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instant that I was in the presence of an uncommon

woman.

I felt her feverish pulse, which was rapidly beating, and expressing my sorrow at finding her so ill, she said to me, speaking with some difficulty:—

"You find me—

-in

very humble circumstances-sir."

"Yes," said I, "you seem very sick."

"We have not always been-so straitened as we are now," said she. "We lived-very comfortably-before -I was sick; but I am not able-to do anything now : and I am ashamed-to have you find me-with my room and all things-in such a state;" (casting a look about the room.) "Once I could have seen you in a more inviting place; but, sir-we are now-very poor -and cannot live-as we used to do. My situationis very humble-indeed."

"You have no occasion to be ashamed," said I. “Your room is very neat; and if you are in want of anything, it will give me pleasure to aid you to whatever you need.”

"Oh, sir, I am not-in want-of anything now. I am too sick to need anything—more than the old lady —can do for me; and she is—very kind."

"And who is the old lady ?" I asked.

"Mrs. Williams," said she; "in whose house—we have lived since ours-was sold;-the woman that— wanted me to have you-come and see me. She has been-talking-to me about religion; (she is a Welsh —woman ;)—and she has read—to me-in the Bible, but I cannot-understand it."

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"And did you wish to have me come and see you?" "No-yes-I am willing-to see you; but-I am— in such a place here-my room"My dear friend," said I, "do not think of such things at all. You have something of more moment to think of. You are very sick. Do you expect ever

to get well?"

66 'No, sir; they tell me—I shall not.” "And do you feel prepared to die?"

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villages, rivers and lakes-would form one o largest objects which the eye, or even the imagin can steadily grasp at one time. But such an ol

grand and extensive as it is, forms no more than forty-thousandth part of the terraqueous globe that before we can acquire an adequate conceptio the magnitude of our own world, we must conce 40,000 landscapes, of a similar extent, to pass in view before us: and, were a scene, of the magnit now stated, to pass before us every hour, till all diversified scenery of the earth were brought und our view, and were twelve hours a-day allotted for observation, it would require nine years and forty-eig days before the whole surface of the globe could be co templated, even in this general and rapid manner. B such a variety of successive landscapes passing befo the eye, even although it were possible to be realize would convey only a very vague and imperfect concep tion of the scenery of our world; for objects at the dia tance of forty miles cannot be distinctly perceived; th only view which would be satisfactory would be, tha which is comprehended within the range of three o four miles from the spectator.

Again, I have already stated, that the surface of the earth contains nearly 200,000,000 of square miles Now, were a person to set out on a minute survey o the terraqueous globe, and to travel till he passed along every square mile on its surface, and to continue hi route without intermission, at the rate of thirty mile every day, it would require 18,264 years before h could finish his tour, and complete the survey of "thi huge rotundity on which we tread:"-so that, had he commenced his excursion on the day in which Adan was created, and continued it to the present hour, h would not have accomplished one-third part of thi

vast tour.

In estimating the size and extent of the earth, w ought also to take into consideration, the vast varie of objects with which it is diversified, and the num

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not-know would do me

little time

kers and stater fores

canty Anored the many every she and form, frum in which travers its surface

fishes, from the enormous tha shrimp, wie play

tribes, which spars in the AP vast mass of the surrounding age closes the earth and all is maa swaddling band. The mean of with which our terrestrial bats, spires, with every other contention conceptions of that Power by with our pe, and that it contains, were brought into ensen

To pomp and pageantry in nought allied,
A noble peasant, Isaac Ashford died.
Noble he was, contemning all things men
His truth unquestioned and his soul see:
Of no man's presence Isaac felt afraid,
At no man's question Isaac looked dismayed:
Shame knew him not, he dreaded no dig
Truth, simple truth, was written in his e
Yet while the serious thought his lap
Cheerful he seemed, and gentle :
To bliss domestic he his heart
And, with the firmest, had the fles

ngly and yet inbling with ly and with

never begun present enjoyhat, after-my

-was to save

So as not tow-there canto begin with

hausted by her ew minutes and nother room to whom I found ented a part of d some months take care of the red all his wife's ss continued his is dying wife. If

he Welshwoman, ell she was very ly, and had fine and sit with me try to make me eventy years old,

"I do not know-what that-preparation-means. And it is too late now for me to do anything-about it. -I am too far-gone."

"No, madam, you are not. God is infinitely merciful; and you may be saved. Have you been praying to him to save you?"

"I never prayed. Indeed, sir,-I never thought— of religion, till I was-sick, and the old lady talkedto me. But I cannot-understand her. I have never

-read the Bible.-I never was inside-of a churchin my life. Nobody-ever asked me to go, or told me-I ought to. I did not think—of religion. I just lived to enjoy-myself—as well-as I could. My aunt -who took me when my mother-died, never went -to church, and never said anything-to me about religion. So I lived-as she—allowed me to, from the time I was three years old.-I had property-enough for anything-I wanted-then; and after I left-school -about four years ago, I had nothing-to do—but to go to parties and dances—and attend to-my dress, and read-till-I was married.-Since that we have had trouble. My husband-I suppose-did not understand things-in our country-very well. He mortgaged my house, and in a little while-it was soldand we were-obliged-to leave it, and come here." "What did you read?" said I.

"Oh, I read novels, the most of the time-sometimes -I read other books, but not much, except-some history and biography."

"Did you never read the Bible ?"

"No, sir."

"Have you got a Bible."

"No, sir.

The old lady-has got one-which she brings to me; but I am too weak-to read it. It is a large book; and I-shall not live-long enough to read it."

"You need not read it," said I.-" But now suffer me to talk to you plainly. You are very sick. You may not live long. Will you give your attention to religion

as well as you can in your weak state, and aim to get ready to die?"

"I would, sir—if I had time. But I do not-know anything at all-about religion-and it would do me —no good—to try now, when I have-so little timeleft."

"You have time enough left." "Do you think so,-sir ?" "I know you have, madam."

She turned her eyes upon me, imploringly and yet despondingly; and with a voice trembling with emotion, she said to me, speaking slowly and with difficulty:

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Sir, I cannot believe that.—I have never begun― to learn religion.-I lived only for my-present enjoyment-till I was married; and since that, after-my husband-failed-all I have thought of-was to savesome little-of my property-if I could, so as not tobe a burden-to other people.-And now-there cannot be time-enough left-for me to begin with religion-and go-all the way through."

"There is time enough," said I.

Perceiving that she was already exhausted by her efforts to speak, I told her to rest for a few minutes and I would see her again. I went into another room to see "the old lady" (as she called her), whom I found to be a pious Welshwoman, who had rented a part of her house to the sick woman's husband some months before, and who now devoted herself to take care of the poor sufferer. The tenant had squandered all his wife's property, and now during her sickness continued his dissipation, paying little attention to his dying wife. If he ever had a heart, rum had destroyed it.

"She is a good creature," said the Welshwoman, "all but religion. When she was well she was very kind to me. Though she was a lady, and had fine clothes, she was not ashamed to come and sit with me an hour at a time, and talk to me and try to make me happy; for I am a poor, lone widow, seventy years old,

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