A True Relation of the Apparition of one Mrs. Veal: The Next Day after Her Death, to one Mrs. Bargrave, at Canterbury, the 8th of September, 1705; which Apparition Recommends the Perusal of Drelincourt's Book of Consolations against the Fears of Death — John Shaqi
A True Relation of the Apparition of one Mrs. Veal: The Next Day after Her Death, to one Mrs. Bargrave, at Canterbury, the 8th of September, 1705; which Apparition Recommends the Perusal of Drelincourt's Book of Consolations against the Fears of DeathDefoe, Daniel
General
A True Relation of the Apparition of one Mrs. Veal: The Next Day after Her Death, to one Mrs. Bargrave, at Canterbury, the 8th of September, 1705; which Apparition Recommends the Perusal of Drelincourt's Book of Consolations against the Fears of Death
Defoe, Daniel
Apparitions -- England -- Canterbury -- Case studies; Veal, Margaret, -1705
In this house, on the 8th of September, 1705, she was sitting alone in
the forenoon, thinking over her unfortunate life, and arguing herself
into a due resignation to providence, though her condition seemed
hard. And, said she, I have been provided for hitherto, and doubt not
but I shall be still; and am well satisfied that my afflictions shall
end when it is most fit for me: and then took up her sewing-work,
which she had no sooner done, but she hears a knocking at the door.
She went to see who was there, and this proved to be Mrs. Veal, her
old friend, who was in a riding-habit. At that moment of time the
clock struck twelve at noon.
Madam, says Mrs. Bargrave, I am surprised to see you, you have been so
long a stranger; but told her, she was glad to see her, and offered to
salute her; which Mrs. Veal complied with, till their lips almost
touched; and then Mrs. Veal drew her hand across her own eyes, and
said, I am not very well; and so waived it. She told Mrs. Bargrave,
she was going a journey, and had a great mind to see her first. But,
says Mrs. Bargrave, how came you to take a journey alone? I am amazed
at it, because I know you have a fond brother. Oh! says Mrs. Veal, I
gave my brother the slip, and came away because I had so great a
desire to see you before I took my journey. So Mrs. Bargrave went in
with her, into another room within the first, and Mrs. Veal sat her
down in an elbow-chair, in which Mrs. Bargrave was sitting when she
heard Mrs. Veal knock. Then says Mrs. Veal, My dear friend, I am come
to renew our old friendship again, and beg your pardon for my breach
of it; and if you can forgive me, you are the best of women. O, says
Mrs. Bargrave, do not mention such a thing; I have not had an uneasy
thought about it; I can easily forgive it. What did you think of me?
said Mrs. Veal. Says Mrs. Bargrave, I thought you were like the rest
of the world, and that prosperity had made you forget yourself and me.
Then Mrs. Veal reminded Mrs. Bargrave of the many friendly offices she
did her in former days, and much of the conversation they had with
each other in the times of their adversity; what books they read, and
what comfort, in particular, they received from Drelincourt's Book of
Death, which was the best, she said, on that subject ever written. She
also mentioned Dr. Sherlock, the two Dutch books which were
translated, written upon death, and several others. But Drelincourt,
she said, had the clearest notions of death, and of the future state,
of any who had handled that subject. Then she asked Mrs. Bargrave,
whether she had Drelincourt. She said, Yes. Says Mrs. Veal, Fetch it.
And so Mrs. Bargrave goes up stairs and brings it down. Says Mrs.
Veal, Dear Mrs. Bargrave, if the eyes of our faith were as open as the
eyes of our body, we should see numbers of angels about us for our
guard. The notions we have of heaven now, are nothing like what it is,
as Drelincourt says; therefore be comforted under your afflictions,
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