My anxious apprehensions at parting with him this year proved to be but
too well founded; for not long afterwards he had a dreadful stroke of
the palsy, of which there are very full and accurate accounts in
letters written by himself, to shew with what composure of mind, and
resignation to the Divine Will, his steady piety enabled him to behave.
'TO MR. EDMUND ALLEN[707].
DEAR SIR, It has pleased GOD, this morning, to deprive me of the powers
of speech; and as I do not know but that it may be his further good
pleasure to deprive me soon of my senses, I request you will on the
receipt of this note, come to me, and act for me, as the exigencies of
my case may require.