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years, a severe illness, has so occupied both your mother and me, that we have had no opportunity. I am only able now, in a dying state, to send my blessing, and prayers for your welfare. I wish to say that Christ is your all, in time and eternity. I have been in a most affecting state by a paralytic stroke-but Christ is all that can profit you or me-a whole volume could not contain more, or so much. Oh pray day and night for an interest in Him!—and this is all I can say it being more than having the Indies."

Mr. Cecil's solicitude for the welfare of his children, in all their various interests, was entire, anxious, and unabating. He excited them, by precept and by example; and encouraged the smallest indications, of virtue or piety, which he observed in them-holding up religion to their view, not only as excellent in itself, but as highly ornamental.

No parent could be more benevolent toward his family, according to his power.-He endeavoured to supply what might be wanting in accomplishment, as it is generally understood, by. storing their minds with a rich fund of moral reflections and, in this view, they have received a high education; for as he used to remark, "Mere accomplishment is but a temporary possession; while one maxim of moral wisdom, RECEIVED, and BROUGHT INTO PRACTICE, goes forth and

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travels with us through eternity." He frequently said he would have spent largely on the education of each of his children had he been able. He gave his sons this advantage: and he did this on principle, knowing that it was all that he could give them; and, with THIS, he knew they might make their way through life respectably.

He ever laboured to impress on all his children the advantage of industry and effort; of which he was himself their example. He would say-" Do SOMETHING-have a PROFESSION-be EMINENT in it-MAKE yourselves independENT." Hints of this kind, were interspersed among a variety of other useful and invaluable instruction to his children; and, in proportion to their high privilege, is their irreparable loss, that such a parent was removed before they could be launched on the dangerous ocean of the world:-the thought of which, were he still a subject susceptible of pain, would hold a place among the tenderest of his sorrows. For although he rejoiced in those promises on which his faith built, as appropriate to a necessarily dependent family, yet he COULD NOT rejoice in their becoming dependent. He was neither indifferent to their welfare, nor improvident respecting their future wants-but, he lacked opportunity.

He anxiously aimed to convince his children of the emptiness of the things of time. Anecdotes, enquiries, or sentiments, brought forward by them.

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in the course of conversation, afforded him matter; and, on these occasions, his children were equally delighted and instructed; for his lively genius and fertile imagination illuminated the whole conversation. Daily occurrences-public facts-or public sentiments, were opportunities of which he availed himself, to inculcate on their minds important truths: they drew from him reflections and maxims-at once familiar, natural, and interesting. His high attainment in the just estimation of whatever relates to THIS LIFE ONLY, enabled him to speak as one who FELT what he asserted; and to place his sentiments before them in a manner so vivid, that, with the sentiments, he he also communicated a PERCEPTION of the futility of all temporal things, however splendid. He spake of them as "baubles for the children of this world”—“ A lying, dying, pageant, which passeth away as a dream."

Mr. C. may have been censured for not letting his children mix more with society: but he used to say "Purity of character is to be preferred to accomplishment;" and he was aware of snares and traps into which young minds might fall. If, however, mixed society was any loss, that loss was amply compensated by HIS OWN, which was always interesting and enriching. His readiness to gratify innocent requests was ever alive. Many instances might be recorded, but one shall suffice On his daughter's asking him, just as he was going

out into company, to give her words to a tune which she had composed, he did not disregard or forget her request; but, while general conversation was proceeding, he wrote unobserved a few verses which he presented to her on his return.

He used to remark, that a father was not less affectionately mindful of his children, while toiling abroad for them; than the mother, who was fondling them at home. His feelings toward his own children were roused, whenever he heard the cries of any of them; which the discipline and regulations of a young family, with depraved passions, will inevitably sometimes produce. Speaking on such occurrences afterward, he would say, "I perceive, that, if it should please God to remove the mother, my children MUST BE RUINED; for I find, that I could give no one but a Mother credit sufficient to maintain proper authority. I can scarcely bear to sit still in my study, and hear them cry out under chastisement even Now, without rising to make enquiry: but I say to myself It is the MOTHER!' and I am quieted." Not that he was wanting or remiss in reproof, where he saw it needful: on the contrary, he highly disapproved the manner of some parents, whose reproof extends only to-Nay! my sons-where there ought to be firmness and decision. Yet he possessed also the opposite point of tenderness, in a high degree: and his delicate apprehensions will appear in a few verses which he wrote, and

gave to me with a view to divert and sooth my sorrow, on a child, only one month old, being removed at day-break; whose countenance, at the time of departure, was most heavenly:

Let me go: for the day breaketh.

"Cease here longer to detain me,
Fondest Mother drown'd in woe:
Now thy kind caresses pain me,
Morn advances-Let me go.

"See yon orient streak appearing!
Harbinger of endless day :

Hark! a voice the darkness chearing,
Calls my new-born soul away!

"Lately launched a trembling Stranger,
On the world's wild boisterous flood,
Pierc'd with sorrows, toss'd with danger,
Gladly I return to God.

"Now my cries shall cease to grieve thee,

Now my trembling heart find rest:
Kinder arms than thine receive me,
Softer pillow than thy breast.

"Weep not o'er these eyes that languish,
Upward turning t'ward their Home:

Raptur'd they'll forget all anguish,

While they wait to see thee come.

"There, my Mother, pleasures centre,→
-Weeping, Parting, Care, or Woe
Ne'er our Father's House shall enter-
--Morn advances--Let me go.➡

"As through this calm, holy dawning
Silent glides my parting breath,
To an everlasting Morning,---
Gently close my eyes in death.

"Blessings endless, richest blessings,
Pour their streams upon thy heart!
(Though no language yet possessing)
Breathes my Spirit e'er we part.

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