"She also provyded a great number of books, whereof she gave some to the university of Cambridge, namely, the great Bible in Hebrew and four other tongs; and to the colledg of St. Johns very many books in Greek, of divinite and physic, and of other sciences. The lyke she did to Christ-church and St. Johns colledg in Oxford. The lyke she did to the colledg of Westmynster.

"She did also yerly provide woole and flaxe, and did distrebute it to women in Chesthunt parist, wyllyng them to work the same into yarn, and bring it to hir, to see the manner of working; and for the most part she gave them the stuff by way of aimes. Sometymes she caus'd the same to be wrought into cloth, and gave it to the poore, paying first for the spynning more than it was worth.

"Not long afore her deth, she caus'd secretly to be bought a large quantity of wheat and rye to be dysposed amongst the poor in time of derth, which remayned unspent at hir deth; but the same confess'd by such as provyded it secretly and therefor in conscience to be so distributed according to hir mind. (April 9th, 1589,

66

in sorrow,

Wrytten at Collynlodg, by me
W. B.)

THE honourable Mr. Boyle was a man of extensive learning, one of the most exact inquirers into the works of nature that any age has known; and what reflects the greatest honour on himself and upon Christianity is, that while he was an accurate reasoner, he was also a firm believer. His religion was not a mere profession by which he was distinguished from an atheist, a Jew, or a Turk, but he suffered it to have its due and genuine influence on his life and actions. He did not only wish well to the cause he espoused, but endeavoured to diffuse that light and knowledge even in the most distant parts, which he saw so absolutely necessary for the present and future welfare of mankind. This indeed is the noblest kind of charity, and therefore discovers the warmest benevolence. But Mr. Boyle's generosity and beneficence did not stop here; it was discovered in innumerable instances relating to the external wants and distresses of his fellow-creatures; and conferred too in such

a manner as enhanced their value. But these I shall omit, and represent him only as an example of beneficence in the propagation of Christianity. "He was at the charge of the translation and impression of the New Testament into the Malayan language, which he sent over all the East-Indies. He gave a noble reward to him that translated Grotius's incomparable book of the Truth of the Christian Religion into Arabick; and was at the expense of a whole impression, which he took care to order to be distributed in all the countries where that language is understood. He was resolved to have carried on the impression of the New Testament in the Turkish language; but the company thought it became them to be the doers of it, and so suffered him only to give a share towards it. He was at seven hundred pounds charge in the edition of the Irish bible, which he ordered to be distributed in Ireland; and he contributed largely both to the impression of the Welsh Bible, and of the Irish Bible in Scotland. He gave during his life three hundred pounds to advance the design of propagating the Christian religion in America; and as soon as he heard that the East-India company were entertaining propositions for the like design in the East, he presently sent an hundred pounds for a beginning and an example; but intended to carry it much farther when it should be set on foot to purpose. He had designed, though some accidents did upon great consideration divert him from settling it during his life, but not from ordering it by his will, that a liberal provision should be made for one, who should, in a very few well-digested sermons, every year set forth the truth of the Christian religion, in general, without descending to the sub-divisions amongst Christians; and who should be changed every third year, that so this noble study and employment might pass through many hands, by which means many might become masters of the argument. LIFE OF MR. BOYLE, p. 36, 37.

IT was a common saying of Julius Cæsar, that no music was so charming in his ears, as the requests of his friends, and the supplications of those in want of his assistance..

MARCUS Aurelius tells us, that he could not relish a happiness which nobody shared in but himself.

MARK Antony when depressed, and at the ebb of fortune, cried out, "That he had lost all, except what he had given away."

WHEN Cato was drawing near the close of life, he declared to his friends that the greatest comfort of his old age, and that which gave him the highest satisfaction, was the pleasing remembrance of the many benefits and friendly offices he had done to others. To see them easy and happy by his means made him truly so. Persons conscious of their own integrity, satisfied with themselves and their condition, and full of confidence in a Supreme Being and the hopes of immortality, survey all about them with a flow of good-will: as trees which like their soil, they shoot out in expressions of kindness, and bend beneath their own precious load to the hand of the gatherer.

CHASTITY.

SENTIMENTS.

THERE is no charm in the female sex that can supply the place of virtue. Without innocence, beauty is unlovely, and quality contemptible; good-breeding degenerates into wantonness, and wit into impudence.

When young women arrive at a certain age they hear themselves called mistresses; and are made to believe that their only business is to please the men: they immediately begin to dress, and place all their hopes in the adorning of their persons; it is therefore worth the while to endeavour by all means to make them sensible that the honour paid to them is only upon account of their conducting themselves with virtue, modesty, and discretion.

Chastity must needs be a divine quality, since even the enemies thereof esteem it, and the most debauched respect them less who yield, than those who hold out. Respect waits upon desire, and neglect follows possession.

The best preservative of female honour is female delicacy: modesty is the handmaid of virtue, appointed to tend, to dress, and serve her: it is, as it were a kind of armour, which the sex should always bear, both to adorn and to defend them; and when that is laid aside they are neither beautiful nor safe.

Make it your great care to refine your sentiments ; let them be reasonable and full of honour; be sure always to keep well with yourself, it is a certain income of pleasures, and will gain you praise and a good repu

tation to boot.

In a word, be but truly virtuous, and you will find admirers enough.

EXAMPLES.

PHOCAIS, an Ionian lady, among many others, was invited to sup with Cyrus, king of Persia. While the rest of the ladies seemed highly pleased with the king's wanton jests, and permitted such freedoms as were inconsistent with the delicacy due to a virtuous character, she removed at a distance and remained silent; nor would she approach nearer to join the company, though desired, and much importuned even by the king himself. Some of the officers of the bedchamber attempting to pull her forward, she gave them a severe reprimand, protesting she would make the first who offered to lay hands on her repent their offence. Upon this the ladies present upbraided her with being rude, and unpolite: but Cyrus, though somewhat surprised, seemed perfectly satisfied with her behaviour; and turning to the person who introduced her, said with a smile on his countenance, "Don't you perceive that this is the only innocent and virtuous lady in the company?"

From that time the king held her in great esteem

loved her sincerely, and ever after called her The Wise Lady.

ERAS. APOPH. ANT.

JAQUELINE of Luxemberg, duchess of Bedford, had, after her first husband's death, so far sacrificed her ambition to love, that she married Sir Richard Wideville, a private gentleman (afterwards honoured with the title of lord Rivers) to whom she bore several children, and among the rest Elizabeth, who was no less distinguished by the beauty and elegance of her person than the amiable disposition of her mind.

Elizabeth espoused Sir John Grey of Groby; but her husband being slain in the second battle of St. Albans, fighting for the family of Lancaster, and his estate being on that account confiscated, the young widow retired to her father's seat at Grafton, in Northamptonshire, where she lived for some time in privacy and retirement. Edward the IVth. king of England, happening to hunt in that country, went to pay a visit to the duchess of Bedford, and Elizabeth resolved to embrace such a favourable opportunity of obtaining some grace from this gallant monarch. Accordingly she came into his presence, and throwing herself at his feet, implored a maintenance for herself and children.

The sight of so much beauty in distress made a deep impression on the amorous mind of Edward. Love stole insensibly into his heart under the guise of compassion; and her sorrow and affliction, so graceful in a virtuous matron, recommended her no less to his esteem and veneration, than her personal beauty made her the object of his affection. He raised her from the ground with assurances of favour. He found his passion daily strengthened by the company and conversation of the lovely widow; and in a short time, became the suppliant of the woman whom he had lately seen on her knees before him. But such was the resolute virtue of Elizabeth, that she positively refused to gratify his passion in a dishonourable manner. All the entreaties, promises, and endearments of the young and amiable Edward, were not sufficient to gain her consent. At last, she plainly told him, that though she was unworthy of being his