Christian, being dead, yet speaketh, especially to parents, and to those who have the care of youth, that they make the great concerns of religion a leading branch of their education. May young and old tread in her steps, as the way to the same happy end!

MRS. ELEANOR DORNFORD.

MRS. DORN FORD was born August the 13th, 1735, and was daughter of John and Mary Layton. Her father was an eminent shipbuilder; he died when she was young, and left a competent fortune behind him for each of his children. In a little manuscript book, in which she has mentioned the dealings of God with her soul, she thus adverts to the circumstances of her early life.

August the 13th, 1776. Merciful Lord! as thou hast been pleased to spare me to this day, suffer me to set up my Ebenezer here, for hitherto hath the Lord helped me. Give me power, strength, and ability, to commemorate thy gracious dealings with thy servant, and to enumerate the many favours and blessings I have received at thy hands for forty-one years, which have been the years of thy servant. Thou hast been my Father, even from my mother's womb. Am I not thy child? Yes, glory be to thee, I feel I am thine by an everlasting covenant, thine by adoption and grace, whereby I can call thee Abba, Father.

"Should this fall into the hands of any of my dear children or friends, may it be an encouragement to them to trust in thee; for, in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength,' and he will be "nigh unto all those that call upon him' in sincerity and truth. 'When thy father and mother forsake thee, the Lord taketh thee up.' This I can subscribe to, for my father died when I was of too tender an age to know any thing of him, not being above a year old, when the Lord was pleased to release him from much pain and sorrow. My mother married again; but, by the unkind usage of her second husband, was mercifully

weaned from this world, and having lingered about ten years after my father, fell asleep in the Lord. From the time she was dying, I think I may date the first remembrance of the dealings of God with my soul, as I recollect I was then at prayer in my bed for her life. Though she never paid me much attention, by reason of her continual ill state of health, yet, I felt a pungent sorrow at losing her, and prayed much for her life, till a thought struck me, that I ought to be resigned to the will of God, and not to pray either for her life or death;' and therefore I was left dumb before the Lord with much weeping.

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"I laid down rules for a holy walk with God, and brought myself to stated times of prayer; but this was all in secret, as I had no one to teach me by example or precept."

Having formed and cherished a strong attachment to a cousin, but feeling scruples as to the expediency of being united in marriage to a relation, she retired for about a year and an half to Weymouth, during which period her cousin was brought to the knowledge of God. In consequence of which he wrote to her, and received in answer a letter, part of which here follows:

"I cannot leave you in an error concerning the duty I owe to the Supreme Being; so I take the first opportunity of answering yours of yesterday, to justify myself in that point as well as I can. I am not a little concerned that you should entertain so mean an opinion of me, as to think I had not read the Scriptures sufficiently to understand what is made so plain to the meanest capacity. Yes, I have endeavoured, as much as in my power, to act according to the rules prescribed by our dear Redeemer, and have commemorated his sufferings for us every time the holy Sacrament has been administered since I have been in this place. I must own I had not the same opportunity for it before, nor was my mind so

serene then to admit of it; but here I have had nothing to disturb my tranquillity. I have taken innocent diversions, which I have thought no harm in pursuing: I avoid that which I am conscious is not right, and never keep company with any whose morals are not as good as my own. This, my outward behaviour, as well as my conscience, can justify, though, by your letter, you seem to have entertained a very different opinion of me.

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Your intention was very good in sending me the enclosed pamphlets; but there was no need of any thing more to confirm me in my religion, than what I had before read. As for Bishop Beveridge, I have long been acquainted with him, he being a great favourite of mine. I will keep in the same path I have hitherto done; which I hope will at last bring me to everlasting life. I have no more to add, but remain," &c.

When she wrote this letter, no doubt she was as sincere as St. Paul before his going to Damascus. But her own account of the subsequent change wrought on her mind, will supply the best comment. on the self-righteous tone of the above extract.

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My intention was to have returned to Weymouth; but my grandmother dying, the lady with whom I boarded came to reside in town,. which entirely put an end to that intention. I heard the Rev. Mr. R and was convinced in my judgement, that what was preached was the truth, and found a desire to experience the validity of it in my own soul. After this, I was frequently on my knees in private, begging of God to bring me to the knowledge of himself and the pardon of sin. I began to see myself a lost, undone creature, without Christ. I was restless and unhappy, and could taste no real joy in any thing. My friends saw a change in me; for, as before I was lively, and of a gay, cheerful turn, I now became dull, and took little notice of any

thing. Some pitied me, others laughed at me. I was spoiled for the world, and was not happy in God; but I could not rest without the assurance of salvation. I saw the necessity of becoming a new creature. I felt that I could give up all for Christ. This brought a joy unspeakable into my soul. I fell on my knees instantly, to praise God for what he had already done for me; and I could trust him for what he would yet do in me; and my soul was all joy; it was a peace which passeth all understanding.'

She was married to Mr. Dornford, December 14, 1759, at St. Dunstan's in the West, by the Rev. W. Romaine, who was then lecturer of that church. The following extracts from her diary will discover the state of her mind, as she entered into the cares of life.

My soul continued in a happy, peaceful frame for some time; but the cares of the world came on very rapidly. In less than five years, I had five dear little boys; but at the fortnight's end of the fifth, that, and another of a year old, died in a week: however, the Lord was my support, and brought me through with shouting, so that I had reason to cry out, Grace! grace! I had no more children for four years; then I rejoiced over a fine girl: but he whose wisdom is in the great deep, saw fit to take her unto himself in two days. This trial also I was enabled to bear with great resignation. After this, I had many and sore conflicts. My soul, through the weakness of my frame, had many doubts and fears; but that God who is ever faithful to his promises, never left nor forsook us, but was continually blessing us in our basket and in our store.""

About this time, being in an ill state of health, she took a journey into Yorkshire. During her stay in the country, she wrote several pieces of religious poetry, of which the following are specimens.