I persuade myself, my dear cousin, that I have such an interest in you, and the rest of my good friends at Cookham, that you will be glad to hear I am so well settled, and pardon the trouble I now give you. As we are almost the only remaining branches of the family, I hope we shall not be strangers to each other. If your business and convenience would permit, I should be heartily glad to see you at Burton, where I am sure I have interest enough to make you welcome; and, if I may expect that favour, will send you more particular directions. I have some thoughts of coming to London about the middle of the summer, and if I do, I intend, God willing, to make a journey to Cookham, and spend a day or two in your company. In the mean time I desire you would let me hear from you very speedily, that I may know how you all do. Direct for me, to be left at Mr. William Mitchell's, in Upper Kibworth, Leicestershire, by the Harborough bag, by way of London.

I desire you would give my humble duty to my uncle and aunt Norton, and many thanks for the many civilities I have received at Cookham, which I have not yet forgotten. If any of the neighbours should remember a little impertinent boy, who had nothing remarkable about him, but that he was your namesake, you will give my service to them. I think I have nothing further to add, but that my sister is removed from Hampstead and gone to live at Stockwell, where I am sure she would be glad to see you.

I heartily recommend you, and the rest of the good family, to the divine protection and blessing, and am, with the utmost respect and sincerity,

Dear Sir,

Your most affectionate Cousin and humble Servant,

PHILIP DODDRIDGE.

P. S. Pray send me word whether you are almost married! You must not for shame let me get the start of you, which, if you stay a few years longer, I may probably do.

DEAR SIR,

TO MR. BELSHAM.

Burton, March, 14, 1724. It is with a great deal of pleasure that I embrace the offer you make me of your correspondence, a fact which I ought certainly to have told you at least a quarter of a year ago. I was waiting for an opportunity of sending my acknowledgments by the penny post, but happened to miss the only convenient one that occurred since that time; and as I know not when to expect another, I am ashamed to wait for it any longer, and rather choose to put you to this charge, than to give you any further occasion to think that I am so insensible as to neglect you.

Though I live here, in the centre of our old friends, I have but little news to send you that will be worth

your knowing. I suppose you have heard that Mrs. Mary Freeman has been so long married that she has had two children. Your old acquaintance, discouraged by his ill success, has given up his attack upon Miss Kitty, but still waits for a more prosperous moment. Mr. C. courts Mrs. Anne Freeman, and I believe, is very likely to succeed. Your honest friend, Harry Cooper, is frequently inquiring after you, and very particularly desires his service to you every time he sees me. He keeps a mercer's shop here in Burton, but having met with some disappointment in the great affair of love, he seems sadly at a loss for a housekeeper. Miss Betty Watts has been married about a year and a half to Mr. Smith of Harborough, who for several months has acted so wildly, as very much to embarrass his affairs, and is now raving mad in Leicester jail. Mrs. Jennings still continues at Hinckley, but, not having seen her since Michaelmas, I cannot tell whether she designs to remove or not. There is a very infectious fever in some of the neighbouring towns. It reigns principally in Great Bowden; and I have been told that ten have been buried there in a week, and sometimes three in a night.

This, sir, is all the news which I have to send you; and in return, I beg that you would give me some account of the method of your studies, and of the present state of ecclesiastical affairs among the Dissenters in London; as likewise, whether you design yourself for the ministry, and if you do, whether you have begun to preach. I hope you will some time

or another favour us with your company at Kibworth and Burton. You may depend on a most hearty welcome; and if to your other favours you will add your assistance in the pulpit, it will be received with the most thankful acknowledgments of many more than I can now mention, and particularly by

Your most obedient Servant,

PHILIP DODDRIDGE.

FROM THE REV. SAMUEL CLARK.

DEAR SIR,

St. Albans, March, 23, 1724.

I RECEIVED your letters by Mr. Massey and Mr. Some, and intended to dispatch an answer by the latter at his return, had he called upon me as he promised; but I must now wait some more convenient opportunity. As to the affair of the late Mr. Foxon's people, I am very well satisfied that the principles on which you acted in refusing the invitation were good, and hope the event will be such as will be for your comfort and the edification of the church. Some persons that I have talked with in London about it seemed to have the same view of the case as Mr. Some and yourself; but others, particularly Mr. Wright, placed it in a different light. He says he knows the state of that congregation very well, and that though there may be three or four old men in it that are something narrow in their mode of thinking,

and who must have been managed with prudence, yet there are also a company of young men growing up in that place who are persons of good sense and moderation, and whom you would have found a great deal of satisfaction in serving; and that, as to Mr. Francis, he had neither that interest, nor those abilities of which you need have been apprehensive as to the consequences of a rivalship. And that he did not doubt but that you might have been very useful there, and an instrument of spreading a more candid disposition of mind in the city, among people of that sort; and he wishes, therefore, that you had accepted the invitation. Mr. Massey tells me that they have no thoughts of choosing Mr. Francis co-pastor, nor will they enforce any thing like a subscription upon the pastor who is to be chosen, and he does not doubt but that, were they to hear you, they would unanimously acquiesce in giving you an invitation. Nor was there any other person they had in view when they sent to you. Since then, indeed, they have had thoughts of Mr. Wright of St. Edmondsbury, whom I am acquainted with, and know to be a person of sense and temper; but, as he is very well fixed there, I question if he consents to a removal. Should that not succeed, and they should renew their request by Mr. Massey, that you would come and give them a sermon, it seems to me proper not to refuse it. You will there have an opportunity, if you should be chosen, of doing much more service than where you are, and also of improving yourself in your studies. Since you may live as retired as you think fit, and