hion, and his final escape from a life of pleasure to
one of usefulness.

By the death of Dr. Johnson in 1784, Miss More lost the best friend she
ever had in London. She had been with the Doctor at his last communion
at St. Clement's Church, and saw too plainly his altered condition.
Bound to each other by strong intellectual and stronger religious
sympathies, the separation caused a void in Miss More's life which was
never afterwards filled. Theirs was a friendship born at first sight.
For more than ten years it grew and flourished, with mutual benefit and
happiness to the stern moralist and his promising _protege_. Whilst the
rugged common-sense and sound literary judgments of the Doctor imparted
increasing accuracy and insight to his friend's views of the world and
of literature, it was the sparkle, freshness, and wit of Miss More's
conversation, and her light-heartedness of character, that often
dispelled the clouds of depression from the mental horizon of her sage
and trusty adviser, and smoothed the rough edges of his outspoken
opinions. In religion, it was probably the Doctor's uncompromising
fidelity to first principles, and to a fearless practice of truth, that
helped to fortify his "dear child," as he called Miss More, in
maintaining her integrity amidst the bewildering voices and garish
scenes of Vanity Fair.

IV.

COWSLIP GREEN.

About the time of Dr. Johnson's death, in 1784, Hannah More became the
possessor of a rural spot, called Cowslip Green, some ten miles from
Bristol. Here she built herself a cottage, intending to make it her
place of retirement for a large portion of each year. In the cultivation
of her garden she found leisure for reflection as well as an opportunity
to pursue a favourite occupation.

The inroads which death had made in her circle of intimate friends, a
growing dissatisfaction with the enjoyments of London life, and
especially a keener sense of her responsibility, as a professed
Christian, than she had hitherto experienced, led to a close
self-examination, and to a scrutiny of the real motives of her life.

The result of this testing process showed itself in various ways. During
occasional visits to London and attendance at parties she lost no
opportunity of enforcing the truths of religion. Her silent witnessing
was now exchanged for active exertion. The manners and practices of
people who were amongst her most effusive admirers sometimes met with
her indignant rebuk