did not ache before, surely it will ache after labouring through this tedious scrawl, and well is it that it can be continued no farther. Excuse me this once, and I will be more careful in future. Let me know you have survived it, and it will be a relief to my mind and my conscience. With best wishes to all, "Ever yours."

Of the delight which I have mentioned young people always took in Mr. Stevens's society, the reader will cease to wonder, when he reads his own idea of the propriety of mixing young and old people together in company; and in his statement of the character of old people, he fully pourtrays his own.

"To hear you talk of our enjoying our friends a little longer; and of our not being likely to die of old age yet, is laughable enough. Why you are a brisk lively lass, just in your prime, full of epigram and fun; but I am a poor old creature, with one foot in the grave, sans teeth, sans taste, sans eyes, sans every thing. There is sense in your not separating from society, who can be a useful member of it; you have the day before you, and may do much work; but with me the night is come, in which no man can work: it is past twelve o'clock, and time to go to bed. Dr. Gregory, indeed, in his comparative view, recommends the associating the old with the young; and it may be profitable to both, as with a little attention it may serve to keep all parties in good humour, which is a very good thing; it may make the old, by the lively, agreeable conversation of the young, forget their infirmities; and it may lead the young, from observing the calmed passions and placid manners of the old, to consider old age, to which they are advancing, as no un comfortable state, nor any formidable evil.”

The sentiments of this excellent man, as to the uses to be made of an acquisition of fortune, are so excellent, that I cannot deny myself the gratification of transcribing, nor the reader the pleasure of perusing, the two following letters: and, indeed, there never were persons, who so literally fulfilled, from the suggestions of their own benevolent dispositions, all Mr. Stevens's ideas of the true use of riches. For it will be seen from the letters themselves, that the excellent Doctor G. employed the first fruits of wealth which had been bequeathed to him in adorning the house of God, and in works of charity and benevolence. All Mr. Stevens's letters breathe so much of affection to his friends, so much kindness to all, and so much right feelings of religion, that the difficulty I find is to impose upon myself the irksome duty of withholding any of his correspondence with which I have been furnished.

"London, March 4, 1794

a

"I was afraid it was bad with the executor's wife, that she did not herself acquaint me with their great and good fortune: for I was sure she must conclude, I should be pleased to receive full, true, and particular account of the bequest, with all its concomitant circumstances,' in her, own descriptive style: and it was with no small satisfaction I saw, what I had long anxiously looked for, a superscription in your hand-writing, as I flattered myself, it was a sign you had recovered your wonted brilliancy; but, alas! to my great mortification, I found, upon opening the letter, that your poor head was still in as uncomfortable a state as ever, and that you wrote, nat because you were better, but because you saw little chance of being better.

"If I were to say, as you think you hear me say,Ɖ the fortune is certainly great, but good only as you make use of it: I should have no hesitation to

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say further, that to you, I doubt not, it would be as good as it was great; and the more you fear an, swering for yourself, the less I fear answering for you, that you will be equally disposed, with your worthy husband, to put it in bags that wax not old,' and 'use it, as not abusing it.' You had before learnt to be careful for nothing,' but to cast all your care upon him, who careth for you,' and you have in no wise lost your reward. I could wish it might please. God to give you health to enjoy all the blessings around you: but we are all beggars, and beggars must not be choosers. If every thing went on smoothly, and there were no rubs in the way, we should be apt to forget the decease we have to accomplish,' and be tempted to say, it is good for us to be here;' which would justly subject us to the censure of 'not knowing what we said.'

"It is a pity I should have damped your genius, and prevented the display of it in illustrating your newly acquired curiosities, by my stupidity. Who knows but it might have inspired me with a taste for the fine arts, and given me a relish for antiquities? If it could be done, it might be expected from the winning, bewitching way you have of communicating your ideas, and making every subject you handle intelligible and entertaining. The library, with the addition of Mr. W.'s valuable collection, in such admirable condition, will be splendid indeed, and much in Peter's favour, who, instead of being thrust into a dark hole, as he is at present, will come forth into open day, and have the best room in the house for his study, which you know the master of the house, as he is, should have. The building of a new chancel, and the im provements to be made in that quarter, are worthy of Peter, who loves to have every thing done de, cently and in order.' Thus what he does will be every way handsome, within and without, there can be no question: he will not offer unto God

of that which costs him nothing.' Whether I shall come to see how you are going on is very uncertain, but if I do not, I cannot believe that you will think it is, because I am not interested at all about you. Remember there is a time when the strong men will bow themselves, when fears shall be in the way, when the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: remember these things, and you will not wonder if you do not see me.

"And so your brother is full of learning Hebrew, and translating some part of Bull's works. There are some ladies now in Gay-street with whom he might have agreeable conversation on the subject of Hebrew roots; Mrs. and Miss Altham, the daugh ter and grand-daughter of Mr. Parkhurst: they lodge in the same house with Miss Horsley, the sister of the Bishop of Rochester. With what view is your brother translating Bishop Bull, and what part of his works? I suppose he knows that some of them have been already translated. I am glad to hear he and his wife are both well and happy.

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"I am not surprised to hear the Principal is very indifferent; he is some years older than I am; he has threatened to leave us every now and then, and at last most likely he will: but as old Latimer said to Ridley, who looked behind him, when they were going to the stake. 'Here I am, Master Ridley, after you as fast as I can:' so I may say to the Principal, coming after you as fast as I can. It is comfortable the old lady keeps so well, as probably she has some exercise for her strength and patience, or strength of patience, read it which way you will.

"So poorly as you have been, I am afraid you have not been able to turn over the good Bishop's two last volumes. They are well spoken of, and I believe there will be a call soon for another edition. Being got to the length of my letter, I must conclude with best respects to all friends, not ha

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ving room to particularize, and best wishes for the re-establishment of your health and spirits.

"Dear Madam,

"Ever your's, &c."

"London, July 4, 1794. "After the pitiable account given of you by our reverend and worthy dignitary, the sight of a-superscription in your fair hand was refreshing beyond measure, and I read with peculiar pleasure that you found yourself better than for many months past: for though John Norris somewhere observes, with his usual smartness, the danger is in being well, not in being ill, I fear your being dangerously ill, and shall always rejoice to hear you are well, having no apprehension, from your manner of spending the time of health, of your ever being dangerously well.. Good Mrs. Quick! with what heartfelt delight does she receive you in the morning, and minister to your amusement through the day! Placid Peter! with what complacency does he hail your return in the evening! May the waters and the exercise restore you to comfortable health, and may you live to see your children's children, and peace upon Israel!

"From the rapid progress made in the repairing, enlarging and beautifying of the church, I perceive my worthy friend intends to furnish an exception to Sir Roger de Coverly's observation, that churchwork is slow, and I see, likewise, that he is commendably determined, after the example of Solomon, to finish the house of God, before he finishes his own house; though some, perhaps, may be disposed to dub him, for his pains, a second Solomon, in the less favourable acceptation of the word. And the good man has not only the satisfaction to find the great work carried on with zeal and alacrity, none weakening the hands of the people, or troubling them, as in the re-building of the temple; but he has the pleasure to reflect, that when the work