friends at Hampstead. You are so kind as to inquire after my health. I bless God, I am perfectly well, and have not been indisposed since I saw you, except one evening when Miss Kitty was a little unkind, and said No, as I thought very seriously. However she is grown a pretty good girl, and renders my chains tolerably easy. Mr. Freeman, who is my very good friend in this affair, has desired me to invite you into the country this summer, and says, you shall be heartily welcome to his house, if it suits with your convenience. You are sure your brother will be heartily glad of your company, and I shall be willing to bear the charge of your journey.

My humble service to my good brother, to Mr. and Mrs. Campden, and all other friends at Hampstead or London. I am sorry to hear of the death of my cousin John's wife. As for Mrs. Farrington's expedition into Wales, I heartily wish her a good journey, and a great deal of comfort and happiness there, for you know that I am her dutiful son! as well as

Your most affectionate Brother and humble Servant,

PHILIP DODDRIDGE.

P.S. A while ago I sent you the picture of King William in miniature, and I desire to know whether you have yet received it.

TO MR. POOL AND THE OTHER LEADING MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATION AT COVENTRY.

GENTLEMEN,

February 18, 1724.

Ir certainly becomes me to return you my most humble thanks for the uncommon civility and respect with which you have always treated me, and particularly for that remarkable testimony of your regard which I have just now received. But as to the particular affair which you propose, I cannot possibly entertain any thought of it. I will not now enter upon my reasons at large, because the gentleman who brought your letter is in haste to return; otherwise my respect to you would have led me to do so. The principal point is, I cannot think of appearing in opposition to Mr. Warren in an affair of this nature. It is extremely contrary to my own inclination, and would certainly be resented by all the ministers in the country, and by several of my friends at London, and it would also render me extremely odious to all the dissenters in Coventry that were not of my own congregation, and so embroil me in endless contentions, which it would be difficult to manage, and impossible wholly to avoid. Upon this and several other accounts, I could not think of accepting the invitation, in case you should favour me with it. I do not apprehend it would be of any importance to appoint the meeting which you are pleased to propose; otherwise I should be heartily

willing to embrace that or any other opportunity of expressing the sense I have of your many favours, and the sincerity and respect with which I am,

Gentlemen,

Your most obliged, most affectionate,

and most humble Servant,

P. DODDRIDGE.

REV. SIR,

TO MR. BRADLEY.

March 3, 1724.

I MOST heartily thank you for the kind care you have taken about Mr. Baxter's works, and for all the other favours that I have received from you. As for the way of sending them, I can think of none more convenient than to direct them to be left for me at Mr. William Cooper's, in Great Glen, Leicestershire. There are two Leicester carriers; one of them puts up at the Castle, and the other at the Ram in West Smithfield, and I believe they will come safe by either. I have no news to send you with relation to myself, but that through the mercy of God, I enjoy a very good state of health, and do not find that preaching is at all injurious to me in that respect.

I still continue among my friends at Kibworth, and have no thoughts of leaving them very soon, though I have had some invitations to larger and more considerable places. I reside in a very agreeable family, where I have very comfortable accommodations about me, and have almost as much time

for study as I had when I was at the academy. The congregation consists of about two hundred and fifty people. They have no such thing as politeness among them, but a great deal of candour, good nature, and plain sense, being entirely free from those wild notions which prevail so much in some neighbouring places. I have reason to hope that the greater part of them are serious Christians, and they all express a very great affection for me; so that upon the whole, I have a great deal of comfort among them. The salary is but small, but then provisions are cheap, and I have no temptation to an expensive way of living; so that I hope, if it please God to continue my health, I shall have no occasion to be a further burthen to my friends.

My sister is gone to live at Stockwell. I think, sir, I told you in my last, that I was afraid she was going into a consumption, but she writes me word that her health is considerably mended. I am heartily sorry to hear that you have been an invalid this winter, and hope that by this time you are perfectly recovered. I desire the continuance of your prayers for the success of my private studies, and of my poor attempts for the public service, and am, with the sincerest gratitude and affection,

Reverend Sir,

Your most obliged and most humble Servant,

PHILIP DODDRIDGE.

P.S. My most humble service waits on your good

lady.

TO MR. MASON.

Burton, Sat. March 14, 1724.

you for

DEAR SIR, I HEARTILY thank your most obliging letter, which I did not receive till a pretty while after its date. I ought to have answered you a great while ago, and my conscience tells me I have been much to blame; however I heartily ask your pardon, and I know you are too much a gentleman to require any further satisfaction.

As I thought myself very happy in your friendship when we were at Hinckley, and always retain the tenderest remembrance of you, I am glad that you have not entirely forgotten me; and as to the correspondence you propose, I embrace it with the utmost alacrity.

I hope, my dear friend, you are settled to your satisfaction at London, the seat of pleasure and the school of improvement, as indeed I bless God I am at Kibworth. You know the character of the people here, and you will easily form an idea of my manner of living among them. We have a mutual affection for each other; and the marks which I daily discover of an honest and undissembled friendship and respect, expressed with rustic warmth and sincerity, is a thousand times more agreeable to me than that formal and artificial behaviour which is to be found in more polite places. I board in Mr. Freeman's family, and you will easily imagine some engaging circumstances that render that situation peculiarly