Page:Collection of interesting anecdotes, religious, moral and entertaining, selected from several eminent authors.pdf/3

( 3 ) Reader-How awful is this reflection! Conſider. Prepare. Watch.

5. An inſtance of the power of conſcience we have in Lord Rocheſter. “ One day,” ſays he, " I was at an atheiſtical meeting at a perſon of quality's, I undertook to manage the caufe, and was the principal diſputant againſt God and piety, and for my performance received the applauſe of the whole company, upon which my mind was terribly ſtruck, and I immediately replied thus to myſelf-" Good God! that a man that walks upright, that ſees the wonderful works of God, and has the uſe of his ſenſes and reaſon, ſhould uſe them to the defying of his Creator."

6. Conſtantine the Great, in order to reclaim a miſer, took a lance and marked out a ſpace of ground of the ſize of the human body, and told him, " Add heap to heap, accumulate riches upon riches, extend the bounds of your poſſeſſions, conquer the whole world, in a few days ſuch a spot as this will be all you will have." " I take this ſpear," ſays Saurin, “ I mark out this ſpace among you, in a few days you will be worth no more than this. Go to the tomb of the avaricious man, go down and ſee his coffin, and his ſhroud, in four days theſe may be all you will have."

7. When Garrick ſhewed Dr. Johnſon his fine houfe, gardens, ſtatues, pictures, &c. at Hampton-Court, what ideas did they awaken in the mind of that great man ? Inſtead of a flattering compliment which was expected, " Ah, David, David, David," ſaid the Doctor, clapping his hand upon the little man's ſhoulder, " theſe are the things which make a death-bed terrible."

8. Dr. Johnſon ſaying to Mr. Boſwell, that he was engaged to go out early in the morning. Boſwell ſaid, " Early, Sir?”