To His GRACE The Moft REVEREND THOMAS, By Divine Providence Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate and Metropolitan of all England. MY LORD, HAVING fome time ago defired and obtained permiffion to infcribe this Volume to your Grace, I am not willing, and indeed ought not, to fuppofe it cancelled by the intervening change of your fituation. On the contrary, I conceive that an indulgence granted by the late Primate of York is in no danger of being revoked by the now Primate of Canterbury. My reafon is, a firm affurance, my Lord, that no outward change can affect the difpofition of your mind: that no elevation, no diftinction, will ever break into into your benevolence, or obftruct the current. of your favour. I cannot forbear adding, though fuperfluous on the prefent occafion, that your humanity and your dignity are well fuited, and nobly matched; that the goodness of your heart crowns all your honours, and fully correfponds to the fublimity of your Station. I prefume not, my Lord, to congratulate either church or fate on your Grace's promotion to the fupreme fee; which will often be done hereafter by fitter hands: neither fhall I fwell this epiftle with the lofs fuftained by your former province, and the general concern thereby occafioned. Such points fall not within the compafs of my prefent privilege; which extends no farther than to the honour of dedicating a book to my Diocefan Archbishop: and I entreat your Grace to con• fider the following Addrefs in this light. But a new plea offering itfelf, which I could not forefee, I beg I may be allowed to infert it here.- -Your tranflation, my Lord, makes fuch an attempt much more feafonable than I apprehended: I mean in refpect of your northern friends; by whom memorials of all kinds will naturally be coveted on this occafion. Though the original be deeply graven on their minds, fo deeply as never to be effaced; faced; yet copies and reprefentations will be ftudioufly fought, and every fhadow of refemblance prized. A favourable circumstance for the imperfect draught here humbly prefented! MY LORD, Ma Y defire of prefixing your Grace's name to this collection, feems to me so just and innocent an ambition, that I am doubtful whether it would become me to make any apology. But I should never be able to excufe myself to the publick, if I prefixed your name only, and took not the leaft notice of the many honours and virtues which adorn it. They would even refent fuch a rudeness; and at least conclude me either shamefully ignorant, or quite infenfible. So fair an occafion, fo fruitful a fubject, fo favourite a character, would prove so many distinct provocations, if paffed over in profound filence. On the other hand, I am no ftranger to that delicacy of sentiment, which, on such occafions, and fuch only, makes your Grace hard of access. Whatever wears even the look of praise, however foberly and severely clad, is in danger of finding b all all avenues fhut. Should I fay what I know, freely and fully, though I might produce vouchers without number, I fhould certainly offend: fo that it seems no eafy matter to fleer an equal course between your Grace's difpleasure and publick cenfure.-If I wrote, my Lord, to your eye, or to your ear, few words would fuffice; and perhaps the fewer the better. But my readers will expect more; and pardon me, if I own myself very unwilling to difappoint them. In truth, my principal aim is to sketch out a portrait for their use; and gladly would I engage their attention, and excite their emulation.-Nevertheless, I fhall not pretend to expatiate; will not take upon me to anticipate hiftory, or return the national voice. All I afk is, to be indulged a few plain truths; a little chafte praise; a deliberate, guarded address; confining myfelf to the outlines of a character, the completion of which is beyond my pretenfions, and above my hand. Great is the fatisfaction, my Lord, and great the benefit, which your clergy derive from the wifdom of your inftruction, and the luftre of your example. You seleft the most facred and important truths, and |