98 THE CARNATION. 



It will readily be believed that my heart became 

 kni. to this family; and after my poor boy was 

 confined to his home, I went continually to give 

 and receive supplies of strengthening hope, in con- 

 versing with Dame C. Never was gratitude so 

 overpowering as that wherewith our little offices 

 of kindness were received : never were spiritual 

 things more abundantly reaped, in return for such 

 poor services in carnal things. 



I was often deeply humbled to perceive in how 

 fierce a furnace the Lord still kept what to man 

 appeared gold fully refined. The dame's trials 

 were dreadful. One part of her malady was the 

 nightly, and often daily, appearance of the most 

 horrible shapes and countenances, menacing and 

 rushing at her, as if commissioned to tear her in 

 pieces. Not being able to account for this, she 

 naturally supposed them to be evil spirits ; and 

 most heart-rending were her cries to the Lord, for 

 help and defence against them. A medical friend 

 explained to me the origin of those optical illu- 

 sions ; and I was able to convince her that they 

 sprang altogether from her disease. It was joyful 

 news to her harassed mind : but in the beautiful 

 simplicity of her faith she said, ' When I thought 

 them devils, I did not really fear them : it was sad 

 to have devils for company, and they are very 

 frightful too : but since neither angels, nor principal- 

 ities, nor powers can separate me from the love of 



