow, who, moreover, never describes any thing edible, without signifying how far it is agreeable to the palate. Whilst sailing about these islands, they are unexpectedly driven out to sea by a tremendous storm, and finally as far as the Cape de Verd Islands, on one of which they land. Here, too, our author finds something like Unitarians, although not Christian ones, in the persons of Abdalla the Governor, and Zulima his niece, a black Tombutian beauty, who are both converted by the charming Mrs. Benlow, and the latter of whom accompanies that zealous person to England. The following answer to Abdalla's objections to the Christian Religion, on account of its want of universality, is admirable.

"To this I answered in the following manner: Noble Abdalla, as

to God's not administering the remedy at all times, and to all persons; if the question could not be answered, it will not follow that revelation was not wanting, or, that it is the less useful to those vouchsafed. We find in fact, that it is of all things the most useful, and yet it might be fit, that God should not communicate himself alike and at all times to mankind. Though such fitness may not appear to us, yet we must allow it may be right so to act, unless our understandings are commensurate to the natures and relations of all things, and presume to say, that God can have no reasons for any particular economy of providence which lies concealed from our searches. This I believe you will grant. Let me add then, that supposing we can assign plausible reasons against bestowing upon some the great advantage of a particular revelation, and denying it to others, yet we ought to be very sure, that these reasons are at least a counterpoise to the evidence we have of God's having really communicated such a particular dispensation to some, before we determine against it. This modest caution becomes reasoners of our low rank. It is inexcusable rashness and presumption to decree peremptorily that a thing cannot be, when the evidence for the truth of the fact is vastly superior to the pretended reasons against the expediency of it. Let us not argue then against the truth of the Christian revelation from its imperfect promulgation; since the precepts of the gospel are incomparably the best in the world; the most divine morals, enforced with the most glorious rewards; since malice, cavilling, scepticism, and levity, have proved unsuccessful in their base attempts to disprove the facts of the gospel; and that it spread with a miraculous speed over a large part of the world, in spite of the rage and fierceness of men and devils; yea, still exists in its original splendor, in the reformed countries, though the evil one, at the head of an infernal popery, does all that cruelty and wickedness, in the hands of mighty sovereigns, can do, to extirpate the holy religion of Jesus.

"In the next place, it is carrying the necessity of revelation higher than is fit, to say that it is impossible for natural religion, without revelation, to discharge any part of duty in an acceptable manner; which is a supposition that renders it inconsistent with our common notion of the Parent of the universe, to imagine that he should make such revelation to some, and withhold it from others: for the truth of the case is, that Christianity is not a new religion, but is the old, uncorrupt religion of nature and reason, delivered and taught in the most rational and easy way; entirely freed from superstition and immorality, and enforced by the most gracious and powerful motives to render it effectual: therefore, in strict justice, God was not obliged to give a revelation to any. It could not be a debt, but a favour. The heathen, by the law of reason, has means sufficient to acquire the blessing of God, if he makes a right use of his understanding; though the gospel may exalt the upright Christian, and give him greater advantages for improving his rational powers. Express revelation must be more easy, suitable, and affecting than natural religion, even from the lips of the best human teacher: but if men will exert their human reason, and make it the rule of their life and actions, to the utmost of

their capacity and ability, they will not in the solemn day of judgement be rejected, because they did not belong to the visible kingdom of God in this world, but will, according to their virtue and works, be accepted and received into the kingdom of glory. This is not only the report of common sense, the scriptures say it in many places. Our divine Lord, in particular, in the gospel tells us, (speaking of a Roman officer, who was a heathen) that he did not find so great faith as that heathen professed in some discourse he had with Jesus, no not in Israel, the peculiar people and kingdom of God: and thereupon adds, I say unto you, many heathen, who are not the children of the kingdom of God in this world, shall, in the last day, come from the east and west, from all parts of the globe, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. An apostle likewise declares, that God is no respecter of persons; and that in every nation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

"The consequence is, that since a well-disposed mind, and a right use of human reason, can save the heathen; (and without a good disposition and due use of reason, the gospel is not sufficient for salvation) since virtuous heathens shall be eternally saved, and wicked Christians will not be partially favoured, for being in this life members of Christ's visible church, but will be more severely punished for sinning under the advantages and benefits of revealed religion; since the virtuous who have been brought into the Christian church, and the virtuous who are out of the church, and have not heard of Christ, are both to obtain the divine favour at present, and everlasting happiness hereafter, by the grace of God in Christ: in short, since revelation is no more than a great blessing to us; and does no injury to the heathen world, because where-ever rational nature is, there true religion may in fact be, and the errors and impieties of all heathens are as much contrary to reason, and owing to an undue use of it, as the errors and impieties of Christians are contrary to scripture, and owing to an undue use of it; then we cannot impeach the common parent for the want of universality in the propagation of Christianity. He bestows the glorious blessing, where his wisdom sees it proper; that wisdom which comprehends the eternal relations or fitnesses of all things, whilst human knowledge is confined to some few instances; and by the blessing we are enlightened and directed; are plainly taught to worship one universal Lord, and enabled to purge our minds from anger, wrath, malice, envy, and every selfish, turbulent, unsocial passion; and to cultivate in our breasts, and exercise in our conversation, the kind, courteous, humble, inoffensive, benevolent spirit of the gospel: we are raised by the heavenly doctrine above the best and worst of this world: we are engaged to all chearful obedience to the divine will, and with a Christian dignity, and elevation of soul, can fix our affections and regards upon an everlasting inheritance, a crown of glory, that is laid up for us in heaven. But still, the heathen is not destitute and forsaken. By nature alone, that reason and understanding, which is the gift of God to all men, and the inspiration of the Almighty, he is enabled to fulfil the law that providence has

placed him under. He may, like you, noble Abdalla, be a sincerely virtuous, honest, sober, kind, good, and benevolent man.

"But still I want to know, (the royal Moor replied) why the common Father of his creatures should make some happier by revelation than it is possible for others to be by nature. Tell me, Mrs. Benlow, do not the same reasons which shew it to be necessary for the people of Europe, shew it to be necessary for the people of Africa.-Why should the Europeans be blessed with an aid so extraordinary, that none of them can miss the realms of glory, unless they wilfully wink hard against the light of the gospel, and are determined to sink to hell, rather than renounce the tumultuous pleasures of this world; and the poor Africans have reason only to trust to, which is but very weak in many of them? Should not the common Parent let all his children, know what was for their common good?

"To this I answered, that there may be reasons of providence unknown to us, which make a different method more fit and proper, and we must resolve the revealed favour, as well as many others, into the determination of infinite wisdom. We have no knowledge of the whole scheme, order, and state of things; and, beside, though the happiness of man is one end of all the dispensations of divine providence, yet we must not suppose, that mere happiness is the end; but happiness under some certain posture, order, and situation of being. I think for myself, that this is evident from the different order of beings that are in the world, and the different degrees of happiness allotted to creatures of the same species. We see even in respect of the law of nature, that some understand much more of it than others (considering the circumstances in which they are placed) can know. The goodness of the Deity, as I imagine, inclines him to communicate some degree of happiness to all his children, and prevents him from making any of them miserable without their own fault. But the divine goodness may give being to a variety of creatures, and make some more, others less perfect in knowledge; and that, according to the different degrees of their understandings, they shall be more or less perfect in their wills. I see no inconsistency in this. Supreme wisdom best knows what measure of natural capacity for happiness, or what number of additional advantages, every particular creature should enjoy. In creating, God dealt out happiness gradually and unequally to his creatures. In restoring we must allow him, if he pleases, to pursue the same measures. He is the undoubted master of his own favours; yet he cannot act in an arbitrary manner. In his own infinite mind he has most certainly reasons for this different conduct.

"But nevertheless, there is no cause to complain. A heathen, in any part of the world, may be an accepted believer in the sight of God. He may by his reason, rightly and duly used, believe that God is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him. The whole difference between us is what the apostle Paul tells us. The living God is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe.

The observations of Miss West, on sudden death and deathbed repentance, are not only forcible but beautiful.

"My dear, (Miss West replied) you have understanding enough, young as you are, to answer this question yourself, and therefore I shall only say, to oblige you with my notion upon this article, that we cannot here see the reasons why the oppressor and destroyer are often suffered to enjoy an envied power and glory to extreme old age;-and the benevolent and pious frequently live in misery, and often perish in a sad manner, like good John Crump, the gardener; yet hereafter we shall be satisfied it was for the wisest reasons; and we are now sure, that a day of judgement is a sufficient apology for providence. We shall then discern betwixt the righteous and the wicked. And as to John Crump's sudden death, after doing us such friendly offices, if he passed that way in an instant to the lightsome fields of Hades, or the boundless realms of glory, which I suppose was his case, then he had no cause to complain of the misfortune. And it is farther my opinion, that terrible as his death may seem to sense, yet it is preferable to the way many good people expire on beds of down, in the finest houses. I have known several of my acquaintance in the most excruciating torments for several days before they could die: torments beyond any thing an inquisition could lay on them. And what signifies accidental, speedy death of any kind, by sea or land, in respect of such continued grievous misery in dying. The thing is, we must all die, and God knows best which is the fittest way for his servants. Our business is to say, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, and we are sure of being for ever happy, in whatever way the passage is opened for us to immortality. No way or manner of dying can be joyous to human nature. It is a cup that all would desire might pass from them; but since it is the great law of nature, and that all must taste it, though the ingredients are not to all equally bitter and offensive, I am sure for myself, that I had rather perish at sea, or be swallowed up at once, as John Crump was, than lie for many days, as an excellent lady of my acquaintance lately did, in the excruciating torments of that most dreadful distemper, a miserere. And I knew a young gentleman of very good morals, who was seized with so intolerable a headache, that after men had stood for eight-and-forty hours squeezing his burning head with wet napkins, and he could find no ease by any means, he snatched up a pistol, and shot himself. Considering these things, and various other almost unbearable disorders, what we call a violent or unnatural death is not so great an evil as it is generally supposed. Sudden death, in an easy way at least, I think we ought to desire, and how people came to think of praying to be delivered from such a good manner of dying, is to me very surprising. May it be my fate to look through an easy sudden death to a glorious eternity: Nay, let it be a little rough, rather than not sudden.

"I know, my dear, (continued Miss West, speaking to little Miss Howel,) it is said, that Christianity makes repentance necessary to salvation, and a sudden death, soft or hard, interrupts it. It does so in the case of evil people: but the good can never need that repentance in order to salvation, which it is in the power of sudden death to intercept. For true repentance consists not in single acts, upon particular occasions, but in an habitual change of mind, and heart,