I never saw so beautiful a corpse in my life

Fri & Sat July 10 1736: Just as they had done drinking tea Mrs. Margaret [see yesterday], seeing her colour change, asked if she was well. She did not return any answer; and Dr. Tailfer soon after going by, she desired him to step in, and said, ‘Sir, my sister, I fear, is not well.’ He looked earnestly at her, felt her pulse, and replied, ‘Well, madam! Your sister is dying.’ However, he thought it not impossible bleeding might help. She bled about an ounce, leaned back, and died.
As soon as I heard of it I went to the house, and begged they would not lay her out immediately, there being a possibility, at least, she might only be in a swoon; of which indeed there was some slight hope, she not only being as warm as ever, but having a fresh colour in her cheeks, and a few drops of blood starting out upon bending her arm. But there was no pulse and no breath; so that having waited some hours we found her ‘spirit was indeed returned to God that gave it’.
I never saw so beautiful a corpse in my life. Poor comfort to its late inhabitant! I was greatly surprised at her sister. There was in all her behaviour such an inexpressible mixture of tenderness and resignation. The first time I spoke to her she said, ‘All my afflictions are nothing to this. I have lost not only a sister, but a friend. But ’tis the will of God. I rely on him; and doubt not but he will support me under it.’
This evening we had such a storm of thunder and lightning as I never saw before, even in Georgia. This voice of God, too, told me I was not fit to die; since I was afraid rather than desirous of it! O when shall I wish to be dissolved and to be with Christ? When I love him with all my heart.
Almost the whole town was the next evening at the funeral; where many doubtless made a world of good resolutions. O how little trace of most of these will be left in the morning! ’Tis a true saying, ‘Hell is paved with good intentions.’