to the pew where (doing credit to religion by her
example) she used to sit or kneel, the whole auditory, as one person,
turned to the pew with the most respectful solemnity, as if she had been
herself there.

When the gentleman attributed condescension and mingled dignity to her,
a buzzing approbation was given to the attribute throughout the church;
and a poor, neat woman under my pew added, 'That she was indeed all
graciousness, and would speak to any body.'

Many eyes ran over when he mentioned her charities, her well-judged
charities. And her reward was decreed from every mouth with sighs and
sobs from some, and these words from others, 'The poor will dearly miss
her.'

The cheerful giver whom God is said to love, was allowed to be her: and
a young lady, I am told, said, It was Miss Clarissa Harlowe's care to
find out the unhappy, upon a sudden distress, before the sighing heart
was overwhelmed by it.

She had a set of poor people, chosen for their remarkable honesty and
ineffectual industry. These voluntarily paid their last attendance on
their benefactress; and mingling in the church as they could crowd near
the aisle where the corpse was on stands, it was the less wonder that her
praises from the preacher met with such general and such grateful
whispers of approbation.

Some, it seems there were, who, knowing her unhappy story, remarked upon
the dejected looks of the brother, and the drowned eyes of the sister!
'O what would they now give, they'd warrant, had they not been so
hard-hearted!'--Others pursued, as I may say, the severe father and
unhappy mother into their chambers at home--'They answered for their
relenting, now that it was too late!--What must be their grief!--No
wonder they could not be present!'

Several expressed their astonishment, as people do every hour, 'that a
man could live whom such perfections could not engage to be just to her;'
--to be humane I may say. And who, her rank and fortune considered,
could be so disregardful of his own interest, had he had no other motive
to be just!--

The good divine, led by his text, just touched upon the unhappy step that
was the cause of her untimely fate. He attributed it to the state of
things below, in which there could not be absolute perfection. He very
politely touched upon the noble disdain she showed (though earnestly
solicited by a whole splendid family) to join interests with a man whom
she found unworthy of her esteem and confide