istian
feeling which dictated her prayer were more common among all who profess
the same creed; and that those indications of a better nature, so
visible even through the clouds of his character, which induced this
innocent young woman to pray for Byron, while living, could have the
effect of inspiring others with more charity towards his memory, now
that he is dead.

The following is Lord Byron's answer to this affecting communication.

LETTER 469. TO MR. SHEPPARD.

"Pisa, December 8. 1821.

"Sir,

"I have received your letter. I need not say, that the extract
which it contains has affected me, because it would imply a want of
all feeling to have read it with indifference. Though I am not
quite _sure_ that it was intended by the writer for _me_, yet the
date, the place where it was written, with some other circumstances
that you mention, render the allusion probable. But for whomever it
was meant, I have read it with all the pleasure which can arise
from so melancholy a topic. I say _pleasure_--because your brief
and simple picture of the life and demeanour of the excellent
person whom I trust you will again meet, cannot be contemplated
without the admiration due to her virtues, and her pure and
unpretending piety. Her last moments were particularly striking;
and I do not know that, in the course of reading the story of
mankind, and still less in my observations upon the existing
portion, I ever met with any thing so unostentatiously beautiful.
Indisputably, the firm believers in the Gospel have a great
advantage over all others,--for this simple reason, that, if true,
they will have their reward hereafter; and if there be no
hereafter, they can be but with the infidel in his eternal sleep,
having had the assistance of an exalted hope, through life, without
subsequent disappointment, since (at the worst for them) 'out of
nothing, nothing can arise, not even sorrow. But a man's creed does
not depend upon _himself_: _who_ can say, I _will_ believe this,
that, or the other? and least of all, that which he least can
comprehend. I have, however, observed, that those who have begun
life with extreme faith, have in the end greatly narrowed it, as
Chillingworth, Clarke (who ended as an Arian), Bayle, and Gibbon
(once a Catholic), and some others; while, on the other hand,