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treaties. Thofe 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.

HARLOTTE has reproved

CH

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

9

"Don't

"Don't do it," faid fhe; "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 my heart: This very morn ing I was fitting in the place where you stopped the last time.-Immedi ately the changed the fubject. My dear friend, I am no longer any

are in

thing, fhe makes me juft what she pleases.

VOL. II.

G

LET.

I

LETTER LXVIII.

November 15.

THANK you, my good friend,

for interesting yourself so kindly in what relates to me, and for the good advice you give me; and I beg of you to make yourself eafy. Leave me to my fufferings; 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 ftrength to the feeble, and comfort

to the afflicted. But has it,

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fhould it have this effect on all men

equally? Confider this vaft uni

verse,

verfe, and you will find millions for whom it never has existed; 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 difputes on fubjects which we are all equally ignorant of. What is the destiny of man ?to fill up the measure of his sufferings, and drink up the bitter draught.-And if the cup appeared bitter even to the Son of the Moft High, why fhould I affect a foolish pride, and fay my cup is fweet? Why fhould I be afhamed to tremble in that fearful moment, when my foul fhall be

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fufpended 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 resource, 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.

LETTER

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