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father endured for the death of a ſon, which wife ſuſtained for the loſs of her huſband, and all thoſe minor ties of conſanguinity and ⟨friendſhip⟩ which were, at this unhappy and awful period, generally diſolved.
When we conſider how very ſoon the gay ⟨purſuits⟩ and flattering appearances of life are deſtroyed; how uncertain are our poſſeſſions, and ⟨how⟩ ſubject to hopes, and how embittered by diſappointments, are our purſuits; it is ſomewhat extraordinary, that we ſhould be ſo much attached ⟨to⟩ the world, ſhould entruſt the ſun-ſhine of our ⟨days⟩ and without ſuſpicion of a change, to every ⟨cloud,⟩ ſhould commit our preſent happineſs to the inſtability of climate, to the viciſſitudes of cold and ⟨heat⟩ to the terrors of the tempeſt, or the peſtilent dangers of the calm:-it is aſtoniſhing, I again ⟨repeat⟩, that we ſhould repoſe all our comforts, ⟨and⟩ all our expectations, upon a world ſo full of mortification, diſappointment, and affliction; when ⟨we⟩ muſt be conſcious that we muſt ſo ſoon leave ⟨the⟩ world and all its empty deluſions behind. ⟨When⟩ we look around, and ſee people who thought themſelves above the reach of want, and reclining, ⟨after⟩ a long apprenticeſhip of patient induſtry and perſevering toil, upon the lap of late-earned independency and honeſt repoſe; when we ſee them ⟨by⟩ the fruits of exertions thus made, and of ⟨comforts⟩ thus enjoyed, in one fatal and deſtructive our,--⟨what⟩ an awful leſſon does this reflection awaken in ⟨our⟩ minds! and how much does it not warn us againſt building upon a foundation ſo very precarious ⟨at⟩ beſt, and at the beſt deceitful! But then to ⟨see⟩ them reduced to this ſituation, and ſtruggling ⟨with⟩ infirmities, without the vigour of youth, or ⟨the⟩ exertions of manhood-without ſhelter from ⟨the⟩ weather, protection from power, or meat ⟨and⟩
