while mine is motionless beneath the earth, and mixes with its native dust. Possibly I may cover a few pages, and then drop my pen for ever. This. may contain the last expression of my feelings, the last written breathings of my soul, over which the affectionate eye of some dear surviving friend may. rove, dropping one tear of fond remembrance and tender love. Yes; I must die, I must die soon."

Such were the means of her progress in the Christian life. Nor are we left to conjecture what the principles were under which she acted. These were the peculiar and distinguishing doctrines of the Gospel; which, however they may be vilified by the world, or denied by mere nominal Christians, constitute the life and soul of genuine Godlinesswherever it really exists. A deep conviction of her personal unworthiness and guilt as a sinner ;. a thorough consciousness of her own spiritual weakness, and inability so much as to think a good thought of herself; a cordial and implicit reliance on the finished work of the Son of God, for pardon, and acceptance, and eternal life; a constraining sense of perpetual and irresistible obligation to his redeeming love; and a habitual and unreserved dependence, by faith and prayer, on the promised and implored grace of the Holy Spirit, for both the inclination and the power, to do the will, and glorify the name, of her Father in heaven-these were the principles, the influence of which she felt and cherished, and by the sanctified efficacy of which her spirit and conduct were directed and governed. Her's, indeed, was a life of faith on the Son of God;-a faith which, working by love, purified her heart, and enabled her to overcome the world.

To her Christ was "all and in all;" all her salvation and all her desire. To recommend Him to others as altogether lovely, was, accordingly, the great object which she kept steadily in view in her correspondence, whatever was the particular topic or occasion on which she wrote. Hence, also, we find her lamenting with deep regret, the propagation of unsound opinions, and especially of Socinian and Universalist tenets-which strike so directly at the root equally of Christian truth, and personal holiness.

Her views of the doctrines of the gospel, or rather her convictions of their reality and importance, were eminently practical. While her affections were deeply interested by the inseparable connection of these doctrines with her own happiness and hopes as a redeemed sinner, her understanding recognised and felt the force of the conclusive evidence by which they are attested in the volume of inspiration, and her heart submitted to their commanding authority and influence, as bearing in all its principles and habits. Her religion, accordingly, did not consist in speculation, but in action. Her feelings and opinions were the elements which entered into the formation of her character, but by no means constituted its essence. They were not the building itself; but only the basis on which it was reared. Deeply imbibing the spirit of the doctrines which she loved and advocated, she seemed constantly to breathe forth love to God, and benevolence to man. Her principles were embodied in her temper and conduct in every relative duty. As a child she was respectful and obedient; as a sister, affectionate and kind; as a friend, sincere and con

stant; as a correspondent, punctual and faithful; as a member of the church, candid in her judgment of others, tender, and consistent. Her devotions in the closet and the house of God, in short, did not evaporate there, but diffused a sacred influence over her general frame of mind, and habitual deportment, at once preparing her for active duty, and giving to it the character of duty to Christ and to God.

This it may not be interesting to illustrate and confirm, by adverting more particularly to some of those other characteristic features of her conduct as a Christian, which have as yet been noticed chiefly in general terms.

Naturally endowed with ardent affections, and delicate sensibility, when these were brought under. the spiritual and heavenly power of divine grace, friendship may be said to have grown up in her mind, as in its native soil. The warmth of her attachment to those who had been her companions, and especially to such of them as were united with her in the faith and fellowship of the gospel, breathes in almost every page of her correspondence. Though her natural diffidence and modesty, and her frequent extreme difficulty of hearing, rendered her in general rather reserved, yet to a few intimate friends, whom she tenderly loved as the friends of the Saviour, she was remarkably open and communicative. Among these in. particular, Miss Harriet Atwood, afterwards Mrs Newell, appears to have been above every other the friend of her heart to whom she clung with the fondest affection; in whose heart she could deposit her every thought; and with whom she enjoyed that endearing fellowship of sentiment and spirit, which

kindred minds alone can experience; which personal intercourse so delightfully heightens, yet which distance or separation has no power to destroy; which increases as days and years roll on, gradually approaching nearer and nearer, both in nature and in degree, to the unmingled and uninterrupted communion by which the "spirits of the just made perfect" shall be united to each other in heaven. She indeed loved her as her own soul. The heart of the reader is not to be envied, who shall peruse the breathings of mutual and strong affection which pervade the letters that passed between those two friends, without feeling a sympathy the tenderest and most engaging, in every incident connected with the history of their attachment, and in every sentiment which bound them together with the cords of love. The departure of Mrs Newell for India, she felt as the cutting off of her right hand; and the melancholy tidings of her death, gave a pang to her heart which almost overwhelmed it. But the promise was fulfilled, that as her day of trial and of sorrow was, so her strength should be and seldom has such an unaffected pieture of agonizing feeling, chastened by devout submission and elevated hope, been exhibited, as is to be found in her Journal, and her letter to Mrs Atwood and her daughters on this mournful occasion.

Theirs was not the selfish and hollow friendship of the world, which is cherished and sustained chiefly by mutual flatteries and folly; which is perpetually at the mercy of every thing that looks like rivalry; which a thousand jealousies are ever ready to interrupt; and which the very suspicion of an injury, however slight, being done or intended,

so constantly dissipates and destroys for ever. On the contrary, they were as faithful, as they were tender, it being their great desire and endeavour to be the instruments of correcting and improving each other as disciples of the Son of God, and travellers to an eternal world. Hence, we find Miss Woodbury particularly lamenting her Harriet's death in this respect, and earnestly soliciting another of her christian companions to "supply her place, and be a faithful friend, to warn, admonish, and instruct her." Christian faithfulness, indeed, was a distinguishing characteristic of Miss Woodbury's attachments. When about to part with her friends, she was accustomed to remind them of the infinite importance of living habitually under the power of religion, and of diligently labouring to advance in its path. On such occasions, she would affectionately say to them, " do live near to God:" "Pray much and frequently:"-" Press forward with all speed." In writing to them, likewise, she did not confine herself to mere generalities, or to pleasing reflections on the works and ways and word of God; but suited the subjects on which she particularly dwelt, to the situation and characters of her correspondents, not that she might flatter them into self-estimation, but to induce them to look into their hearts and ways, and discover their real spiritual condition in the sight of God. Finding, what is very often the case, and can be easily accounted for, that she could communicate her sentiments much more unreservedly in writing, than in conversation, she often had recourse to this mode of intercourse with her companions and friends, even when, from their residence in her im