66 occurrences, unless it were a grateful acknowledg"ment of some friendly office: a vein of good-nature, "and resignation, and self-denial, runs through them "all. There's nothing so despised in many of these letters, as the fruitless and empty vanities of the 66 town; and they seem to pity the misfortune of "those who are condemned by their greater quality or station, to squander away their precious time in "unprofitable diversions, or bestow it in courtly "visits and conversations. Where there happens to "be any mention of children or friends, there is such "an air of sincerity and benevolence for the one, "and religious concern for the happiness of the "other, as if she had no other design to live in the "world, than to perform her own duty, and promote "the welfare of her relations and acquaintance. "There is another observation to be collected, not "less remarkable than the rest, which is her inde fatigable industry in employing herself, and more "for the sake of others than her own. This she "wrote, not out of vain glory, or to procure com"mendation, but to entertain them with whom she "had a familiar correspondence by letters, with the "relation of such accidents or business wherein she was engaged for the month or week past. 66 "This was a peculiar felicity in her way of writing, "that, though she often treated of vulgar and "domestic subjects, she never suffered her style to languish or flag, but by some new remark or pleasant digression, kept it up to its usual pitch. "The reproofs in any of these numerous letters "were so softly insinuated, that the greatest punish"ment to be inflicted upon any disobligation, was only to have the contrary virtue to the fault they "had been guilty of, highly applauded in the next "6 correspondence, which was ever so managed as to please and improve. "Scarce a harsh expression, much less any evil "surmise or suspicion, could be admitted, where 66 "every line was devoted to charity and goodness. "This is no effect of partiality, but appears in the particular instances, so that the same judgment "must be made by all unprejudiced persons who "shall have a sight of them. 66 66 "Any misfortune or disappointment was not mourn። fully lamented, but related in such a manner as be"came a mind that had laid in a sufficient provision of courage and patience beforehand to support it under "afflictions. All unfortunate accidents are allayed by some consolatory argument taken from solid principles. No kind of trouble but one, seems to "interrupt the constant intention to entertain and "oblige; but that is dolorously represented in many "of the letters, which is the loss of children or friends. "That being an irreparable separation in this world, "is deplored with the most affectionate tenderness "which words can express. You may conclude "that they who write in such a manner as this, must "be supposed to have a just sense of religion, "because there can scarce be assigned one act of a "beneficent and charitable temper, but has many "texts of the Gospel to enforce it, so that all good "Christians must be very useful and excellent neigh"bours and friends, which made this lady ever "esteemed so. She was the delight of all the con"versations where she appeared; she was loved and "admired, yet never envied by any, not so much as "by the women. This happiness was gained and preserved by one wise qualification; for, though no person living had a closer insight into the "humours or characters of persons, or could dis 66 tinguish their merits more nicely, yet she never "made any despising or censorious reflections: her "great discernment and wit were never abused to sully the reputation of others, nor affected any applause that might be gained by satirical jests. "Though she was extremely valued, and her friend66 ship prized and sought for by them of the highest 66 再 "condition, yet she ever treated those of the lowest "with great condescension and humanity." ...... It is to be regretted, that the letters of Mrs. Evelyn, above referred to, have not been preserved. Copies of a few of her letters have been found at Wotton; but as they do not bear, for the most part, on religious subjects, they would not come within the design of this work. Mrs. Evelyn's ideas of letter writing may be gathered from her own words: "I wonder," she says, "at nothing more than at "the ambition of printing letters; since if the design "be to produce wit and learning, there is too little scope for the one, and the other may be reduced to a less compass than a sheet of gilt paper, unless "truth were more communicative. Without this declaration, I hope I am sufficiently secure never "to run the hazard of being censured that way, "since I cannot suspect my friends of so much " unkindness, nor myself of the vanity to wish fame on so doubtful a foundation as the caprice of "mankind." 66 66 In a subsequent letter, her modesty and good sense are unaffectedly displayed in the apology she makes to Dr. Bohun for her silence as a correspondent. 66 "Should I confess the real cause, it is your expectation of extraordinary notions of things wholly "out of my way. Women were not born to read authors, and censure the learned, to compare lives, and judge of virtues, to give rules of morality, and "sacrifice to the muses. We are willing to acknow"ledge all time borrowed from family duties is mis spent the care of children's education, observing "a husband's commands, assisting the sick, relieving "the poor, and being serviceable to our friends, are "of sufficient weight to employ the most improved "capacities amongst us. If sometimes it happens by accident that one of a thousand aspires a little higher, her fate commonly exposes her to wonder, "but adds little to esteem. The distaff will defend 66 65 "our quarrels as well as the sword, and the needle "is as instructive as the pen. A heroine is a kind "of prodigy: the influence of a blazing star is not "more dangerous or more avoided. Though I have "lived under the roof of the learned, and in the "neighbourhood of science, it has had no other "effect on such a temper as mine, but that of admi66 ration, and that too but when it is reduced to "practice." In 1685, Mr. and Mrs. Evelyn sustained a very heavy affliction in the loss of their accomplished daughter, Mary, who died of the small-pox in the nineteenth year of her age. To this calamitous event, Mrs. Evelyn adverts in the following letter to her cousin, Lady Tuke. "How to express the sorrow for parting with so "dear a child is a difficult task. She was welcome "to me from the first moment God gave her, accept"able through the whole course of her life by a thou"sand endearments, by the gifts of nature, by ac"quired parts, by the tender love she ever shewed "her father and me: a thread of piety accompanied "all her actions, and now proves our greatest conso"lation. The patience, resignation, humility of her "carriage in so severe and fatal a disease, discovered 66 more than an ordinary assistance of the Divine "goodness; never expressing fear of death, or a de66 sire to live, but for her friends' sake. The seventh day of her illness, she discoursed to me in particu"lar as calmly as in health, desired to confess, and "receive the blessed Sacrament, which she per"formed with great devotion; after which, though "in her perfect senses to the last, she never signified "the least concern for the world, prayed often, and "resigned her soul. What shall I say? She was "too great a blessing for me, who never deserved "any thing, much less such a jewel........ The pa"6 pers which are found in her cabinet, discover she "profited by her reading-such reflections, collec 66 "tions out of Scripture, confessions, meditations, and pious notions, evidence her time was not spent in "the trifling way of most young women. I acknow"ledge, as a Christian I ought not to murmur, and I should be infinitely sorry to incur God's further displeasure. There are those yet remaining that challenge my care; and for their sakes I endea"vour to submit all I can." In the phraseology of this and other letters, the reader may observe a somewhat different style of expression from that which occurs in the writings of persons accustomed from infancy to hear the doctrines of the Reformation clearly and faithfully preached. Mr. Evelyn's most intimate friend and spiritual guide, was Dr. (afterwards Bp.) Jeremy Taylor, whose theology was not wholly untinctured with the Romish leaven. Of the solid piety of Mrs. Evelyn, there is no room to entertain any doubt. Her life was most exemplary, and the piety of her children bears testimony to the care which was taken by both her and Mr. Evelyn to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Some further interesting particulars relative to the character of the accomplished young lady to whose death the above letter refers, will form an acceptable sequel to this memoir. 66 "The justness of her stature, person, comeliness "of countenance, gracefulness of motion, unaffected, though more than ordinary beautiful, were," says Mr. Evelyn in his Diary, "the least of her ornaments, "compared with those of her mind. Of early piety, singularly religious, spending a part of every day "in private devotion, reading, and other virtuous ex66 ercises; she had collected and written out many "of the most useful and judicious periods of the "books she read, in a kind of common place, as out "of Dr. Hammond on the New Testament, and most "of the best practical treatises. She had read and digested a considerable deal of history, and of |