intermingled with devotion. Lady Frances Gardiner sets out on Tuesday next: I have taken my leave of her, as for the present I must do of you, my dearest, assuring you that I am,

Most entirely yours,

P. DODDRIDGE.

TO MRS. DODDRIDGE.

MY DEAREST,

Walthamstow, Aug. 4, 1748.

I HAD SO very little time on Tuesday that I could not give you any particular account of my visits that day; though, perhaps, you might have a little curiosity to know them. Indeed it was a very busy one, for after rattling on the stones for more than an hour and a half to Kensington Gravel Pits, where I breakfasted with Sir John Thorold, and spent an hour or two in very agreeable conversation, I went to the Archbishop, and was received by his grace in a very obliging manner. I sat a full hour with him alone, and had as free a conversation as I could have desired. It turned on Archbishop Leighton; on the Rebellion; on the late debates in the House of Lords, about the Scots non-juring clergy; and especially on the affair of a Comprehension; concerning which I very evidently perceive, that though his grace has most candid sentiments of his Dissenting brethren, yet he has no great zeal for attempting any thing in order to introduce them into the Church, wisely foreseeing the difficulties with which it might be attended: but when I mentioned to him (in the freedom of our discourse) a sort of a medium between the present state, and that of a perfect coalition, which was that of

Dr. Herring.

acknowledging our Churches as unschismatical, by permitting their clergy to officiate among us, if desired, which he must see had a counterpart of permitting Dissenting ministers occasionally to officiate in churches, it struck him much, as a new and very important thought; and he told me, more than once, that I had suggested what he should lay up in his mind for further consideration. If Providence spare our lives, I question not but I may have an opportunity of resuming the subject, perhaps, with some advantage, for his Grace has been so good as to desire that I would visit him whenever I am in town; and he is going to live so near Mr. West, that it will be easy for me to go over with that gentleman to visit him, for there is likely to be a great intimacy between them. After this I dined with Mr. Calamy, in the heart of the city, and then came hither, with good Mrs. Raymond, in Mr. Barker's chariot. With what kindness and tenderness I have been received it is not for me to express; indeed, yesterday, which I spent entirely here and at Mrs. Snell's, was a charming day. Mr. Barker was well enough to walk in the garden, and to pray, as nobody else in the world can; or at least, so far as I can judge, very, very few. I shall preach at St. Albans, God willing, on Thursday, and hope Matthew will be there that night, that we may return the next day. This is my present scheme; and extending my time to this, its utmost length, I shall find it very difficult to adjust my affairs so as to gratify half the friends who invite me to their houses. I must conclude abruptly. With due salutations, always very much yours,

P. DODDRIDGE.

FROM THE REV. FRANCIS AYSCOUGH, D. D.

REV. SIR,

Cliffden, Sept. 8, 1748. I TOOK the first opportunity after my return to present the third volume of your Expositor, with your most humble duty to her Royal Highness, and I have her commands to return you her thanks for it; and I must beg you to accept of the same from myself for that which you sent me, and, indeed, I think it a very good and useful performance: did I not really think it so, God forbid that I should tell you so; for I think no compliment should be made in any thing which relates to, or is to direct the faith and morals of mankind. Let this a little explain my taking no notice to you of the book you sent me last year.* I assure you my omitting to write did not proceed from disrespect, for I really look upon you as my superior, in every respect in which superiority is to be valued, in knowledge, in piety, and good works. But what could I have said to you had I wrote to you ? Could I have told you that I thought it a good performance, and such as would be of use to the world? That I could not, after the many reflections that I had heard the world make upon it, I could only have told you how much I wished that you had never published it, and how vain and useless would those wishes have been at the time I must have sent them to you. But I must say no more. I am almost ashamed of the freedom I have already taken with you, though I assure you it proceeds from the sincerity with which I am

Your affectionate Friend and humble Servant,

F. AYSCOUGH.

P.S. I thank you much for your prayers for the young

*Memoirs of the Life of Col. Gardiner.

Royal Family, I hope they have been effectual, for I can most truly assure you that they go on very well, and promise to be a future blessing to the nation.

TO THE REV. SAMUEL CLARK, D. D.

REV. AND DEAR SIR,

Northampton, Oct. 2, 1748. I BLESS God I continue very well, and have at present considerable encouragement both in my Academy and congregation so that, on the whole, we do not, in an afternoon, much miss those we have lost of late. And I find several young persons awakened to a serious sense of religion, which is a great comfort to me; but two circumstances of affliction are mingled: the one is the death of an excellent young woman, whom God had evidently given me as a seal of my ministry, who died on Monday last; the other is a greater still, I mean the spread of Moravianism, which has infected several weak but affectionate people of my flock, and now appears, in spite of long dissembling, to have effected rank Antinomianism in principle, joined with a contempt of almost all external ordinances, and an entire alienation of affection from me, though among persons who have always had great reason to love me. Under these troubles, as well as under continual labours, I greatly need, and earnestly desire, your prayers. I sometimes think these things are partly the effect of too great a remissness in visiting my flock as a pastor, and partly a Providential rebuke for it. The variety of offices which I sustain make it really difficult to know how much time Providence calls me to allot to each, and I find a backwardness to personal applications, especially by way of reproof, which I need and desire more wisdom and grace to conquer.

I have, this evening, ended my Paraphrase on the First

Epistle General of John, and hope to finish Revelations before the end of the year. You see, dear Sir, on how many accounts your prayers are needed by

Your most obliged, faithful,

and affectionate humble Servant,

P. DODDRIDGE.

SIR,

FROM THE COUNTESS OF HARDWICKE.

Oct. 27, 1748.

I WAS favoured with your letter just as I was leaving the country; and since my coming to town, I have found so much business in settling my family for the winter, that I have really wanted time to return my thanks, not only for your obliging letter, but also for the two books you were so good to send me. I most sincerely wish that more of our writers employed their pens in endeavouring to better their own hearts and those of their readers, and then the press would not abound, as it does, with books calculated to destroy both our civil and religious liberties. I was very glad to learn from you that Mr. Scawen and his family enjoyed their health under the late trying affliction, and I hope Providence will bless their future endeavours in the education of those that remain. I have seen Mrs. Dicey, since my return to this place; she appeared in health and tolerable spirits, and told me they were going to settle in Northamptonshire, and that they removed their goods from Maidwell; which, I told her, I was glad of, since it was, I thought, the only expedient that could be thought of, to make her parents happy in their own house. I wish her well; but much fear that this one fatal step will make her unhappy for life.

My son Charles is much obliged by your kind inquiries