averfe to forms of prayer on proper occafions. congregation at Northampton, was on the 2d of June, 1751. In the previous fermon, which was from Hebrews xii. 23, he dropped fome hints of his approaching decease, and spoke with great tenderness and affection to his people on the profpect of their final feparation. In July, he preached to his congregation, what proved to be his farewell fermon, from Rom. xiv. 8; and the last public fervice in which he was engaged, was on the 18th of the fame month, at the ordination of the Rev. Mr. Adams, at Bewdley. After this he refided, fome weeks, at the houfe of his friend, the Rev. Mr. Orton, at Shrewsbury. In August, he went to the Hot Wells, at Bristol; but his health ftill declining, he was advised, as the lat rcfort, to repair to Lisbon. As the doctor was not in affluent circumftances, the great expence of this voyage became a very ferious objection to it. But this was obviated by a very liberal subscription among his friends, fet on foot by a worthy clergyman to whom the doctor hd undefignedly dropped a hint of his fituation. He left Bristol on the 17th of September, and embarked on board the packet at Falmouth on the 30th. Upon the failing of the veffel, the new fcene which opened upon him, and the foft air and fresh breezes of the fea, had the most pleafing effect on his fpirits. He generally fat, the greatest part of the day, in an eafy chair, in the captain's cabin; and his mind was admirably fuitained by delightful views of the heavenly world. Such facred gratitude and joy appeared in his countenance, as often brought to the remembrance of Mrs. Doddridge, the following lines in one of his hymns: When Death o'er Nature fall prevail, And all the powers of language fail, Joy through my fwimming eyes fhall On the 16th of December 1750, Dr. Doddridge performed the laft tribute to the memory of his excellen: friend and father, Dr. Clark, who died on the 4th of that month, by preaching his funeral fermon at St. Alban's. The journey which he took for this purpofe laid the foundation of his own death; for he contracted a cold, that hung upon him the remainder of the winter. When the fpring advanced, the diforder confiderably abated; but in the fummer it returned with vio. lence. In this state of his health, he was advised to lay afile his public work for a time, and to apply himself to the ufe of proper medicines and exercife. With the former part of this advice he could not be prevailed upon to comply; for, in his eftimation, to be uielefs was worse than death. While he apprehended that there was no immediate danger, he could not be induced to leffen the facred employments in which he fo much delighted. The nearer he approached to his diffolution, the more plainly was obferved his continual improvement in a heavenly temper. He feemed to have gotten above the world, and to be daily breathing after immortality. This difpofition of his mind was ardently expreffed in feveral of his letters, and is manifeft from his will, which was made at this time, and is prefaced in the following language: Whereas it is customary on thefe occafions to begin with commending the foul into the hands of God through Chrift, I do it; not in mere form, but with fincerity and joy; elleeming it my greatest happiness, that I am taught and encouraged to do it, by that glorious gofpel, which, having moft affurdly believed, I have fpent my life in preaching to others; and which I efteem an infinitely greater treature than all my little worldly ftore, or poffeffions ten thousand times greater than mine.' The last time that Dr. Doddridge adminiftered the Lord's Supper to his break, And mean the thanks I cannot speak. In the bay of Bifcay the veffel was becalmed for fome days; and the weather proved fo intenfely hot, that Dr. Dr. Doddridge's colliquative fweats nefs. The only pain he had in the thought of dying, was the fear of that grief and diftrefs which Mrs. Doddridge would fuffer from his removal. To his children, his congregation, and his friends, he defired to be remembered in the most affectionate manner. Many devout fentiments and afpirations were uttered by him; but Mrs. Doddridge's heart was too much affected with his approaching change, to be able to recollect them diftinctly. On the following day he lay in a gentle doze, in which he continued till an hour before his death. At the laft ftruggle he appeared restlefs, and fetched feveral deep fighs, foon after which he obtained his releafe, on the 26th of October, old ftyle, about three in the morning. returned, attended with a fairtnefs that threatened his speedy diffolution. But when the fhip came to the defired haven, and was waiting for the usual ceremonies of entrance, the fineness of the day, the foftnefs of the air, and the delightful profpects by which he was furrounded, gave him a fresh flow of ftrength and spirits. He derived from it fuch a fenfible degree of refreshment, as to raise even a flattering hope of his recovery. On the 13th of October; he landed. The next day he wrote to his affiftant at Northampton, giving him a fhort account of his voyage. After mentioning his great weakrefs and danger, he added, 'Nevertheless, I blefs God, the moft undisturbed ferenity continues in my mind, and my ftrength holds proportion to my day. I ftill hope and truft in God, and joyfully acquiefce in all he may do with me. When you fee my dear friends of the congregation, inform them of my circumftances, and affure them, that I chearfully submit myself to God. If I defire life may be reftored, it is chiefly that it may be employed in ferving Chrift among them; and that I am enabled by faith to look upon death as an enemy that fhall be destroyed; and can chearfully leave my dear Mrs. Doddridge a widow in a strange land, if fuch be the appointment of our heavenly father. I hope I have done my duty, and the Lord do as feemeth good in his fight.' At Lifbon, Dr. Doddridge was treated with all the kindness and refpect that the molt amiable and exalted character could claim. But the change of climate produced no favourable effe&t. On the 24th of October, he was feized with a colliquative di arrhoea, which foon exhaufted his little ftrength. Nevertheless, during the fucceeding night, he preferved the fame calmnefs, vigour, and joy of mind, which he had felt and expreffed through the whole of his ill Dr. Doddridge had frequently expreffed a wish to be interred in the meeting-houfe at Northampton, where his children, and fo many of his congregation and friends were depofited. During his illness, however, he spoke of this as a matter quite indifferent to him; and, to avoid increasing the diftrefs of his afflicted wife, he was defirous of being buried wherever he fhould die. It was found, upon inquiry, that the removal of the body to England would be attended with a great expence; and it was, therefore, judged moft prudent to decline it. Accordingly, his remains were conveyed to the burying-ground belonging to the British factory, at Lisbon, with as much decency and respect as circumftances and the place would admit, the greater part of the gentlemen of the factory attending his funeral. Though Dr. Doddridge's congregation had not the melancholy fatiffaction of having him interred at his own meeting-house, they erected in it a handfone monument to his memory, and made a generous prefent to his widow after her return. infcription, which was drawn up by the doctor's ingenious friend, Gilbert Weft, etq. (author of an excellent treatife 3 F * The treatife on the Refurrection of Jefus England; by a Barker, a Miles, a Chrift) was as follows: To the memory of To make men wife, good, and happy, The humble monument, not of his praife, And who are defirous of recording, In this Infcription, Their friendly but faithful teftimony Such were the last moments of this great and good man; who was highly esteemed, not by the learned among the diffenters only, but by many illuftrious ornaments of the church of Neal, a Leland, and a Lardner, 2mong the former; and by a Coftard, a Warburton, an Oliver, a Newton, a Secker, an Ayfcough, a Grey, a Hunt, a Weft, a Maddox, a Sherlock, a Hilfdefley, a Somerset, and a Lyttelton, among the latter. Upon his temper, his virtues, and his character in general, it will be unneceffary to expatiate here, after what we have already faid. But Dr. Kippis, who had the beft opportunities of knowing him, has given a very minute, but interefting detail of it; and with his animated conclufion we fhall clofe these memoirs : Upon the whole, Dr. Doddridge was not only a great man, but one of the moft excellent and useful Chriftians, and Christian minifters, that ever exified. The impreflion of his numerous and amiable virtues will not be effaced from my mind fo long as it retains any sense of feeling or reflection. So far will be the impreffion from being loft upon me, that I fhall always cherish it with the utmost ardour; and I efteem it as no fmall felicity of my life, that 1 have been preferved to give this teftimony of duty, gratitude, and affection, to the memory of my benefactor, my tutor, my friend, and my father." L. *By the circumftance of his dying abroad, Mrs. Doddridge loft a confiderable annuity, which he had provided for her in cafe of widowhood. To this confequence of his voyage, thould he die abroad, the doctor was a ftranger. The generolity of his friends was active to compenfate for the lofs which Mrs. Doddridge had fuftained. A fubfcription was opened for her, and, in a fhort time, a fum was raised, which was more than equal to the forfeiture of the annuity. Dr. Doddridge was not handfome in his perfon. In ftature he was fomewhat above the middle fize, with a stoop in his fhoulders, and he was thin and flender. But when he was engaged in converfation, or in the pulpit, there was a fprightlinefs and vivacity in his countenance and manner, which commanded a general attention. Mrs. Doddridge furvived her husband nearly forty years, all which time fhe exhibited an eminent pattern of the Chriftian virtues. She died at Tewkesbury, where he had long refided. The doctor left four children, one fon, and three daughters. Philip, the fon, was brought up to the law, and fettled as an attorney at Tewkesbury, where he died feveral years ago. The eldest daughter married Mr. Humphreys, an attorney of the fame place. She and her two fitters, who are fingle, are fill living. The three remaining Volumes of the Doctor's Family Expofitor were publifhed by Mr. Orton, in 1754 and 1756; and, in 1756, h: likewife published a Collection of his Hymns, which are well calculated to anfwer the purposes of Chriftian Devotion. In 1763, appeared his Course of Lectures on te principal Subjects of Pneumatology, Ethics, and Divinity; with References to the inolt confiderable Authors on each Subject.'-Dr. Kippis' Account of the Family Expofitor, and of our author's works in general, deferves particular attention. 6 The The SENTIMENTAL RAMBLER; or SKETCHES of RURAL SCENERY on a Vernal Day: Concluded from page 357. The Bird-Catchers. THUS (as I fauntered along by the fide of a tranfparent, but creffeymantled brook, which flowed murmuring between fome waving ofiers) did I continue mufing upon fcene after fcene, as the concatenation of ideas reftored them to my remembrance, till, as is ufual enough, the original fubject, which gave rife to my reflections, was entirely vanished from my mind; and I was awaked from my reverie, by the voice of the two fellows formerly mentioned, and who, in a low and a cautious tone, requested me to take care of the toils. The images of the paft were immediately chafed from the mind, and the exterior fenfe being opened, I beheld clofe before me, and near to the spot where I had before obferved my enchanting little sky-lark to pitch, the nets and apparatus of two birdcatchers; while my ear at the fame time recognized the burft of harmony, which a heap of little captives placed in cages around, or fixed to ductile fprings at apparent liberty, were pouring forth to allure their deluded fellows into fimilar bondage. The two barbarians, it feems, had for fome time been watching the poor little lark, who, allured by the feeds that were scattered about, was advancing cautiously, farther and farther, between the nets; and now fearing I might frighten it away as I paffed, they were drawing up the fnare at a hazard, fomewhat fooner than they wifhed. Alas! it was indeed too foon; but not according to their calculation. I faw the little warbler, whofe fong had fo delighted me, and whofe rapture had awakened fo many pleafing reflections-fo many charming fenfations in my bofom, ftruggling beneath the treacherous net; I faw him feized by the rude hands of the un feeling clowns, and configned among a throng of his hapless companions to all the woes of cruel flavery, to tafte the joys of liberty no more: to mourn, perhaps, his little widowed mate; to mourn, perhaps, his little callow young, who robbed of the fupport derived from h's provident affiitance may die with lingering famine. Alas! alas! to what cruelty or injuftice will not fome men fubmit to obtain the bread of idleness? What cruelty, what injuftice will not pride and luxury thoughtlessly encourage, if its fenfes may but be gratified with the fruits of inhumanity! Go, Daughters of Albion's gay enlighten'd hour, Hear the fweet ftrains your captive warblers pour, Feaft on the notes, rich thrilling in your ear, Doat on the dies which on their plumes Indications of Commerce. IN fhort, if the varieties of fhady hedge-rows and light-tinted fields, enamelled turfs and fky-reflecting brooks, plains, diftant hills and vallies, had delighted me before, my mind had now an additional fource of employment in the foreft of mafts and fails, fome clofely furled, and fome moving with fwelling majefty before the wind, that prefented themfelves above the tops of houses and of trees, and awakened in my bofom all those pleafing, and all those troublesome reflections, which a member of a commercial state, and a reflecting friend to the general happiness of his fpecies cannot but indulge on fuch an occafion, To bellow, hideous discord through the world; To deluge guiltless realms with native blood, Atmad Ambition's and at Avarice' call; Inflame the rancour of compatriot ftrife, ftances of a neighbouring nation, now involved in a foreign war, and expofed to the horrors of civil commotions, in fupport of its new. conftitution, brought me in fight of a richly variegated profpect, On the bowed neck of mifery's fallen race. Africa and the Eaft Indies. wrath |