But his thoughts and attention were not confined to the perishable concerns of this world only; and what was the subject of his meditations in health, was more forcibly impreffed upon his mind during illness. He knew the duty of refignation to the will of his Maker, and of dependence on the merits of a Redeemer; and I find thefe fentiments expreffed in a fhort prayer, which he compofed during his indifpofition in September 1784, and which I here infert:

"O thou Beftower of all Good! if it "please thee to continue my easy tasks in "this life, grant me ftrength to perform "them as a faithful fervant; but if thy wif"dom hath willed to end them by this thy "vifitation, admit me, not weighing my un"worthinefs, but through thy mercy declared "in Chrift, into thy heavenly manfions, that "I may continually advance in happiness, by

privileges and advantages for English vessels resorting thither, as the government of that country might be disposed to grant.

advancing in true knowledge and awful love "of thee. Thy will be done!"

I

quote: with particular fatisfaction, this

fhort but decifive teftimony of the religious principles of Sir William Jones. Among many additional proofs, which might be given of them, is the following fhort prayer, compofed on waking, July 27, 1783, at sea, also copied from his own writing:

"Graciously accept our thanks, thou Giver "of all Good, for having preferved us an"other night, and beftowed on us another day. O, grant that on this day, we may "meditate on thy law with joyful veneration, "and keep it in all our actions, with firm "obedience."

Minute circumftances frequently tend to mark and develop character. As a farther inftance of this obfervation, however trifling it may appear, the application by Sir William Jones to himself, of two lines of Milton in his own writing under a card with his printed name, in addition to more substantial proofs,

may be quoted in evidence of his habitual

frame of mind:

Not wand'ring poor, but trusting all his wealth
With God, who call'd him to a land unknown.

On another scrap of

paper,

the following

lines appear; they were written by him in India, but at what period is not known, nor indeed of any confequence:

Sir EDWARD COKE,

Six hours in sleep, in law's grave study six,
Four spend in prayer,—the rest on nature fix:

RATHER,

Seven hours to law, to soothing slumber seven,
Ten to the world allot, and all to Heaven..

If we fometimes fuffer the humiliation, of feeing great talents and extensive erudition prostituted to infidelity, and employed in propagating mifery by endeavouring to fubvert the bafis of our temporal and eternal welfare, we cannot but feel a more than common gratification, at the falutary union of true genius. and piety. Learning, that wantons in irreligion, may, like the Sirius of Homer, flash its ftrong light upon us; but though brilliant, it is baneful, and while it dazzles, makes us tremble for our fafety. Science therefore,

without piety, whatever admiration it may excite, will never be entitled to an equal degree of refpect and efteem, with the humble knowledge, which makes us wife unto Salvation. The belief of Sir William Jones in Revelation, is openly and diftinctly declared in his works; but the unoftentatious effufions of fequeftered adoration, whilst they prove the fincerity of his conviction, give an additional weight to his avowed opinions. More might be added on this fubject, but it will be communicated in another place.

His next ftage was Bhagilpoor, the refidence of the friend, to whom the preceding letters were addreffed, and here he was long detained by illness and debility. The vigour of his mind however ftill continued unimpaired, and except during the fevere paroxyfms of diforder, his researches for information were never fufpended, nor would he fuffer himself to be debarred from any intercourfe by which they could be promoted. It was at this place, during the hours of convalefcence when he was confined to his couch,

that he applied himself to the study of botany; a science for which he had early entertained a great partiality, and which he pronounces the most lovely and fascinating branch of natural knowledge. With the works of Linnæus before him, he procured the plants of the country to be brought to him, and comparing the productions of nature, with the descriptions and arrangements of the Swedifh philofopher, he beguiled the hours of languor and disease, and laid the folid foundation of that botanical knowledge, which he ever afterwards cultivated with increasing ardour and delight.

From Bhagilpoor he purfued his journey to Patna, where he was again attacked with a fevere indifpofition. It did not however prevent him from proceeding by land to Guyah, famous as the birth-place of Boudh, the author of a fyftem of philosophy which labours under the imputation of atheism; but more famous for the annual refort of Hindu pilgrims from all parts of India, who repair to the holy city for the purpose of making prescribed