thought:

She sleeps in Jesus!' Her happy spirit is gone, to join the spirits of the just made perfect.

Or does she seek, or has she fourdher babe,
Amongst the infant-nation of the blest,
And clasp'd it to her soul, to satiate there
The young maternal passion, and absolve
The unfulfill'd embrace? Thrice happy child!
That saw the light, and turn'd its eyes aside
From our dim regions to th' eternal sun,
And led the parent's way to glory! There
Thou art for ever her's, with powers enlarg'd
For love, reciprocal and sweet converse.

*

Ah me! where roves my fancy! what kind dreams
Crowd with sweet violence on my waking mind!
* Perhaps she sings.
To some new golden harp th' Almighty deeds,
The names, the honours of her Saviour-God,
His cross, his grave, his victory, and his crown:
Oh could I imitate th' exalted notes,

And mortal ears could bear them'!'

Are we not following in the same path? Do we not expect to enjoy the same happiness? Let us then keep the prizein view; and wait patiently all the days of our appointed time, till our change come.

When death visits a family, he sometimes makes his approaches so gradually, that we are prepared for the stroke, and it passes by almost insensibly: at other times, he seizes his victim so suddenly, that we are overwhelmed in the calamity before we aware. But the former case is much more frequent than the latter.

Among my acquaintances, I have seen many amiable and excellent young married women, whose constitutions were gradually undermined by disease, tiil, past hope of recovery, and patiently resigned to God in the hope of being accepted in Jesus Christ, compassion for them, has made all their friends look forward with desire, for the time of their dissolution.

I have witnessed many snatched away so suddenly, as to surprise every one that knew them. I have seen fathers, left with a number of little children, deprived of their mothers;-and mothers, left with a number of little children, deprived of their fathers. Some of these, have sunk gradually under the power of disease, and some of them have been cut off as in a moment. The sor

rows occasioned by these scenes are doubtless of the most exquisite kind. But God, (who tempers the wind to the shorn lamb,') mixes the cup of sorrow with a variety of ingredients, which makes it far more palatable than it seems to be. This idea may receive illustration from some beautiful lines in Montgomery's Poems:

'Sweet the hour of tribulation, When the heart can freely sigh; And the tear of resignation Twinkles in the mournful eye.

Have you felt a spouse expiring In your arms before your view? Watch'd the lovely soul retiring From her eyes that broke on you?

Did not grief then grow romantic, Raving on remember'd bliss ?

Did you not with fervour frantic, Kiss the lips that felt no kiss?

Yes! but when you had resign'd her,

Life and you were reconcil'd;
ANNA left---she left behind her
One, one dear, one only child.

But before the green moss peeping
His poor mother's grave array'd,
In that grave the infant sleeping,
On the mother's lap was laid.

Horror then your heart congealing,
Chill'd you with intense despair;
Can you call to mind the feeling :-
No! there was no feeling there!

From that gloomy trance of sorrow, When you woke to pangs unknown, How unwelcome was the morrow, For it rose on YOU ALONE.

Sunk in self consuming anguish, Can the poor heart always ache?

No, the tortur'd nerve will languish,

Or the strings of life must break.

O'er the yielding brow of sadness
One faint smile of comfort stole :
One soft pang of tender gladness
Exquisitely thrill'd your soul

While the wounds of woe are healing,
Whilst the heart is all resign'd;

'Tis a solemn feast of feeling,
'Tis the sabbath of the mind.

Pensive memory then retraces
Scenes of bliss for ever fled,

Lives in former times and places,
Holds communion with the dead.

3

Dreams of love your grief beguiling
You have clasp'd a consort's charms, -
And receiv'd your infant smiling
From his mother's sacred arms.

Trembling pale and agonizing,
While you mourn the vision gone,
Bright the morning star arising
Open'd heaven from whence it shonę.

Thither all your wishes bending
Rose in ecstacy sublime,

Thither all your hopes ascending,
Triumph'd over death and time.

Thus afflicted, bruised, broken,
Have you known such sweet relief?
Yes, my friend! and by this token,

You have felt "THE JOY OF GRIEF."

Whether it may please God, that you and your beloved partner shall be exercised, with the cares and sorrows of bringing up a family, still remains to be

proved. Should you be denied the pleasures of an offspring, you will at least have this consolation, that you will escape many of the most poignant of sorrows human nature is called to endure. How

ever, this may be, it becomes you to be resigned to the will of God. What he appoints for us is best. Reconciliation to his will, and acquiescence in whatever he pleases to send us, produce the highest felicity that we can possibly enjoy in this world.

That you and your beloved may completely realize such an inestimable blessing, is the best wish of,

Your sincere and affectionate friend.

LETTER X.

The Sorrows of the Marriage State

continued.

MY DEAR SIR,

December 21, 1812.

I have now arrived at that part of the subject, which will speedily bring my remarks to a conclusion. Our sor

rows here must ere long have an end. But it delights my mind, it fills me with