order to profecute a defign they had entertained of retiring from the world. For this purpose, Mrs. Ferrar had purchased the manor of Little Gedding, in Huntingdonfhire, an obfcure village, and fo fmall, that the manor-house was the whole parish. The laft tenant had converted the church into a barn to lodge hay; but now it was beautified and ornamented, the altar hung with filk embroidered with gold, and an organ fet up, Nicholas defigning to take or ders, and become the fhepherd of this little flock, confifting of about forty perfons, Mrs. Collet's family included.

The plague having ceafed, they went to London, to take a laft farewel of their friends in the city, and Nicholas, after a fortnight fpent in watching, prayer, and fafting, was ordained by Dr. Laud, in King Henry the Seventh's chapel, at Westminster-Abbey.

On its being known that he was in deacon's orders, his friends, who had any good church-preferment in their gift, importuned him to accept it; but, declining all offers of this kind, he haftened to Gedding, and there begun that ftrict course of living and difcipline, in which he continued to his death, contriving to fill up all his time, except the little he allowed to fleep and meals, with religious exercises.

Adove-house they converted into a school, and provided for three mafters, where not only the children of the family, but those of other parishes, were taught writing, grammar, arithmetic, and mufic. The diverfions allowed the children were running, vaulting, and fhooting with bows.

The young women, in number nine or ten, were always clad alike, in habits of black stuff; and the time which was not employed in the service of the church, or family prayers, was dedicated to the poor of the neighbouring villages, to whom they were furgeons, apothe caries, and physicians, when any applied for their affiftance. They alfo fometimes employed themfelves in diftilling cordial waters, or working furniture for their little church, and eafing their grandmother in the care of the family.

They were all early rifers, being up at five in winter, and four in fummer; and, on Sundays, the fpaces between the church-hours, were filled up in repeating the pfalms, or reading, or attending to the prayers, which were repeated hourly, the organ in the great chamber playing to this hymn:

So angels fing, and fo fing we,
To God on high all glory be:
Let him on earth his peace be
ftow,

And unto men his favour fhow.

The whole family, with the fchoolmafters, went in proceffion to church, all clad in black gowns, and Nicholas in his hood and furplice, when having thrice performed fervice, they went to Steeple-Gedding, an adjoining village, to hear prayers in the afternoon.

The rules of the family were never violated on account of vifitors; if fuch did not chuse to join them, they might withdraw. In the great parlour a tablet was affixed to the wall, on which was infcribed

1. H. S.

Nicholas introduced into his family the primitive difcipline of watching, for which they had different oratories for each fex; they kept watch by turns, two together, beginning at nine at night, and continuing till one in the morning, at which hour Nicholas conftantly rofe. During their watch, they repeated a number of pfalms, kneeling all the while, or fung to the organ, which was fet in a low ftop, that it might not difturb the houfe. Nicholas frequently spent whole nights in the church, or lay on the floor, wrapt in a rough fhag gown; and yet, fays Dr. Turner, he was remarkable for the chearfulness of his difpofition and coun

tenance.

As they keptan hofpitable table, many gentlemen and clergy, travelling the northern road, were drawn by their fame to Gedding. Bifhop Williams, their neighbour, at Bugden, fometimes was their vi.

fitor; and, at their invitation, held a confirmation at Gedding, on which occafion they procured the choristers of Peterborough.

King Charles I. upon his march into the north, fpent fome time at Gedding, in looking over their Harmonies on the Bible, one of which he defired for his own ufe. He alfo accepted from them fome other books, which were bound by the females, and at parting, requefted their prayers.

The year of Nicholas's death is not mentioned, which happened on a Monday, the 5th of November, about one in the morning, his conftant time of rifing. At the beginning of his illness, which lafted but three days, he was perfuaded he should not recover, taking a folemn leave of his relations. He defired his brother would measure feven feet from the weft end of the church, and at that distance, let his grave be dug, and that he would

fee

fee all his books of novels and plays immediately burnt upon that spot. He expired in a kind of extafy, afluring his nieces, and the clergymen who were with him, he had feen a heavenly entertainment. Bishop Turner, in his notes for a preface, fays fome things in this life were rather to be admired than imitated. To this, no doubt, the reader has heartily fubfcribed.

A Portrait of Julius Cæfar, by philofopher*.

a

after the lapfe of eighteen

published without offence, a philofopher might, in the following terms, cenfure Cæfar without calumniating him, and applaud him without exciting his blushes.

Cæfar had one predominant paffion: it was the love of glory; and he paffed forty years of his life in feeking opportunities to fofter and encourage it. His foul, entirely abforbed in ambition, did not open itfelf to other impulfes. He cul tivated letters, but he did not love them with enthufiafm, because he had not leifure to become the firft orator of Rome. He corrupted the one half of the Roman ladies, but his heart had no concern in the fiery ardours of his fenfes. In the arms of

Cleopatra, hethought of Pompey; and this fingular man, who difdained to have a partner in the empire of the world, would have blushed to have been for one inftant the flave of a woman.

Weinuft not imagine, that Cæfar was born a warriour, as Sophocles

and Milton were born poets. For if nature had made him a citizen of Sybaris, he would have been the moft voluptuous of men. If in our days, he had been born in Penfylvania, he would have been the most inoffenfive of quakers, and would not have disturbed the tranquillity of the new world.

The moderation with which he conducted himself after his victories, has been highly extolled; but in this he fhewed his penetration, not the goodness of his heart. Is it not obvious, that the difplay of certain virtues is neceffary to put in motion the political machine?

the appearance of clemency, if he inclined, that Rome fhould forgive him his victories. But what greatnefs of mind is there, in a generofity, which follows on the ufurpation of fupreme power?

Nature, while it marked Cæfar with a fublime character, gave him alfo that fpirit of perfeverance, which renders it ufeful. He had no fooner begun to reflect, than he admired Sylla, hated him, and yet wifhed to imitate him. At the age of fifteen, he formed the project of being Dictator. It was thus, that the Prefident Montefquieu conceived, in his early youth, the idea of the Spirit of Laws.

Physical qualities, as well as moral caufes, contributed to give ftrength to his character. Nature, which had made him for command, had given him an air of dignity. He had acquired that foft and infinuating eloquence, which is perfectly fuited to feduce vulgar minds, and had a powerful influence on the

moft

moft cultivated. His love of pleafure was a merit with the fair fex; and women, who, even in a republic can draw to them the fuffrages and attention of men, have the highest importance in degenerate times. The ladies of his age, were charmed with the profpect of having a dictator, whom they might fubdue by their attractions. In vain did the genius of Cato watch for fome time to fuftain the liberty of his country. It was unequal to contend with that of Cæfar. Of what avail were the eloquence, the philofophy, and the virtue of this republican, when oppofed by a man, who had the addrefs to debauch the wife of every citizen whose interest he meant to engage; who, poffeffing an enthufiafm for glory, wept, becaufe, at the age of thirty, he had not conquered the world like Alexander; and who, with the haughty temper of a defpot, was more defirous to be the first man in a village, than the fecond in Rome?

Cæfar had the good fortune to exift in times of trouble and civil, commotions, when the minds of men are put into a ferment, when opportunities of great actions are frequent, when talents are every thing, and thofe, who can only boaft of their virtues, are nothing. If he had lived an hundred years fooner, he would have been no more than an obfcure villain, and, inftead of giving laws to the world, would not have been able to produce any confufion in it.

I will here be bold enough to advance an idea, which may appear paradoxical to thofe who weakly judge of men from what they achieve, and not from the principle which leads them to act. Nature

formed, in the fame mould, Cæfar, Mahomet, Cromwell, and Kouli Khan. They all of them united to genius, that profound policy which renders it fo powerful. They all of them had an evident fuperiority over thofe with whom they were furrounded; they were conscious of this fuperiority, and they made others confcious of it. They were all of them born fubjects, and became fortunate ufurpers. Had Cæfar been placed in Perfia, he would have made the conqueft of India; in Arabia, he would have been the founder of a new religion: in London, he would have ftabbed his fovereign, or have procured his af faffination under the fanction of the laws. He reigned with glory over men whom he had reduced to be flaves; and under one afpect, he is to be confidered as a hero, under another, as a monster. But it would be unfortunate, indeed, for fociety, if the poffeffion of fuperior talents, gave individuals a right to trouble its repofe. Ufurpers, accordingly, have flatterers, but no friends; strangers refpect them; their fubjects complain and fubmit; it is in their own families that humanity finds her avengers. Cæfar was affaffinated by his fon, Mahomet was poifoned by his wife, Kouli Khan was maffacred by his nephew, and Cromwell only died in his bed because his fon Richard was a philofopher.

Cæfar, the tyrant of his country; Cæfar, who deftroyed the agents of his crimes, if they failed in addrefs; Cæfar, in fine, the husband of every wife, and the wife of every husband; has been accounted a great man by the mob of writers. But it is only the philofopher, who knows how to mark

the