studies, that I thought it had been but a few days since I received it. However, now I perceive my error, I set myself immediately to correct it, and most heartily ask your pardon. Now, as I question not but there is some unknown fair, who reigns with as unbounded a sway over your heart as Miss Kitty does over mine, I humbly submit myself to her patronage; and beg that she would intercede in my favour, with the same readiness with which my mistress engaged herself in yours, and then I question not but it will be with the same success.

I am absolutely determined against delaying my letter one moment longer, or else I could find out a very proper excuse for to-day. For I have been troubled with such a fit of the head-ach this morning as renders me very unfit to entertain you in the same vein of wit and humour in which you write. But, upon second thoughts, it may be happy for me that I am furnished with such an apology, which I should certainly have needed if I had been ever so well. However, you are always to remember, my friend, that I am a plain man, and only write to a few particular persons, who love me so well as to be glad to hear of my life, and health, without expecting any further entertainment.

Upon your humble confession and deprecation, I condescend so far as to pardon your neglect of your short-hand; but it is only upon condition that you be more diligent for the time to come. For to deal very faithfully and honestly with you, I at first under

took to teach you-not so much out of friendship as pride. I easily discerned the marks of a very uncommon capacity for making yourself master of whatever you pleased, and I was ambitious of the honour of instructing so tractable a scholar, who would infallibly prove a credit to me. Now if you should after all disappoint my expectations, it would be such a mortification as I could not easily forgive.

You cannot imagine how I am terrified with the charge of heresy, which you so confidently advance against me, and pretend to prove out of my late writings. I am sensible, that if it can be made out, I am nipt in the bud; and I am too well acquainted with the zeal and canons of modern orthodoxy to imagine myself qualified to encounter it: so that I am hardly able to rest in my bed for fear a writ should be issued out de excommunicato capiendo. Therefore I do most earnestly beg that you would deliver me out of the mouth of the lion, by entering a caveat against it. And I do hereby empower you to publish in my name a recantation and abjuration of all errors, which I have committed up to this present 5th of Dec. 1724, known or unknown; and without so much as inquiring into the particulars of them. As to that, which you were pleased so largely to specify, de cibo et poto sacerdotum, I am so convinced of its unfashionable tendency, and of the injuries which my own dear person would be exposed to, if I should presume to maintain it, (which by the by is an admirable preservative from heresy) that I

do hereby most solemnly renounce it. And, in order to convince my Fathers and Brethren the clergy of the sincerity of the declaration which I now make, I assure them that they shall find my practice agreeable to it; for I will be willing to dine with a committee of them the next time I come to town upon the most delicious entertainment that the luxury of the clergy can invent, or the generosity of the laity provide.

I have not forgotten the promise which I made to your good father, of transcribing that very ordinary sermon which I preached to Mr. Wilcox's people; nor of composing another according to his desire, against the next time he comes into the country. I long impatiently for the pleasure of seeing him, and desire that you would let me know when it is that I am precisely to expect him. I hope you will contrive to come along with him; and I shall be ready, whenever you are pleased to appoint to wait upon you from Harborough to Burton, with all that respect and attention which I owe to so kind and so generous a friend, and which so valuable a character might justly expect from a stranger.

to

your

Be pleased, sir, to give my most humble service fair sister, and all other friends who think it worth their while to inquire after me. I heartily thank you for the promise which you made me of favouring me with a sight of some of your poems, which adds to the impatience with which I should otherwise expect your answer. If I may judge by the genius of the author, or by a specimen which I

VOL. I.

H H

saw when I was last in town, he will have no need to be afraid of the severity of a critic, or to lay claim to the fond prejudice of his

Most affectionate Friend and obedient Servant,

DEAR TOMMY,

PHILIP DODDRIDGE.

TO TOMMY MITCHELL.

Dec. 13, 1724.

you were

It is now Sabbath day morning, and therefore I must not allow myself to write much. However, as your father intends to see you to-morrow, I am willing to take a few moments to show that I do not forget you. I was very glad to hear by Mr. Goode that so easy at your first going to Stamford, and I hope you have not found any reason to be otherwise. I suppose you will quickly come to a determination whether you shall continue there or not; and I pray God to direct you to that choice which will be most for his glory, and the comfort of yourself and friends. As for the circumstances of the present affair, you are more capable of judging of them than I, and accordingly you are to choose for yourself. As for my opinion, you know I have told you more than once, that if I were in your place I know no trade that I should choose sooner than that of an apothecary, or any master that I should prefer to Mr. Roberts. It is certainly a very genteel, rational, profitable business, and above all, it gives a man an opportunity

both of doing and of getting good. It is a matter of importance to have a master of so much religion and good sense as Mr. Roberts appears to be, who will be very capable of giving you an insight into the business; and who, from a principle of conscience, will be careful to discharge his duty. So far as I could judge by his discourse, he seems to be very sensible that the comfort of life does much depend upon keeping every body easy and pleased about him, and particularly considers it with relation to his servants, which is a happy turn of thought, and not to be found in every other wise and good man. You easily see which way I incline. Think of the evident importance of these considerations, and remember to determine as in the presence of God and accountable to him, and by rational arguments rather than by passionate impressions, which may make you too fond of home as I was when first I went abroad. If

you continue where you are, I shall frequently write to you, and shall give you such advice as I think may conduce to your comfort and happiness. In the mean time study the books which I gave you, consulting your natural good sense and sweetness of temper, which engage the esteem and affection of all who know you; and keep up a constant dependance upon that God who is the fountain of wisdom and grace.

I am, dear Tommy,

Your most affectionate Friend and Servant,

PHILIP DODDRIDGE.