he interest of a Redeemer, and a compassionate concern for
the misery which such offenders bring on themselves, and for the mischief
they do to the world about them, I little thought, how exactly I was
drawing Colonel Gardiner's character under each of those heads; and I
have often reflected upon it as a happy providence which opened a much
speedier way than I could have expected to the breast of one of the most
amiable and useful friends whom I ever expect to find upon earth. We
afterwards sang a hymn which brought over again some of the leading
thoughts in the sermon and struck him so strongly, that on obtaining a
copy of it, he committed it to memory, and used to repeat it, with so
forcible an accent as showed how much every line expressed his very soul.
In this view the reader will pardon my inserting it, especially as I
know not when I may get time to publish a volume of these serious though
artless compositions, which I sent him in manuscript some years ago, and
to which I have since made very large additions:

Arise, my tenderest thoughts arise,
To torrents melt my streaming eyes!
And thou, my heart, with anguish feel
Those evils which thou canst not heal!

See human nature sunk in shame!
See scandal poured on Jesus' name!
The Father wounded through the Son!
The world abused--the soul undone!

See the short course of vain delight
Closing in everlasting night!
In flames that no abatement know,
The briny tears for ever flow.

My God, I feel the mournful scene;
My bowels yearn o'er dying men:
And fain my pity would reclaim,
And snatch the firebrands from the flame.

But feeble my compassion proves,
And can but weep where most it loves;
Thine own all-saving arm employ,
And turn these drops of grief to joy!

The colonel, immediately after the conclusion of the service, met me in
the vestry and embraced me in the most obliging and affectionate manner,
as if there had been a long friendship between us, assured me that he had
for some years been intimately acquainted with my writings, and desired
that we might concert measures for spending some hours together before I
left the town. I was so happy as to be able to secure an opportunity of
doing it; and I must leave upon record, that I cannot recollect I was
ever equally edified by any conversation I remember to have enjoyed. We
passed that evening and the next morning together, and it is impossible
for me to describe t