What he most insisted upon was, the happy end she made; and thence drew consolation to her relations, and instruction to the auditory.

In a word, his performance was such as heightened the reputation which he had before in a very eminent degree obtained.

When the corpse was to be carried down into the vault, (a very spacious one, within the church,) there was great crowding to see the coffin-lid, and the devices upon it.  Particularly two gentlemen, muffled up in clokes, pressed forward.  These, it seems, were Mr. Mullins and Mr. Wyerley; both of them professed admirers of my dear cousin.

When they came near the coffin, and cast their eyes upon the lid, ’In that little space,’ said Mr. Mullins, ‘is included all human excellence!’ —­And then Mr. Wyerley, unable to contain himself, was forced to quit the church, and we hear is very ill.

It is said that Mr. Solmes was in a remote part of the church, wrapped round in a horseman’s coat; and that he shed tears several times.  But I saw him not.

Another gentleman was there incognito, in a pew near the entrance of the vault, who had not been taken notice of, but for his great emotion when he looked over his pew, at the time the coffin was carried down to its last place.  This was Miss Howe’s worthy Mr. Hickman.

My cousins John and Antony and their nephew James chose not to descend into the vault among their departed ancestors.

Miss Harlowe was extremely affected.  Her conscience, as well as her love, was concerned on the occasion.  She would go down with the corpse of her dear, her only sister, she said; but her brother would not permit it.  And her overwhelmed eye pursued the coffin till she could see no more of it; and then she threw herself on the seat, and was near fainting away.

I accompanied it down, that I might not only satisfy myself, but you, Sir, her executor, that it was deposited, as she had directed, at the feet of her grandfather.

Mr. Melvill came down, contemplated the lid, and shed a few tears over it.  I was so well satisfied with his discourse and behaviour, that I presented him on the solemn spot with a ring of some value; and thanked him for his performance.

And here I left the remains of my beloved cousin; having bespoken my own place by the side of her coffin.

On my return to Harlowe-place, I contented myself with sending my compliments to the sorrowing parents, and retired to my chamber.  Nor am I ashamed to own, that I could not help giving way to a repeated fit of humanity, as soon as I entered it.  I am, Sir,

Your most faithful and obedient servant,
Wm. Morden.

P.S.  You will have a letter from my cousin James, who hopes to prevail
      upon you to relinquish the executorship.  It has not my
      encouragement.

LETTER XXXI