order to produce their greatest impression, should be read first, not in childhood, for which they are too substantial; nor at mature age, for which they may seem too visionary; but at that delightful period of youth, when the soft twilight of the imagination harmonizes with the luxurious and uncertain light cast on their wonders. By those who come at such an age to their perusal, they will never be forgotten.

RAMSAY.

MARTHA LAURENS RAMSAY, a lady eminent for her piety and learning, was born in Charleston, South Carolina, November 3d, 1759, and was the daughter of Henry Laurens, Esq., a distinguished American patriot. She early discovered a great capacity and eagerness for learning, and as she grew up, acquired a critical knowledge of the French language and made considerable progress in mathematical science.

In her twelfth year she began to be the subject of serious religious impressions, and was brought by the grace of God cordially to accept of salvation freely offered, though dearly purchased. She afterwards prepared, and solemnly executed an instrument of writing, called by her with great propriety, “A self-dedication and solemn covenant with God." In this, after a suitable introduction, she presents before her Maker the whole frame of her nature, all the faculties of her mind, and all the members of her body, as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God. And not only consecrates all that she was and all that she had to his service, but

humbly resigns to his heavenly will all that she called her's, to be disposed of as he pleased. The engage

ments thus solemnly entered into were in unison with her subsequent conduct through life. In 1775, she, in company with her aunt and uncle, visited England, where she resided for some time, and formed an acquaintance with many persons eminent for their piety and literary acquirements. From England she passed over to France, and resided there till the re-establishment of peace, improving her mind and cultivating the friendship of the learned.

Her father, who succeeded Mr. Hancock as president of congress, but was afterwards deputed to solicit a loan from Holland and to negociate a treaty with the United Netherlands, in the year 1780, while on his passage to Europe, was taken prisoner and confined in the Tower of London. About the same time she also received intelligence, that her dearly beloved brother, Col. John Laurens, had fallen in battle. Under this complication of distresses, she found the wisdom and comfort of having secured a friend in her Maker, by a solemn covenant entered into with him in the morning of life, and in the full enjoyment of health, and in the fair prospect of every worldly blessing. From this source she drew much consolation, and bore up under every trial, trusting in him to whom she had in a most solemn manner consecrated herself. In due time, the clouds of adversity began to disperse; the prospects of America brightened. Her father was discharged from confinement, and after a separation of seven years, she joined him in Paris, and presided over his domestic concerns, while he assisted in the negociations which terminated in peace and

the acknowledged independence of the United States. Although now placed at the head of the table of a minister plenipotentiary in the metropolis of France, and amidst the gaieties of Paris, her Bible was her companion and counsellor. She read it by day and meditated on it by night. It had taught her to bear adversity with patience, resignation, and fortitude; and now kept her from the intoxication and follies which are too apt to grow out of prosperity. On the restoration of peace, she returned with her aunt and sister to Charleston, and was afterwards married to Dr. David Ramsay, with whom she lived in the utmost harmony and affection, and became the mother of eleven children. As soon as her children were capable of receiving instruction, she liberally imparted it; and early taught them their miserable and corrupted state by nature; that they were born into a world of sin and misery-surrounded with temptations, and without a possibility of salvation, but by the grace of God, and a participation in the benefits procured for sinners by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and at the same time, that God was the hearer of prayer, the tenderest of fathers, and the best of friends to all who put their trust in him. As her children advanced in years, she conducted her sons through a course of education fitting them to enter college, and likewise her daughters through the several studies taught in boarding schools.

In every period of her adult age, whether married or single, when from accidental circumstances she was the head of the family, and in health, she daily read to her domestic circle a portion of the holy scriptures, and prayed with them. She prized prayer as the courtier

does a key that at all times gives him access to the presence of his sovereign; and in all the important transactions of her life, resolved on nothing till she had previously sought direction of God respecting it. She practically conformed to the apostolic precept "pray without ceasing," and daily brought before her Maker the cases of herself, family, friends, neighbours, and strangers, whose situation was known to be interesting. She was a constant and devout attendant on divine service; steadily recorded the text, and occasionally made a short analysis of the sermon. She generally spent a considerable part of the intervals of public worship in catechizing and instructing her children and servants. Being uncommonly economical of her time, she suffered none of it to be wasted. By rising early she secured the most valuable portion of it for devotion and business. A reasonable part of every day was spent in religious exercises; much in reading well chosen books, and in copying original papers for her father and husband. (She transcribed for her husband, "The History of the American Revolution;" "Life of Washington;" Review of the Progress of Medicine, in the eighteenth century;" and the greater part of his "Universal History.")

The number of books she read was astonishingly great, and her memory uncommonly strong in retaining the substance of their contents. She could recite nearly the whole of Young's Night Thoughts, without book. Psalm and prayer books were to her unnecessary, for their contents were imprinted on her mind. With the Holy Scriptures she was intimately acquainted, and could read them in their originals. She read with facility the Greek and Latin classics, and was familiar with

most of the modern works of genius, taste, and imagination, written in the English and French languages. In solid learning she was not deficient, and was particularly fond of the science of metaphysics. She was also a proficient in astronomy, chronology, moral and political philosophy, thealogy, natural and civil history.

From habit, she acquired such complete command over her thoughts, that she could fix them by an act of her will, on science or business, as well as on religion. In sickness and adversity, she was the same self-possessed, unrepining, submissive, satisfied Christian, she had been in the days of her health and prosperity, and was discontented with nothing but her heart. Her maxim was not to complain of God, but to God. To him she went with all her burdens and cares, and sweetly reposed on his Almighty arm. Her unabated confidence in her Maker, her unconditional submission and cheerful resignation to his will, took away from adversity its gloom, and threw over it a cheerful light. In all her distresses, the burden of sin lay heavier on her mind than the burden of outward troubles. At the close of her life, she found great satisfaction in reading Drelincourt on Death, and Watts's World to Come.

From the first moment of her last sickness, she had a presentiment that she would not survive it. This gave her no alarm. She made preparations for, and arranged the circumstances of her funeral with great composure. Frequently, in the course of her sickness, she gave animated exhortations to her children and others, to make choice of God for their portion; and also, particular directions how to manage the family after she was gone. About four o'clock, P. M. June 10, 1811, she asked her