soothing all its powers with feelings and consolations, that are infinitely beyond the reach, the nature and the littleness of all human things.

There must be a thousand moments in the life of every person, that is not elevated by this devotion, when all earthly blessings will be cold and insipid, and the soul must feel an inexpressible languor, though possessed of all the kingdoms of the world, and the glories of them.

Though some fanatics have made the love of God ridiculous by couching it in too sensual, rapturous, or extravagant language, yet such a passion there is. grounded on the most rational principles, and springing from the purest source; without which our lives would frequently be miserable, and our duties, the formal, unanimated service of a body without a soul.

If we admire what is great, sublime and magnificent on other occasions; if we love what is amiable, disinterested, benevolent and merciful in many of our fellow creatures, whom we have never seen, what principle either of reason or philosophy forbids us to admire and love the same in God, who is the primary author of all amiableness, and at once the source and fulness of all possible perfection; and, if we acknowledge him as the parent of all real happiness, where is the absurdity of cultivating an intercourse and friendship with him, in order to obtain that happiness, by prayer, reflection and pious aspirations?

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy

heart, and with all thy soul: This is the first and great commandment.

If a virtuous attachment to an imperfect creature here is attended with such transports; if friendship, pure and disinterested, has such exquisite enjoyments, the pleasure, resulting from an intimacy with God, must far surpass all human comprehension, apd be infinitely more exalted and sublime. It is heaven compared with earth, or the immensity of space, with the little narrow boundaries of a prison, or a convent.

LETTER IV.

NEVER fancy that religion will render you gloomy or unpleasing. If indeed you take it from the coarse daubings of superstition or of enthusiasm, it is a frightful monster, or a melancholy spectre, that will discourage people from approaching you. If you deduce it from the scriptures and ground it upon reason, solid argument and truth, it will become a source of perpetual cheerfulness to yourself, that will be reflected on every person and object about you.

Never fail to treat with the greatest reverence, every thing that relates to the house of God, to his ministers, to his sacraments, and to his word. To mention any thing, that is sacred, with levity, is a

certain mark of a depraved heart, and a weak understanding. A witty sneer or sarcasm on such subjects, is not to be forgiven. It shocks all the sensible and better of part of mankind, and is a species of blasphemy or sacrilege.

You remember who has said, that, "..

e." This sentence is severe, and not to be admitted it restrictions. Pope was a rancorous satirist of women. Whatever be his merit in the world of letters, they, at least, owe no extraordinary gratitude to his memory or talents. "Tread lightly upon the ashes of the dead," is a maxim I revere. I would otherwise retaliate his insults on the sex, and become the champion of their injured honour. I would insinuate, that the poet was little and deformed, and had experienced few of their caresses or attentions. Other writers, however, have charged you with a strong preference for dissipated men; but this, surely, is the ungenerous aspersion of your enemies, or of those who have not known the most deserving amongst you, and have formed an unjust and unfavourable conclusion, from the unamiableness of a few.

Your example, I trust, will always contradict such indiscriminate censure. The idea, if we could admit it in its full extent, would be unfriendly to the social happiness of life. It would destroy that esteem and confidence in your virtues, which the best and wisest men have uniformly thought no inadequate counterpoise to their sorrows, and their cares. A bad man is

terrible in society; but an unprincipled woman is a monster. The peace, happiness and honour of our sex are so very much in the power of yours after marriage, that the most abandoned libertine shudders at the thought of a union with a woman who has not piety and virtue. His intimacy with some females, of a certain description, has given him such a disgusting picture, as will never be forgotten. In his moments of reflection, he execrates his folly, and, when he deliberates, whom he should choose for the companion of his life, appeals from the treacherous, ruffled bosom of an harlot, to one, that will be always faithful, and always serene. Without piety, indeed, a woman can never fully possess the true powers of pleasing. She will want that meek benevolence, sympathy and softness, which give an inexpressible lustre to her features, and such a wonderful ascendancy over our affections. We shall not otherwise approach her with confidence, or dare to repose any of our secrets, our concerns, or our sorrows, in her sympa. thizing breast.

MY DEAR GIRL,

LETTER V.

IF your mind is in a proper frame, every thing in you and about you will inculcate the necessity and prompt you to the continual exercise of devotion. You

will find yourself encompassed with innumerable fears, weaknesses, wants, sorrows, diseases, wishes, hopes, under which all human creatures will be unable to assist, or give you any adequate relief; but wherever you cast your eyes, you will at the same time, be environed with the immensity of a Being, who is possessed of all possible perfections, and who holdeth the issues of life and death, of happiness and misery, solely in his hands.

The power, majesty, grandeur and wisdom of this Being are discernible in every part of your frame, in every function of your body, and operation of your mind, nay, in the curious and exquisite formation of every animal and insect. They are seen, on a still sublimer scale, in the size, the distances, grandear and wonderful revolution of the heavenly bodies; in the beautiful variegated canopy of heaven, in all the delicious landscapes of nature, in the pleasing succession of day and night, spring and autumn, summer and winter. In short, winds and storms, thunder and lightning, earthquakes and volcanoes, the grand, magnificent ocean, waves and comets, fulfilling his word, appearing and receding, at his sovereign command; flowers, blossoms, fruits, fossils, minerals, petrifactions, precipices, hills, caverns, valleys, all tell you, that their Former is immensely magnificent, "that he doeth what he will in the armies of heaven, and amongst the inhabitants of the earth, and that none can withstand the thunder of his power."

This God then is able to gratify your wishes, and