MRS. HANNAH WOODD.

MRS. HANNAH WOODD was born at Richmond, in Surrey, on the 19th of April, 1736. In July, 1759, she was married to Mr. Basil Woodd, who was also born at Richmond in 1730, and with whom she had been acquainted from her infancy. Such a union, cemented by long endearment and similarity of disposition, promised a scene of much temporal felicity; but a mysterious dispensation of Divine Providence determined it otherwise. The January following, Mr. Woodd, being then from home on a visit, was seized with a violent fever, and died on the 12th of that month. So great a shock, to a mind of her sensibility, could leave no faint impression; but it pleased God to support her in this keen trial, and on the 5th of August following, she was delivered of a son. Providence wonderfully interposed in her favour; and both root and branch, though then apparently withering, were preserved together, just as many years longer as she had then lived.

The afflictive circumstance of her husband's death, nevertheless, proved an eventual blessing, though conveyed in the disguise of woe. By one stroke her mind was severed from worldly prospects, and being rent from the love of the creature, she now began more anxiously to seek the knowledge and love of the Creator. She had from early life been of a devout turn of mind, a strict observer of moral duties, and the ritual of religion; but now, in the day of adversity, she was brought to deeper views of the depravity of her heart, and the need she stood in of a Saviour. She perceived the insufficiency of her own righteousness, and the necessity of being born again.

Pious friends, who had sympathized in her late

affliction, now observing the spiritual concern of her mind, availed themselves of this opportunity to bring her under the ministry of the Gospel. Amongst these were principally the late Mrs. Conyers and Mrs. Wilberforce, with whom her acquaintance had commenced at school, and by whom she was about this time introduced to the acquaintance of Dr. Conyers and the Rev. Mr. Venn. In the spirit of true Christian friendship, they lamented that she had hitherto had no better instruction than mere moral essays, and brought her acquainted with sound evangelical principles. These proved indeed the spiritual food which her soul hungered after: she received them in faith and love, adorned them in her life, and found them her triumph in her dying hour.

From this happy period, to a disposition naturally benign and amiable, were added the graces of the Holy Spirit; and the Christian motive of love to the Lord Jesus, gave life and spirituality to her moral duties. Religious exercises, which hitherto she had not regarded higher than as a devout form of godliness, now became her soul's delight. She ordinarily retired three times in the day for private prayer; at morning, noon, and at evening. Love to God her Saviour led her with cheerful feet to the courts of the Lord's house; -a privilege she so highly valued, that she rarely permitted inclement weather, or the late decay of her health, to interfere with it.

Though filial affection may be suspected of exaggerating a mother's excellence, yet, it is but justice to say, that, in every department, she was a lovely ornament of the truth as it is in Jesus; particularly as a daughter, a mother, and a mistress. As to the former relation, she constantly attended her father till his death, at the advanced age of 87*; who,

* September 1st, 1778.

though he was very much prejudiced against her religious principles, yet, lived to have his mind greatly won by her uniform conduct; and on his death-bed, he regretted that he had ever opposed her; and acknowledged in the most affecting manner his long experience of her filial duty.

As a mother, the Rev. Dr. Conyers frequently said, that he never saw such an instance of maternal

affection. Her son says: "This is a subject on which, I hope, I shall never think without heart-felt gratitude to her and to God, who so favoured me. The whole of her deportment was calculated to win my early attention to religion. I saw in her what it could do; how happy! how cheerful! how humble! how holy how lovely in life, and afterwards in death! how full of mercy and good fruits it could render the happy possessor! As I was the only son of my mother, and she a widow, she might perhaps lean to the side of over-indulgence. Yet, if my heart do not deceive me, in trusting that I love the ways of God, I am indebted, through Divine grace, for that inestimable benefit, to the impression of her great and tender kindness, her uniform example, and particularly her pious and affectionate letters, when I was about thirteen years old. Such, indeed, has been the impression of her parental affection, that though my friends, I believe, have never charged me with filial negligence, yet, since her decease, [ have regretted very frequently that, in many little instances, I conceive I might have shown her still more respect and affection."

As a mistress, she exhibited not less excellence. If she erred, her error was the excess of kindness and humility. In the few changes which happened in her service, her first attention was to the spiritual welfare of a new servant. And by the Divine blessing on her pious conversation, the religious books which she put in their hands, and the kindness of her deportment towards her inferiors, three of her