troubles of life, or of showing, that in all the difficulties and perplexities of this world's contumely, the only sure solace was in God: "trust in him at all times, ye people; pour out your hearts before him." In the accomplishment of this, and many other important objects, she had frequent recourse to her pen : her letters were 66 weighty and powerful; and it is much to be regretted, that the most interesting portion of her correspondence, of this nature, has been destroyed.

In the year 1813, a new sphere presented itself for her exertion, in the formation of the Female School of Industry; an institution which fell under her immediate superintendence, and which for nine years occupied much of her time, and thoughts, and prayers. An attempt having been made in that year, to form a Union School, upon the liberal principle of not compelling the children of dissenting parents to learn the church catechism; and of permitting them to be conducted by a monitor to their own place of worship; and the attempt having miscarried, it was resolved, to try, at least, the establishment of a female school upon a small scale, and upon such a basis. How completely the experiment succeeded, is yet in the recollection of very many; how entirely it engaged the best affections of the heart, and secured her constant daily exertions, is best known to him "who searcheth the heart and trieth the reins."

The principle upon which the Female School of Industry was founded, was that of Christian charity,

in order to render the blessings of instruction accessible to all, without involving any compromise of their principles. It was recollected, that by far the greater number of children would be church children; and therefore it was provided, that the mistress should invariably belong to the Establishment, and that she should conduct the children to church; while those of dissenting parents should be taken to chapel, by a monitor. It was further provided, that a spirit of sectarianism should be excluded from the course of instruction; and that the subdivisions of the Christian world, and their distressing mutual prejudices and peculiarities should be kept out of view.

On this ground, it was thought wise, with respect to catechisms, equally to exclude from public instruction, the church catechism, and that usually termed the assembly's catechism; and to adopt that of Dr. Watts, which would convey to the children, in a simple form, the truths of Christianity, but which would not awaken in their minds a spirit of prejudice, an emotion of jealousy against others,—or a feeling of self-complacency—a "stand by, for I am holier than

thou." In fact, the object was to imbue the mind with the principles of spiritual religion, not with the peculiarities of any particular polity; and to exhibit Christianity in its loveliest form, divested of those excrescences which have been unfortunately engrafted upon its surface, by the imperfections of mankind. Happy is it, that these can only be ex

crescences which a few years must remove: the God of the Christian is the same everywhere; he has revealed himself as a God of love; and real religion knows nothing of uncharitableness, nothing but the light, and love, and harmony of the Saviour's presence, and the happiness of heaven: every intermixture of motive or action, which may appear upon earth, is to be ascribed to that primeval sin, which first sowed the seeds of discord, early produced hatred and murder, and still lurks in most intimate union with that principle of our nature which is averse from God and holiness.

There were those who could not comprehend this tossing overboard the peculiar and non-essential views of each sect; this steady limitation of religious instruction, to the unvarnished simplicity of the Bible, and its great truths, in its own language. Hence a charge of inconsistency was preferred against the patrons of this institution, as if they had made a sacrifice of principle at the shrine of liberality. "This very charge, they not only allow, but distinctly rejoice in admitting; they will rejoice to be inconsistent, if consistency be defined to be adherence to a party; and while they admire the beauty of other celebrated human compositions, they rejoice in consistently assuming the basis of the Sacred Writings, as the only ground of faith and practice, as the only common ground on which every Christian would rest his hope, and on which all Christians can consis

tently unite their efforts in doing good and showing mercy."*

It is allowed, that there are elements of evil afloat in the human mind, and it was assumed by the conductors of the Female School of Industry, that the best prospect of curing the disorders of the mind, was afforded by education; not simply by a process of training its manifestations in one particular direction, under one peculiar aspect, and exclusively along the walls of one especial building, but by "imbuing it with the characteristic features of religion and of the Bible; and with these principles, drawn from the pure source of divine truth, which form the basis of the Christian character; principles, which constitute the bulwarks, and the distinctive doctrines of the Established Church,—that Protestant establishment which will excite veneration for its antiquity; that establishment which is amiable for its candour, and worthy of the highest esteem, for its pure and fundamental adherence to the great truths of Christianity." +

Christian charity formed a peculiarly prominent feature of Mrs. Newnham's character. With her, it was not an occasional act, nor the native impulse of excited feeling, nor the simple duty of relieving the wants, or ministering to the sorrows of others; but the uniform habitude of the soul, the constant dispo

*See Annual Reports of the Female School of Industry. + Ibid.

C

crescences which a few years must remove: the God of the Christian is the same everywhere; he has revealed himself as a God of love; and real religion knows nothing of uncharitableness, nothing but the light, and love, and harmony of the Saviour's presence, and the happiness of heaven: every intermixture of motive or action, which may appear upon earth, is to be ascribed to that primeval sin, which first sowed the seeds of discord, early produced hatred and murder, and still lurks in most intimate union with that principle of our nature which is averse from God and holiness.

There were those who could not comprehend this tossing overboard the peculiar and non-essential views of each sect; this steady limitation of religious instruction, to the unvarnished simplicity of the Bible, and its great truths, in its own language. Hence a charge of inconsistency was preferred against the patrons of this institution, as if they had made a sacrifice of principle at the shrine of liberality. "This very charge, they not only allow, but distinctly rejoice in admitting; they will rejoice to be inconsistent, if consistency be defined to be adherence to a party; and while they admire the beauty of other celebrated human compositions, they rejoice in consistently assuming the basis of the Sacred Writings, as the only ground of faith and practice, as the only common ground on which every Christian would rest his hope, and on which all Christians can consis