continual progress. This was that of Religion, which was her constant care and greatest delight. Her acquaintance with the Bible, some part of which she never failed to read every day, was as complete, as her belief in it was sincere. And no person ever endeavoured more, and few with greater success, to regulate the whole of their conduct by that unerring guide. She assisted her devotion also by assiduously reading the best sermons, and other works upon that most interesting subject. Her piety was never varying; constant, fervent, but not enthusiastic; and the author of this sketch twice assisted her, in his professional capacity, in the most solemn exercise of religion, when she was supposed by others, and thought herself, to be dying; and she received the Sacrament with the same calm and grateful devotion, the same Christian hope expressed in all humility; the same composure of mind, as in the time of her highest health. It was impossible to witness a scene of such sublime and rational piety, without mentally applying to the occasion the affecting prayer of a true prophet though a wicked man, Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like her's.

To controversial divinity, however, she had a great dislike, and thought it productive of more harm than good; and she advised her friends never to read books adverse to the Scriptures, or raising objections to them. And she gave this reason for it, that the objection, though futile, might strike the mind, and perhaps unsettle the faith; and the answer to it, however good, might fail to carry conviction, so that much might be lost while nothing could be gained. And perhaps with regard to a great part of the world this reasoning may be just; but with respect to herself, her faith was too well founded to be shaken; and her notes on the Scriptures, as well as answers to objections made to their truth, which are intended to be made public, will shew that she needed not to have any fear on her

own

own account of reading all that could be urged against them.

As her piety began early, so it travelled with her through life. It was at all times the most distinguishing feature of her character. It was indeed the very piety of the Gospel, shewn not by enthusiasm, or depreciating that of others, but by a calm, rational, and constant devotion, and the most unwearied attention to acquire the temper, and practise the duties of a Christian life. She never thanked God, like the proud Pharisee, that she was not like others, but rather, like the publican, besought him to be merciful to her a sinner.

But though such was her turn of mind from her earliest youth, she was, when a young woman, not only lively but gay. Her cheerfulness and innocent playfulness of mind, indeed, never forsook her to the very last; but those who have been long accustomed to contemplate with respect, and even reverence, the deep scholar and pious moralist, will perhaps be surprised when they are told, that Mrs. Carter loved dancing, was somewhat, when very young, of a romp, and subscribed to assemblies; nay, once at least, she took a part in a play, in which the other performers were her brother and sister, some few of their young companions, and even the grave Doctor, her father, who condescended to appear on their little stage, and read the part of Cato. She herself, it seems, from the following note * to a young friend at Canterbury, was to enact the part

of

* Mrs. Carter expressed a wish to her executor, that her letters should not be published. And in two letters to friends now deceased, she gives the following reasons for it:-" I do not deem any opinion of mine of consequence enough to be brought as an authority, and you have more than once heard me declare my great aversion to being quoted, or having any part of my letters seen by any body." This was in 1766; the other was four years before that time, and is as follows:-" I am perfectly easy in regard to your promise about my letters at present. You may perhaps think it a foolish solicitude about a thing of very little consequence, that I should make a point of their

not

of a king, probably (unless it refers to a different play) that of Juba. "I should be greatly obliged to you to assist me a little in furnishing out my regal attire, for which purpose I beg the favour of you to send me all the fine trumpery tinsel things you can rummage up. If you have any gold or silver lace, or any thing that might serve me for a red sash, &c. If you have a smart looking sword, pray send that or any thing else. Whether you will understand all what I want I know not, but this is certain, I do not understand it myself. Send the things immediately if you can find them, for I want them now, for we are to rehearse to-day, and act some time this week." There is no date to the note, but Mrs. Carter was probably then about fourteen years of age*.

It is indeed a matter of some surprize, how she could make her laborious studies compatible with such amusements. But the fact is, that she was never idle. She rose very early, generally between four and five o'clock, and this custom she continued

not being shewn now. Indeed I cannot very well explain my own feeling about it. I only know that I could no more write freely to you, with a view to my letters being seen, than I could talk freely when I knew a third person overheard me." Another reason which she frequently gave in conversation, was the want of judgment and delicacy, so apparent in many collections of letters, with respect to opinions expressed in them of persons living, or of their deceased relatives, or even of moral and religious subjects. Of this there have been, in the present age, some striking instances, in which the fame of persons, thought respectable in their life-time, has been grievously injured by the injudicious publication of their opinions in letters to their friends after their decease. Not that this could here be the case, for Mrs. Carter was incapable of disguise. As she thought she spoke, and as she spoke she wrote. Some few of her letters, therefore, either explanatory of her opinions, or illustrative of her life, the Author of these Memoirs thinks he may be allowed to insert; and in doing this, he will be solely guided by what he believes would have been permitted or forbidden by herself.

*Surely no one will suppose, from this family amusement, that Mrs. Carter was a friend to ladies publicly acting on what are called private theatres; on the contrary, she always thought such exhibitions highly improper. She considered them as having a natural tendency to make women bold, as always bordering on indelicacy, and sometimes leading to immorality.

through

through life; her latest time of rising, when in tolerable health, being between six and seven o'clock, even to the very close of life. When young, she also sat up very late, so that her father, in one of his letters, commends her for having formed a resolution of going to bed not later than twelve o'clock, and desires her to adhere to it. Hence she was accustomed to use various means to keep herself awake *, to the great injury of her health, for she was always very inclinable to sleep, slept soon, and very soundly, even in her chair. On this subject she sent to a young friend the following lines, which were certainly never meant to be published, and are to be considered as a mere youthful jeu d'esprit ; in which point of view, they will be no disgrace to her poetical character, though unworthy of a place among her poems.

"To MISS BLOMER+, CANTERBURY.

Of the many queer trifles my brains often hatch,
I've inclosed you a paper to put in your watch:
"'Tis design'd for a true equinoctial projection,
Tho' belike 'tis not done to the greatest perfection;
But 'twill shew you (with many more curious devices)
When the sun goes to bed, and eke when he rises.
A thing of prodigious importance you'll say,
To folks who ne'er see him except at mid-day.

Now I wonder, dear Hetty, a person of reason,

Should not choose to enjoy each good thing in its season;

And believe me, who commonly rise pretty soon,

There are many fine shows to be seen before noon..

*Besides the taking snuff, she owned that she used to bind a wet towel round her head, put a wet cloth to the pit of her stomach, and chew green tea and coffee. To oblige her father, she endeavoured to conquer the habit of taking snuff, and would not resume it without his consent. This he at length reluctantly gave, finding how much she suffered from the want of it.

+ Daughter to a Prebendary of Canterbury.

The

In this advice she alluded to her own practice, having always a 'larum in her own chamber, which she used occasionally. To this poetical epistle there is no date, but from the handwriting, and the prose part of the letter, it is evident that she was very young when she wrote it. She was then studying astronomy, as appears by the first lines, and even mathematics, as far at least as connected with that science. And unwearied pains she seems to have taken in both, from the quantity of problems, diagrams, and projections, which she left in her own hand-writing. Most of these are exccuted with uncommon neatness and accuracy. In this study she was assisted by Mr. Wright*, a well-known, though somewhat visionary, astronomer of that day; and with him she corresponded, and used to send to him her schemes and solutions to be corrected.

So much indeed was she engrossed by this favourite pursuit, that in a letter from one of her own family, she is humourously rallied upon its making her forgetful of her friends. "" You have lately been so taken up with your honest friends, the stars, that you forget there are such persons as us poor mortals here below. Though I wrote to you last, you, it seems, wonder you never hear from me. Your mind and your body, I understand, have quarrelled lately, and are separated, which I suppose is, in plain English, your wits are gone a wool gathering. Build no castles in the air. Forsake your imaginary palace in

* For a memoir of Mr. Wright, see Censura Literaria, III. p. 99.

the