the intelligence was conveyed. Indeed, except a general outline of my new situation, which you could not well miss having, I had nothing of much importance to communicate.

I have at length found a settlement quiet enough, and where I shall have more leisure for all my pursuits than ever I had yet; though I have not as yet such a sphere of active exertion as I had in England. At first this gave me some uneasiness, as I wished for nothing more than to conclude my race in the same manner in which I had run it. But it has pleased the Sovereign Disposer of all things to order it otherwise, and at present I have no regular business as a preacher. I do preach, however, occasionally, and we have always a service among ourselves, though attended by very few, every Lord's-day, and I shall spend about two months every year at Philadelphia, or some of the larger towns, and preach all the time I am there. But if I have done any good, it has not been so much by preaching as by writing, and in that way I can do more than ever, if there be any call for it. I can also prosecute my experiments to more advantage than you would imagine, though not so well as when I was at Birmingham or Hackney. The person who takes this letter to England, takes to Philadelphia a paper of experiments, which I have made since my arrival, for the Philosophical Society in that place, and I shall very soon send another, so that I am not idle in this way. When my house is built, and my laboratory completed, I shall hope to do more still.

In theology I have printed a few small articles, which you either have seen or will see, and I have continued my Church History, to the Reformation. In a year or two more, if nothing of more importance interfere, I may bring the History to the present time, or near it, and then I hope I shall have done an useful work.

The defection of so many Unitarians in England astonishes me. Still, however, none, I believe, have fallen who ever were serious Christians; and that men whose chief object is advancement in the world, or who have a disposition to gaiety or pleasure, should become unbelievers, is surely not surprising.

The person who takes this is Dr. Young, who has been a physician in this place, but has a strong passion to make the tour of Europe. He is determined to see Birmingham, being fond of curious arts. I shall take it as a favour to myself if you will procure him a sight of any thing he may wish to see. To me he has been the most friendly of men. I hope he will return and settle here, after all. If so, he will be again my near neighbour.

- Should peace return, I cannot express the pleasure it would give to pay my friends in England a visit before I die, and sometimes I do not despair of it. In that case I shall certainly visit Birmingham, which I take it for granted I may then do without any apprehension of danger.

We often think and talk of you and your sister, and the satisfaction we had in your neighbourhood. I give you joy on the marriage of your niece, and hope it will be a happy connexion in all respects. My sons are all farmers, and, on the whole, we are already very comfortable, and hope our situation will improve every year. Mr. Russell will hardly settle here. He seems to give the preference to the New-England States, which I regret much. But I do not want much society, and my wife is still more indifferent to it. Many of the people are as sensible and friendly as any in England. But we did not come hither for the sake of improving in that respect, and cannot be disappointed.

Give my best respects to your sister, Mr. Coates, and any of our common friends.

P. S. Do not fail to write to me, directing to John Vaughan, Esq., Philadelphia.*

To REV. T. LINDSEY.†

DEAR FRIEND,

Northumberland, Dec. 17, 1795.
I THINK that in my last, of the 7th instant, I mentioned
Harry's being indisposed, in consequence, we imagined, of his
attending his lime-kiln in the night. It proved to be a more

* Orig. MS. among the autographs of the late Mr. S. Parkes.
+ Essex Street.

serious illness than we or the physician imagined. He grew worse till the 11th, when he died, it is now almost certain, of an inflammation and mortification of the stomach. Having had little or no apprehension of danger till near the time of his death, the shock, you may suppose, was very great, and being the first event of the kind, I am affected more than I thought I should have been, though I have unspeakable consolation in believing that nothing can befal us without the appointment of the best of Beings, and that we shall meet our departed children and friends in a better state.*

He had recovered from an ague, which was common in this part of the country, this summer; but after this he had frequent colds, from exposing himself to cold and wet, and not taking proper care of himself afterwards, which certainly laid the foundation of his subsequent and last illness.

Had he been bred a farmer, he could not have been more assiduous than he was. He was admired by every body for his unremitting labour, as well as good judgment, in the management of his business, though only eighteen years old. With respect to his ardour in his pursuits, he was more like what I was at his age than any of my children, though our objects were very different. He was strictly virtuous, and was uncommonly beloved by all that worked under him; and it was always said that he was better served than any other farmer in this country. He had a sense of honour and generosity which, I am sorry to say, is not common here. I hope, therefore, that he had the foundation of something in his character, on which a good superstructure may be raised hereafter. We thought his temper, and even his looks, altered for the worse by the severe illness he had at Hackney; but it is remarkable, that some time before his death, (as his mother, who never left him, says,) and very visibly afterwards, he had the same sweet, placid, and even cheerful countenance, that he had when he was young, much like that of his sister, whom, at that time, he greatly resembled. I never saw the countenance of a dead person so pleasing, and so it continued till he

See an interesting relation, by an attendant on the funeral, I. 208.

was buried. Even this seemingly trifling circumstance gives me much satisfaction, I know you and Mrs. Lindsey will excuse my writing so much about myself and family. I could not write so much to any body else.

I am composing, with as much care as I can, a set of discourses, to be delivered at Philadelphia, on the evidences of revelation, and similar subjects. I have finished two, and have got materials for a third, on the enormities of the ancient heathen worship, of which the generality of modern unbelievers know nothing at all, and which are strangely coloured over by Voltaire and others; while they load the Jewish system with every abuse. In another discourse I shall shew the superiority of that system to any others.

My wife is much affected, as you will suppose, by the death of Harry; but, at the same time, discovers proper fortitude. By her constant attendance upon him, she has made herself ill, but seems to be getting better.*

DEAR SIR,

To MR. RUSSELL.†

Northumberland, Dec. 30, 1795. YOURS of the 6th instant I received only yesterday, and find you had not received one that I directed to you at Boston. This, I hope, will find you safely arrived at Philadelphia, where I hope to join you in about six weeks; an event to which I look forward with pleasure.

Since I wrote last we have lost poor Harry. What we feel on this occasion you will judge from your own feelings, in a similar situation. Being the first loss of the kind that I have experienced, it affects me very much indeed, and my wife no less. I am, however, perfectly satisfied that this, as well as every other dispensation of Providence, is right, and will hereafter appear to have been so. I do not, however, at all think of him as to this world, or as any particular loss to myself; but only as to another, where I have no doubt I shall meet him again, and as I believe he had a good mind, and no vices,

* Orig. MS.

+ Philadelphia.

I hope to meet him in favourable circumstances. He died a sacrifice to a want of care of himself, exposing himself to cold and wet; and the nature of his illness was not at all understood till it was too late. It was an inflammation, I do not doubt, and mortification of the stomach, or some of the intestines.

My wife is now far from being well, and I fear is not likely to be so soon. Should she be no better than she is at present, I cannot think of leaving her: otherwise, you may depend upon seeing me at the time I have mentioned. I am composing a set of discourses on subjects relating to the evidences of revelation. Six I have nearly transcribed, and I think eight will be enow.

You speak very highly of Middletown, as you did of Boston, and that part of the country in general. I therefore suppose you will settle there, and I sincerely wish you much happiness there, though the circumstance will be felt by me as a disappointment of a very sensible kind. If I was undetermined, I would certainly choose to fix wherever you should be; but if I was not so fixed here as never to think of removing, which is the case, I should, from any thing that I have heard of the eastern country, give the preference to this, in most respects, though not in all. However, while I am able to travel, I shall hope to meet you every winter, and with this I must be satisfied.

With every good wish to yourself and family, in which my wife heartily joins me, I am, dear Sir, yours affectionately.*

TO REV. T. LINDSEY.†

DEAR FRIEND,

Feb. 12, 1796.

I AM happy in having two of your letters before me, and as many of Mr. Belsham's. The satisfaction I have from this is what you can hardly conceive, without being in my situation. It is only now and then that I can receive a parcel from England, and I consider that as a great day, and read the pamphlets or newspapers with singular satisfaction.

* Orig. MS.

+ Essex Street.