of death was upon her. In returning home (the distance is about a mile and a half) she was more than once obliged to rest; and when she arrived, she complained of great weariness; and never after this day, went out of the house.

To all her neighbours, she was kind and affable. She affected no airs of superiority; nor did the notice she took of them wear the aspect of condescension. She was not, at one time, conversable and pleasant; and, at another, cold and distant; but always wore the same cheerful countenance. At her death every one seemed to have lost a friend. Even the aged and infirm, who saunter in the village in search of something to occupy a wearisome hour, had always found in her a good-natured creature, who would stop, and say, "How do you do?" and listen to their complaints; and express a sympathy in their troubles; talk about the weather, and wish them better. But now they look in vain for her, at the customary hour of her walks; and feel that they have lost another of their

little comforts, and the village one of its most agreeable attractions; for they said "she made it look so cheerful."

Perhaps nothing can place the general estimation in which my dear daughter was held in a stronger light, than the feeling and interest which her last illness and death occasioned in the neighbourhood. When she was considered to be in danger, the numerous and anxious inquiries, which were made at our own house, and still more so, at the house of our medical attendant, and of himself, whenever he left the death-bed of his patient, were exceedingly affecting: and during the last three or four days of her illness, when her situation was known to be most critical, and it was desirable to have his constant attendance; the whole of his patients, as by one consent, (except in a few cases of emergency,) forbore to send for him, that his undivided attention might be given to my beloved daughter. On the day of her interment the spectacle was truly affecting. So deep an interest had not perhaps been felt in the village for many years and in

the crowded concourse, assembled in the church on that occasion, few refrained from tears. On the Sunday following her funeral, the church presented an affecting aspect. Almost every one, who had the means of obtaining it, put on some external token of their sorrow, to testify their grief at the loss of one, whom all so highly esteemed. And here, I can scarcely help mentioning an incident, which is of no other importance, than as showing how little we are aware of the aspect, which our cursory observations may sometimes have on our own particular case; and how touching, to individuals, the most trivial things may be under peculiar circumstances. When my daughter was lying on her dying pillow, but without the least apprehension of danger either on her part or on ours, she observed to her mother, how the window of a milliner, in the village, was filled with articles of mourning and wondered how she could expect, in so small a place, to find customers for them. On the day of my daughter s funeral, my dear wife was disappointed

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of some articles of dress from London, necessary for the mournful occasion; and recollecting the observation just alluded to, she sent to the village milliner for a supply; but every article had been pre-occupied by others, for the purpose of expressing their sorrow at the death of her, who had so lately wondered how they could possibly be disposed of!

I HAVE thus endeavoured to give a faithful delineation of the character of my beloved daughter; and an idea of the esteem and affection in which she was held by her relatives, friends, and neighbours. I must now proceed to a more affecting part of my narrative; and disclose what passed in the concluding stage of life.

For a considerable time previous to the attack which terminated in the death of my dear child, she had been far from well. But such was the natural liveliness of her disposition, and her anxiety not to give uneasiness to her friends, that scarcely any would have supposed she was not enjoying excellent health, except those who were almost constantly with her, and from whom it was impossible, at all times, to conceal her weakness and pain. Her friends, however, who saw her only at distant intervals, marked a gradual change in her countenance, and wasting of substance: and more than once mentioned their suspicions, that she was not enjoying that degree of health which