clever man; but I think he might have enriched his notes with many more observations on the beauties and masterly strokes of the poet. I would not for my own part give straw for the most accurate disputations uponachronological or geographical nicety; but I would applaud and thank the critic who will assist me to see the art and address, to feel the force and fire, and to enter into the spirit and delicacy of such an author as Virgil. I am, dear sir, with great respect, your obliged and very humble servant, &c.

LETTER CXXXIII.

Saturday morning. MY DEAR FRIEND,-I HAVE read over, again and again, the corrected copy of your little tract which you intend for the next edition, and have examined it with my best attention: not able to make any amendment that is considerable, I have only suggested some slight alterations. Elegance you do not covet in such a composition; plain and neat is the proper array for such an address.

I am surprised to read the letter which the popular gentleman from Durham writes against your book. Never fear, my friend; our writings, as well as our lives, are in the hand of God Almighty: if he will spread, what shall obstruct them? if he will work by them, who shall disannul his design? O may we cry to him, cleave to him, and live by faith on him! for "not by might, nor by power," not by eloquence of composition, nor by interest of patrons, "but by my Spirit, saith the Lord.”

Pray, take a little pains with my Theron and Aspasio; you can scarcely imagine what inquiries are made after it, and what a demand there is for it, even before publication. It makes me rejoice with trembling. All-wise, all-gracious Jesus, be jealous for thine honour! Let me not, O let me not cloud its brightness, or obstruct its progress, by any injudicious touches of my pen.-I now feel the loss of

our valuable friend Dr Doddridge, to whose judgment I ever paid the highest deference; but since he is gone, and we can have no more of his personal counsels, let us redouble our attention to his writings.

I expect you will tell me my manuscript is very prolix; but I designedly made it so, that my friends might judge what is proper to be omitted. It is easier, you know, to expunge than to composé: I wish they would with a leaden pencil enclose in a parenthesis what they would have dropt; I hope to retrench one-fourth of the copy. May the God of wisdom direct, and the God of mercy prosper, all our undertakings! I am yours very sincerely, &c.

LETTER CXXXIV.

Saturday morning. THANKS to my dear friend for the entertainment he has given me, by Hanway's account of Nadir Shah; *** an illustrious villain indeed! he spread firebrands, arrows, and death. May we be conformed to his image, who went about doing good!

If you have Voltaire's Life of Louis XIV., be pleased to give me the perusal of it: I fancy, his reign in France was somewhat like the Augustine age in Rome. Periods of politeness both! but what are those to heaven? the world where DWELLETH righteousness; consummate righteousness and everlasting happiness? Do you not long, more and more, for those courts of the living God? Do you not love him more and more, who (after he had overcome the sharpness of death) opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers?

Warburton, I hear, has published two volumes of sermons, octavo; in which, it seems, he has decried experimental religion, disregarded the peculiarities of the gospel, and treated the operations of the Spirit as mere enthusiasm. If this be the effect of his great

* See Hanway's Travels, vol. ii. page 255.

learning, then, good Lord, deliver us all, say I, from such an attainment. If you either have, or can borrow them, just let me peep on them. Do not buy them to gratify me; I can relish nothing but what is evangelical.

Your friend's Dissertations were put into my hands; very pure diction, but that is all-all to me at least. There was the bone, but the marrow was gone; Jesus Christ, my portion and yours, was forgot. How different his strain from St Paul's resolution, "I am determined to know nothing but Christ Jesus, and him crucified," which happened to be the subject of my exhortation to my family last night. Lord, reveal thy adorable Son, the all-sufficient Saviour, in our hearts; and the more others neglect him, so much the more let us, my dear friend, be-zealous to honour him.

I have looked into the manuscript you sent me : there seem to be many lively and spirited sentiments in it, but surely it is defective in the main point. St Paul, I am apt to think, upon a perusal of the treatise, would say, the author has good sense, may be no bad moralist, but being "ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish his own righteousness, he has not submitted to the righteousness of God," Rom. x. 3. Lord, give us an understanding, that we may know him that is true! Then we shall see Christ Jesus, the God-man, to be, in the grand affair of salvation, like the meridian sun; and all other things like the stars at noon-day.

Did you ever read Mr Whalley's Remarks upon Shakspeare? If you have not, I will send you the pamphlet. They are very ingenious, and well deserve the notice of the public; particularly of yours, who are such an admirer of Shakspeare.

When you can spare Francis's translation of Demosthenes, (I suppose it is the same Francis who translated Horace), favour me with a sight of it. A sight of this will content me; but God's word, that inestimable book, which shews me the way of salva

tion, I would cleave to, I would dwell upon. And would not you, my dear friend, do so too? E T87015

My text on Wednesday evening will be a complete description of a Christian; viz. "We are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh," Phil. iii. 3. A fine subject for your meditation : Why should I not add for your conversation also? Ever yours.

LETTER CXXXV.

DEAR SIR,-I HERE send you part of my manuscript copy of Theron and Aspasio: if you think it worth your while to bestow any corrections upon them, well; if not, this also is well. For my own part, so very languid are my animal spirits, I am more and more indifferent about them; I see so much weakness in my mind, and so many imperfections in my compositions, that I am afraid to venture upon the stage of observation again. An obliging letter from Mr H-r, informs me of his willingness to peruse and correct any literary attempt of mine; and discovers, I think, still more the integrity, simplicity, and piety of his heart.

I prefer both South's and Delaune's sermons to the Bishop's, for soundness of doctrine. The first might be crabbed in his temper, and the second voluptuous in his life; yet both are more evangelical in their sentiments than he is. Those who can read such kind of moral essays as the Bishop's (very improperly called sermons) as guides to heaven, and as good comforters while on earth, will one day I hope form a better judgment, and be enabled in a clearer manner to discern the things which are excellent.

On Dr Stonehouse's recommendation, I have lately read Dr Watts' treatise on "the love of God, and its influence on all the passions ;" which is indeed a

ness.

most excellent book, happily calculated for usefulIf you have never seen it, you have a pleasure yet to come, and I would by all means advise you to get it. The love of God is indeed the source and soul of religion; and what can produce it, what can cherish it, but a sense of God's love to us manifested in his dear Son? by whom we are fully assured, that he has forgiven us all trespasses, and will give us life eternal.

Present my affectionate compliments to your family, and believe me, as I really am, most cordially yours, &c.

LETTER CXXXVI.

Weston, Jan. 25. 1755.

DEAR SIR, I REALLY forget whether I acknowledged your last favour. If I did not, let your own candour be my advocate; and my important business, under the most enervated constitution, be my plea. I have been, since I wrote, in the physician's hands, and debarred from the pulpit. Blessed be the Lord our healer, I am now restored to my usual state, and am enabled to speak a word on the Lord's day, and preach in my church on Wednesday evening, which is my lecture-day, for the honour of my Master, and, I hope, for the edification of his people. O that this privilege may be coeval with my life; and my preaching voice, and my vital breath, be stopt together!-I wish you, dear sir, many new years, much of the new man, and an abundant entrance into the New Jerusalem. Your most obliged, and truly af fectionate friend.

LETTER CXXXVII.

March 4.

MY DEAR FRIEND,-Do not hurry the return of the Dialogues. Take your time, that you may examine them thoroughly: none knows how far they