behaviour is far more obliging than it ever was; and I do verily believe, that before Lady-day they will desire me to return into the family again. In the mean time my settlement at Harborough is very agreeable; I am charmed with the good sense, politeness, and serious unaffected piety, which I observe in Mrs. Jennings and Mrs. Wingate, not only every day, but almost every hour that I spend with them. I expound in the family every morning, and have the pleasure to see that this and all my other attempts to serve and entertain them are very kindly and thankfully received. We have a great deal of good company in the town and neighbourhood, especially Mr. Some and Mr. Arthur. They are both admirable men; my respect for them is daily increasing; and as I talk over with one or the other of them almost every thing I read, their conversation turns to very good account. I often divert myself with playing with their children, whom indeed I am growing very fond of, not only upon account of their dear and excellent parents, but for many hopeful and amiable dispositions which I continually discover in them. The great inconvenience I here find is my distance from Kibworth, which, considering the cold and wet weather, the short days, and the bad roads, is indeed very disagreeable; but then I often preach at Harborough, and when I do not, I ride over the fields, and seldom return on the Lord's day night, but in the evening preach a lecture and lie at some friend's house, and spend the Monday in visiting the people.

The small-pox prevails in Harborough: neither Mr. Some nor Mr. Arthur have had it. They both have entertained thoughts of being inoculated; but I much question whether either of them will venture upon it. Last Lord's day I received a letter from Mr. Gist to remind me of a bill which he says is four pounds twelve shillings, but which is an extravagant price for a drugget suit. I beg the favour of you to discharge it as soon as possible, and to receive five pounds of Mr. King, in the Poultry, in the beginning of the next year. I hope I I hope I may before that time wish you joy of a little one, and earnestly desire to hear how your lady does. My humble service to my friends at St. Albans.

Your most obliged, most affectionate,

and most humble Servant,

PHILIP DODdridge.

TO MR. WRIGHT.

REV. SIR,

November 17, 1725.

I PRESUME So far upon your goodness as to trouble you with a few lines by a friend to let you know, that, through the mercy of God, I am in good health, and always retain a very grateful and respectful sense of the many favours I received from you when I was last in town, as well as of the condescending

of

and obliging manner in which you have always treated me. I would now presume to remind you your promise to supply me with some more books to give away among the poor of our congregation, which are many. I have a few of the others remaining, but by far the greater part of them are either given away or lent to circulate in the congregation, according to a method which I think I intimated to you in a former letter. I hope, sir, the distribution will in some measure answer the charitable design of the donor. The people think themselves much obliged to me for them; and I apprehend, according to the best information I can get, that they receive some advantage by reading them. I do not know of any little book which you sent us that has been more serviceable to them than your treatise upon Regeneration. I am very well aware, sir, that you are very indifferent to applause; and if you were not, it were very presumptuous for me and my poor farmers and labourers at Kibworth to take upon us to commend Mr. Wright and his performances; yet I think I ought not to conceal it from you, that I have heard many of our people, of different ages, characters, and circumstances, speak of that book of yours with a very affectionate satisfaction. You are preaching to several families in my congregation every Lord's day night, and I bless God, that he gives me some reason to hope that you, sir, from whom I have received many important favours, and in whose usefulness and happiness I therefore think myself very nearly concerned, are

here, and no doubt in many other places, doing good to numbers of people whom you never saw, and who will not have an opportunity of thanking you till they meet you in heaven! And besides this, I own I am pleased, and perhaps not without some mixture of vanity, that the taste of the people I statedly preach to is so agreeable to yours, and that of many other persons, who in rank, learning, and politeness are of a superior order, and that they have the good sense to relish a treatise which had nothing to recommend it but what is so valuable. You easily perceive, sir, that I am begging another dozen of this book, if you can conveniently spare them. The choice of the rest I refer to you, only desiring that with regard to the circulation I intend, you would send as great a variety as you can. I am just going to write to Mr. Chandler, and will direct him to call upon you some Friday in the afternoon, to receive your answer to this part of the letter.

I hope, sir, that when you can spare time from more important business, you will favour me with a line or two directed to me at Kibworth as before; in which you will let me know when the legacy is to be paid, which gave you so much trouble when I was last in town; what application I and the neighbouring ministers must make to receive it, and what form of acquittance must be sent; and likewise, if you please, whether there is yet any payment of the East India legacy, in which you, sir, were so good as to secure me a share. I have no important news to send you, but that the small-pox prevails pretty much in Harborough, where I now am. Neither

Mr. Some nor his assistant, Mr. Arthur, have had them. They are very apprehensive of their danger, and have entertained many thoughts of inoculation. Mr. Some has drawn up a treatise on the subject, in which he has considered the arguments on both sides with a great deal of perspicuity and moderation*. I believe he intends to publish it to the world; and think it probable that Mr. Arthur, who is now in far greater danger than himself, will venture upon the experiment recommended in a few days. I know that upon this notice we are secure of your prayers for the continuance of the lives of two such amiable and useful persons. I desire that I likewise may have a share in your remembrance before the throne of grace, and am,

I ACTED the part of a very faithful messenger, and indeed I believe even beyond expectation, for I delivered your letter according to your command, even

* Many weak but pious people then entertained the idea, that it was impious to bring a disease upon themselves artificially.

+ See a notice of this gentleman, pages 19, and 20, of the first volume.