tune, is still engaged in going about doing good in another populous place, where her example of piety and her active benevolence are diffusing incalculable good; and where one of her sons has become the curate of one beloved by all the churches, and emulates his father's piety and rejoices his mother's heart. Ah! Highley, "Thy name Her sons shall venerate, and cheer thy breast With blessings Heaven-ward breath'd. And when the doom Thy light shall shine; as sunk beneath the west, Though the great summer sun eludes our gaze, 1A Still burns wide Heaven with his distended blaze." On returning to Northam, Charles found a letter from his adopted sister Eugenia, of which I shall give a selection : 66 Sweetmarsh, 1st April, 1805. Very much obliged, my dear Christian friend, for your epistle, I fully determined to give you an immediate answer; but being obliged to wait for a further acquaintance with the subject of your inquiries before I procured it, was called from home, and on my return, am astonished to find two months have taken their flight since the date of yours. It really is necessary to make the most diligent use of every moment, either in useful actions or reflections, that the revolving months and years may not present a blank, at least, in the short passage of life. But a blank, alas! it would not be; passing through the hands of such miserable sinners, it must be a polluted page. Even when the brightest actions of faith and love are expressed how are they interlined with the workings of our selfish and deceitful hearts; disgusted and humbled at the retro19 3 м spect, we turn to the spotless page of our Saviour's history, and rejoice in tracing the inimitable excellencies of that character, whose transcendent merits are the justifying cause of our acceptance with the holy Majesty of Heaven; whose righteousness each believer may say is mine. Delightful appropriation! How necessary to the happiness of the convinced soul, and how satisfactory, under a sense that God cannot but be well pleased with us, to know, he is well pleased, from his own expressed declaration, with our Representative, our Head! "I have been in town the last three weeks, and had the pleasure to hear Mr. Cecil every Sunday, both morning and evening, except one, when Mr. Burn, of Birmingham, preached. These are very superior men, both in talents and experience; and both, I am told, have been taught the lessons of grace in the severe school of affliction. Mr. C. in particular, I know to be greatly distressed at present; and never did his sermons appear so peculiarly calculated to support the mind under heavy pressures. He has the grief to see a son, whom he has carefully brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, every thing but what he wishes him to be; and a daughter, almost every th ng he could wish, drooping under a disease which wears a serious aspect. But these afflictions in number, weight, and measure, he receives as from the hand of infinite wisdom and love. In such a frame he preached from a verse, 1 Cor. x. 13. There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it ;' his divisions are always few, and his sermons seldom exceed half an hour. This verse he divided into two heads: First, men are frequently reduced to such situations of temptation and distress, that God only can deli 6 ver them from. Secondly, the faithfulness of God is a permanent ground of dependence for believers. Your own mind will suggest what was said on them, and the application, which was peculiarly excellent to those who, like unwatchful David, exposed themselves to temptation, warning them of the bitter effects which unavoidably follow such conduct in believers. Mr. C. is remarkable for a sententious stile; much is compressed into his short and mighty sentences; there is a richness in his ideas, which partake of the treasures, the mental store, through which they pass. The temptations with which the christians at Corinth were surrounded, never before appeared so formidable; or, that idolatrous worship, which transformed the grossest crimes into acts of devotion, so truly hateful. But I must turn to another subject, or I shall fill the sheet with heads and observations where they are not requisite. I remain, my dear friend, yours sincerely in the bonds of christian friendship, EUGENIA. CHAPTER LVIII. EXCURSION TO MATLOCK, DERBYSHIRE PEAK, ETC. CHARLES, HARDMORE, AND ALTHORPE.-GEOLOGY. CHARLES had now become tutor to a few select pupils from the principal families in the town; but there was a Mr. Hardmore, whose father, who lived in London, wished to place in Charles's house; to this he at first objected, as he wished not to encumber himself with boarders. He consented, however at length, to take him as an inmate, because being a young man, nearly of age, he thought he might make him his companion. As his father wished to spare no expense, but allowed Charles to take him out on excursious, they resolved to spend a fortnight in the autumn in exploring the romantic beauties of Dove Dale, Matlock, the Derbyshire Peak, Buxton, &c. They were much delighted as they travelled together in a gig with all the lovely and romantic scenery; and at every place the singular character and romantic mind of young Hardmore discovered themselves. He had received an excellent classical education, and had improved his mind by reading and reflection; his temper was cool, but determined; and he had a readiness of thought and expression far beyond his years; and as Charles made himself his friend and companion, as well as tutor, the genuine impulses of his heart were brought out without disguise. They enjoyed the river Dove that flowed through the romantic valley of Matlock, by engaging a boat and a person to row, while Hardmore and he at turns played the flute, or plied the oar. They met at their hotel a lady, Mrs. Offley, one of Charles's parishioners. She invited them to tea with her, after which they walked with her into the ball-room, where fluttered gaiety and the mazy dance. The next morning they breakfasted with Mrs. Offley; and observing a young lady, who had accompanied her there, conversing much with a gentleman on the opposite side, Charles inquired who he was. "He is to be her husband," she said, “next week; and think they have been acquainted?" "Only a fortnight,—since we arrived here!" how long do you Perhaps a year!" "It is love, I suppose, at first sight," said Charles. "I hope it may last, and not like the premature blossom, fade and expire." From thence they proceeded to Chatsworth, the seat of the Duke of Devonshire, and were delighted with the building, but still more so, with the exquisite paintings it contained; and were surprised as they sat under the weeping willow in the garden, with a shower of rain from every branch, caused by the touch of a spring which sends the waters through the pipes which lie concealed around the branches. Late at night they descended the hill, into Castleton; and the next day they made preparations for visiting the far-famed peak cavern. This was to have fifty candles placed at different parts, to exhibit its vast roof and precipices to advantage. They walked to the entrance, where several cottages were built, some partly in the mouth of the cavern, the top of which served for a roof. On entering the mouth of the cavern called "The Devil's Peak," they saw a gentleman inspecting the lofty rocks at the entrance. Charles exclaimed, "Althorpe ! happily met again amid vour geological pursuits." "We |