She then had a very plentiful income, which she managed with great prudence, as well as in a large exercise of charity; and indeed she was uneasy at all other kind of expenses but what went in that way.

While she continued at Spetchly she kept a hospitable table, to which the neighboring clergy were always welcome. She paid true respect to such of them as were in low circumstances, cordially esteeming them for their functions and labors. She frequently made them presents of the most useful books, and to some she generously lent money, without requiring any security, expecting only to be paid when, by the providence of God, they might be put into more easy circumstances.

She spent some time at Worcester, with Bishop Stillingfleet and his lady, with whom she had a most particular friendship; and at the house of Robert Wylde, Esquire, who took a particular care of her, and of her concerns; for whom, and his whole family she retained, as they well deserved them from her, a very high esteem and friendship.

Mr. Berkely ordering in his will a great sum of money to be raised out of his estate, to erect a hospital at Worcester for poor people, she had it much at heart to see the design brought to perfection as soon as possible, and it pleased God to continue her life till she saw it accomplished. Besides the care of this business, she took upon her several charges in relation to his affairs, more than the law required, in the payment of debts and legacies. She also still continued one eminent instance of charity, to which she had engaged Mr. Berkely in his life-time, a kind of charity which is now, by the divine blessing, spread almost all over England, the setting up schools for the instruction and education of poor children; which she afterwards increased to a far greater number.

She spent a good part of her time at London with her only sister, the wife of Mr. Justice Dormer, who was always very dear to her, and she had a high value for the great integrity and worth of that judge.

Mrs. Berkely had early an inclination to employ her pen in several sorts of composition, which she was thought by her friends to do to such very good purpose, that it encouraged her to spend much of her time in that way. While she was a widow, she made the first draught of that excellent book of hers, entitled, "A New Method of Devotion, or Rules for Holy and Devout Living, with Prayers on several Occasions, and Advices and Devotions for the Holy Sacrament," for her own use only, consisting of such rules and directions as she resolved to conduct herself by, and which indeed had been all along the measure of her practice.

She continued a widow near seven years, and then was married to Doctor Gilbert Burnet, Bishop of Salisbury. She found in the bishop's house a family of children, whom she treated not with a false indul

gence on the one hand, nor an unnatural severity on the other, but with all that care and true concern for their education, as if they had been her own; and indeed she was loved and respected by them as if she had brought them into the world: of which the bishop was so sensible, that he had by his will, then made, left them under her direction and authority in so absolute a manner, that it has been seldom known that so much power was ever intrusted even to the real mothers of any children. The bishop, rightly judging that he brought blessing and happiness enough into his family by bringing such a mother into it, desired her to secure all her own estate and income to herself, with a power to make such a will as she pleased, to which he bound himself to

consent.

Thus she continued the mistress of all that was her own, allowing for her own entertainment what did not exceed the rate of a boarding-house, that so she might the more abound in good works, which the bishop accepted, though he was willing, as he often told her, "that nothing at all should be allowed on that account," for she had in herself a treasure of more value than any riches. And, indeed, the bishop was desirous that all the world should see what an esteem he had for so much true worth, and that of the sublimest kind, as he found in his lady.

After this she extended her charity further than she had done before: and, indeed, instead of giving a fifth part of her income, which would have been no small proportion, she was very uneasy at taking only a fifth part to her own use. She seldom went beyond it, and was much oftener restrained within it, by which means she was able to employ considerable sums in charitable uses, and particularly the number of children taught at her expense, in and about Worcester and Salisbury, amounted to above a hundred.

She now grew into a more general acquaintance, and was continually rising higher in the esteem of the world in proportion as she became more known. She entered into friendships with some persons of the greatest quality which made no other alteration in her than that of increasing her zeal of doing more good as her interest was enlarged. To be rich in good works was visibly the reigning design of her whole life, and that in which she most of all delighted herself.

Notwithstanding the interruptions which a more diffusive acquaintance gave her, she spent as much time as she could secure to herself, in writing upon divine and moral subjects, and was prevailed with to consent to the printing of the first edition of the above-mentioned book, which, as well as the second, was entirely her own composition, without any assistance or addition by any person what

ever.

The book being very much approved of by many of her friends, she apprehended she could make it more useful by a large addition out of many other papers she had by her. Upon this she printed

a second edition at her own expense, that she might dispose of it among those whom she thought most likely to be improved by it.

This excellent woman kept a constant journal of her life, and every evening employed no inconsiderable time, in recollecting her actions and discourse in the day; and she would call herself to an account in every particular, that the errors of every day past might be avoided in those that should follow.

She continually labored under a weak habit of body, which at length grew upon her to such a degree that it was thought she could not easily overcome it. On this account she was advised to go to the Spa, for the recovery of her health. She undertook a journey thither in the year 1707, and wheresoever she went she was received with great marks of esteem and respect by persons of the most eminent rank.

After her return she seemed to be in a much better state of health, and bore the severity of the beginning of the winter of 1708 so well, that her friends hoped her constitution was grown stronger than it had been but it pleased God, upon the breaking up of the frost, January 27, 1708-9, that she was seized with a pleuritic fever, the symptoms of which were not violent at first, nor were her friends at first apprehensive of her danger; but, her lungs being weak, she sunk under the disorder in a few days, and died February 3, 1708-9. She was buried at Spetchly, by her former husband, according to a promise she had made him, as appears by the following clause in her will. "I will that my body be buried in the parish church of Spetchly, in the county of Worcester, in a vault made for me by my former husband, Robert Berkely, Esquire, and myself. I order this to fulfil a promise I made to him, and not out of any want of respect or kindness to my present husband, who has by his great kindness and confidence deserved from me all the gratitude and acknowledgments of love and respect 1 can testify."

"After this brief account," says the writer of her Memoirs,* "of some of the most remarkable circumstances of her life, in which she must appear a bright example of the most eminent virtue in a private station, I should not do justice either to her, or to the world, if I did not enlarge a little more upon her character; in which if I should be thought to have said too much by them that were not acquainted with her, I am confident what I say will be judged by them who knew her, to fall below her character."

She knew exactly how to distinguish between the means and end of religion; and was well aware of the necessity of joining them both together in her practice; so that, as she came up to the strictest rules of piety in her devotions both in private and public, especially in her frequent receiving the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, she was also

"The Rev. Dr. T. Goodwyn, Archdeacon of Oxford.

fully persuaded that she was to maintain a strict government over her passions, to observe a constant care and watchfulness over her whole conduct, and to abound in every good work.

Though she had no skill in the learned languages, yet by making the understanding the Scriptures her chief study, with the help of English commentators, and the assistance of those clergy with whom she most frequently conversed, and with whom she often discoursed about texts of Scripture that were obscure to her, she attained to a great knowledge in the divine writings. Though her mind was naturally inquisitive, her apprehension quick, and her judgment solid, yet she confined her inquiries to a few things. Accordingly, when she had made some progress both in geometry and philosophy, she laid those studies aside, though she had a genius and relish for them. She considered the "one thing needful," and applied herself wholly to what related to it; and even in that she valued knowledge only as it purified the mind. Her chief care was to govern her passions; to moderate her affections to created objects; and to elevate her soul to an entire resignation and conformity to the holy will of God.

MRS. ELIZABETH ROWE.

MRS. ELIZABETH ROWE, a gentlewoman not more admired for her fine writings by the ingenious who did not know her, than esteemed and loved by all her acquaintance, for the many amiable qualities of her heart, was born at Ilchester, in Somersetshire, Sept. 11, 1674, being the eldest of three daughters* of Mr. Walter Singer a gentleman of a good family, and Mrs. Elizabeth Portnell, both of them persons of distinguished merit and piety. Mr. Singer was not a native of Ilchester, not so much as an inhabitant, before his imprisonment there for his nonconformity, in the reign of King Charles the Second; but being confined there, Mrs. Portnell, thinking herself obliged to visit those who suffered for the sake of a good conscience, as a testimony of her regard, not only to them, but to our common Lord, in this way commenced an acquaintance with Mr. Singer, which afterward proceeded to a union that death alone could dissolve; and this it did too soon for the mournful surviver, if the tenderest affection might be judged, and for the world also, which can badly bear to lose any, and especially the eminent examples of virtue and religion, in the several scenes and stations of life. Till her death Mr. Singer resided at Ilchester, but not long after removed into the neighborhood of Frome, in the same county, where he became so well known and distinguished for his good sense, primitive integrity, simplicity of manners, uncommon prudence, activity and faithfulness in discharging the duties of his station, inflexible adherence to his principles, and at the same time truly catholic spirit, as to be held in high esteem even by persons of superior rank; the Lord Weymouth, who was reckoned a very good judge of men, not only writing to him, but honoring him with his visits, as did also the devout Bishop Ken, and that very frequently, sometimes once a week.

Mr. Singer was religiously inclined, as he said himself, when about ten years old, and declared that he never from that time neglected prayer; and as far as he knew his own heart, had sincerely endeavored to keep a good conscience. He died as he had lived, April, 19, 1719, in a blessed calm and peace of mind, and humble confidence in the mercy of God through a Redeemer. A worthy and intimate friend of his, and witness to the heroic and christian manner in which

* One of the other two daughters died in her childhood, and the other survived to her twentieth year, a lovely concurrent with her sister in the race of virtue and glory. She had the same extreme passion for books, chiefly those of medicine, in which she arrived at a considerable skill. Both the sisters frequently studied till midnight.-Biograph. Britannica.