love to his relations, acquaintance, and friends, who came to see him in his illness; and full of tender sweetness and Divine love, he took his last leave of them, which greatly affected many. This was one of the most pinching exercises I ever met with in all my days; but as he said in his illness, so I now write, "The wisdom of the Lord is wonderful!" One time in this dear child's sickness, he said, "Oh ! the good hand of Thee, the Lord, help me, give me ease, and conduct me safe," i. e. to God's kingdom, uttering this verse;

"Sweet Jesus, give me ease, for mercy I do crave;

And if thou'lt give me ease, then mercy I shall have."

Although this was a great and sore exercise, and deep affliction to me, in losing this promising youth, and my only son; yet, considering that he went off the stage of life like a solid good Christian, it was made tolerably easy to me; for he departed this life in much brightness and sweetness, and more like an old Christian than a youth of ten years of age.

It was usual for me to advise his mother not to set her affections too much upon him, thinking he was too good to live long in this world, and too ripe for heaven, to stay long here on earth, or in this world of sorrow and misery. This dear and tender youth, when reading (to which he was much inclined) if he met with any thing that affected him, either in the sacred writings or other good authors, he would write it down, and get it by heart. He was, more than common, affectionately concerned for his mother, doing whatever he could freely and cheerfully to serve her, and told her not to do divers things which he thought too much for her, saying "Mother, let me do it; if I were a man thou should not do any thing at all,"

(meaning as to labour,) my dear wife being very industrious, and apt to overdo herself at times, and she being affected with his filial love and care for and towards her in his father's absence, it caused her sometimes to turn about and weep, in consideration of his great care for and love to her. I thought a little memorandum of the life and death of this religious lad was worthy recording, in order to stir up other youths to obedience and love to their parents, who begat them, and carefully and tenderly nourished and brought them up; and also to love and obey God, from whom they have their life, breath, and being, and to believe in Christ, who died for them; who is the glorious Light of all the nations of them that are saved, and walk therein, according to sacred writ.

As noted above, he got several pieces by heart out of the Bible, and other religious writings, first writing them with his pen. The short ones I may recite, of which nature were divers others, which peradventure may be edifying to some, who may cast their eye thereon.

One place, which much affected my mind, that he wrote down, and got by heart, was the fifteenth verse of the fifty-seventh chapter of that evangelical prophet Isaiah: "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."

Another little piece was five verses, which among others he wrote, and got by heart, viz.

As one day goes another comes,
And sometimes shews us dismal dooms,
As time rolls on, new things we see,
Which seldom to us do agree:
Though now and then's a pleasant day,
"Tis long a coming, soon away:
Wherefore the everlasting Truth
Is good for aged and for youth,
For them to set their hearts upon,
For that will last till time is done.

I have now but one only daughter, Rebecca, left me out of twelve children, (except my wife's son and daughter.)

CHAPTER IX.

1734-1736.

VOYAGE TO DUBLIN AND BACK-THEN TO BARBADOES,

AND THENCE TO LONDON-SETTLES HIS AFFAIRS SATISFACTORILY

VISITS FRIENDS IN SEVERAL

PARTS OF ENGLAND; AND RETURNS HOME.

AFTER this long and tedious voyage, which ended in the Second Month, I staid but a few weeks at home, and loaded with wheat and flour for Dublin, in Ireland; had Alice Alderson, my kinswoman, and Margaret Coupland, passengers. We had a very comfortable, pleasant passage, fair winds and weather, and good religious meetings. I think it was the most pleasant time that ever I crossed the seas; about Nantucket we saw several sloops a whaling, and spoke with one, by which opportunity we inquired of the welfare of our Friends on that island and sent

our loves to them. Not many miles from the sloops we saw a shoal of whales: I counted eight in a row lying side by side in the water.

We were four weeks and six days from our Capes to Cape Clear in Ireland; coming near the land we met with fishing-boats, and got plenty of choice fresh fish in the evening we got into Kinsale, took in a pilot for Dublin, and sailed next day from Kinsale, and were out one night at sea; got next day to Dublin Bay, where we went ashore, and were kindly enter

tained by our friends. We were at divers large meetings in that great city, which some of us, while we live, at times I believe shall remember. My stay in Ireland was about seven weeks, in which time I visited several meetings in the country, and at Edenderry, the Moate of Grenogue, Carlow, Ballytore, &c. We set sail from Dublin with a fair wind in company with the ship Neptune, and our friends sent many prayers and good wishes after us. We were about forty persons, sailors, passengers, and servants, on board, and had a good passage, all things considered.

We had divers religious meetings on board, and were on our passage, from the sight of Ireland, to the sight of our land, five weeks and six days: it was the quickest voyage I ever made to Europe and back again to Philadelphia.

When I came home, finding all well, I was thankful to God, in the name of Christ, for all his mercies, and the many preservations wherewithal he had favoured me.

After being a little at home, and at several meetings, and not being clear of the world, in order to it, I undertook another voyage to Barbadoes, and from thence intending for London, in order to settle my affairs there, which I intended some years before, but losses and disappointments hindered me. Wherefore, the 7th of the Tenth Month, I proceeded on a fifth voyage in the Barbadoes Packet, and left Philadelphia, and was at a meeting the next day at Chester, (being First-day,) and in the evening we had a large meeting at Grace Lloyd's, where I met with my dear friend Joseph Gill, who had good service in the said meeting: we rejoiced in Christ to