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may be well persuaded (which there you could not always have been) that he is well and happy; and, above all, you may be persuaded, as your dear brother was most fully in his time of severest suffering, that God never smites his children in vain, or out of cruelty. His severest stripes are intended to heal, and he has doubtless some wise and gracious purpose both for your poor Martin and for you, in thus taking him from your side, and leaving you in this world, with Himself as your sole guardian.

A mighty and most merciful Protector be sure He is, and one who always then deals most kindly with us when we are constrained to cast our cares on Him alone, and are most sensible of our utter helplessness. This was your brother's comfort; it should be yours; and thus may both he and you have occasion for unspeakable joy hereafter, if the mysterious dispensation which has deprived you of your brother, serves to bring you to a closer and more constant communion with your God. Meantime, in my wife and myself, you have friends, even in this remote land, who are anxious, as far as we have the power, to supply your brother's place, and whose best services you may command as freely as his whom you have lost.

So long as you choose to remain with us, we will be, to our power, a sister and a brother to you. And it may be worth your consideration, whether in your present state of health and spirits, a jour

ney, in my wife's society, will not be better for you than a dreary voyage home. But this is a point on which you must decide for yourself; I would scarcely venture to advise, far less dictate, where I am only anxious to serve. In my dear Emily you will already have had a most affectionate and sensible counsellor.

And now farewell! God support, bless, and comfort you! Such as my prayers are, you have them fervently and sincerely offered. But you have better and holier prayers than mine. That the spirits in Paradise pray for those whom they have left behind, I cannot doubt, since I cannot suppose that they cease to love us there; and your dear brother is thus still employed in your service, and still recommending you to the Throne of Mercy, to the all-sufficient and promised help of that God who is the Father of the fatherless, and of that blessed Son who hath assured us, that " they who mourn shall be comforted!"

One more consideration I cannot help addressing to you, though it belongs to a subject wrapt up in impenetrable darkness. A little before your poor brother ceased to speak at all, and after his mind had been for some time wandering, he asked me, in a half whisper," Shall I see my sister to-night?" I could not help answering, though in a different sense, perhaps, from that in which he meant the question, that I thought it possible. I know not, (indeed, who can know?) whether the spirits of the

just are ever permitted to hover over those whom they have loved most tenderly; but if such permission be given, (and who can say it is impossible?) then it must greatly increase your brother's present happiness, and greatly diminish that painful sense of separation which even the souls of the righteous may be supposed to feel, if he sees you resigned, patient, hopeful, trusting on that same Cross which was his refuge in the hour of dread, and that good Providence to whose care he fervently and faithfully committed you.

Believe me, dear Miss Stowe,

Your faithful and affectionate friend and servant,

REGINALD CALCUTTA.

TO MRS. R. HEBER.

Furreedpoor, July 28, 1824.

Alas! alas! my beloved wife, what have you not gone through? Your letter of July 24, has just reached me from Dacca. God's will be done in all things! Your joining me is out of the question. But I need not tell you to spare no expence of sea-voyage, or any other measure, which may tend to restore or preserve our dear children or yourself, so soon as such a measure may appear desireable for any of you. On these

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points I leave you in confidence to the advice of

Dr. Abel and Mr. Shaw. For the success of their counsels I humbly hope in the mercy of God, who has in this heavy visitation preserved us from still more bitter sorrow.

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I am, at this moment, strangely tempted to come to you. But I fear it might be a compromise of my duty and a distrust of God! I feel most grateful indeed to Him for the preservation of our invalueable treasures. I pray God to bless Lady Amherst, and all who are dear to her, and to shew kindness tenfold to her children, for all the kindness she has shewn ours.

I am going on immediately, with a heavy heart indeed, but with trust in His mercies. Farewell!

REGINALD CALCUTTA.

TO LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ALEXANDER, &c. &c. &c.

MY DEAR SIR,

Allahabad, Sept. 24, 1824.

Many thanks for your kind and friendly letter, as well as for the enclosed paper. I am sincerely sorry that you have had so much trouble about it, and that from our friend the Archdeacon and myself not knowing exactly each other's proceedings, an ignorance arising from the illness which kept him while at Chunar so nearly close a prisoner, we were at the same time taking measures which had a tendency to clash with each other.

It is, however, of the less consequence, since circumstances have come to my knowledge which make me think it, at the present moment, inexpedient to address Government on the subject of the Chunar Church, and that the object which we have all of us in view, will be, in some degree, obtained by another method.

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I cannot close my letter without renewing my acknowledgements for the very agreeable days which I have spent in your house and in your society; and assuring you that I shall long remember with deep interest some passages in our conversation, and in the letters which you shewed me. That God may bless you and yours in all things, is the earnest wish of,

Dear Colonel,

Ever your sincere friend,

REGINALD CALCUTTA.

TO MRS. R. HEBER.

Allahabad, Sept. 29, 1824.

Your letter, and enclosed note, have just reached me at this place, where we have been thus long detained for want of tents.

Alas! my love, how have you been tried! Comfortable as your last note is, I dare not yet hope

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