Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/350

340 higheſt excellence, yet greatly contributed to ſet off her other more important graces to advantage; and whoſe piety will ever ſhine as a bright example to poſterity, and teach them how to heighten the natural gifts of underſtanding, by true and unaffected devotion.The conduct and behaviour of Mrs. Rowe might put ſome of the preſent race of females to the bluſh, who rake the town for infamous adventures to amuſe the public. Their works will ſoon be forgotten, and their memories when dead, will not be deemed exceeding precious; but the works of Mrs. Rowe can never periſh, while exalted piety and genuine goodneſs have any exiſtence in the world. Her memory will be ever honoured, and her name dear to lateſt poſterity.

Mrs. Rowe’s Miſcellaneous Works were publiſhed a few years ago at London, in octavo, and her Devotions were reviſed and publiſhed by the reverend Dr. Watts, under the title of Devout Exerciſes, to which that worthy man wrote a preface; and while he removes ſome cavils that wantonneſs and ſenſuality might make to the ſtile and manner of theſe Devotions, he ſhews that they contain the moſt ſublime ſentiments, the moſt refined breathings of the ſoul, and the moſt elevated and cœleſtial piety.

Mrs. Rowe’s acquaintance with perſons of faſhion had taught her all the accompliſhments of good-breeding, and elegance of behaviour, and without formality or affectation ſhe practiſed in the moſt diſtant ſolitude, all the addreſs and politeneſs of a court.

She had the happieſt command over her paſſions, and maintained a conſtant calmneſs of temper, and ſweetneſs of diſpoſition, that could not be ruffled by adverſe accidents. She