Page:Advice to the young.pdf/14

 him in any other temper but that I wiſhed to be in the laſt moment of my life.

For ſome years before Mr. Hervey's death he viſited very few of the principal perſons in his neighbourhood. Being once aſked why he ſo ſeldom went to ſee the neighbouring gentlemen, who yet ſhewed him all poſſible eſteem and reſpect; he anſwered, 'I can hardly name a polite family where the converſation ever turns upon the things of God. I hear much frothery, and worldly chit chat; but not a word of Chriſt and I am determined not to viſit thoſe companies where there is not room for my maſter as well as myſelf.

Such was Mr Hervey's ſtrick piety, that he ſuffered no moment to go unimproved. When he was called down to tea he uſed to bring his Hebrew Bible, or Greek Teſtament with him; and would either ſpeak upon one verſe, or upon ſeveral verſes, as occaſion offered. This, ſays Mr Romaine, was generally on improving ſeaſons. The glory of God is very ſeldom permitted at the tea table; but at Mr Hervey's drinking tea, it was like being at an ordinance, for it was ſanctified by the word of God and prayer.

Secretary Walſingham, an eminent courtier and ſtateſman, in Queen Elizabeth's time, in his old age, retired into privacy, in