t. SELINA, COUNTESS OF HUNTINGDON, when I am dying, I think I shall be happy to seize the skirt of Lady Huntingdon's mantle to lift me up with her to Heaven." Her endeavours to convert her dependants were often rewarded with success, though sometimes not exactly in the way in which she anticipated. One day she spoke with a man who was repairing a gar- den wall, and pressed him to take some thought concerning eternity and the state of his soul. Some years afterwards she was speaking with another man on the same subject, and said to him, " Thomas, I fear you never pray, nor look to Christ for salvation." " Your ladyship is mistaken," rejoined the man. "I heard what passed between you and James at such a time, and the word you designed for him took effect on me." " How did you hear it ?" "I heard it on the other side of the garden, through a hole in the wall ; and shall never forget the impres- sion I received." During Lord Huntingdon's life, the Countess did all in her power to advance the knowledge of the Gospel ; but her means were necessarily circum- scribed, and her family engagements occupied the greater part of her time and attention. She had four sons and three daughters,-Francis, George, Ferdinando, and Henry ; Elizabeth, Selina-who died in her infancy - and another Selina, the youngest but one of her children. Despite her limited resources, however, she contrived to do much. The first preacher whom she employed was 14
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