the righteous punishment of it. I will now, without speaking so much of myself, proceed with the history of the beautiful and accomplished daughter of the Earl of

"At the age of eighteen, Lady Caroline was taken out of the hands of her governess, and introduced at Court. Her appearance there, we heard, was brilliant, and her success, speaking after the manner of the world, such, that she obtained the heart of a young marquis, who immediately offered her his hand, and was accepted. What the merits of this young nobleman were, I am not authorized to say, but it was determined, for family reasons, that the marriage should not take place until he came of age, of which he then wanted some months.

"While this marriage was in agitation, and the young nobleman in attendance on his bride elect, the family arrived in our neighbourhood, displaying before my eyes all that could be imagined of worldly splendour and worldly happiness; and it may well be supposed, that the view of these things by no means added to my felicity. In the mean time, I was frequently invited to the earl's house: and though my parents did not desire for me such society as I mixed with there, yet they found it extremely difficult altogether to withhold me from it.

"The Earl of S- had three sons; the youngest of whom, Mr. William, was destined for the Church. This young nobleman, by the especial mercy of God, having been placed at the University under the charge of a pious tutor, was so effectually wrought upon by his instructions as to exhibit, even at that early and dangerous period of life, many very decisive evidences of a renewed heart.

"At the time of which I am speaking, all the sons of the earl were at home; and I more than once witnessed conversations of a very serious tendency between Mr. William and his sister, one of which I particularly remember. I was admitted, one morning, to sit with Lady Caroline, and certain other young ladies of distinction, in the dressing-room of the former. We were engaged with our needles, when Mr. William entered, and, addressing his sister affectionately, asked permission to read to us. Having received this permission, he was hastening to select a book, when she called after him,

and implored him, with assumed earnestness, and an affected shrug of the shoulders, not on any account to bring a religious book. On hearing this, he turned back, and taking a seat by her on the sofa, he spoke with much warmth and tenderness upon the uncertainty of life, and the certainty of death; the reality of eternal punishment, and the appointed way of escaping that punishment. She heard him with impatience, attempting often to interrupt him; till at length, breaking out into a haughty and contemptuous laugh, she uttered certain expressions which but too plainly proved to me that this admired young lady was in fact an infidel, a character, I fear, too common among those who are lovers of pleasure, and devoted to the present world. This was one of the last interviews which I had with Lady Caroline, and it left an impression upon my mind of an exceedingly painful na

ture.

In

"It was soon after this, that the family removed to town, confessedly with the purpose of preparing for the intended marriage. On the morning of their departure, I was sitting at my window, finishing some inglorious task of plain work which required to be speedily concluded, with an old edition of Baxter's Saint's Everlasting Rest lying open before me-when the sound of carriages caused me to lift up my head. I perceived a superb phaeton, drawn by four horses, issuing out of the gates of the mansion-house, followed by the earl's travellingcarriage, the family-coach, and several out-riders. this phaeton was the young marquis, with Lady Caroline sitting by his side. The young lady was dressed with uncommon elegance, and the white plumes of her ridinghat floating in the air, excited in my unsanctified imagination an idea of the utmost splendour, elegance, and taste. Just catching a view of me, as I stood at my garret-window, she bowed with a condescending smile; and then pointing me out to her companion, I was saluted by him in the same manner. All this took up only one moment; for the trees in an instant concealed every thing from me but the white plumes of Lady Caroline's hat. "I remained at my window till the gay party had passed; then, turning round, and looking upon the mean spot I occupied, the old book open before me, my task of plain work, the old-fashioned furniture, grim busts,

and musty folios, by which I was surrounded-I burst into tears, and sat down to work, considering myself as the most neglected and hopeless of human beings; when, in reality, I had reason to think myself one of the most peculiarly favoured.

"My mind was so filled with the thoughts of Lady Caroline's happiness, that, for more than three months from that time, I had no enjoyment of my own home, or friends, or employments. I neglected to struggle against this temptation; I did not seek assistance from above for that purpose; and therefore I had no right to expect I should receive strength proportioned to my day. Notwithstanding I was at length delivered from this snare; not indeed in the least degree by my own endeavours, but entirely through the goodness and mercy of God.

"In the mean time, injudicious people, such as are to be found in all neighbourhoods, and from whom the best and most careful parents find it difficult to preserve their children, came, from time to time, to my father's house, bringing reports of what the earl's family were doing in town: telling of the superb entertainments they gave, the admiration which the marchioness elect excited wherever she appeared, the elegant clothes and jewels which were in preparation for the wedding, and many other matters of the same kind; all of which served to feed the flame of dissatisfaction which burned in my breast. But, as I kept all these feelings carefully to myself, being secretly ashamed of them, my parents did not think of removing me entirely out of the way of this foolish kind of discourse; and finding their own minds unaffected by it, they were probably not aware of the injurious effects it produced upon me.

"In this manner things went on till towards the end of autumn, when, after expecting every hour to hear of the marriage of Lady Caroline, news was one day brought that she was dangerously ill, having caught cold at a masquerade. Our next information was, that this cold had brought on a violent fever. And, a few days after wards, I was truly shocked to hear that the beautiful object of my envy and admiration had ceased to breathe.

"I can give you no idea of my feelings on this affecting occasion; they were mingled emotions of terror, pi

ty, and amazement. I had never conceived the possibility of such an event as the death of this splendid object of my envy; and I now remembered with anguish the contempt she had expressed for religion, with my still more wicked murmurings against that God who had appointed my lot in a state of holy retirement, under the charge of pious and tender parents.

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"During the interval between the death and the funeral of poor Lady Caroline, I spent much time in my little study, where I poured out my tears without restraint. My parents knew not all that passed in my mind. They thought my grief natural, and not to be blamed: therefore, leaving me to myself, they allowed this awful event to have its full influence upon my mind. And, with God's blessing, I believe that it was rendered really useful to me; since, from that time, my views of the importance of religion became gradually more solid and operative. At length, the day arrived, when the remains of poor Lady Caroline were to enter the village. The funeral was to take place at the family-seat; and the morning was ushered in by the tolling of the muffled bell. About noon-day, the deep rumbling of wheels announced the approach of the hearse and mourning-coaches. I was at my window, standing on the very spot from whence I had seen Lady Caroline for the last time. In this place I stood, as it were unable to move, till the approaching sound became louder, and I could distinguish through the trees, which were then leafless, the deep black of the hearse, and the white plumes with which it was surrounded. That hearse contained the remains of what I had considered as the perfection of beauty, elegance, and felicity; and now I felt how utterly inadequate beauty, rank, and fashion are, to ensure the happiness of an immortal being! 'Oh, Lady Caroline,' I cried, in the bitterness of my feelings, had you been the poorest, the most deformed, the most despised creature upon earth, and had yet given evidence of a sacred change of heart; your friends would have had at this moment a consolation, which nothing on earth can now give them.' And, on this occasion, the cheerless words of the poet recurred to my mind

"How lov'd, how valued once, avails thee not,
To whom related, or by whom begot;

A heap of dust alone remains of thee,

"Tis all thou art, and all the proud shall be.'

"The hearse approached, and the white plumes again waved in the very same place where those had once flou→ rished on the head of Lady Caroline, exciting in my foolish mind such strange ideas of prosperity, elegance, and happiness. I watched the mournful train till it entered the gates of the mansion-house, and, winding round to the chief front, passed out of my view. I then fell on my knees, and thanked God for all those particular circumstances in my situation, which I had hitherto deplored as misfortunes:-viz. my humble birth, my retired situation, my homely dress, the necessity I was under of working hard and living plainly; and, above all, for that greatest of all blessings, a pious education: all which circumstances I was now led to consider as affording such an earnest of the divine favour as I never could be sufficiently thankful for."

Here the lady of the manor paused a moment, and then said, "My dear young friends, may the history of this young lady, who was cut off in the midst of the highest prospects of earthly grandeur, afford you a seasonable lesson, and lead you to remember your Creator in the days of your youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when you will say, I have no pleasure in them." (Eccles. xii. 1.)

The lady of the manor then expatiated somewhat largely upon the misery of those who die without having been previously brought to the knowledge of God in Christ, and experienced a real change of heart." My dear young friends," she said, "did you ever consider what your loss would be, should you be so miserable as to lose heaven? I remember," added she, being formerly much struck with some passages on this subject in my favourite book, Baxter's Saint's Everlasting Rest; and, if you have no objection, I will read those passages to you, sincerely hoping that, with God's blessing, they may be rendered as profitable to you as they were to me. "The glorious personal perfection which the saints enjoy in heaven forms one distinguishing privilege, of which the ungodly will be for ever deprived. They lose that shining lustre of the body, surpassing the brightness