number of them exceeds my power of recollection---the earth has been deluged with blood.---But the frenzy, which has feized the minds of men, is much more dreadful than the carnage, which has been made of their bodies---Millions, who were worshippers of God, and friendly to the human race, are become atheifts and murderers---hypocrites and oppreffors--pretending FRATERNAL LOVE in order to des ceive---and corrupting by fpecious argument, before they attempt to fubdue by the fword.

Language may give an outline of this. dreadful convulfion in the moral and

po

litical world, but the pen of the ableft hiftorian cannot finish the picture.---The fever, occafioned in the blood of a tortured criminal under the hotteft fun of noon-day within the tropics, is exceeded by the

prefent

prefent ferment of the human mind in Europe and its dependencies.

I hope, madam, faid I, you will excufe the warmth, with which I have mentioned this dreadful fubject:---for I not only feel for the fufferings of mankind in Europe, but from a progrefs of the barbarity, which involves them in ruin, I anticipate with deep concern the prevention, or exclufion, or corruption of Christianity among a people, who with circumstances less unfavourable, might under Providence be a means of preferving it pure in one part of the world, while its adverfaries are labouring to difcredit and deftroy it in fo many others.

I ought indeed, fir, faid the Lady, to excuse you, for no perfon can think of> the subject with more pain and anxiety than I do.---But I am often relieved and

comforted by reflecting, that God is all fufficient, and that whatever aspect human. affairs may have, or unfavourable turn they may take, we ought not to give way to defpondency, but endeavour in every fituation of things to perform the duties required of us.

After a pause of a few minutes, she renewed the conversation, and faid to me with a chearful and animated countenance; fir, you must not fink under defpondency, as the work, in which you are engaged is of a moral and religious nature---for in every fuch case, any degrce of fuccefs, even the fmalleft, bears fome, perhaps indeed in its confequences, very great value.---And therefore zealous perfeverance and fanguine hopes are allowable in fuch cafes; while things, merely of a worldly nature must be projected and conducted by the rules of com

mon

mon prudence and probability alone: and I think, fir, there is another good reafon, why in your particular fituation, you ought not to admit despondency.---Your ASIATIC SOVEREIGN is wife, and benign, and beloved by his people---May you not then reasonably hope that he will take fuch measures, as, humanly speaking, are neceffary for the defence of his dominions against the principles of profeffed ATHEISTS and ANARCHISTS, and the aggreffions of MERCILESS ARMIES compofed of defperate ruffians, who are detached and estranged from their own country, and in their systematic and furious pursuit of plunder and power, invade without colour or pretence of justice, the territories of every nation, that is within their reach.

Doubtless, madam, faid I, I may reafonably entertain that hope, especially as before I left Afia, he had made vaft preparations

E 2

rations both by fea and land, in which he was most cordially supported by such of his fubjects (and they were a great majority) as were sensible of the value of the excellent conftitution, in which he prefides with fuch wifdom, goodness, and magnanimity.---[See Appendix, C.]

You have strengthened me, fir, said the Lady, in my opinion, that you ought not in your present undertaking to submit to defpondency.-.

I thanked her very fincerely for her good advice, and affured her that I would, with God's affiftance, endeavour to follow it.--I then reminded her of the books she had mentioned---She said, she had ordered them to be left for me at my lodgings.---She then gave me two letters for my perusal---one of them a copy of a letter, fhe had written to a friend on the SABBATH---the other

an