To the Editor of the Christian Observer. THE kind attention you have paid to every branch of our family (complainants, I grant, for the most part), in giving publicity to our complaints, encourages me to hope that you will be equally kind to a neglected female, whose wrongs, long borne with silent patience, have at length compelled her to make this appeal to the public.

Our family, Sir, is of acknowledged antiquity, and has been respected for some centuries by the good. My mother is a most respectable matron, and I have two elder sisters, who, with myself, are all the children of my mother's house. But pardon, Sir, the involuntary emotions of nature: I cannot mention my mother, without experiencing sensations of admiration and love, to which I would willingly give expression were I able: let it suffice to say, that she is one of the most holy family upon record. She had many sisters, some older than herself, but none of superior or even equal promise: she is therefore called the fairest daughter of the Reformation. My grandfather is a venerable personage, descended directly from Heaven many ages since, but still of sound constitution and undiminished vigour. Indeed, of late his face has been lighted up with a smile of peculiar complacency, in consequence of the marked respect which has been paid him throughout this land; and the efforts which have been made in it to procure for him a similar degree of respect in every part of the world, whether civilized or uncivilized. My mother also has of late been cheered by witnessing the return of no inconsiderable share of that almost universal regard which she experienced in her youth, but of which for many years she had been unjustly depriv

ed. Thousands, who partook of the blessings of her bounty, many of them in a lavish measure, while they loudly extolled her liberality, yet neglected her service, and turned away from her peculiar graces with a chilling disregard.

After having paid this short tribute of affection to a beloved parent, permit me now to introduce my sisters to your notice, before I say any thing of myself. I would only premise, that though we are three, there is but little difference in our ages; we were all born nearly about the same time.-In painting the character of my eldest sister, it is very difficult to convey any adequate idea of the rare dignity and excellence of the original. Her matchless simplicity; the harmonious, rich, and heaven-born elevation of her expressions; her comprehensive feeling for human wants; her peculiar felicity in adapting her remedies and her consolations to every case of distress; her copious flow of unaffected piety; her spotless purity; her unbounded love of man; and her unreserved devotion to the will of God in all things, have uniformly engaged the esteem of all who have cultivated a familiar intercourse with her. But there is in my sister one quality which peculiarly distinguishes her, and forces a tribute of respect and admiration from every unprejudiced beholder; and that is, her marked resemblance to my grandfather, the venerable personage already introduced to your notice. My grandfather's claim to a heavenly descent is generally allowed, and my sister's resemblance of him is so striking, that some have even gone so far as to say that she bears the majestic impress of a Divine original, so legibly in her countenance, that he that runs may read it.

But, endued as my sister is with

all this excellence, which my second sister and myself most gladly acknowledge, it has, from the caprice of the world, operated most unhappily to the depression of us, the younger branches of the family. My elder sister has not only attracted the general attention; she has engrossed it. Sir, you will scarcely believe that there is not one of those who profess any attachment to our family that does not give to her his almost unqualified commendation: one may find a freckle here, another a spot there; but you can scarcely conceive with what indignation the least hint at her imperfections is apt to be received. It is the fashion to admire her, and to appear in her train. Where she resorts, thousands resort also; many of them, however, led thither merely by the force of custom, or the influence of fashion. Formerly, indeed, her assemblies used to be attended daily; but they are now almost wholly confined, except in some particular cases, to one day in seven. In short, Sir, though my elder sister now lives but rarely in the hearts and affections, she lives much in the mouths of those who know us. I must do my sister, however, the justice to say that she most unwillingly accepts, and most unequivocally disapproves, of every expression of respect or attachment which does not proceed from the heart, or which flows from ignorance, prejudice, or blind attachment; and that she laments, equally with ourselves, the injurious effect of the exclusion of her younger sisters from their due share of regard and attention. Her own usefulness and influence, indeed, have been greatly impeded by this neglect, part of our office being to enable mankind to perceive and to enjoy her transcendent ex

cellencies.

My second sister, though far in ferior in the majesty of her person to the first, (indeed, to speak honestly, she is the least, while I am the largest of the three), is yet admired for the regularity of her features,

and the correctness of her deportment; and particularly for a certain terseness and smartness of manner peculiar to herself. Her expressions are accurate even to the strictness of definition. She is thus guarded and cautious even in her minutest phrases, because my mother has committed to her the important office of recording in a summary form the particulars of our grandfather's counsels and commands; and this she has done with such scrupulous care, that if ever spoken against, it is for the unbending rigour of her definitions, and the fearlessness with which she exhibits to the world whatever my grandfather has delivered. You will easily believe, Sir, that to this sister our mother has been much indebted for the preservation of the family estate. If my sister had not thus perseveringly kept the records, I can assure you, so much rapacity, and fraud, and shameless peculation, have been exercised against us, that but for her vigilance, we, her sisters, might long since have been turned out of doors, and my poor mother's means of subsistence have been pitifully abridged, if not wholly withdrawn.

With such distinguished merit, you might suppose, Sir, that this sister possessed no small share of regard. This, however, unhappily, is by no means the case. Even the outward respect she enjoys is chief. ly to be ascribed to a rule established by my mother, and still in force, that no one can enjoy any share of her bounty without a formal acknowledgment of the accuracy of my second sister's definitions. But so hollow has this acknowledgment been, in some instances, that we have seen her thrust from the station she has usually held in my eldest sister's train; and it is said she would have lost it altogether, had it not been for the compassion of some kind friends, who have lately asserted her cause, and restored her to her privileges. Nay, by some who have paid her this pretended homage, the very mention of her name is made a

ground of reproach, and appeals to her authority are discountenanced as symptoms of enthusiasm or party spirit. I must indeed confess, that she is often hardly used; sometimes forcibly beset by prejudice, and error, and ignorance, and bigotry; sometimes dragged this way, and that way, by angry combatants; made to speak according to their fancy, and often the plainest contradictions. In short, misconceived and misrepresented, she is compelled to act as a partisan, and to support discordant opinions, though she bears aloft, on the very proclamation that fixed her title and her rights, that she was born for the purpose of preventing disputa tions, altercations, and questions," and "of conserving" men" in unity of true religion and in the bond of peace."

And now, Sir, I ask, is not my sister's a hard case? But, O Sir, prepare a deeper sigh for me.

I hinted before, that I am the most bulky of our family: and I mention this circumstance, Sir, because it operates so much to my disadvantage as almost to exclude me from those scenes in which my sisters are to be found.

In our youth, we all received equal attention and respect; for this was our dear mother's intention. A spacious edifice was prepared for our common reception in every district throughout the land, and the attention we then attracted was universal. My elder sister rarely opened the business of the assemblies, but I was expected to close it. Indeed, Sir, at that day, my seat in the assembly was generally above my sister's, and I was received with a rapture little short of enthusiasm. O suffer me for a moment to enjoy the retrospect of those better days.

For a time our family had been dispossessed of its rights by a most unjust usurpation, while the whole land lay overwhelmed with papal darkness. My grand father was closely imprisoned, barred, and grated

from the light, and never suffered to shew his face abroad. Indeed, the decree enjoining his confinement was most severe; and if haply one or two friends, lamenting his imprisonment. made any effort to effect his release, or even to confer with him, it was done at the risk of their lives. At length a desperate effort was made by a friend of our family, of the name of Wickliffe, and it succeeded in obtaining for my grandfather a partial release. Still every step was watched with the most jealous caution, and it was not till after much blood was shed that my grandfather recovered the full privilege of his liberty. No sooner was this effected, than my mother, whose growth had been cramped by the privations she endured in consequence of my grandfather's long confinement, grew rapidly, and challenged universal admiration. Her friends became numerous, but, though numerous, they were but little acquainted with my grandfather's sentiments; much less were they capable of explaining them to others. At this juncture I was ushered into the world; an event which was announced with no small form, and hailed with general satisfaction. A solemn ordinance was published for my general reception, as the interpreter of my grandfather's will: nay, some of the most honourable counsellors were appointed to go throughout the land in circuit, and formally to introduce me to every district. Thus recommended, my right to public attention was generally established. O, had you seen how the people then flocked both to see and hear me, you would pity me in beholding the state of contempt into which I am now fallen. I was authorised to explain my grandfather's will more at large than had yet been done. My second sister kept the records of the family estate: it was my office to explain them. people refused to attend to them, I was appointed to "give a fruitful exhortation to read them." If the

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