privy-counsellor to four of them. I have seen the most remarkable things in foreign parts, and have been present at most state transactions for the last thirty years; and I have learned, from the experience of so many years, that seriousness is the greatest wisdom, temperance the best physic, and a good conscience the best estate. And were I to live again, I would change the court for a cloister, my privy-counsellor's bustle for a hermit's retirement, and the whole life I have lived in the palace, for an hour's enjoyment of God in the chapel. All things now forsake me, except my God, my duty, and my prayers." From the regret expressed by Sir John Mason, it appears that his error consisted, not in having served his king and country, in the eminent stations in which he had been placed, but in having suffered his mind to be so much occupied with business, as to make him neglect, in some degree, the proper seasons of religious retirement, and the prime duties which he owed to his Creator. 6. SALMASIUS. SALMASIUS, of an ancient and noble family in France. was born in the year 1596. He was a man of very extraordinary abilities, and profound erudition. He wasknowing in almost everything-in school divinity, in law, in philosophy, in criticism; and he was so consummate a linguist, that there was scarcely a language in which he had not attained a considerable proficiency. He was perfect in Greek and Latin, he understood the Hebrew, Arabic, Persic, Egyptian, Chinese, &c., and he was well acquainted with all the European languages. His works are very numerous, and on various subjects. They gained him as much fame as strong powers and vast erudition can procure. His name was sounded throughout Europe, and he had great offers from foreign princes and universities. The Venetians thought his residence among them would be such an honour, that they offered him a prodigious stipend; the university of Oxford made some attempts to get him into England; and the pope invited him to settle at Rome. Cardinal Richelieu used all possible means to detain him in France, even desiring him to make his own terms; and Christina, queen of Sweden, showed him extraordinary marks of esteem and regard. When this celebrated man arrived at the evening of life, and found leisure to reflect seriously on the great end of his being, he acknowledged that he had too much, and too earnestly, engaged in literary pursuits, and had greatly overlooked those objects in which true and solid happiness consists. "O!" said he, "I have lost an immense portion of time-time, that most precious thing in the world! Had I but one year more, it should be spent in studying David's psalms and Paul's epistles.” "O! sirs," said he to those about him, "mind the world less, and God more. The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil, that is understanding."" 7. POPE EUGENIUS. "O how self-fetter'd was my grovelling soul! Nor yet put forth her wings to reach the skies."-YOUNG GABRIEL CONDELMERIUS was raised to the Papal throne in the year 1431, and took the name of Eugenius IV. From a low condition of life, and through various gradations of office, he ascended to this dignity. Being much averse to a reformation of doctrine and manners, he met with great opposition from some of the clergy; but being of a determined spirit, he encountered every danger, rather than yield to his opponents. He was often reduced to painful and mortifying situations, and experienced so many vicissitudes of life, that he had ample proof of the vanity and instability of human greatness. The reflection he is said to have made on his deathbed is remarkable, and shows that, in his greatest elevation, he did not find that peace and true enjoyment of mind which he had possessed in an humble and retired situation. Being attended by a company of monks, he turned his face towards them, and said, with a voice interrupted by sighs: "O Gabriel! how much better would it have been for thee, and how much more would it have promoted thy soul's welfare, if thou hadst never been raised to the pontificate, but been content to lead a quiet and religious life in thy monastery ?" 8. CARDINAL BEAUFORT. CARDINAL BEAUFORT was of royal extraction, the son of John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster; and was commonly called the rich cardinal of Winchester. It is generally believed that he concerted the death of Humphrey, duke of Gloucester, which was attributed to poison. History informs us, that he prevailed with the king, to grant him letters of pardon for all offences contrary to the statutes then enacted in England. The wise son of Sirach exclaims, "O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee, to a man who is at ease in his possessions!" Of the truth of this sentiment, we have a remarkable proof in the last moments of this ambitious cardinal. When he was arrested in the midst of his career, and the terrors of death were marshalled in 66 horrid array before him, he thus complained, and vented his afflicted soul to his weeping friends around him:— 'And must I then die? Will not all my riches save me? I could purchase the kingdom, if that would prolong my life. Alas! there is no bribing death. When my nephew, the duke of Bedford, died, I thought my happiness and my authority greatly increased; but the duke of Gloucester's death raised me in fancy to a level with kings, and I thought of nothing but accumulating still greater wealth, to enable me, at length, to purchase the triple crown. Alas! how are my hopes disappointed! Wherefore, O. my friends! let me earnestly beseech you to pray for me, and recommend my departing soul to God." Thus died this unhappy cardinal, in the year 1447. 9. DR. JOHNSON. DR JOHNSON was a serious believer in Jesus Christ for many years. Mixing, however, too much with men of no religion, his mind was kept barren of spiritual consolation, and he was grievously haunted with the fear of death through his whole life. "The approach of death," said he to a friend, "is very dreadful. I am afraid to think on that which I know I cannot avoid. It is vain to look round and round for that help which cannot be had. Yet we hope and hope, and fancy that he who has lived to-day may live to-morrow." To another friend he said, "he never had a moment in which death was not terrible to him." On another occasion he declared in company at Oxford, "I am afraid I shall be one of those who shall be damned-sent to hell, and punished everlastingly." When he, however, actually approached dissolution, "all his fears were calmed and absorbed by the prevalence of his faith, and his trust in the merits and propitiation of Jesus Christ." He was full of resignation, strong in faith, joyful in hope of his own salvation, and anxious for the salvation of his friends. He particularly exhorted Sir Joshua Reynolds, on his dying bed, "to read the Bible, and to keep holy the Sabbath-day." 10. A DYING NOBLEMAN. "On my grassy grave The men of future times will careless tread, THE following letter, written by a nobleman upon his death-bed to an intimate companion, is a deeply affecting and mornful commentary upon the consequences of the neglect of religion and a prevailing spirit of worldliess. In this letter, he says:— "Before you receive this, my final state will be determined by the Judge of all the earth. In a few days at most, perhaps in a few hours, the inevitable sentence will be passed that shall raise me to the heights of happiness, or sink me to the depths of misery. While you read these lines, I shall be either groaning under the agonies of absolute despair, or triumphing in fulness of joy. "It is impossible for me to express the present dis position of my soul-the vast uncertainty I am struggling with! No words can paint the force and vivacity of my apprehensions. Every doubt wears the face of horror, and would perfectly overwhelm me, but for some faint beams of hope, which dart across the tremendous |