on which she had ever relied, and the value of that treasure which she had accumulated for the day when the resources of earth should fail. When she had witnessed the last moments of this beloved relative, she said solemnly, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord;" and quietly withdrew. Nor was earthly solace wanting. More than a hundred letters, full of condolence, and consolation, and affection were addressed to her within five weeks of the fatal event. For these refreshments she was duly grateful, and repeatedly said, "Mine is simple sorrow, unmixed with any painful regrets; but I must finish my journey alone."" In a letter to Mr. Jebb and Mr. Forster, she thus expresses her feelings: "Accept my cordial thanks, my kind sympathizing friends, for your pious condolence; it has given comfort to an oppressed heart. I have, indeed, blessed be Almighty goodness! experienced something of those divine consolations, which I have found to be neither few nor small. I do sorrow; but I trust I sorrow not as those who have no hope; for I firmly believe that those who sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. Her exemplary life and her edifying death are, indeed, matter of great gratitude; yet it acts two ways. The more valuable she was in life, the more acute are the feelings excited by her loss. But all is in His hands who does always all things well. I endeavour to keep my mercies before my eyes; viz. that she was spared to me so long; that her last sufferings, though exquisite, were short; above all, that she is spared feeling for me what I have felt, and still feel for her." Writing to Mr. Gwatkin, Mrs. More says, "My merciful Father is indeed very gracious to me under very trying circumstances. He has enabled me to see his goodness in removing my chief earthly comfort. He has taken her from a world of sorrow and sin to a world of rest, and peace, and happiness; and, by thus removing my principal human support, he intended to lead me to depend more entirely on Himself. It is my wish and prayer that I may not entirely frustrate his great design. Her death was as edifying as her life had been exemplary. I may indeed say, 'the house is left unto me desolate,' but I take comfort in the thought that the remainder of my pilgrimage must necessarily be short. May my latter end be like hers!" The prayer was fully heard; the resolution faithfully kept. The withdrawal of the objects of our affection, or the discovery of their unworthiness, is a frequent exercise by which we are taught the triumphant exultation, "I am not alone, because the Father is with me."1 He who was "made perfect through sufferings " experienced this desolation and this support; and Hannah More, mature in grace, was now called on for this additional proof of her steadfastness in faith, and complete reliance on her loving though chastening Father. 6 The proof was afforded. "If it be possible her character can rise higher," said a friend who stayed with her soon after," it does under this heaviest of trials. She is now fully exemplifying Practical Piety." " From this time she devoted herself more exclusively to religious study and contemplation; although, as will be seen, not having entirely renounced her pen, and still pursued by throngs who sought instruction or gratification at her lips, or possessed the privilege of her intimacy. 1 In the letter in which this remark occurs, we have the following characteristic passage: "She (Hannah) has now many duties to fulfil which dear Mrs. Patty undertook, and in which she took delight. She loved management; the cares of the house and of the schools were hers; all this devolves on Mrs. Hannah. Persons who do not know her as well as we do, exclaim, • What will she do?' In reply, I say she can do any thing she pleases. After Mrs. Sally's death, it was supposed the garden would be neglected; but she immediately undertook it, and there was no deficiency of flowers." VOL. II.—ÌÌ CHAPTER III. He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days. Ps. cii. 23. Pray without ceasing. 1 Thess. v. 17. The popular tumults which had distracted the country in 1816-17, had been renewed in the present year with aggravated violence, and were evidently the result of a combination, extensive, formidable, and skilfully organized. This conspiracy had now existed at least eight years in the country, and was making progress; and not the least untoward circumstance attending it was its identity in all its features with the early stages of the French revolution. The visionary Spencean, who was to regenerate society by a community of lands and goods; the furious ultra-republican, who warred with all government but such as he should make for himself; the reckless plunderer, whose cause was nothing but his own personal enrichment; the assassin, whose element was blood; and the infidel, madly opposing the Providence which he affected to deny, presented a complete counterpart to the Girondist, Jacobin, Philosophe, and the various shades and sections, distinct or blended, which characterized the antichristian and antisocial conspiracy in France. Their clubs and correspondences; their nocturnal drillings and trainings; their systematic attacks on the Bible and the Church; the labour, and even the expense, which they incurred in writing, printing, and disseminating their pernicious doctrines; their attempts to corrupt the whole body of domestic servants, and even the soldiery; and, especially, the organization of large tumultuous bodies of ferocious unsexed women, presented an appalling parallel to the preliminary phenomena of the great revolutionary tornado in the neighbouring country. At Birmingham, which then returned no representatives to Parliament, a person was seditiously elected by a large meeting to sustain that character under the title of "legislative attorney;" and at Manchester a disaffected assembly seemed to threaten destruction to the town; a consummation, probably, only averted by the prompt interference of the local military. Though, on this occasion, |