SELINA, COUNTESS OF HUNTINGDON, Pantheon, had formerly been a place of public amusement, and had been built for entertaining parties of pleasure, more particularly on the Lord's Day. She also purchased a large building in White- chapel, which had been intended for a theatre, and erected the pulpit on the stage, converted the dressing-rooms of the actors into a vestry, and devoted the pit and galleries to free sittings for the poor ; thus literally planting the standard of truth on the ramparts of vice. Lady Huntingdon lost her excellent friend, Whit- field, in 1771. By his will, she became possessor of the Orphan House, in Georgia, America, founded by him for the purpose of giving instruction to the poor. She willingly undertook to follow up his labours, and despatched some missionaries from Trevecca to America; but unfortunately the building was soon after destroyed by fire, and her plans were finally frustrated 1y thebreaking out of the American war in 1775, when all her property in Georgia and Carolina-worth about four thousand per annum - was seized by the insurgents. Sternly simple in her own manner of living, it shocked her to see property outraged by those whose duty it was to set an example of piety and decorum. The lady of Dr. Cornwallis, Archbishop of Canter- bury, being distinguished as a leader in the fashion- able world, and remarkable for the splendour of her equipages and entertainments, had given great offence to all serious-minded persons by the intro- 28
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