I refer you, my dear friend, to a remark of good Mr. Hervey, on the text, _Isaiah_, xlix. 15, in his Contemplations on the Starry Heavens, towards the close of the chapter. Let me beg you to read it. I must observe to you, it has been questioned, whether a person, who is left an orphan, can ever glance a thought, or feel any attachment to his unknown parents? Perhaps _not_, in general; but mankind differ as widely in their feelings as in their gestures. It was not my case, but the contrary; as many reasons might be assigned for my situation in the Foundling. Perhaps I had an affectionate mother, but the cruel hand of death deprived me of her maternal care; and interest being made for me, I was admitted into that kind asylum—or, for some unknown cause, she might have been driven to a foreign clime, no more to return—_or_, I might have been stolen away from her by some proud being to hide a mother’s disgrace, after falling a victim to the accursed seducer, I might have been forced from her by some relentless hand, to obtain property, and placed where she was never to see me more—or, perhaps, her affectionate husband might have been called to fight the battles of his country, on sea or land, in the year 1780, in which I was born. An affectionate wife, left pregnant, the news of the death of a husband might have hurried _me_ into the world, and taken _her_ out. So that, amidst the many calamities to which the female sex are liable, it is hard to judge the cause why I was forsaken. This is true, that I have two particular marks, with which I was found; _marks_ evidently given with some intention of finding me by, another day—one on my back, and another apparently made by a red hot wire on the back of my hand, which is still visible. This method of marking has frequently been the case. Thus I was an orphan— Left on the world’s bleak waste, forlorn, In sin conceiv’d, to sorrow born; No guide, the dreary maze to tread, Above, no friendly shelter spread. Alone, amidst surrounding strife, And naked to the storms of life; Despair look’d round with aching eyes, And sinking nature groans and sighs. I must conclude this, by reminding you of that very precious expression of Jude, the apostle, in his address to the whole church of God, sanctified by God the Father, and presented in Christ Jesus, and called the whole election of grace—were chosen in Christ Jesus, by an act of eternal love; and it is in _Him_ they are preserved, as a jewel in a rock, till called by grace to the knowledge of God in Christ: and who can possibly conceive what they are preserved from, till that period arrives? The dangers, perils, risks, and exposures to death, many are in, yet, O wonderful Almighty power, that keeps them till the Lord takes possession of the heart! Surely, if there should be any recollection of these things in heaven, we shall be filled with wonder, praise and joy. Yours, J. C.