He then took a pen himself, and wrote, after
Pamela, his most worthy sirname; and I under-wrote thus: 'O rejoice with
me, my dear Mrs. Jervis, that I am enabled, by God's graciousness, and my
dear master's goodness, thus to write myself!'
These letters, and the packet to you, were sent away by Mr. Thomas early
this morning.
My dearest master is just gone to take a ride out, and intends to call
upon Lady Jones, Mr. Peters, and Sir Simon Darnford, to invite them to
chapel and dinner to-morrow; and says, he chooses to do it himself,
because the time is so short, they will, perhaps, deny a servant.
I forgot to mention, that Mr. Williams was here yesterday, to ask leave
to go to see his new living, and to provide for taking possession of it;
and seemed so pleased with my master's kindness and fondness for me, as
well as his generous deportment to himself, that he left us in such a
disposition, as shewed he was quite happy. I am very glad of it; for it
would rejoice me to be an humble means of making all mankind so: And oh!
what returns ought I not to make to the divine goodness! and how ought I
to strive to diffuse the blessings I experience, to all in my knowledge!
--For else, what is it for such a worm as I to be exalted! What is my
single happiness, if I suffer it, niggard-like, to extend no farther than
to myself?--But then, indeed, do God Almighty's creatures act worthy of
the blessings they receive, when they make, or endeavour to make, the
whole creation, so far as is in the circle of their power, happy!
Great and good God! as thou hast enlarged my opportunities, enlarge also
my will, and make me delight in dispensing to others a portion of that
happiness, which I have myself so plentifully received at the hand of thy
gracious Providence! Then shall I not be useless in my generation!--Then
shall I not stand a single mark of thy goodness to a poor worthless
creature, that in herself is of so small account in the scale of beings,
a mere cipher on the wrong side of a figure; but shall be placed on the
right side; and, though nothing worth in myself, shall give signification
by my place, and multiply the blessings I owe to thy goodness, which has
distinguished me by so fair a lot!
This, as I conceive, is the indispensable duty of a high condition; and
how great must be the condemnation of poor creatures, at the great day of
account, when they shall be asked, What uses they have made of the
opportunities put into their hands? and are able only to say, We have
lived but to ourselves: We have circumscribed all the power thou hast
given us into one narrow, selfish, compass: We have heaped up treasures
for those who came after us, though we knew not whether they would not
make a still worse use of them than we ourselves did! And how can such
poor selfish pleaders expect any other sentence, than the dreadful,
Depart, ye cursed!
But sure, my dear father and mother, such persons can have no notion of
the exalted pleasures that flow from doing good, were there to be no
after-account at all!
There is something so satisfactory and pleasing to reflect on the being
able to administer comfort and relief to those who stand in need of it,
as infinitely, of itself, rewards the beneficent mind.
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