dance of grace, to strengthen you with might by his Spirit in the inner man, and so to lead you here with his counsel, that hereafter he may receive you into those mansions of unfading bliss, which he hath prepared for every true believer.

That the blessings of God may ever attend you, is the constant wish and prayer of your affectionate friend,

M. LAURENS.

TO MRS. WILSON, NOW MRS. SIMONS.

MY DEAR COUSIN,.

I SEND you the book, Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion, which I promised, and which I beg you will accept as a token of my affection. I think it is a most excellent treatise, well calculated to awaken those who are careless about their soul's salvation, and full of heavenly comfort for those who are in trouble of mind, body, or estate; you are very much on my heart and in my thoughts, and my earnest prayer to God for you is, that he may support you in all your trials, and so sanctify them to you, that in the end you may have reason to bless him for what at present seems most bitter and severe, and to say, "It is good for me that I have been

afflicted, for now have I learned thy word." With sincere christian sympathy and friendship, I remain your affectionate

October 22, 1790.

M. L. RAMSAY.

NOTE TO MISS JULIANA HAZLEHURST.

MY DEAR JULIANA,

April, 1811.

WILL you oblige me so far as to lend me the memoirs of Miss Elizabeth Smith. This book is not in the library, which is the cause of your receiving this little note of entreaty from your admirer, and affectionate friend,

M. L. RAMSMY.

To this an answer was returned, but by mistake addressed to the daughter Martha instead of the mother of the same name, which occasioned the following note.

TO MISS HAZLEHURST.

I SHALL never again be able, my dear Juliana, to reproach my daughter, M. H. L. R. for writing a careless note, and still more careless hand, since her discriminating neighbour has seen no difference between her performance and mine, in either style or penmanship.

1

From your favourable opinion of Miss Smith's Memoirs, I shall read the book with a prepossession unfavourable to impartial judgment, so much am I influenced by the opinion of those I esteem and love. I am, dear Juliana, your af fectionate

MARTHA, Senior.

TO MISS HAZLEHURST.

IF, my dear Juliana, the contents of the annexed note, an acceptance on the part of the Rev. Dr. Kollock, of an invitation to breakfast the next morning, joined to the pleasure your company will give us, have any weight with you, I request you will breakfast with us. Dr. Kollock was the first person who mentioned Elizabeth Smith to us with tender encomium. You have known how to appreciate her merit; and I believe, so sincere has been your admiration of it, that in the most valuable circumstances of her life, you are imitating her example. I hope I shall feel, that you are so obliging to those you love, as she was, by your permitting me to introduce a person on whom maternal care has been so well bestowed, to a gentleman (Dr. Kollock), so capable of valuing female merit. I remain your affectionate

April 9, 1811.

L

PATTY.

TO MISS HAZLEHURST.

If you are not acquainted with Bishop Taylor's writings, I am persuaded you will find many things in the book (Taylor's Holy Living and Dying) which I send you, which will be pleasing to your intelligent and pious mind. The devotions for solemn festivals are, I think, very pathetic, and shew him to have been a man deeply exercised in religious matters. If they contribute to edification or consolation, I shall rejoice to have thought of the book and of you at the same time. From your affectionate friend,

MARTHA LAURENS RAMSAY.

April 12 1811.

Charleston, January 10, 1794.

MY DEAR MISS SPROAT,

THE wish you express in Mrs. Keith's letter, that I should write to you, is of that nature, that I cannot refuse to comply with it; and were my ability to say any thing to the purpose on the subject, equal to my feelings and sympathy on the sad occasion of your sorrows, I should not write in vain; but alas! in such mournful seasons as you have experienced, vain is the help of man. None, but the hand which has smitten, can heal; and God, that has cast down, can

alone raise and support the afflicted and dejected soul. Yet, I know, it is our duty to weep with those that weep, and our privilege to draw nigh to the throne of grace for others as well as for ourselves. I hope I have not failed in this duty, or in the exercise of this privilege, with regard to your family. You have been very much in my thoughts, and on my heart; and by day, and by night, I have not ceased to make mention of you in my prayers, that God would be your refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Perhaps we never feel so much of the goodness of God as in times of deep affliction, when they are accompanied by that sanctifying grace, which, I trust, has had, and will continue to have its operation under the great and repeated bereavements which you have met with, and are still lamenting When the soul, with deep humility and sincerity, is brought to say, I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, and to lament that evil of its nature, and those transgressions of heart and life, which make chastisements necessary, either to call us to repentance, or to quicken us in our way. Then is the light of God's countenance ready to rise upon it, for he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men, but sendeth afflictions in mercy to his people, that they may search and try their ways, and turn again to their God, who is only waiting for this