entered into our soul, I will not attempt to describe. I am thankful, however, to record the goodness of God in preserving us from entertaining "hard thoughts" of his dispensations. We "lay our hand upon our mouth," and "keep silence before him." It is enough, O Lord, that "it is thy doing." May we bow in humble submission to thy will; and steadfastly believe that though "clouds and darkness are round about thee, yet righteousness and judgment are the habitation of thy throne!"

I am fully aware that it requires an apology for a second time obtruding my domestic affliction on the attention of the public; and I should have refrained from doing so, had it not appeared to me that some of the readers of my "Tribute of Affection to the Memory of my Daughter," might receive both instruction and encouragement from a short account of the last hours of my son. Many would rise from the perusal of the affecting scene through

which my daughter passed, when death first presented himself before her, with strong emotions: and notwithstanding what I had written to prepare the mind for it, and the peaceful conclusion of the event, might still wonder that a character like her should have undergone such alarm; and might thus feel apprehensive that religion itself is no security against the terrors of death. I think, indeed, that the circumstances of the case, when properly weighed, would by no means authorize such a conclusion; and that the reasons I there stated would account for the whole, without in the least invalidating the power of christian principles to sustain the mind in the severest conflicts. However, facts strike us more forcibly than reasons; and as my son passed through the whole of "the valley of the shadow of death, without fearing any evil," I am desirous of placing, in connexion with my dear daughter's last hours, those of her beloved brother: and I trust, when

both are taken together, they will form a body of evidence in favour of the excellence of religion, and the unspeakable comfort of possessing a firm confidence in the atoning sacrifice, which can scarcely fail to convince my readers of the infinite advantage which a christian enjoys over the rest of the world; and will show that even the young may acquire that maturity of experience, and “full assurance of hope," which will fortify their minds against the fear of death, and make them willing to relinquish, in the prospect of "a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory," all that had taken the firmest hold of their affections, and bound them, with the strongest cords, to earthly enjoyments.

I will only add, that seldom were two persons of more congenial dispositions, habits, and tempers, than my two departed children. They had been brought up under the same discipline, had imbibed the same instruction, and they brought forth similar

fruits of righteousness." They were both

active, in their different spheres, in promoting the cause of religion; they both "went about doing good," visiting the cottages of the poor, communicating religious instruction to the ignorant, and especially delighting in instilling christian principles into the minds of children. A remarkable coincidence, also, will be observed in several of the circumstances of their death; and their transition from this world to that of glory was alike calm and peaceful. They were both "trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord;" and they are now bearing "fruit unto eternal life," in a more kindred soil, and happier clime.