THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 ADVICE 
 
 DAUGHTER MARY, 
 UPON HER GOING TO SERVICE; 
 
 Ilf A 
 
 &nit$ of H(gcoum0, 
 
 DESIGNED TO PROMOTE THE WELFARE AND TRUE 
 INTEREST OF SERVANTS, 
 
 WITH 
 
 Reflections of no less Importance to Masters and Mistresses. 
 
 Uonlron : 
 
 Printed by George Smallfield, Hackney, 
 For the Unitarian Society ; 
 
 AND SOLD BY R. HUNTER, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD, 
 AND D. EATON, 187, HIGH HOLBORN. 
 
 1818.
 
 
 1 

 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 -* 
 
 DISCOURSE I. 
 
 GENERAL exhortations on the duty of prayer; the 
 goodness of God as expressed in the works of the 
 creation. 
 
 DISCOURSE II. 
 
 On the duties of the sabbath. 
 
 DISCOURSE III. 
 
 On the general duty, great advantage, and regulation 
 of the hours of prayer. 
 
 DISCOURSE IV. 
 
 Some mistakes on the subject of prayer rectified ; 
 advantages of religious conversation ; family-prayer ; 
 respect for ministers. 
 
 DISCOURSE v. 
 
 On the person of Christ ; the state of the Jewish 
 nation ; duty of receiving the Lord's supper ; some 
 mistakes about it rectified. 
 
 DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 Some account of Mary's father; of her mother; the 
 beauties of nature contrasted with a city life.

 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 IT has been regretted, that amongst the 
 variety of new books which every day make 
 their appearance, there should be so very 
 few which are at all calculated for the use 
 and improvement of the youth in the lower 
 classes of life. 
 
 A few writers, however, have made it 
 their business particularly to consider them ; 
 and, in this way, not many have been more 
 distinguished than the worthy author from 
 whose works the following little book is 
 chiefly extracted. Mr. Hanway has written 
 professedly for the poor, and his memory 
 will live and be respected in the character 
 of Farmer Trueman, (and as having also 
 been the promoter of many excellent cha- 
 rities,) long after the period when all worldly 
 distinctions will have ceased to be of any 
 value.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 DISCOURSE I. 
 
 GENERAL exhortations on the duty of prayer ; the 
 goodness of God as expressed in the works of the 
 creation. 
 
 DISCOURSE II. 
 
 On the duties of the sabbath. 
 
 DISCOURSE III. 
 
 On the general duty, great advantage, and regulation 
 of the hours of prayer. 
 
 DISCOURSE IV. 
 
 Some mistakes on the subject of prayer rectified ; 
 advantages of religious conversation ; family-prayer ; 
 respect for ministers. 
 
 DISCOURSE v. 
 
 On the person of Christ ; the state of the Jewish 
 nation ; duty of receiving the Lord's supper ; some 
 mistakes about it rectified. 
 
 DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 Some account of Mary's father; of her mother; the 
 beauties of nature contrasted with a city life.
 
 DISCOURSE VII. 
 
 On the importance of time ; story of the life and death 
 of a fine lady ; calculation of the improbability of a long 
 life ; thoughts on death. 
 
 DISCOURSE VIII. 
 
 The attainment of holiness our chief good ; deaths of 
 Jonathan, of Richard, of Peter, of "Squire William, of 
 a Gentleman, of Nicholas, of Sir Ralph, of Sir George, 
 of Philip, of Mr. Abraham, of Cousin Thomas. 
 
 DISCOURSE IX. 
 
 The comparative character of the female sex ; death of 
 Cousin Lucy, of a French lady, of Mary's mother, of 
 Amelia, of Eleanor ; reflections on her death ; duty of 
 exhorting and of comforting dying persons. 
 
 DISCOURSE x. 
 
 Further reflections on the certainty of death, on the 
 resurrection, on the value of the New Testament, on the 
 fateof t he ancient empires. 
 
 DISCOURSE XI. 
 
 On superstition ; story of Dame Tempest ; on enthu- 
 siasm ; on melancholy. 
 
 DISCOURSE XII. 
 
 Charity for difference of opinion ; great importance Of 
 a good conscience. 
 
 DISCOURSE XIII. 
 
 The advantages of humility ; of a low station ; the 
 consequences of a virtuous or vicious conduct.
 
 Til 
 DISCOURSE XIV. 
 
 The advantages of patience ; the evil of censoriousness. 
 
 DISCOURSE xv. 
 The importance of truth. 
 
 DISCOURSE XVI. 
 
 On pride ; story of a prostitute ; on vanity ; on 
 flattery. 
 
 DISCOURSE XVII. 
 
 On envy ; on malice ; on revenge ; on cunning. 
 
 DISCOURSE XVIII. 
 
 On the too eager pursuit of pleasure ; oi> amusement ; 
 on the choice of company ; on conversation. 
 
 DISCOURSE XIX. 
 
 Generosity ; charity ; character of Mrs. Ann Saracen ; 
 reflections upon it. 
 
 DISCOURSE xx. 
 
 On the reciprocal duties of masters and servants ; 
 honesty in servitude ; story of William Stitch ; the 
 necessity of keeping accounts; story of Theodosia Hope; 
 the character of her mother; more reflections on the 
 reciprocal duties of masters and servants. 
 
 DISCOURSE XXI. 
 
 The danger of change of service ; the danger of 
 becoming a favourite ; duty relative to fellow-servants ; 
 the probable way in which Mary will be treated by her 
 mistress ; usefulness of looking at a person spoken to ; 
 usefulness of keeping a memorandum book ; on the duty 
 of cleanliness ; cautions in relation to fire.
 
 vm 
 
 DISCOURSE XXII. 
 
 The blessings of temperance ; on propriety of dress ; 
 on the danger of crowded meetings. 
 
 DISCOURSE XXIII. 
 
 Duty of learning to read ; of reading the Scriptures ; 
 on writing ; on frugality ; the necessity of caution ; fable 
 of the lamb ; on modesty ; on bashfulness. 
 
 DISCOURSE XXIV. 
 
 On friendship ; on love. 
 
 DISCOURSE XXV. 
 
 Warning against seducers ; danger of going to London, 
 of being fond of fine clothes ; duty of chastity ; the 
 danger of listening to superiors in fortune ; story of 
 Caroline. 
 
 DISCOURSE XXVI. 
 
 On marriage ; fable of the two hounds ; on jealousy ; 
 story of Harry Winter ; story of Jane Sprightly ; tender- 
 ness for children. 
 
 DISCOURSE XXVII. 
 
 Character of Mary's mistress, contrasted with that of 
 my Lord Goodchild ; conclusion of the character of Mary's 
 mistress. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 Duty to parents ; final exhortation ; prayers ; devotion, 
 and hymns.
 
 ADVICE 
 
 FROM 
 
 FARMER TRUEMAN, &c. 
 
 DISCOURSE I. 
 
 ^ MARY, you have seen the good lady, 
 Mrs. - : if she approves of you, I hope you 
 will like to serve her. Come, sit down; I have 
 much to say to you, if my heart is not too full. 
 
 Your dear mother is gone before me, and has 
 left me to act for her ; and happy is it for you 
 that I am alive ; for young women, particularly 
 of your condition in life, when left parentless, 
 are so much at their own disposal, that they often 
 dispose of themselves very badly. 
 
 Methinks, MARY, a separation after seventeen 
 years' tender acquaintance with thee, even from 
 thy birth, is like parting with the blood that 
 streams through my heart, especially as thou art 
 going into a world thou art not so well acquainted 
 with as I am. Believe me it is a world full of 
 danger ; yet, if thou hast the wisdom, whenever 
 possible, to avoid, and the fortitude, when un- 
 avoidable, to withstand, the assaults of temptation,
 
 then will thy virtue be confirmed, thou wilt 
 enjoy the heart-felt tranquillity of an approving 
 conscience, and wilt feel the force of that beautiful 
 sentiment of the psalmist, " Great is the peace 
 they have who love thy law, O God !" 
 
 Remember, MARY, thou hast a Father besides 
 me, a far greater and better, to whose care I re- 
 commend thee; and if thou couldst but always 
 bear in mind that his eye is ever upon thee, that 
 with him " the night is clear as the day," and 
 hence learn to act always in his holy prescence ; 
 and to ask thyself continually, " Will, not such 
 company, will not such amusement, lead me into 
 sin ? Durst I solemnly ask of God to prosper 
 such or such an undertaking ?" Then would my 
 heart rest assured that thou wouldst escape the 
 evil that is in the world ; for those who walk in 
 his fear he hath graciously promised never to 
 forsake. O God, preserve my child.' keep her 
 from presumptuous sins; and cleanse her from 
 those secret faults which cleave to our imperfect 
 nature t and make her acceptable to thee, whom 
 I have sought to serve, by breeding up my children 
 in thy fear. 
 
 You cannot easily conceive how dear you are 
 to me! but know, my daughter, that while I 
 employ my thoughts and indulge my anxious 
 wishes to preserve you, I also consult my own 
 happiness with regard to both worlds : so hath 
 the wisdom of the Almighty ordained, that good
 
 intentions and good actions are ever self-re- 
 warded. 
 
 Consider, my dear MARY, that whether you 
 look up to heaven, or down upon the earth, if 
 your thoughts are not dissipated like the thoughts 
 of a child, you will see infinite reason to adore 
 your Maker. 
 
 There is nothing to discourage you in the duty 
 of prayer ; there is no bodily labour in the dis- 
 charge of it, unless it is spun out beyond measure, 
 which it never ought to be. All rational exer- 
 cises of religion would be highly pleasant, *were 
 not men extremely degenerate. Far indeed from 
 considering it as a task, I hope you will make 
 such progress in the fear and in the love of God, 
 as to know by experience that prayer is a very 
 great privilege. I assure you, MARY, that when 
 I retire, and pour out my heart in the presence 
 of that Being to whose goodness I am indebted 
 for every thing I possess, and upon whose favour 
 hangs every future hope; I assure you, MARY, 
 that those are the happiest moments of my life. 
 Even contrition for past offences, and sorrow for 
 innumerable remaining infirmities, when accom- 
 panied by deep humility and due resignation of 
 mind, diffuse over me a sweetness, a calm serenity 
 of spirit, which the little interests of the present 
 passing scene, its prosperities, or its adversities, 
 can neither give, nor, in any outward circumr 
 stances, however afflicting, can wholly take away. 
 B 2
 
 The gracious and awful presence of God, and 
 the continuance of his blessing towards you, is 
 not only necessary to your success, but also to 
 your very being. When I go into my fields, 
 MARY, I look up with joy towards the heavens; 
 but where the stupendous height of them ends, 
 is past searching out: I can only adore, and 
 wonder. f -When I arise to my work, and behold 
 the glorious appearance of the sun, I consider it 
 as a " marvellous instrument of the work of the 
 Most High" and eternal God. When I behold 
 its effects shewn by day, I rejoice. When 
 I consider it as the means whereby my blood 
 circulates in my veins, and gives motion to my 
 pulse and heart, I fall down in gratitude, not to 
 the sun, but to him that made it and rules its 
 power. This also is the instrument which ani- 
 mates even the clods of the earth, making the 
 grain shoot from its bosom, and in due time 
 bringing it to maturity, for the use of man. 
 Were it kept bound in the winter's frost, I need 
 not tell you that my labour in sowing would be 
 lost. 
 
 But what is this compared to the beauty of 
 the heavens and the clear firmament, when we 
 enjoy fine weather? Is not your heart enraptured 
 when you consider whose handy-work it is ? 
 Do not the spring and summer charm you with 
 the melody of birds, the verdure of the earth, 
 and the refreshing stream ? .Can you see a rain-
 
 bow and not praise him that made it? " Very 
 beautiful it is in the brightness thereof: it coin- 
 passeth the heavens about with a glorious circle, 
 and the hand of the Most High hath bended it." 
 Hast thou not considered how often the showers 
 refresh the earth when it is weary with drought, 
 and, as they fall, bring with them marrow and 
 fatness, to cheer the hearts of men and beasts ? 
 The snow also bringeth plenty on the earth by 
 the manure contained in it. " As birds flying, 
 the Almighty scattereth it, and the falling down 
 thereof is as the lightning of the grasshoppers. 
 The eye marvelleth at the beauty of the whiteness 
 thereof, and the heart is astonished at the raining 
 of it." And hast thou never stood in religious 
 reverence, though I hope with no childish fears 
 or foolish dreads, at the noise of thunder and 
 storms, which make as it were this globe of earth 
 to tremble ? But when the lightnings come with 
 astonishing swiftness, art thou not struck with 
 awe ? Great, O Lord, and wonderful are thy 
 works ! 
 
 As the day declares the glory and power of 
 God, so at night, when you retire to refresh your 
 wearied limbs, consider every star hung out as 
 a lamp to shew you his marvellous works. Con- 
 sider that he also made the moon " to serve in 
 her season" (as the months roll round) " for 
 a declaration of time," and the sign that time 
 itself will have an end.
 
 6 
 
 All these wonders in the heavens remain in no 
 less astonishing order, " and never faint in their 
 watches." They move at the commandment of 
 the Most High, and without his wise and incom- 
 prehensible direction we mortals could not exist. 
 We should be devoured by fire, or drowned in 
 water, or chilled to death by cold. Thou, my 
 child, wouldest fall like a leaf in autumn, even 
 in the spring and bloom of thy life. 
 
 Learn then, not by belief only, but by practice 
 and a habit of thinking, that God is all in all. 
 " When you glorify the Lord, exalt him as much 
 as you can, for he will ever far exceed ; and when 
 you exalt him, put forth all your strength and be 
 not weary." Our praise is grateful, though it be 
 weak. O my daughter, he is all in all. " He 
 hath made all things, and to the godly he hath 
 given wisdom." 
 
 Thus far you may judge from what you see 
 and hear, and surely blind are those who will 
 not see the glory of God displayed in his works ; 
 and deaf, when they will not hear his voice, 
 either of reason or faith, though these proclaim 
 their commission as received from heaven.
 
 DISCOURSE II. 
 
 ABOVE all things I charge you, my daughter, 
 to pay a strict regard and reverence to the sab- 
 bath of the Lord. Let this be one of your first 
 concerns, and remember that the sabbath is of 
 divine appointment. 
 
 The neglect of this day, in all civilized coun- 
 tries, has been generally the great inlet to all 
 manner of wickedness. It were easy by a variety 
 of arguments to prove, that wherever the sabbath 
 is broken, a whole tide of wickedness will flow 
 in at the breach. And as God has blessed this 
 day and hallowed it, so they unbless themselves 
 who profane it ; and the keeping it holy is one 
 of the great duties of both Jew and Christian. 
 
 It. is the neglect or abuse of the sabbath to 
 which we may impute many of the evils under 
 which our country labours, in respect to sobriety 
 and good discipline, reverence for laws, and such 
 a regular, uniform conduct as becomes good sub- 
 jects and good Christians. 
 
 Rejoice, then, at the return of the sabbath, not 
 so much that you rest from your labour, as 
 I hope you will be permitted to do, but that you 
 have so fair an opportunity of offering your heart 
 to your Maker. 
 
 The Almighty has declared, that he is pleased
 
 8 
 
 with the incense of prayer and praise, offered by 
 numbers of his rational creatures assembled for the 
 same purpose, and to make joint-supplications 
 for mercy for their offences. Go, then, with 
 gladness, to the house of God, not only to worship 
 him, but to hear his word from the mouth of 
 his ministers. Our own hearts are deceitful, but 
 be well assured that those who have pleasure in 
 praying to God, and put their trust in him when 
 they pray, instead of flying from his house, they 
 will fly to it as the place of their highest comfort 
 and joy : praise and thanksgiving will be their 
 entertainment, and they will pour out their hearts 
 in humble acknowledgment of their sins past, 
 and renew their resolutions of amendment. 
 
 The first and greatest object of religion, next 
 to the belief in God, is to worship him. Now 
 whether you do this in public or in private, take 
 the wise man's advice : " Before thou prayest, 
 prepare thyself, and be not as one that tempteth 
 the Lord." Remember also that there are two 
 branches of devotion, supplication and praise: 
 The Jlrst is the confession of sin and misery, and 
 petition for relief; the last is an angelical and 
 heavenly duty. The distinction is obvious, but 
 I fear it is not made so often as it should be, and 
 the reason is but too plain ; people in general are 
 not sufficiently attentive to their prayers ; they 
 utter words, but do not therefore pray. 
 
 The duty of attending divine worship being
 
 required of all Christians without distinction of 
 persons, those who take the liberty to dispense 
 with it, and seldom appear at the house of prayer, 
 are generally ignorant and abandoned wretches, 
 who loiter about seeking a miserable diversion 
 of their thoughts, having scarcely ever meditated 
 on the being of a God. 
 
 As God has made a separation of the sabbath- 
 day to himself, to distinguish it by peculiar acts 
 of devotion and religion, and it is so happy a 
 fence against impiety, it is a sad instance of the 
 ignorance and irreligion of the present age, to 
 see it so universally disregarded : neither is it 
 sufficient merely to attend public worship ; for 
 surely to spend the remainder of that day in 
 unmeaning dissipation and unprofitable visiting, 
 is not to keep it holy, (that is, separate or appro- 
 priate to purposes, of religion,) but, to say the 
 least, does much more defeat the gracious in- 
 tention for which it was instituted, (namely, to 
 call our thoughts to the things of God and our 
 own everlasting interests,) than if it were spent 
 in the regular exercise of our daily calling. 
 
 God requires our obedience ; but it is one 
 argument, amongst a great many others, of his 
 infinite goodness, that he does not require it in 
 any instance, where it will not eventually pro- 
 mote our own happiness, and exalt our character. 
 He requires, indeed, that we should sometimes 
 B 3
 
 10 
 
 deny ourselves a present indulgence or amuse- 
 ment, but then it is only in cases where such 
 present indulgence or amusement would be hurt- 
 ful to ourselves or others, or would in its con- 
 sequences be prejudicial to our more important 
 and everlasting interests. Well, therefore, might 
 the Psalmist cry out, " Bless the Lord, O my 
 soul, and forget not all his benefits : who for- 
 giveth all thine iniquities, and healeth all thy 
 diseases ; who recfeemeth thy life from destruc- 
 tion, and crowneth thee with loving-kindness, 
 and tender mercies ; who filleth thy mouth 
 with good things, so that thy youth is renewed 
 like the eagle's." Thy devotion should indeed fly 
 on the wings of love to the God that made thee. 
 
 It is the crime and misfortune of people in our 
 condition, and perhaps of our betters also, that 
 when we meet to worship God, we do not 
 generally address him with that awe and homage 
 which become rational creatures, and, as we 
 justly style ourselves, miserable sinners. My 
 dear MART, endeavour to impress your mind with 
 some suitable ideas (yet imperfect and inadequate 
 they must ever be) of his boundless grandeur 
 and transcendant excellence ; and remember that 
 however faulty some of our superiors may be 
 in their stations, the greater part of us are gene- 
 rally worse in ours, and therefore we should mend 
 our own manners. There are many who know
 
 H 
 
 their duty, yet do not practise it ; but when our 
 betters do not shew us an example, it is in our 
 power to put them to the blush. 
 
 The false notions, joined to the rank hypocrisy, 
 of some of the Jews, in our Saviour's days, ran so 
 high, that they pretended to be much scandalized 
 at his doing works of mercy on the sabbath-day. 
 This he reprehended with severity, leaving us 
 a silent lesson, that such employment ought not 
 to be deemed as labour. Works of necessity are 
 also warrantable, such as pulling the ox out of 
 the pit. But what shall we say of those, who, 
 having much time on their hands on this day, 
 when the season will not permit them to walk 
 abroad, employ themselves about any thing, 
 rather than in reading the Scriptures and pious 
 and instructive books ? Alas, how wretchedly 
 do they murder their time !, 
 
 An idle person at any time is a bad sight ; but 
 absence from the great business of the sabbath, 
 and during divine service, is monstrous indeed !
 
 DISCOURSE III. 
 
 OUR discourse yesterday was very serious, 
 MARY, but I did not finish what I had to say. 
 Indeed it demanded great attention, for it was 
 in effect nothing less than a lesson of instruction 
 to prepare for eternity. 
 
 What a deplorable condition are those in, who 
 live all their days as without God ! and those who 
 do not pray to him cannot be said to live with 
 him. How grievously painful it is to the human 
 heart, not rendered callous by the habit of 
 wickedness, to think of being afloat in a wide 
 sea, without provision, compass or ballast ; tossed 
 by the tremendous billows, and driven by tern, 
 pestuous winds, uncertain whether to sink in 
 the profound abyss, or be dashed against the 
 rocks, or perish by some more dreadful accident I 
 Yet, this is- their unhappy case, who never seek 
 to become acquainted with, or to obtain the 
 favour of God. This is their situation, who live 
 as it were without him ; and, however they may 
 be at present engrossed by the vanities and false 
 pleasures of the world, believe me, they will feel, 
 and fully comprehend, the wretchedness of their 
 condition, when it is too late. May you, my 
 child, never be amongst this number ! 
 
 On the other hand, those who make it their
 
 13 
 
 constant endeavour to obey the commands of 
 God, and to worship him in spirit and in truth, 
 <*ain such a filial trust and confidence in his 
 
 O 
 
 goodness, knowing that all their interests, pre- 
 sent and future, and the interests of those whom 
 they love, are perfectly safe in his hands, that 
 they have scarcely any remaining solicitude, 
 save only to do their duty ; and what was it but 
 a temper of mind like this that enabled so many 
 persons, recorded in the Scriptures, and other 
 histories of the greatest authority, to triumph 
 even in death, submitting cheerfully to the tor- 
 ture, when the cause of religion called them to 
 maintain the truth, and to seal it with their 
 blood ? 
 
 Prayer is an intercourse between OUF heavenly 
 Father and our own hearts, and therefore it is 
 impossible to worship him acceptably, but in 
 spirit and in truth. This is so agreeable to the 
 common sense of mankind, that it is very easy 
 to understand why mere words, in which the 
 heart hath no share, are called the sacrifice of 
 fools, who consider not that they do evil. 
 
 The pious Archbishop SHARP tells us, "Prayer 
 ought to be the continual exercise of life; for it 
 is to the soul, what meat and drink are to our 
 bodies, their repast, their support, their nou- 
 rishment. Prayer is the great universal instru- 
 ment by which we fetch down blessings from 
 above, and become possessed of whatever we
 
 14 
 
 want. Prayer is our defence and preservative 
 against sin, and against temptation. It is the 
 wings of our souls, whereby \ve raise ourselves 
 up above this lower world to tie God above, 
 with whom, while we ttierein converse, we 
 become the more transformed into his nature. 
 Whatever anticipations of heaven there be on 
 earth ; whatever foretastes we Christians have in 
 these bodies, of the happiness of eternity, they 
 are all heightened and improved by the means 
 of prayer." 
 
 Consider the necessity of being as active in 
 your religious duties as in any other ; this is a 
 matter of the highest moment. The laziness 
 which occasionally invades a great part of man- 
 kind, may happen sometimes to keep you so 
 long in your bed, as to create hurry and dissipa- 
 tion of thought, by sudden calls to your duty, 
 which may prevent your morning prayers ; and 
 you will set about your business without having 
 offered up your devotion to the Almighty. When 
 this is the case, as soon as you can recollect, 
 repair the fault immediately in the best manner 
 you can. We may pray in thought, nay even 
 in words, without acquainting the world what 
 we are about. If, after recollecting, you decline 
 doing your duty, and any evil should befal you 
 during the day, you will suffer this double self- 
 reproach, that you first omitted your duty, and 
 then increased your guilt by neglecting to ask
 
 15 
 
 for the protection of heaven ; you suffered busi- 
 ness, or some trifling object of amusement, to 
 possess your mind, in preference to the God who 
 made you. And if no distinguished misfortune 
 should happen to you on that day, you will be 
 the more subject to the omission on another day, 
 and accumulate your guilt, and your sins to be 
 repented of. Nothing is more true in general, 
 than, the omission of good is the commission of 
 evil, and it is true in this instance. 
 
 Be therefore sure of your morning prayer, and 
 rise early that you be not interrupted in this 
 duty. Habit will soon render it familiar, and 
 you will receive some part of your reward in the 
 benefits of early rising, which I need not tell 
 you who are accustomed to it. 
 
 There is most respect, decency, and propriety 
 in praying on our knees. Prayers in bed are 
 usually called ejaculations, as when we are just 
 falling into the arms of the death of sleep, or 
 rising again as it were from the grave, when we 
 awake. 
 
 Make as sure of your evening prayer as of your 
 bodily rest, without which you would die. 
 
 My master once told me, that it is a proverb 
 among the Hollanders, who are a busy nation, 
 that " no one ever loses any time by praying, 
 or is the poorer for giving alms." The first part 
 is very obvious, and the last may be easily recon- 
 ciled where prudence is exercised.
 
 16 
 
 Among various excuses for negligence, you 
 will hear some silly mortals plead want of time. 
 This is as false in fact, as it is absurd in opinion ; 
 for, if you should be interrupted in falling on 
 your knees in secret, pray, as I have just men- 
 tioned, secretly, as you sit, or walk, or stand, 
 or work. But at all times when you pray, col- 
 lect your thoughts, that your heart may keep 
 pace with your tongue. 
 
 This is as essential a duty as it is to pray at all; 
 and for the same reason short prayers are pre- 
 ferable to long ones. 
 
 Our prayers are our true and faithful friends, 
 who will never forsake us. They are our guar- 
 dian angels. We may enjoy the happiness and 
 advantage of their company in a palace or a dun- 
 geon; and without their aid we cannot have the 
 least security that we shall be constant to God, 
 live like believers in him, or be obedient to the 
 laws of Christ. If you do not seek for the mercy 
 of God, you cannot expect to find it. You are 
 commanded to seek, and promised that you shall 
 find, if you do seek ; but not whether you seek 
 or no. 
 
 Consider, my dear MARY, the state of human 
 life, and the dangers which surround you, and 
 all the children of men. We are all subject, 
 every, day and every hour, to pain and sorrow, 
 sickness and death ; and should live prepared for 
 whatever a day may bring forth. We are sub-
 
 17 
 
 ject to a greater evil than the certainty of death ; 
 we are subject to sin, and therefore must take 
 heed, whilst we think we stand, that we do not 
 fall. You are sure that life must end in a few 
 uncertain years. It is impossible, being in your 
 right mind, that you should not be anxious for 
 the event ; what is to become of you through 
 the numberless ages of eternity? We are all 
 persuaded that we have souls, and believe they 
 will be saved, or must perish. We are continually 
 in hope or fear of something ; and for the same 
 reason that we believe in a state of rewards and 
 punishments after death, our fears and hopes ex- 
 tend to objects beyond the grave. Every one 
 knows this, who is not stupid : what then can 
 you do, to take out the sting of your fears, and 
 to render your hopes not only comfortable but 
 joyful ? What can you do, but apply with all 
 your heart and understanding, with all your mind 
 and all your strength, to God, beseeching him 
 that he will shew you the paths in which you 
 ought to walk ; and moreover by comparing to- 
 gether your own character, and the terms on 
 which salvation is promised in the gospel, endea- 
 vour earnestly so to conduct yourself as to come 
 within those terms, or, in the apostle's language, 
 " to secure to yourself a good foundation," and 
 " to lay hold on eternal life." 
 
 And, indeed, what is religion (of which prayer 
 is one of the highest acts) but the knowledge of
 
 18 
 
 the most excellent truths, the contemplation of 
 the most glorious objects, the hope of the most 
 ravishing pleasures, and the practice of such 
 duties as are most conducive to our happiness ? 
 
 Be well assured, MARY, and I think you have 
 tried the experiment, that your inclination to 
 serve God faithfully in your thoughts, words and 
 actions, and your power of doing it will increase 
 in proportion as you rightly perform the duty of 
 prayer. On the other hand, if you should for- 
 sake the paths of virtue, you will as certainly 
 cease to look up to God, and your inclination to 
 all goodness will daily decrease: of this I have 
 known numberless sad and deplorable instances. 
 Heaven preserve thee, my daughter ! 
 
 DISCOURSE IV. 
 
 MANY of us are apt to fall into a fault which 
 seems to proceed from a right principle, though 
 not rightly understood. Reserve is in no instance 
 more proper than with regard to prayer; yet it 
 is equally true, that a false reserve oftentimes 
 betrays the cause of devotion. .When people are 
 afraid or ashamed of doing what is right, they are 
 in the more danger of being led to do wrong. 
 There is a kind of resolution so essentially neces-
 
 sary to religion, that it can hardly exist without 
 it. We must be firm on all occasions in doing 
 our duty, considering it is an unchangeable obli- 
 gation incumbent on all the children of men. 
 You have heard of women, who, in the first ages 
 of Christianity, exposed themselves to flames and 
 tortures rather than give up their integrity, and 
 this with as constant and intrepid mind as the 
 bravest man that ever lived. There is nothing 
 great without constancy ; and it is our duty to 
 possess our minds with such resolution, that as 
 no fear of pain should affright, so no temptation 
 to pleasure should entice us from our duty. And 
 without this habit of firmness and resolution, we 
 shall never be able to withstand the many temp- 
 tations to do what is wrong, or to neglect what 
 is right, that we shall meet with from the false 
 maxims and mistaken opinions that prevail in 
 the world. 
 
 We are commanded, it is true, by our great 
 Lord and Master, to pray in secret, that we may 
 not be seen of men ; that is, not to seek the 
 praise of men as the Pharisees did. You remem- 
 ber our Saviour expressly mentions the gross 
 hypocrisy of those people in his time. However, 
 do not turn away from the meaning of your divine 
 teacher, and act as if you were ashamed of being 
 found on your knees. The consequence of childish 
 fear in this instance is, that many get into an 
 habitual neglect, and do not pray at all. If two
 
 20 
 
 persons meet together, both well inclined, and 
 both timorous, or prejudiced to this opinion, they 
 will both decline doing their duty; and. what a 
 ridiculous, and at the same time tragical, figure 
 will they make ! If they come to the point of 
 never praying but at church, can it be expected 
 they will really be attentive to their prayers when 
 they are there? And can they pray at church 
 without being seen? Custom makes it familiar 
 to us to avoid all human eyes in private, but 
 resolution and attention to the great business of 
 devotion should render us superior to all inter- 
 ruption or surprise when" we are praying. 
 
 Your poor mother, good as she was, yet it was 
 a long time before she surmounted that false 
 modesty in which she was bred, which made it 
 seem criminal in her eyes to be seen on her 
 knees ; but I happily convinced her that it was 
 our mutual security not to neglect the duty of 
 prayer, and that as we retired to rest, and rose 
 at the same hour, so we should likewise offer 
 up the incense of our prayers with one heart and 
 mind. 
 
 You are sensible that, in order to fix any object 
 on the mind, we must think, or read, or discourse 
 about it. The two last include the first; but 
 there is a peculiar charm in the conversation of 
 sensible pious friends; we are sure of their heart. 
 My master used to say, that according to the 
 Persian proverb, " the conversation of a friend,
 
 21 
 
 brightens the eyes" The familiar discourse of a 
 virtuous friend is pleasing and advantageous ; 
 but of all conversations, that is the most inter- 
 esting which leads us into the path of ever- 
 lasting happiness. Such as this can hardly come 
 from any but the good and wise : those only de- 
 serve the name of friends who are true to their 
 own hearts, and confess the power of religion ; 
 persons of a different turn can only do us kind- 
 nesses, and be agreeable companions. If you 
 would be wise, you must sometimes submit to 
 be thought foolish. The first thing a wise man 
 considers is the end of his being, the next how he 
 shall attain that end ; and you may be well as- 
 sured, whatever tends to promote the cause of 
 true religion goes so far in the attainment of the 
 true end of life, and exalts human nature. Yet, 
 alas! MARY, whether it be amongst us or the 
 great vulgar ; whether it be from fear of the im- 
 putation of ostentation, or hypocrisy, or to avoid 
 any other thing which the world least applauds, 
 I do not find that it is a custom or fashion among 
 the gentry to say any thing at all about devotion, 
 neither as it relates to themselves nor their ser- 
 vants. Some of the truly zealous, and some of 
 the enthusiastic part of us talk of it occasionally ; 
 but for want of distinguishing true zeal from 
 enthusiasm, which is as different as light from 
 darkness, most people are apt to draw one com- 
 mon conclusion, namely, that those who speak of
 
 22 
 
 piety are not pious, in the sense that piety is 
 allowed to be amiable, good and praise- worthy. 
 My master used sometimes to give his sentiments 
 in company, in a rational and familiar manner, 
 like a man and a Christian, as I thought ; but I 
 am sorry to tell thee, MARY, his acquaintance, 
 who were otherwise sober people, were generally 
 as silent as the grave, as if it were a matter of no 
 moment to them, or that they were totally inca- 
 pable of uttering a single word on the subject 
 with any propriety. 
 
 In your tender years, you listened to my dis- 
 course, as if you meant to engrave every word 
 on your heart ; and when you prayed, you looked 
 up to heaven, seeming to feel the force of your 
 words, and to mean what you said. Cherish this 
 custom, and hold it nearest to your heart. You 
 have sometimes seen your mother on her knees, 
 with streaming eyes, entreating the Almighty to 
 pity your poverty and your sex, and shield your 
 person from the merciless hands of the vile de- 
 stroyers of female innocence. You are now come 
 to years of discretion, and know your own dan- 
 ger; therefore you must consider your own 
 prayers as your surest guard : and if you pray to 
 your heavenly Father with real devotion, (let the 
 world go as it may,) he who heareth in secret 
 will reward you openly. 
 
 Among the various helps of performing the 
 duty of prayer, I reckon it one of the greatest to
 
 23 
 
 utter words slowly and solemnly, weighing their 
 sense and meaning. Whether it be comfort or 
 advantage, it must arise from a close attention 
 to the object to whom you address your prayers. 
 Your attention must be kept awake, that you 
 may neither tire nor wander in thought. These 
 infirmities are much alike, and human nature is 
 much addicted to them. The more you perceive 
 either of them, the more watchful you should 
 be of yourself, and accommodate your prayers 
 to your real powers of mind ; at the same time, 
 do not deceive yourself, and under a fond notion 
 of an unavoidable defect, in this particular, be- 
 come habitually negligent. Our hearts are more 
 treacherous than we are apt to imagine. It is 
 certain that a multitude of words' will not avail ; 
 but if you are indolent, cold, and unwilling to 
 pray, you may think a few words are too many. 
 In such circumstances you cannot be said to 
 offer up your heart to God be your words ever 
 so few. 
 
 A consciousness of the weakness of our nature, 
 respecting our inability to expand the wings of 
 our devotion beyond a certain measure, naturally 
 creates such an humiliation of heart, as is one of 
 the essential requisites of piety, and constitutes 
 a chief part of it. Family prayer is another means 
 to help us in this duty of devotion. This seems 
 to be a mutual security to every one in the fa- 
 mily, that they shall say their prayers at certain
 
 24 
 
 times, whether it be once or twice in a day. If 
 such prayer is properly repeated, it will rouse 
 the powers of the mind, and conquer that cold- 
 ness, and unwillingness which is so apt to seize 
 the heart in this instance, if we do not keep a 
 strict watch over it. But such family prayer is 
 so much out of fashion, that you will rarely 
 find it 
 
 I fear that servants receive but little benefit 
 from their master or mistress in this instance. 
 They think it enough that they have the proper 
 authority over us as their servants, and expect 
 from us strict justice and fidelity ; yet they sel- 
 dom go so far as to inform themselves where the 
 servant learnt to be just and faithful. The only 
 solid security for justice or fidelity is founded in 
 religion. But if every master supposes his pre- 
 decessor performed his duty, young men and 
 women, not duly taught by their parents, will be 
 left to act at a hazard ; and thus it happens that 
 many servants have little or no sense of moral 
 or religious obligations. 
 
 So that you see, then, this great business de- 
 pends generally on yourself. Women are justly- 
 called the devout sex ; and they are most distin- 
 guished for piety, as well as for the duties of 
 domestic life ; yet from a false delicacy, in which 
 religion hath no share, 1 have observed that some 
 ladies have thought themselves absolved from all 
 demands relative to family prayer, because they
 
 25 
 
 were not married ; and yet I do not remember to 
 have met a single word in the New Testament 
 which makes any such distinction ; on the con- 
 trary, some passages suppose single persons most 
 at liberty to promote the exercise of such reli- 
 gious duties, those wh6 are married being obliged 
 to obey their husbands. You see that people 
 never want reasons, such as they may be, for 
 doing whatever they like, or for letting alone 
 what is not agreeable to them, and for being 
 inattentive to their eternal obligation of wor- 
 shiping God under their own roof. 
 
 In the comparative view of private and pubKc 
 prayer, you ought to consider, that although it is 
 the custom of the world to follow example, ra- 
 ther than precept or instruction, it would be 
 much safer in most cases to follow instruction. 
 It is an indispensable duty to worship God in 
 public ; those who go to church merely from 
 custom and decency, have seldom much incli- 
 nation for devotion, public or private; and the 
 same authority which requires public worship, 
 requires private also. " The prayer of the humble 
 pierceth the clouds, and till he come nigh he will 
 not be comforted." This is not said of public or 
 private devotion, for it is supposed that the same 
 warmth and sincerity accompanies both. To 
 pierce the clouds with our prayers, is a very strong 
 and beautiful expression ; and it certainly must
 
 26 
 
 be the importunity of our supplications, when 
 they come from the heart, directed by the under- 
 standing, and attended with fervency and zeal, 
 which alone can be supposed to reach the ears of 
 the Almighty, or afford comfort or joy to the 
 mind of man. Amidst all the bustle of the world, 
 I consider that person as the happiest of the chil- 
 dren of men, whose addresses to God are the most 
 acceptable. 
 
 ; If you fear God, you will be led to respect the 
 preachers of the gospel. The wise man considers 
 it as a trial whether we love God or not, by our 
 feverencing or forsaking his faithful ministers. 
 And indeed it was natural for a wise man to draw 
 this conclusion, because in common life, in pro- 
 portion as we love the master, we shew a proper 
 regard to his servants. 
 
 You and I now stand before the everlasting 
 Father and Sovereign of the universe, on a great 
 and solemn occasion; very great to ourselves, 
 however insignificant to the world. As a father, 
 I command you ; as a friend, I entreat you, to 
 pray constantly and uniformly every morning and 
 evening. Be assured, my dear daughter, it is the 
 *neans which will bring you a blessing and suc- 
 cess in life, and without it you may easily stab 
 my peace, and bring these grey locks with sorrow 
 to the grave. If you pursue my maxims, and 
 obey my precepts, though we should be visited
 
 27 
 
 by the cold hand of adversity, yet our lives may 
 be comfortable, and death, when heaven shall call 
 us hence, will open a passage to a joyful'j'and 
 glorious eternity. 
 
 DISCOURSE V. 
 
 ADDED to the arguments already urged in 
 favour of the duty of prayer, I must not omit to- 
 mention the example of Christ; and you know, 
 MARY, what I have often told you, that your 
 having been baptized merely, will not entitle you 
 to the glorious promises of the gospel; you must 
 obey the commands of Christ, and in self-govern- 
 ment, piety to God, and benevolence to your 
 fellow-creatures, you must endeavour to imitate 
 his example. In the history of his life, we read 
 often of his retiring to prayer. Luke v. 10. 
 xi. 1. 
 
 This was that mighty prince, who made his 
 triumphal entry into Jerusalem, not with the 
 splendid show of an earthly prince, to please the 
 fancies of men with a tinsel-glitter, but to fill the 
 heart with joy, even to the hopes of heaven and 
 happiness immortal. They shouted " Hosannah 
 to the Son of David. Blessed is he that cometh in 
 the name of the Lord /"-^Blessed indeed was he 
 c 
 
 *_ w
 
 3d 
 
 to whom God had given power to open the eyes 
 of the blind, who enabled the dumb to sing, and 
 the lame to dance for joy. Yet such was the 
 fatal blindness and perverse disposition of the 
 rulers of the Jews, that they condemned this glo- 
 rious prince of peace to die upon the cross. And 
 what heart can conceive, or what tongue can 
 utter the dreadful scene then represented on the 
 theatre of the world ? This mighty prince and 
 redeemer, this divine saviour was buffeted, mocked 
 and spurned. He was dragged to execution like 
 a felon, and nailed on the cross. There his heart 
 heaved with agony of pain, and not less with pity; 
 for he cried to God, Father, forgive them, for they 
 know not what they do ! He then inclined his 
 head, and expired. You remember, MARY, what 
 you have read in the New Testament, upon this 
 sobject ; the earth trembled, the veil of the 
 temple was rent, the rocks burst, many of the 
 dead arose and appeared before men's eyes, all 
 nature seemed for a time to be convulsed, and, 
 as it were, expiring with the Son of God. 
 
 But what was the consequence of this unparal- 
 leled obstinacy and wickedness of the Jews, who 
 were the voluntary instruments of this act of 
 cruelty and injustice? Their famous city of 
 Jerusalem, and their holy temple, which was of 
 such immense value, were, forty years after, de- 
 stroyed by the Romans. Jerusalem is now in the 
 hands of the Turks, and of very little moment,
 
 though once the pride of the whole earth. And 
 as to the Jews themselves, their state was de- 
 stroyed, and the people dispersed over the earth ; 
 and now for near seventeen hundred years, the 
 Almighty hath not permitted them to collect 
 themselves into a body, or form a government, 
 being scattered in Christian, mahometan and pagan 
 countries ; manifesting to the whole earth the 
 truth of the gospel of Christ. You see some of 
 their descendants, who live among us, they main- 
 tain to this day their particular customs and 
 manners ; they neither keep the same sabbath day, 
 nor eat the flesh of animals killed after the same 
 manner as ours. They do not mix with the 
 world as soldiers, seamen, or husbandmen ; they 
 intermarry only among themselves : in a word, 
 they etand as monuments to remind us of this 
 great event, though themselves are unbelievers, 
 and still look for that very Messiah whom their 
 forefathers crucified, as you declare in your 
 belief. 
 
 There are some of our condition, MARY, so 
 little instructed in relation to prayer, that they 
 do not distinguish the belief, or declaration of 
 what they believe, from an address or prayer to 
 the Almighty. There is indeed this likeness, 
 that both are of a very serious and solemn na- 
 ture, and require a very close attention to the 
 sense of every word, that sufficient time be given 
 for recollection and assent of mind to the full
 
 30 
 
 meaning of them. This is the first step toward* 
 religion ; the second is the knowledge of the 
 commandments of God ; -the next thing is a firm 
 and steady resolution of obedience to such com- 
 mandments ; and lastly, our prayers being added, 
 imploring the divine assistance, these obvious 
 and plain operations of the mind mutually aid 
 and support each other, and employ their joint 
 forces to combat sin and triumph over the 
 world. 
 
 As you believe the resurrection of the dead, 
 and the life everlasting, and that Christ is ap- 
 pointed to judge the living and the dead, he will 
 certainly judge you, and he will as certainly 
 pardon or condemn you. If you shall have ear- 
 nestly endeavoured to live according to your 
 belief, and agreeably to the commandment of 
 God, and the precepts of the gospel, you will be 
 happy for ever ! really, truly, and substantially 
 happy in the endless ages of eternity ! If you 
 have not so lived, and die impenitent, we have 
 the same authority to believe you will perish 
 everlastingly ! 
 
 And now, before we leave this subject, I must 
 observe to you that it is trifling to talk of the 
 religion of Christ, and to pretend to be one of his 
 followers, and not to remember him in whatever 
 he hath commanded. 
 
 I have much reason to fear there are many 
 who live and die without receiving the Scicrium-nt
 
 31 
 
 of the Lord's supper. Some begin very late in 
 life to receive it, and others leave it off very 
 early. This negligence arises from very wicked 
 or very foolish reasons, or no reasons at all. 
 People stand in awe of this solemnity, as of a 
 very good thing; but do not partake of it, be- 
 cause they think themselves not good enough; 
 and they act as if they were determined to be no 
 better, or as if they did not think this could be 
 any means to make them better, though it is 
 required by Christ himself. 
 
 If I was to invite my neighbour to sup with 
 me, and he excused himself because he was not 
 in a cleanly condition, would you not be asto- 
 nished that he did not set about washing himself? 
 But supposing that 1 were to furnish him with 
 the requisites for making himself clean, might I 
 not suspect that he was not heartily inclined to 
 my friendship, and sought for reasons to excuse 
 himself ? 
 
 There is no miracle in the effects of this holy 
 ordinance ; it neither saves nor destroys, but as 
 it operates on the hearts, lives and manners of 
 men like other religious duties. 
 
 Our Lord and Master, in whom we profess to 
 trust, invites us to his supper; as upon another 
 occasion, he says, " Come unto me all ye who 
 labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh 
 you." And do you think you can go to him, in
 
 32 
 
 true sincerity of heart, and not find refreshment ? 
 He directs us, on this occasion, the most solemn 
 the world ever knew, to go. He, the Son of 
 God, was going to suffer a cruel and ignominious 
 death, and commanded us to do this in remem- 
 brance of him ; and do you think, while memory 
 holds a place in your brain, you should forget 
 him ? He tells us why we should do this, and 
 how it is to be done. He bids us receive the 
 bread and wine in remembrance of his death and 
 sufferings, of his body pierced and blood spilt, 
 as a token of his wonderful love towards us ; and 
 requires this mernoriai to be continued through 
 every generation, until his coming again in 
 
 any person in his right mind refuse 
 sud| an invitation from the greatest and best 
 friend jn the world, upon, so vast and important 
 an occasion? Can apy one decline coming to 
 this heavenly entertainment, without a neglect, 
 vyhich is an affront to so great a Lord of so great 
 feast? And if we consider the command, as 
 from the great Captain of our salvation, is not 
 our refusal to obey it of the same nature as a 
 soldier's defence, when he disobeys his com- 
 mander ? 
 
 As to the intention of this ordinance, you may 
 consider it in these several views : 
 
 1. It is to fix and imprint on your mind, in a
 
 33 
 
 manner the most lasting, the remembrance of the 
 death of Christ, as the strongest motive to your 
 obedience. 
 
 2. It is a commemoration of his death, in a 
 humble acknowledgment of its being the ground 
 of your hope of eternal life. 
 
 3. It is a public declaration to the world of 
 your faith in him, and that you on your part will 
 endeavour to become holy as he was holy, and to 
 continue down the memory of his love to all ge- 
 nerations. 
 
 4. It is a high expression of your thanks and 
 gratitude to God for his unspeakable mercy in 
 sending his Son into the world for the redemp- 
 tion of mankind from sin and death. 
 
 5. It is a confirmation, on your part, of the 
 covenant which God hath made with us, and a 
 thankful acceptance of those conditions vf pardon 
 which he has offered, and whereby we acknow- 
 ledge and renew our obligations to obey him. 
 
 Now of all commands, it is natural to lay the 
 greatest stress upon those which are given us by 
 our friends a little before their death, especially 
 if we really love them, and they particularly de- 
 sire it to be done in remembrance of them. Let 
 us suppose that the lady whom you are now 
 going to serve, by an astonishing mark of her love 
 and compassion for you, should preserve your 
 life; suppose she should not only snatch you 
 from the grave, but die herself in the attempt ; 
 c 3
 
 34 
 
 suppose likewise that she were to leave you a 
 creditable maintenance upon the condition of your 
 doing some particular act easily performed; would 
 you not do it? Would not your neglect appear 
 the blackest ingratitude, whilst your folly would 
 be the derision of children, for you would lose 
 your support by a negligence which would plunge 
 you into poverty, and give you the character of 
 a mad woman or an idiot ? And yet, alas ! what 
 could she or any mortal do for you or any other? 
 She might save your life for a few days or years, 
 and render that life comfortable whilst it lasted ; 
 but here all her kindness must end. 
 
 As to the matter which frightens some, it 
 
 stands thus : St. Paul reminds us that as we have 
 
 houses to eat and drink in, we should not come to 
 
 the house of God, and to the Lord's supper, not 
 
 distinguishing a solemn act of religion from a 
 
 common meal, which was the crime of some of 
 
 the Corinthians. Well might he tell them this 
 
 was eating and drinking their own condemnation, 
 
 which he interprets by saying that God would be 
 
 provoked to inflict several kinds of judgments 
 
 upon them, if they continued to act so wicked a 
 
 part. But what is this to the purpose of those 
 
 childish and fantastical fears which a great part 
 
 of us entertain in relation to the celebration of 
 
 this act of devotion ? Solemn indeed it is, but 
 
 when we fall down on our 'knees before God, or 
 
 send up our hearts to him in prayer, is not this
 
 35 
 
 also a solemn and awful duty ? As well may we 
 say that we will never pray because it requires 
 thought and seriousness, as that we will not 
 receive the sacrament, for fear of offending God. 
 Believing it to be the command of Christ, we 
 offend God most surely by not receiving it; and 
 if we are to come to the table of our Lord in 
 charity with men, with an intention to lead a new 
 life, do we not do just the same thing when we 
 pray ? If not, we are guilty of mockery ; for we 
 implore the mercies of heaven (as I have already 
 observed), upon the very terms and condition of 
 forgiving others, (which is far from being a hard 
 task). And as we always mean to repent, we 
 mean to amend ; and what is this but leading a 
 new life ? 
 
 Let people then look into the Lord's prayer, 
 and it will stare them in the face ; they will be, 
 astonished how they could live so long in neglect 
 of the sacrament, for such a reason, and yet say 
 this prayer once or twice every day of their 
 lives! 
 
 In regard to the frequency of receiving the 
 sacrament, there is no time exactly pointed out. 
 The doing it frequently seems to be implied by 
 the words of our Saviour, " Do this as often as 
 ye drink it in remembrance of me." For my own 
 part I see not how any Christian can decently 
 turn his back on the Lord's table. 
 
 If you would maintain and keep yourself in a
 
 36 
 
 constant general preparation for the holy com* 
 munion, so as always to be fit upon the shortest 
 notice to partake of it, (that is, if you would 
 fealty endeavour to be a Christian,) be careful in 
 the- observation of these following rules : 
 
 1. Be diligent in your endeavours to know and 
 understand the several parts of your duty to God, 
 to men, and to yourself, for which end you must 
 be careful to make the best use you can of those 
 means of instruction and knowledge which God 
 has put into your power ; such as reading the holy 
 Scriptures, and other good books, or hearing 
 them read, attending upon the public offices of 
 preaching, catechizing, and the like.* 
 
 S. You must upon all occasions be industrious 
 and zealous in avoiding every sin, and to practise 
 and perform every duty according to your ability 
 and opportunity for the same, t 
 
 3. You must very often think and meditate 
 upon your ways, and all your particular practices, 
 and examine whether or no they are agreeable to 
 the rules of your duty; that whatever you find 
 you have been deficient in, or done amiss, you 
 may take the better care to rectify and amend, 
 for the time to come. $ 
 
 For which end and purpose, this following easy 
 but very profitable task is recommended : namely, 
 
 * Prov. iv. 5. John v. 30. 2 Tina. iii. 15. John xiii. 17. 
 t Titus ii. 11 14. Matt. vii. 21. Luke xii. 47- 
 Psalm iv. 4. and cxix. 59. Lam. iii. 40.
 
 37 
 
 two or three times in the course of each day to 
 carry your thoughts back, and consider what you 
 have been thinking or doing, and how you have 
 spent your time. As for example, ask yourself, 
 
 When first I awaked, did I think upon God, 
 and recommend myself to his almighty care and 
 protection ? Did not worldly or sinful thoughts 
 first take possession of my heart ? 
 
 I was lately in such and such company ; how 
 and after what manner did I behave myself; 
 were all my words and actions innocent, modest 
 and fitting ? Did I give no offence to God, or 
 scandal 4x> the world, by any thing which I either 
 said or did on that occasion ? &c. 
 
 Such questions as these, if you would con- 
 stantly and seriously put home to your conscience, 
 while things remain fresh in your memory, what 
 a mighty influence would they have upon you, 
 to restrain you from evil, and to excite you to do 
 that which is good with joy and pleasure ? 
 And as to particular preparation, 
 
 I. Whenever notice is given of the celebration 
 of the holy communion, immediately resolve by 
 no means to miss that opportunity of commemo- 
 rating the sufferings of your blessed Lord and 
 Saviour. But if you are careful every day, as 
 you ought to be, to live as becomes a Christian, 
 you will not need any other preparation. 
 
 I would recommend to you, however, to re- 
 member that the whole duty of a Christian is
 
 38 
 
 reducible to three heads ;* and every time you 
 receive the holy communion, you will do well to 
 put, at least, these three questions seriously home 
 to your conscience : 
 
 1. Do I effectually shew my love to God, by 
 a due honour and respect to him in all my 
 thoughts, words and actions? 
 
 2. Have I a true and sincere love for myself : 
 that is, do I love my soul better than my body ? 
 And am I more heartily concerned to secure my 
 everlasting happiness in the world to come, than 
 to compass my pleasure or profit in this life ? 
 
 3. Have I a real and sincere love for all man- 
 kind, without exception ? And do I avoid hurting 
 any person by word or deed where I can possibly 
 avoid it ? And am I ready to do good to every 
 one whatsoever, wherever I have ability and 
 opportunity ? 
 
 If you meditate on these three questions se- 
 riously for a little time, there is scarcely any 
 sin that you have been guilty of but it will occur 
 to you. 
 
 4. When by the examination of your con- 
 science you have set your sins in your view, and 
 have seen what your particular deviations have 
 been, then make your humble confession to 
 Almighty God, and implore his assistance to 
 enable you for the future to be more obedient 
 to his commands, and to live more like the dis- 
 
 * Matt. xxii. 37, &c.
 
 39 
 
 ciple of the Master by whose holy name you are 
 called. 
 
 In respect to your behaviour at the holy com- 
 munion, 
 
 1. Strive, as at all other times in the worship 
 of God, as much as you can to keep your mind 
 intent and fixed upon what you are about; and 
 lay aside not only all vain thoughts, but likewise 
 all such as are impertinent to the present busi- 
 ness. 
 
 2. Take care to behave yourself with such out- 
 ward decency and cornposedness as may be a 
 sufficient token of that inward devotion and reve- 
 rence which you bear in your heart, without 
 gazing about, or any way unnecessarily moving 
 your body, or whispering to any one that is near 
 you, or doing any thing of the like nature. 
 
 3. While the service is performing, join all 
 along with the minister and congregation, with 
 your heart and thoughts lifted up to God. 
 
 4. Take care, likewise, to avoid all affectation, 
 and not to behave yourself in such a manner as 
 if you had a mind to be taken notice of for a 
 person of extraordinary devotion. For which 
 reason, whatever private prayers or meditations 
 you may have to offer to God, put them up in 
 your thoughts alone, or let not your voice be 
 heard. 
 
 While the bread and wine are distributing,
 
 40 
 
 employ yourself with such meditation* and 
 prayers as these : 
 
 1. Bethink yourself what those sins are to 
 which you have been most inclined ; and, in the 
 presence of God, seriously and stedfastly renew 
 your resolutions of being careful to abstain from 
 them for the time to come. 
 
 2. Consider what opportunities you ordinarily 
 have for the doing of any good works, and sted- 
 fastly purpose to be diligent hereafter in making 
 use of them. 
 
 3. To this add the following prayer : 
 
 " Merciful God, assist me with the help of 
 thy holy Spirit, that I may always keep those 
 vows and good resolutions which thou hast ena- 
 bled me to make ; that I may never return to 
 any of my former sins, but hereafter serve thee 
 faithfully in the constant practice of virtue and 
 religion, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." 
 
 4. And here express your charity, by putting 
 up a prayer for all mankind in this or the like 
 form : 
 
 " Lord, if it be thy gracious will, extend thy 
 mercy and compassion unto all mankind. En- 
 lighten the minds of those that are ignorant, and 
 move the wills of those that are obstinate, that 
 they all may receive thy holy truth, and carefully 
 live in the practice of it. Pardon my enemies, 
 O God, and bring them aad all of us throughout
 
 the whole world, to true repentance, that we may 
 all Jive righteously here, and, in the end, be 
 happy with thee hereafter, through Jesus Christ 
 our Lord. Amen." 
 
 5. Then employ yourself with reading and 
 meditating upon some select portions of the holy 
 Scripture, until such time as the minister is ready 
 to proceed with the public office. I need not 
 here transcribe any particular texts, but will 
 leave you to make choice of such as are most 
 agreeable to you. If you should be at a loss, 
 read the hundred and nineteenth psalm, where 
 you will easily find proper matter enough to 
 employ your devoutest thoughts upon this oc- 
 casion. 
 
 6. When the service is ended and the congre- 
 gation dismissed, depart to your home or place 
 of abode, and as soon as you have a convenient 
 opportunity of retiring into some private place, 
 first look back, and consider whether or no, in 
 the performance of this holy office, you have 
 behaved yourself in all things as you ought to 
 have done ; and if you find that you have been 
 any way short or defective therein, resolve to 
 take better care for the time to come. 
 
 7. And then conclude with this or the like 
 prayer : 
 
 " Lord, I desire to return my most humble 
 and hearty thanks to thee, for all thy blessings 
 both spiritual and temporal, which thou hast
 
 4-2 
 
 vouchsafed to me. At this time, particularly, I 
 praise and bless thy holy name, for the oppor- 
 tunity which thou hast this day given me, of 
 commemorating the sufferings and death of my 
 blessed Redeemer, and also participating in that 
 holy ordinance which he has appointed. Lord, 
 pardon all the weaknesses and defects in the 
 performance of my duty. And I beseech thee 
 assist me with thy grace, that in the whole course 
 of my life I may ever be careful to fulfil and per- 
 form those resolutions which I have made of 
 obeying thee better for all time to come, through 
 Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." 
 
 Moreover, endeavour, as the occasion arises, 
 to call to tnind what you have thought, and said, 
 and done, before and after the holy communion; 
 and beg God to assist you, that you may remem- 
 ber your Saviour with constant gratitude. And, 
 that it may constantly restrain you from all 
 manner of wickedness, upon the assault of any 
 temptation, thus bethink yourself: 
 
 " At such a time I received the holy communion, 
 and then I seriously resolved, and solemnly pro- 
 mised to Almighty God, that I would heartily 
 endeavour, in all points, to live like a Christian. 
 Shall I then, upon any account, lie, curse, swear, 
 talk profanely or obscenely, commit any sin of 
 uncleanness, steal, cheat, or do or think any manner 
 of wickedness ? No ; God forbid ! I have en- 
 gaged myself to God to amend my life, and to bt
 
 43 
 
 another sort of person. And what can I expect, 
 but wrath and indignation from him, if knovv- 
 jngly or wilfully I should violate my duty and those 
 promises which I so deliberately and stedfastly 
 made to him ?" 
 
 You have received the communion more than 
 once : go on. I know too well, that servants are 
 generally extremely neglectful of this duty. If 
 it should be the case with your fellow-servants, 
 I charge you, as you love the name of Christ, 
 and desire to become his true disciple, that you 
 do not follow their example, but strive to induce 
 them to follow yours, in frequenting this holy 
 ordinance, calculated to promote their present 
 and future happiness. And in regard to yourself, 
 tell them what your father said to you at parting. 
 Remind them of the gross absurdity of supposing 
 themselves wiser than the wisest, or more pru- 
 dent than the soberest or best of mankind : let 
 them consider if the high imprudence, the great 
 folly, the gross iniquity, and the destruction 
 which awaits the despisers of religion, be better 
 for them than peace, and confidence in the mercies 
 of God, and hope of everlasting joy. Remind them 
 that they are as answerable to God for their 
 neglect, as other Christians of the first rank and 
 condition. They have actually fewer temptations 
 than people who are rich ; and though they know 
 less, they know so much that ignorance cannot 
 be admitted as a plea.
 
 44 
 
 If your companions should not be awed by 
 your seriousness in this matter, but deride you 
 as a young saint, you are not to reproach them, 
 as if they were the contrary to young saints, but 
 be patient, and go on unchanged in the way you 
 are persuaded is right; and mourn over their 
 foolishness and obstinacy, who perhaps would 
 shut their eyes if all the terrors of destruction 
 stood in array before them, and opened wide 
 their tremendousjaws. 
 
 Do your duty, I say, and still hope that others 
 will do theirs. Thus you will approve yourself 
 worthy, and, in good time, receive your reward. 
 What can you do more than express your sorrow 
 on this as on all other occasions, wherein men 
 trangress and rebel against common sense, as 
 well as the decrees of heaven ? 
 
 DISCOURSE VI. 
 
 You see, my dear MARY, how much I 
 interest myself in your happiness. God knows 
 what I shall be able to do for thee, in point of 
 provision, after my death. Thou art a child of 
 providence ; trust to it, using the means that 
 providence hath pointed out. But above all
 
 45 
 
 things let me caution thee never to expect solid, 
 durable happiness from any thing this world can 
 give. 
 
 For my own part, I married the woman I loved 
 beyond all others in the world. For a while, 
 nothing seemed wanting to complete my hap- 
 piness; and when you, my child, came into the 
 world, my fancy represented to me that you would 
 prove so good, I should have no reason to envy 
 the greatest of mankind. Your mother became 
 unhealthy : I sympathized in her pains and sor- 
 rows; and all the beautiful structure of my 
 happiness was thrown down, and blown away 
 like the dust of which I am made. Soon after 
 her death I lost my two little boys, your brothers. 
 In my fancy they still hang round my neck, and 
 their charming images live in my heart! Then 
 fell my good old master! His last kind words 
 still sound in my ears; it is true he made pro- 
 vision for me ; but I loved and honoured him 
 so much, that I suffered more anguish at his 
 death, than joy in his liberality. Indeed his 
 kindness but added to my grief. These sorrows 
 (and some or other such all must expect) threw 
 a cloud over my brightest days ! Such, however, 
 has been the goodness of God, in Jesus Christ, 
 that by enabling me to become in all things 
 resigned to his will (who never afflicts his 
 creatures but for their puriiication), I have, by 
 degrees, attained suh a peaceful serenity of
 
 46 
 
 niind, such a freedom from undue anxiety, as 
 the world in its pursuits can never give. 
 
 And, to a mind capable of enjoying it, does not 
 every part of nature furnish matter for delight 
 and gratitude ? The grass that grows in the 
 fields; the leaves which shoot from the trees, 
 and the fruit which they furnish ; the growth of 
 every plant, and every animal, is full of wonder! 
 Where wilt thou find the hand of art which can 
 give the cowslips such a yellow, or to the violet 
 such a blue? Hast thou considered how beauti- 
 fully the rose is adorned, and how justly it is the 
 emblem of the most captivating charms of 
 female beauty ? Nor is the apple or the peach 
 less grateful to the eye. Have not thy senses 
 been often refreshed with the smell of new hay, 
 and the sweet fragrance of herbs and flowers, and 
 the blossoms of a thousand trees ? 
 
 Nor is it only in the vegetable world : the 
 bleating flock furnishes wool for the employment 
 of many thousands, who again provide clothing 
 for millions more. This makes me think myself 
 of some importance; and, when I see yon ruddy 
 Jass drawing streams of milk from the swelled 
 udder of the useful cow, methinks I am the in- 
 strument of heaven, in rearing the tender helpless 
 infant, whilst the drooping grandfather blesses 
 the hand that brings him milk. 
 
 Survey the multitude of objects which Pro- 
 vidence certainly intends for delight as well as
 
 47 
 
 use. When I behold thee feeding my poultry ami 
 my pigeons, I think, if a sparrow falleth not to 
 the ground but by the knowledge and permission 
 of the God of all, that he has honoured thee as 
 the instrument of his bounty, in feeding these 
 birds which are so useful to mankind. And if 
 SOLOMON in all his glory was not arrayed like 
 a lily of the field, what dost thou think of the 
 natural beauty of the eye-set feathers of the 
 strutting peacock, or the scarlet ornament of the 
 prouder turkey? These are alike the work of 
 thy hands, O God Supreme! O MARY, when 
 thou hearest the early crowing of the cock, dost 
 thou not think of him who calls thee to a vigilant 
 and active life ? If thou considerest not what 
 business thou hast on thy hand to-day, perhaps 
 to-morrow ne'er will come. This bird is thy 
 kind monitor. 
 
 It is here we must enjoy the liberal feast that 
 kind Providence hath provided : here every tree, 
 and every bush furnishes something to the com- 
 mon stock. We might live without great cities, 
 but they could not subsist without husbandry. 
 Nor do we barely live. See there the fragrant 
 bean and pea in blossom ; do they not laugh and 
 sing, and furnish pleasure as well as/bod , whilst 
 the cheerful notes of birds on every tree fill the 
 soul with gladness ? 
 
 Is not this far beyond all the gay inventions of 
 city entertainments, where health so often be-
 
 48 
 
 comes a prey ; where fraud and enmity are so 
 frequently concealed under the garb of friendship 
 and pretended love ; and men, bewildering and 
 bewildered, often seek happiness in paths which 
 lead to misery? Alas! our vices here in the 
 country are also too big to be overlooked. We 
 are often vain and foolish ; but pride and folly 
 seem more contagious in great cities, where thou 
 wilt find numbers who know. not what to do 
 with themselves, or have so little leisure from 
 vain pursuits and empty joys, they hardly afford 
 themselves time to think what course is best to 
 steer to prevent intemperance and preserve their 
 lives. They see not how rapidly life ebbs out in 
 anxiety for things of no real value, whilst the 
 great business of salvation grows heavy in pro- 
 portion to their neglect of it. 
 
 It is true, my days have been chiefly spent in 
 the tumult and parade of great cities, where 
 generally the worst as well as the best part of 
 a nation are assembled, and where vice is much 
 easier propagated than virtue. In spite of all the 
 silken robes, or lighted tapers which I have seen, 
 or the melodious music I have heard, I never had 
 so many hours of true relish of life as I now 
 nj<6y. Often have I lamented the fate of my 
 good masters and their company. By meeting 
 in such multitudes, they poison themselves: and 
 in search of pleasure, and 1 the dissipation created 
 by a crowd, ttoey at once rob themselves of two
 
 49 
 
 of the choicest of blessings, pure air, and time 
 for reflection. 
 
 I do not mean to depreciate masters or servants, 
 who are perhaps much wiser and better than 
 myself: but in order to give thee right notions 
 of a city life in great families, I will tell thee 
 that I form my judgment from their real conduct. 
 
 Wlren I was in service I had many oppor- 
 tunities of making remarks : I often saw interest^ 
 fancy, opinion, and above all, custom, govern so 
 much, and reason so little, that I hardly believed 
 some people were rational creatures. But let 
 nothing dismay thee, my dear MARY! For 
 although folly will never be put out of countenance 
 whilst there are so many unwise people in the 
 world, yet wisdom will always be justified of her 
 true children. What is right and fit for us in 
 our several stations in this world, considered as 
 beings on our passage to eternity, will still be 
 right and fit ; and the good will find such coun- 
 tenance in the world, as is sufficient for their 
 purpose. 
 
 Thou, MARY, must take thy lot in the world. 
 Gladly would I retain thee as my partner in 
 these my toils and comforts, and lead thee through 
 the dangerous paths of life, had it not pleased 
 heaven to present so excellent a lady to thee for 
 a mistress. I hope she will be a guide, a teacher, 
 and a friend.- Alas, my dear MARY, there are 
 not many such, nor many servants who know when
 
 50 
 
 tliey are well off, or consider that state of servi- 
 tude, wherein their morals and piety are most 
 attended to, as the best place they can be in. 
 Whichever way I turn my thoughts, I discover 
 danger. Wert thou put out apprentice in some 
 great city to an useful trade, with a view to a 
 superior fortune, I know the world so well, thou 
 lyouldjestbemore exposed than in a well-regulated 
 private family. Think of the instruction thou 
 hast received, and I trust thou wilt be safe. Use 
 $ke means which God hath given thee, do thy 
 duty, and he will be thy friend and thy defender. 
 
 DISCOURSE VII. 
 
 As Providence seems determined that we must 
 part, let us improve every hour that remaineth, 
 before the day comes, and hear me, O my 
 daughter, with deep attention! Whether in sor- 
 row or in joy, in good fortune or in bad, death 
 ere long will separate us. Thou perchance wilt 
 go to the land where all things are forgotten, 
 before thou thinkest of it : I must go soon ! Let 
 us both prepare for that journey, as the last thing 
 which we shall have to do. I need not tell thee,
 
 51 
 
 that even these transient minutes of our dis- 
 course, which I pass with so much pleasure in 
 thy company, bring us so much nearer to our 
 end. 
 
 In the great view of immortality, what ad- 
 vantage can there be in living, but as we improve 
 our time? Those days are lost, in which we do 
 no good ; and worse than lost, in which we do 
 evil. Whether alone, or in company, we must 
 be provident of our time. We had better not 
 live, than have bad thoughts, or spend our time 
 in bad company. Those who seek for amuse- 
 ments which are either foolish or wicked, with a 
 view to what they call killing of time, Consider 
 but little what a sad compliment they make to a 
 guest, who, (hough we should court him with all 
 the smiles of love, and all the tenderness and 
 respect of friendship, is ever on the wing. There 
 is no occasion to murder him to get quit of him. 
 Yesterday is already dead ; to-morrow is not yet 
 born ; and what have we then to expect to-day? 
 And shall one poor day create such distress, to 
 make us think of murdering our best friend ? 
 How quickly fly the hours from morn till noon, 
 and from noon till night ! And then we fall into 
 the arms of sleep, which is the image of death ! 
 How monstrous is it to treat with disrespect the 
 best friend we have in the world ! This is the 
 case with those who abuse time. 
 
 Dear MARY, let me charge thee, as thou lovest
 
 52 
 
 thy tender father, to remember how difficult it 
 .is to be innocent, and at the same time idle. If 
 thou seekest to he happy, be industrious. Is any 
 thing more certain than that those who are pro- 
 perly idle people, are more troubled and perplexed 
 what to do with their time, than the industrious 
 can possibly be, on account of the hardest labour 
 they perform ? This is for the honour of industry. 
 But it goes much further ; it proves the gracious 
 design of Providence by putting the rich and poor 
 more upon an equality than either of them gene- 
 rally imagine. The poor fill up their time with 
 work, such as is useful to themselves and the 
 rest of mankind ; and the rich, such as are not 
 industrious, nor employed in useful occupations, 
 are perpetually laying out what to do with to- 
 morrow, and continually labouring in thought by 
 what means they shall fill up their time. They 
 think they have a vast superfluity, because they 
 cannot tell what to do with it. It is probable 
 such will repent, as many a rich prodigal, who 
 has squandered a large fortune and been reduced 
 to poverty, hath done. Those who understand 
 the value of time, treat it as prudent people do 
 their money; instead of spending a great deal 
 upon nothing that is useful, they make a little go 
 a great way. 
 
 It is the right use and application of time 
 which not only makes life long, but renders it 
 pleasant also, especially when we are brought to
 
 53 
 
 delight in doing the will of God. What a shock- 
 ing thing is it to hear people complain that their 
 hours move heavily, when they should be working 
 with their hands or performing some duty of 
 charity, reading some pious or useful book, or 
 doing something that will make them wiser and 
 better than they were before! They are sure 
 the hour will come when they would be glad to 
 part with all the wealth in the world, were they 
 possessed of it, in exchange for a single day. 
 
 And this brings to my mind the history of a 
 lady, once a great favourite of my master's, but 
 on whom he could make no impression in the 
 days of her health, who desired to see him when 
 she fell dangerously ill. The interview affected 
 him much, and he committed the conversation 
 to writing. The lady in question had many 
 amiable qualities, but she followed the train of 
 fair triflers, and was devoted to others inferior to 
 herself in understanding. She was sensible, af- 
 fable and polite. Her frame was too tender to 
 bear an incessant change every night from hot to 
 cold ; and, like many others, she received her 
 death's wound in a large assembly, which my 
 master used to call a well-dressed mob. 
 
 When this poor lady found herself in danger, 
 her eyes were opened. She was not ignorant of 
 my master's great partiality for her. She con- 
 sidered him as her friend, and thought well of 
 his opinion ; but, as a proof of her inconsistency,
 
 54 
 
 she had not regarded it in practice. In this ex- 
 tremity, she desired the favour of seeing him. 
 Though much displeased with her conduct, he 
 readily attended on the mournful occasion. After 
 some compliments, she said, " You see me here 
 in great danger of dying. You have been very 
 good to me on many occasions. I am sensible of 
 the sincerity with which you interested yourself 
 in the most important concern of my life. Would 
 to God I had taken your advice ! How dreadful 
 is it to live and die in folly ! I am not indeed 
 conscious of any thing which the world con- 
 demns, but I now understand and feel what is 
 meant by the world's being at enmity with God. 
 How have I squandered away my time, as if I 
 meant to give up the hopes of immortality for 
 the plaything of a child ! Alas ! my much ho- 
 noured friend, what pleasure can be found fit for 
 an immortal mind, if immortality is not regarded? 
 
 wisdom ! where was I when I should have 
 sought thee ? The neglect of thy admonitions 
 now aggravates my offences; why could I not 
 discern the truth as well as you ? Or rather, 
 why did I not practise what I knew ? I discerned 
 the truth, but was so silly as to imagine (if I 
 thought at all) that such as myself had a kind of 
 privilege of exemption from the rules which you 
 so earnestly recommended, and now how shall 
 
 1 be fit for that happiness to which I might once 
 have attained ?.
 
 55 
 
 " My guilt consisted in devoting my time to 
 vain amusements and in neglecting the great 
 business of eternity. And if it were even true 
 that any one of these amusements, singly taken, 
 might have been innocent, yet now I see clearly 
 that to make them the business of my life was 
 not innocent. I have shev\an a pernicious example 
 of idleness and levity. O God, forgive me ! I 
 have sought for happiness in places of public 
 resort, but never found it. Had I sought his 
 glory, who is the first and greatest object, he 
 who is the merciful Father of mankind, I should 
 now have been happy ! Alas ! how little did I 
 think of that Saviour, whose example was so 
 unlike toy practice ! I can scarcely persuade 
 myself I seriously believed the terms on which 
 he promised immortal happiness to his followers. 
 Here I feel the sting; it pains me bitterly; how 
 shall I extract the venom ? Tell me what I shall 
 do. In what expressions shall I humble myself 
 before God ? Where shall I seek a supply for 
 my expiring lamp, or purchase the heavenly in- 
 cense of a pious heart ? My time has winged its 
 flight beyond the reach of mortal call. I have 
 neglected constant, regular, fervent prayer. Tell 
 me, I beseech you, how shall I, with such sins 
 upon my head, now implore the mercy of 
 heaven ?" 
 
 O MARY, does not thy heart bleed at the 
 recital ? And does it not convince thee of the
 
 56 
 
 importance of those truths I have been pointing 
 out? 
 
 Those who. are much captivated with this 
 world, or averse to the thoughts of parting with 
 it, generally reckon upon years, when'they should 
 reckon upon months or weeks, or peradventure 
 upon days. They banish the thoughts of death, 
 by considering him as an enemy, who will not 
 come if he is not thought of: but this is far from 
 being true. It often happens, when his mes- 
 sengers, sickness or age, are at our doors, we do 
 not seriously believe that he is coming. The 
 reason of this I apprehend to be, that he takes 
 such a variety of forms, we cannot well distin- 
 guish till we feel his dart ; and therefore so many 
 make this a reason for believing that he is always 
 at a distance from them. 
 
 In the ordinary course of things, green fruit 
 often falls by a blast or violence, or the varipus 
 accidents to which it is subject. This is the 
 case of those who die in youth ; but as fruit that 
 is ripened by time, and its proper season, must 
 fall, so the aged must die. Death is the hus- 
 bandman that gathers us all in. 
 
 Perhaps it may administer to the establishment 
 of thy virtue to know what I gathered from my 
 master's books, confirmed by my observation 
 when I was young. Dost thou apprehend that 
 thy father is now trading on the last fifth part 
 of his stock of life, as all men are who are past
 
 fifty ? * Thou seest me cheerful and in good 
 spirits, but nature, the great agent of the 
 Almighty, has sentenced me to death. I am one 
 in four who are to die in five years, f It is true 
 I do not know certainly within five years of my 
 own death ; but this I know, that if I should live 
 through five years, then a greater proportion 
 than one in some other four must die, as it were, 
 in my place. 
 
 And what, think you, MARY, is your hazard ? 
 Hear, and be not discomfited ! Your chance is 
 nearly one in five to die in fifteen years ! J Look 
 round thee ! See how swift the scythe of death 
 mows down the children of men ! Figure to tliy- 
 self the procession of human life ; observe the 
 reality of what is passing before thine eyes; 
 behold the rich and the poor, the wise and the 
 foolish, the virtuous and the wicked, those who 
 make much noise, and those who are never heard 
 of beyond the circle of their acquaintance they 
 all march on together to one common grave, 
 which is always open, and never full. 
 
 Thou, though yet so young, must, notwith- 
 standing, have observed how quickly infants pass 
 
 * Of 1000 born, 783 are dead by the age of 50, being- 
 very near four in five, therefore only one remains. 
 
 f From 55 to 60, 31 in 173 die, which is near one in four. 
 
 J This is founded on 502 of 15 years old: of those, by 
 the time they reached 30, 94 were dead, so that it comes to 
 near one in five. 
 
 D 3
 
 into childhood, childhood into youth, youth into 
 manhood, manhood into middle age ; this again 
 into what we call advanced years, and from 
 thence how soon we appear in old age! This 
 progression of life, to people of observation, ap- 
 pears amazingly quick. Thou hearest it from 
 every one's mouth Good God, is it possible? 
 It seems to be but yesterday that such an one 
 was a child ! It is possible, for the fact is really 
 so. 
 
 The eldest, as well as the youngest of us, have 
 designs and projects, hopes and expectations, 
 which require time for the execution, perhaps 
 beyond the chance of our continuance in life ; 
 but in many cases this is necessary. 
 
 The folly and madness is to live in sin, and 
 defer repentance at the very moment that we see 
 some one of our acquaintance drop almost every 
 day, at every age, and knowing as we do, that 
 our knell must toll ere long. 
 
 What bustle do we make about life, and how 
 often forget the end and design of it ! It appears 
 but a small object, a mere sun-beam, playing in 
 the air, disappearing as the light withdraws, to 
 those who consider its duration in respect of 
 eternity, though it may indeed appear consider- 
 able to those who are uot accustomed to extend 
 their thoughts beyond it, for these have no other 
 happiness in prospect. 
 
 Every distinct person flatters himself that he
 
 59 
 
 shall not be of the number of those who die early. 
 Providence is indulgent to tts ; for though every- 
 day brings us nearer to our end, death never 
 seems near: the hour befog concealed from us, 
 we enjoy this turn of mind, and suffer no fruit- 
 less pain, O God, how manifest is thy mercy 
 and goodness, in all thy condnct towards man ! 
 Think of it, MARY, and adore him with a grate- 
 ful heart. Whether thou shah die young, or live 
 to old age, remember " that honourable age is 
 not that which standeth in length of time, nor 
 that which is measured by number of years, but 
 wisdom is gray hair unto men, and an unspotted 
 life is old age." The wise man means that 
 wisdom which will teach thee to remember thy 
 Creator in the days of thy youth, and to apply 
 thy heart so diligently to please him, that he may 
 receive thee into everlasting joy. 
 Let us be careful so to conduct ourselves, that 
 we may not be disinherited for disobedience. 
 Learn from such considerations how highly valu- 
 able thou art to thyself. The great opportunity 
 of improving in knowledge will be after this 
 life ; but the only opportunity of fitting ourselves 
 for that blessedness is now. This is the seed- 
 time; that is the harvest. If thou takest care to 
 improve this, thou art sufficiently secure of the 
 other; but if this be neglected, all is lost. I 
 have lived long, and wish that thou shouldst take 
 advantage of my thoughts and experience ; and
 
 now is thy age of learning. In a variety of in- 
 stances I feel and deplore how greatly I have 
 erred ; but this good, at least, I hope I may have 
 reaped from it, to bear with patience the many 
 infirmities of others, being myself so very im- 
 perfect. The longer I live, and the more I see 
 of tht- world, its vanities and follies, the more I 
 feel myself weaned from it ; and this will, I hope, 
 be thy case when thou hast had the same expe- 
 rience. In the mean time do thou endeavour to 
 be every day more wise and more virtuous, and 
 never tire in doing all the good that you can, in 
 spite of the folly and ingratitude thou wilt meet 
 with. And although 1 should never meet the 
 perfection after which my mind aspires, yet it 
 is my ambition, as I know it to be my duty and 
 interest, to press forward " toward the mark 
 for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus 
 Christ" 
 
 DISCOURSE VIII. 
 
 I DID not finish yesterday all that I meant to 
 say on the interesting subject we were upon. 
 Thou wilt probably see me soon a lump of ina- 
 nimate clay, and, with respect to this world, all
 
 61 
 
 my thoughts perished. But thou hast the hap- 
 piness of knowing, with full assurance, how God 
 hath declared by the holy Scriptures that death 
 shall open a passage to eternity ; a blessed eter- 
 nity to the good, though to the wicked ever- 
 lasting destruction. Those are hot Christians 
 \vho do not believe in the promises made by 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 Keep thine eye continually on the judgment to 
 come, and thou wilt govern thy life by the rules 
 of reason and religion. Think of the misery of 
 not being able to look backward without shame, 
 nor forward without terror. Think of that which 
 will give thee comfort in the last extremity, for 
 that last extremity will come, as surely as thou 
 now livest. My prayer is, " Grant, O Father, 
 and eternal God, that I may live the remainder 
 of my days (whatever the number of them shall 
 be) in thy fear, and to thy glory ; and let me die 
 the death of the righteous ! Further, I implore 
 thy favour and mercy to this my child, the 
 choicest object thou hast been pleased to give me ! 
 Grant that she may form her life and manners 
 on this great principle, that holiness alone is 
 acceptable in thy sight, and is therefore the su- 
 preme good of mortals here below, in every 
 station which thou hast assigned them. This 
 petition I offer at thy throne, O God, in the name 
 of thy Son Jesus Christ !" 
 
 It may with the greatest reason be asked of
 
 (53 
 
 any one who trembles at the thought of death, 
 or is enamoured with the love of life What is 
 it that thou valuest life for? Is it for riches? 
 These often make themselves wings, and oftener 
 prove the more immediate causes of disease 'of 
 hody and anguish of mind : they frequently create 
 more cares than extreme poverty. Is it for 
 honours? These fade at the frown of princes, 
 and as often at the capricious applause of the 
 people. Happily for such as you and I, evils of 
 this kind cannot reach us. Is it for beauty ? 
 This falls not to the lot of many, and often proves 
 the parent of misfortune ; and it is *rue, even to 
 a proverb, whatever good or evil it hath occa- 
 sioned, it is but a flower that withers away. Is 
 it health that enchanteth thee ? This is a blessing 
 indeed, but it is subject to change, almost as the 
 weather ; and the strength which attends it 
 always abates as life draws to its close. 
 
 Let it be the rule of thy life to make up thy 
 accounts every night. Consider, my daughter, 
 what thou hast said and done; nor let thy thoughts 
 go unchastised. Thus wilt thou be able to state 
 thy reckoning fairly; and, " if thy sins die before 
 thee, thou wilt have nothing to do when death 
 comes, but to die and fall asleep in peace." 
 
 It is natural to hope for length of days, for a 
 long life is surely a privilege, and when well im- 
 proved is a great blessing. If the present life 
 may aptly be compared to the seed-time, then
 
 63 
 
 is a long life well spent the seed-time prolonged ; 
 but to presume upon it, and to transgress any one 
 of the laws of God in expectation that there will 
 be time enough afterwards for repentance, is to 
 trust our whole fortune on a bottom which had 
 wrecked its millions, and is indeed the extreme 
 of madness and folly. 
 
 I have given thee many hints concerning death : 
 I hope some of them at least will be of use to 
 thee. I have often inquired how my friends and 
 acquaintances went oft' the stage ; not how much 
 they died worth, which is the usual question, but 
 what sentiments they appeared to have. 
 
 JONATHAN, whom thou rememberest, was an 
 abandoned profligate wretch, and cared not into 
 whose debt he ran, nor what dissension he lighted 
 up, provided he could satisfy his wants, and gra- 
 tify his appetite and his pride. He had not a 
 silver tongue, yet he had so much wit and cunning 
 in the art of making people believe he was in 
 earnest, and so much resolution in the execution 
 of his projects, and such skill in evading law, 
 that he laughed at all the justices of the peace in 
 the county. The wickedness of his mind shewed 
 itself in a thousand evil deeds : when he died, he 
 did not seem sensible that he must give any ac- 
 count. O miserable condition ! 
 
 Not so was RICHARD, though he had been 
 guilty of many irregularities, and could not sa- 
 tisfy his conscience on many accounts. I one
 
 64 
 
 day asked him why he was so sad. I shall never 
 forget his answer : he said, " The soul, my 
 friend, is a most serious thing, and it must either 
 be sad here for a moment, or he sad for ever!" 
 I have reason to believe he die a penitent. 
 
 PETEK was another of my acquaintance; he 
 was a clever fallow, and fit for all manner of 
 work ; he had lively parts, and was active and 
 laborious in whatever he undertook: his great 
 blemishes were inconstancy, disregard to truth, 
 and the modern careless way of living. I saw 
 him on his death-bed, and heard him say, " Good 
 God, what have I been about, and ichere am I 
 going?" From whence I hoped he was not 
 devoid of sentiments of contrition. 
 
 It was much the same with 'Squire WILLIAM. 
 Indeed he discoursed with a reverend gentleman, 
 concerning the immortality of the soul, and man's 
 eternal state, and weeping said, " O my poor soul, 
 whither wilt thou go ?" When his father came 
 to visit him, he said, " Sir, your kindness hath 
 undone me ; I abused the ample supply you gave 
 me. Were I to live my time again, I icould feed 
 on bread and water, rather than pamper my pas- 
 sions, to hurry me into such monstrous excesses" 
 
 Another gentleman, in this neighbourhood, 
 who had been employed in many great offices 
 for a number of years, in his last moments said, 
 " After so many years' experience in business, 
 noise and splendour, I think the greatest wisdom
 
 is- seriousness; the best physic, temperance; and 
 the best estate a good conscience /" declaring that, 
 were he to live over again the time he had spent 
 in the world, he would exchange the court for 
 retirement, and the palace for an hour's enjoy- 
 ment of God in his public worship ; adding these 
 words, " Now all things forsake me, except my 
 God, my duty, and my prayer." 
 
 I believe thou dost not remember NICHOLAS; 
 he was a man who had maintained some cha- 
 racter in the world, bul was much addicted to 
 pleasure and sensual gratifications, forbidden by 
 the law of Christ. He did not understand much 
 of any such law, for he seldom went to church; 
 and ttieu it seemed- to be rather to tind fault, than, 
 in the spirit of humility, to receive instruction. 
 He hardly ever looked into the A T e\v Testament; 
 and I do not remember to have heard that he 
 ever went to the Lord's supper. Upon the 
 whole, it can with no propriety be said that he 
 was a wise man : nor did it appear, when he died, 
 that he had any faith in Christ, and consequently 
 was not a Christian. Indeed he seemed much 
 confused in thought, and said (as my other ac- 
 quaintance, whom I have mentioned), Good God, 
 where am I going? From whence you may 
 judge that he believed in a God and a future 
 state, though he seemed to have no solid foun- 
 dation whereon to build his hopes or dispel his 
 fears. This must ever be the case of those who
 
 (50 
 
 live in the contempt or neglect of the holy Scrip- 
 tures and the commandments of Christ. 
 
 I understood from Sir RALPH'S butler, a few 
 months before his master died, that he desired 
 the reverend minister to make extracts out of the 
 sacred writings on the plainest and most exact 
 way of making his peace with God, observing 
 with a sigh, " How few men consider to what end 
 they are born into the world, till they are near the 
 time of leaving it.'" Sir RALPH had many virtues, 
 but thou seest how inferably poor he was, with 
 all his wealth, and how ignorant with all his 
 learning. 
 
 His intimate friend, the generous Sir GKORGE, 
 with his last breath, spoke to his friends these 
 memorable words, " Alas ! my friends, tht truest 
 bequest I can make to you is, to entreat that you 
 will govern your wills and affections by the will 
 and word of God. I have lined in what is called 
 the highest part of life, yet in me you may behold 
 the end of this world, and all its vanities. I repent 
 of all my life, but the part of it I spent in com- 
 munion with God and doing good.'" 
 
 The other day, when 1 went to see my acquain- 
 tance PHILIP, thinking him on his death-bed, 
 I asked him if he thought of God. I am shocked 
 when I recollect his answer; he said, " it is 
 not come to that yet" Still he flattered himself 
 with a continuance in life; and being so much 
 estranged from religion, he fondly imagined, on<-
 
 07 
 
 Lord have mercy on me ! when his breath was 
 departing from him, would be sufficient: and 
 yet this man had often been advised by our 
 worthy curate to amend his wicked and careless 
 life, and read the Scriptures. 
 
 When Mr. ABRAHAM inquired of the minister 
 how he should proceed to make his peace with 
 God, he gave this advice, " Read the New Tes- 
 tament, there you will find the words of eternal 
 life ; this book hath God for its author, salvation 
 for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, 
 for its matter." Thrice happy are those who 
 read that book with care, and learn that divine 
 charity which covereth the multitude of human 
 infirmities. 
 
 My cousin THOMAS, long before his death, 
 often told me his opinion, that charity in its full 
 meaning, and rightly understood, contained all 
 Christian graces; he said, " Those who have not 
 this divine principle have no good in them." His 
 piety kept pace with his charity: I believe he 
 died the death of the righteous. These last are 
 striking proofs of the advantage of virtue.
 
 DISCOURSE IX. 
 
 IN regard to thy sex, MARY, I cannot tell thee 
 so much of them as of my own ; and perhaps 
 there is not so much to tell of their difference of 
 characters and difference of behaviour in their 
 last hours. I believe the lives of women are 
 comparatively more free from atrocious guilt; 
 and that from a habit of obedience, they live 
 more submissively to the decrees of heaven : 
 perhaps, being less deeph engaged in views of 
 avarice and ambition, and not subject to such a 
 variety of temptations, they may be chiefly in 
 danger from 'pride or vanity ; which, however, in 
 their consequences, lead to hatred and envy, and 
 many other vices extremely heinous, although, 
 not being so conspicuous, they are mighty apt in 
 every station to be overlooked, or not discovered, 
 by the mind where they have gained the ascen- 
 dancy. 
 
 My cousin LUCY fell a sacrifice to the last of 
 these. She was one among the many thousands 
 who have some virtues blended with many faults ; 
 she could not properly be called vicious, but she 
 was very far from being virtuous ; in short, she 
 did not act as if she remembered her end, and 
 therefore could hardly avoid doing amiss. She 
 seemed to delight only in mirth and festivity,
 
 69 
 
 music, dancing, cards, public shows, Sec. Thus 
 instead of improving her understanding, cor- 
 recting her will, and becoming more attentive to 
 admonition, and learning to be humble, devout 
 and useful, she soon acquired the reputation of a 
 giddy girl. In the same degree that she neg- 
 lected these duties, they became tasteless and 
 insipid, and she had no heart for them. Having 
 forgotten wherein her highest excellency con- 
 sisted, she could neither look back with any true 
 satisfaction, nor forward with any joyful con- 
 fidence. She thought very little of any thing 
 but of the amusements of the present moment; 
 and I cannot say she ever appeared to be much 
 disturbed. Death at length surprised her; and 
 surprised we all must be if we do not live as if 
 the present day might be the last our eyes will 
 ever visit. She went through the common cere- 
 monies of physicians, nurses and friends, with as 
 much decency as generally attends a death-bed, 
 where the chief concern is to administer medi- 
 cines to the body. God forbjd that 1 should sit 
 in judgment on her; but neither could I ever 
 find any solid foundation whereon to rest my 
 hopes. She seemed to die as she had lived, in a 
 state of insensibility. 
 
 My master used to tell a story of a French lady, 
 which always struck me as an instance of true 
 generosity of spirit. Happening to be bled by a 
 surgeon who entertained a secret passion for her,
 
 70 
 
 the condition of the lady being much superior to 
 his, upon uncovering her arm he was visibly con- 
 fused. This was observed ; however, with great 
 affability she desired him to go on with his work ; 
 and he cut an artery, instead of opening a vein. 
 He immediately discovered his mistake, and the 
 lady was as soon sensible that she must die in 
 consequence of it : but far from loading him 
 with bitter reproaches, she saw with compassion 
 the anguish of the unhappy man, and submitted 
 to Providence. She went still further, for, 
 thinking this event would injure bis reputation 
 as a surgeon, she made a handsome provision for 
 him in her will ; and died with that greatness of 
 mind which a good understanding, supported by 
 the noble sentiments of Christian piety and gene- 
 rosity, inspires. Was not this great? Dost thou 
 think thou shouldst have done the same, under 
 the like circumstances ? 
 
 With all their imperfections, women are called 
 the devout sex ; and I have already remarked to 
 thee, that there is nothing great and noble, even 
 in martyrdom, wherein women have not been, in 
 all ages, distinguished. * 
 
 Why, my dear MARY, shouldst not thou be as 
 ready to die for the glory of God and the welfare 
 
 * Mrs. Askew, (among many others,) a single gentle- 
 woman, aged 25, was cruelly persecuted, and at last suffered 
 martyrdom, being burnt in Smithfield, in the reign of Henry 
 VIII. She died praying for her murderers.
 
 71 
 
 of thine own soul, as the greatest of the daughters 
 of women ? Never shall I forget the manner of 
 thy dear mother's death. She seemed perfectly 
 reconciled, as if she was happily arrived at her 
 journey's end, after travelling through the rough 
 ways of penury, and weathering the storms of 
 affliction. The truth is, she had lived an honest 
 and a religious life, her mind was in peace, she 
 was full of the hopes of the reward of the righte- 
 ous, and she looked up to God with confidence 
 in his mercy revealed to us by Jesus Christ ; she 
 had constantly and stedfastly fixed her eye on a 
 judgment to come, and this furnished her with 
 such principles of action as can be learnt no 
 other way. She had thought of death familiarly, 
 and therefore she did not fear it. Indeed she 
 was so truly pious and full of hope, that, to my 
 imagination in those early days, she appeared to 
 ascend the clouds in triumph. O ! my daughter, 
 may thy death, whene'er it comes, be like hers ; 
 I think thou wilt then most assuredly die the 
 death of the righteous I Why do I wander back 
 so many years, and set my wounds a-bleeding ? 
 Thou, my child, art her image ! May thy vir- 
 tues be like hers, that thou mayest at length shine 
 as the stars of heaven ! 
 
 Thou rememberest AMELIA. This was a young 
 woman of the most excellent disposition : her 
 modesty could be equalled by nothing but the 
 gracefulness of her smiles, and the benignity of
 
 72 
 
 her temper. Her dutifulness to her parents, and 
 their judicious care and tenderness were become 
 famous. She was never seen to be at a loss for 
 employment, nor out of humour for any cross 
 accident. Her own passions being always calm, 
 she was a guide and monitor to all her acquain- 
 tance. Unpractised in any art of falsehood or 
 cunning, flattery or insinuation, by the resistless 
 power of her discourse she commanded the affec- 
 tions of all her acquaintance. She sung most 
 sweetly ; but she was never tempted to wakes, 
 or fairs, or kept any company but such as her 
 parents recommended. Her winning softness 
 was attended with a turn of mind, as serious as 
 uncommon, and out of fashion. The sentiments 
 she had committed to writing, which were found 
 after her death, abundantly proved how justly 
 she thought of her own dissolution, and how 
 much her heart was devoted to her Maker. And 
 as if heaven had marked her for its own, ere she 
 had well seen twenty years, having filled up the 
 measure of her virtue, she was called to the 
 society of her kindred angels. O what a loss 
 was sustained in her! Glad should I be, to speak 
 so well of any man of my acquaintance, who, 
 having died so young, was possessed of so much 
 intrinsic worth ! 
 
 Thou hast lately seen a fresh instance how 
 precarious life is, and how it ought to be spent. 
 I hope thou wilt remember it with thy expiring
 
 73 
 
 breath. T.is but the other day, thy much-loved 
 friend, and the companion of thy earliest days, 
 AMELIA'S cousin, the sweet ELEANOR, took her 
 flight also. Hardly to complete eighteen years, is 
 young: though tialf who are born are dead by fifteen 
 years, so many drop in infancy and childhood.* 
 
 We cannot say this young woman lived not 
 half her days; for she filled up the time that 
 heaven had appointed for her. Her course of 
 virtue was early run, and the great arbiter of 
 life and death was pleased to call her to rest ! 
 
 Travellers seldom complain that they come 
 too soon at their journey's end ; and this young 
 woman who died well, had surely lived long 
 enough for herself; and as for the world in 
 general, we must leave it in the hands of God. 
 
 In the very blossom of ELEANOR'S life, her 
 virtues were fragrant ! She was early at her duty, 
 and as active as a bee; and the produce of her 
 labour as sweet as honey : she was no less a 
 mistress at her needle, than of what belonged to 
 the dairy ; and industry was her pleasure and 
 delight. In love .for her brothers and sisters, 
 nobody excelled her. She was affable to every 
 one, and always ready to plead the cause of pity 
 and of peace : no one could be a truer advocate 
 for misery and distress. When she had nothing 
 else to give, her tears stood in her eyes ; but she 
 
 * Of 1000 born, 498 are dead by the age of 15, 

 
 74 
 
 comforted herself by thinking that there is no 
 affliction for which religion has not provided 
 a remedy. She spoke of those whom she could 
 not praise, with a tenderness that expressed her 
 universal benevolence. She went to church 
 constantly every sabbath-day, and read the Bible 
 and Testament with such attention, as to under- 
 stand what was necessary to her happiness in 
 both worlds. At her leisure she read other good 
 books, and as carefully avoided those dangerous 
 stories which corrupt the heart, and pollute the 
 fancy. Guarded against the extremes of melan- 
 choly and carelessness, she possessed her soul in 
 that happy cheerfulness and composure, which 
 are the ordinary companions of innocence, and 
 the best instructors how to die. In the gifts of 
 nature she was not less happy ; being in temper 
 sweet, in manners gentle, in conversation pleasing, 
 and in voice melodious. Humility and the love 
 of truth prevented her being given to affectation, 
 for she had too much sense to be proud. With 
 her sweetness of disposition, she had a large 
 portion of courage, which she wisely thought 
 necessary to the conduct of life ; well knowing, 
 that nothing can embitter life so much as fear, 
 nor any thing be more fantastic than false delicacy, 
 as if women were not to be taught to die. She 
 was sensible that nothing can conquer this un- 
 manly passion, which is apt to shew itself in 
 such various forms, but religion, and the exercise
 
 75 
 
 of reason. With what glorious strength of mind 
 and resignation did she speak of her own death ; 
 shewing forth her confidence in the mercy of 
 God, declared by Christ ! The same sentiments, 
 and tranquillity of spirit, which rendered her 
 life so amiable, attended her expiring breath. 
 Thou knowest the manner of her death was 
 truly desirable, and her life a glorious object of 
 imitation. 
 
 Dost thou weep, my dear MARY, at this detail ? 
 Soft sorrows rather heal than wound the spirit ; 
 and there can be no bitterness in thy grief. Thy 
 tears bespeak thy tenderness ; but there are many 
 reasons why thou shouldst wipe them, and be 
 comforted. She hath happily escaped the dangers 
 with which this life abounds. Calm and serene, 
 she possessed the most peaceful purity, and un- 
 mixed hope, and exchanged this world for one 
 much better. Is not this a plentiful source of 
 consolation; to think of being out of the reach 
 of affliction ; and what is more, beyond the 
 ^possibility of offending God ! Thou, my child, 
 knowest not the dangerous smiles of a treacherous 
 world. Comfort thyself ! " Tears will not water 
 the lovely plant, to make it grow again. Sighs 
 will not give her new breath ; nor canst thou 
 furnish her with life and spirits by the waste of 
 thine own." Complain not of the shortness of 
 thy joy, nor let thy loss in her, turn to thy dis- 
 
 v O 
 
 Xj w
 
 76' 
 
 advantage. Be thankful to thy Maker that tliou 
 enjoyedst it so long, and in thy sorrow forget not 
 to pray, " Thy will, O God, be done!" " To her, 
 virtue was gray hairs, and an unspotted life old 
 age." Let the remembrance of her good qualities 
 live in thine heart; and in proportion to thy 
 love for her, let her still be thy friend and 
 monitor. Think of her happiness ; and in that 
 reflection, be happy thyself. Wipe thy tears ; 
 and whilst thou ofterest up thy pious lamentation, 
 let this instance of her well-spent life teach thee 
 what is the design of God in giving breath to 
 mortals ; and rather mourn for those who are 
 living in sin, than for thy departed friend. It is 
 a great unhappiness to deceive ourselves as to the 
 probable distance of our death. 
 
 Two of my acquaintance, lately dead, were 
 both far gone in their disease, and deemed 
 incurable : each thought the other would die 
 very soon, and openly declared his opinion ; but 
 neither seemed to imagine his own death near. 
 Wise men correct their own faults by observing 
 wherein others are defective : but with us, all 
 things go by fashion ; and it is not the custom of 
 our country to speak of the approach of death, 
 or the state of the mind, not even in the most 
 gentle terms. This is one reason why so many 
 think so little about it, or have such confused 
 thoughts on the subject. Instead of giving the
 
 77 
 
 most assistance that is practicable to those who 
 need it, we give the least that can be imagined, 
 whether it be wanted or not. 
 
 Were people of ability to talk the language of 
 reason and religion upon these awful occasions, 
 it would probably rouse the spirits of many 
 a sick person, and make the approach of death 
 less dreadful. 
 
 If near relations were to endeavour by reading, 
 prayer, or discourse, to inspire the dying person 
 with courage to bear pain and death, the living 
 would learn the better how to die. The approach 
 of death, like other dangers, is apt to terrify the 
 fearful. Now this being the last scene, it seems 
 strange that the dearest friends should be quite 
 passive, and do nothing towards brightening the 
 hopes of a blissful immortality. We suppose 
 that it will answer no good purpose to speak of 
 death to one on a sick bed, unless the patient is 
 a most abandoned, wicked person ; and yet to 
 such it may be of the least use, of which I told 
 thee some instances. Our indifference in this 
 instance isstampt with such a mark of fashionable 
 authority, that any conduct contrary to it, would 
 be suspected of enthusiasm or hypocrisy. 
 
 As a proof of this, how seldom are the ministers 
 of God's word required to attend ; though good 
 men, on such occasions, appear as angels to 
 comfort. This is strange, MARY, but I fear it 
 is too true ; and this, amongst other things, makes
 
 78 
 
 the folly more apparent, in those who trust they 
 shall repent, .though they know not when, nor 
 where, nor how. They are sure they shall die 
 sometime or other, and they observe that people 
 usually die in beds, and conclude they shall have 
 a chance of a death-bed repentance. O MARY, 
 do thou live prepared for death, nor in a concern 
 of such vast moment trust to thou knowest not 
 what. 
 
 Remember if thou puttest otf till to-morrow 
 that which thou couldst do to-day, thou wilt not 
 only be guilty of presumption, but it is highly 
 probable thou wilt never do it. I will tell 
 tfaee, MARY, why I think so. To-morrow, and 
 to-morrow, creep on in a stealing pace, to the 
 erid of our days. To-morroiv can never be to-day. 
 We never can be sure of thinking to-morrow, 
 as we do to-day ; but of this we are sure, that 
 the lamp of life burns out, though behind the 
 curtain ; and when the oil is spent, darkness must 
 follow. 
 
 The general consideration of death shews the 
 folly of immoderate grief, as well as excessive 
 joy, for any thing that befals us. It likewise 
 shews the madness of the daring sinner, who 
 mocks at the fear of God. His last day draws 
 near, when he will stand trembling with terror 
 before his tremendous judge. The approaching 
 day of the good is also coming on, in the same 
 pace ; but this will be to them a day of triumph,
 
 beyond the power of language to describe. " The 
 sorrows of the poor and the despised will then 
 fly away like the shades of night at the approach 
 of the sun." That such glory, O my daughter, 
 may be thine, shall be my constant prayer ! 
 
 DISCOURSE X. 
 
 I DARE say, MARY, thou hast thought seriously 
 of the subject of our yesterday's conversation. 
 I hope it will live in thy memory, as long as it 
 shall please Heaven to give thee breath. Thou 
 seest how sincerely I wish to promote thy well- 
 being beyond the grave ; I would gladly do the 
 same to all the children of men, and thus partake 
 of all the good they may arrive at the possession 
 of, in that country where all distinctions cease 
 but those of virtue, 
 
 I told thee thy chance of life for fifteen years, 
 and my own for five ; yet hast thou not often 
 heard people say, when they approach to sixty, 
 " Threescore years ! that is no age /" They know 
 perhaps that in a thousand born, a few remain
 
 80 
 
 alive at. fourscore, * and yet the chance is, that 
 half the people of 60 will be dead before 70. f 
 
 A\&9,poor ten years, to strut in about the world ! 
 And do they consider that these ten years are 
 but broken fragments of time, divided out amongst 
 the number of candidates of life ; some have only 
 one or two, and others eight or nine; and one 
 with another, they hardly obtain above six years 
 of the ten ? Too many are so unwilling to die, 
 as secretly to envy ignorance or poverty, or pain, 
 where they think there is a prospect of length 
 of days. 
 
 Were it duly attended to, nothing could exalt us 
 so much as the consideration of a life to come ; 
 nothing is so noble, extensive, and delightful in 
 contemplation. All the glory of this world is as 
 nothing to it And indeed mortality appears so 
 continually at our doors and windows, in our 
 chambers and fields, that one would imagine we 
 should fly to the promises of the gospel as to our 
 only Telief, and as the only effectual preservative 
 against the fear of death. But when we do not 
 
 * Of 72 persons (the remainder of 1000 born) being 70 
 years of age, by the course of mortality 55 of them die 
 vyithin ten years; and consequently only 27 of the 100O 
 remain alive at the age of 80. 
 
 t Of 135 (the remainder of 1000 born) being 60 years 
 of age, before ten years are expired CS of them die, which 
 is not far short of the half part to die before any one reaches 
 to 70 years.
 
 81 
 
 learn such lessons in our youth, we hardly come 
 to a right understanding of them ; yet learn them 
 we must at some time or other, or retire quite 
 unprepared to give up Our account. If thou, 
 MA;CY, wilt try the experiment, and make the 
 next life the first object of thy thoughts, take 
 my word for it, thou wilt, as thou advancest, 
 enjoy a glorious and delightful entertainment 
 which common mortals are strangers to. Indeed, 
 I am afraid it is a secret to a great part of 
 mankind, though evidently the leading principle 
 of the gospel, and most intimately connected with 
 our progress in holiness. It is impossible to live, 
 and not to die ; and God hath made it impossible 
 to die, without being happy or miserable after 
 death. 
 
 We hear of each other's bodily complaints, 
 " till we grow sick of the subject ;" but when 
 didst thou hear any one talk properly of the joys 
 he hoped for after death ? How might we 
 animate each other in this glorious pursuit, if 
 our practice kept pace with our Christian pro- 
 fession ! 
 
 " The wise look forward into futurity, and 
 consider what will be their condition millions of 
 ages hence, as well as what it is at present." And 
 how can the true spirit of Christianity be revived, 
 unless we meditate on the happy immortality 
 which it promises ? 
 
 Such being the defects in the practice and 
 3
 
 82 
 
 intercourse of nominal Christians, I know not 
 what better advice I can give thee, than to con- 
 verse with thine own heart ; to read, to think, to 
 regulate thy thoughts, and observe the tendency 
 of thy actions, calling thyself always to a proper 
 account. 
 
 The less thou examinest thine heart, the more 
 deceitful it will become, and the more it will 
 flatter thee. Yet when thou dost examine it, 
 be not disheartened at thine own im perfections. 
 Every thing may be reformed by grace, and 
 improved by care. Compassion is due to our- 
 selves ; a severity of self -chastisement, beyond the 
 bounds which reason warrants and our trust in 
 God demands, leads to melancholy or despair. 
 Austerities, beyond certain bounds, have not the 
 marks of true religion. We may be very wise, 
 and yet in good spirits, cheerful, and good- 
 humoured ; nay, piety itself implies an agreeable 
 and pleasing quality. In many cases we ought 
 to remember our own faults, and forget those of 
 others/ yet, though conscious of our own im- 
 perfections, we should take pains to consider 
 ourselves in that light wherein it is most probable 
 we shall benefit ; drawing this conclusion, that 
 distrust of God is of all evils the greatest except 
 despair. 
 
 Endeavour, MARY, to conquer the world and 
 
 the vanities thereof, or these will conquer thee. 
 It is necessary to contend for victory in humble
 
 S3 
 
 confidence, that when thou hast done thy en- 
 deavour, though thine own merit cannot save 
 tbee, yet wilt thou be accepted. " Be thou 
 faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown 
 of life." 
 
 Remember the counsel and admonition of our 
 great Lord and Master when he bid his disciples, 
 and consequently all his followers through all 
 generations, to be of good cheer, for that he had 
 overcome the world. If thou wilt walk in his 
 steps, thou wilt overcome it too, as far as will be 
 required of thee. Be assured that whenever the 
 thoughts of immortality are habitually rejected, 
 thou art either living in a sinful habit, in defiance 
 of heaven, or thou dost not believe the promises 
 of Christ, so as to look forward towards them 
 with a grateful, a joyful, and a courageous heart. 
 
 This great doctrine of the resurrection, is pro- 
 perly an object of faith ; but now that it is 
 revealed to us, nothing is more agreeable to 
 reason, and the works of God give evidence to it, 
 I know, that although the corn which I sow 
 corrupts, and lies dead in the earth, it brings 
 forth its seed in due season. These are the works 
 of God, and we see the effects with our eyes, 
 but how they are performed we know not. Thou 
 seest them, and believest in them ; is it not 
 highly reasonable to believe in his word also? 
 We have the most undoubted evidence that 
 Christ arose from the dead, and that he raised
 
 84 
 
 the dead. The miracles he did, gave proof of 
 the will of the Almighty, as well as of his power ; 
 and we have the express promise of Christ (if we 
 are really his disciples) that where he is, there we 
 shall be also. St. John xiv. 3. 
 
 If thou therefore meanest to deserve the glorious 
 name of a Christian, be zealous for thy Master's 
 honour. Examine into the circumstances of his 
 life with care and attention, and shew thy love 
 for him by thy obedience to his precepts : all 
 other instructions compared to them are light in 
 the balance. Thou wilt find it in the New 
 Testament, most clearly marked out.* Keep 
 
 * Instances of the life of our Saviour proposed to imitation. 
 
 1. His early piety. Luke ii. 46. 
 
 2. obedience to hi* earthly parents. Luke ii. 51. 
 
 5. unwearied diligence in doing good. Acts x. 38. 
 4. humility and lowliness of mind. Matt. xi. 29. 
 
 r>. The unblameableness and inoffensiveness of his life 
 and actions. Matt. xix. 27. 
 
 6. His eminent self-denial. Phil. ii. 7, 8. 
 
 7. contentment in a low and mean condition in this 
 
 world. Luke ix. 58. Phil. iv. ii. 
 
 8. frequent performance of the duty of private prayer. 
 
 Luke vi. 12 Mark i. 35. 
 
 9. affectionate performance of the duty of praise and 
 
 thanksgiving. Matt. xi. 25. John xi. 41. 
 
 10. compassion towards those who were miserable and 
 
 in distress. Matt. xx. 34. 
 
 11. spiritual entertainment, and useful discourse. Luke 
 
 aciv. 7. xxiv. 13.
 
 85 
 
 thine eye on this model in every action of thy 
 life ; it will give thee more comfort and joy ia 
 the end, than volumes of other reading, or all the 
 pleasures the earth can furnish. 
 
 And what hath been the fate even of whole 
 nations, with rega d to this world? Where are 
 the ancient people, the Jews, who made so great 
 a figure in their time, as the sacred history 
 informs us ? What variety of national punish- 
 ments did their sins occasion, till they were cut 
 off from the earth as a people! Where are the 
 mighty empires of the Assyrians, the Babylo- 
 nians and Egyptians? Where are the Romans, 
 who were masters of the Jews, as the Scriptures 
 acquaint us, when, under their ruler PONTIUS 
 PILATE, the Lord Jesus Christ was put to death 
 
 12. His free, familiar, sociable behaviour. Matt. xi. Id. 
 
 Luke v. 29. 
 J3. patience under sufferings and reproaches. 1 Peter 
 
 ii. 21, 22. 
 
 14. readiness to forgive injuries. Luke xxiii. 34. 
 
 15. laying to heart the sins as well as sufferings of 
 
 others. Mark iii. 5. 
 
 16. zeal for the public worship of God. John ii. 17. 
 
 17. glorifying his Father in all he did. John xvii. 4. 
 
 18. impartiality in reproving sin. Matt. xxii. 23. 
 
 10. universal obedience to his Father's will, and 
 cheerful submission to his Father's pleasure. 
 Matt, xx vi. 99. 
 
 20. laws and practice of universal holiness, both in 
 heart and life. Luke iv. 34.
 
 86 
 
 upon the cross? Those mighty states are wiped 
 off the face of the earth. And what will he the 
 fate of the earth itself, and all the glorious lumi- 
 naries that surround it ? The stars will fade 
 away, and the sun he extinguished, at the com- 
 mand of the Most High. But still, my daughter, 
 thou who art as a worm wilt live for ever. If 
 therefore at any time thy misery should be great, 
 though great, misery is seldom the lot of the vir- 
 tuous, still consider that it will not last long. 
 It will soon cease, or it will make an end of thee 
 by death, and death will crown thy constancy 
 with everlasting happiness. 
 
 DISCOURSE XI. 
 
 IN contemplating the life of our Saviour, and 
 the rules of behaviour which he hath taught, thou 
 wilt find such hope and joy spring up in thy 
 breast, as will banish all false apprehensions. 
 Whatever thy lot may be, this will prevent thy 
 falling into the blindness of superstition, the 
 frenzy of enthusiasm, or the deplorable sighs of 
 melancholy. There are many who pretend to 
 genuine Christianity, and yet have foisted into 
 their religion a vast variety of follies and ini- 
 quities. It is necessary on this occasion to warn 
 thee against them.
 
 87 
 
 The Papists have carried their superstition to 
 the height of idolatry, insomuch that they even 
 pray to deceased mortals, and worship images 
 made of wood and stone, pray to saints of their 
 own making. I have heard my master say that 
 he has seen in Popish countries, images carried 
 about the streets, to which the people fell down 
 upon their knees and prayed, ascribing to them 
 the power of working miracles. To such heights 
 of dotage and childishness may mankind be 
 brought, when they have once deviated from the 
 true worship of the one supreme and invisible 
 God ! Canst thou think there are any in this 
 land so blind as to entertain this absurd faith ? 
 There are some so foolish, even at this time, 
 when Papists themselves in several Popish coun- 
 tries, are every day discovering their errors and 
 delusions. To such a height may false fear and 
 fantastic hope be carried, as to make people 
 believe that such a male or female saint can do 
 such and such things for them ; or if they make 
 application, with liberal presents, at the church 
 or chapel dedicated to such a saint, he will avert 
 evils and give them success. These people also 
 make vows and promises, as if God were to be 
 bribed by their gifts and deeds of ostentatious 
 charity. 
 
 Learn from hence what evils mankind are ex- 
 posed to ; and how happy we are in being bora 
 in a land where the Scriptures are in every one's
 
 88 
 
 hand, remembering that the greater our oppor- 
 tunities, the greater will be our condemnation if 
 we do not avail ourselves of them, and that it 
 will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at 
 the day of judgment than for us ! See St. Luke 
 x. 14. 
 
 Perhaps thou art not aware that even right 
 dispositions, if carried beyond their due bounds, 
 and not regulated by reason, may degenerate into 
 vices. And thus it comes that the fear of God, 
 if unworthy notions are entertained of him, may 
 produce superstition. In some countries this 
 weakness has been considered as a crime; but 
 surely, M ARY, it is rather an object of thy com- 
 passion than of thy anger. Some to this day 
 make every thing to be ominous, and in their 
 foolish opinion, the most simple accidents threaten 
 great evils witness the croaking of a raven, or 
 the tickling of a spider or other insect, vulgarly 
 called a death-watch. Thou hast seen some of 
 our good neighbours much disturbed at the over- 
 setting of salt on the table, and by laying knives 
 across; and if there happen to be just thirteen 
 in number in a company, they make it a reason 
 for believing one of them will die within the 
 course of the year ; and not knowing who it will 
 be, they all imagine what they please, and take 
 pains to torment themselves. There are a thou- 
 sand foolish whims, the true growth of super- 
 stition. It is hard to say whether there be most
 
 89 
 
 folly or madness in this; but it certainly argues 
 a distrust of the wisdom and goodness of God : 
 for how can we suppose that the all-wise Ruler 
 of the world will discover any of his designs to 
 men, by means so trifling and insignificant, or 
 torment them by doubts and anxieties, founded 
 On such trivial circumstances ? Superstition 
 prepares the mind to receive any impressions 
 from artful persons, such as pretend to tell for- 
 tunes, and others yet more wicked, who, deluding 
 by false doctrines, and representing falsehood as 
 truth, and vice as virtue, lead the unwary into 
 great mischief, and sometimes into destruction. 
 And thus superstition roots up the foundations 
 of religion ; and in no instance has it been pro- 
 ductive of more tragical effects than in the belief 
 of witchcraft. Be assured, MAHY, that witches 
 are nothing but the children of a sick brain. To 
 imagine that the Lord of nature should make a 
 poor old woman an instrument to " untie the 
 winds, to swallow up ships in the waves, to blight 
 the bladed corn, and to afflict a favourite child 
 with fits or insanity," merely because she has 
 been refused a trifle when begging at the door, 
 is altogether weak and absurd. 
 
 Our poor old neighbour, Dame Tempest, has 
 been called a witch, merely because the variety 
 of her wretchedness has made her a miserable 
 object. Her eyes are covered with a dreadful 
 salt and burning rheum ; she trembles in speech;
 
 90 
 
 her hearing much impaired ; her garb is the em- 
 blem of poverty, composed of various colours, 
 being patches with .which industry and misery 
 have loaded it. And yet this poor creature has 
 seen better days ; but, outliving all her children 
 and her friends, and condemned to a solitary 
 cottage, she hath appeared as an outcast from 
 the human race. She worked as long as she was 
 able, but is now reduced to the miserable pit- 
 tance of one shilling a week from the parish. 
 Yet in the midst of all this accumulated distress, 
 she possesses herself with patience and fortitude, 
 looking forward to her dissolution with tranquil- 
 lity and hope. When I visit her, she speaks to 
 me with freedom and good sense. " You are as an 
 angel sent from heaven," she says, " to support and 
 comfort me. You think me miserable, but per- 
 haps I am not so much so as I appear ; the evils 
 that I suffer are some of them the inevitable lot 
 of humanity, and as my conscience bears me 
 witness that ' in simplicity and godly sincerity I 
 have had my conversation in this world,' I look 
 forward with hope and confidence to brighter 
 and happier scenes ; the approach of death has 
 not any terrors for me, nay, it even seems desi- 
 rable ; and since it is the inevitable lot of all, is 
 not this a privilege, think you, which it is worth 
 the suffering something to obtain ?" 
 
 Yet, MARY^ with all this Christianity about 
 her, so weak does credulity make mankind, that
 
 91 
 
 she is suspected of being what they call a witch. 
 When fear of evil is founded in a sense of guilt, 
 repentance and amendment of life only can sub- 
 due it, and convert it into the genuine fear of 
 God. There is, however, but one way of forti- 
 fying thy soul against superstitious fear, and that 
 is, by endeavouring, with singleness of heart, to 
 secure to thyself the friendship and protection 
 of that Being who disposes of all events, past, 
 present and to. come; insomuch that not a hair 
 can fall from thy head, but he knoweth it. 
 I must give thee another charge with regard 
 to false notions of religion. I have heard people 
 talk of enthusiasts, who have totally neglected 
 their families, their own health, and the concerns 
 of this world, supposing this to be necessary to 
 maintain an intercourse with the next. What a 
 strange absurdity 1 In Popish countries, numbers 
 of both sexes live on the spoils of the poor, and 
 do nothing ; but religion is so far from supposing 
 that we have not bodies to provide for, that there 
 is hardly a lesson in it which does not teach 
 something that regards the good of the body; 
 and whoever neglects his family, or his own 
 health, from a mistaken notion that he shall 
 thereby more acceptably serve God, will find that 
 he is most grievously mistaken, for this is volun- 
 tary to leave undone, and to unfit himself for 
 many of those duties which the Gospel requires. 
 That there are enthusiasts of this untoward and
 
 9-2 
 
 ridiculous turn of mind, I do indeed believe, but 
 I am persuaded their number is very inconsider- 
 able, and that these ought rather to be ranked 
 as madmen, than merely as enthusiasts. " I was 
 hungry and ye gave me food ; I was naked and 
 ye clothed me; 1 was sick and ye visited me." 
 These, our great friend the Lord Jesus informs 
 us, are works which he wjll regard as done to 
 himself, if we do them to others who are in need. 
 And though they must flow from a good spirit, 
 they surely relate to the body. 
 
 Though i give thee this caution against a false 
 notion which pious people sometimes fall into, 
 I believe there are very few instances wherein 
 industry is checked by piety, so as to neglect 
 a provision for the body. The sobriety recom- 
 mended by religion, naturally tends to promote 
 industry. 
 
 Another evil is melancholy : this sees misfor- 
 tunes which never come, it anticipates those 
 that will come, ajid it aggravates them when they 
 are arrived : in effect, it runs to meet those cala- 
 mities which we should rather fly from, or, by 
 opposing them with courage, conquer them. 
 Superstition and melancholy are nearly related, 
 and generally meet in the same person. Upon 
 the whole, we have all need of a faithful friend, 
 or a severe enemy, to admonish and correct us, 
 to persuade us to our duty, or shew us our faults, 
 so as to make us ashamed of them. Happy are
 
 those who have such a friend ! In me, daughter, 
 thou findest one whose fidelity thou mayest 
 depend on. These evils are to be guarded against 
 with the more care, as they often take the name 
 of virtues; and few who are infected by them 
 are s nsiMe of their disease: being the effect of 
 gross folly or weakness of mind, the same weak- 
 ness renders the remedy hard to come at. 
 
 DISCOURSE XII. 
 
 BUT worse even than superstition, enthusiasm, 
 or melancholy, is the evil of uncharitableness in 
 respect to others who differ from ourselves in 
 opinion. Every people and language have no- 
 tions of things peculiar to themselves ; but want 
 of charity is the rock on which so many millions 
 have run, when they have fondly imagined them- 
 selves to be in a fair course. The opinions of 
 men are as different as their persons ; and the 
 rash manner in which we sometimes hear sen- 
 tence pronounced on each other is no proof of 
 wisdom, but, on the contrary, leads many into a 
 labyrinth of uncharitable blindness. 
 
 I believe, my daughter, that all mankind who 
 act agreeably to the dictates of their conscience, 
 according to the lights afforded them, will be 
 accepted by God: I believe this, because I hope
 
 04 
 
 the sincerity of my own heart will be accepted 
 by him, though I should err ; and for the same 
 reason that 1 would shew mercy to others, I hope 
 mercy will be shewn to me. 
 
 God forbid that thou shouldst look upon any 
 one as a foe to heaven, merely because he differs 
 from th.ee in opinion ; or be an enemy to any 
 person who, as far as thou knowest, is a friend to 
 God. Do not thou, who art dust and ashes, pre- 
 tend to decide the fate of others ; nor let it affect 
 the benevolence of thy mind, though others 
 should presumptuously sit in judgment upon 
 thee. Adore thy Maker for his boundless good- 
 ness to all the children of men, whatever their 
 situation may be. If thou hast a deep sense of 
 such goodness, it will naturally inspire thy mind 
 with the tenderest charity and the truest benevo- 
 lence towards all thy fellow-creatures, by what- 
 ever faith, mode of worship, or worldly interests 
 they are distinguished. This is the way, my 
 dear MARY, to follow the great Lord and Teacher 
 of the Christian world. 
 
 If thou thinkest thy neighbour in an error, 
 which it is not in thy power to correct, it is 
 enough if thou avoidest falling into the same 
 mistake. Still, I say, be charitable, and leave him 
 to that Being who is infinite in wisdom and 
 mercy, and will most assuredly adjust all those 
 differences which men so often, and so vainly 
 attempt to regulate.
 
 95 
 
 I have many times observed, my daughter, 
 that, whether in religious or worldly concerns, 
 " what men say for themselves, and what their 
 adversaries infer, or represent them as saying, 
 are generally two very different things ; and those 
 who will not be at the pains to consider dis- 
 tinctly what each side alleges for itself, but will 
 judge of either by the character or representation 
 made of it, will be for ever led into erroneous 
 judgments concerning men and things, and con- 
 tinue unavoidably ignorant of the true state of 
 the matter in question." Experience has taught 
 me this is so much the case, that I am always 
 slow of believing vulgar report. 
 
 As creatures of one common nature, endowed 
 with such noble principles of action, anci yet 
 limited to so short a time, one might suppose 
 that nothing but love and harmony would be 
 found here on earth; yet, unhappily, how con- 
 stantly do we observe the contrary ! 
 
 The gay world, whose pursuits do not allow 
 them time for much inquiry, are too apt to 
 reproach the most serious, be their faith and 
 practice ever so pure, and frequently represent 
 them as of some sect or other which they thrnk 
 to be a reproach. The most ignorant are always 
 the most conceited, or unable to discern their 
 own folly, or the wisdom of others. 
 
 If, therefore, it should fall to thy lot to be 
 reproached for thy piety, as if, being pioas, there-
 
 96 
 
 fore thou must have adopted some false opinion, 
 bear it patiently : rather think it the misfortune 
 of others in judging ill, than thy own .in being ill 
 judged of; for most of us have a greater propen- 
 sity to detect small faults than to applaud great 
 virtues. 
 
 In general, mankind live more according to 
 fashion and opinion, which are very changeable, 
 than according to the rules of wisdom, which 
 are steady and lasting; and as they live them- 
 selves, so they judge of others. 
 
 Upon the whole, I hope thou wilt treat all 
 foolish or unjust reproach with indifference; yet, 
 as occasions offer, it may be not only warrantable, 
 but necessary, to defend thyself, by explaining 
 thy opinion, and recommending peace and good 
 will. Contradiction expressed in gross terms 
 inflames the passions, and passionate disputes 
 hardly ever enlighten the understanding, though 
 they often extinguish the light of reason. " In 
 heat of argument men are commonly like those 
 that are tied back to back, close joined, and yet 
 they cannot see one another." My master used 
 to mention an excellent rule to be observed in 
 disputes : " That we should give soft words and 
 hard arguments, and not strive to vex but to con- 
 vince our opponents." 
 
 *' There is as much wisdom in bearing with 
 other peoples' defects as in being sensible of their 
 good qualities; and we should make the follies
 
 97 
 
 of others a warning and instruction to ourselves." 
 This is the way to preserve the mind in charity 
 and peace, to correct ourselves, and to reform the 
 world. 
 
 Thou, my dear MARY, art yet comparatively 
 in a state of innocence. Mayest thou continue 
 in it, and let me die in peace ! Remember that 
 " it is always term-time in the court of con- 
 science ; and every one committing a trespass 
 is a prisoner of justice as soon as it is done,'* 
 whether it be known or not. What even thy 
 conscience but whispers thee to be wrong, there 
 is so strong a presumption will be displeasing to 
 God, that thou shouldst forbear and fly from it, 
 lest it sting thee to death ; for " a wounded spirit 
 who can bear ?" 
 
 There is no remaining fixed to one point; thou 
 wilt be always going on improving, or giving way 
 and growing worse. Time never stands still: 
 our nature subjects us to change ; and our change 
 should always be for the better. Thus, though 
 thou shouldst remain low in condition, thou 
 mayest rank high in virtue ; but all the wealth 
 in the world will not compensate for a bad con- 
 science. Let a little time pass, and all the dis- 
 tinctions about which mankind make such a 
 bustle, and often hazard their conscience and 
 their souls, drop into the grave. The earth will 
 cover us all ere long, and she herself will be 
 
 F
 
 98 
 
 changed ; and therefore it is absurd to be exalted 
 or dejected, beyond measure, about any thwg 
 here below. 
 
 I will venture to assure thee, from the variety 
 I have seen in my own life, that reality scarce 
 ever equals imagination. Our earthly delights 
 are seldom so sweet in enjoyment as they are in 
 expectation ; but the pleasures of the mind are 
 always sweet in proportion as they arise from a 
 quiet conscience and a mind full of hope. To 
 be sensible that the conscience is wounded is one 
 part of its cure, provided we keep the sore open 
 till it heals effectually, and not as those who skin 
 it over, or do any thing to divert the pain. " It 
 fareth with men of an evil conscience, when they 
 must die, as it does with riotous spendthrifts 
 when they must pay their debts ; they have de- 
 clined coming to account, from a distrust of their 
 inability to pay, till the hand of justice overtakes 
 them." Think, O my dear MARY, that divine 
 justice comes with leaden feet, yet if we persist 
 in our offences, it will strike with iron hands. 
 Heaven preserve thy soul unspotted from the 
 world !
 
 DISCOURSE XIII. 
 
 IN common life, MARY, we esteem humility 
 one of the most excellent of moral virtues. It 
 makes us love our fellow-creatures, and often 
 attracts their affection, but can excite no malice 
 or envy. It has one peculiar advantage adapted 
 to all circumstances, for it sets us above the 
 world in the truest and best sense ; for " he that 
 is little in his own eyes, will not be troubled to 
 be thought so by others." The consequence of 
 which is, freedom from temptations to pride and 
 envy ; whilst it bids fair to subdue anger, am- 
 bition, and all other turbulent passions, which 
 are so apt to inflame and disturb the human 
 breast. Thus, what is most pleasing to God, is 
 at the same time most productive of worldly 
 happiness. " Blessed are the meek, for they 
 shall inherit the earth." 
 
 Thou hast promised me in the most solemn 
 manner to be humble, that is, to use thy endea- 
 vours to be so. Our Saviour commands us to 
 learn of him, for that he is meek and lowly ; and 
 if we follow his example, we shall find rest unto 
 our souls. From whence we may easily conclude 
 that we shall not find any such rest if we are 
 turbulent, ambitious, covetous, or discontented. 
 One sally of anger, one emotion of envy, or 
 unchaste desire, naturally begets another; and
 
 100 
 
 till we conquer ourselves we certainly shall not 
 be at peace. The mind is the seat of empire in 
 the little world within us, and if its subjects 
 mean to be at peace, they must be quiet. 
 
 If any temptation create an extraordinary 
 tumult in thy breast concerning what is right to 
 be done, consult thy conscience, and humble 
 thyself before thy God. In doing this we may 
 possibly feel some smart, but this is of the kind 
 we are sensible of on the dressing a wound by 
 any salve which heals it. Humility hath amazing 
 properties, and operates on the passions like a 
 charm. If against thy better judgment thy in- 
 clination pulls thee with the cords of iniquity, 
 fly to thy prayers for succour. Think of the 
 effects of ingratitude : consider the terrors of 
 an offended conscience: bring that to thine eyes 
 immediately, which must surely happen : and 
 startle at the bitter pangs of remorse ! 
 
 We often hear the sober part of mankind talk 
 of the necessity of warring against nature; but 
 they mean this of the corruptions of our nature. 
 To oppose the evil propensities to which we find 
 ourselves inclined, is the best proof of being 
 friends to religion. If our passions rebel, we 
 must war against them, and reduce them to 
 obedience and reason. By whatever name thou 
 callest thy evil inclinations, it is thy duty to 
 oppose them. The task will become easy as soon 
 as thou art accustomed to it, aud the struggle
 
 101 
 
 will be crowned with victory. We are assured 
 that the power of conquering will be given us, 
 if we seek it with a sincere heart. 
 
 If thou wilt take my advice, read the New 
 Testament every day of thy life, though it should 
 be but a verse or two, in order to supply thyself 
 with some good thought. Lend a patient ear to 
 these oracles of God. Transcribe what thou 
 readest into thine heart, and cherish it in thy 
 bosom. 
 
 If the circumstances of the life and death of 
 Christ, what he did and suffered, and what he hath 
 commanded and forbidden, were made the rule of 
 life, we should feel our existence in a very dif- 
 ferent manner, and our days would pass in greater 
 peace. Such lessons are necessary at all times ; 
 but if we do not learn and relish them whilst we 
 are in youth, how are we to form our taste and 
 model our lives as we advance in years? If we 
 dwell on the sense contained in the Scriptures, 
 and consider them as the words of eternal life, we 
 shall not be at a loss to find the road to a happy 
 eternity. What years have I squandered! How 
 often have I offended my reason ! From experience 
 I now am qualified to be thy instructor: O my 
 daughter, attend to my words, and be wise ! 
 
 Indeed, MARY, I am under no anxiety as to 
 what thy lot may be in this world, provided thy 
 life be virtuous. I hope all other good will fol- 
 low ; for, whilst thou art virtuous, thou ne*ver
 
 10-2 
 
 wilt be forsaken of God, or totally rejected by 
 thy fellow-creatures. Thy want of riches is, in 
 many respects, freedom from temptation ; such 
 is the kindness of heaven in that which is with- 
 held as well as in that which may be given. 
 When we see good men afflicted, which frequently 
 happens to some during the whole course of a 
 long life* for what can this be but to exercise 
 their faith, and advance them in their progress 
 to perfection? There needs no extraordinary- 
 powers of understanding to reconcile such events. 
 I learnt in my early days that even heathens 
 conciwded, from the distress in which virtue is 
 sometimes involved, and from the splendour in 
 which vke frequently triumphs, there must be a 
 state of rewards and punishments after death 
 and accordingly my master told me that their an* 
 cient poets represented this state in very strong 
 ufld significant terms. They had no clear lights 
 ;o guide them; we have such lights. No man 
 <>n earth has been in heaven or in hell to tell us 
 what is passing there ; but the word of God gives 
 us as much information in this matter as can pos- 
 sibly be necessary ; for if men believe it not, 
 " neither would they be persuaded though one 
 should rise from the dead." Could I, my dear 
 MARY, " represent to thee the different states of 
 good and bad men could I give thee the prospect 
 which the blessed martyr ST. STEPHEN had, and 
 shew thee the blessed ^ESUS, at the right hand
 
 103 
 
 of God, surrotmded with angels, and spirits of 
 just men made perfect could I open thine ears to 
 hear the never-ceasing hymns of praise which the 
 blessed above sing to him that mas, and is, and is 
 tv come ; and to the lamb that -w'as slain, but livctk 
 for ewer could I lead thee through the unbound* 
 ed regions of eternal day, and shew the mutual 
 and unbounded joys of saints, who are at rest 
 from their labour, and: live for ever in the pre- 
 sence of God ! or could I change the scene, and 
 unbar the iron gates of hell, and carry thee through 
 solid darkness, to the fire that never goes out and to 
 the worm that never dies could I shew thee the 
 apostate angels fast bound in chains, or the souls 
 of wicked men overwhelmed with torment and 
 despair could I open thine ears to hear the deep 
 Itself groan with the continual cries of misery, 
 cries which can never reach the throne of mercy, 
 but return in sad echoes, and add even to the 
 very horrors of hell," could I do this, my daugh- 
 ter, 1 should rouse every faculty of thy soul, and 
 arm thee with a triple shield to guard it against 
 the dangers it is exposed to. 
 
 What I have been saying to thee is not vision- 
 ary nor fanatical; they are the words of a great 
 divine,* drawn from the Scriptures, and thou 
 niayest plainly perceive in them the most nervous 
 sense and manly piety, devoid of all poetical fic- 
 
 * Dr. Sherlock, Vol. I. Discourse 1.
 
 104 
 
 tion, and free from the bitter sighs of melancholy, 
 the false fears of superstition, or the irregular 
 warmth of enthusiasm. 
 
 Make it thine own by recollection, and live as 
 if thou hadst the glories of heaven in thy view. 
 Thus, by the mercies of God, thou wilt ere long 
 arrive in those blissful regions which the learned 
 and judicious prelate has so beautifully described, 
 there to sing hallelujahs before the throne of the 
 Almighty in the transcendent glory of the one 
 Supreme, and partake of that happiness which 
 surpasses all description, and will endure for ever 
 and ever. 
 !n 
 
 DISCOURSE XIV 
 
 I AM afraid, MARY, thou hast experienced so 
 much tenderness under my humble roof, thou 
 wilt think thy treatment the harsher any where 
 else; but fear not: rather suspect that an excess 
 of kindness may make thee proud, or lead thee 
 into some other snare, than be discomforted, if 
 some things should be displeasing to thee. Bles- 
 sed are those who do not raise their expectations 
 above measure ; for they shall not be disappointed.
 
 105 
 
 Nothing is more natural to youth than impatience. 
 Their inexperience flatters them into a belief that 
 every thing ought to be according to their will. 
 They forget the proverb, that " the furthest way 
 about is the nearest way home ;" and are often in 
 so great a hurry as to defeat their own purpose. 
 They do not accommodate their minds to others 
 as subordination requires, and yet they flatter 
 themselves that others will submit to them. 
 
 It is said that " hasty men never want woe;" 
 and it is most true, that impatience often in- 
 volves them in quarrels and great difficulties. I 
 charge thee, MARY, to love patience. Carry 
 these truths stored in thy mind. " A patient 
 man will bear for a time, and afterward joy shalj 
 spring up unto him. He will hide his words for 
 a time; and the lips of many shall declare his 
 wisdom. The sinner shall not escape with his 
 spoils ; and the patience of the godly shall not be 
 in vain." These, my daughter, are the senti- 
 ments given in this case, by the wisest man, 
 except one, that ever lived upon the earth ; and 
 the experience of above two thousand years, 
 has confirmed the matter. 
 
 The government of the tongue also seems to be 
 a branch of patience, for unseemly words are a 
 great proof of the want of it. We have a common 
 saying (of those who speak foolishly), " that a 
 fool's bolt is soon shot." We have two ears, and 
 but one tongue, as if Providence meant that we 
 
 F3
 
 10(5 
 
 should hear much and speak little. To use good 
 words is an easy obligation ; but not to speak ill, 
 requires only our silence, which costs nothing. 
 When thou nearest evil reports, repeat them not, 
 thou wilt then be sure of doing no harm to thy- 
 self, nor injustice to thy neighbour : and this will 
 afford thee more true satisfaction, than any plea- 
 sure thou canst enjoy in telling a tale, the very 
 repetition .of which carries with it some degree 
 of evil. If there is no use in telling it, but merely 
 for conversation, there is some danger ; and 
 therefore let every one talk of it, before thou 
 openest thy mouth ; and then do it with tender- 
 ness and sorrow, rather than severity and satis- 
 faction. If there is joy in heaven over a sinner 
 that repenteth, there must be sorrow in heaven 
 over every one that offends: and shall angels 
 weep, and sinful man make a play-game of human 
 misery ? O my daughter, let not my lessons of 
 charity and compassion be given in vain. The 
 day will come, when thou wilt think them of 
 great value ; and how vastly shall I gain by this 
 cultivation of thy heart, as well as my own, when 
 I must leave my fields to another husbandman ! 
 
 Believe me, there is nothing so dangerous, or 
 so contemptible, as a satirical vein, and an over- 
 bearing manner of treating friends or foes. " He 
 that maketh others afraid of his wit, hath need 
 be afraid of their memory." To despise those 
 with whom we commonly converse, or turn them
 
 107 
 
 into ridicule, is so ungenerous, I may say so 
 treacherous, that it is shocking to humanity 
 The best dispositions have many blemishes; and 
 why should we speak of them to no good end? 
 The artful way of mentioning some slight merits 
 to gain credit for candour, and then come out 
 with a but, and heavy accusations, is really abo- 
 minable! Always think before thou speakest. 
 
 In order to live peaceably, *' never construe 
 that in earnest which may be considered as-spoken 
 in jest, and be careful not to say that in jest 
 which may be construed in earnest." It is a pro- 
 verb, that " many a true word has been spoken 
 in jest:" but whether it be jest or earnest, peo- 
 ple, conceited of their wit, usually say what they 
 think is bright and shining, let it cost them or 
 their neighbour ever so dear. There is a time 
 when nothing, a time when something, but no 
 time when all things are to be spoken. Life and 
 death are in the power of the tongue. Therefore 
 take heed, my daughter, of whom, and to whom, 
 thou speakest. 
 
 The fondness which most people have of hear- 
 ing themselves speak, and of entertaining each 
 other, often prompts them to supply the defects 
 of memory by invention ; I do not mean premedi- 
 tated falsehood, but that in a flow of spirits they 
 make their story good at ail events. Most people 
 who attempt to tell stories, are apt to tell them 
 too often, especially as they grow old : " a tale
 
 108 
 
 out of season, is as music in mourning ;" ami 
 many a good story ill-told, appears a bad one. 
 
 Above all, let me caution thee never to close 
 thine eyes in sleep without recollecting whether 
 thou hast not said something wicked or foolish, 
 too much, or perchance too little in the day past. 
 Repent with shame and sorrow. There are some 
 so unguarded and liberal 6f speech, and indulge 
 their resentments so much, that their whole life 
 becomes a scene of folly or guilt; and some who 
 are so callous, they know not when they offend. 
 Nothing creates variance so much as evil 
 tongues ; and thy sex and youth make it more 
 particularly incumbent on thee not to indulge 
 thyself in much talking; it cannot be reconciled 
 to modesty, and it opens such a field for famili- 
 arity among servants, as is apt to breed hatred 
 and contempt, or love out of season. Thou 
 mayest observe, that people of no education are 
 so much the less reserved in the decency and 
 modesty of their discourse. 
 
 Consider also thy particular situation as a 
 servant. The superior station of thy mistress 
 will naturally lead her to expect a degree of ho- 
 mage from thee; and that thou shouldst not 
 speak but when thou art spoken to, and then be 
 as ready as thou canst with thy answer. If her 
 regard for thee should incline her sometimes to 
 speak familiarly, never forget she is thy mistress. 
 If she should occasionally consider thee as her
 
 109 
 
 bumble friend and companion, thy task will be- 
 come the more difficult. If thou speak boldly it 
 may be considered as impertinence; and if thou 
 flatter her, as is the custom of female servants in 
 such circumstances, she being a woman of under- 
 standing, will look upon thee with contempt. 
 In common life, we, who from birth and educa. 
 tion have no view beyond servitude, are apt to 
 grow useless^ if not impertinent, if we meet with 
 much indulgence. 
 
 If thy mistress should demand thy opinion of a 
 matter thou dost not understand, to excuse thy- 
 self as being ignorant is sufficient; but if thou 
 art acquainted with it, relate the facts rather than 
 give thy opinion of them, and leave her to form 
 a judgment, declaring, in submissive teVms, how 
 much more able she is to judge than thyself. 
 This thou mayest do without the least violation 
 of truth ; for, in all human probability, it will 
 be the case ; but remember to express thyself in 
 as few, not in as many, words as possible. 1 
 have said the more on this subject, not only with 
 a view to teach thee how to behave in general, 
 but as happiness in service depends so much on 
 the government of the tongue.
 
 110 
 
 DISCOURSE XV. 
 
 FROM the government of the tongue, consider 
 next, MARY, the importance of truth. I have 
 heard my master say, that the Egyptians of old 
 were used to wear a golden chain, beset with 
 precious stones, which they styled truth, inti- 
 mating that to be the most illustrious ornament. 
 
 The sacred writings tell us that God is truth; 
 and therefore, to pervert the use of our speech, 
 which so remarkably distinguishes us from the 
 beasts that perish, must be a high offence to him. 
 " Truth is always consistent with itself, and 
 needs nothing to help it out ; it is always at hand, 
 and sits upon our lips, and is ready to drop out 
 before we are aware: whereas a lie is trouble- 
 some, and sets a man's invention on the rack ; 
 and one trick needs a great many more to make 
 it good." Servants are but too justly accused of 
 being guilty of this vice, yet unhappily it is not 
 wholly confined to them. Alas ! my dear MARY, 
 when I attended at table, I once heard a great 
 lie from the lips of a fine lady ; every one stared 
 as if they had been frightened, but nobody re- 
 proved her. 
 
 Amongst the first Christians, they counted it a 
 most impious thing even to dissemble the truth ; 
 and, when under persecution, scorned even life
 
 Ill 
 
 itself rather than preserve it on such base terms. 
 
 This was not enthusiasm, but sober sense and 
 
 reason : they were followers of him " in whose 
 
 lips was no guile." 
 It may be thy fortune to live among people 
 
 who make no scruple, occasionally, to tell each 
 other in plain words that they lie. This has a 
 harsh sound, and a severe meaning. There are 
 many untruths advanced wantonly, or by mistake; 
 in such cases, do thou reply in decent terms, as, 
 / think you are misinformed, or, / believe you are 
 mistaken : those who have any breeding often 
 add, you will pardon me, or, you will excuse me. 
 There are also many lies of vanity, which are 
 deceitful though not intended to injure. People 
 who are too wise to believe what is said look se- 
 rious on such occasions, and make no reply. It 
 seems to be a duty of friendship, as well as hu- 
 manity and religion, among intimates, to admonish 
 in private for such lies ; though I am sorry to tell 
 thee, MARY, that mankind seldom have so much 
 courage on the one side to give, or humility on 
 the other to take, notice in a friendly way of any 
 sort of lies. 
 
 Whatever the case may be, to give the lie is a 
 great fault, though thou shouldst be much pro- 
 voked ; but it is a greater to tell one. Women 
 should be at least as careful of their honour, in 
 this instance, as men usually are. Amongst the 
 gentry, there are some men who will tell a lie
 
 112 
 
 without any hesitation; but if they are reproach- 
 ed by another, in order to support a good name, 
 they demand his blood. Thus many have fought, 
 under a notion of preserving their honour, who 
 had no good name, and consequently hazarded 
 their lives for nothing! I tell ttiee this, that thou 
 mayest know what is passing in the world, and 
 civilize thy manners, as all people ought to do. 
 
 My master used to say, there are some nations 
 whom we affect to despise for their ignorance and 
 poverty, more civilized than ourselves, and among 
 whom there is less danger of suffering violence. 
 There is a civility even in a carman which natu- 
 rally delights, and makes one wish to be his 
 friend ; as, when he is brutal, we long to see 
 him chastised. Remember that people who are 
 really honest at heart are clear in their discourse, 
 and keep close to truth. " Lying is the vice of 
 a villain, a coward, and a slave. If thou art dis- 
 covered, thou becomest for ever suspected. AH 
 that thou canst get by lying or dissembling is, 
 that thou wilt not be believed when thou speakest 
 truth." If thou tell a lie, thou wilt be tempted 
 to support one falsehood by another ; and a con- 
 tinued aggravation of guilt, or a bitter repentance, 
 must follow. 
 
 .1 am sorry to tell thee, MARY, that there are 
 many servants now-a-days who scruple not to tell 
 lies, and others who equivocate and evade the 
 truth. They mean to support a certain character,
 
 113 
 
 by appearing to have more virtue than they can 
 make a just claim to, and yet degrade themselves 
 by the infamous practice of lying. 
 
 Those who have been brought up in the fear 
 of God, and understand the vileness of a lie, must 
 be extremely distressed when they are taken by 
 surprise ; but to intend by such means to deceive 
 is shocking ! Lying is a vice which walks abroad 
 with gigantic strides. It prevails much among 
 those who are in a state of servitude, as if they 
 were ignorant that a lie is a crime of the blackest 
 dye. SOLOMON says, " a thief is better than a 
 man accustomed to lie, but they both shall inherit 
 destruction;" and, speaking in his own person, 
 says," I have hated many things, but nothing like 
 'A false man, for the Lord will hate him." Destroy 
 truth among men, and they will become to each 
 other worse than beasts ; for these, I believe, 
 practise no deceit upon their own kind. The 
 wise man says, " The lip of truth shall be estab- 
 lished for ever ; but a lying tongue is but for a 
 moment." 
 
 All wise people hold their tongues when it is 
 not proper to speak ; but never lie, deceive or 
 equivocate; for this is practising in the works of 
 the devil, who is the father of lies. 
 
 My dear MARY, I hope thou wilt convince 
 thy mistress, and every body else, that thou hast 
 a soul superior to falsehood, and hast learnt to 
 dare to tell the truth to those who have a right
 
 114 
 
 to require it, though thou shouldst condemn 
 thyself to the acutest suffering. It is thus thou 
 inayest he sure of respect, and perhaps of promo- 
 tion : " Keep thy word, and deal faithfully, and 
 thou shalt always find the thing that is necessary 
 for thee." The wise man does not engage that 
 dealing faithfully shall make every one rich ; this 
 would be impossible: but that it will provide 
 one with what is necessary for them ; which is 
 all that we can with any decency beg of the 
 Almighty, or perhaps with safety wish for or 
 desire. 
 
 My dear MARY, if I should live to hear thou 
 hast told a lie, it will be as a dagger to my heart 
 All the labours of my mind in thy service, and 
 all the hours I have spent in giving thee instruc- 
 tion, though they will return into my own bosom, 
 yet with regard to thee, they will be mixed with 
 the bitterness of sorrow. O cherish in thine 
 heart the love of truth ; I have told thee that God 
 is truth, and therefore those that love truth love 
 God, and will be beloved of him ; and however 
 mean their condition on earth, they are the objects 
 of his mercy, and will be made happy for even 
 and ever!
 
 115 
 
 DISCOURSE XVI. 
 
 OUR last conversation, MAIIY, was upon the 
 subject of truth ; I will now endeavour to point 
 out to thee the hateful nature of pride. A very 
 little experience will teach thee how fatal it is to 
 the human breast and how contemptible it appears 
 in the eyes of the beholders. What is it such 
 wretched mortals as we are can be proud of? If 
 we do well, it is but our duty. Observe how 
 the wretched little pismire, man, struts about 
 when he is proud! Behold what an extravagant 
 opinion he has of his own merits, what an im- 
 moderate conceit of his own genius, and how low 
 he holds others in esteem, who probably may be 
 more estimable than himself! How untractable 
 are the proud, how seldom they yield to reason, 
 and how often they involve themselves and others 
 in difficulties which might have been easily 
 avoided ! 
 
 It is amazing to consider how such things of 
 dust as men can indulge pride! If thou feelest 
 this passion work in thy breast, despise thyself 
 in dust and ashes, and pity others when they are 
 guilty. 
 
 When I receive a favour, done with an air of 
 pride and disdain, it loses more than half its 
 value ; and my heart almost revolts against the
 
 116 
 
 expression of my gratitude, to those who deserve 
 so little of my esteem. To be proud of knowledge 
 is absurd, seeing that the wisest know so little : 
 and as to riches, do not the greatest among men 
 stand in need of the meanest ; and are not our 
 labours at least as useful to them, as their wealth 
 to us ? Pride is apt to lurk in every human heart; 
 consider therefore what is passing in thine own 
 bosom. 
 
 Pride, when it exalts us in our own esteem, 
 and temprs us to despise others, never fails to 
 wound the peace of mortals, and frequently turns 
 their brain. Thou hast read that it was the crime 
 of fallen angels. The wise man says, " the 
 beginning of it is, when one departeth from God, 
 and his heart is turned from his Maker." Re- 
 member, MARY, that thou art a Christian, a fol- 
 lower of the meekest and greatest person that 
 ever lived. Consider how the brightness of his 
 humility darts forth rays which dazzle and con- 
 found the pride of man. 
 
 SOLOMON says, " that vengeance, as a lion 
 shall lie in wait for the proud, but humility and 
 the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and 
 life." Thou seest that he considers humility as 
 inseparable from the fear of God, and productive 
 of worldly blessings. But he tells us, " the proud 
 are hated of God, and as they plough iniquity and 
 so w wickedness, they shall reap the same." 
 
 Proud people are generally the most ignorant
 
 117 
 
 of their own hearts; nor can we see ourselves 
 whilst pride stands in our light. How many iu 
 all stations has it brought to ruin ! 
 
 I could relate a tale which would melt your 
 heart: I remember a farmer's daughter in this 
 neighbourhood who was sent to London, as you 
 are now going. A place, which was thought a 
 very good one, was provided for her ; but she, 
 like a silly proud girl, and impatient of controul, 
 thought she needed neither admonition nor in- 
 struction, and in a petulant humour gave warning 
 to her mistress. Unable to get so good a place, 
 she declined a worse which she might have had, 
 and was soon seized by the cold hand of poverty; 
 and what was the consequence ? To relieve her 
 wants she became a prostitute. 
 
 She might have returned to her father; but 
 neither would her pride allow of this. He heard 
 of her evil, conduct, and wrote to her in terms 
 that might have moved a heart of flint; at the 
 same time requesting of me to seek her out, and 
 expostulate with her. I thought myself fortunate 
 in finding her, though in a brothel. After some 
 other questions, for I spoke in the spiritof hu- 
 manity, I asked her if she believed in a future 
 life, and in a state of rewards and punishments 
 after death, and if she thought the sin she lived 
 in was not forbidden by the Christian religion, 
 under the penalty of everlasting damnation, if 
 she died impenitent. She looked stedfastly at
 
 118 
 
 me for some time, as if she was at a loss what 
 answer to make, and then said : " You may tell 
 my father, I do not mean to go on in an evil 
 course." However she continued in it ; and be- 
 fore she had reached the age of twenty-two, died 
 of a decay, the effect of the foul disease. 
 
 In general, is it not enough to humble the 
 proudest heart, to consider what sickness, pain, 
 age, or misfortune may reduce us to ; and that a 
 few years must bring us all down to the dust ? 
 Of all human blindness and folly nothing can be 
 more deplorable than pride ; in the rich, it is one 
 of the most mischievous, among the poor, the 
 most contemptible of vices. Pride will choak all 
 thy other virtues. Among the proud themselves 
 thou mayest observe that they hate one another, 
 and are the first that complain ; for though a 
 likeness of manners in all other instances gene- 
 rally begets love, in this it produces hatred. 
 
 Consult thine own welfare : think what the 
 effects of pride usually are mockery, derision 
 and reproach. From the same fountain flow 
 unforgiveness, cruelty and the contempt of others. 
 O MARY, despise not the meanest person on 
 earth, nor suffer pride to hurry thee into resent- 
 ment of the untoward behaviour of others. At 
 first view it seems to be difficult to return good 
 for eczV, but thou hast been taught, from thy 
 youth up, that this is wisdom, and virtue and 
 immortal glory. How many, through pride, shew
 
 the fiercest resentment for mere trifles! Yet 
 thou wilt be told, perhaps, that a portion of 
 prkie is necessary for a woman, and is the best 
 preservative of her chastity. But such advisers 
 mistake a reserve of behaviour, which often pro- 
 ceeds from a principle of prudence, for that 
 detestable vice. This reserve thou wilt generally 
 do well to practise, but do not confound so ob- 
 vious a distinction, as many are apt to do. 
 
 Vanity and affectation are vices to which thy 
 sex is in a particular manner addicted : it is 
 necessary therefore to give thee a precaution 
 against them. Vanity is the folly of foolishness, 
 and affectation the crier that proclaims it. If 
 thou mean to preserve thyself pure and untainted, 
 dread vanity. When a woman grows vain of the 
 charms of her person, or line clothes, or accom- 
 plishments, she exposes herself to ridicule, and 
 as it were, tempts vice ; for who expects 
 resistance from those who have so little under- 
 standing ? 
 
 One would not imagine, MARY, that in our 
 rank of life these vices should ever be seen ; but 
 there are fools of all sorts, and I have seen young 
 women in villages, as well as heard of them in 
 courts, whom the looking-glass, or the flattery of 
 men, have perverted even to turn their brains; 
 and I believe the consequences are generally the 
 most fatal in the lower state of life. 
 
 They are more dangerously ill, MARY, who
 
 are drunk with vanity, than those who are intox- 
 icated with wine. In the last case, a short time 
 sobers them again ; but in the former, they some- 
 times become incorrigible ; and you may be 
 assured that every woman is defective in under- 
 standing, in the same degree that she abounds in 
 vanity. 
 
 Take care, my daughter, how thou trustest to 
 flatterers. The greater the commendation is, be 
 the more on thy guard, and fall not a sacrifice to 
 a few empty words, though there should be 
 some truth in them. Believe not all the good 
 that is spoken of thee, whether it be said to thy 
 face or not. 
 
 " The only advantage of flattery, regarding 
 virtue or understanding, is, that by hearing what 
 we are not, we may be instructed in what we 
 ought to be." I have heard my master observe, 
 that it is a very old saying, " that flatterers 
 never lift any one up, but as the eagle does 
 the tortoise, to get something by his fall ; and 
 that crows devour only the dead, but flatterers 
 the living." 
 
 On the other hand, it is most true " that in 
 the fulness of the heart the mouth speaketh;" 
 and some kind and tender words will fall from 
 honest tongues, which, if not all strictly true, do 
 not the less proceed from the heart. However, 
 shut thine ears to flattery, from whatever quarter 
 it may come.
 
 1-21 
 
 As to us me, we are lavish in the praises of 
 women whose personal charms make impressions 
 on us ; but be cautious how thou listenest, lest 
 thou shouldst fall thyself, where thou appre- 
 hendest no danger. 
 
 DISCOURSE XVII. 
 
 CONSIDER further that pride and vanity lead 
 to envy, and envy is apt to excite resentments 
 even of virtue itself. Weak and wicked minds 
 have often committed horrid crimes from mere 
 envy : the envious poison themselves with tle 
 virtues of others. SOLOMON says, " the envious 
 man hath a wicked eye, he turneth away his 
 face and despiseth men." 
 
 The surest sign of a generous and good dis- 
 position is to be without envy, but the base and 
 ignoble are generally envious. In all the cata- 
 logue of vices, none seem to be more foolishly 
 wicked and abominable than envy, except malice 
 and revenge. To pretend to lessen what we will 
 not imitate, or to wish to humble those above us, 
 because they are above us, has something in it so 
 black, that I know not how to express the hatred 
 which thou oughtest to have of it. Other pas- 
 sions may claim a pretence at least to some 
 G
 
 122 
 
 pleasure or satisfaction ; but what can envy fur- 
 nish but pain and vexation, at that which is 
 properly the subject of joy ? 
 
 Malice is nearly related to envy, and in its 
 effects yet more abominable : what is said of one, 
 may without much injustice be imputed to the 
 other. And thou mayst constantly observe that 
 those who are most inclined to do any injury, 
 are for the same reason most disposed to malice / 
 or in other words, least willing to forgive. If 
 thou shouldst at any time so far turn thine eyes 
 from heaven as to feel the impressions of malice 
 in thine heart, look into thine own bosom and 
 tremble! O my dear MARY, I can say nothing 
 stronger than that malice is fit only for the 
 ministers of the prince of darkness. 
 
 Envy and malice are the genuine offspring of 
 Lucifer, but revenge is his favourite child, and 
 this passion is most apt to arise in persons of 
 little minds. To indulge this passion is equally 
 foolish and devilish. My dear MARY, learn to 
 bear an injury, and consider an affront rather as 
 injurious to the party who is guilty, than to 
 thyself who art not guilty. If thy forbearance 
 triumphs over the offence, thou art really the 
 better, not the worse, for the affront ; it certainly 
 costs more to revenge injuries than to bear them. 
 I know an instance in which this passion has 
 been gratified ; but it cost the party very dear. 
 A girl of this neighbourhood taking offence,
 
 123 
 
 robbed a man of his bride by telling a story 
 which was not true, or very much disfuised. 
 When the truth came out, it occasioned her 
 losing her own lover, who was too generous in 
 his nature to bear the thoughts of an alliance 
 with a woman so dangerous with her tongue. 
 
 Thou knowest that our divine religion com- 
 mands us to be charitable and tender even to our 
 enemies, and to do them good when they do us 
 evil. SOLOMON was a Jew, yet he says, " He 
 that revengcth shall find vengeance from the Lord, 
 and he will surely keep his sins in remembrance." 
 What then will become of such a miserable 
 being, if, because of his revenge, his sins shall be 
 had in remembrance against him ? Can we recol- 
 lect too often that he that hateth his neighbour 
 cannot love his God ? We are all likewise ad* 
 monished to be kind to others, tender-hearted, 
 forgiving, as God by Christ hath forgiven us. 
 
 Cunning is also a crime, and 6ne that is im- 
 puted most to thy sex, and to the very worst 
 part of it, who are often dupes to their owil 
 deceit. Thou mayst have heard of an artful 
 woman, or in other words, a cunning woman, who 
 has the talent of deceiving, or taking the ad- 
 vantage of the ignoran^ or simplicity of other 
 people. Cunning is sometimes mistaken for 
 wisdom, but is as different in reality as light and 
 darkness. Wisdom is truth itself, but cunning 
 is a lie, artfully insinuated, and intended to de- 
 
 G2
 
 124 
 
 ceive, supposing that if truth be disguised the 
 purpose will be answered. 
 
 I must also warn thee of the danger of being 
 too forward in believing, whether the matter 
 relates to thyself or others. Consider what is 
 said, and by whom it is said ; compare it with 
 thy experience ; examine how far thy belief may 
 concern thy interest; how it may hurt thy cha- 
 rity or affect thy person. Nothing will sooner 
 induce thee to believe a man than when he com- 
 mends thee : nothing ought to alarm thee so 
 much. Many a poor girl has become a sacrifice 
 to the ready credit which she gave to the high 
 commendations of her personal charms. If we 
 examine the nature of praise in general, the 
 partiality of some, and the inability of others to 
 judge, there is great danger of its being often 
 bestowed in the wrong place. What a bustle 
 have we heard made by the multitude, in praise 
 perhaps of the vainest or most vicious person ; 
 whilst for want of virtue in themselves, they 
 have totally overlooked the most virtuous cha- 
 racters !
 
 DISCOURSE XVlIt. 
 
 I MUST next warn thee, my daughter, against 
 the danger of a too eager pursuit after pleasure* 
 Think what fools those are who give themselves 
 up to idle pursuits, which are so very short in 
 themselves, and must be attended with bitter 
 repentance or endles torments ! A boy greatly 
 smitten with the colours of a butterfly, pursued 
 it from flower to flower with indefatigable pains. 
 First he aims to surprise it among the leaves of 
 a rose, then to cover it with his hat as it was 
 feeding on a daisy ; now hoped to secure it as it 
 rested on a sprig of myrtle ; and then grew sure 
 of his prize, perceiving it loiter on a bed of 
 violets. But the fickle fly continually changing 
 one blossom for another, still eluded his attempts. 
 At length observing it half buried in the cup of 
 a tulip, he rushed forward, and snatching it with 
 violence, crushed it to pieces. The dying insect 
 seeing the poor boy chagrined at his disappoint- 
 ment, addressed him in the following manner : 
 " Behold now the end of thy unprofitable soli- 
 citude! and learn, for the benefit of thy future 
 life, that all pleasure is but a painted butterfly, 
 which, although it may serve to amuse thee in 
 the pursuit, if embraced with too much ardour, 
 will perish in the grasp."
 
 12(3 
 
 No man is a master of himself so long as he is 
 a slave to any thing else. Reason grows stronger 
 by the exercise of it, whereas our love of vicious 
 pleasures acquires strength by our indulgence of 
 them. Thou perhaps mayst think it more in 
 character for me to preach than for thee to prac- 
 tise. It is true, MARY, that I am in the declension 
 of life, but for the same reason that I have tra- 
 velled through it, I am the better able to inform 
 thee, not only of the best roads, but also how 
 to guard against falling from the precipices, or 
 sinking into the quicksands with which it 
 abounds. 
 
 Now, my dear MARY, observe how the desire 
 of pleasure creates secret wishes and expensive 
 pursuits ; how it involves its votaries in diffi- 
 culties ; how often these depart from their true 
 interests, and at once sacrifice their virtue and 
 tfceir happiness to an idol which at length falls 
 down upon them and destroys them. Scenes 
 of expense and jollity are frequently scenes of 
 distress and misery ; and company-keeping, as 
 we term it, has hurried many a young woman 
 into destruction. 
 
 I have heard some of my neighbours comfort 
 themselves on their death-beds, that they never 
 were company-keepers ; the very thing itself in 
 their opinion, and as they saw others abuse the 
 liberty of modest conversation, implying a degree 
 of guilt. On occasions of jollity people seldom
 
 127 
 
 know what they are about ; they warm their 
 blood with liquor, and by the means of music 
 and noise they banish reflection and what can 
 be the consequence? 
 
 Our great philosopher and friend says, *< The 
 heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, 
 but the heart of the fool is in the house of 
 mirth ;" teaching us that wise men rather go 
 where they can do some real good, and shudder 
 not at beholding the most serious parts of life ; 
 but that fools consider only how they shall be 
 diverted ; and you may observe their aversion to 
 every thing that requires thought. 
 
 I have already told thee the danger of amuse- 
 ment at improper times and in doubtful company. 
 All the world knows that the fine lady and the 
 country lass equally delight in dancing and 
 singing; the difference is only in the manner. 
 Now let me advise thee to avoid both in com- 
 pany : singing is an amusement, and may be 
 indulged in private or at church in psalmody; 
 but idle songs will be apt to ensnare such a girl 
 as thou art, especially if thou shouldst happen 
 to excel thy companions. As to dancing, it is 
 never practised but in company, and, in our sta- 
 tion, dancing-company is, I think, generally bad 
 company ; I mean that dancing in our station, 
 is never conducted with perfect decency, and 
 free from danger to young women. I know not 
 if dancing be worse in town or country, but there
 
 128 
 
 is no necessity to declare against it in such terms 
 as to quarrel with thy neighbours who resolve 
 to dance at all hazards. I wish that thou, my 
 daughter, should be amused by walking, or any 
 thing innocent, when thou art permitted to amuse 
 thyself, rather than by dancing. These are the 
 occasions, when such young women as thou art 
 are least on their guard, and when men of evil 
 intentions are most on the watch to carry their 
 kicked designs into execution. Thou wilt always 
 find amusement and instruction in reading, pro- 
 vided thou makest choice of good and proper 
 books, otherwise there is mischief also in these. 
 
 This brings me to mention the great care thou 
 shouldst take in the choice of thy companions. 
 Be assured that wherever the speech is impure, 
 the mind is corrupted. If thou mean to preserve 
 thy religion and humanity untainted, it is time 
 to withdraw when the discourse is wicked, inde- 
 cent or slanderous. Consider thy company in a 
 great measure as good or bad, as they are tender 
 or cruel towards their neighbour. Always en- 
 deavour to change the subject when others are 
 ill spoken of. Soften the rigour of the sentence 
 given by them, and avoid injustice towards a 
 good name, as tbou wouldst decline a theft or 
 robbery. If thou be satisfied from circumstances 
 that the party absent is injured, plead their cause 
 with a becoming warmth. In acting thus thou 
 wilt do as thou wouldst be done by.
 
 Endeavour to accommodate thyself to the ca- 
 pacity of those with whom thou conversest. If 
 they be in a higher condition than thyself, the 
 more silence and attention will be necessary ; 
 with those who are lower, the more affability 
 will be proper. Never affect being so much 
 above the meanest as to treat them with inso- 
 lence ; but whether superiors, equals or inferiors, 
 if they be viciously inclined, avoid them : do it 
 with as much decency as thy circumstances will 
 admit of; but still, I say, avoid them. The very 
 ** hatred of the vicious will do thee less harm 
 than their conversation" Remember, MARY, 
 that it is the second word that makes the 
 quarrel. 
 
 In thy intercourse with the world " be not 
 easily exceptions, nor given to contradiction, for 
 this occasions contention ; nor be rudely fami- 
 liar, for this breeds contempt." " If any thing be 
 not fitting, do it not : if it be not true, speak it 
 not." Our tempers are frequently more easily 
 discovered in little circumstances than in great 
 ones. True Christians keep their temper on 
 all occasions without any unbecoming warmth. 
 You remember when the disciples of our Saviour 
 were in a flame of resentment against the Sama- 
 ritans, he rebuked them by saying, " Ye know 
 not what spirit ye are of." 
 
 An obliging disposition will always engage the 
 attention of thy superiors; and take heed, MARY, 
 
 G3
 
 130 
 
 that as thou wouldst think it cruel to be con- 
 demned as ill-natured, for being sometimes off 
 thy guard, or out of humour, so as to express 
 a hasty peevishness, do not expect perfection in 
 others. 
 
 This instruction is more particularly necessary 
 in thy station, for as servants are more ready 
 to make remarks on this subject than masters 
 imagine they do, themselves should likewise be 
 the more attentive to thsir own conduct, not to 
 offend. 
 
 DISCOURSE XIX. 
 
 AND now that I am going to give thee rules 
 for thy general conduct in life, remember that 
 generosity ceases to be a virtue when it entices 
 us to do offices of kindness beyond our power. 
 Our virtues, as expressed in action, must be 
 suited to our circumstances. The mind may 
 vetain a readiness of disposition to serve others, 
 and so far be as fruitful as the rain which cometh 
 down from the heavens ; but where there is no 
 water in the clouds, none can fall upon the earth. 
 Whatever is in thy power, let it flow from a 
 free hand and an open heart. The humblest
 
 131 
 
 actions sometimes- carry vrith them a greatness 
 of mind, superior even to the bounties of kings, 
 and we must be contented when it pleases Pro- 
 vidence to restrain us with regard to the means 
 of relieving others, and think with gratitude of 
 the relief we receive ourselves, still maintaining 
 the generosity of our minds. 
 
 The more prudent thou art, the more able 
 thou wilt always be to assist any one who is in 
 particular distress. Every one has some power; 
 and as the widow's mite was considered by the 
 Son of God as a great charity, thy little contri- 
 bution may be useful to the distressed, and 
 acceptable in his sight who sees the heart. If it 
 happen that thou hast nothing which thou canst 
 spare, God will accept the thoughts of the- heart. 
 A tear offered up to misery, where only a tear 
 can flow, will be pleasing to the tender Father 
 of mankind, who in such cases accepts the will 
 for the deed. When you can do it with a pro- 
 bability of success, and with good manners, 
 remember it is as essential a part of charity to 
 warn people of danger to their souls, as it is to 
 preserve their bodies. These are duties clearly 
 deducible from the uniform conduct of our 
 Saviour. 
 
 It is better to be of a generous mind, though 
 of the number of those who stand in need of 
 relief, than of a hard-hearted disposition, though
 
 132 
 
 in plenty. The same charity which among 
 Christians makes men humble, just and watchful, 
 to do all the good and avoid all the evil possible, 
 makes them also courteous and obliging : and 
 nothing can be more certain than one may be 
 very charitable without having any thing to give, 
 and very uncharitable, and yet, as St. Paul says, 
 give one's body to be burnt. 
 
 Chanty, as comprehending Christian love, is 
 so absolutely commanded, and is truly so much 
 the bond of society, that the neglect of it can 
 never be dispensed with. And what can exceed 
 the pleasure of seeing others made happy, except 
 the making them so by our own means ? By 
 taking a share in the miseries of others, we ren- 
 der wretchedness the more supportable; whereas 
 plenty amidst the frowns and contempt of the 
 world, is but a splendid kind of misery. The 
 miser is of all characters in the world, the most 
 hated. There are various ways of being chari- 
 table, besides giving money, and even in that 
 respeqt much may be done by a very moderate 
 fortune, where self-denial is used, and the heart 
 is sincerely inclined. 
 
 Thou hast often heard me mention Mrs. Ann 
 Saracen. She lives in a cottage of three pounds' 
 annual rent, but it is as neat and clean as any 
 palace. When she dines at home, she feeds on 
 the value of about threepence; she eats and
 
 133 
 
 drinks of any wholesome aliment that comes in 
 her way, but with such moderation, she never 
 hurts her health by excess. 
 
 From long experience, she understands the 
 quality of many drugs, and the use of kitchen 
 physic, dispensing the former with great judg- 
 ment and success. By the superiority of her 
 understanding, she is able to instruct her poor 
 neighbours, influencing them by reason, and the 
 books which she gives them to read. She visits 
 prisons, and converses with condemned male- 
 factors. She puts children to school, and employs 
 them in needle-work, partly by making up old 
 linen, which she begs of her rich acquaintance: 
 this she again devotes to the use of the indigent, 
 by assisting them with child-bed-linen; which 
 is returned clean to her after it hath been used, 
 and the same serves for the birth of many chil- 
 dren. A 11 this is performed within the bounds 
 of forty pounds a year. Thus amidst the checks 
 of a scanty fortune, she acts like a gentlewoman 
 and a Christian ; shining like a star to guide the 
 poor, the afflicted, and the weary, to rest and 
 comfort. When you praise her for her good 
 deeds, she contracts herself like the sensitive 
 plant, constantly referring whatever is excellent 
 to God, who is the only true fountain of all 
 excellence. 
 
 She says moreover, " What do I that every 
 Christian woman who is mistress of her time and
 
 134 
 
 fortune would not do? If I am so fortunate as 
 to have the favour of my superiors, I think I lay 
 them under an obligation when I offer an oppor- 
 tunity of their doing good. He that neglects 
 such an occasion defraudeth his own soul. If 
 I plead the cause of poor creatures who dare not 
 appear to speak for themselves, I am so far an 
 advocate in the cause of heaven, and act as 
 a steward to the family of God. I must use the 
 talents my Master has intrusted me with ; and 
 when I have 4 on e, give the glory to that Being 
 who is graciously pleased to make me the in- 
 strument of his mercy. In this view I think 
 myself preferred to a higher employment, than 
 if I were the first lady of the bed-chamber to the 
 queen. If the fine world be infatuated with 
 such trifles as dress and diversion, and make 
 these the business of their lives ; if the gay are 
 carried on, as it were, by a resistless stream, 
 swimming on the surface in a delightful phrenzy, 
 and careless of the gulph which may swallow 
 them up; what can I do more than send up my 
 petitions to the throne of grace that their eyes 
 may be opened to see their danger, and recovering 
 their strength, get on shore in safety, if so it shall 
 please the Almighty to avert his judgments? 
 The world will be governed by appearances: 
 happy are those who discern realities ;" and the 
 time is surely drawing nigh when attainments in 
 holiness will alone be of any avail, and when
 
 
 135 
 
 those who have " turned many to righteousness 
 will shine as the stars for ever and ever." 
 
 MARY, what dost thou think of this character ; 
 is it not charming? Yet such should we all be, 
 if we were practically Christians ! I often think, 
 MARY, when I take my rounds amongst my sick 
 and poor neighbours, whose wants are greater 
 than I can relieve ; I often think that if they to 
 whom Providence has given affluence would but 
 accustom themselves to be spectators of the 
 miseries of vast numbers below them, they would 
 surely sacrifice a little more to humanity and 
 charity, and would not offer quite so much 
 incense to the lust of the eye, and the pride of 
 life. 
 
 Thy mistress is a lady admirably inclined to 
 offices of piety and humanity. Entreat her leave 
 to inform her what thou knowest to be true, in 
 regard to misery and distress. She will judge of 
 what she ought to do.- She will not withhold 
 her bread from the fartherless who are dying 
 with hunger, nor behold those who are perishing 
 for want of clothing, expire at her gates : She 
 will not- make gold her confidence: The land 
 will not cry against her, nor the furrows thereof 
 complain ; but she will have mercy on the 
 poor. Forget not, O my daughter, that charity 
 will endure when time itself shall cease. O-my 
 daughter, the earth, and all that we see of the 
 objects around us, even the heavens, which are
 
 136 
 
 the canopy of it, will pass away; faith will be 
 swallowed up in sight, and hope cease with 
 enjoyment: but charity is so divine and pure in 
 its nature, that it will constitute part of the joys 
 of heaven. 
 
 DISCOURSE XX. 
 
 THE connexion between thy mistress and thee 
 is a solemn contract for mutual benefit ; and it is 
 necessary each should be informed, and truly 
 understand, what the other requires, that the 
 discharge of this obligation with candour and 
 justice may create mutual kindness with regard. 
 In some countries servants are treated as slaves ; 
 but we are all free, and our treatment is suited 
 to our liberty. Some masters have a propensity 
 to tyranny, and some servants are much inclined 
 to insolence and disobedience ; but this proves 
 nothing more than there are bad people in all 
 conditions, and that the good ought to be -the 
 more careful and vigilant in the exertion of those 
 social virtues on which the general benefit of 
 mankind so much depends. 
 
 Thy first thought should be, not to put thy
 
 137 
 
 master or mistress to an unnecessary expense ; 
 yet nothing can be a grearer temptation to this, 
 than the very reason that makes most against it, 
 namely, the carelessness or ignorance of a master 
 or mistress which render them subject to become 
 a prey. 
 
 Let me charge thee to be strictly on thy guard 
 to take no advantage, or do any thing unjustifiable, 
 because thou mayst perhaps be able to do it, and 
 not be discovered. Fraud in this case would be 
 an aggravation of guilt, a cruelty added to in- 
 justice, and treachery to infidelity. 
 
 There are some families who know well their 
 income and expense, and are yet hurried on by 
 custom and habit to live in perpetual distress for 
 want of the means of such a supply as is necessary 
 to put them on a level with those who are their 
 most constant companions. 
 
 Little dost thou know of the anxiety which 
 attends the condition of many a master and mis- 
 tress, to support their rank, in the maintenance of 
 their servants: thou wouldst not envy them, if 
 thou couldst see their hearts. As a faithful servant, 
 rejoice to see thy mistress prudent, though thou 
 couldst benefit much by her being extravagant. 
 
 Thou wouldst be astonished, MARY, if I were 
 to relate to thee a quarter part of what I know, 
 in relation to the devastation of peoples' for- 
 tunes, in keeping more servants than they can
 
 138 
 
 afford, or by leaving things entirely to their 
 management. 
 
 If thou shouldst become an upper servant, or 
 act in any capacity of trust, be equally just and 
 exact ; nor, from a mistaken notion of charity, 
 suffer the poor to be fed from the table of thy 
 mistress without her leave, which on thy part 
 would be downright dishonesty. Look upon 
 every penny of thy mistress's money to be sacred 
 and touch not a farthing for thine own use, 
 though thou shouldst mean to replace it. Set 
 down what thou receivest immediately on the 
 spot ; and commit to writing what thou art 
 paying, even before the money is out of thy 
 hand. Do not trust thy memory as some do, 
 lest thou should lose thy money, or charge at 
 random. 
 
 In regard to honesty thou canst not be too 
 scrupulously strict. William Stitch found in the 
 pocket ol Lord Noble's waistcoat, which had 
 been put into his hands to new button, a bank- 
 note of a hundred pounds. \\ illiam brought it 
 home, and desired to see my Lord ; an , being 
 admitted . into his presence, told him what he 
 had found, and that he did not choose to deliver 
 it to any one hut his lordship. 'I his noble lord 
 commended his honesty, and desired William to 
 accept of five guineas. " What, my Lord," says 
 he, "take money for being honest! No; the
 
 139 
 
 satisfaction of my own mind for doing my duty 
 is a reward that abundantly repays me. God 
 forbid that I should be ever tempted to withhold 
 another man's right, or expect a reward for doing 
 him justice !" 
 
 Inquire of those who can teach thee the best 
 and exactest method in accounts. Method is of 
 such importance in accounts, that it stands next 
 in rank to the fairness and justness of them ; and 
 the more plain and easy these are to be read 
 and understood, the more wilt thou be recom- 
 mended to greater trust, and acquit thyself with 
 the more honour. 
 
 Carry this in thy mind, that as good masters 
 and mistresses generally make good servants, so 
 good servants not only preserve the tranquillity 
 of families, hut frequently are the means of saving 
 them from ruin. My masrer once told me of 
 a friend of his who was obliged by misfortunes 
 to contract his expenses. He had given credit 
 to some of his acquaintance, who violated the 
 most sacred ties of confidence between man 
 and man, and left him in distress. In this 
 situation, he was obliged in his old age, to discard 
 all his domestics. Servants are generally ac- 
 quainted with their masters' circumstances. This 
 gentleman made no secret of his, he told them 
 why he paid them off. One of them burst into 
 tears upon the occasion, and spoke to him in 
 these terms : " Sir, I have been your chambermaid
 
 140 
 
 now five-and-twenty years. I have always hon- 
 oured and respected you ; you have treated me 
 with the greatest kindness of a master, a father, 
 and a friend. I have saved some scores of pounds 
 in your service, that 1 might neither die for want' 
 nor depend upon the parish for my support ; but 
 I can never live in peace whilst I think that you 
 are in any kind of distress. To you, under the 
 good care of Providence, I owe my life : to you 
 I am indebted for much good instruction for the 
 safety of my soul. I beg you will accept of my 
 purse, and all it contains ; it is the bounty of 
 heaven, and in heaven I trust. He that feedetK 
 the ravens, and letteth not a sparrow fall unheeded 
 to the ground, will not forsake me. I am yet 
 able to go to service ; suffer me to attend your 
 fortunes, and be your servant still ; perhaps you 
 may not find one more faithful and affectionate !" 
 They called her Theodosia Hope. She drew 
 tears from her old master. He was not too 
 proud to weep at the generosity of his servant, 
 though he bore his misfortunes with fortitude, 
 and found that resignation of mind is a more 
 lasting fund of solid satisfaction than all the 
 wealth of the Indies. 
 
 Theodosia's offer of her service was accepted, 
 and she remained with him. Not long after* 
 a relation of his died and left him a good fortune; 
 and when he died, he bequeathed her a very 
 comfortable maintenance,
 
 141 
 
 Her mother was an excellent woman; she 
 lived to the uncommon good age of 101 ; she 
 will be recorded in story, as long as marble shall 
 endure, in these words.* 
 
 Let it be remembered, 
 
 That there is no station in which industry 
 
 Will not obtain power to be liberal ; 
 
 Nor any character on which liberality 
 
 Will not confer honour. 
 
 She had been long prepared, 
 
 By a simple and unaffected piety, 
 
 For that awful moment, 
 
 Which, however delayed, is universally sure. 
 
 How few are allowed an equal time of probation ! 
 
 How many by their lives presume upon more ! 
 
 To perpetuate the memory of this person, 
 
 But yet more to perpetuate the lesson of her life, 
 
 This stone was erected by voluntary contributions. 
 
 If a servant is capable of the duty required, 
 and the master not tyrannical, neither of them 
 should be disturbed by little incidents. Each 
 should make a candid allowance for the other's 
 frailties. If master and servant dislike each 
 other, or a servant is really unfit for a place, let 
 ..them part with good wishes for their mutual 
 prosperity. 
 
 My master used to remark, that " the more 
 servants a man keeps, the more spies he has oh 
 
 * This ralates to the character of Elizabeth Monk, 
 engraved upon a stone in Bromley church-yard, in Kent.
 
 him ;" and expressed his astonishment that any 
 person should make work for many servants, or 
 keep them from work, in order to make up a 
 train. 
 
 Solomon's advice to the master is, " Be not 
 excessive towards any, and without discretion 
 do nothing." And, speaking of a good servant, 
 he says, " If thou hast a servant, entreat him as 
 a brother, for thou hast need of him as of thine 
 own soul; and if thou entreat him evil he will' 
 run from thee ; and which way wilt thou go to 
 seek him?" 
 
 So far regards the common duty of humanity. 
 But in order to understand this matter, MARY, 
 observe what the same man of wisdom tells us 
 in regard to the prudence of a master : *' If thou 
 set thy servant to labour, thou shalt find rest; 
 but if thou let him go idle, he shall seek liberty. 
 Set him to work as is fit for him : if he be not 
 obedient, put on more heavy fetters." 
 
 It is very evident what is meant by heavy 
 fetters ; he should be more confined for his own 
 sake, as well as his master's. Disobedience and 
 pride naturally produce idleness, and " idleness 
 is the key of beggary." A servant may com- 
 plain, but he who does not learn to obey as a 
 servant ought, will hardly ever command as ,a 
 master ought. The proverb says, an " ill servant 
 will never make a good master." 
 
 Humility is a virtue required in all stations,
 
 143 
 
 but a proud servant of all God's creatures is the 
 strangest inconsistency. Pride and vanity lead 
 to the depths of distress. Half the wretched 
 beings of thy sex, who live on the deplorable 
 wages of iniquity for the short time they live at 
 all, owe their being .discharged out of service to 
 pride. 
 
 Submission is another branch of the same duty. 
 St. Peter recommends to us, with the force of a 
 divine commandment, " Servants be subject to 
 your masters with all fear, not only to the good 
 and gentle, but also to the froward : for this is 
 thank-worthy, if a man, for conscience towards 
 God, endure grief, suffer wrongfully. For what 
 glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, 
 ye shall take it patiently ? But if when ye do 
 well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this 
 is acceptable with God." 
 
 This advice, which recommends patience and 
 forbearance to the servant, does not authorize 
 any tyrannical or inhuman conduct on the part 
 of the master. It checks the resentments of the 
 servant from flaming into rage or revenge, and 
 teaches him to compassionate a master's infir- 
 mities ; but it does not take away the servant's 
 right of leaving a service, or appealing to the 
 laws of his country, for any unjustifiable conduct 
 on the part of the master. There are cases in 
 which it is necessary " the knee should bow, 
 though the understanding cannot."- This depends
 
 144 
 
 on the prudence of a servant, as well as his com- 
 prehension of the true nature of his situation. 
 Always consider calmly what the evil is, and 
 what the remedy may be. " He that shoots at 
 the stars may hurt himself, but cannot endanger 
 them." A master or mistress may admonish 
 once or twice or thrice, but a continued repetition 
 of the same faults or inadvertencies will tire out 
 the most patient. 
 
 My master was of a quick temper, and some- 
 times said what he might as well have omitted ; 
 but he was of a humane, friendly and pious dis- 
 position, and generally corrected himself. He 
 overlooked many of my faults, and therefore I 
 was the more patient under his. If thy mistress 
 is of a lively, quick temper, thou wilt often think 
 her impatient, though she should have the 
 patience to tell thee ten times a day of the same 
 fault : but I charge thee to beware of impatience, 
 lest thou shouldst make a pert reply, and at once 
 show thyself ill-mannered and ungrateful, and 
 ruin thyself in her favour. 
 
 My advice to thee is, that instead of resenting 
 thou shouldst learn to compassionate. Do not 
 imagine that mercy and compassion were made 
 to be exercised only by the great and wealthy 
 towards inferiors; the rich and powerful them- 
 selves are frequently as great objects -of pity as 
 those who beg their bread. By no means pretend 
 to be so wise as thy mistress : if there should be
 
 145 
 
 good reason for believing thyself to be in the 
 right, and her in the wrong, yet remember how 
 much the chance is against thee, not only from 
 thy want of age and experience, but from the 
 lowness of thy education, and the want of those 
 means of obtaining knowledge which she has 
 enjoyed. 
 
 Above all things avoid expostulation with thy 
 mistress. It is too common a trick with pas- 
 sionate persons, when reproached, to tell masters 
 and mistresses that they understand their busi- 
 ness, forgetting that their chief business is to 
 obey. Consider what thou mayst lose, and how 
 improbable it is that thou shouldst gain any 
 thing by pert replies, and the gratification of 
 talking. No master or mistress of spirit will 
 bear to be flatly contradicted by a servant, or to 
 argue with them about indifferent matters. In 
 cases wherein thy virtue is not hurt, their plea- 
 sure should be thy law, never forgetting any 
 thing that materially affects their interest. If 
 any difficulty arise in matters of fact, there is a 
 humble way of asking leave to acquaint them 
 how the case really stands. 
 
 If thou art accused of any thing, as a fault, 
 which thou really thinkest to be such, the honest 
 confession is the surest way of obtaining pardon. 
 It is good policy to observe attentively the temper 
 a party is in, at a time when accidents happen. 
 Use thy discretion in all things : forget not to 
 
 H
 
 146 
 
 avoid whatever has the appearance of sullenness, 
 arid make ready and direct answers, to the best 
 of thy knowledge and belief, looking calmly on 
 the pferson thou art speaking to. To mean well 
 is one half the business, and patience the other. 
 If thou wert to lend an ear to many servants, 
 thou wouldst say that they ought to sit at the 
 head of the table instead of waiting at it. 
 
 DISCOURSE XXI. 
 
 IN these days of pleasure and dissipation, 
 MARY, the most, part of the nobility and gentry 
 of this island carry their families to London, 
 where servants entertain each other with accounts 
 of profitable places ; as, how much wages some 
 have more than others. These do not consider 
 so much the comfort and peace, the safety and 
 good treatment they enjoy, as how much they 
 can get, for it is not the lot of one in a thousand 
 to be in such services as are represented to them ; 
 nor perhaps to have abilities to keep such places, 
 if they could get them. They are apt to judge 
 of the best places, as people do of the greatest 
 prize in a lottery ; and in hunting after an imagi- 
 nary good, often plunge themselves into a real
 
 147 
 
 evil. Let me advise thee to be contented, and 
 learn when thou art well, ^nd not desrre to be 
 better than well. If thou find good treatment, 
 let this be considered as superior to any such 
 additional wages, as thou mightst have the for- 
 tune to obtain. In thy situation, as a very young 
 woman, a fondness for change can hardly fail to 
 produce mischief. I do not say but that in due 
 time thou mayst naturally expect an increase 
 of wages. 
 
 If thou shouldst become a favourite, employ 
 thy influence to keep peace in the family. Make 
 open profession of thy resolution at once to be 
 true to thy mistress, but not the less a friend to 
 thy fellow-servants, when they do their duty. 
 
 In all cases of difficulty let thy mistress be 
 acquainted, and entreat of her to decide the 
 matter. In any case favourites are generally 
 more feared than loved : and more intrigues are 
 formed to ensnare them than thou canst suspect. 
 Our good qualities often expose us to more 
 hatred and persecution than all the evil we do ; 
 and yet it is not the less true that " honesty is 
 the best policy." Truth will prevail in the issue ; 
 and it is thy duty to do the best thou canst, 
 fairly and honestly, to promote thy own welfare. 
 
 If unhappily any of thy fellow-servants are 
 
 emissive in their duty, remind them in civil and 
 
 obliging terms. If they will not take the advice, 
 
 thou hast nevertheless discharged thy duty. 
 
 H 2
 
 148 
 
 When evil consequences follow, by their not 
 regarding thee, do not aggravate their misfortunes 
 by taunts and reproaches, as weak-minded people 
 sometimes do. All that should be said is, " / wish 
 you had been of my opinion" Soft words and 
 ready answers, with a noble ingenuousness, have 
 a magic power to calm the most perverse.' 
 
 If thou find any fellow-servant as well inclined 
 as thyself, be her friend ; but from the moment 
 she is guilty of any fraud or injustice, or enter- 
 tains thee with discourse against the person 
 whose bread thou art eating, thou maysf sus- 
 pect that she is foolish, ignorant or perverse. It 
 should be thy part to soften such discourse, and 
 palliate the real faults, much more the foibles, 
 of thy mistress ; but if thou condemn her when 
 she is blameless, thou art guilty of injustice as 
 well as ingratitude. 
 
 Thou wilt generally find that those who com- 
 plain most of others are most blamable them- 
 selves. Reason calmly with them ; advise them 
 to consider the condition of their service, to 
 represent their grievances, not to condemn their 
 judge before they appeal to him for justice. 
 
 As I have the happiness to be known to the 
 lady who will take thee as a servant into her 
 family, 1 promise myself it will be so much the 
 better for thee if thou art not wanting to thyself. 
 She spoke in such obliging terms, and promised 
 me so generously to be thy friend if thou de-
 
 149 
 
 serve, that I hope she will be as a mother to 
 thee. 
 
 She will probably tell thee, " she knows thy 
 father to be an honest man, and that she hath a 
 respect for him, and if thou art a true daughter 
 of his that thou wilt be a faithful and good ser- 
 vant to her, and if thy conduct sheweth that thou 
 art, thou mayst be assured of her friendship." 
 Now, my daughter, if thou shouldst set out with 
 such prepossession in thy favour, it will be a 
 happy omen of success. 
 
 There are some people whose thoughts are so 
 dissipated, that one must repeat the same words, 
 before they are awake enough to know what is 
 said to them. This is a great unhappiness, and 
 very irksome to a master; but it is not altogether 
 incurable ; for if the servant have any delight in 
 doing her duty, she will be attentive to the com- 
 mands to which she is bound by every tie to be 
 obedient. I have already mentioned to thee that 
 one thing necessary to awaken attention is, to 
 look at the person who is speaking to thee. The 
 countenance demands respect, and helps the un- 
 derstanding ; and seeing the motion of another's 
 lips assists the hearing; whereas the want of 
 this kind of attention is ill-mannered even among 
 equals, and much more from a servant. 
 
 Always take the first opportunity of mentioning 
 what is necessary, particularly in cases wherein
 
 150 
 
 thoti hast been commanded to do any thing, or 
 hast received any message. Take for granted 
 that thy mistress will not be informed of what 
 relates to her interest and thy own duty, unless 
 tho*i tell her, and consider it as injustice and 
 breach of duty to keep her in ignorance. 
 
 If thy memory is treacherous, keep a memo- 
 randum book, and -by one act of recollection, 
 which is to look into thy book, thou mayst be 
 sure that nothing will be omitted. But as memory 
 depends on the exercise of it, such assistance 
 may be unnecessary, unless it relate to business 
 to be done at some distance of time, or when 
 there are too many particulars for the memory to 
 retain. Experience must teach what confidence 
 to place in thy memory, and what aasistanees are 
 necessary to it. Never put off any business to 
 any distant hour, but perform what thou canst 
 immi diately. 
 
 Take care not to shuffle or equivocate upon 
 being -accused of negligence. The more con- 
 cious thou art of neglect, the more thou shouldst 
 beg pardon. But of all pretences, such as / 
 thought this or that, when in truth thou didst 
 not think at ail, are abominable in the sight of 
 God, and virtuous persons. 
 
 Dirt and fitthiness fall within the observation 
 of every one ; but neatness and cleanliness, like 
 comeliness in person, are silent recommendations.
 
 151 
 
 These are to the body what purity is to the soul. 
 Every young woman of sentiment naturally 
 aspires at making a cleanly appearance. 
 
 The decent and cleanly carry with them a pre- 
 sumptive proof of a virtuous disposition. Industry 
 is generally the companion of cleanliness. Even 
 a cleanly beggar naturally engages a much higher 
 attention than a dirty one. Consider what is 
 proper to thine own condition, yet rather err on 
 the cleanly side. A slovenly good servant of 
 either sex is a contradiction. 
 
 I must not conclude this discourse without 
 warning thee ofc the many fatal accidents which 
 happen by fire. Nine in ten are the eflects. of 
 downright carelessness, and generally of servants, 
 either from being in liquor, from gross ignorance, 
 or unpardonable- thoughtlessness. I charge thee 
 to consider what misfortunes, and miseries may 
 be brought on others by this element, which is 
 SQ admirable a servant and so terrible a master. 
 Pestilence, sword and famine, do not make such 
 sudden and outrageous havock as fire. 
 
 There are some particulars, MARY, which, 
 through the whole course of my life, I have 
 observed with great exactness. Not to leave 
 chimneys too long unswept. Not to burn papers, 
 or by any other way to make a great blaze in the 
 fire-place. Not to leave a drawing stove covered. 
 Not to leave a poker in a fire. Not to leave a 
 randle burning in a room. Not to leave linen
 
 159 
 
 airing near a fire. Not to bring a lighted candle 
 into a closet. Not to be any way busy with a 
 candle where there is linen or paper. Not to 
 carry a candle into a stable without a lantern. 
 Not to venture even the lantern and candle in a 
 hay-loft. And where the floor of any room is 
 grown spongy and combustible by age, to keep 
 the part so affected covered with something 
 woollen, lest a spark should fall on it from the 
 candle. In going to bed, use a short candle and 
 a large flat candlestick, taking care in both cases 
 never to be without an extinguisher ; and not to 
 bring a lighted candle near a bed. These are 
 rules which 1 recommend to th'ee to be observed, 
 as thou regard est thy duty to God and thy neigh- 
 bour, and as thou meanest to avoid the punish- 
 ment which the laws of the land inflict on the 
 careless as well as the wilful. 
 
 DISCOURSE XXII. 
 
 TEMPERANCE, MARY, is the friend to reason, 
 the companion to religion, the child of virtue, 
 and the parent of health. The wise man says, 
 *' Sound sleep cometh of moderate eating, he 
 riseth early and his wits are about him ; but the
 
 153 
 
 pains of watching and choler, and pangs of the 
 belly, are with an insatiable man." Nature is 
 relieved by a little good food taken in t me, and 
 we grow strong and healthy ; bijt eating above 
 measure destroy eth health, wounds peace, and 
 banisheth comfort from our hearts. 
 
 Many act as if eating were their paradise. 
 Regard not thy taste above measure, but acquire 
 a habit of indifference : hunger will relish the 
 plainest food, and thou wilt take the properest 
 quantity. 
 
 Daintiness in diet, in people of fortune, makes 
 them contemptible : it is a proof of a sickly mind 
 much oftener than it is required by a sickly 
 body. But when servants are dainty, and not 
 contented with common food, they betray their 
 depraved inclinations, and become a nuisance to 
 a family. High-cooked dishes are poisonous, 
 they inflame the blood. SOLOMON'S advice is, 
 " Eat as becometh thee such things as are set 
 before thee, and devour not lest thou be hated." 
 Consult the pleasure of others as well as thine 
 own, and be not impatient to seize thy food, nor 
 eat it faster than is decent and wholesome. In 
 general we eat much too fast; and this acts 
 doubly against us, for by such means we are the 
 more easily betrayed into eating too much. 
 
 Beer is our common liquor, and, when good 
 in its kind, is excellent for those who work hard; 
 but the pure element which nature affords, being 
 
 H3
 
 154 
 
 likewise good of its kind, is the grand medicine 
 as well as an aliment of life. Hast thou not 
 heard how it removes the fatal effects of intem- 
 perance? What crowds of the miserable rich 
 go to water-drinking places and recover, and 
 then return to their former way of living, and 
 die ten or twenty years sooner than they might, 
 entailing the gout and other disorders on their 
 children ! 
 
 I have learnt by experience that water is the 
 best preservative from diseases ; but people may 
 drown their bowels by drinking too much of it. 
 Even bad water may be rendered wholesome by 
 boiling and infusing herbs of our own growth, * 
 
 After mentioning the infusion of our own 
 herbs, I cannot avoid taking notice how mankind 
 grow fantastic in their appetites. Thou hast 
 heard of a Chinese drug called tea, which for 
 many years past some people have drunk because 
 others did ; which numbers now condemn as 
 hurtful to them, yet use it ; which people of the 
 most different constitutions take in common ; and 
 
 * Ground-ivy r mint, sage, or rosemary, being dried and 
 infused in boiling water, and drunk cold, either of these 
 infusions, commonly called tea, is incomparably better than 
 bad sAall-beer, which the poor often drink ; and they would 
 esteem it, but that the herbs are not properly gathered and 
 dried, and the infusion is usually made too strong. I am 
 now supposing places where water is not good ; but in 
 England we are for the most part happy in this particular.
 
 155 
 
 with which I have no doubt many destroy their 
 health, even granting that it may be good for 
 some, and that a little poison kill none. Servants 
 also run mad about tea ; they spend a large por- 
 tion of their wages in it, and squander too great 
 a part of their time. 
 
 As to the poor, they are stupidly insensible 
 how they are galled in their health by the bad 
 sort of tea which they often drink, by the habit 
 of sipping instead of drinking, and by using so 
 much hot liquor when cold would answer better 
 to invigorate them. They also consume a large 
 portion of their time, and their gains by hard 
 labour make themselves wings and fty to China 
 for this bitter draught, Would to God that they 
 were wise enough to spend their money in sub- 
 stantial food and raiment ! 
 
 The single article of butter, which our fore- 
 fathers used to eat only as a dainty, is become 
 necessary to tea-drinking, though this also is as 
 ill-suited to some constitutions as the tea itself. 
 
 Female servants, like other people, have a right 
 to their share of the improvements which time 
 and riches, skill and industry, have made. But 
 I am afraid, MARY, we travel too fast; young 
 women in service aspire to dress too much like 
 their mistresses, which gives them a wrong turn. 
 If thy mistress should give thee any of her own 
 clothes, consider what is proper for thee to wear, 
 and in what shape, and what to sell.
 
 156 
 
 Let me next warn thee against the deadly ef- 
 fect of air, when rendered corrupt by too many 
 people being in a place, or by being too much 
 confined. The poor are happy that their doors 
 and windows are seldom very tight, yet they are 
 frequently kept shut when they should be open. 
 Nature is so indulgent to us, that a minute will 
 change the mass of air in a small room. Chimney- 
 boards are also hurtful, as obstructing the free 
 circulation of air. Even in the extremity of 
 cold, the sleeping in a small room, with the 
 chimney thus shut up, I have found to be very 
 hurtful. When the poor are sick, they imagine 
 that warmth is so necessary to their cure, that 
 they frequently poison themselves with their own 
 confined air. 
 
 I have often lamented the hard fate of young 
 ladies, in the height of their charms, who, if they 
 had been farmers' daughters, or not poisoned in 
 a bad air, nor chilled by flimsy coverings, might 
 have lived to old age. My dear MARY, avoid 
 shows in close places, and all such foolish enter- 
 tainments, as are not worth the hazard of health 
 to any body in their senses.
 
 157 
 
 DISCOURSE XXIII. 
 
 IT is the duty, my daughter, of every one to 
 make the mqst of their education : in this free 
 country, where women have the same privileges 
 as men, they may with the same propriety be 
 taught to read. 
 
 The men who do the hard labour and drud- 
 gery of life are not the most instructed, and 
 therefore it becomes the more beneficial to a 
 family that a wife should be able to assist the 
 husband. If she is in any degree qualified to 
 instruct her children, whilst the father is in the 
 field, she will save so much, and probably teach 
 them better than any old woman in the neigh- 
 bourhood could do. 
 
 We are commanded to read the Scriptures, and, 
 for the same reason, obliged to teach our children 
 to read. If all of us were so taught, no one 
 could pretend to be above laborious employ- 
 ments, for we should know, from the word of 
 God, that labour is the condition of human life. 
 The wisdom, which is the glory, of human na- 
 ture, is within the compass of us all. The great 
 end of learning, my dear MARY, " is to know 
 God, and out of that knowledge to love and obey 
 him." Thou wilt perceive that in most instances 
 which concern God, we cannot carry our thoughts 
 so high, or find language proper to express them,
 
 158 
 
 but as we borrow words from sense. The Scrip- 
 tures, which were written for our learning, speak 
 of the anger and love, the hands and the eyes, of 
 God ; at the game time that we ^re to guard 
 against gross conceptions, as we know that God 
 is a Spirit, not visible to mortal eyes, infinite in 
 purity, and devoid of passion. Such wisdom 
 will avail us, when all the learning that our 
 superiors can boast of, if not applied to the same 
 purposes, or made a bad use of, will leave them 
 in a much worse condition than if they had re- 
 mained in the grossest ignorance. 
 
 However necessary reading may be to learn 
 our duty to our Maker, and occasionally to em- 
 ploy our hearts agreeably to his will, as contained 
 in the holy Scriptures, the same cannot be said 
 of writing. It seems reasonable, in our rank ai\d 
 condition, that women should be taught to write 
 rather than men, and the more, as the duties of 
 a shop may in general be as well performed by 
 a woman as a man. In any case, a woman may 
 be of equal service to receive or pay, take in or 
 deliver out by weight or measure ; but she cannot 
 act the part of a sailor or soldier, nor do the 
 business of a ploughman, a carpenter, a smith, 
 or a bricklayer. 
 
 " Prudence is an universal virtue, which enters 
 into the composition of all the rest. Judgment 
 is its throne, and silence its sanctuary." Young 
 people are more prodigal than old ones. Whether
 
 159 
 
 thou hast little or much, take care of it, and do 
 not expend it in vanity. Money may stand thy 
 friend, when others fail thee. The caution holds 
 stronger for those who have but little, than for 
 those who have a great deal. In money affairs, 
 MARY, remember that " often counting makes 
 good friends." 
 
 Charity seems to forbid our mistrusting any 
 one, yet there can be no doubt but that it would 
 be madness to trust those with thy goods or thy 
 person who shew no fear of God, nor respect for 
 the laws of their country. Let them talk as they 
 please, " deeds are fruit ; words are but leaves," 
 The more lavish such persons are in their pro- 
 mises, the less they are to be depended on. 
 
 The innocent silly lamb in the fable, was so 
 credulous, that the wolf persuaded him he did 
 not feed on flesh, as was vulgarly imagined, but 
 on green pastures. " Why then," says the lamb, 
 " we may as well feed together;" and' creeping 
 from within his inclosure, joined the wolf, to 
 be devoured, as you may easily imagine. Nay, 
 I am sorry to tell thee, MARY, that it is no 
 strange thing for people to put on the disguise 
 of piety and religion, the better to ensnare those 
 who, being honest and upright themselves, think 
 well of the rest of mankind. 
 
 Women who are really modest never make a 
 boast of modesty, for that is in effect being 
 immodest. A true sense of shame is founded on
 
 1GO 
 
 virtue, for we ought to blush in secret even at a 
 thought which religion condemns. Cultivate 
 such purity of mind, as may render thee accept- 
 able to him, in whose eyes thy heart is open. 
 Whatever thy company may be, take care not to 
 offend against modesty, by any words or action; 
 and avoid giving any smile of approbation, when 
 words of a double meaning are spoken ; and still 
 more if they are in direct terms indecent. Jest 
 not against the rules of good manners ; rather 
 study how to be useful to thy companions, than 
 how to divert them. Solid sense is preferable to 
 wit; the first is always beneficial, the last seldom 
 fails to be dangerous. 
 
 The wise man says, " If thou be invited of a 
 mighty man, withdraw thyself, and so much the 
 more will he invite thee :" intimating that modesty 
 towards superiors is the ready way to be treated 
 with respect. In the same mannner, when thou 
 art conscious of ignorance, or when prudence 
 forbids thee to speak, talking will at once dis- 
 cover thy want of sense, as well as modesty. 
 '* Too great a distrust of oneself, produces a base 
 fear, which, depriving a man of his liberty and 
 assurance, makes our reasonings weak, our words 
 trembling, and our actions faint." But observe, 
 that there is the same difference between assu- 
 rance, considered as a reasonable confidence in 
 what we say or do, and impudence, as between 
 true modesty and bashfulness.
 
 1G1 
 
 Those who desire to do what is commendable, 
 and yet from bashfulness cannot shew themselves 
 to the world, ought not be angry with it, if others 
 less deserving promote their fortune in a more 
 effectual manner. 
 
 DISCOURSE XXIV. 
 
 FRIENDSHIP being the strongest obligation to 
 the practice of virtue, as it regards particular 
 persons, and the greatest comfort amidst the 
 various calamities of life, whatever thy fortune 
 may otherwise be, I hope, MARY, thou wilt 
 find a friend. 
 
 There are not many who have sense and virtue 
 enough to be capable of true friendship, therefore 
 be careful with whom thou contractest an inti- 
 macy. Sincerity of heartand freedom of behaviour 
 often pass for friendship ; but to be a friend it is 
 necessary to have a good temper and a steadiness 
 of mind, with such a degree of knowledge as may 
 enable one to give and take advice. Friends 
 mutually compassionate each other, and they 
 must render themselves a mutual support. They 
 should never say or do any thing harshly when 
 the same thing can be done with tenderness. If 
 thou shouldst ever have a friend, avoid all such
 
 162 
 
 kind of discourse in company as may undervalue 
 her, though it should exalt thyself. Do not 
 presume on any friendship so far as to use words 
 of contempt or derision, lest thou shouldst give 
 wounds which may not be so easily healed. 
 
 Thou wilt easily judge how rarely such are to 
 be found, to whom we may open our hearts 
 without reserve, and without danger. O MARY, 
 *' a faithful friend is a strong defence, and he 
 thathath found such an one hath found a treasure." 
 Friendship, such as we frequently find among 
 virtuous persons, lightens our sorrows, and in- 
 creases our joys ; warns us in danger, and delivers 
 us in distress. The wealth of the world cannot 
 fill up the measure of our wishes for a partner in 
 our hearts; such wishes being implanted in nature. 
 SOLOMON says, "all flesh consorteth according 
 'tp Hind, and a man will cleave to his like" 
 Death itself hath been sought in friendship, and 
 one hath contended with another, desiring to die 
 himself to preserve his friend. I cannot tell but 
 that the same may have happened among women. 
 
 A slight acquaintance is apt to lead the unwary 
 into intimacies, which often prove deadly in their 
 consequences. Nothing is so dangerous as the 
 pretended friendship of bad people: I say pretended 
 friendship, for that which is real cannot exist 
 upon bad principles. The counsel and advice of 
 persons of superior knowledge and virtue, and 
 who thou hast reason to believe are sincerely in-
 
 163 
 
 terested for thy welfare, should make thee ambi- 
 tieus, of rendering thyself worthy of their esteem, 
 and perhaps in the issue these will prove thy best 
 friends. 
 
 SOLOMON tells thee, " Love thy friend, and 
 be faithful unto him ; but if he betray thy secrets, 
 follow no more after him, for he is a roe escaped 
 out of the snare." Shame, or fear of thy resent- 
 ment, will make him rly thee. Disclosing a 
 secret under circumstances of the greatest temp- 
 tation, will make a breach; but it may be closed 
 by great repentance on one side, or great compas-* 
 sion on ttie other. 
 
 As to friendship with a woman of a blemished 
 character, shun this, or thou wilt be suspected 
 of entertaining the same sentiments. Young 
 women are warm in their intimacies, and apt to 
 shew more distinction to each other, as friends, 
 than is consistent with civility to the rest of the 
 world : such appearances should likewise be 
 avoided. 
 
 . If thou should happen to break with thy friend 
 shew thy sorrow by thy silence ; and not, like a 
 silly faithless girl, blab out all thou knowest of 
 her. This is as wicked as it is weak, since thou 
 wert trusted on thine honour without any condi- 
 tion. Let her do as she pleases ; be thou fixed 
 as a rock that stands the utmost force of dashing- 
 waves or storms and tempests. 
 
 My dear MARY, observe these rules! Be slow
 
 164 
 
 in choosing a friend, and slower still to change, 
 Be courteous to all ; intimate with few. Slight 
 none for their low condition, nor esteem any for 
 their wealth and greatness. Be not surprised nor 
 dismayed, to hear plausible excuses, from those 
 who are unwilling to do thee a service, if on the 
 presumption of friendship, thou should venture 
 to ask a kindness. In no case owe an obligation 
 to one whom thou believest to be wickedj Never 
 suppress that tenderness with which a good heart 
 naturally overflows, when those whom thou hast 
 ever esteemed are in real distress. 
 
 Love, when supported by the judgment, seems 
 to include friendships but in regard to friendship 
 between the sexes, in youth it is rarely to be 
 found, without a mixture of love on one side or 
 the other; I mean that tenderness which is so na- 
 tural to the heart. Among the elder, indeed, the 
 flame may be so gentle and lambent as to change 
 its name ; and when it is founded upon right 
 principles, that is, when it takes, its rise from 
 a heart-felt esteem for amiable and virtuous 
 qualities, such as the piety, the integrity, the 
 self-government, the benevolence, of our friend ; 
 and when our affection "is further cemented by 
 the exertion of these virtue.8, not in self-indul- 
 gencies, but for the good of all to whom our 
 kind offices can in any way extend, then may 
 We be certain that such friendships will not 
 expire with age, or be terminated by death ; for
 
 IG5 
 
 Christians are instructed " not to sorrow as those 
 that have no hope." We may therefore rest 
 assured, that such friendships will be revived and 
 perpetuated in the future world ; and, indeed, 
 without the prospect and hope of this, even 
 heaven itself woul lose one of its sweetest 
 attractions. Moreover, the bearing in mind con- 
 tinually this hope and expectation, is of powerful 
 efficacy to purify and exalt our affections, to 
 animate our zeal in the Christian course, and to 
 be especially concerned not to mix any thing 
 in our friendships that will not bear the holy eye 
 of God. 
 
 As I would not omit any subject in which 
 thou mayst be interested, I will put thee yet 
 more on thy guard with respect to love; for, as 
 this is well or ill-directed, it may render thee 
 happy or miserable. Those who become wretched 
 by this affection, plead that other passions are 
 for the most part of a malignant kind ; but let 
 me tell thee, MAKY, when the mind is infected 
 with love, there is nothing so serious or comic, 
 so generous or base, which may not directly or 
 remotely proceed from it. The proverb says, 
 " Follow love and it will flee thee ; flee love and 
 it will follow thee." If this teaches modesty, 
 it also informs us- that there is much folly and 
 caprice in love. When we ascribe to the persons 
 beloved qualities they do not possess, we, in 
 effect, fall in love with the creature of our own
 
 166 
 
 brain ; and this I take to be. no uncommon 
 
 case. 
 
 In our ordinary acquaintance, and yet more in 
 
 our friendships, it is hardly probable but that the 
 persons and conversation of some people should 
 be more pleasing and delightful to us than those 
 of others ; but to be unhappy because we are not 
 in the company of a particular person, is at once 
 a proof of love, and not less of the foolishness of 
 that heart, the pleasures of which are so narrowly 
 circumscribed. 
 
 It is not uncommon for a woman to imagine 
 herself the object of a man's love, whether she 
 desires to be so or not ; as vain men often mis- 
 take the civilities of women for love. Thou, my 
 daughter, mayst be subject to a double assault^ 
 either by the reality of thy affection or the vanity 
 of a man ; and as a great part of my sex is not 
 remarkable for honesty in love, thou shouldst be 
 so much the more suspicious and doubly on thy 
 guard. 
 
 Nothing is so common in love as believing 
 absurdities which favour the passions, except the 
 lavish professions which are made on such occa- 
 sions ; and hence arises the danger. The language 
 of passion may sometimes express the integrity 
 of the heart, yet it is not to be trusted without 
 great caution ; and she who makes no preparation 
 for a retreat in case of danger may be obliged to 
 surrender at discretion, and find herself at length
 
 167 
 
 in the hands of an enemy instead of a ftiend. 
 Remember that nothing is more dangerous, in 
 thy condition, than the unjust accusations -of 
 a wicked man, except the professions of his 
 love, by which he may shew fortfi his highest 
 insolence. 
 
 However blamable many an honest girl may 
 have been in giving way to her affections, yet, 
 being really honest, she hath preferred present 
 sorrow and disappointment, even although it may 
 have shortened her life, rather than do any thing 
 which virtue forbade. 
 
 People of the best understanding retain im- 
 pressions longest, and often carry them to the 
 grave. The most benevolent seem the most 
 susceptible of love, and therefore should be most 
 upon their guard. Love, as an affection of the 
 soul which enlarges and improves the mind, 
 holds affinity with angels; as an appetite of the 
 body, it is common to brutes. True love hath 
 its root in virtue. Constancy is united with it ; 
 and where it subsists in the married state, ad- 
 versity cannot divide it from the heart. 
 
 The foolish and wicked of both sexes generally 
 consort together, and are mutually influenced 
 by each other. Many a young fellow have I seen 
 going to the gallows on the account of a bad 
 woman ! 
 
 True modesty is equal in both sexes ; but by 
 the custom of the world, -women are obliged to
 
 168 
 
 be the most reserved in the discovery of their 
 affections. Whether this is an advantage or not, 
 I cannot tell. 
 
 Advice is seldom welcome when it crosses 
 a favourite inclination ; but is it not far better 
 to feel a short pain in breaking off a dangerous 
 treaty, than be punished severely all our lives 
 for believing too well of any one against proof? 
 
 Thou hast heard of some young women, and 
 perhaps a few young men also, who, despairing 
 of an union with their beloved object, or in a fit 
 of frenzy, have done some desperate violence 
 on themselves. Is not this converting love into 
 a child of the devil ? Whether madness be 
 created by a raging fever or a fit of love, it is 
 still madness ; and whether it be in love or 
 hatred, if we trespass against heaven, we shall 
 suffer by it. 
 
 Love having nothing to do with pomp, our 
 humble condition is less subject to deceit than 
 that of the rich, for people naturally follow 
 affection when they are poor: and those who 
 have no wealth, nor ever had any prospect of 
 living in affluence, have reason to hope they 
 may support love without any other aids than 
 health, industry and virtue : and it certainly is 
 more in favour of love to have no want but of 
 money, than to want every thing but money. 
 
 A man of a profligate character can never be 
 a true friend to lo\e, whatever a distempered
 
 169 
 
 imagination may suggest. The folly of such 
 love will be as great, and probably more bitter in 
 its consequences, than if thou wert to fix thine 
 heart upon a man so much superior in condition 
 as to afford thee no prospect of being united to 
 him. He who his out of thy reach, and he by 
 gaining whom thou wouldst probably lose, are to 
 be avoided with the same care. 
 
 DISCOURSE XXV. 
 
 SORRY I am to be constrained to tell thee, 
 MARY, (but it is necessary thou shouldst know 
 the truth,) there are such vile wretches of both 
 sexes on this fair earth as blushen the heavenly 
 face of modesty to think of. Like the devil, 
 they go about seeking whom they can devour; 
 and when they have accomplished their foul ends, 
 they laugh at the misery they have created, and 
 spurn at the object they have deluded into de* 
 struction. Some even traffic in sin, and blot the 
 most beautiful workmanship of heaven with such 
 hideous stains as might draw tears from the stony 
 rock. These evil spirits in human form flatter 
 and promise, and swear as prodigally as if they 
 I
 
 170 
 
 were to gain heaven, and are as false as bull, 
 whence their deceitful speeches come ; they 
 present the flattering show of pleasure before 
 the heedless eyes of young women, and draw 
 them on till they fall into the pit of destruction. 
 
 These enemies to virtue attempt boldly to 
 persuade a young woman that things which are 
 really the worst in the world are the best. Little 
 regarding the curse denounced against those who 
 call evil good, and good evil, they practise the 
 arts of the devil, when under a specious disguise 
 he deceived our first parents. A small portion 
 of sense and reason might shew the fallacy of all 
 arguments, hopes, and expectations, in favour of 
 actions which are contrary to virtue. Listen 
 not to them, but remember " that virtue which 
 parleys is near a surrender." 
 
 Well do I remember some of my good neigh- 
 bours' daughters whom nothing would please 
 but going up to London, as if they were sure of 
 making their fortunes. Some of them have lived 
 virtuously, single or married, and succeeded in 
 the world ; but it hath fared ill with several of 
 the most distinguished for comeliness. As soon 
 as they arrived in town, they fell into the snares 
 of those abandoned procuresses who, under the 
 pretence of getting them good places, brought 
 them like birds to the net, or lambs to the 
 
 slaughter ; witness , and , and others, 
 
 who did not use the precaution, before they left
 
 171 
 
 their parents, to correspond with such friends in 
 town as they might trust themselves with till 
 proper places could be provided for them. It is 
 impossible that thou, or any country girl should 
 suspect half the wicked arts which are played 
 off to seduce young females. I must also caution 
 thee, that in all cases, particularly if thou should 
 apply to a public register-office, it will be ne- 
 cessary to inform thyself exactly of the character 
 of the person who proposes to take thee as 
 a servant. 
 
 I charge thee likewise, as thou lovest thy soul, 
 not to indulge any desire of being gaudily attired. 
 If thou shouldst feel thine heart incline to this 
 vanity, get thyself cured of it as a disease which, 
 if neglected, will provemortal. Childish as this pas- 
 sion is, I know that it hath been the ruin of many 
 thousands, and it may tempt thee to forget those 
 lessons which I have sought so anxiously to im- 
 print on thine heart. From the moment thoufixest 
 thy fancy on dressing like a gentlewoman, I should 
 tremble lest thy destruction should be at hand* 
 What has been the fate of those who seek the 
 trappings of folly as the wages of iniquity ? What 
 numbers of young women, without any other 
 inclination to wickedness, have been undone by 
 the immoderate love of dress and pastime ! My 
 master was not a debauchee, but he had oppor- 
 tunities of knowing what multitudes of young 
 women accomplish their own destruction by the
 
 172 
 
 force of this restless vanity. Among abandoned 
 women, intemperance and disease bring on con- 
 sumptions and decay, and few of them live 
 beyond the age of twenty-five. A las, my daughter! 
 how deplorably are those fallen, who thus offer 
 themselves as sacrifices at the altars of vice and 
 impurity ! 
 
 In all conditions, remember that Christianity 
 requires nothing at our hands more clearly, or in 
 a stronger manner, than chastity or purity ; and 
 this consists in a fixed abhorrence of all forbidden 
 sensual indulgence, in a resolute guard over our 
 thoughts and passions, in a firm abstinence from 
 the most distant occasions of lust and wantonness, 
 in a consciousness or a deep sense of the perfect 
 holiness of God, and of his being present every 
 where. It likewise consists in a conviction of 
 the certain truths of our religion, and that there 
 can be no hope of salvation where this virtue is 
 not cherished. Therefore be not entangled in 
 the snares of deceitful lusts, for these do con- 
 fessedly war against the soul ; and if this is 
 conquered, all is lost ! 
 
 It is common for mankind to shelter themselves 
 under the flimsy covering of numbers committing 
 sin, as if corporal punishments or ignominious 
 deaths were the less evils because crowds of 
 malefactors are annually condemned to a loath- 
 some prison or the gallows 1 
 
 I charge thee, MARY, to be watchful of thy
 
 173 
 
 words. Unguarded conversation generally opens 
 the door to mischief; it looks like a design to 
 throw down the barrier of chastity. From the 
 moment thou permittest any man to be thy con- 
 fidant, or al lowest thyself to converse with him 
 alone, except where there is an honourable and 
 suitable treaty approved of by thy friends, it is 
 most natural to conclude there is some danger to 
 such a girl as thyself. On the other hand, thou 
 must exercise some skill in thy reserve, not to 
 appear prudish, and subject thyself to ridicule. 
 
 People of fortune generally observe a more 
 strict decorum, than the condition of servitude 
 will for the most part admit of; and domestics 
 therefore stand in need of more caution. But 
 without any comparison of conditions, build thy 
 caution on this great principle that human 
 nature is frail ; that religion doth not keep the 
 generality of men in awe, in any degree equal to 
 vyhat might be reasonably expected : rich men 
 are apt to presume on the humble condition of 
 poor girls, to mark them as their prey ; not con- 
 sidering that the soul of a chambermaid is as 
 valuable as the soul of a queen. If you are wise, 
 MARY, let not your fancy loose to think of tying 
 the knot for life, with any man above a farmer, 
 or a tradesman, who is honest and not weak. If 
 any gentleman should honestly or dishonestly 
 commend your person, as if he wished to possess 
 it, let it pass as words which he may be accus-
 
 174 
 
 tomed to speak. In the first place, even if it 
 should be his opinion, a truly honest and a gene- 
 rous character would have concealed it; as the 
 avowing of such sentiments, where nothing fur- 
 ther is intended, can only lead either to something 
 rery wrong, or to the makingboth parties unhappy : 
 but if, what is most likely, nothing more is meant 
 than mere flattery, it is then unquestionably a 
 bait thrown out to deceive ; so that at any rate it 
 will be your wisdom to shut your ears and to 
 guard your heart against such addresses. 
 
 The generosity of men in this case is not to be 
 trusted. I can tell you a very tragic story of this 
 kind, in which I acted a considerable part. The 
 daughter of a yeoman of reputation in this county 
 was seduced by a young gentleman ; he had 
 promised to marry her, and she depended upon 
 his honour. Her father was my old acquaintance, 
 and intreated me to talk to him. I made him a 
 visit, and amongst a variety of arguments told 
 him, that he did not know the mischief he had 
 done adding " I have heard her mournful tale ; 
 I have seen the rising sobs that shake her soul ; 
 her father's pillow is wet with briny tears; and 
 her mother's cheeks redden with shame, whilst 
 indignation prevents the utterance of her griefs ! 
 O shame! shame! that man should fawn, and 
 flatter, and mean what shall I say? Mean to 
 be a villain ? You will pardon me, Sir. That 
 men in such cases act like villians you must grant.
 
 175 
 
 Cursed be die pleasure which is dyed BO deep in 
 guilt, and creates so much pain and sorrow !" 
 
 He told me he would make her a proper al- 
 lowance but coukl not possibly think of marrying 
 her, as he should disoblige his friends, and mar 
 his fortune. She, on the otber hand, was not in 
 want of a decent support, and would not accept 
 his offer. Grief for such ill-treatment threw her 
 into a consumption, and she died in a few months 
 after. 
 
 When it was too late, indeed, he repented, and 
 was almost raving with the consciousness oi having 
 acted so basely. *' O my friend," he said, " iionr 
 shall L banish from my heart the remembrance of 
 my dear Caroline How shall 1 forget, the last 
 partingcene?" " It is but to die," she said," though 
 it be a death of torture 1 . With my last breath 
 will 1 pray tor your prosperity! It is the decree 
 of heaven- that 1 should be thus chastised ; thy 
 will, O God be done I May the remembrance of 
 my sad fate never disturb your breast, unless it 
 should bleed with sympathetic sorrow for my 
 guilt, and prepare my soul for heaven!" 
 
 Recollections like these harrowed up his soul. 
 His reason was soon afterwards impaired. He 
 was often seen walking by himself, and bursting 
 into an agony, crying out, " Caroline.' Caroline! 
 I was thy murderer !" He seldom slept above two 
 hours at a time ; and as certain as he awoke, the 
 same thought occurred to his mind. His eyes
 
 176 
 
 looked hollow, his lips wore a livid paleness, as 
 if he withered at the heart. His friends carried 
 him into scenes of amusement ; these made him 
 sigh the more. He died soon after with melan- 
 choly. 
 
 Attend, MARY, and take warning! I am as- 
 sured of thy present iimocency : I know thou 
 dost agonize whilst I am talking thus; but anxious 
 as I am for thy safety, thou wilt forgive me, 
 MARY, if I say too much. We are about to 
 part, and it is fit I should communicate to thee 
 my knowledge of the ways of the world, and the 
 means of shunning the evils of it 
 
 O my daughter, I now declare to thee, in the 
 awful presence of the God whom I adore, 1 had 
 rather see the blood stream from thy bosom than 
 behold thee, in the arms even of a king, on any 
 terms but an honourable marriage, such as divine 
 and human laws appoint for the virtuous. If 
 thou wert to stray from virtue's sacred paths, 
 though floods of briny tears would fall from thy 
 fond father's eyes, these could not wash thee 
 clean ; but the day would come, when they would 
 rise in judgment against thee.
 
 177 
 
 DISCOURSE XXVI. 
 
 THIS is the last day in which I may ever com- 
 municate my thoughts to thee with such freedom 
 and uninterrupted satisfaction as Providence has 
 indulged us with since the time that thou wert 
 capable of listening to the voice of reason, and of 
 forming thy mind to a relish of such truths as I 
 am able to communicate to thee. 
 
 The subject of our conversation yesterday 
 naturally leads to the consideration of marriage. 
 The many mischiefs which may be imputed to 
 the lawless commerce of the sexes seem to turn 
 in favour of this honourable alliance. 
 
 Marriage ought to be in high estimation, not 
 only as the state most safe to virtue, and in which 
 so great a part of private happiness consists, but 
 as best calculated to promote the welfare of our 
 own country. The Almighty, in the great order 
 of his providence, having made the sexes for the 
 mutual aid and support of each other, it is highly 
 reasonable to presume, that when people come 
 to an age of judgment, and are wealthy, or fit to 
 get their bread by their skill or labour, marriage 
 is the proper state of life; and nothing can be a 
 stronger incentive to it, than the affections im- 
 planted in the human breast 
 13
 
 Happy is it when this union is cemented by a 
 suitableness of disposition. Piety is undoubtedly 
 the bond that can never fail ; but I have wondered 
 when I have seen the sad effects arising from 
 perverseness of humour, that even common pru- 
 dence did not influence persons so connected to 
 be obliging and condescending to each other. 
 The extreme folly of the contrary conduct is well 
 illustrated by the fable of the two hounds. They 
 are represented as very fond of each other, but 
 being young dogs, the huntsman coupled them, 
 to prevent their following every scent, and hunt- 
 ing disorderly. They expressed great uneasiness 
 at their situation : if one chose to go this way, 
 the other was eager to go the contrary, till at 
 length they came to a downright quarrel. An 
 old hound, who had observed what was passing, 
 reproved them in these terms: " What a couple 
 of silly puppies you are to be perpetually worry- 
 ing at this rate! What hinders your going on 
 peaceably and quietly together? Cannot you 
 compromise the matter, by consulting each other's 
 inclinations a little? At least, try to make a 
 virtue of necessity, and submit to what you can- 
 not remedy. You cannot get rid of the chain, 
 but you may make it sit easy, and you will find 
 by experience, that mutual compliances not only 
 compensate for liberty, but are attended with 
 delight." 
 
 I have heard it seriously maintained, that the
 
 179 
 
 misery of servants may be dated from their mar- 
 riage day. Such an uncomfortable doctrine sup- 
 poses that their wages are no ways equal to their 
 expenses, when they have any children to provide 
 for. This opinion proves too much, for expe- 
 rience may be appealed to against it as weli as for 
 it Those who are extravagant or indolent are 
 hardly tit to be trusted in the marriage state; 
 and the child born to such pareins comes into the 
 world under a great disadvantage: but marriage 
 sometimes awakens the attention of the most 
 thoughtless, and every one may observe that the 
 industrious and provident, and such as are vir- 
 tuously inclined, generally succeed in wedlock. 
 
 As to tiie proper time of marriage, if tUou haet 
 a prudent offer, and no weighty reason to the 
 contrary, marry in the early part of life; but if 
 thou lettest thy youth and thy middle age pass 
 without marriage, if thou art wise, thou mayst 
 as well continue single. Whether thou marriest 
 a young man, or one of middle age, coeult his 
 temper, arid carefully avoid giving him otfeoce; 
 and above all, I warn thee against jealousy. As 
 there can be no government where there i ciO 
 ruler, she, who hath more sense than her hue- 
 band, will shew it by her prudence and fear of 
 God ; ftiil yielding the superiority to him whom 
 God liath set over ber: she may secretly govern 
 him, but openly to assume the command, except
 
 180 
 
 in vjsry extraordinary cases, is a proof that her 
 understanding falls very short of the true mark. 
 
 Rather think how to forgive real offences in thy 
 husband than create imai inary ones. If once the 
 mind is possessed with a jt-alous frenzy, it loses 
 the exercise of reason; and every object that 
 relates to love, is armed with the stings of scor- 
 pions to poison peace. 
 
 Give jealousy to the wind, and banish thy 
 disquiet. Wert thou persuaded of real infidelity 
 in thy husband, yet if thou hast a wish to share 
 his heart, to regain all his affection, and turn .it 
 into its proper channel, be assured, that if he 
 hath any sensibility, thy tenderness and love, 
 with his recollection of what religion requires, 
 will subdue his heart, and by the stings of con- 
 science convert him; and if he hath no sentiments 
 of virtue, rage and resentment on thy part will 
 only aggravate thy misfortunes, and make two 
 evils instead of one, rendering thy condition the 
 more distressful. 
 
 As to the revenge which some take, it is not 
 so much a proof of resentment as an evil inclina- 
 tion ; it is a symptom of a Sick and crazed mind; 
 it is like a man's murdering himself because 
 another has attempted to kill him; for she who 
 proceeds to the extremity of repaying such an 
 injury by prostitution does but plunge a dagger 
 into her own bosom, as if she was the aggressor,
 
 181 
 
 and meant to seek her punishment even in the 
 destruction of her soul. Command thvsc If, MARY; 
 patient ami yood humour work inn-sines, and I 
 hope these will always secure thy hushan.i's love, 
 that tuy days may p;tss in uniutenupted tran- 
 quillity; remembering that religion is then of most 
 use when the greatest calamities invade us, and 
 that calm resignation to the will of heaven is the 
 grand medicine which cures all the evils incident 
 to human life. 
 
 If a woman discovers that meekness, modesty, 
 and prudence, in living according to the circum- 
 stances of her husband, are her truest ornaments, 
 
 
 
 she will likewise find wherein her interest consists. 
 The proverb says, " The foot on the cradle, and 
 hand on the distaff, is the sign of a good house- 
 wife." This teaches that a woman inclined to 
 virtue and industry is at once able to manage her 
 family and retain the affection of her husband, 
 and educate her children according to her condi- 
 tion. Nothing can be so desirable to a man as a 
 good wife. 
 
 Happy had it been for Harry Winter if he had 
 preferred Sally Sweet to Rtbecca Wander! He 
 acknowledged Sallys perfections; but, in his 
 eyes, the air, the grace, the form of Rebecca, 
 were irresistible, and at length he married her. 
 She had been used to the triumphs of beauty, and 
 never rightly informed of any thing. She is of so 
 turbulent and impetuous a temper as not to brook
 
 182 
 
 contradiction or disappointment. Her resent- 
 ments are as keen as her vanity is uncontroulable. 
 All her husband'8 wages an hardly sufficient to 
 find her in top-knots, &c. Where is tneir mighty 
 love? I bey are parting witu mutual disgust. 
 
 Poor Harry is much to be pitied, tor though a 
 " virtuous woman is a crown to her husband, she 
 that maketh ashamed is rottenness in his bones." 
 
 But in common oases, it neither are very w icked, 
 it is with husband and wife as with master and 
 servant, il but one of the part its faithfully perform 
 their duty they can scarcely be extremely miser- 
 able. As an instance of this, there is Jant Sprightly. 
 She is young and lively, and much beloved by 
 her husband; she desired him the other day to 
 carry her to the fair, which he declined by giving 
 her a variety of reasons for so doing ; adding, 
 " My dear Jac,you look as if you were displeased, 
 what are all the fairs in the world, or all the 
 women that attend the fa ire, to me, compared to 
 your smiles? I can bear any thing better than 
 your frowns, except the consciousness of doing 
 that which in its effects will hurt you : I would 
 not do you harm for the world; not even at your 
 own request; and no one can judge so well as 
 myself what will hurt you." Jaw* has good sense 
 and candour, and heard him attentively. He 
 spoke with such persuasive eloquence, in regard 
 to the sincerity of his love, she could no longer 
 resist; but smoothing her brow with a sweet
 
 183 
 
 smiling air, she said, " In good faith, my dear 
 Joshua, though I had a fancy for the fair, it was 
 but a fancy and I believe that tliou art in the 
 right : give me thy hand as a token of calm 
 obedience and sincere affection." She kissed it 
 eagerly. Thus a proper exertion of prudence, 
 though only on one side, my be of essential im- 
 portance to both. 
 
 To this end, I will give thee one lesson more, 
 which thou wilt easily understand, for it is founded 
 on the plainest sense and reason. The ready 
 way to secure a husband's affection and duty is 
 to be truly affectionate and dutiful as a wife, and 
 always as agreeable as thou canst. 
 
 There is another affection of the mind, which 
 relates to society at large. Whether thou shouldst 
 marry or remain single, cherish in thy bosom a 
 tenderness for children. The woman devoid of 
 an affection hardly deserves the name of a woman. 
 Children are a large part of mankind ; and child- 
 hood being without guile, they are at once the 
 objects of our love and respect. Remember the 
 regard which was. shewn them by the Saviour of 
 the world, when, in allusion to their umocency, 
 he declared, " Of suclr are the kingdom of 
 heaven"! My master used to say, that no compli- 
 ment ever pleased him more than that imputed to 
 one of our poets : that he was a man of sense, but, 
 in the simplicity of his manners, a child.
 
 184 
 
 DISCOURSE XXVII. 
 
 A truly rational and religious conduct being 
 rare, always makes those wh<> are most distin- 
 guished appear singular. The lady thou art to 
 serve is called a vtry particular woman : the 
 truth is, she hath so much religion ts not to be 
 satisfied without prayers in her family every 
 morning and night, as if she counted the days 
 and. nights, " and numbered them so as really 
 to apply her heart unto wisdom." It is upon 
 the same principle she requires of all her servants 
 to go to church, either in the morning or evening, 
 every sabbath day ; and she absolutely will not 
 keep any servant who totally declines going to 
 the sacrament of the Lord's supper: she does 
 not declare this in so many words, but if re- 
 peated admonitions, and the most pious, humane 
 and friendly advice, make no impression, she 
 discharges them. 
 
 In order to keep her servants virtuous, she 
 keeps them employed, giving them this whole- 
 some admonition, .'* Get thy spindle and thy 
 distaff ready, and God will send thee flax;' 
 adding this proverb, " Think of ease, but work 
 on;" supposing that ease is the object which all 
 mankind are naturally inclined to seek though 
 they find it only in action.
 
 185 
 
 Thy mistress has all the tenderness of a woman 
 without the foibles usually attending thy sex ; 
 her chanty flows from her religion, and is cher* 
 ished by the compassion which streams from her 
 heart, and is therefore steady and lasting. She 
 judges always on the merciful side, distinguishing 
 faults from crimes, and considers the condition 
 servants are in as well as the kind of education 
 they have had. All who ever served her, and 
 have not been guilty in such a manner as to 
 render them unworthy of trust, are sure of her 
 good word, as far as she can give it with a safe 
 conscience ; but she will never give a good 
 character of a servant who has no title to it: 
 declaring, that she considers deceit in recom- 
 mending servants out of mere compassion and 
 against truth, as robbing in order to give alms to 
 the poor. 
 
 What thinkest thou of a gentleman who, not- 
 withstanding he knew his servant had robbed 
 him, recommended him to another master? The 
 consequence was, that he robbed him also; upon 
 which he prosecuted the former master, who was 
 accordingly condemned to pay the loss. 
 
 Thy mistress is exact in money matters, and 
 makes up her accounts every Monday morning, 
 paying ready money for every thing she buys: by 
 this means she lives elegantly and splendidly, 
 with half, or at most two thirds, the sum which 
 those spend who would never pay their debts at
 
 186 
 
 all if they could cut off the long arms of the law. 
 Her maxim in this respect is, '* Better go to bed 
 supperless, than rise in debt;" intimating that 
 many charges are contracted by things not neces- 
 sary ; and that some necessary things must be 
 given up, rather than run in debt for them. 
 
 This lady dresses elegantly, according to her 
 fortune, but she confines herself to a certain 
 moderate sum yearly, expending more in charity 
 than apparel. She is at no charge for hair- 
 dressers, her daughter or her maid doing all she 
 requires about her head. I have heard of some 
 ladies who are at a greater expense for curling 
 their hair, than will pay the wages of two or 
 three chambermaids. 
 
 Thou art also to know that thy mistress die- 
 likes cards, yet not so but she will play for an 
 hour, to oblige her friends, in a private family. 
 Hair-dressing, preparation for cards, and the 
 card-table, employ a considerable portion of the 
 time of our finest people in these days, so small 
 a price do they set on it, and all the other advan- 
 tages of leisure. Often when I have observed 
 the way in which they spend their time, have I 
 felt with emphasis the force of our Lord's obser- 
 vation, " How hardly do they that have riches 
 enter into the kingdom of heaven!" It seems 
 as if a desire of being distinguished in the gay 
 circle first ensnares, and then leads them on, till 
 at last they lose themselves in vanity and folly.
 
 187 
 
 As a confirmation of this remark, thou hast often 
 heard me mention the late Lord Goodchild ; alas, 
 poor gentleman! what an affecting instance his 
 life afforded of the truth of this remark! My 
 master tenderly loved him, and used often to 
 dwell, with a mixture of admiration and sorrow, 
 on the lights and shades that formed his varied 
 character. He was blessed with an uncommon 
 understanding, had great strength of mind, and 
 withal an acuteness of perception that at one 
 glance comprehended whatever was presented to 
 him. He was naturally compassionate, obliging 
 and generous, and had withal a degree of sensi- 
 bility that made his character peculiarly inter- 
 esting. He was not born to the fortune he 
 afterwards possessed, but at length a large estate 
 was bequeathed to him, when suddenly, to the 
 astonishment of every one, he was seized with 
 the love of show and splendour, and completely 
 carried away by them : and this at a time of life 
 when even a vulgar mind, it .might have been 
 expected, would have despised such tinselled 
 folly. 
 
 From this fatal moment his life was a perpetual 
 round of fashionable dissipation. Not one polite 
 assembly of folly and extravagance where you 
 might not hear 'the name of my Lord Goodchild. 
 He dressed, he trifled, and in short gave up 
 every rational satisfaction, for no other purpose
 
 188 
 
 but merely to obtain the temporary praise of the 
 characters he despised. And, wouldst t hou believe 
 it, MARY, with such incomparable endowments 
 he sunk at last into contempt, and was even 
 despised by these very triflers. 
 
 He died after four days' illness. During this 
 dreadful interval, he desired to see my master, 
 who could never recollect, without painful sensibi- 
 lity, the sad agitation of his then distracted mind. 
 " O my friend ! I have slept," he said, " on a 
 precipice: how dreadful thus to awake! My day 
 of grace is past. O righteous Father, whither 
 shall I flee from thy presence, that holy pre- 
 sence, which was once my delight and crown of 
 rejoicing? There was a time when I could have 
 prayed. Alas! my friend, you know what I 
 once was. You see what I now am. Oh that 
 my life were written in characters of brass, that 
 the sous and daughters of vanity might read and 
 take warning ! 1 have had uncommon advantages. 
 You know the various circumstances of my life, 
 and at how. many different times great afflictions 
 have been sent to call me off from these vanities; 
 and that the Almighty has had, as it were, a 
 controversy with his creature! But whither do 
 my agitated spirits hurry me? What an account 
 of my time, my abilities, and my fortune, shall 
 I have to give ? Can I claim one gospel pro- 
 mise, who have lived in direct violation of its
 
 most sacred injunctions ? My head turns round ; 
 I see ; I feel ; O pray for me ; I cannot now pray 
 for myself !" 
 
 This lady's chief delight, on the contrary, is in 
 promoting the welfare of her fellow-creatures, as 
 far as she can extend her power. She reads 
 divinity, history and travels, and some books of 
 ingenuity ; seeking the conversation of sensible 
 and virtuous persons of both sexes. As some 
 variety is necessary, she changes the scene from 
 books to needlework, and from thence to music, 
 and has great pleasure in walking and riding out, 
 esteeming the works of nature as they come 
 immediately from the hands of God, far superior 
 to all the powers of art. She hath a fine taste 
 in the ornamental parts of life, but esteems this, 
 jn comparison of the useful, as unworthy of 
 praise. She is temperate in her diet, and re- 
 markable in keeping good hours, paying for 
 none of her amusements more than they are 
 worth. 
 
 Though she appears to have great sensibility, 
 and is naturally of a quick temper, she speaks 
 calmly, and has acquired such a command of her 
 passions, that she seems to weep or rejoice, only 
 as a just sense of things drawn from thought and 
 experience have taught her. She has seen and 
 felt what it is to be unfortunate, and says, that 
 " No one knows better what good is than he who 
 hath endured evil."
 
 The consciousness that she is endeavouring to 
 pass her time on earth agreeably to the design of 
 Heaven, gives a peculiar cheerfulness and sweet- 
 ness to her manners. She often talks of death 
 as the end of her days and her cares, and wonders 
 to see such a bustle among people who have 
 already one foot in the grave. She speaks of her 
 dissolution in so familiar and unaffected a manner, 
 that no one can doubt of her being perfectly 
 reconciled to the will of Heaven. 
 
 Whatever our fortunes may be, my daughter, 
 we might all cultivate the same sentiments, and 
 by degrees acquire the same happy turn of mind.
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 WELL, MARY, remember that whether thou 
 shouldst marry or continue single, thy real sum 
 of happiness will be proportionate to thy pro- 
 gress in virtuous attainments, and to the right 
 performance of the several duties of that parti- 
 cular station, whatever it may be, in which the 
 providence of God hath placed thee. And 
 amongst other things remember and respect my 
 admonitions; forget not, " that whoso honouretli 
 his father shall have joy of his own children; 
 and when he maketh his prayer he shall be 
 heard." These are high promises of the most 
 exalted happiness. The wise man goes on to 
 advise : " Honour thy father with thy whole 
 heart, and forget not the sorrotus of thy mother,'* 
 conveying a charming sense of the great love of 
 a mother. He then reminds us of the curse 
 which attends undutifulness : *' The eye that 
 mocketh his father, and despiseth to obey his 
 mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, 
 and the young eagles shall eat it." This is a 
 beautiful allusion to that blindness and perverse- 
 ness which leads some to neglect and some even 
 to insult their parents, denouncing the judgment 
 they may expect, either by some temporal cala- 
 mity which will befal them, or by the vengeance
 
 102 
 
 of Heaven which will overtake them: such 
 offences are of the blackest dye. 
 
 '* Our parents can never be requited :" such is 
 the nature of our obligations to them. Do not 
 forsake me, MARY, if I should need thy help : 
 God only can tell what may happen ! It is not 
 the custom of our days lor children to be so 
 attentive to their aged parents as is required by 
 the laws of God and the obligations of society. 
 In our condition, I fear some old people are 
 thrown on the parochial charity whose children 
 might provide for them. There are many coun- 
 tries where, although the inhabitants are far 
 short of us in some respects, yet excel in the 
 duty of children to parents. I remember to have 
 heard my master say, that the Gallicians, who 
 are labourers in the great cities of Portugal, and 
 the Russians, who do the same offices in their 
 own country, are never so happy as when they 
 carry home their gains to assist their aged 
 parents. 
 
 Children ought to honour their parents at all 
 times, that their children may help them, and 
 that the great father of mankind may be their 
 friend, and their days be long in the land wherein 
 God hath given them life and health, to enjoy 
 these blessings, in the stations which his pro- 
 vidence hath appointed them. 
 
 Heaven knows I have little to give thee but 
 my good advice, Do not, however, think this a
 
 193 
 
 misfortune, for the riches of the wealthy often 
 prove temptations to great wickedness. There 
 have been young persons so impatient to possess 
 the goods of their parents, as to think they live 
 too long ; but it is to be hoped that we, who are 
 poor, are in less danger of this great iniquity. 
 Whatever sufferings thou mayst undergo, be 
 courageous ; remember that thy great Lord and 
 Master lived in poverty and died in pain. Never 
 forget his life and death ! To give thy mind 
 true and just impressions of Christianity, hath 
 been the main scope of my design; this hath 
 been the bent of all the care and instruction 
 which I have bestowed on thee ; and whatever 
 the great may apprehend to the contrary, I think 
 this of such consequence, that no education can 
 be called good where it is wanting. 
 
 To-morrow we must part, but I trust that in 
 the love of God and goodness we shall ever be 
 united ! My solemn request is, that as often as 
 the day begins and ends, thou wilt not barely 
 say thy prayers, but endeavour to offer up the 
 real desire of thine heart in prayer ; and as a 
 help or assistance to the performance of this 
 duty, I will give thee a small collection of 
 prayers, also an abstract of the general train of 
 devotion, which I would earnestly recommend, 
 and a few hymns which may likewise be useful. 
 Surely thou mayst have some idea of the mighty 
 privilege of being thus, as it were in an especial 
 K
 
 104 
 
 manner, admitted into the holy presence of the 
 universal Father of angels and of men, and of 
 making known thy requests unto him! What 
 wouldst thou think of the folly of a person who, 
 having an offer from some mighty monarch of 
 his friendship and assistance upon all needful 
 occasions, should, from indolence or insensibility, 
 decline to avail himself of it ? Yet what is the 
 greatest potentate that ever lived upon earth, 
 the wisest and the best, in comparison of Him 
 who endureth from everlasting to everlasting; 
 who sitteth in the heavens over all ; upon whom 
 the whole universe is dependent, and in respect 
 of whom even the noblest beings in that universe 
 are as nothing ! 
 
 O MARY, there needs no further messenger 
 from heaven to tell us what we ought to do, and 
 that except we repent and are obedient, we must 
 all perish, ; but we see how merciful our Father 
 is, if we do repent. Learn of St. Paul to reason 
 like a rational and accountable being : " If God 
 spared not his own Son but delivered him up for 
 us all t how will he not with him also, freely give 
 us all things ?" Is not this an argument that the 
 weakest may understand, and which the wisest 
 must admire ?
 
 PRAYERS, DEVOTIONS, and HYMNS, 
 
 PRESENTED TO 
 
 MY DAUGHTER MARY, aged SEVENTEEN, 
 
 On Occasion of her first going into Service, 
 
 By her affectionate Father, 
 
 THOMAS TRUEMAN. 
 
 1. Morning Ejaculation, on waking. 
 
 UNTO thee I lift up mine eyes, O thou that 
 dwellest in the heavens ! Early in the morning 
 do I cry unto thee. Incline mine heart, O Lord, 
 that I may call my ways to remembrance, and 
 diligently obey thy commandments, through Jesus 
 Christ our Lord. AMEN. 
 
 2. Ejaculation for Night, on the approach of Sleep. 
 
 KEEP me, O Lord, under the shadow of thy 
 almighty power, and preserve me from the 
 dangers of this night. Blot out my transgressions, 
 and when my last hour shall come, let me gently 
 pass from life to death, as I now pass into sleep : 
 and receive me, O God, into thy eternal rest. 
 AMEN. 
 
 PRAYERS. 
 
 3. For the Morning. 
 
 MOST merciful God, the mighty guardian and 
 protector of mankind, who hast safely brought 
 K2
 
 196 
 
 me to the beginning of this day, I beseech thee 
 to continue thy mercies to me ! And, as I am 
 going into a world surrounded by snares, and 
 beset with temptations, grant that this day I may 
 fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of 
 danger ; but that all my doings may be so ordered 
 by thy governance, that I may do always that 
 which is righteous in thy sight. This I beg, O 
 merciful God', in the name of Jesus Christ our 
 Lord. AMEN. 
 
 4. For the Evening. 
 
 O GOD, the sure defender of all who put their 
 trust in thee, I most humbly beseech thee to 
 keep me this night under the shadow of thy pro- 
 tection ; let thy almighty power shield me against 
 all dangers ; defend me against all assaults of my 
 spiritual or bodily enemies, and make me to 
 dwell in a safe and peaceful habitation. Pardon 
 whatever thou.hast seen amiss in me the past 
 day, and enable me to serve and obey thee 
 better for all time to come. Grant this, O Father, 
 according to thy gracious promises by Jesus 
 Christ our Lord. AMEN. 
 
 5. For Humility. 
 
 MOST gracious and merciful God, who in thy 
 great goodness didst give thy beloved Son to be 
 our guide unto eternal life! grant that the ex- 
 Ample of his meekness and humility, his incom- 
 parable sweetness and condescension, may make
 
 197 
 
 the deepest impressions on my heart! Mortify 
 in me all proud thoughts, and every vain opinion 
 of myself, that I may neither boast of any thing 
 which thou hast permitted me to possess, nor be 
 unmindful of the- hand from whence it came. 
 Make me to know my own infirmities, tliat I 
 may never seek my own praise, nor delight in 
 that which may be offered me by others. Help 
 me to rejoice in discharging my duty to thee, 
 and in shewing due honour to my fellow-crea- 
 tures, and to do them all the good in my power, 
 that at length I may receive the crown which 
 thou hast prepared for thy faithful servants, in 
 thy kingdom of eternal glory, and hast promised 
 by Jesus Chrirt, my blessed Lord and Redeemer. 
 AMEN. 
 
 6. For Obedience to Parents. 
 
 O ALMIGHTY LORD and heavenly Father, 
 who delightest in the obedience of thy children, 
 I beseech thee give me a humble, meek and 
 contrite spirit. Inspire my heart with au utter 
 abhorrence of the dreadful guilt of unduti fulness 
 and disobedience. Let no falsehood or evasion 
 ever enter into my heart, or hinder me from 
 confessing the truth to those who have a right to 
 require it of me. Make me patient under reproof, 
 and daligent in performing my duty. Let my 
 gratitude and submission to my parents be ac- 
 cepted as obedience to thee, my Father and
 
 108 
 
 my God! Grant this, I beseech thee, O Lord, 
 for thy mercy's sake in Jesus Christ our Lord. 
 AMBIT. 
 
 7. For Fidelity in Scroitude. 
 
 GREAT God, thou righteous Judge of men! 
 let thy fear be always before mine eyes, that I 
 may discharge my duty with faithfulness and 
 zeal. Let my conduct towards my superiors* 
 express my gratitude for all the mercies which 
 thou hast vouchsafed unto me. Thy all-piercing 
 eye can see my inmost thoughts and minutest 
 actions ! Let my fidelity and respect towards 
 my superiors be apparent in their f sight, that I 
 may delight in promoting their prosperity ; and 
 I beseech thee to give them such a just sense of 
 their eternal obligations to justice and piety, 
 temperance, and all other virtues, that their con- 
 duct may not disturb the repose of my mind, but 
 our endeavours be united in the advancement of 
 thy glory arid of the good of mankind. This I 
 beg, O merciful Father, of thine infinite good- 
 ness, by Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN. 
 
 8. For Patience, particularly in Servitude. 
 
 MOST merciful God, and tender Father, I be- 
 seech thee, in thine infinite goodness, to remove 
 from me all pride and haughtiness of spirit, and 
 teach me how to support myself under every 
 circumstance of life ; that with patience, resolu- 
 
 * Master or mislress, or both, t His, her, or their.
 
 V09 
 
 tion, and singleness of heart, I may overcome 
 evil with good, and ever possess my soul in tran- 
 quillity. Grant me grace to imitate the humility 
 of my blessed Lord and Saviour, that 1 may 
 obtain such a peace of mind and rest of soul, as 
 the world cannot give. Let my conscience be 
 always void of offence towards thee and my 
 fellow-creatures; that amidst all the follies and 
 iniquities which surround me, I may acquit my- 
 self with applause in thy sight, O God, and 
 receive the great reward which thou hast pro- 
 mised thy faithful servants, by Jesus Christ. * 
 AMEN. 
 
 Q. For Application to Business, and Resigna- 
 tion to Providence. 
 
 ALMIGHTY Lord, who hast ordained by thy 
 unchangeable decrees that man shall eat his bread 
 in sweat and labour, give me, I beseech thee, an 
 active and industrious disposition. Let my dili- 
 gence and innocency go hand in hand and admi- 
 nister to their mutual support; that my life may 
 pass in safety, and my death be full of hope. 
 Teach me, O God, an entire submission to thy 
 will ! Give me so true a relish *)f my condition, 
 that the glorious example of humility which 
 Christ hath set before my eyes may appear as 
 far beyond any earthly advantage, as the glories 
 of eternity outshine the transcient splendour of 
 this world. Thus resigned, O Lord, let me 
 labour, with my hands, in stedfast hopes of future
 
 200 
 
 happiness, through thy great goodness revealed 
 by Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN. 
 
 10. For Chastity. 
 
 MOST holy and eternal Father, I beseech thee, 
 let thy Spirit descend upon thy servant, that my 
 body may be undefiled from all impurities. Let 
 no unchaste words pollute the tongue which thou 
 hast commanded to be an organ of thy praise. 
 Seal up my senses from all vain objects, that 
 they may be fortified against the assaults of 
 temptation; and that, by watchfulness and mor- 
 tification, possessing my soul in true holiness, I 
 may at length resign myself to death, in stedfast 
 hope of being made partaker of a joyful resur- 
 rection, through thy great mercy in Jesus Christ, 
 my exalted Lord and Master. AMEN. 
 11. For Benefactors. 
 
 MOST merciful Lord, fountain of all good to 
 men and angels, I beseech thee, extend thy favour 
 and loving -kindness to my friends and bene- 
 factors. Reward them for the good which, 
 through thy providence, they have conveyed to 
 me. Guard them from all sadness and affliction, 
 but such as may be instrumental to thy glory 
 and their eternal comfort. Preserve their per- 
 sons from ail violence; and let not the powers of 
 darkness prevail against them. Guide them in 
 thy paths, and make them the instruments of thy 
 mercies to mankind ; that amidst all the taunts
 
 201 
 
 and ingratitude of the world, they may stand as 
 monuments of thy paternal tenderness and care, 
 and finally be received into thine everlasting 
 kingdom, through thy promised mercies to us in 
 our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! A MEN. 
 
 19. Against Censorious ness. 
 
 O TENDER Father of mankind, correct in me, 
 I beseech thee, whatever is malevolent or cen- 
 sorious ; restrain my tongue from evil, and my 
 lips that they speak no guile ; that imitating the 
 conduct of rny blessed Saviour, by unfeigned 
 love and true commiseration, I may mourn over 
 the offences of others, and by my best endeavours 
 make them sensible of the errors of their ways. 
 If it be thy pleasure, let me suffer injuries, but 
 not do them. Teach me, O God, to enter into 
 the recesses of my own heart, and take an im- 
 partial view of my own sins ; that, avoiding all 
 severe judgments of others, 1 may finally escape 
 condemnation at the judgment seat of Christ, 
 in whose most holy name I implore thy mercy. 
 AMEN. 
 13. For Grace to resist Pride and Unquietness. 
 
 MOST righteous and just God, to whose all- 
 piercing eye ungodliness and wrong are open as 
 the day, grant, I beseech thee, that whatever 
 injuries or provocations I may meet with in the 
 world, 1 may discern the folly and wickedness 
 of pride and anger, and meekly commit my 
 
 K3
 
 202 
 
 cause unto thee, trusting in thine infinite wisdom 
 and goodness for relief, through Jesus Christ our 
 Lord. AMEN. 
 
 14. For a Husband or a Wife. 
 
 MOST gracious Father and eternal God, who 
 hast consecrated the holy state of marriage, I 
 beseech thee, let not the cares and inquietudes, 
 the weaknesses and infirmities, which cleave to 
 our imperfect nature, discompose my spirit. Give 
 me, under all the accidents and vicissitudes of 
 life, a cheerful and obliging temper, a strict 
 attention to my duty towards thee, with truth, 
 fidelity and affection to my husband (or wife). 
 Give me thy grace, I beseech thee, that I may 
 be a guide and good example to my family ; that 
 all discharging their respective duties in quiet- 
 ness, contentment and humility, thy blessings, 
 O God, may rest upon them, and particularly on 
 the person of my husband (or wife) : and grant, 
 O Father, that we may both live in mutual love, 
 to the end of a holy and happy life, and finally 
 be received into thy joys, which thou hast pro- 
 mised by Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord. AMEN. 
 
 15. For Pardon of Sins in Sickness. 
 
 HEAR me, O almighty and most merciful 
 Father, and extend thy goodness to thy servant. 
 Sanctify, I beseech thee, all thy corrections to 
 me, that the sense of my weakness, in my present 
 condition, may add strength to my faith and
 
 20,3 
 
 seriousness to my repentance. Give me grace so 
 to take this visitation, that if my sickness shall 
 end my present life, I may be removed to those 
 regions where sickness, pain and sorrow shall 
 be no more, even to dwell with thee in bliss 
 eternal, through thy mercy in Jesus Christ our 
 Lord. AMEN. 
 
 16. For Recovery from Sickness and for Re- 
 signation. 
 
 MOST righteous God, in whose hands are the 
 appointments of life and death, grant that I may 
 perceive thy justice and mercy, and look up to 
 thee for strength to bear, and grace to profit by 
 my sickness. Let me consider it as a scourge 
 for my sins, and a medicine to heal the diseases 
 of my soul. Grant, O Lord, it may answer these 
 ends, that, trusting in thy gracious promises, I 
 may behave myself submissively, patiently and 
 devoutly; and, if it be thy pleasure to restore 
 me to health, let me constantly send up my 
 heart in praise and gratitude to thee, and lead 
 the residue of my days in thy service and to thy 
 glory. But if it is thy will that I now shall die, 
 O God, forgive my manifold transgressions, and 
 prepare my heart, that I may stand accepted 
 before thy throne. Receive me into thy favour, 
 O Father eternal, according as thou hast pro- 
 mised to those who obey thee, by Jesus Christ 
 our Lord. AMEN.
 
 204 
 
 17. For a good Life and happy Death. 
 O LORD and Father of my life, I behold my 
 days passing away like a shadow ; shed thy in- 
 fluence on my heart, that I may improve the 
 remainder of them, and recover the precious 
 time which I have lost! Instruct me, O God of 
 wisdom, how to prepare myself for that hour, 
 when I shall appear before thy judgment seat! 
 that being full of the hopes of a blissful immor- 
 tality, I may rather desire than dread my disso- 
 lution. Thy eternal decree is past; and it is 
 appointed to man once to die. O teach me to 
 meet the King of terrors without dismay : teach 
 me to receive him as a welcome messenger, and, 
 whether early or late, let me joyfully obey thy 
 summons! This I beg, as the disciple of Jesus 
 Christ our Lord. AMEN. 
 
 18. A Prayer for Divine Assistance in every Event 
 of Life, and particularly with a view to Mar- 
 riage. 
 
 ALMIGHTY and everlasting Lord God, thou 
 that dwellest in light inaccessible, and art in 
 excellence most transcendent! how shall I, one 
 of the lowest of thy intelligent creatures, venture 
 to supplicate thy mercy, or in what language 
 shall I address thee ? But thou art a God as of 
 all power, so of everlasting mercy, and not only 
 seest at one view all the nations of men that 
 dwell upon earth, (and in thy sight all things
 
 205 
 
 past, present and to come, are ever present,) but 
 condescendest to direct the steps of those that 
 fear thee ! " Not a sparrow talieth to the 
 ground without thee, our Father." 
 
 It is by thy Son's Gospel we are taught that 
 our everlasting happiness or misery will depend 
 upon our present conduct : teach me, therefore, 
 O heavenly Father, not so much to seek the 
 satisfactions of this world, as to attain that holi- 
 ness of character, without which I must lose thy 
 favour, and be wretched for ever. O save me, I 
 beseech thee, from such an excess of woe! But 
 as my future conduct will much depend upon 
 the situation in which I am placed, be graciously 
 pleased so to order the events of thy providence, 
 as that 1 may be led to determine upon a single 
 or married life, as may best conduce to my 
 eternal welfare ; and that I may consider the 
 marriage state, in all its real importance, not as 
 a light and trivial thing, but as an event upon 
 which the happiness of myself, and of my hus- 
 band, may depend for ever. 
 
 Teach me so to walk in l.hy fear, that I may 
 dread the company of a profane, a drunken, Or a 
 dishonest person,* knowing that by their ex- 
 ample I shall be led away from keeping thy 
 commandments : and suffer me not to give my 
 affection to any one who is not also thy servant 
 
 * When the view to marriage is onJy general.
 
 206 
 
 Thou knowest that I am at this time sought 
 in marriage, and that the person is very dear to 
 me. If thou seest fit to approve our union, 
 sanctify unto us, I beseech thee, this affection,* 
 that in purity, simplicity and godly sincerity, we 
 may have our conversation in this world, knowing 
 that it is but for a time ! 
 
 But above all suffer not the allurements of an 
 earthly attachment to draw off my mind from its 
 chiefest good, an attachment which must neces- 
 sarily soon cease and be done away for ever. O 
 suffer me not to set my heart upon any person 
 or thing in this world, so as hereafter to think 
 any of thy dispensations grievous, but grant that 
 in all things I may now and for ever entirely 
 resign myself, and all that belongs to me, into 
 thy hands, knowing that I and my affairs are 
 nothing, are less than a point in the midst of thy 
 works, further than as thou makest me to fill one 
 link in the chain which binds together thy intel- 
 ligent creation. Grant this, O heavenly Father, 
 in the way appointed by Jesus Christ, our Lord 
 and Saviour. AMEN. 
 
 * When the affections are engaged to a particular person.
 
 207 
 
 GENERAL DEVOTIONS. 
 
 HEAR me, O Lord of life ! ponder my medita- 
 tions, and consider the longings of my soul to 
 serve and worship thee! When I look back oft 
 thy wonders of old, and the mercies which thou 
 hast shewn to all the children of men ; when I 
 contemplate the preservation 1 have experienced 
 in my own person, in sickness and danger, my 
 heart is exalted with joy, and my spirit resteth 
 in the hope of the continuance of thy goodness 
 to me, even for ever and ever. 
 
 Yet am I unworthy to stand in thy sight, () 
 God, for my transgressions and infirmities are 
 numberless! Give me thy aid to sue for thy 
 pardon! Vouchsafe to grant me such a measure 
 of patience and humility, meekness and temper- 
 ance, fortitude and benevolence, that my thoughts 
 being subdued by righteousness, my words and 
 actions may be acceptable in thy sight. Purify 
 my imagination, and banish the foolishness of 
 my thoughts, which so often interrupts the repose 
 of my mind. I am imperfect in nature, and not 
 worthy to look up to Heaven ! Yet, O God, 
 thou knowest whereof I am made : make me so 
 watchful and resolute, that I may never fall 
 again from thee. 
 
 Thy judgments, O Lord, are right ; and in 
 faithfulness dost thou cause us to be troubled.
 
 208 
 
 The soul that is troubled, and the spirit that is 
 vexed, crieth unto thee! Hear me then, O God, 
 my Father, and turn thee unto me according to 
 the multitude of thy mercies, Let tne lemem- 
 brance or my past misdeeds be biotttd out, and 
 cleanse me iron, my secret faults: let not the 
 sins to which I am by temper and constitution 
 prone, prevail against me. 
 
 O Father Almighty, grant me such a measure 
 of thy grace, that 1 may daily learn how tore- 
 pent ; and so apply myself to the discharge of 
 my duty, that when my feet shall slip, thou in 
 thy goodness mayst uphold me. 
 
 Give me a contrite heart, O Lord, that I may 
 worthily lament my sins, and make such con- 
 fession of them, as thou shall please to accept, 
 in the way thou hast promised by the Gospel of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 Let thy Spirit lead me forth, and direct my 
 paths in righteousness; that with zeal and truth, 
 purity and singleness of heart, 1 may discharge 
 thy will on earth, so far as my imperfect nature 
 will admit, as it is done in heaven. 
 
 Grant that I may keep in constant view the 
 life and death of the blessed Saviour of the world, 
 that through faith in his promises, I may obtain 
 remission of my sins. Let me consecrate every 
 hour of my life to follow his example; and let 
 all the glories of this transient scene appear as 
 darkness and horror, in comparison of the wisdom
 
 209 
 
 which springeth from hope in that immortal life 
 which he hath promised ! 
 
 Give me thy grace, O Lord, so as to improve 
 my fleeting hours, that I may compass all the 
 pious and rational designs at which my soul 
 aspires. Let me act as a chosen instrument of 
 thy mercies to mankind ; that in every condition, 
 the happiness of others may be the constant sub- 
 ject of my joy. Yet banish from me all anxious 
 desires, that I may possess my spirit in freedom 
 and resignation ; and suffer .not the noise and 
 bustle of the world, or the deluding blandish- 
 ments of sense, to captivate my heart ; but whilst 
 my body tends to its original dust, may the 
 strength of my mind grow to maturity, and my 
 soul be exalted in the contemplation of the hap- 
 piness of the just in the blissful regions of 
 immortality. 
 
 Cherish and strengthen my hopes, that what- 
 ever thy vvisdom shall ordain, concerning the 
 time which thou shalt permit me to live on earth, 
 I may resolutely pursue that which is right in thy 
 sight; an. whilst I enter into the recesses of my 
 own mind, and compassionate the faults of others, 
 let me pour out my soul unto thee, in whose 
 friendship there can be no disappointment. 
 
 Give me a true understanding of the honour 
 and love which I owe to my king, my country, 
 and mankind in general ; but let no flattery nor 
 distinction, nor any false bias, sully the purity of
 
 210 
 
 my love and gratitude towards thee, or divert 
 the current of my thoughts from the fountain of 
 reason and the source of felicity ! 
 
 Let the ends of the earth remember thee, O 
 God, and all nations fall down before thee! 
 Although the host of heaven pay homage to thee, 
 O Father omnipotent, reject not my humble 
 praise ! 
 
 Thou, thou art all! To thee, O God, I offer 
 up my prayer, from the hour I rise from the 
 death of sleep till- my senses are locked again in 
 darkness. Let all my hopes and all my wishes 
 centre in thee, O Lord, and be directed to thy 
 glory. 
 
 Fill my heart with such knowledge of thy 
 wisdom, thy goodness, thy justice, that I may 
 delight in thy laws, and dwell under the shadow 
 of thy mercy ! Let my remembrance of thee be 
 sweeter than the praises of an applauding world ; 
 and the riches of thy wisdom beyond all the 
 earth can afford. 
 
 Let the knowledge of thy sacred word, trans- 
 mitted down from age to age, guide and direct 
 my steps; that, reason being enlightened by the 
 gospel of truth, I may see and approve what is 
 holy, just and pure; and love and fear and adore 
 thy unchangeable perfections ! O make thy will 
 appear to me clearly, that, discerning thy laws, 
 I may inflexibly abide in thy statutes! 
 
 Shed thy influence on my soul, O Lord Al-
 
 mighty, that I may possess such fortitude as will 
 always keep me in thy paths. Thou, O God, 
 art truth ; and all my researches in which I de- 
 part from thee, are full of error and delusion. 
 Strengthen the powers of my mind, O God, that 
 I may learn and practise all things which are 
 agreeable to thee, till the approaching time ar- 
 rives, when, by thy mercy, I may behold the 
 brightness of thy incomprehensible wisdom and 
 glory. 
 
 Teach me, O Lord, to meet my dissolution 
 with a humble and contrite, but undaunted 
 heart ; and, O my Father and my God, let me 
 die the death of the righteous, that when L shall 
 appear at the tribunal of Christ, whom thou hast 
 appointed to judge the world, I may hear his 
 sentence in ecstacy of joy, and become a partaker 
 in his glory. 
 
 O merciful, omnipotent Father! hear this my 
 prayer ! Hear me, I beseech thee, and bring me 
 to thine everlasting joys, through Jesus Christ 
 our Lord. AMEN.
 
 212 
 
 HYMNS. 
 
 1. Hymn for Gratitude. 
 
 When all thy mercies, O my God, 
 
 My rising soul surveys, 
 Transported with the view, I'm lost 
 
 In wonder, love, and praise. 
 
 O how shall words with equal warmth 
 
 The gratitude declare, 
 That glows within my ravish'd heart ? 
 
 But thou canst read it there. 
 
 Thy providence my life sustain'd, 
 And all my wants redress'd, 
 
 When in the silent womb 1 lay, 
 And hung upon the breast. 
 
 To all my weak complaints and cries 
 
 Thy mercy lent an ear, 
 Ere yet my feeble thoughts had learnl 
 
 To form themselves in pray'r.
 
 213 
 
 Unnumber'd comforts on my soul 
 
 Thy tender care bestow'd, 
 Before my infant heart conceiv'd 
 
 From whence those comforts flow'd. 
 
 Through ev'ry period of my life 
 
 Thy goodness I'll pursue; 
 And, after death, in distant worlds 
 
 The glorious theme renew. 
 
 When nature fails, and day and night 
 
 Divide thy works no more ; 
 My ever grateful heart, O Lord, 
 
 Thy mercy shall adore. 
 
 2. For Protection from wicked Person*. 
 
 To God I cried, with anguish stung, 
 
 Nor form'd a fruitless pray'r ; 
 O save me from the lying tongue, 
 
 And lips that would ensnare ! 
 
 Safe shall I go and safe return, 
 
 While he my life defends, 
 Whose eyes my ev'ry step discern, 
 
 Whose mercy never ends. 
 
 3. Against Flattery. 
 
 To thee I call ; O haste thee near ; 
 My voice, great God, indulgent hear ;
 
 214 
 
 With grateful odour to the skies 
 As incense let my pray'r arise. 
 And let my hands, uplifted high, 
 With full acceptance meet thine eye, 
 Let virtue's friends, severely kind, 
 With welcome chastisement my mind 
 Correct ; but give not these to shed 
 The balm of flattery o'er my head ; 
 Lest sudden from thy wrath I feel 
 The stroke, that none shall know to heal. 
 
 4. On the Shortness and Vanity of Life. 
 
 HEAR, Lord, my pray'r, and let my cries 
 Accepted to thy throne arise ; 
 O turn not thou thy face away, 
 Nor longer my relief delay ; 
 But mark my sorrow from on high, 
 And pitying to my call reply. 
 Fast as the mountain smoke decays, 
 On Time's light pinion flit my days : 
 As fades the shadow of the sun 
 With quick decline my moments run, 
 Just verging to their close : my face, 
 Its vernal bloom, and youthful grace, 
 Extinguish'd, withers on the eye, 
 As plants beneath a hostile sky. 
 But thou blest guard of Israel's fold, 
 Shalt ages see on ages roll'd, 
 And thron'd above to endless days 
 Extend thy honour, name, and praise.
 
 215 
 
 5. For Repentance and Trust in God. 
 
 LORD ! to my wants thy ear incline ; 
 
 Behold me as with grief I pine ; 
 
 My hope confirm, and guard from ill 
 
 A soul subjected to thy will. 
 
 From rising to declining day, 
 
 To thee with fervent lip I pray; 
 
 Propitious, to thy servant's heart 
 
 Thy cheering influence impart. 
 
 To thee, to thee, I vent my care ; 
 
 I know thee, Lord, nor slow to spare, 
 
 Nor weak to vindicate from harm, 
 
 The soul with pure devotion warm. 
 
 My days with sorrow clouded o'er, 
 
 Thy wanted succours I implore. 
 
 Long as I breathe the vital air, 
 
 Thy love my loudest praise shall share, 
 
 Whose aid my soul with health has crown'd, 
 
 And snatch'd me from the pit profound. 
 
 0. A Hymn. The Christian's Contemplation. 
 
 IN vain the dusky night retires, 
 
 And sullen shadows fly : 
 In vain the morn with purple light 
 
 Adorns the eastern sky.
 
 216 
 
 In vain the gaudy rising sun 
 
 The wide horizon gilds, 
 Comes glitt'ring o'er the silver streams, 
 
 And cheers the dewy fields. 
 
 In vain, dispensing vernal sweets, 
 
 The morning breezes play ; 
 In vain the birds with cheerful songs 
 
 Salute the new-born day. 
 
 In vain ; unless my Father's face 
 These gloomy clouds controul, 
 
 And dissipate the sullen shades 
 That press my drooping soul. 
 
 Oh ! visit then thy servant, Lord, 
 
 With favour from on high ; 
 Arise, my bright immortal sun, 
 
 And all these shades will die. 
 
 O when shall I behold thy face, 
 
 All radiant and serene, 
 Without those envious dusky clouds, 
 
 That make a veil between ? 
 
 When shall that long-expected day 
 
 Of sacred vision be ? 
 When shall my soul impatient make 
 
 A near approach to thee ?
 
 217 
 
 7. Hymn on the Excellency of the Bible. 
 
 HERE are my choicest treasures hid, 
 
 Here my best comfort lies, 
 Here my desires are satisfy'd, 
 
 And hence my hopes arise. 
 
 Lord, make me understand thy law, 
 
 Shew what my faults have been, 
 And from thy gospel let me draw 
 
 Pardon for all my sin. 
 
 Here do I learn how Christ has dy'd 
 
 To save my soul from hell : 
 Not all the books on earth beside 
 
 Such heav'nly wonders tell. 
 
 Then let me search thy Scriptures more, 
 
 And, with renew'd delight, 
 By day read all thy wonders o'er, 
 
 And meditate by night. 
 
 8. Hymn. The Wisdom of God in his Works. 
 I. 
 
 SONGS of immortal praise belong 
 
 To thee, almighty God ! 
 To thee are due our heart, our tongue, 
 
 To spread thy name abroad. 
 
 L
 
 218 
 
 II. 
 
 How great the works thy hand has wrought ! 
 
 How glorious in our sight ! 
 And men in ev'ry age have sought 
 
 Thy wonders with delight. 
 
 III. 
 
 How most exact is nature's frame ! 
 
 How wise th' eternal mind ! 
 Thy counsels never change the scheme 
 
 That thy first thoughts design'd. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Nature and time, and earth and skies, 
 
 Thy heav'nly skill proclaim : 
 What shall we do to make us wise, 
 
 But learn to read thy name ? 
 
 V. 
 
 To feer thy pow'r, to trust thy grace, 
 
 Is our divinest skill ; 
 And he's the wisest of our race 
 
 That best obeys thy will. 
 
 9. Hymn. The Wisdom of God in his Works. 
 
 I. 
 
 GREAT God, the heav'n's well-order' d frame 
 Declares the glories of thy name ; 
 
 There thy rich works of wonder shine;
 
 219 
 
 A thousand starry beauties there, 
 A thousand radiant marks appear 
 Of boundless pow'r and skill divine. 
 
 II. 
 
 From night to day, from day to night, 
 The dawning and the dying light 
 
 Lectures of heav'nly wisdom read: 
 With silent eloquence they raise 
 Our thoughts to the Creator's praise, 
 
 And neither sound nor language need. 
 
 III. 
 
 Yet their divine instructions run 
 Fair as the journeys of the sun : 
 
 All nature joins to shew thy praise. 
 Thus God in ev'ry creature shines: 
 Fair is the book of nature's lines, 
 
 But fairer is the book of grace. 
 
 10. Hymn. The Equity of the Divine 
 Dispensations. 
 
 I. 
 
 FATHER of men! who can complain 
 Under thy mild and equal reign ? 
 Who does a weight of duty share 
 More than his aids and pow'rs can bear?
 
 220 
 
 II. 
 
 With diff' ring climes and differing lands, 
 With fruitful plains and barren sands, 
 Thy hand hath form'd this earthly round, 
 And set each nation in its bound. 
 
 III. 
 
 With like variety, thy ray 
 Here sheds a full, there fainter, day ; 
 While all are in their measure shew'd 
 The way to happiness and God. 
 
 IV. 
 
 O the unbounded grace which brought 
 To us the words by- Jesus taught! 
 So blest, and with such hopes inspir'd, 
 How much is giv'n ! how much requir'd ! 
 
 11. Hymn. Divine Providence. 
 
 I. 
 
 THROUGH all the various shifting scene 
 
 Of life's mistaken ill or good, 
 Thy hand, O God, conducts unseen 
 
 The beautiful vicissitude. 
 
 II. 
 
 Thou givest with a Father's care, 
 Howe'er unjustly we complain, 
 
 To each their necessary share 
 Of joy and sorrow, health and pain. 

 
 221 
 
 III. 
 
 All things on eartb, and all in heav'n, 
 On thine eternal will depend ; 
 And all for greater good were giVn, 
 Would man pursue th' appointed end. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Be this our care ; to all beside 
 
 Indiff'rent let our wishes be : 
 Passion be calm, and dumb be pride, 
 
 And fix'd our souls, O God, on thee. 
 
 12. Hymn. The Perfections and Providence of 
 God. 
 
 I. 
 HIGH in the heav'ns, eternal God, 
 
 Thy goodness in full glory shines ; 
 Thy truth shall break thro' ev'ry cloud 
 
 Which veils and darkens thy designs. 
 
 II. 
 
 For ever firm thy justice stands, 
 As mountains their foundations keep ; 
 
 Wise are the wonders of thy hands, 
 Thy judgments are a mighty deep. 
 
 III. 
 
 Thy providence is kind and large ; 
 
 Both man and beast thy bounty share 
 The whole creation is thy charge, 
 
 The good are thy peculiar care. 
 
 M
 
 BM 
 IV. 
 
 O God, how excellent thy grace, 
 
 Whence all our hope and comfort springs ! 
 The sons of Adam in distress 
 
 Fly to the shadow 
 
 THE END. 
 
 George Stnallfield, Printer, Hackney.