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VARIOUS SUBJECTS.

BY MARY DEVERELL,

Gloucestershire.

THE SECOND EDITION,

REVISED AND ENLARGED BY THE AUTHOR.

WITH

An additional DISCOURSE on the Duty of
THANKSGIVING.

LONDON:

Printed for, the AUTHOR, by W. STRAHAN: .

And fold by Meffrs. DODSLEY, Pall-Mall; Lewis, Picadilly; ROBSON,"
and MICHELL, New Bond-ftreet; WILKIE, St. Paul's Church-Yard;
CROWDER, Pater-Nofter-Row; DILLY, Poultry; and DAYENHILL,
Cornhill: Alfo by T. CADELL, Briftol; BALLY, Bath; G. HARRIS,
Gloucester; and moft Bookfellers in Town and Country,

M DCC LXXVI.

TO THE

PRINCESS ROYAL

OF ENGLAND.

MADAM,

TH

(

HE great honour done me by Our moft gracious Queen, your Royal Mother, in permitting me to prefix your illuftrious Name to the following Effays, is not to be regarded as a proof of their merit, but of her Majefty's condescending goodness; who is willing to encourage the meaneft of her sex in laudable attempts, and thofe efpecially which may promote Religion, to the profefsion of which, she herself is so bright

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an ornament. It is a high bleffing to the fubjects of this realm, that they 6025 A 2

can

can look up to the throne for examples of virtues and excellencies, which not only adorn human nature, but dignify even royalty itself.A fplendid theme on which to expatiate, did it not rife fuperior to any language of mine, and throw the panegyric of fo mean a writer, to an awful distance!

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THE Discourses now humbly offered to your Royal Highnefs, were composed by a perfon of obscure and undiftinguifhed rank, who yet hath not relinquished the proper duties of her ftation for the fake of literary pursuits. They are not fruits of learning or genius: They are not fo much effufions of the head, as of the heart. In order to have rendered them a more worthy offering to the Princefs Royal, and more worthy the fubjects on which they are formed, with the Author

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could have equalled the many ladies who have proved by their immortal

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writings,