treaties. Those times, the memory of which now torments me, why were they fo fortunate? it was because I then waited for the bleffings of the Eternal with patience, and received them with a grateful and feeling heart.

LETTER LXVII,

November 8.

CHARI

HARLOTTE has reproved me for my exceffes, with fo much tenderness and goodnefs !-In · order to forget myself, my dear friend, I have for fome time past drank more wine than ufual

"Don't

"Don't do it," said she; "think of Charlotte."-The neceffary advice to think of Charlotte !-I do think of you, and yet 'tis not thinking of you; you are always before my eyes, you are in my heart: This very morning I was fitting in the place where you stopped the laft time.-Immediately fhe changed the fubject. My dear friend, I am no longer any thing, she makes me just what she pleases.

VOL. II.

G

LET

LETTER LXVIII.

November 15.

THANK you, my good friend,

for interesting yourself fo kindly in what relates to me, and for the good advice you give me; and I beg of you to make yourself easy. Leave me to my sufferings; furrounded as I am, I have still strength enough to endure them to the end. I revere our religion; you know I do: I am fenfible that it often gives strength to the feeble, and comfort to the afflicted. But has it,

fhould it have this effect on all men

equally? Confider this vaft uni

3

verfe,

verfe, and you will find millions for whom it never has exifted; and millions, whether it is preached to them or not, for whom it never will exift. -Do not give a wrong conftruction to this, I beg of you.. I don't love vain disputes on fubjects which we are all equally ignorant of. What is the destiny of man ?-to fill up the measure of his fufferings, and drink up the bitter draught.-And if the cup appeared bitter even to the Son of the Most High, why should I affect a foolish pride, and say my cup is sweet? Why should I be afhamed to tremble in that fearful moment, when my foul fhall be

1

suspended between existence and annihilation-when diffolution, like a flash of lightning, fhall illuminate the dark gulf of futurity-when every thing shakes around me, and the whole world vanishes

away

?

This is the voice of a creature oppreffed beyond all refource, and who feels with terror that he cannot escape destruction.-"My God! my God! why haft thou forfaken me?”— Should I be ashamed to use this expreffion?-He who spreads out the heavens as it were a garment, felt terror himself.

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LETTER