have any thing like the Spirit which appeared in
her Countenance, at the different Sentiments expressed
in the several Parts of Divine Service: That
Gratitude and Joy at a Thanksgiving, that Lowliness
and Sorrow at the Prayers for the Sick and Distressed,
that Triumph at the Passages which gave Instances
of divine Mercy, which appeared respectively in her
Aspect, will be in my Memory to my last Hour.
I protest to you, Sir, she suspended the Devotion
of every one around her; and the Ease she did every
thing with, soon dispersed the churlish Dislike and
Hesitation in approving what is excellent, too frequent
amongst us, to a general Attention and Entertainment
in observing her Behaviour. All the while that
we were gazing at her, she took Notice of no Object
about her, but had an Art of seeming awkwardly attentive,
whatever else her Eyes were accidentally thrown
upon. One Thing indeed was particular, she
stood the whole Service, and never kneeled or sat;
I do not question but that was to shew her self
with the greater Advantage, and set forth to better
Grace her Hands and Arms, lifted up with the most
ardent Devotion, and her Bosom, the fairest Observation;
while she, you must think, knew nothing of the Concern
she gave others, any other than as an Example of
Devotion, that threw her self out, without regard
to Dress or Garment, all Contrition, and loose of
all Worldly Regards, in Ecstasy of Devotion.
Well, now the Organ was to play a Voluntary, and
she was so skilful in Musick, and so touched with
it, that she kept time not only with some Motion of
her Head, but also with a different Air in her Countenance.
When the Musick was strong and bold, she look’d
exalted, but serious; when lively and airy, she
was smiling and gracious; when the Notes were more
soft and languishing, she was kind and full of Pity.
When she had now made it visible to the whole Congregation,
by her Motion and Ear, that she could dance, and
she wanted now only to inform us that she could sing
too, when the Psalm was given out, her Voice was
distinguished above all the rest, or rather People
did not exert their own in order to hear her.
Never was any heard so sweet and so strong. The
Organist observed it, and he thought fit to play
to her only, and she swelled every Note; when she
found she had thrown us all out, and had the last
Verse to herself in such a manner as the whole Congregation
was intent upon her, in the same manner as we see
in the Cathedrals, they are on the Person who sings
alone the Anthem. Well, it came at last to the
Sermon, and our young Lady would not lose her Part
in that neither; for she fixed her Eye upon the
Preacher, and as he said any thing she approved,
with one of Charles Mathers’s fine Tablets
she set down the Sentence, at once shewing her fine
Hand, the Gold-Pen, her Readiness in Writing, and
her Judgment in chusing what to write. To sum
up what I intend by this long and particular Account,
I mean to appeal to you, whether it is reasonable