all the world (whose pardon I ask, from the lowest of my fervants, to the highest of my fuperiors) written all with my own band, and my name fubfcribed to every page, of which there are five in number. Sealed December 13, 1630. Nor was this bleffed facrifice of charity expreffed only at his death, but in his life alfo, by a cheerful and frequent visitation of any friend whofe mind was dejected, or his fortune neceffitous; he was inquifitive after the wants of prisoners, and redeemed many from prifon, that lay for their fees or small debts; he was a continual giver to poor scholars, both of this and foreign nations. Befides what he gave with his own hand, he usually sent fervant, or a discreet and trufty friend, to distribute his charity to all the prisons in London, at all the festival times of the year, especially at the birth and refurrection of our Saviour. He gave an hundred pounds at one time to an old friend, whom he had known live plentifully, and by a too liberal heart and careleffness became decayed in his eftate; and when the receiving of it was denied, by the gentleman faying, "He wanted not;"-for the reader may note, that as there be fome fpirits fo generous as to labour to conceal and endure a fad poverty, rather than expose themselves to thofe blufhes that attend the confeffion of it; fo there be others, to whom nature and grace have afforded fuch fweet and compaffionate fouls, as to pity and prevent the diftreffes of mankind; which I have mentioned because of Dr. Donne's reply, whose answer was; I know you want not what will "fuftain nature; for a little will do that: "but my defire is, that you, who in the 66 days of your plenty have cheered and "raised the hearts of fo many of your dejected friends, would now receive this "from me, and use it as a cordial for the "cheering of your own;" and upon these terms it was received. He was an happy reconciler of many differences in the families of his friends and kindred, (which he never undertook faintly; for such undertakings have usually faint effects) and they they had fuch a faith in his judgment and impartiality, that he never advised them to any thing in vain. He was even to her death a most dutiful fon to his mother, careful to provide for her supportation, of which she had been deftitute, but that God raised him up to prevent her neceffities; who having fucked in the religion of the Roman Church with her mother's milk, spent her estate in foreign countries, to enjoy a liberty in it, and died in his house but three months before him. And to the end it may appear how juft a fteward he was of his Lord and Master's revenue, I have thought fit to let the reader know, that after his entrance into his deanery, as he numbered his years, he (at the foot of a private account, to which God and his angels were only witnesses with him) computed firft his revenue, then what was given to the poor, and other pious uses; and lastly, what rested for him and his; and having done that, he then bleffed each year's poor remainder with a thankful prayer; which, for that they discover a more than common devotion, the the reader fhall partake fome of them in his own words: "So all is that remains this year "Deo Opt. Max. benigno Largitori, a me, et ab iis "Gloria et gratia in æternum. "Amen." "So that this year God hath blessed 66 me and mine with "Multiplicatæ funt fuper "Nos mifericordiæ tuæ "Domine. "Da Domine, ut quæ ex immenfa "Dignatus fis, in quorumcunque "Manus devenerint, in tuam "Semper cedant gloriam. "Amen." "In fine horum fex annorum manet "Quid habeo quod non accepi a Domino? "Sua iterum fiant, bono eorum ufu; ut "Ita et liberi, quibus quæ fuperfunt, "Amen." But I return from my long digreffion. -We left the author fick in Effex, where he was forced to spend much of that winter, by reafon of his disability to remove from that place; and having never for almoft twenty years omitted his perfonal attendance on his Majefty in that month in which he was to attend and preach to him, nor having ever been left out of the roll and number of Lent Preachers, and there being then (in Jan. 1630.) a report brought to London, or raised there, that Dr. Donne was dead; that report gave him occafion to write the following letter to a dear friend : "Sir, this advantage you and my other "friends have by my frequent fevers, that "I am fo much the oftener at the gates "of heaven; and this advantage by the "folitude and clofe imprisonment that "they reduce me to after, that I am fo "much the oftener at my prayers, in "" which |