This is all my Salvation, and all my Hope: that Name in whom the Gentiles truft, in whom all the Family on Earth is bleffed, is now my glorious, my unfailing Confidence in his Merits alone I expect to ftand juftified before infinite Purity and Juftice. How poor were my Hopes, if I depended on thofe Works which my own Vanity or the Partiality of Men call good, and which examined by divine Purity, would prove perhaps but fpecious Sins! The beft Actions of my Life would be found defective, if brought to the Teft of that unblemished Holinefs, in whofe Sight the Heavens are not clean. Where were my Hopes but for a Redeemer's Merits and Atonement ?

How defperate, how undone my Condition! With the utmost Advantages I can boast, I should ftart back and tremble at the Thoughts of appearing before the unblemished Majefty-O Jefus, what Harmony dwells in thy Name! O, celeftial Joy and immortal Life is in the Sound! Let Angels fet thee to their golden Harps! let the ranfomed Nations for ever magnify thee!

What a Dream is mortal Life! what Shadows are the Objects of Senfe! all the Glories of Mortality, my much loved Friend, will be nothing in your View at the awful Hour of Death, when you must be separated from the whole Creation, and enter on the Borders of the immaterial World.

Something perfuades me this will be my laft. Farewel in this World: Heaven forbid that it fhould be an everlafting Parting! May that divine Protection, whofe Care I implore, keep you ftedfaft in the Faith of Chriftianity, and guide your Steps in the ftricteft Paths of Virtue.

Adieu,

Adieu, my most dear Friend, till we meet in

the Paradise of God.

LETTER

ELIZ. ROW E.

CVII.

Mrs. Rowe to the Earl of Orrery.

My Lord,

THE

HERE feems to be fomething prefaging in the Meffage you ordered me to deliver to your charming Henrietta, when I meet her charming Spirit in the blifsful Regions, which I believe will be very foon. I am now acting the last Part of Life, and compofing myself to meet the univerfal Terror, with a Fortitude becoming the Principles of Chriftianity: 'tis only through the great Redeemer's Merits and Atonement, that I hope to pafs undaunted through, the fatal Darknefs.

Before him, Death the grifly Tyrant flies,

He wipes the Tears for ever from our Eye

All human Greatnefs makes no Figure to my prefent Apprehenfion, every Diftinction vanishes, but thofe of Virtue and real Merit. 'Tis this which gives a peculiar Regard for fuch a Character as yours; and gives me Hopes your Example will not fall fhort of thofe of your illuftrious Ancestors. The Approaches of Death fet the World in a true Light; its brightest Advantages appear no more than a Dream in that folemn Period. The immortal Mind perhaps will quit a Cottage with lefs Regret than it would leave the Splendor of a Palace; and the breath

lefs Duft, fleep as quietly beneath the graffy Turf, as under the Parade of a costly Monu ment these are infignificant Circumstances to a Spirit doomed to an endless Duration of Misery or Blifs. 'Tis this important Concern, my Lord, that has induced me to spend my Time in a peaceful Retirement, rather than to wafte it in a Train of thoughtlefs Amusements. My Thoughts are grown familiar with the Solemnity of dying, and Death feems to advance, not as an inflexible Tyrant, but as the peaceful Meffenger of Liberty and Happiness. May I make my Exit in that elate Manner those charming Lines of Mr. Pope defcribe:

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The World recedes, it disappears,

Heav'n opens in my Eyes; my Ears,
With Sounds Seraphic ring.

Lend, lend your Wings, I mount! I fly!
O Grave! where is thy Victory?

O Death! where is thy Sting?

The nearer I approach to Immortality, the more extensive and enlarged I find the Principles of Amity and Good -will in my Soul; from hence arife the moft fincere Wishes for your Happinefs, and of the charming Pledges your lovely Henrietta left. Oh! my Lord, if you would difcharge your facred Truft, keep them under your own Infpection.

This will not reach you, my Lord, till I am past the Ceremony of fubfcribing

Your bumble Servant,

ELIZ. Row E.

LET

LETTER

CVIII.

Mrs. Rowe to Mr. James Theobald *.

Sir,

THE

HE Converse I have had with you has been very fhort, but the Friendship begun by it, will be tranfinitted to the Regions of perfect Amity and Blifs. It would not be worth the while to cherish the Impreffions of a virtuous Friendship, if the generous Engagement was to be diffolved with mortal Life: fuch a Thought would give the Grave a deeper Gloom, and add new Horrors to the fatal Daiknefs.

But I confefs I have brighter Expectations,. and am fully perfuaded thofe noble Attachments that are founded on real Merit, are of an immortal Date. That Benignity, that divine Charity, which juft warm the Soul in thefe cold Regions, will thine with new Luftre, and burn with an immortal Ardour in the happy Seats of Peace and Love.

My prefent Experience confirms me in this. Truth; the Powers of Nature are drooping, the vital Spark grows languid and faint, while my Affection for my furviving Friends was never more warm, my Concern for their Happiness was never more ardent and.fincere..

This makes me employ fome of the laft Part of my Time in writing to three or four Perfons, whofe Merit requires my Efteem, in Hopes.

He is at prefent one of the Directors of the Bank, Fellow of the Royal Society, and of the Society of Antiquaries.

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this.

this folemn Farewel will leave a serious Impreffion on their Minds.

I am going to act the last and most important Part of human Life; in a little Time I fhall land on the immortal Coafts, where all is new, amazing and unknown: but however gloomy the Paffage appears,

Sweet Fields, beyond the fwelling Flood,
Stand dress'd in living green,

So to the Jews old Canaan flood,
While Jordan roll'd between.

Dr. WATTS.

Nature cannot but fhiver on the fatal Brink, unwilling to try the grand Experiment, whilft the Hopes of Chriftianity can alone fupport the Soul in this folemn Crifis. In this Exigence the eternal Spirit whispers Peace and Pardon to the dying Saint thro' the Atonement, and brightens the Shadow of Death with fome Glimmerings of immortal Light.

Tell Mrs. Theobald I hope to meet her in the fhining Realms of Love and unmingled Bliss. Where crown'd with Joy and ever blooming Youth, The jocund Hours dance on their endless Round.

LETTER

ELIZ. ROWE.

CIX.

Mrs. Rowe to Mrs. Sarah Rowe.

My dear Mother,

I AM now taking my final Adieu of this World, in certain Hopes of meeting you in the next. I carry to the Grave my Affection and Gratitude,

to