Mrs Wor. But how did she bear the sight of her child, which according to promise, was to be introduced the next morning?

Loveg. Why Madam, while we were at breakfast, Mr. Reader went out and brought it in; one of the most lovely, cheerful babes, I think I ever beheld, springing in its nurse's arms, and sweetly smiling at its grandfather. He took and placed it upon the mother's lap, she looked at it, watered it with her tears, affectionately embraced it, and then began quoting that text which had so impressed her mind: "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb!" and then quite fainted away. The child was taken from her, and as soon as she was able, she was led up into her chamber, where she continued most of the day.

Wor. What misery this poor creature has entailed upon her own mind. But did she make any further efforts to surmount her feelings, as it respected her child?

Loveg. Yes Sir, I believe several. But every attempt she made, was with the same cutting reflections against herself. Sir, we who are blessed with children, and with a parental love towards them, may judge what she felt, when she was recovered by the grace of God, from the brutalised state of mind which possessed her, while she was captivated by that unprincipled monster of iniquity. However, towards the latter end of my stay, she would now and then attempt to smile on her child, while every smile returned by the child, would be sure to bring a fresh tear from her eye.

Wor. It will be well, if the child does not lose both its parents, by the same event.

Loveg. Sometimes I fear this will be the case; at others times I have my hopes that she will still survive her grief. I requested Mr. Reader to set her about some household affairs, and to try to divert her attention by the use of the needle, and this was done with some success. Though oftentimes, while

she was at her work, she would bedew it with her tears, till completely overcome by the recollection of her former misconduct; she would then entirely lay her work aside, and again give way to the extreme grief of her mind.

Wor. It must have been exceedingly distressing to her poor father, to have seen her overpowered by such excessive grief.

Loveg. The grief of the parent, was nearly equal to that of the daughter, though he exemplified astonishing patience on the occasion. All his affection seems entirely restored he now loves her as much as ever he once could blame her. It is amazing, what the forgiving love, and converting grace of God does, on the hearts of all the children of God. Wor. Did she not in any degree recover her spirits while you were there.

Loveg. I humbly trust she did there were such cheering prospects of good, which attended the divine services on the Sunday, as revived the hearts of all; though my final departure from Locksbury, exceedingly depressed her spirits.

Wor. That must have been a very trying moment between you both.

Loveg. I am sure Sir, I could not have sustained the concluding interview without a very considerable injury to her feelings and my own; I therefore took my farewell by sending her a letter, and at the same time, I composed for her a penitential hymn.

Mrs Wor. Do Sir, let us see a copy of it.

Loveg. Oh madam, my poor rhymes scarcely deserve the name of poetry; If I had by me a correct copy, it would never be worth your perusal.

Mrs. Wor. Leave us to judge of that, we must hear it.

After much persuasion, Mr. Lovegood submitted. He is a man of uncommon modesty, though of considerable ability. He lives much as Moses did, on the mount with God: and as this made Moses's face to shine, "though he wist not that his face shone,"

when he came down from the mount, to do the work of God below, so also it is with Mr. Lovegood, though in my opinion, he shines less as a poet, than as a divine. However, from some short-hand notes he had in his pocket-book, he delivered the following hymn, supposing it to be the genuine experiene before God, of an humbled sinner of her description, panting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto eternal life.

THE HYMN.

AND must I sink beneath my load,
By weighty guilt borne down?
How can I bear the heavy rod,
Of God's eternal frown?

Who can thy righteous power withstand,
Or who thy wrath restrain?
But mercy still withholds thy hand,
And lets me here remain.

Why should'st thou yet forbear to slay,
If not inclin'd to spare?

Shall I then fling all hope away,
And yield to wild despair?

This were my sad account to swell,
Too big to be forgiven:

All sins lead down to death and hell,
But this shuts out from heav'n.

No: still I'll hope for grace divine,
That mercy may abound;
Others, with guilt as vile as mine,
Have still thy mercy found.

Peter deny'd his blessed Lord,
With base blaspheming breath;
Paul rag'd against the heavenly word,
And hunted saints to death.

What though a Magdalene had been
Of sev'n foul fiends possess'd?
Yet Peter, Paul, and Magdalene,
Were with forgiveness bless'd.

And why not I, this grace obtain ?
Did not my Saviour die?

Or did he shed his blood in vain,
To ransom such as I?

O let me hear thy gracious call;
"Come thou, with guilt oppress'd,
"On me let all thy burthens fall,
"I give the weary rest."

The door I trust is open still,
Whate'er my guilt has been,
And since 'tis my Redeemer's will,
I'll humbly enter in.

Mrs. Wor. Well Sir, I dare say, we are all of the opinion, that you need not have been so much ashamed of your poetry; But oh! what a mercy to be kept from the evil propensities of our corrupted hearts, and to be under the sanctifying influences of God's most blessed Spirit.

Loveg. Yes madam, the blessings we enjoy in this world, in being so graciously converted, so mercifully preserved, and kept, are inexpressible; in the next they will be infinite.

Mrs. Wor. Oh Sir! how shall we sufficiently express ourselves, for the kind providence which sent you among us? Mr. Worthy, and I, both felt we wanted something, but we knew not what.

This observation of Mrs. Worthy coming home rather personally to Mr. Lovegood, rendered the conversation desultory, though still edifying. It turned upon the following subject, "What is there, which thou hast not received?" But as the author aims at an abridgement of every subject, remembering the old Greek proverb, "A great book, a great evil;" he begs leave to close the present Dialogue, and resume the subject, when the conversation may be more to the point.

66

DIALOGUE XXXIV.

THE FAMILY OF THE WORTHYS, AND
MR. LOVEGOOD.

THE CHARACTER OF MR FRIBBLE, AND SOME FURTHER NAR RATION OF EVENTS, OCCASIONED BY MR. LOVEGOOD'S

VISIT TO LOCKSBURY.

R. LOVEGOOD dreaded personal praise,

MR. more than any thing. Having therefore rc

tired for a few minutes, to break the chain of conversation which terminated the last dialogue, though so deservedly to his praise, he again returned, and thus the couversation recommenced.

Wor. Well Sir, you have now told us all you know respecting Mrs. Chipman: we must next request you, to tell us how it fared with you on the Sunday.

Loveg. Sir, you should first ask me, how it fared with me on the Saturday.

Wor. Begin where you like. But we want to know how you succeeded with Mr. Fribble, according to the dying request of Mr. Chipman.

Loveg. Oh Sir, after Mr. Reader had sent him word of my arrival, he came and called on us. I found him as complete a puppy as ever I met with in my life; and he invited me and Mr. Reader with a vast deal of Affectation, (for his father it seems was a dancing master,) to tea with him, as he was pleased to express himself, on the Saturday evening.

Wor. Did you accept the invitation ?