his best works as coming far short of what the gospel required. He had indeed formed a very exalted idea of the obligations under which Christians are laid, to abound in every good word and work: in these too, he did abound; but such was his humility that he ever seemed anxious to conceal his virtues from public notice; and the more rapidly he advanced in religion, the more ready was he to exclaim, Not unto me, O Lord, but unto thy name be ascribed all the glory.' Illustrating the truth of his own remark, "That where there is more religion, there will ever be more humility."

Of the obligation under which he conceived himself to be laid, and not himself only, but every one who bore the Christian name, to consult less his own interest than the divine glory, some idea may be formed by the following remarks:-" Our superfluities should be given up for the convenience of others; our conveniences should give place to the necessities of others; and even our necessities should give way, in some degree, to the extremities of the poor." That he felt the temptations common to our nature, to pursue a different course is certain. 66 Ease, affluence, and honours," he writes, "are baits which the world holds out to allure us from a life of holiness and selfdenial; but let us remember, that the fashion of this world passeth away; and that fatigue, poverty, sufferings, and dangers, with an approving conscience, are infinitely more valuable than all the world can bestow. I trust I can say, O God, thou art my God, my heart is fixed, trusting in thee. These are glorious words; there is a treasure in them, in comparison of which all things in the world are dross."

Brown's Life of Howard.

CHAPTER XIX.

Settlement of Howard's affairs previous to his last journey-Parting interview with his friends-Presentiment of his death-Last visit to Cardington— Quits England for the last time-Observation on the original cause of the plague-Revisits the Dutch hospitals and prisons--Unimproved state of the Hanoverian prisons-State of the prisons, hospitals, and schools in Berlin, Koningsburg, Memel, Riga -Continued preference to a vegetable diet-Revisits Petersburg and Moscow, particulars of the prisons in these cities-Visits the Russian military hospitals -Is robbed of his portmanteau-Arrival at Cherson -Mortality among the Russian recruits.

BEING about to leave England, on a periluus journey, from which it was but too probable he would never return, Howard felt unusually anxious respecting his son. He wished to make a suitable provision for him, according to his rank in life, that should he ever recover his reason, he might spend the evening of his days in tranquillity and comfort. But there was at present, unhappily, no symptom of improvement; on the contrary, young Howard's dreadful malady progressively assumed the character of incurable insanity. Hence, after making several charitable bequests to his faithful domestics, and to some afflicted or infirm individuals, who had been almost solely dependent on his bounty, Howard left the residue of his property in trust for his son, with the exception of a few legacies to some of his choicest

friends as tokens of respect. He appointed Mr. Whitbread as his son's guardian, who discharged that most difficult task with the greatest kindness, till young Howard's decease, which did not occur till ten years afterwards, when he died in the asylum, in April 1799, in his 35th year, having never recovered his reason.

Howard's parting interview with his friends was serious and affecting. Calling upon the Rev. Mr. Palmer, a little before his departure, he affectionately bade him adieu, expressing at the same time an opinion that he should not live to return; adding, "but I am perfectly easy as to the event, be it what it may. It must be well, for whatever pleases God, pleases me." On taking his leave of his old pastor, Mr. Townsend, he cheerfully said, evidently under an apprehension that he might fall a victim to the plague in Egypt, "We shall not perhaps meet again on earth, but we shall soon meet in heaven; and the way thence from Grand Cairo, is as near as from London." The last time he saw Mr. Lucas, of Shrewsbury, whose ministry he always attended when in that town, he said to him, probably in allusion to a saying of Philip Henry's, " I hope if we meet again on earth, we shall be nearer heaven; and if we meet not again here, we shall there." To the Rev. Mr. Lewin, of Liverpool, he said, “I am going on a most dangerous journey; and though I have escaped many disorders, yet I feel persuaded I shall not return to my native country; but if I should, I shall then think I have done all that has been required of me, and shall seek a peaceful retirement for the residue of my days." To a friend who started some objections to his undertaking so long and dangerous an enterprise, he remarked: "You will, perhaps, never see me again, but be that as it may, it is matter of little concern to me, whether I lay down my life in Turkey, in Egypt, in

Asia Minor, or elsewhere; my whole endeavour is to fulfil, according to the ability of so weak an instrument, the will of that benevolent Being, who has graciously condescended to give me a firm persuasion that I am employed in what is agreeable to him." His last interview with his Christian friends in London, and at Cardington, was particularly affecting. To an intimate friend, who sat near him the last time he attended Dr. Stennet's chapel, he remarked at the close of the service: Well, we shall not perhaps meet one another again till we meet in that place where there will be no parting." Only the day before he embarked, he said to a lady, "I am going on a very arduous journey, probably we shall never meet again in this world; but I regard the course I am pursuing as the path of duty; and with respect to myself, am quite resigned to the will of God."

Nothing could be more affecting than Howard's parting visit with Mr. Whitbread, to whose care, during his absence, he had entrusted his afflicted son, and to whom he had commended his schools, and other dependants on his bounty. Under Mr. Whitbread's superintendence all went on for many years, precisely according to Howard's directions. The conversation between Howard and his most intimate friend, Mr. Smith, the last time they met, was mutually serious, and their regret at parting mutually strong. Howard adverted to the impression he felt that he should not return, with that calm dignity which Christianity can only inspire, in terms expressive of entire confidence in the favour of God through the Redeemer's merits. A day or two before he quitted Cardington, he visited his tenants, his schools, and every individual, even the humblest and poorest who had been a recipient of his bounty, affectionately bidding them all adieu. The evening before his departure, he walked over

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his grounds and garden, with the confidential and esteemed domestic to whom they had been entrusted, and gave him directions how he wished things to be done during his absence; observing, that he had got every thing exactly in the order in which he wished it to be, but he was now about to leave it ; adding, that if he returned to his native country, he intended there to end his days. His parting interview with his respected friend, Dr. Price, says Dr. Aikin, 66 was an interesting scene. They took an affectionate and pathetic leave of each other. The age of the one, and the dangers the other was about to encounter, justified the apprehension that they should never meet again in this world, and their farewell corresponded with the solemnity of the occasion."

It has been the subject of much conjecture and inquiry among Howard's biographers, what could have induced him to undertake so arduous a journey at this period of his life, and with such a presentiment as he evidently had, that he should never return. That the melancholy condition of his son, in whose company he had fondly hoped he should have spent the evening of his life, may have had some weight in his determinations is not improbable. One of his most intimate friends, who enjoyed his entire confidence, has averred, that though he seldom mentioned this calamity, yet he felt it most acutely. Indeed, such was the severity of his distress when residing at Cardington, that notwithstanding all his Christian submission, it dried up his spirits, and did more to sap the vigour of his constitution than his most arduous labours. Parental anxiety had on some occasions well nigh overcome his efforts to suppress his acquiescence in the Divine will. It cannot, however, be asserted with any degree of certainty, that he would not have undertaken this journey had it not been for his son's affliction. So