Take care, William, do not let your friendship lead you to arraign the goodness of God! If I indeed have endeavoured to follow the good example of my father, and have been a comfort to my parents, I can with less terror view death; if I am indeed near it. But that may not be the case, I shall take the step that reason suggests, and leave the rest to God. WILLIAM. Noble soul! No, I repeat it, you merited a better fate. CHARLES. Shew more respect to the Sovereign Disposer of our destiny. Excuse my being a little serious with you; he who gave me being, has a right to take it away, when and how he pleases. I hope Dr. Bartlett’s lessons are not thrown away upon me; with gratitude and joy have I prayed to my heavenly Father, when I have been walking alone in the country—and even now I can pray to him. He turned his eyes involuntarily up to heaven. I sobbed, threw myself round his neck, and could not speak, it was as if my lips were sealed together. He then enquired for Edward, and when he heard that he was gone for a surgeon, he said, friendly creature! what I dread most in this circumstance is suspense, but I must have patience. Should any accident befall me, William, be a comfort to my parents. I believe that the catastrophe of this disorder is described as much more dreadful than it really is; few men go mad on account of the bite of a mad dog, and I never heard of any who communicated the canine delirium to the friends or relations who attended on them. He then earnestly requested me to leave the room for a few minutes. I was obliged reluctantly to comply; and when I returned, caught him courageously searing the part with the red hot poker which he had put into the fire for that purpose. He tried to conceal from me the violent pain he endured; and did not utter a single groan, lest he should increase my anguish. Edward that moment entered, in a transport, with the identical little cur in his arms, crying, There is no danger, make yourselves easy! Charles turned his eyes towards heaven, with a look of gratitude; for my part I was almost out of my senses for joy. The man, to whom the dog belonged, accompanied Edward, and informed us, that the poor creature, having been provoked and chafed about, ran hastily home and hid itself under a bed. The general cry at first, he owned, made him afraid, (in spite of his reason) that a dog, who half an hour, before was perfectly well, might now be mad; but that shortly after, when he enticed it from its hiding place, it was very glad to eat and drink, and he perceived that the poor creature had only been terrified by cries and blows, and did not shew the least sign of madness[1]. Fortunately this man lived at one of the houses Edward was directed to, when he was seeking for the surgeon. Footnote 1: In Holland, no dogs are allowed to run in the streets during the summer hot months, without being secured by a small cord.