with laughter, and the next moment drown them in tears; indeed it was fcarce poffible for the most guarded to escape the effect.

"He had fomething 'twas thought ftill more horrid to fay, "When his tongue loft its powers and he fainted away; "Some fay 'twas his confcience that gave him a stroke, "But those who beft knew him treat that as a joke; " 'Tis a trick which stage orators use in their need, "The paffions to raise and the judgment mislead." SIMKIN,

In one of my excurfions I paffed many agreeable hours with the late Mr. La Bute, at Cambridge, who was well known, he having taught French in that univerfity upwards of forty years. He informed me that near forty years fince, Mr. Whitefield having advertised himself to preach at Gog-MagogHill, many thoufand people collected together from many miles round. While he was preaching, he was elevated on the highest ground, and his audience ftood all round on the declivity; during his fermon, a young Countrywoman, who had come fome miles to hear him, and waited feveral hours, being very faint, owing to the violent heat of the fun, the breaths of the multitude, as well as

the

the want of refreshment; and it is very likely much agitated in her mind by the extraordinary doctrines of the preacher, she fell backwards, juft under the orator, and there lay kicking up her heels. On feeing the poor girl lie in a kind of convulfion, fome of the company moved to affift her, and the women began to draw down her apron and petticoats over her feet; but Mr. Whitefield ,cry'd out, "Let her alone! Let her alone! A glorious fight! A glorious fight!" No doubt the holy man meant that it was a glorious fight to fee a finner fall before the power of the word; but the young college bucks and wits construed his meaning differently, and put the audience into fuch immoderate fits of laughing, that even Mr. Whitefield's utmost efforts were not able to restore their gravity, but he was obliged to difmifs his congregation 'abruptly.

For a long time after this happened, the Cantabs as they reeled homewards in the night-time, difturbed the fober inhabitants, by loudly exclaiming, "A glorious fight! A glorious fight! As Dr. Squintum fays."

LETTER XVI.

"Love the most generous paffion of the mind,
"The fofteft refuge innocence can find;
"The foft director of unguided youth,

"Fraught with kind wishes, and fecured by truth;
"The cordial drop heav'n in our cup has thrown,
"To make the naufeous draught of life go down;
"On which one only bleffing God might raise,
"In lands of atheists fubfidies of praise;
"For none did e'er fo dull and ftupid prove,
"But felt a God, and bless'd his pow'r, in love."

Nonpareil.

DEAR FRIEND,

yet

amours.

I Muft now request you to

go back with me a few years, as I have not made you acquainted with my principal I was about seventeen years of age when an adventure difcovered, that although I was fo very spiritual, as I before informed you, I was notwithstanding fufceptible of another kind of impreffion.

"Oh,

"Oh, let me ftill enjoy the cheerful day.

"Till many years unheeded o'er me roll ; "Pleas'd in my age I trifle life away,

"And tell how much I lov'd ere I grew old."

HAMMOND'S Love Elegies.

Being at farmer Gamlin's at Charlton, four miles from Taunton, to hear a methodift fermon, I fell defperately in love with the farmer's handsome dairy-maid.

"Her home fpun drefs in fimple neatness lies,
"And for no glaring equipage she fighs.

"She gratefully receives what heav'n has fent,

66

And, rich in poverty, enjoys content.

"Her reputation which is all her boast,

"In a malicious vifit ne'er was loft.

"No midnight masquerade her beauty wears,
"And health, not paint, the fading bloom repairs.
"If Love's foft paffions in her bofom reign,
"An equal paffion warms her happy swain.”

GAY.

At that time I abounded in fpiritual gifts, which induced this honeft ruftic maid to be very kind to me, and to walk feveral fields with me in my road back to Taunton, talking all the way of her fpiritual distress and godly concerns; while I poured heavenly comfort into her foul, and talked fo long of

divine Love, until I found that my affection

for her was not altogether of that Spiritual And yet,

nature.

"We lov'd without tranfgreffing Virtue's bounds:
"We fixt the limits of our tendereft thoughts,
"Came to the verge of honour, and there stopp'd;
"We warm'd us by the fire, but were not scorch'd.
"If this be fin, Angels might live with more;
"And mingle rays of minds lefs pure than ours." !
DRYDEN'S Love Triumphant.

After this you may be sure that I did not let flip any opportunity of hearing fermons at farmer Gamlin's; and I generally prevailed with Nancy Smith, my charming fpiritual dairy-maid, to accompany me part of the way home, and at every gate I panied my fpiritual advice with a kiss.

"Oh then the longest fummer's day

accom

"Seem'd too, too much in hafte; ftill the full heart
"Had not imparted half: 'twas happiness

"Too exquifite to laft. Of joys departed

"Never to return, how painful the remembrance!"

BLAIR'S Grave.

But alas! these comfortable Sunday walks were foon at an end; as my charming Nancy Smith, for fome reafon or other (I have for