are called pawnbrokers, never take in any pawns, yet can live by felling things which are fuppofed to be kept over time.

I went on profperously until fome time in September, 1775, when I was fuddenly taken ill of a dreadful fever; and eight or tén days after, my wife was feized with the fame diforder.

At that time I only kept a boy to help in my shop, so that I fear, while I lay ill, my wife had too much care and anxiety on her mind. I have been told that before she was confined to her bed fhe walked about in a delirious ftate; in which he did not long continue, but contrary to all expectation died, in enthusiastic rant, on the ninth of November, furrounded with feveral methodistical preachers.

"Invidious death! how doft thou rend in funder

"Whom love has knit and fympathy made one?

"A tie fo ftubborn."

BLAIR'S Grave.

She was in reality one of the best of women; and although for about four years the was ill the greatest part of the time, which involved

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involved me in the very depth of poverty and distress, yet I never once repented having married her.

ftill bufy meddling memory,

"In barbarous fucceffion, mufters up

"The past endearments of our fofter hours,

"Tenacious of his theme."

BLAIR'S Grave,

'Tis true fhe was enthusiastical to an extreme, and of course very superftitious and vifionary, but as I was very far gone myself,

I did not think that a fault in her.

Indeed the much exceeded me, and moft others that ever fell under my obfervation, as fhe in reality totally neglected and disregarded every kind of pleasure whatever, but thofe of a fpiritual (or vifionary) nature. Methinks I here fee you smile: but I affure you she made no exception; but was a complete devotee, and what is more remarkable, without pride or ill-nature.

"Intentions fo pure, and fuch meeknefs of fpirit,

"Muft of course, and of right, Heaven's kingdom inherit."

SIMKIN.

I am, dear Friend, yours.

LETTER XXII.

"I've strange news to give you! but when you receive it, " "Tis impoffible, Sir, that you should believe it;

"But as I've been told this agreeable story,

"I'll digrefs for a moment to lay it before ye."

DEAR SIR,

A Friend of mine, of whose

veracity I entertain the highest opinion, has favored me with an account of a lady, who has to the full as much, indeed more of the fpirit, but without the good-nature of Nancy Lackington. The fact is as follows:

""Tis true 'tis pity: and pity 'tis it's true."

Mr. R-t, a genteel tradefman with whom I am acquainted, having loft his fecond wife early in 1790, courted and married one of the holy fifters a few months afterwards. They had lived together about fix months, when Mr. R―t, one Sunday, being a fober religious man, took down Doddridge's Lectures, and began to read them to his wife and family.

But this holy fifter found fault with her hufband for reading fuch learned rational dif courfes, which favoured too much of human reafon and vain philosophy, and wished he would read something more fpiritual and edifying. He attempted to convince her that Dr. Doddridge was not only a good rational divine, but to the full as fpiritual as any divine ought to be; and that to be more fpiritual he must be less rational, and of course become fanatical and vifionary. But these obfervations of the husband fo difpleafed his fpiritual wife, that the retired to bed, and left her husband to read Doddridge's Lectures as long as he chose to his children by a former wife.

The next morning while Mr. R-t was out on business, this holy fifter, without saying one fyllable to any perfon, packed up all her clothes, crammed them into a hackney coach, and away the went. Mr. R-t, poor foul! on coming home discovered his immense loss, and in an almost frantic state, spent the

first fortnight in fruitless attempts to difcover

her retreat.

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"Three weeks after her elopement, I was

(fays Mr. R-t) going down Cheap"fide one day, and faw a lady fomething "like my wife, but as he was fomewhat disguised, and I could not fee her face, I "was not fure. At laft I ventured to look ❝ under her bonnet, and found, that, fure "enough, it was fhe. I then walked three

times backwards and forwards in Cheap"fide, endeavouring to perfuade her to re

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turn with me, or to difcover where she "lived but the obftinately refused to re66 turn, or to let me fee her retreat; and "here (fays Mr. R−t) I begged that the "would grant me a kifs; but he would not, "willingly. However after fome bustle in "the street, I took a farewel kifs. Poor "dear foul! (figh'd he) she is rather too "Spiritual! for notwithstanding I laid by "her fide near fix months, fhe never would be prevailed upon to do any thing carnal; and although I did all in my power to get "the

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