If

family, bearing the impress of divine meditation. And before retiring to rest, he read a portion of scripture. he was under difficulty or perplexity, the first thoughts which occurred to him on awaking in the morning, were generally those to which he took heed, by which he was often freed from what had annoyed him. He had learned to cast his care on Divine Providence, in matters of less as well as greater moment. He was a kind and considerate master, being careful to avoid giving servants unnecessary trouble. He rose early both in summer and winter. Neither he nor his wife were in the station of minister; but in meetings for discipline, and in families, they were often concerned to deliver wise counsel, in words few and pertinent; and R. S. sometimes spoke in public meetings, but, like his father, in the character of an elder. When he returned to our national meeting, on account of his attendance at the yearly meeting of London, his words were delivered with such humility, sweetness, and brokenness, that the influence under which he moved, seemed to overspread the assembly.

He was freely given up to these services by his true helpmate, whose exertions to promote the good of all, united with his own. This pious woman assiduously endeavoured to alleviate the sufferings of body or of mind, which came under her notice; and, as has been alluded to before, her nature, as well as her religion, prompted her to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction; and in fulfilling these duties, she experienced that feeling so excellently described by the poet:

"The heart which bleeds for others' woes,

Shall feel each selfish sorrow less;

The breast which happiness bestows,

Reflected happiness shall bless."-CARTWRIGHT.

Being enabled to overcome evil with good, she was sincerely beloved, and seemed to be made a blessing to some

who had at one time been prejudiced against her. With a solid and improved understanding, her simplicity was such, that it might appear not difficult for the artful to impose upon her; yet it not unfrequently happens, that the single-hearted and artless, more readily penetrate into the characters and motives of others, than those do who are busy in concealing their own. Her grave manners tended to inspire awe in young persons; but they soon found that these were softened by such kindness of heart, that love overcame every other feeling towards her. Sedulously attentive to the improvement of his pupils, Richard Shackleton's time was fully occupied with this employment, and he resigned to his wife the management of his farm; not that he was himself averse to, or incapable of conducting it; nor did it appear that any other person entertained an opinion, which he often expressed respecting himself, that he was fit for nothing but a schoolmaster; but he knew his wife's capability and inclination for these concerns, and her willingness to receive advice from those who were experienced in agricultural affairs. She was, indeed, remarkable for this; and readily waved her own plans, to make trial of what others recommended, though it often happened that her former practice proved to be the best.

She was slow and deliberate in her movements and decisions. She not only provided for her household, conbining therein economy with plenty, and attended to the various business of the farm, but superintended the building of several houses; permitting nothing to prevent her fulfilling her duties to her aged mothers, to her children, and to the other branches of her family: the regular distribution of her time, and the love of order, enabling her to accomplish what few of greater activity, without these aids, find themselves capable of.

She was an admirer of good poetry, but still feeling the

limit which had restrained her youthful imagination, she justly feared the danger of transgressing it for herself and others: thus restricted, the enjoyment, so far as it was permitted, was without a sting.

Her husband, also, scrupulously endeavoured to keep his genius for literature in subjection to higher objects: if he had turned the bent of his mind to it, he probably might have excelled in poetry. Those who have no taste of this kind themselves, are in danger of mistaking their motives, when they condemn those who have. None who are sensible of the beauties of literature can despise them, however they may feel themselves circumscribed in the indulgence of their inclination. Of a winter's evening, Elizabeth Shackleton frequently brought those scholars who belonged to her own religious society, into the parlour, to read her the journals of Friends, as she sat at work. She was also pleased at hearing history read to her, generally by the young students who were parlour-boarders. This employment was the more agreeable and instructive, because she had an excellent memory and sound judgment. She entered into the characters of those held up to view, often supplied the thread of the narration, when it had escaped the young reader, and took a lively interest in the public or private events which were narrated. She persuaded herself that Caligula's reason was impaired by the fever which had seized him before he was raised to the imperial dignity, and therefore imputed to insanity, the apparent change of character, and the subsequent horrors of his reign. She lamented and blamed the timidity of Seneca, which deterred him from curbing the headstrong passions of Nero; beNeving, that had he been faithful in the discharge of his duty, his pupil might have been awakened to a sense of his enormities, and the preceptor been longer spared to a degenerate age. It was natural that this fault should appear evident to one who was herself religiously con

cerned to avoid it; for she believed it was required of her, in many instances, to admonish those whose improper words or actions came under her notice. She spoke not of those offenders; she spoke to them; though in doing thus she took up the cross, and often for a time felt it heavy; but whatever the rank, or how little soever acquainted with the person, she must fulfil her apprehended duty, to obtain that peace, which, flowing as a river, amply rewarded such sacrifices. It need scarcely be added, that in these performances, her own will being laid aside, she was instructed so to speak, as seldom, if ever, to offend; and we cannot calculate how much good may have been produced by those alms (if they may be so termed) given in secret. The manner in which Elizabeth Shackleton was strengthened to perform her duties, is thus described by herself.

"Being sensible of my own inability, my dependance was on Divine help, which I had often experienced in times of need. I was favoured with understanding and knowledge for the business, beyond what I could have thought; my careful, industrious husband assisting in many things belonging to my department as well as his own; so that we were reciprocally helpful one to the other, sympathizing and bearing burdens one for the other, in our arduous calling; and both being near of an age, and favoured, for many years, with a good degree of health, our success in endeavouring to do our duty was an encouragement, and our minds were preserved in a grateful sense of the gracious dealings of the Lord to us. And notwithstanding our close and constant engagements, so that we seldom left home on other occasions, we found it but our reasonable duty to attend the meetings for discipline to which we belonged, as well as quarterly and half-yearly meetings; also to show, by an exemplary life, the efficacy of the principles of truth we professed to be led by, amongst

the numerous acquaintance we had; being employed by who knew little or nothing of those principles."

many.

An instance of this occurred, when a gentlewoman, on leaving her son, requested of Richard Shackleton that he might be permitted to read the Bible. He, amazed, expressed his surprise that she should place her child where such a request was necessary, assuring her that the Bible was daily read in the family. She asked his excuse, telling him that she understood that George Fox's Journal was substituted instead of it, by those of his profession. At another time, the son of a man of fortune was brought to his school by his mother, who, till she came to Ballitore, had never seen one of the people called Quakers. Elizabeth Shackleton queried why she brought her son among a people who were such strangers to her. She answered, that she had heard a good character of them, although they differed from the Church of England concerning baptism and the supper. This lad spent most of his childhood, and some of his youth, at Ballitore, perhaps the happiest part of his life; for when he lay in an American prison, dying of wounds received in a battle, in which the British army (wherein he was an officer) was defeated, and the prison was so crowded as to aggravate the pangs of death, "If I were at Ballitore I should not be thus neglected," were almost the last words he uttered.

One of the pupils, an only child, died of the small-pox; and Elizabeth Shackleton lost her own child, then also an only one, about the same time, of the same distemper. "This," said she, "proved a trial to me, which I hope was of service; believing, that whatever afflictions are permitted to attend us, are for our good, if we make a right use of them, and more and more cast our care on Him who careth for his humble dependant children."