All the lucubrations of censoriousness have not been noticed:―because, by establishing prudence as well as reputation in the more prominent and responsible acts, it may safely be believed that objects of less moment were not disregarded. To illustrate the cause of death would be indelicate. It was one of those uncontrolable incidents which characterize the precariousness of human life, and which must be referred to the “_will of God_,” the wisdom of whose providential administration will be developed in a future world. FOOTNOTES: [1] “Yesterday, Aug. 6, 1801,” (says the late excellent Bishop Porteus), “I passed a very pleasant day at Shrewsbury House, near Shooter’s Hill, the residence of the Princess Charlotte of Wales. The day was fine, and the prospect extensive and beautiful, taking in a large reach of the Thames, which was covered with vessels of various sizes and descriptions. We saw a good deal of the young Princess. She is a most captivating and engaging child, and, considering the high station she may hereafter fill, a most interesting and important one. She repeated to me several of her hymns with great correctness and propriety; and on being told that when she went to South-end, in Essex, as she afterwards did, for the benefit of sea-bathing, she would then be in my diocese, she fell down on her knees and begged my blessing.”―_Life of Porteus, by Hodgson_, p. 160. [2] We recollect a most striking instance of this dexterity. An elderly and most susceptible lady was under the management of a respectable country practitioner, for a complication of nervous diseases. On paying one of his accustomed visits, he was alarmed for the safety of his patient. She had passed a night of unspeakable agitation, and her irritability was then excessive. It was attributed to an idea of having been poisoned by the compounder of her medicine, and she believed herself in the embrace of death. “Madam,” said the gentleman peremptorily, “I was aware of the accident, and brought with me an antidote.” He had immediate recourse to her former medicine, with some little disguise, which she took, and soon became tranquil. It is highly probable, had not some such method been adopted, she might actually have perished. See also a very interesting case in the Quarterly Review for July, 1816, p. 397. [3] I do not think it inconsistent or irrelative to quote a passage from the Sermon of a celebrated preacher.