promised, never mentioning any part of this ftory till after his restoration, and not then defiring to know how Downing's intelligence came, (which he never discovered) though he (the King) often faid it was a mystery; for no perfon knew of his defign till he was on horseback, and that he could not think Fleming went and difcovered him to Downing. Befides, he fo foon returned from his fifter, he could not have time, Downing having come much about the time Fleming returned.

This ftory was told by feveral, who frequented King Charles's Court after the reftoration; particularly by the Earl of Cromartie, who faid, that next year after the restoration, he, with the Duke of Rothes, and feveral other Scots quality, being one night with the King over a bottle, they all complained of an impertinent fpeech Downing had made in Parliament, reflecting on the Scots nation, which they thought his Majefty fhould refent fo as to discard him from Court, and withdraw his favour from him. The King replied, he did not approve what he had faid, and would reprove him for it; but to go farther he could not well do, because of this story, which he reported in the terms here narrated; which made fuch an impreffion on all present, that they freely forgave what had paffed, and Rothes afked liberty to begin his health in a bumper.

ON SLEEP.

Gentle Sleep,

Nature's foft nurse, how have I frighted thee, That thou no more wilt weigh my eye-lids down, And steep my fenfes in forgetfulness?

Why rather, Sleep, ly'st thou in fmoaky cribs
Upon uneafy pallets ftretching thee,

And hufh'd with buzzing night-flies to thy flumber;
Than in the perfum'd chambers of the great,
Under the canopies of coftly ftate,

And lull'd with founds of sweetest melody?
O thou dull god! why ly'ft thou with the vile
In loathfome beds, and leav'ft the kingly couch.
A watch-cafe, or a common larum bell?
Wilt thou, upon the high and giddy mast,
Seal up the fhip-boy's eyes, and rock his brains
In cradle of the rude, imperious furge;
And in the vifitation of the winds,

Who take the ruffian billows by the top,
Curling their monftrous heads, and hanging them
With deafening clamours on the flipp'ry shrouds,
That with the hurly death itself awakes?
Canft thou, O partial Sleep, give thy repofe
To the wet fea-boy in an hour fo rude;
And, in the calmeft and the ftilleft night,
With all appliances and means to boot,

Deny it to a King? Then, happy low! lie down;
Uneafy lies the head that wears a crown.

I.

ADVICE TO A YOUNG MAN.

KINSMAN, I prefume you desire to be

happy here, and hereafter; you know there are a thousand difficulties which attend this pursuit; fome of them, perhaps, you foresee, but there are multitudes which you could never think of. Never trust therefore to your own understanding in the things of this world, where you can have the advice of a wife and faithful friend; nor dare venture the more important concerns of your foul, and your eternal interefts in the world to come, upon the mere light of nature, and the dictates of your own reafon ; fince the word of God, and the advice of heaven, lies in your hands. Vain and thoughtless indeed are those children of pride, who choose to turn heathens in the midst of GreatBritain; who live upon the mere religion of nature, and their own stock, when they have been trained up among all the fuperior advantages of Chriftianity, and the bleffings of divine revelation and grace.

II. Whatever your circumftances may be in this world, ftill value your Bible as your best treasure; and whatfoever be your employment here, ftill look upon Religion as your beft bufinefs.

1

Your Bible contains eternal life in it, and all the riches of the upper world; and Religion is the only way to become a poffeffor of them.

To

III. To direct your carriage towards God, converfe particularly with the Book of Pfalms; David was a man of fincere and eminent devotion. behave aright among men, acquaint yourself with the whole book of Proverbs; Solomon was a man of large experience and wisdom. And to perfect your directions in both these, read the Gospels and the Epiftles; you will find the best of rules, and the best of examples there, and those more immediately fuited to the Chriftian life.

IV. As a man, maintain ftrict temperance and fobriety, by a wife government of your appetites and paffions; as a neighbour, influence and engage all around you to be your friends, by a temper and carriage made up of prudence and goodnefs; and let the poor have a certain fhare in all your yearly profits. As a trader, keep that golden fentence of our Saviour's ever before you, • Whatsoever ye would that men fhould do unto you, do ye alfo unto them.'

V. While you make the precepts of Scripture the conftant rule of your duty, you may with cou

rage

rage reft upon the promises of Scripture as the fprings of your encouragement. All divine affistances and divine recompences are contained in them. The spirit of light and grace is promised to affift them that afk it. Heaven and glory are promised to reward the faithful and the obedient.

VI. In every affair of life, begin with God.Confult him in every thing that concerns you. View him as the author of all your bleffings, and all your hopes, as your best friend, and your eternal portion. Meditate on him in this view, with a continual renewal of your trust in him, and a daily furrender of yourself to him, till you feel that you love him most entirely, that you serve him with fincere delight, and that you cannot live a day without God in the world.

VII. You know yourself to be a man, an indigent creature and a finner, and you profess to be a Chriftian, a difciple of the bleffed Jefus; but never think you know Chrift or yourself as you ought, till you find a daily need of him for rightcoufnefs and ftrength, for pardon and fanctification; and let him be your conftant introducer to the great God, though he fit upon a throne of grace. Remember his own words, John xiv. 6. "No man cometh to the Father but by me."