it excite one mind to the study of Mrs. More's writings, which can only prove unprofitable through their reader's fault. Calculated to form and to confirm the plain, pious Christian of the Church of England, they are, above all, inestimable to the sex which she adorned. Woman, as the precepts of Hannah More would make her, must command the respect, the esteem, and the affection of every man whose good opinion would be worth the possession. Happy in conscience, happy in the social relations, adapted to receive and to communicate happiness, she would indeed attain the perfection of her nature, and accomplish the end of her creation.

May these pages, too, be privileged to enforce the momentous truth, that the path of true excellence and real renown lies not through brilliant mental endowments, or great intellectual achievements! although these may, undoubtedly, be eminently serviceable in preparing the way, and may swell the pomp of the triumph. Had Hannah More rested in these things, even her worldly celebrity would have been greatly inferior to what it is. But the principle which constituted her greatness and generated her fame was one which "never faileth;" though "whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away." It was that pure and heavenly CHARITY, the love of God because He first

1 1 Cor. xiii. 3.

loved us, the love of Christ for the "unspeakable gift" of redemption,-the love of mankind as redeemed by Him at infinite cost,-it was this great and expansive principle, which was the soul of all that Hannah More wrote and did. It was this that incited, as it enabled, her to employ her talents, acquirements. and labours for the high purpose of propagating virtue and happiness; a purpose which, under the influence of this principle, she executed in a degree incalculably surpassing all that had been done, or even contemplated, by the greatest of those philosophers who knew not, or despised, the meek but mighty philosophy of the Gospel. It was from this that she reaped the reward of a celebrity commensurate with all future time; and it is in this path that Fame will ever best prosper the advance of Ambition. But the great and most encouraging reward of Hannah More is unseen. She is where human fame is valueless, but where her acts have not perished; for she is where her "works do follow" her. There we can now see her only by that faith in which she lived and fell asleep; thither, through the same, the meanest abilities and the slenderest external advantages forbid none to arrive, who walk in her piety, her beneficence, and her diligence.

VOL. II.-18

POSTSCRIPT.

THE Life of Mr. Wilberforce, lately published by his sons, affords, from the authentic source of Mrs. Martha More's journal, some particulars relative to the institution of the schools at Cheddar, which though not received in time for incorporation with the Fifth Chapter, must not be withholden from the reader.

"In the month of August, 1789, Providence permitted Mr. Wilberforce and his sister to spend a few days at Cowslip Green. The cliffs of Cheddar are esteemed the greatest curiosity in those parts. We recommended Mr. Wilberforce not to quit the country till he had spent a day in surveying these tremendous works of nature. We easily prevailed upon him, and the day was fixed; but, after a little reflection, he changed his mind, appeared deeply engaged in some particular study, fancied time would scarcely permit, and the whole was given up. The subject of the cliffs was renewed at breakfast; we again extolled their beauties, and urged the pleasure he would receive by going. He was prevailed on, and went. was in the parlour when he returned. With the eagerness of vanity (having recommended the pleasure,) I inquired how he liked the cliffs?

I

He replied they were very fine, but the poverty and distress of the people was dreadful. This was all that passed. He retired to his apartment, and dismissed even his reader. I said to his sister and mine, I feared Mr. W. was not well. The cold chicken and wine put into the carriage for his dinner were returned untouched. Mr. W. appeared at supper, seemingly refreshed with a higher feast than we had sent with him. The servant, at his desire, was dismissed, when immediately he began, Miss Hannah More, something must be done for Cheddar.' He then proceeded to a particular account of his day, of the inquiries he had made respecting the poor. There was no resident minister; no manufactory; nor did there appear any dawn of comfort, either temporal or spiritual. The method or possibility of assisting them was discussed till a late hour. It was at length decided in a few words, by Mr. W's. exclaiming, ' If you will be at the trouble, I will be at the expense.' Something, commonly called an impulse, crossed my heart, that told me it was God's work, and it would succeed; and though I never have, nor probably shall, recover the same emotion, yet it is my business to water it with watchfulness, and to act up to its then dictates. Mr. Wilberforce and his sister left us in a day or two afterwards. We turned many schemes in our head every possible way; at length those measures were adopted which led to the foundation of the different schools."

The reader is requested to compare the following extract from the same work with the obser