heart to think that I shall yet again see thy sweet face in the land of the living! — that lovely countenance, that I have so much delighted in, and beheld with so great content. I have hitherto been so much taken up with business, as I could seldom look back to my former happiness; but now, when I shall be at some leisure, I shall not avoid the remembrance of thee, nor the grief for thy absence. Thou hast thy share with me, but I hope the course we have agreed upon will be some ease to us both. Mondays and Fridays, at five of the clock at night, we shall meet in spirit till we meet in person. Yet, if all these hopes should fail, blessed be our God that we are assured we shall meet one day, if not as husband and wife, yet in a better condition. Let that stay and comfort thy heart. Neither can the sea drown thy husband, nor enemies destroy, nor any adversity deprive thee of thy husband or children. Therefore I will only take thee now and my sweet children in mine arms, and kiss and embrace you all, and so leave you with my God. Farewell, farewell. I bless you all in the name of the Lord Jesus. I salute my daughter Winth., Matt., Nan., and the rest, and all my good neighbours and friends. Pray all for us. Farewell. Commend my blessing to my son John. I cannot now write

to him; but tell him I have committed thee and thine to him. Labour to draw him yet nearer to God, and he will be the surer staff of comfort to thee. I cannot name the rest of my good friends, but thou canst supply it. I wrote, a week since, to thee and Mr. Leigh, and divers others.

Thine wheresoever,

Jo. WINTHROP.

The Sidney Letters.

One of the most interesting families in English history is the SIDNEY family, of which two such rare characters as Philip Sidney, in Elizabeth's reign, and Algernon Sidney, in the reign of Charles I., are scions. The first illustrious member of this house was Sir Henry Sidney, the father of Philip, a broad-minded and noble-hearted gentleman, a patron of literature and interested in the advancement of all that was good for his country and for mankind. His sons were the famous Sir Philip Sidney, and Robert, a younger son, whose son Robert became the second Earl of Leicester, and the father of Algernon Sidney. This Robert, the second Earl of Leicester, married Dorothy Percy, the eldest daughter of the Earl of Northumberland. union seems to have been from first to last a profoundly happy one. The Earl outlived his wife several years, and in his journal, which he kept regularly, he gives the following account of her death and her last farewell to him

Their

'On Saturday, the 20th of August, 1659, between six

and seven o'clock in the morning, my wife sent one of her women, who came in some haste, to tell me she desired to speak to me. I was not yet out of bed, but I put on my clothes as fast as I could, and came and kneeled by her bedside, where she had caused herself to be raised, and sat up, being stayed by one of her women. I took her by the hand and kissed it. She inclined her face toward me, and said, 'My dearest heart, I find that I must very quickly leave you, but before I die I desire to say a few words unto you, and many I cannot say. Love God above all; fear him and serve him. My love has been great and constant unto you,' then she wept gently, —‘and I beseech you pardon my anger, my angry words, my passions, and whatsoever wherein I have offended you, even all my faults and failings towards you. Pray for me in this my weak estate and near approach of death. Commend me to my dear boy. I should have been glad to see him before I die. . . . Keep all your promises, and trouble not yourself for me. I pray God you may live happily when I am gone, and that God will be pleased to take you at that time when he shall find it best for you. Fear God, love God, serve God. Remember me and love my memory. Think continually upon eternity. I can say no more, so, my dear lord, farewell.' Then, inclining her face to mine as well as she could, and gently pressing my hand, she said, 'God bless you, and now lay me down to rise no more.'"

Some of Lady Dorothy's letters to her husband and to her son, Algernon Sidney, are preserved among the papers of the Sidney family. The following, which is written in the sixteenth year of their wedded life, is evidently in answer to a letter in which the Earl has reproved her for complaining that his letters did not reach her promptly.

Lady Dorothy Sidney to her Husband.

PENSHURST, Feb. 7, 1636.

your silence I humbly ask your pardon, for since I have received three letters from you, the one by Mr. Auger, who I have not yet seen, but he writes to me with much civility, and I hear that he speaks of you with all the honour, estimation, and affection that can be, which should make him as welcome to me as any of my brothers. Two letters more have I had since his arrival; but that which was first written came last to my hands, for my Lord of Holland sent it to me yesterday, and the other, which was dated the 27th Jan., was received by me the 4th of Feb.

They all brought such contentment to me as nothing but your own person can give me a joy beyond it; and though you reproach me for chiding. yet I hope the consideration of the cause shall free me from any further punishment than the gentle rebuke you have already given me.

By the two letters here enclosed you will find a change from what I heretofore declared to you; and besides the good success which is now expected of your negotiations, I find there is a

general applause of your proceedings, which is no small delight to me and I hope will be a great encouragement to you; for though I confess your labours to be very great, yet I trust the conclusion will be very good, and then all the pains will be remembered with pleasure and advantage to you. . . . I hope the three hundred pounds you commanded shall be returned to you at the time appointed, and when more is received it shall be disposed of according to your direction.

The present, also, for the Queen of France I will be very careful to provide; but it cannot be handsome for that proportion of money which you do mention; for those bone laces, if they be good, are dear, and I will send of the best, for the honour of the nation and my own credit.

You persuade my going to London, and there I shall play the ill huswife, which I perceive you are content to suffer rather than I shall remain in this solitariness; and yet my intention is now to remain till the beginning of next month, unless Mr. Auger's going away carry me up sooner. All the children I will leave here, according to your advice; and if you can spare Daniel, I desire that you will send him to me for the time of my being in London.