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 speech to David is replete with beauties, and is a model of the oratory of thought applied to the passions, to the prejudices, and the previous associations of David. Read it in Samuel, I. Book, chap. XXV, verses from 24 to 31, and then judge of the effect it must have had on her auditor, when his heart burst forth, as it were, in this reply:—

"And David said to Abigail, Blessed he the Lord God of Israel, which hath sent thee this day to meet me.

"And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand."

These events occurred B. C. 1057. 

ABIJAH, wife of Ahaz, and mother of Hezekiah, king of Judah. She is called in the book of Kings, Abi; and by Josephus, Abia. 

ABINGDON [sic], FRANCES, eminent, English actress, whose maiden name was Barton, was born in 1735. Some part of her earlier life she is said to have spent in great poverty, and when about fifteen, she joined a company of strolling players. In 1752, she was engaged at the Haymarket, London, where she was received with great applause. In 1755, she married Mr. James Abingdon, and in 1759, she left London for Dublin, where she was long the chief theatrical favourite. Her forte was in comedy; and as the finished lady, or romping chambermaid, she was equally at home. In 1761, Mrs. Abingdon left her husband to reside with Mr. Needham, who bequeathed her part of his fortune at his death. In 1799, she quitted the stage, and died at London in 1815. 

ABISCH [sic], ANNA BARBARA, , like her father, a Swiss painter on glass. The Benedictine monastery of Muri, in the canton of Aragau, contains many specimens of her ability in this branch of decorative art. 

ABISHAG, Shunamite, a beautiful young virgin, who cherished David, king of Israel, in his old age, and was afterwards desired by his son Adonijah, as a wife; which request caused him to be put to death by the command of Solomon, who looked upon it as an indication that Adonijah wished in other respects also to take the place of David, their father. A learned commentator thus tells the story:—"The king, (David,) though he had been so robust in his youth, seemed to decay daily. His afflictions, labours, fatigues, and perpetual wars, had exhausted him so much, that entering on his seventieth year, his natural heat seemed on the point of being extinguished; while his mind was as vigorous as ever, and he still governed with so much wisdom and authority, as made his life previous. His physicians, in order to prolong it, hit upon an expedient which succeeded, at least, for some time. All Israel was sought through to find out a proper person, and the choice fell on Abishag, the Shunamite, a young, beautiful, and virtuous woman. He made her his wife, and she was with him both 