Page:Narrative of the life of Mrs. Hamilton (1).pdf/8

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nally loſt. I was in the moſt deplorable ſituation conceivable, and deſpaired of ever going from that place. I thought that the earth was juſt about to ſwallow me up alive, into everlaſting deſtruction, of both ſoul and body, and really expected to fall immediately into the bottomleſs pit, where there was no recovery. My diſtreſs was ſo great, the people diſcovered it, gathered around me on all ſides, and ſuppoſed me in a fit, and ſought means to recover me, but in vain; for my diſtreſs was of ſuch a nature that medical aſſiſtance was entirely baffled; I fainted and fell to the ground; they lifted me into the coach again, and carried me home to my uncle's houſe. A great company of people followed me. This ſituation of mine greatly exaſperated the minds of the people; ſome ſwore they would kill the miniſter, becauſe they ſuppoſed he had bewitched me: and my uncle immediately ſent for the Romiſh Prieſt to diſpel the witchcraft from me; but his preſence was very diſagreeable to me. I told him to be gone, for we were all going to hell together. Another miniſter then came to me, but I could not bear the ſight of him neither, for it appeared to me that he had helped me to commit the unpardonable ſin I told him to be gone quick, and that he would neither go to heaven himſelf, nor let others: and as he was turning to go from me, my aunt told him not to mind what I ſaid; for I was crazy.