to the most defperate ftate that human wretchedness will admit of a prey to penury, grief, contumely and despair-standing tiptoe on the verge of this world, and impiously daring to rufh, unbidden, into the prefence of her CreatorI fhudder at the recollection-Let me draw a veil acrofs it, and proceed. In the penfive pofture just described, did I fit for fome minutes, watching the gently fwelling tide, and blaming its tardy approach. When it pleafed "the unfeen Power (to exprefs myself in "the words of Thomson) that rules the illimit "able world, that guides its motions, from the "brighteft ftar, to the leaft duft of this fin"tainted mould," to interfere and fnatcli me from deftruction.. I was fuddenly roufed from my awful reverie, by the voice of a woman at fome distance, addreffing her child; as appeared from what followed, for they were neither of them vifible. In a foft plaintive tone fhe faid, "How, my dear, can you cry for bread, when you know I have not ❝even a morfel to carry your dying father?" She then exclaimed, in all the bitterness of woe, "My God! my God! what wretchedness can compare to mine! But thy almighty will be done" The The concluding words of the woman's pathetic exclamation communicated instantaneously, like the electric fpark, to my defponding heart. I fels the full force of the divine admonition; and ftruck with horror at the crime I had intentionally committed, I burst into tears; repeating in a fincere ejaculation, the pious fentence fhe had uttered, thy almighty will be done!” 66 As I put my hand into my pocket, to take out my handkerchief in order to dry my tears, I felt fome halfpence there which I did not know I was poffeffed of. And now my native humanity, which had been depreffed, as well as every other good propenfity, by despair, found means to resume its power in my mind. Impelled by its pleasing influence, I haftily run up the fteps, and having difcovered my hitherto invifible monitress, gave them to her. I received in return a thousand blesfings; to which I rather thought she had a right from me, for having been the means of obftructing my dire intents. I now returned to the place where the impious scene was to have been acted, and humbly adored that Being, who had by fuch an eventual circumftance counteracted it; and for the firft and last time in my life, felt a sensation of happiness from finding finding there were perfons in the world more wretched than myself. I dare fay my much respected Thompson's defcription of the miseries of human life, will here occur to your recollection, as they do to mine on a review of the incident. "Ah little do the gay, licentious, proud, "Whom pleasure, power, affluence furround; "They who their thoughtless hours in giddy mirth, "And wanton often cruel, riot waste; "Ah little think they, while they dance along, "How many feel, this very moment, death "How many fink in the devouring flood, I am apprehenfivce I fhall tire you with this melancholy account of the extreme of despair, into which your poor fallen friend was thus plunged. And yet I flatter myself, that an event fo interefting to me, will not be confidered as uninterefting to you. I will, however, think about bringing it Thomfon's Winter, Line 322. το to a conclufion, and with it conclude this proportionably long letter. Whilft I compared my own fituation with that of the poor woman, whose starving child and dying husband occafioned her to vent fo pungently her grief, I received great fatisfaction from confidering, that all those who were dear to me, as well from affection as the ties of blood, were in profperous circumstances. I had no one to care for, but the poor girl whofe affection kept her with me, and whom I regarded as my child. Having therefore adored the great Source of Good, for my recent deliverance from the fatal effects of my defpondency, I prayed that he would pardon the atrocious attempt; and concluded my petition, with begging that he would grant me power to affist her, and make her future days more comfortable. Having done this, I remounted the fteps, and found my mind inexpreffibly relieved. The gloom which had fo lately overwhelmed it, was in an inftant cleared away, and a tranquillity I had long been a stranger to, fucceeded it. Such a fudden tranfition from the blackest despair to peace and hope, I was well affured could only have been effected by fome invifible agent; for I never felt fuch fuch a ray of comfort diffuse itself through my heart, fince thofe bleffed days of innocence I spent in my church-regreted convent. "It came o'er "my mind," (as the immortal bard* defcribes the power of mufic) "like the fweet South, that breathes upon a bank of violets, ftealing and giving odour." LETTER XCVI. G. A. B. January 8, 17 * HAVING offered up my adorations to Heaven, with a fervour I had fcarcely ever experienced before, I returned home. When I got in, I found my poor Sally crying as if her heart would break, left fome misfortune had happened to me. The faithful girl was, however, foon restored to quiet, by obferving the gloom, which had lately been so apparent in my looks difpelled, and tranquillity feemingly restored to my diftracted bofom. She informed me, that during my abfence, her fifter had called upon her, and had lent her two fhillings. With this fhe had been out, and bought *Twelfth Night, A&t I. Scene 1. 4 fomething |