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mals, &c. making himself a master of the famous Weston's short hand in such perfection, as he was able to take down every word of the Professor's lectures in the college hall, sermons in the pulpit, and testimonies, pleas, &c. in Courts of Judicature. As he grew in years, with a clear, sedate, unprejudiced and most easy way of thinking, he greatly improved in knowledge; and therewith a most comely sweet ness, prudence, tenderness and modesty, graced all his conversation and improvements in the eyes of all about him.

As monuments of his extraordinary industry and ingenuity; in two or three minutes view, I see he has left in his study, (1) Maps of the earth in its various projections drawn with his pen in a most accurate manner, finer than I have ever seen the like from plates of copper. (2) A number of curious Dials made with his own hands: One of which is a Triangular Ociodecimal; having about its center eighteen triangular planes, with their hour lines and styles, standing on a pedestal, though unfinished. (3) A number of Optical and other mechanical instruments of his own inventing and 'mak ing; the designs and uses of which are not yet known. (4) A considerable number of Manuscripts, of his own writing; containing extracts out of various authors, with his own pious meditations and self-reflections; though almost all in short hand, with many characters of his own devising, and hard to be deciphered. (5) As he was well skilled in 'Music, he for exercise and recreation, with his own hands, has made a most accurate Organ,

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with two rows of keys and many hundred pipes; his intention being twelve hundred, but died before he completed it. The workmanship of the keys and pipes surprisingly nice and curious, exceeding any thing of the kind that ever came here from England; which he designed, not merely to refresh his spirits, but with harmony to mix, enliven and regulate his vocal and delightful songs to his great Creator, Preserver, Benefactor and Redeemer. He thought the Author of nature and music, does, by his early choristers of the air, with which the day-spring rises, teach us to awake with them, and begin our morning exercise with grateful hymns of joy and praises to him. And what is surprising was, that he had but a few times looked into the inside work of two or three organs which came from England. (6) But what I would chiefly write of is, his clear knowledge of the properties of light, his vast improvement in making Microscopes, most accurately grinding the finest glasses; and thereby attaining to such wondrous views of the inside frames and works of nature, as I am apt to think that some of them at least have never appeared to mortal eye before. He carried his art and instruments to such a degree, as to make a great number of surprising discoveries of the various shapes and clusters contained in a variety of exceedingly minute particles of vegetables, insects, &c. as also of the yet smaller clusters which composed the particles of those clusters, &c. that he seemed to be making haste to the sight of the Minima Naturalia, or the very

minutest and original atoms of material substances.

In short, he could meet with no curious piece of mechanism but he could readily see its deficiencies, make one like it, and happily improve. At one time, he told me, it seemed as if we might magnify almost unboundedly, or as far as the rays of light preserved their properties and could be visible. At another time, that he saw a way of bringing sun-beams in such a manner and number into a room in the coldest day of winter, as to make it as warm as he pleased, without any other medium.

I earnestly urged him to write down, delineate and publish his discoveries, for the instruction of men and glory of God: but his excessive modesty hindered him, and now they are gone without recovery. I can only relate a specimen or two which once he showed me, as follows.

The first of which I remember was, he put a small live louse into his Microscope, and project ed the shade on the wall....... By the beating of the collected sun-beams on him through the glass, we presently saw his fluids boiling, and his muscular parts excited to universal, violent convulsions, which increased till he died in an in

stant..

The other, yet more wonderful, I took down at the time in writing, viz. April 18, 1744, as follows. He put in the place thereof a mite of a cheese; and it projected a shade 216 half inches long, 120 half inches broad, and about as thick as broad. If the room had been 100 feet square, he could have

made the shade of the mite 100 feet in length, &c. He then put in its place a small particle of gutter water, about as long, broad, and thick again as the mite, and it projected a thin shade, which looked like a mighty lake, wherein were swimming with inimitable life and swiftness a number of extremely small animalcula, whose shade was but half an inch long, and about proportionably broad as in the mite, but less in thickness; by which I then computed thus.

The shade of the mite
216 half inches long
120 half inches broad

25,920 square half inches superficies

120 half inches thick

3,110,400 cubical half inches in the whole.

By which we clearly see, that 25,920 of those half inch animalcula could lie side by side on the back of that one mite; and that 3,110,400 of them together would not make a body so large as his.

We also saw the animalcula overcome with the collected heat of the sun beams, and die in struggles; before which their motion was so extremely swift, our sight was unable to define their dimensions with any exact

ness.

This observing young gentle. man told me, that about a fortnight before, or the beginning of April, when these animalcula were so much nearer their fatal state, they were so small as at the same distance to project a shade of byt a tenth of an inch

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cubes in the whole.

By this we may see, that 648,000 of those decimal animalcula could lie side by side on the back of the mite; and that 388,800,000 of them in a heap together would not amount to the bigness of his single body. Yea, as the half inch animalcula, and consequently the decimals, were not half so thick in proportion as the mite, it would take up more than double of those cubi cal numbers to equal his body.

Marvellous are the works of God! Yea, they are honourable and glorious, as the inspired writer tells us; and therefore sought out by all those that have pleasure therein.

By the observations above, especially considering he could easily have magnified the shade of the mite to above a hundred feet, yea, in a manner unboundedly, &c. methinks I can easily conceive, how all the children of men from Adam, might, in their original stamina, be enclosed in their parental stamina; and so in the loins of their primitive ancestor be actually united to him, as his living members, at the time of the first transgres

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These are but two or three instances of the many entertaining discoveries of this extraor dinary youth, who I doubt not has now the discerning powers of angels; capable of seeing without instruments or rays, even the finest parts of material substances, with all their created beauties and the wondrous ope rations of their Maker in them; and yet entertained with sublim er views. As there was such a conjunction of ingenuity and piety in him as is rarely seen among the sons of men; so his ingenuity sanctified, became an instrument to promote his piety; either to advance his knowledge and veneration of God, or help excite, and fit to adore, serve and honour him. In very tender and weakly body, he had an indefatigable soul, was a wonderful redeemer of time, and the above were some of his recreating exercises, which he made subservient to the glory of God, when he found it needful to divert from his intenser studies of divine Revelation, and his own conformity to his Crea

The reader will consider these as the philosophical speculations of the Rev. Mr. Prince, for the correctness of which the editors do not hold themselves responsible.

tor, Sanctifier and Saviour; to the latter of which, he, by divine grace, was turned in an eminent manner about six years ago. Since which happy change within him, nothing seemed to engage his soul and draw his attention so much as the study of Christ, that most admirable person, above all created beings, and the most wondrous work of redemption in its various progressive branches, from their first original to their eternal

consummation. And could the key of his characters be perfectly discovered, it is hoped a remarkable delineation might be also given of his experimental and active piety.

I would on this occasion beg the reader's patience for one observation more; viz. that as besides the moral qualities of serenity, kindness, prudence, gentleness and modesty, displaying in his very countenance; there appeared especially in the air and look of his eyes the strongest signatures of a curious and accurate genius, that I remember ever to have seen: from this and other remarks in others, I am apt to think, that even every quality of the human mind, and even in their various measures, may, by the operation of God, at least, become even visible in the human countenance and eye to near spectators; and as the appearance of the evil qualities of malice, madness, rage, &c. among the damned, will eternally excite their mutual horror; so the amiable excellencies of the saints in light, and above them all, of the most glorious Son of God, will eternally blaze out in the countenance and eye,

to their perfect and perpetual pleasure and admiration. THOMAS PRINCE.

LIFE OF SARAH PORTERFIELD.

Written by a female friend from her own lips.*

I was born in Ireland, in the county of Donegal, in the parish of Raphe, Aug. 13, 1722. I had pious parents, who instructed me in the Christian religion, and set good examples before me. When I was about 11 years old, I trust God was pleased to effect a work of divine grace in my soul. After my first experience of the truth of the gospel, I was for some time left in the dark, and greatly feared that my change was not real. At length, I was brought to see that I had neglected a duty in not giving myself up to the Lord in a public manner. Being about seventeen years old, an opportunity presented, and I offered myself for examination to the church in Raphoe, of which the Rev. David Farley was pastor. The church, after examination, saw fit to receive me into their communion, and I cannot but hope God was pleased, at that time, to grant me tokens of his saving love. A blessed season it was to me. I sat under his banner with delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. Never before were such clear discoveries made to my soul of the love of Christ,

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I great satisfaction of many on board.

and of my union to him. found him a safe resting place, and could trust my all in his hand. O it was good to be there. One hour with Christ is better than a thousand elsewhere. I now began to live anew. My love to Jesus was such, as to overcome all other affections. But this comfortable frame, after some time, subsided, and I was left in darkness, under the hidings of God's face. I never questioned the foundation of my hope, yet I often grieved after my absent Lord, who for wise and holy ends withheld from me sensible communications. At one time in particular I was brought into great darkness, and overwhelmed with grief. But, blessed be God, I was not left to give up my hope, nor to quit my relation to him. To him I cried, as my God and Father, who pitieth his children. How soon did he come to my relief.

When I was about nineteen years old, my father went to Pennsylvania, in America, and finding a plantation suitable for his family, he wrote over for my mother and the children to take passage in the first vessel and come to Pennsylvania. Accordingly my mother with three daughters took passage on board a large ship, which was going with passengers to Philadelphia.

July 28, 1741, we sailed from Londonderry, Captain Rowen being commander. For some time after we sailed we had pleasant weather, and every thing was agreeable, excepting dur seasickness. The ship's company daily assembled on the quarterdeck for prayers, which were performed alternately by four or five of the passengers, to the

When we had been about 'three weeks at sea, a very mortal fever broke out, and spread through the whole ship's company. In this melancholy situation we were reduced to great distress. It is enough to make one's heart ache to think of our condition. Not one was able to help another. My mother and her children were preserved and restored to health. Thanks to God for such a mercy, when so many were daily dying around

us.

But God, who knoweth all things, and never does any wrong to his creatures, did not suffer us to rest here. Sorer trials were appointed for us. When we had been as much as ten weeks at sea, we were visited with a violent storm, in which our ship was much wrecked, and we were all very near being lost. The Captain at that time thought we were near land, and expected every day to make it, and to get into port soon. But God had different purposes in view. The violence of the storm drove us to the eastward. The sea raged greatly. Our masts gave way; and we were in a distressed situation, even at our wit's end. Then we cried unto the Lord, and he heard us, and came down for our deliverance. O that I could praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his lovingkindness unto us.

At that time the Captain thought proper to put all hands on allowance, as he did not know where the ship was, or how long we should be continued in our present situation. His reckoning was out, and he knew not

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