Page images
PDF
EPUB

As for herself, although still liable to the infirmities and failings which always attach to the human traveller, yet comparatively unconnected with the scenes around her; at a distance as it were, in old age, and apart from the world, she has more leisure, and is better situated for contemplating justly, the various sources whence its miseries, its follies, and its vices flow: Happy, if aided by the steady light of long experience, she may be permitted to raise the warning voice, still to exert her feeble powers, and to call forth every latent energy, for the benefit of those who have not yet advanced so far on their journey. It is true, that in respect to her own steadfastness, she may still have cause to fear. She may yet have some important duties to fulfil, and much pain, and weakness, and infirmity to endure. But this she knows assuredly, that no event can take place, respecting either herself or others, which is not the just appointment of infinite wisdom, and transcendent goodness; which is not in the sight of God already good, because it will eventually become so. On his supporting arm she rests securely, though "heart and flesh should fail." By him protected, though she walk through the valley of the shadow of death, she will fear no evil, for the Lord is a sun and a shield, and is ever nigh to those who call upon him. "The Lord is her strength and her song, and he is become her sal vation."

July 12, 1812.

APPENDIX.

January, 1818.

I CANNOT more appropriately begin an Appendix to the Memoir finished in 1812, than by expressing my warmest gratitude, and most heartfelt thanks, to the bountiful Giver of all good, for having in mercy prolonged my life until this time, in tolerable health, and much comfort; and for having enabled me to continue, notwithstanding many increasing infirmities, an attentive observer of the great plan of Providence, as exhibited in the current of events; and also in a few instances, perhaps, to contribute something to the promoting of his gracious designs.

As far as the individual is concerned, any further detail of the few occurrences of my life, must necessarily appear to others dull and monotonous ; for the stimulus of hope and fear respecting this world, being withdrawn in old age, there is no thing fascinating to captivate the imagination; no apprehended change of circumstances in the ebbing tide of life, to interest deeply the heart; day after day succeed, almost without giving notice that they have for ever passed away. And here I cannot but remark, that although the termination of life, at all times uncertain, must decidedly to the aged, be very near at hand, yet the same imaginary vision respecting its still further prolongation, remains; not indeed to delude

the reflecting mind into the folly of planning schemes of future adventures, or worldly aggrandisement, or with the expectation of some untried enjoyment, but to lead it on imperceptibly to look forward from week to week, and from month to month, as if the probability were yet on the side of its lengthened continuance. When the gay baronet's widow of eighty-two, sent out her invitations for a splendid card-party in the following month, she as little anticipated, as she would have done, threescore years before, that the cathedral passing-bell would, in a few hours, announce to her numerous fashionable acquaintance, that her place in this world was no where to be found!

Increasing years teach nothing more decisive respecting the precise period of the termination of life, then those which are past; nay, I am not even sure whether the longer protracted consciousness of existence, together with many repeated instances, probably, of recovery from apparently dangerous indispositions, may not have a tendency to produce an effect directly contrary; if not on the understanding, yet to encourage a continued perseverance in the same vain and frivolous pursuits. We fix our eyes on the few hobbling travellers, that still remain on the broken arches of Mirza's bridge, and advert not to the innumerable multitude of our former contemporaries, long since swallowed up in the gulph below!-The above remarks would not have been made, but for the sake of earnestly admonishing young persons to aim at forming early habits of sobriety, self-denial,

[ocr errors]

and reflection; to warn them not to spend the greater part of their valuable time, in an unceasing round of unprofitable dissipation, under the delusive expectation that increasing years, by loudly proclaiming the impending, inevitable revolution about to take place, will produce the important change, so indispensable to their future happiness, without any effort, care, or solicitude, on their own part, to effect it. The fact is, that of a future unknown state, the glories of which we have never witnessed, and of which we have the testimony of an apostle, that "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, to conceive," our ideas are much too imperfect, to counteract without extreme care and attention, the pernicious impression of things seen and temporal. One remedy indeed, the goodness of our heavenly Father hath mercifully provided, in bringing again from the dead one illustrious human traveller, who, for our sakes, submitted to a death the most painful and degrading; that by studying his life, and endeavouring to imitate his spotless example, we might be induced to aspire to a participation in that exalted felicity, to which, by his visible ascension into heaven, and the subsequent gift of the Holy Spirit, thence dispensed to his disciples, we even of this distant day, have the most incontrovertible evidence.

But to resume my narrative. I had long been convinced from the careful observation of many facts, which for a series of years, had come to my knowledge, that it would be of the greatest im

portance to the welfare of all our public Institutions, whether hospitals, lunatic asylums, poorhouses, or prisons, that the female departments, should be regularly visited and inspected by welleducated persons of their own sex, officially appointed by the governors for that purpose. The great necessity of such a regulation in our own County Hospital, in particular, had been especially apparent; but the opposition of some of the governors, who had a kind of instinctive horror against what they deemed innovation, and especially if it were to be effected by any species of female interference, together with other circumstances which need not to be enumerated, and the general indifference manifested on the part of the public at large, rendered it quite hopeless for some years, to bring forward any precise proposition on the subject. Early however, in the year 1813, an opportunity was afforded for a full discussion of the subject, by an occurrence of a very disgraceful nature; which had there been such an arrangement previously, might probably have been prevented: but still being fully aware, that mere argument and reasoning would have little weight in the scale, against prejudice and selfinterest, it seemed to my mind that as the hospital was very poor, that if a considerable number of ladies of fortune and repectability, could be prevailed upon to become Annual Subscribers of two guineas each, on the express condition of the appointment of female visitors, and by this means, add materially to the income, this sort of tangible argument, which all would understand,

« PreviousContinue »