even without prospect of future comfort or con"solation-the more faulty in me, having three "dear children to perform my duty to, with thank"fulness for such a blessing left me, under so heavy "a dispensation as I felt the loss of him to be. "But, alas! how feeble did I find myself both then, "and also poorly prepared to bear the loss of my "dear child and only son, in 1711!

"If I carry my sorrow to the grave, O Lord, in "much mercy let it not be imputed as sin in me! "His death was a piercing sorrow to me, yet thou "hast supported me, Lord! even in a very old age, "and freer from bodily pains and sickness than "most feel-I desire thankfully to recollect.

"Alas! from my childhood I can recollect a "backwardness to pray, and coldness when I did, "and ready to take or seek cause to be absent at "the public ones. Even after a sharp sickness and

danger at Chelsea, spending my time childishly, if "not idly; and if I had read a few lines in a pious. "book, contented I had done well. Yet, at the same time, ready to give ear to reports, and possibly malicious ones, and telling my mother-in"law to please her. At seventeen years of age was married; continued too often being absent at the public prayers, taking very slight causes to be so, liking too well the esteemed diversions of the "town, as the park, visiting, plays, &c. trifling away my precious time. At our return to London, I can recollect that I would choose upon a Sun

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day to go to church at Lord B.'s, where the sermon "would be short, a great dinner, and after, worldly "talk; when at my father's, the sermon longer, "and discourse more edifying. And too much "after the same way, I much fear, at my several "returns to Wales and England. In the year 1665, was brought to bed of my first child; with him "too indulging I fear to get strength soon, and "spend my time as before, much with my loved

sisters; I doubt not heedful, or not enough so, my "servants went to church, if I did, or did not go myself.

"Some time after in London, and then with my "father's wife at Tunbridge, and after, with her at "Bath, gave too much of my time to carelessly in"dulging in idleness. At Bath too well contented "to follow the common way of passing the time in "diversion, and thinking but little what was serious; "considering more health of body than that of my "soul. Forgive my heaviness and sloth in spirituals, for Christ Jesus' sake.

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"After this, I must still accuse myself that some"times in Wales, and other times in England, my care in good has not suited to my duty, not with "the active and devout heart and mind I should in "the evening have praised thee, my God, for the " mercies of the past day, and recollected my evil "doings, or omissions of doing good in my power. "Not in the morning carefully fixing my will and purpose to pass the day pleasing in thy sight, and "giving good example to man, particularly such as "under my care; more especially after my second marriage, forgetting by whose blessing I was so happy, consuming too much time with him.”

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This interesting fragment proves that Lady Russell's piety was that of the inner man, consisting "in "the spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not of "men" only, "but of God." "Christianity," (it is her own expression,) " she thought not distinguished "by outward fashions, or by the professing a body "of notions differing from others in the world, but "by the renewing of our minds by peaceableness, charity, and heavenly love."

MRS. ELIZABETH BURNET.*

THIS lady was born November 8, in the year 1661. She was the eldest daughter of Sir Richard Blake, Knight, the fifth son of Thomas Blake of Earontoun, in the county of Southampton, Esquire, of an eminent family, and of Elizabeth, daughter of Doctor Bathurst, a physician in London, a person of distinguished piety, and among the most considerable men of his profession in his time.

At eleven years old, she began to have a true sense of religion, and read with great application the books that were put into her hands; but was not entirely satisfied with them, aspiring after more solid and sublime sentiments than what she met with in them. On this account it was, that more than ordinary care was taken to make her think meanly of herself, she being bred up in the greatest privacy possible.

When she was but little more than seventeen years of age, she was married to Robert Berkely, of Spetchly, in the county of Worcester, Esquire, grandson of Sir Robert Berkely who was a judge in the reign of Charles the Second. The match between this young gentleman and her was procured principally by the means of Doctor Fell, then Bishop of Oxford, who was Mr. Berkely's guardian, and had taken the care of his education. The Bishop thought that the assisting his friend in that match, was the greatest service he ever performed for him.

When the young lady came into the family, she found her husband's mother a zealous Papist, and a woman of a good life. This put her upon taking particular care to study her own religion in a larger compass, in order to understand the controversies between the Protestants and the Papists, that she

*This account is taken from a memoir drawn up by the Rev. Dr. T. Goodwyn, Archdeacon of Oxford.