light of God's law, this gospel must be their judgment and condemnation." "Say then, Sir," MARTHA proceeded, "can you be prevailed on to think of religion in its native purity and simplicity, and by the power of the gospel, to act with regard to virtue and piety, that when Christ shall come not only in the power, but in the wisdom and the justice of God, to judge the world, you may be secured from that misery and distress, which is prepared for iniquity; and enjoy that eternal life, which is to be the portion of the righteous?" "In this extraordinary manner did MARTHA HARRINGTON discourse me, and the effect of it was that I began a thorough reform from that hour. My rational life from that happy day commenced, and I entered seriously into my own breast, to think in earnest of that solemn judgment to come. What MARTHA said was so clear and strong, that I had not a thought of replying, but truth at once entirely subdued my heart, and I flew to the Son of God, to request his intercession with the Father of the Universe for the pardon of all my crimes. The dignity and end of my being has since been the subject of my meditations, and I live convinced, that every thing is contemptible that is inconsistent with duty and morality. This renders even my pleasures more agreeable. This gives eternal peace to my mind." Here PRICE ended his remarkable story, and according to our agreement, I began to relate what happened to me from the time we parted at school, and concluded with informing him, that I was going in search of CHARLES TURNER, my near friend, when fortune brought me to his house that this gentleman lived somewhere towards the confines of Cumberland and the North Riding of Yorkshire, but where the spot was I could not tell, nor did I know well how to go on, as the country before me seemed impassable, on account of its mountains, precipices, and floods. "I must try however what can be done; not only in regard to this gentleman; but, because I have reason to think it may be very much to my advantage, as he is very rich, and the most generous of men. If he is to be found, I know I shall be welcome to share in his happiness as long as I please, nor will it be any weight to him." PRICE to this replied, that I was most heartily welcome to him as long as I pleased to stay, and that though he was far from being a rich man, yet he had every day enough for himself and one more; and his MARTHA he was sure would be as well pleased with my company, as if I had been his own brother, since she knew I was his esteemed friend. VOL. I. I In respect of the way, he said, he would enable me to find Mr. TURNER, if he could, but the country was difficult to travel, and he doubted very much if one could go to the extremity of Cumberland or Yorkshire over the hills; but we would try however, and if it was possible, find out Mr. TURNER'S house. Yet solely with him I must not stay, if he could be seen. I must live between both, till I got some northern girl, and had a wife and habitation of my own" and there is," continued Price, " not many miles from me, a sweet pretty lass, the daughter of a gentleman farmer, who is a very good man, and would, I believe, upon my recommendation, give you his girl and a sum of money, to sit down on those hills." "This is vastly kind, Jack," said I, " and what I shall gratefully remember so long as I live. I may ride many a mile I am sure, and be an adventurer many a long day, before I meet with such offers again. Your sweetly situated house and good things, with a fine northern girl and money down, are benefits not to be met with every day. But at present the object I must pursue is my university friend, CHARLES TURNER, and if you please to do me the great favour of guiding me so far as you can over this wild, uninhabited land, after I have staid with you for the first time, two or three days, and promise to abide many more hereafter, if it be in my power, we will set out in quest of what I want." "As you will," my friend PRICE replied, "and for the present let us be gay. Here comes my beloved with a little bowl of punch, and as she sings extremely well, and you have not forgot I fancy our old song, we will have it over our nectar. You shall represent Janus and Momus, and I will be Chronos and Mars, and my wife Diana and Venus. Let us take a glass first- THE LIBERTIES OF THE WORLD,' and then do you begin." We drank, and in the following manner I went on. SONG. JANUS. Chronos, Chronos, mend thy pace, A hundred times the rolling sun, In his revolving race. Behold, behold, the goal in sight, CHRONOS. Weary, weary of my weight, Let me, let me drop my freight, Another year The load of human kind. MOMUS. Ha ha ha ha! ha! ha! well hast thou done, To lay down thy pack, And lighten thy back. The world was a fool, e'er since it begun. And since neither Janus, nor Chronos, nor I, Can hinder the crimes, Or mend the bad times, 'Tis better to laugh than to cry. CHORUS. 'Tis better to laugh than to cry. JANUS. Since Momus comes to laugh below, Old Time begin the show! That he may see, in every scene, What changes in this age have been; CHRONOS. Then goddess of the silver bow begin! DIANA. With horns and with hounds I waken the day, I tuck up my robe, and am buskin'd soon, |