praise to him, for sparing in you, one of the dearest and best of your lovely sex, and continue to think, with your usual kindness, on

Your affectionate

CELADON.

TO MR. CLARK*.

REV. SIR,

July 20, 1727. THE illness of a neighbouring minister, Mr. Tingey, of Northampton, prevents my waiting upon you next week, as I intended. I would, if possible, be with you on a sacrament day, for few days in my life are so delightful as those in which I meet my friends of St. Albans at the Lord's table; and probably

I

may be with you about the beginning of September. In the mean time, I earnestly beg the continuance of your prayers, which I have particular need of in my present circumstances, this being the very crisis of my affair with Miss Kitty. Once more I have put it into her power to end it as she pleases, and expect her last determination in a few days: being in my own mind resolved either to return to Burton, and make it the entire business of my life to please her, if she invite me back, or never to stir one foot further in the business, if she decline this offer.

Will you not, sir, think that I am vain of my phi

* Under uncertainty with relation to Kitty's affair.

losophy if I tell you that I am perfectly composed while this important affair remains in suspense? The true reason, however, of this tranquillity, next to my experience of the goodness of Divine Providence, is this She has so many defects, as may make me easy in losing her; and so many charms, as may render me tolerably happy in possessing her; yet, after all, to open my mind with that entire freedom which I may use to the best friend I have in the world, I shrewdly suspect, that which way soever she determines the matter, I shall not then be so calm as I am now. However, sir, all that I have felt, or all that I may yet feel, on this occasion, will teach me to rejoice so much the more in your felicity, who are free from all such solicitude, and as happy, as the enjoyment of a lady of uncommon piety, sweetness of temper, politeness, and beauty can make a man whom I will not compliment, but whom, of all men in the world, I should most desire to resemble.

I am, Dear Sir,

Your most obliged and most affectionate Servant,

PHILIP DODDridge.

P.S. I have received a pressing invitation from Brockfield in Norfolk; but the people are so orthodox, that I have not the least thought of accepting it.

August 12. I wrote all I wrote all you have on the other leaf, several days ago, and depended on sending

it by honest Mr. Leach, who has had the honour of waiting upon you formerly upon a like occasion; but some unexpected accident prevented his journey. I hear from Mrs. Hannah Clark that you intend a progress into Kent in the beginning of September, and would therefore beg a line or two, to let me know what day you expect to set out, that I may, if possible, wait upon you there: for this reason I have sent by the post, and desire a speedy answer. have received no direct answer from Miss Kitty, but have heard some accounts of her resolution at second-hand. The stories are directly contrary to each other; but I firmly believe them both!-Let Mrs. Clark judge by this, whether I am not a very complaisant lover!

I

TO THE REV. JOHN NETTLETON.

DEAR BROTHER,

July 26, 1727.

N. B. I Do not use black edged paper and black wax because I am married, but because it is the fashion! I have worn an old drugget coat for the same reason, and my sister's letter will furnish you with a third*.

I read your last letter with a great deal of plea

The mourning alluded to in this letter was occasioned by the death of George the First, which took place June 11th, 1727. I have now before me a sermon upon this event, preached by Dr. Doddridge, at Kibworth, in which he expresses his attachment to the House of Brunswick, and the principles which seated them upon the throne, with great warmth and eloquence.

sure, and would gladly answer it more at large than my present hurry will admit. My last was dated June the 18th, and I am not yet re-engaged with Kitty to that degree which you seem to suppose, but yet, I may be so, before you receive this epistle.

Cousin Philip, and uncle and aunt Norton are all well, so that I do not rightly understand your prescription of change of air. Would you have me leave Kibworth? then find me a good place in Essex, and it shall be done. I have an invitation now before me from four hundred people, and forty pounds a year, in Norfolk, with some additional emolument which may make it better than fifty; but there is a certain equivocal word beginning with an O-which prevents my entertaining any thought of the matter, for we are here the most catholic people in the world. I mourn my sister's want of mourning; however, had she been for the whole month of August in London, she would not have seen me. Mr. Tingey's illness obliges me to defer my journey a month. Matrimony may, perhaps, oblige me to defer it till the Spring,—and then I suppose I may come and take my last adieu! for frugality will then have a dreadful kind of claim, and will probably oblige me to omit all such expensive pleasures. However, I thank my dear sister, for her epistle especially, and long to see her, and with service to your mother. I am, Dear Sir,

Your very brotherly Brother, and humble Servant,

PHILIP DODDRIDGE.

TO MR. ROBINS.

DEAR SIR,

August 12, 1727. I RECEIVED your very kind and friendly letter of the 30th of July, and heartily thank you for the affection to me which you express in it. If there be any thing in my former letter which increased your desire of being personally acquainted with me, I can assure you, on the other hand, that the temper you express in this has very much advanced my affection to you. But you know, my dear friend, that in an affair of this nature personal affection must not determine us, but a regard to usefulness alone. Now, on a serious consideration of the whole affair, I am fully persuaded in my own mind, by reasons which it is not necessary particularly to trouble you with, that my removal to Bradfield, which you kindly propose, would not be the most probable way of promoting my usefulness in the church of Christ.

This is the unanimous opinion of my friends and brethren in the ministry, and many other judicious persons; and, what is of a great deal more importance, it is, after serious consideration and repeated prayer for divine direction, the persuasion of my own conscience in the sight of God. On the whole therefore, I repeat it to you and to the rest of my Bradfield friends, as my final determination, that I cannot at present leave Kibworth.

However, I assure you, that I feel my mind sensibly affected with the kindness and respect that you