It is said of a nobleman in the reign of Henry the Eighth, that when a pardon was sent him a few hours before the time which was fixed for his execution, that, not expecting it, it so transported him, that he died for joy.

What an effect has grief also produced on the body! Excessive sorrow has been the cause of sudden death, or confirmed melancholy, loss of memory, imbecility of mind, of nervous fevers, of hypocondriac complaints, and the loss of appetite. Plautius, looking on his dead wife, threw himself upon her dead body, and presently died.

"I knew a woman," says one," who, upon only hearing of the death of one of her friends, shrieked out, and immediately fell down, and died."

The Dutchess of Burgundy, a princes of the house of Savoy (wife to the grandson of Lewis XIV), one day said to her husband, "As the hour of my dissolution is now drawing near, and I know you will not be able to live without a -wife, I should be glad to know whom it is your intention to marry." "I hope," said the duke, "that God will never inflict so severe a punishment on me, as to deprive me of you; but, -should I experience such a misfortune, I should not, most certainly, think of taking a second wife, since, being unable to support your death, -I should follow you in less than a week." The duke died of grief on the seventh day after the decease of the duchess.

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+ Other passions also have a wonderful effect upon the body." Thus fear is peculiarly dangerous in every species of contagion. It has instantaneously changed the complexion of

wounds, and rendered them fatal. It has occasioned gangrenes, induration of the glands, and epilepsies. It has produced a permanent stupor on the brain, and the first horrors of the imagination have, in some cases, made too deep an impression to be effaced by the most favoura ble change of circumstances. Thus anger has produced inflammatory and bilious fevers, hæmorrhages, apoplexies, inflammation of the brain, and mania. Thus terror has caused attacks of catalepsies, epilepsies, and other spasmodic disorders. Thus love has excited inflammatory fevers, hysterics, hectics, and the rage of madness. -It might be mentioned here, however, the good effects which sometimes have been produced by the passion. Thus hope enlivens and invigorates both mind and body; it diffuses a temperate vivacity over the system, directing a due degree of energy to ever part. Joy has been a potent remedy in some diseases; and what has been said of hope is applicable to joy under its more moderate influence. Love has cured intermittents, and fortified the body against dangers, difficulties, and hardships, that appeared superior to human force. Thus, even anger, we are told, has cured agues, restored speech to the dumb, and for several days arrested the cold hand of death. Fear has been known to relieve excruciating fits of the gout, to have rendered maniacs calm and composed, and the effects of fear in affording temporary relief in the toothach are universally known.

PATIENCE.

"NO man in any condition of life can pass his days with tolerable comfort without patience. It is of universal use. Without it, prosperity will be continually disturbed, and adversity will be clouded with double darkness. He who is without patience will be uneasy and troublesome to all with whom he is connected, and will be more troublesome to himself than to any other. The loud complaint, the querulous temper, and fretful spirit, disgrace every character: we weaken thereby the sympathy of others, and estrange them from the offices of kindness and comfort. But to maintain a steady and unbroken mind, amidst all the shocks of adversity, forms the highest honour of man. Afflictions supported by patience and surmounted by fortitude, give the last finishing to the heroic and the virtuous character. Thus the vale of tears becomes the theatre of human glory; that dark cloud presents the scene for all the beauties in the bow of virtue to appear. Moral grandeur, like the sun, is brighter in the day of the storm, and never is so truly sublime as when struggling through the darkness of an eclipse."

Pericles was of so patient a spirit, that he was hardly ever troubled with any thing that crossed him. There was a man who did nothing all the day but rail at him in the market-place before all the people, notwithstanding Pericles was a magistrate. Pericles, however, took no notice of it, but, dispatching sundry cases of importance, till

night came, he went home with a sober pace. The man followed him all the way, defaming him as he went. Pericles, when he came home, it being dark, called his man, and desired him to get a torch, and light the fellow home.

Bishop Cowper's wife, it is said, was much afraid that the bishop would prejudice his health by over-much study. When he was compiling his famous Dictionary, one day, in his absence, she got into his study, and took all the notes he had been for eight years gathering, and burned them; whereof, when she had acquainted him, he only said, "Woman thou hast put me to eight years study more."

Such has been the patience of the Saints, that it has struck their very enemies with surprise. Thus Bishop Bonner gave the following testimony to Cuthbert Sympson's patience. "I "I say unto you, that, if he were not an heretic, he is a man of the greatest patience that ever came before me. He has been thrice racked in one day in the Tower, and in my house he has felt some sorrow; yet I never saw his patience broken."

Mr. Rivet, a learned and pious divine, was an instance of extraordinary patience under excruciating pains, which he bore for many days. "You see," says he, though the grace of God, I am not tired: I wait, I believe, I persevere. Patience is much better than knowledge. I am no more vexed with earthly cares; I have now no desire but after heavenly things. I have learnt more divinity in these ten days, than in fifty years before. This body is feeble, but the spirit is strong and enriched.-Far be it from me that I should

murmur.

How small are these pains in comparison of that grace, through which I bear, with a quiet mind, whatsoever it pleaseth God to lay upon me! The body indeed, suffers, but the soul is comforted, and filled abundantly."

Great was the patience of Mr. Gouge, under the visiting hand of God, especially in his old· age, when suffering painful maladies. Though, by reason of the bitterness of his pains by the stone, he has been heard to groan, yet never to complain. He was never heard to call himself great sufferer, but great sinner. He would often say, "Soul, be silent; soul be patient: it is thy God and Father that thus ordereth thy estate. Thou art his clay; he may tread and trample on thee as it pleaseth him: thou hast deserved much more; it is enough that: thou art kept out of hell. Though thy pain be grievous, yet it is tolerable: thy God affords some intermissions; he will turn it to thy good, and at length put an end to all. None of these can be expected in hell." In the greatest agonies he would say, "Well, yet in all these there is nothing of hell or God's wrath."

See articles Constancy, Forbearance, and Submission.

THE SUCCESSFUL PEACE-MAKERS.

WHEN Mr. Welch accepted of the call to Ayr, he found the wickedness of the country and their hatred to religion so great, that no one would let him a house, till Mr. John Stewart, an emi