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Whoever Judiciously considers our present state of being will find a most Surprizing & unseperable mixture of Joy & Sorrow perhaps in very great extreems. Theres not a Single Event in wch. we shall not percieve an interwoven Series of these great Contrarietys, not one draught of pleasure without its bitter dreg if not a woful mixture thrô the whole, but to say that there's no Sorrow but what is productive of some Joy is a Proposition more gratefuly to be illustrated than basely asserted. Alas there are Some Circumstances so gloomy that from a superficial view one would scarce see the least glimpse of comforts or find any clew that lead to Joy & then are others so pleasant that one would scarce suspect any degree of Sorrow. But all this perhaps arises from a partial view; for when we resolve them to the great Scheme to wch. they belong our Apprehensions are altered the appearance is changed, we soe disappointment in the midst of pleasure & a sure gleam of true Joy open from the darkest Cloud. The Being that form'd us & all things has best adapted our present Situation to make such Creatures as we now are Such as he would have us to be. From him we originally came Alass from him we have revolted, nevertheless to him we are called to imitate him is the only Road the improveing Our Talents to the obeying his Will is the only Means. If then we take a Survey of our internal World we shall find an inchoherent mixture of Passion & Reason equally as unaccountable & inseparable as the joy & sorrow of our outward situation. This reason was appointed to direct, Passion to excite to action but too often like Rebels they dethrone Reason & hurry us under the pretence of hapines to the greatest inconsistencys. Hence arise certain Principles within us of fortitude, Temperance & Patience by which we support Reason at the Helm while Passion like An Active gale wafts us along. The improvement of these Principles
1 Reason the growth of Reason is the Perfection of the Man, the reduction of Man to the primitive image of his Maker is the grand Scheme of our existence here & therefore whatever has a tendency to promote that must be good in its effects & as such productive of Joy however disagreable in the Application. To illustrate this further we need but take Another veiw of life, we are here as rebells to Truth exild from our native house and have it to seek by a painful travail, our Passions are active & for ever imployd if Sorrow did not rouse us we should feast on the bitter grapes 94 & fruitless flowers that grow on these deadly shoars, our deluded Reason would be lull'd to rest and Solace it self here on imaginery happiness but Trouble and perplexing dissapointments semper
2 all our wished for comfort & urge us on to seek a better Country. Thus perticular events acquire different characters by being considered partially or as relating to the great Scheme & thus there's no Sorrow but comes full fraught with Joyous Events. The Heroe seeks the Glory he desires by tempting the danger of War, grown alert by Alarms & cautious by frequent dangers. The Mariner in quest of his gainful port ploughs the Stormy Ocean, considers well the Sands & marks the Rock where others split the furious billows demand his attention and the impetuous winds & employs his constant Skill. And thus they who are bound for Imortallity & who seek the Glory of Victors or the gain of the merchandise of Wisdom, are studious of every occurance which may increase our Qualification therefore.
Permit me then at this length to loose my self from this genirell reasoning & apply the subject to your present Mournfull Situation, & verily I find it highly serviceable that I first prepar'd my mind with the forgoing thots, for I feel my bosom melt & my Reason disolving with tender passion, while I see you as the Branch of a goodly Vine weeping the Severance of a Sister Tendril. Who among the sons of the hardy would dare to check so ingennuous a passion? Tears are the voice of human Souls but while Nature weeps let reason learn good improvement. Those tears like the Rains of a bitter Storm will soften the Soil & fit it for the heavenly Seed. Not to mourn the loss of Earthly blessings is to practice ingratitude agt. the bountiful giver and not to improve from these severe losses is to rob our selves of Heavens designed good. If we feel not the rod how do we stand chastised & if we hear not the voice how are thou more instructed? This then is the use of Passion to rouse our attention to wake our sleeping reason to summon us to the Court of Conscience & like the midnight watch to sound an alarm to all our facultys. But whence this gust of Passion, Alass 'tis Natures throb, the Smart of parting from one allied by Nature endeared by choice & made closely intimate in the heart woven bonds of cordial freindship. But hark! What's this we hear! Like a breeze whispering from a midnight cloud tis the still voice of Reason from Eliza's Tomb, a voice not heard amongst the bustle of the World, a voice which like the heavenly flash rends all oposition & pains the inmost Soul, a Voice brought us by a Storm of Passion as a treasure from far by the fury of the Wind, Which not to receive is to make Shipwreck for want of95 Skill & not to attend to is to loose the benefit of his heavenward Gale. What says it? "Number so your days that you may apply your hearts to Wisdom." Number so your days! Alass! I had almost said how numberless! So few so transient and if we add so uncertain that Number seems Scarcely applicable. Like the grass we rise as the Flower we wither & like an image on the fleeting cloud we have no continuance. Time like a Wheel rolls us of certainly, Death like a cruel Enemy snatches us suddently, he pays no regard to the blooming cheek nor the Sparkling Eye 'tis not the charm of the Maiden can make him relent nor the vigour of young men cause him to stand, not even Virtue with all its powerfull dignity can Stop this officer comissioned by Virtues God. Had these been sufficient O Elizâ we had not mourned thy fate. But thô we regret Our loss yet we joy in thy lesson which teaches us our danger & warns us how to avoid a Surprise by applying our hearts to Wisdom. To Wisdom! What means that? Sure not that empty Wisdom by which of old the World knew not God, nor yet that modern Wisdom of puffed Infidelity or the Softer Arts of Amusement Dress & deceit.
Surely it is that Wisdom which is from above pure peaceable & of good conversation & by which the prudent Understand their way even that wise Circumspection of the Serpent which supports the harmless innocence of the Dove that Wisdom wch. like a Ray from the great fountain of Light at once illumines & warms, inlightens us in the knowledge of things more usefull and by its genial Influence produces thence the fruits of Goodness, which teaches us not to judge of Providence from partial views of things here seing they are closely connected with things hereafter, but a calm Submission to his direction, mindful of our instant Duty: wch. teaches the relation we all bear to him as our common Parent, that he wills all to be happy by seeking his favour of which he has not left without Witness seing every Providence awakens us to duty; that his severest dealings are designed for our Good, that finding his favour we can loose nothing but wanting that we miss every thing; that Death is but like a departure from a first School to a state of higher improvements that the appearance of his Goverment will ere long be altered & Virtue grown Strong by repeated excercise here shall then be honored and florish in its native soil. And is this thy Voice O Elizâ happy for us who hear it thô we regret thy Death which Occasioned it but why should we persist in that Since thy Death is but a quick entrance to Life & thy departure so clearly teaches us the Way. Dry up those tears of Nature nor let the fair branches 96 that remain, wither in the hand of the Pruner but like the well dress'd Vine Unite the more closely & florish the more fruitfully, let not this Stroke which was designd for yr. good produce disconsolate Grief. The Voice is heard, the Watchman Passion need call no more, give not way then to that mourning which so great a breach might Naturally occasion least your constitution too delicate to bear as your Minds are too tender to need should Suffer by such a Shock. Tis Wisdom's Voice which should hush every Passion, calm every Uneasiness & as the clear Sun after a Storm reduce yr. minds to a perfect tranquility, then Shall yr. ways be ways of pleasantness & all yr. Paths peace.
And now wt. remains but an Apology for this adress, since if I should think your Mind needs such assistance, verily my impertinence is best excus'd by concealment, & if any thing will attone for me 'tis the Subject & the design which will for ever be agreable to you. I at once Sympathize and share with you the loss & the lesson, nor could I restrain my Pen from making this other impulse on yr. Passion by telling you that the Eyes of many are upon you for a Pattern. May that Virture which beames in yr. face & glows so warmly in yr. bosom sooth every care perpetuate every Joy & heedless of Lifes troubles waft you above them all to your kindred skies while I at a distance rejoice in the prospect & ask the total concealment of my Person. Be not curious then to inquire least a discovery Should but barely gratify your curiousity & by no means attone for the uneasiness produced in me being further assured of this that as I seek not popularity no inconvenience shall arrive to yr. delicacy from this occurence by any comunication of it from me. The above I hope will point out a sure Joy produced from Sorrow, if it bear the Test 'twill give you pleasure, but as of Some precious fruits it might not please you to know the Soil that produced it.