surprised nor disheartened at the want of comprehension, far less
attempt to reduce it to human reason, as many have done to their ruin.
The Scripture says, 'Vain man would be wise, though born like the wild
ass's colt.' 'The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.'

"I. GRAHAM."

Again we have the following merited strictures by one taught from
above, on a passage in Pope's Essay on Man.

"1798.

"'Glows in the stars and blossoms in the trees.'

"There the poet must stop: thus far the natural mind, richly
endowed with human powers, can go and trace a God of power, wisdom,
and beneficence: O that thou hadst had eyes to see, and discern what
flesh and blood could never reach; that all these glories dwindle into
tapers, when compared with Jehovah manifested in the face of Jesus
Christ. Every star, every tree, all vegetating, bursting, blooming
life, answer the end of their creation, manifesting his glory as thou
sayest; but can they tell thee how this God can be just, and yet
justify those who have rebelled against all his attributes; torturing
even his fair and beautiful creation, and bringing it into subjection
to their lusts, as thou hast well sung; murmuring at, and rebelling
against his dispensations in providence; hardening themselves against
his government; perverting every good to their own misery, and
imbibing wretchedness from means of blessedness? Can all that thou
hast sung bring into congeniality perfection of wickedness and
perfection of holiness, perfection of wretchedness and perfection of
happiness, perfect opposition in nature and principle? Here thy song
stops short. Thou seest the evils and the misery; thou hast a glimpse
of an opposite good, but all means proposed by thee ever have proved,
and ever will prove inadequate to the attainment of it: the very
attributes of a just and holy God oppose it: heaven and earth must
stand amazed at the declaration that God would justify the ungodly."

In the month of September, 1798, Mrs. Graham's daughter Isabella
was married to Mr. Andrew Smith, merchant, then of New York. Her
family being thus settled to her satisfaction, and her health not
good, she was prevailed upon to retire from her school, and to live
with her children.

During the prevalence of the yellow-fever in 1798, it was with
much difficul