Heaven, I said, was merciful.— "Or I could not have been thus guilty. What has "it not done to bless and to save me?—I have been "too strong for Omnipotence! I plucked down ruin !" I said, The blessed REDEEMER "Hold! hold! you wound me!- This is the rock "on which I split-I denied his name. Refusing to hear any thing from me, or take any thing from the physician, he lay silent, as far as sudden darts of pain would permit, till the clock struck. Then with vehemence ; 66 Oh, time! time! it is fit thou shouldst thus strike "thy murderer to the heart.-How art thou fled for "ever!-A month!--Oh, for a single week! I ask not "for years; though an age were too little for the "much I have to do.' On my saying, we could not do too much: that heaven was a blessed place "So much the worse. "Tis lost! 'tis lost!-Heaven "is to me the severest part of hell!" Soon after I proposed prayer. "Pray you that can. I never prayed. I cannot "pray-Nor need I. Is not heaven on my side already? "It closes with my conscience. Its severest strokes but "second my own. His friend being much touched, even to tears, at this, (who could forbear? I could not ;) with a most affectionate look, he said: 66 Keep those tears for thyself. I have undone thee. "-Dost weep for me? That's cruel. What can pain "me more?” Here his friend, too much affected, would have left him: "hear me. "No, stay. Thou still mayest hope. Therefore How madly have I talked? How madly "hast thou listened and believed? But look on my present state, as a full answer to thee, and to myself. "This body is all weakness and pain; but my soul, as "if strung up by torment to greater strength and "spirit, is full powerful to reason; full mighty to 2 "suffer. And that which thus triumphs within the "jaws of mortality, is doubtless, immortal. And, as for "a DEITY, nothing less than an Almighty could in"flict what I feel. I was about to congratulate this passive, involuntary, confessor, on his asserting the two prime articles of his creed, extorted by the rack of nature; when he thus, very passionately: 66 No, no! let me speak on. I have not long to "speak. My much injured friend! my soul, as my body, lies in ruins; in scattered fragments of broken thought: remorse for the past, throws my thoughts on "the future. Worse dread of the future, strikes it back "on the past. I turn, and turn, and find no ray. Didst thou feel half the mountain that is on me, thou "wouldst struggle with the martyr for his stake, and "bless heaven for the flames:that is not an ever"lasting flame; that is not an unquenchable fire.” How were we struck? Yet, soon after, still more. With what an eye of distraction, what a face of despair, he cried out: 66 My principles have poisoned my friend; my extravagance has beggared my boy; my unkindness has "murdered my wife! And is there another hell?-Oh! "thou blasphemed, yet most indulgent, LORD GOD! "Hell itself is a refuge, if it hides me from thy frown." Soon after his understanding failed. His terrified imagination uttered horrors not to be repeated, or ever for-. got. And ere the sun arose, the gay, young, noble, ingenious, accomplished, and most wretched ALTAMONT expired*. It is not easy for imagination itself to form a more affecting representation of a death-bed scene than that of this noble youth. 10. Sir, I was not long since called to visit a poor gentleman, ere while of the most robust body, and of the gayest temper I ever knew. But when I visited him; See YOUNG'S Centaur not Fabulous. Oh! Oh! how was the glory departed from him! I found him no more that sprightly and vivacious son of joy which he used to be; but languishing, pining away, and withering under the chastising hand of GoD. His limbs feeble and trembling; his countenance forlorn and ghastly; and the little breath he had left sobbed out in sorrowful sighs! His body hastening apace to the dust, to lodge in the silent grave, the land of darkness and desolation. His soul just going to GoD who gave it: preparing itself to wing away unto its long home; to enter upon an unchangeable and eternal state. When I was come up into his chamber, and had seated myself on his bed, he first cast a most wishful look upon me, and then began as well as he was able to speak.-Oh! that I "had been wise, that I had known this, that I had con"sidered my latter end. Ah! Mr. death is "knocking at my doors: in a few hours more I shall "draw my last gasp; and then judgement, the tremen"dous judgement! How shall I appear, unprepared as I 46 am, before the all-knowing, and omnipotent GOD? "How shall I endure the day of his coming?" When I mentioned among many other things, that strict holiness which he had formerly so slightly esteemed, he replied with a hasty eagerness: "Oh! that holiness is the only thing I now long for. I have not words to tell you "how highly I value it. I would gladly part with all my estate, large as it is, or a world to obtain it. Now my benighted eyes are enlightened, I clearly discern "the things that are excellent. What is there in the place whither I am going but GOD? Or what is "there to be desired on earth but religion ?"-But if this GOD should restore you to health, said I, think you that you should alter your former course?" I call "heaven and earth to witness," said he, "I would la"bour for holiness, as I shall soon labour for life. As "for riches and pleasures, and the applauses of men, I account them as dross and dung, no more to my bappiness than the feathers that lie on the floor. Oh! "if the righteous JUDGE would try me once more; if " he would but reprieve, and spare me a little longer; "in what a spirit would I spend the remainder of my "days! I would know no other business, aim at no "other end, than perfecting myself in holiness. What ever contributed to that; every means of grace; "every opportunity of spiritual improvement, should "be dearer to me than thousands of gold and silver. "But alas! why do I amuse myself with fond imagi"nations? The best resolutions are now insignificant, "because they are too late. The day in which I "should have worked is over and gone, and I see a sad horrible night approaching, bringing with it the "blackness of darkness for ever. Heretofore, woe is "me! when GoD called, I refused; when he invited, "I was one of them that made excuse. Now, therefore, "I receive the reward of my deeds; fearfulness and "trembling are come upon me; I smart, and am in sore anguish already; and yet this is but the beginning "of sorrows! It doth not yet appear what I shall be; "but sure I shall be ruined, undone, and destroyed "with an everlasting destruction!" This sad scene I saw with mine eyes; these words, and many more equally affecting, I heard with mine ears, and soon after attended the unhappy gentleman to his tomb*. 1 * Extract of a Letter from Mr. HERVEY to BEAU NASH, Esquire, at Bath. If the stings, lashes, twinges, and scorpions of a guilty conscience are so horrible while we continue in the body, what must they be when we are dislodged by death, and find that our damnation is sealed by the JUDGE SUPREME ? Let the lost soul in SHAKESPEARE speak some little of future woe: But that I am forbid "To tell the secrets of my prison-house, "I could a tale unfold, whose lightest word "Would harrow up thy soul; freeze thy warm blood; "And each particular hair to stand on end 11. Mr. 11. Mr. CUMBERLAND, in the Observer, gives us one of the most mournful tales, that ever was related, concerning a gentleman of Infidel-principles, whom he denominates ANTITHEUS. "I remember him," says he, "in the height of his fame, the hero of his party; no man so caressed, followed, and applauded: he was a little loose, his friends would own, in his moral character, but then he was the honestest fellow in the world; it was not to be denied that he was rather free in his notions, but then he was the best creature living. I have seen men of the gravest characters wink at his sallies, because he was so pleasant, and so well bred, it was impossible to be angry with him. Every thing went well with him, and ANTITHEUS seemed to be at the summit of human prosperity, when he was suddenly seized with the most alarming symptoms: he was at his country house, and (which had rarely happened to him) he at that time chanced to be alone; wife or family he had none, and out of the multitude of his friends no one happened to be near him at the moment of his attack. Aneighbouring physician was called out of bed in the night to come to him with all haste in this extremity: he found him sitting up in his bed supported by pillows, his countenance full of horror, his breath struggling as in the article of death, his pulse intermitting, and at times beating with such rapidity as could hardly be counted. ANTITHEUS dismissed the attendants he had about him, and eagerly demanded of the physician, if he thought him in danger: the physician answered that he must fairly tell him he was in imminent danger.-How so! how so! do you think me dying?-He was sorry to say the symptoms indicated death.-Impossible! you must not let me die: I dare not die: O doctor! save me if you can.-Your situation, Sir, is such, that it is not in mine, or any other man's art, to save you; and I think I should not do my duty if I gave you any false hopes in these moments, which, if I am not mistaken, will not more than suffice for any worldly or other concerns which you may have upon your mind to settle.-My mind is full of horror, cried the dying man, and I am incapable of preparing it for death. He now fell into an agony, accompanied with FI a shower |