68 FRIENDS’
them. Their minds were thus seasoned with both
humanity and wisdom, and fitted for the most
eminent stations among men. And when thus
exalted, they could doubtless adopt the prophet’s
language: “When I remember the wormwood
and the gall, my soul is humbled. within me.”
Reflections of this kind, tend to increase love,
quicken obedience, and strengthen resolutions
-more and more to devote body, soul and spirit
to the service of virtue. These are rewarded
with that sunshine of the soul, and that joy of
heart, which the poet describes, and compared
to which the trifling amusements and treasures
of this world are but as dross and refuse.

I have not been without a hope, my dear
cousin, that the singular dispensations meted to
thee may be thus intended to prepare thee as an
instrument of much good in thy day. May
Divine wisdom ever be thy shield and buckler,
thy morning light and thy evening song, is the

_ greatest soa Es wish thee.*

I may acknowledge thy very obliging letter,
and great. kindness in complying with my pro-
posal. So much humility, meekness and contri-
tion, exceeded my most sanguine hopes, and
rather caused joy that the offence was given
which became the means of forcing into action
these virtues that might otherwise have lain con-
cealed. How good may spring out of evil. So
far from leaving a trace of resentment, it has in-
creased my love and esteem for the dear offender,
confirming the poet’s idea:

‘“ There’s that soft sweetness in a female mind

Which in a man’s we cannot hope to find:”
and, whether we are willing to own it or not,

“Turns our satire into softest thoughts.”

Thy very affectionate uncle,

 Dewitllsgter

In the closing paragraph of the above letter
there is allusion to a slight misunderstanding.
‘This might have been omitted, but a biographer
should not be a blind gulogist, and there is in-
‘struction in this pleasing example of mutual
‘condescension. Between truly good people the
stream of love may have occasional ripples, but
_ such persons will anticipate the going down of
the sun, each party hastening to the waters of
healing. Thus human nature receives a salu-
tary check; the bond of unity is perfected, and
grace abounds; and that “dwelling together in
unity” is witnessed, which, twenty-eight hun-
dred years ago, was declared to be ‘‘a good and
pleasant thing,” and compared to the descending

 

* ©. Haines, in a letter to Martha Allinson, in 8th
month of the same year, quotes at length the above
passage with these remarks: ‘This wish, in one of
dear uncle’s letters, is many times remembered by
me, with anxious desires that it may be granted. |
An excellent wish indeed, and I hope I may be blessed
with resolution to choose the good part which shall
not be taken away.”

 

REVIEW.

of dew upon those sacred localities, where the
Lord commanded the eternal blessing.

[Diary.]—* I left home, 2d mo. 9th, 1788, to
accompany Daniel Offley in a visit to Friends”
in the upper part of the Jersies. Next day,
(first of the week) we were at Mount Holly, and
in the afternoon at the Mount Meeting ; at Upper
Freehold on Second-day, having a meeting at
the school-house in the afternoon; Third-day at
Robins’; Fourth-day at Freehold Court House,
where no Friends lived ; nextday at Shrewsbury ;
on Sixth-day at Squancum; Seventh-day at
Squan; and on First-day at Shrewsbury again.
On Second-day, the weather extremely severe, we
rode forty miles to Rahway, and in alighting
from my horse on the way I dropped my watch.
Next day we had a meeting at Springfield, where
no Friends’ meeting had previously been held.
On Fourth-day attended Monthly Meeting at
Plainfield, and had a meeting the following day
at Elizabethtown. We had a meeting on Sixth-
day at Newark, and two meetings in New York
on First-day. Here I was taken sick. After a
bad night, I thought I could endure riding in
a sleigh to Rahway, where I laid by a few days.
Meanwhile Daniel crossed to Staten Island, and
had three meetings. The extremity of the
weather frustrated his intentions and prevented
his returning until Sixth-day. Notice had been
given of his prospect to be at Rahway Meeting
on Fifth-day, and a very great gathering there
was. At the conclusion of the meeting expla-
nation was made, and his prospect of being there
on First-day mentioned. He was there on
First-day forenoon and afternoon, having had
meetings at Amboy and Woodbridge on Seventh-
day, and on Second-day we had a very numerous
gathering at Samptown, where no Friends’ meet-
ing had been held before; on Third-day at
Brunswick ; Fourth-day at Stony Brook; Fifth-
day morning at Trenton; afternoon at Borden-
town; Sixth-day at Allentown; Seventh-day at
Mansfield, and at the Neck in the afternoon.
We attended two meetings at Burlington on
First-day, and on Second-day, after being at
Haddonfield Monthly Meeting, we parted. Dan-
iel went to Philadelphia, and I returned to Sam-
uel Allinson’s. Next day (3d mo. 11th) my
daughter, Martha, came with me to our Monthly
Meeting at Woodbury. I had been from home
four weeks and four days, most of the time ex-
tremely cold weather, which I was enabled to
bear to my own admiration, having while on this
journey completed my sixty-third year. Daniel
had thirty-four meetings, twelve of them from
among Friends.”

The daughter just referred to, was urgent to
have her beloved parent a sharer of her home.
But he was still a mourner for one who had been
the light of his dwelling, and he chose to re-
main ‘

‘Where he could look around
O’er all the well known ground,