ry delicate
constitution, much broken, at least towards the latter years of their
marriage. He had at all times a most faithful care of all her interests,
and especially those relating to the state of religion in her mind. His
conversation and his letters concurred to cherish those sublime ideas
which Christianity suggests, to promote our submission to the will of
God, to teach us to centre our happiness in the great Author of our
being, and to live by faith in the invisible world. These, no doubt, were
frequently the subjects of mutual discourse; and many letters, which her
ladyship has had the goodness to communicate to me, are most convincing
evidences of the degree in which this noble and most friendly care filled
his mind in the days of their separation--days which so entire a mutual
affection must have rendered exceedingly painful, had they not been
supported by such exalted sentiments of piety, and sweetened by daily
communion with an ever-present and ever-gracious God.

The necessity of being so many months together distant from his family
hindered him from many of those condescending labours in cultivating the
minds of his children in early life, which, to a soul so benevolent, so
wise, and so zealous, would undoubtedly have afforded a very exquisite
pleasure. The care of his worthy consort, who well knew that it is one
of the brightest parts of a mother's character, and one of the most
important views in which the sex can be considered, made him the easier
under such a circumstance; but when he was with them, he failed not to
instruct and admonish them; and the constant deep sense with which he
spoke of divine things, and the real unaffected indifference which he
always showed for what this vain world is most ready to admire, were
excellent lessons of daily wisdom, which I hope they will recollect with
advantage in every future scene of life. And I have seen such hints in
his letters relating to them, as plainly show with how great a weight
they lay on his mind, and how highly he desired, above all things, that
they might be the faithful disciples of Christ, and acquainted betimes
with the unequalled pleasures and blessings of religion. He thought an
excess of delicacy and of indulgence one of the most dangerous faults
in education, by which he everywhere saw great numbers of young people
undone; yet he was solicitous to guard against a severity which might
terrify or discourage; and though he endeavoured to ta