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a [?] to you and their other kindred friends but a
calamity to the County of Hertford long to be remembered.
Another generation must supply their vaccum
their void is as the stillness of death [?] to be
hold! These remarks I indulge [because?] too sorrow
and heg leave to share with you a sympathy so com-
mon here. This participation of sympathy is natural
and tender humane nature, you are not unkind enough
to blame. But it is useless to indulge thus [emmotionally?].
Though it is true as said by Augustus that we grieve for
the very reason that our grief will not bring the dead back.
Yet the dead no matter how conspicuous, how dis-
tinguished, how celebrated while on earth, are soon
forgotten. No one scarcely speaks of them. This
the common lot of morals. A few only receive
immortality- and that immortality lasts only to the
end of time - when the [?] [?] at the sound of the
judgement [trump.?] will be as great a personage as
the greatest King or other [potential?] - What avail-
est immortality to the dead is not the beggar as will
[?] in eternity as the great lord, whose fame
although is sung with pomp for an earth. Death then
is an universal good- it levels all ranks without his
scythe the earth could not be peopled with moderate
bounds so as good government could be preserved.
One generation cometh and another passeth away until
this earth is replenished with succeeding [?]
So, though we esteem the fall of our friends a severe
misfortune to us, as indeed it may as seems to us, we
should, I think you will agree with me, rest with
the consoling reflection that this final [?]
of our dear friends is no partial evil to us but univ-
ersal good- That it is in conformity with the laws
of nature without which our globe would instan-
tly fall - That it is the will of our Creator our
God: what god hath decreed let no man consider his exclu-
sive misfortune. He creates and he destroys - let us give
thanks that we are as well as we are, and look to him
for blessings. He often metes out blessings where we
hitherto saw nothing but misfortune. Will you ple-
ase accept of this as a friendship offering. Ever yours,

Farewell, W.D.V.