even as by the Spirit of the Lord ;" and with what an ecstacy of joy he quoted them. Just then Mr. Fribble came in, saying, that though he was willing to perform his duty according to Mr. Chipman's request, and therefore came directly as he was called; yet as he was engaged with a young gentleman, to whom he was giving some lessons on the violin; and that as he had left him rather abruptly, he was in a hurry to return. Mr. Chipman said, that he did not send for him for his prayers; but as a dying man, to request him, that the Minister who had done so much good to his once beloved, but now unhappy wife, might have the use of his pulpit to preach his funeral sermon: as it was acknowledged by all, that their own parish was notoriously wicked.

Loveg. Did he acquiesce?

Hen. Directly Sir, without the least hesitation, for he hates preaching as much as you love it: and again, he is under obligations to Mr. Reader, for he used to make almost all his sermons for him: though he now begins to complain of them, as being written in tou strict a style for his congregation.

Loveg. Why Mr. Reader, in one of his letters, honestly told me, that he was in the habit of composing, and transcribing sermons for many of the clergy about those parts; and as the price of them was seven shillings each, it generally produced him an income of between twenty or thirty pounds a year; for though Dr. Trusler's loose copper-plate sermons were considerably cheaper, yet Mr. Reader's were much less likely to be detected; he wrote to me therefore, to

* An egregious blunder of this sort happened once, even in the famous University of Cambridge, at what is commonly called the Round Church: the Doctor has a notable sermon on these words," See that ye fall not out by the way." And so it fell out that it was preached by different ministers three Sundays running. The clerk on the fourth Sunday admonished the preacher not to give them a fourth edition of “See that ye fall not out by the way," for that the parish was very peaceable. The reply was, that he had no other in his pocket, so that the people must have that or none. The

now how far I judged it to be a lawful occupation; and without the least hesitation, I told him by all means to continue it; only to write consistently with the plan of the gospel; as not only the clergy themselves, but many of their hearers, might thereby hear those truths, which they probably might not meet with, should he discontinue his occupation→→

Wor. (Interrupts) of sermon-maker-general, (I suppose we may call it,) to the learned clergy in those parts. But what a strange jumble this must make among them all, if they still continue their old sermons, and the sermons Mr. Reader will compose, since his mind has been so much better instructed in the knowledge of his Bible.

Far. To my mind, the parsons in the pulpits will be like the weathercocks on the steeples, Sunday after Sunday, and the people won't know which way the wind is to blow next. But I am afraid, at this rate, Mr. Reader will soon loose his custom.

Hen. Why father, I believe he has lost some of his custom already; but after all this, I thought Mr. Lovegood's preaching at Locksbury, would have been quite knocked aside.

Wor. How so Mr. Henry?

Hen. Why Sir, Mr. Fribble continued to ask Mr. Chipman, "if he wished him to say prayers to him?” To which I replied, "Through the divine blessing, we have been at prayers already; and I had the impudence to say, that as he was at present engaged in teaching a young gentleman to fiddle, he would be much disappointed if we detained him to say his prayers. And when Mr. Chipman said, "That to hear another say prayers was no object to him, since his poor vile heart had been taught "to pray with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit." But alas! this language was quite out of the depth of Mr.

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reader would not dispute the probability of this anecdote, if he knew after what sort of a fashion the churches, in and about the neighbourhood of the Universities, are unfortunately 'served.

Fribble's knowledge; and he immediately said, that he perceived Mr. Chipman's mind quite rambled, for that he had never heard of such a distinction before, between praying and saying of prayers; but that if his mind was better on the morrow, and if he then wished to see him, he would call, and say prayers to him with all his heart.

Lovey. What a terrible calamity when such paltry things are entrusted with the care of immortal souls! Wor. [To Mr. Lovegood.] I hope Sir, you will esteem this a call in Providence, to pay a visit to Locksbury; though for ourselves, we shall be sorry for your absence.

Loveg. If I could get my church well served during my absence, as this seems a providential call, I should Testeem it my duty to obey; but I shall be able to determine better after I have heard the conclusion of Mr. Henry's story.

Hen. Why Sir, soon after this visit we went home to attend on the school, for I was quite Mr. Reader's usher, and in the evening, about six o'clock, we were sent for in great haste, with the information that Mr. Chipman was dying. We immediately both went, and found him fainting away in the agonies of death. He seemed at first to take but little notice of us, as his eyes were in a measure fixed, but we could hear him distinctly say, "Lord, let me now depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation!" then added several times, "Precious salvation, precious_salvation! O! precious salvation." And then, [to Farmer Littleworth] father, you know how I told you he took hold of my hand, and uttered these words, "Our light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." And how much affected Mr. Reader was, after he saw that he was dead.

Wor. Well well; the race was but short, though the result was glorious. But how must we break these matters to the poor widow? Though I hope she will feel the less concerning her husband's death,

as she has for some time given up all hopes of his

recovery.

Loveg. Indeed Sir, I still fear she will feel excessively, as it was evidently through her misconduct that her husband was brought to the grave.

Wor. As Mrs. Chipman must be informed of the event, I know not what we can do better, than that you, Mr. Lovegood, and Mr. Henry Littleworth, should call upon her, and attempt to soften matters, by telling her the happy state of Mr. Chipman's mind, previous to his death.

Loveg. I know of no other plan that can be adopted. But I will write her a few lines this evening, preparing her mind for the result, and to-morrow morning Mr. Henry will call upon her, though I really fear what will be the consequence, from the present state of her mind.

Wor. [To Mr. Lovegood.] I have a great inclination to desire my eldest daughter to attend you; if she should join hands with Mr. Merryman, she will be frequently called on for such visits.

Loveg. Sir, this would be a desirable event, not only as Miss Worthy is so truly serious; but as it will be a sort of evidence, how much you pity and feel for the poor afflicted widow.

[Thus matters were settled-The parties met accordingly, but from the distant hint dropt in Mr. Lovegood's note, the first salutation was, "Oh! he is dead, he is dead! I am sure he is dead! while she cried and sobbed inexpressibly; exclaiming against herself as the vilest of prostitutes, and as having murdered the best of husbands. Every attempt to soften her grief from the narration of the blessed effects, produced both on her husband and her father, though through her misconduct, was of no avail. Her nights were sleepless, and her days were spent in distracted grief, till a total derangement took place. Under that disease she was racked with the idea that Sir Charles Dash was coming again, to demand her as his

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prostitute; while with screams and execrations, she would mention her utter abhorrence of the man. Then she would suppose that she was forced by a thousand infernal spirits to go, that she might be tormented with the damned, together with that monster of iniquity. Then her distracted mind would depict before her, the spectre of her reverend and aged father, beholding her with the frown of indignant detestation and abhorrence, as being the most unnatural monster that ever existed.-Then the poor child was next on her imagination: she was sure he was starved to death; crying out against herself, that she was worse than a tiger, for tigers loved their young. As to her husband, his murdered, emaciated ́ apparition continually haunted her; and she fancied ! that all the people at Locksbury hissed at her, and cursed her whenever they saw her.

In this deranged state, she would make such speeches to these different characters, as were truly surprising, though highly romantic: sometimes she would speak profanely; but in general, piously and penitently in a high degree.

In this state of mind Mrs. Chipman continued for six weeks, when afterwards, through divine mercy, being restored, she appeared like that object of our Lord's mercy, out of which the legion of devils were cast, Sitting at Jesus's feet, clothed, and in his right mind."

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From this circumstance, the reader will naturally conclude, that as yet he cannot hear the termination of her history, which in due time will be brought forward.

During that interval, a continuation of the narration, as it respects the Lovelys, together with some other events, interwoven with the subject, will, I trust, not be unacceptable to the reader.