revolution in kings and courtiers. Their power is generally usurpation, and I hope the time is approaching when an end will be put to all usurpation, in things civil or religious, first in Europe, and then in other countries.

When shall we see the Life of our venerable friend Dr. Franklin? The public will be impatient for it, and, after your revisal, it will, I am confident, be highly useful and edifying. I told you that I had drawn up a short account of myself. Whenever it shall be most convenient to you to peruse it, I will send it. One evening will be sufficient for the reading of it, and I hope you will be thinking of something of the same nature for yourself. I think it will be attended with many advantages. I wrote mine in one of my summer excursions.* I wish you would employ one of yours in the same way, and remember that life is precarious.

The next week I and my wife set out on a visit to our friends at Leeds, to be absent about a month. I can but ill spare the time; though I propose not to be wholly idle.

Wishing you much enjoyment of your seasonable retreat from labour and intrusion, I am, &c.t

DEAR SIR,

To MR. FREND.

Buxton, Sept. 12, 1790.

I REJOICE that you apply so closely to the translation, as I am confident you will acquit yourself well in it, and it is an object of very great consequence. I hardly attend to any thing else; for, like you, I find it to be a very laborious business. . I have no doubt of being able to finish the Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes, in a month after my return from my present excursion, i. e. about two months from this time, and hope to be

by Dr. Price, in prefacing his toast at this dinner, and the principles laid down in the Discourse which he had delivered, at the Old Jewry, in November, drew torrents of abuse upon him from Mr. Edmund Burke, who, as if possessed by some dæmon of the nether regions, had never ceased, from the first moment of the revolution, to declaim, in a manner the most outrageous, against it, and against all the friends and supporters of it." Mem. of Price, p. 163. + Orig. MS.

* See I. 418, ad fin.

Jesus College, Cambridge. VOL. II.

G

able to get through Jeremiah, or Ezekiel and Daniel, in the course of the winter. Mr. Dodson undertakes the Minor Prophets, besides Isaiah, which he has already dispatched. If Mr. Garnham will undertake either Jeremiah, (with Lamentations,) or Ezekiel and Daniel, he will set me perfectly at ease, and then I shall have no doubt but that we may go to press in the course of the next summer.

Though your part be the longest, it is unquestionably by much the easiest, the difficult passages not occurring almost every other verse, as with the rest of the Old Testament. If Mr. Garnham have not a copy of our Rules,* I will send him one; and as it is of consequence to me to know which of the parts I have mentioned he makes choice of, I beg to be informed of it as soon as possible.

I have sent for Michaelis,† but your account of it makes me almost repent of the order. In the last Analytical Review you will see an account of another new version of the Scriptures. I have forgotten the name. If you know any thing of it, and have reason to expect it will be worth our while to have it, I wish you would procure it for the joint concern.

I wish much to see the Philosophical Inquiry you mention, as it may, perhaps, be not amiss to reprint it, along with Collins, which makes but a pamphlet of no great size. If you could send it to Mr. Lindsey, he could convey it to me. let me know what you think of the design yourself.

But

I am glad to hear that Mr. Nesbitt is about to answer Dr. Edwards; and I hope he will produce something better than he has done against me, § which I think superficial and insignificant in the extreme.

You will, in due time, see my Sermon and Mr. Belsham's Charge. What we mean by ordination,¶ is recommending + See supra, p. 77.

* W. XVII. 532. See supru, p. 24.

See "The Predictions of the Apostles concerning the End of the World: a Sermon, preached before the University of Cambridge, on Sunday, May 23, 1790. By Thomas Edwards, LL.D." Anal. Rev. VIII. 87.

§ See "Observations on the Miraculous Conception of our Saviour, with a Particular View to the Exceptions of Dr. Priestley on the Subject, with an Advertisement upon Dr. Edwards's Objections to the Testimony of Christ and his Apostles. By N. Nesbitt, M. A." Ibid. p. 88.

At Warwick. Sec supra, pp. 73, 74.

¶ See I. 62.

a brother to the Divine blessing, and giving him and his congregation some good advice.*

TO REV. T. LINDSEY.†

DEAR FRIEND,

Leeds, Sept. 22, 1790.

WE arrived here late last night, when I received the favour of your letter, and this morning I had the second.

We have found our excursion exceedingly pleasant, far beyond my expectation, especially at Buxton, where I made some agreeable acquaintance, and where I found some exercise, even as a preacher.

We arrived on Saturday evening, and the next day, after dinner, the company at the White Hart desired me to give them a sermon, which I did, and many persons from the other houses, though the notice was short, attended. In the course of the following week, when it was understood that I meant to stay another Sunday, I had a deputation by General Stratton, and a Mr. Sligo, from Leith, from the company at the Crescent, where were several of the nobility, and the Provost of the university of Dublin, to give them a sermon. I desired them to name their own time, and they appointed the morning, after the prayers, which they said I had no occasion to attend, as there was a room adjoining to the Assembly Room, where the service was.

Having no sermon that I thought proper for so mixed an audience, I composed one on the resurrection of Christ (one that I shall probably preach at Essex Chapel, if all be well, the next time I see London). There was a large audience, and I was never heard with a more fixed attention, except that some ladies of quality, who were behind me, I was told, behaved with some levity, talking to one another all the time. Mr. Burgh, Mr. Grattan, and many persons of note, were there, who, if I may judge by their language and circumstances, were much impressed. A young man of a pleasing countenance and manner, but whose name I do not know, was very

* Orig. MS. + Essex Street. Published, 1791; Discourse XI., "On the Evidence of Revealed Religion." W. XV, 325.

particular in his acknowledgments, and said he should consider the opportunity he had had of hearing me on that subject as the happiest circumstance in his life. An elderly clergyman was particularly attentive, and ejaculated his approbation to all that were near him. The officiating clergyman, however, and many others, were much offended at my being requested to preach; but many, the most prejudiced, I was told, were greatly impressed in my favour. On the whole, I thought it a happy opportunity, as some wavering believers were present, whose faith I have reason to think I confirmed.

The provost invited me to dine with him, after the service, at the grand hotel, as it is called, and I had a great deal of free conversation with him, especially about his regulations in the university. By his own account, he has great merit in his conduct of it. He is said, I find, to be one of the most rapacious of men, and to have not less than seven thousands per annum of the public money. To me he exhibited himself as one of the most disinterested of men, and the most public-spirited, a friend of reformation in church and state, &c., &c., &c. It is something, however, for men to avow right maxims, as it shews they are not quite out of fashion. The archbishop's lady, and some others, refused to attend when I preached; though there were several clergymen present.

I find Mr. Shore here; and on Sunday I dine with him at Mr. Simpson's. I called on Mr. Turner in passing through Wakefield, and expect him here to-night, to stay over to-morI fancy I shall be here two Sundays. My wife, as well as myself, are much the better for this excursion, so that I hope not much time will, on the whole, be lost.*

row.

TO THE SAME.

DEAR FRIEND,

Leeds, Sept 30, 1790. I was very happy to hear from you, and I hope to have that satisfaction once more before I leave this place.

"We remember," says Dr. Knox, "the old manner of appointment to the provost-ship of Trinity College, Dublin." See "Spirit of Despotism," (1795,) p. 271.

+ Orig. MS.

Presently after my last was sent off, I heard the melancholy fate of Mrs. Russell, from his brother, and another relation. We were at Buxton when it happened, and the accident was much talked of, but no names were known, and we little imagined that they were in that part of the country. Mrs. Russell will be much missed, indeed; but the manner of her death will no doubt make the event much more distressing. His brother says that they all bear the affliction better than could have been expected. It must, however, be severely felt. I immediately wrote to him, but hastening home on the account would answer no material purpose, and his brother desires I would not think of it.

Mr. Wood's congregation is in a fine state, containing many young people, to whom he gives proper attention. He has not, however, such zealous seconds as I have in Mr. Russell. He cannot establish a library, though he has attempted it.

Mr. Turner was with us yesterday. Last Sunday they had a candidate for the office of his assistant, Mr. Johnson,† sent down by Mr. Belsham, who is likely to be accepted. The congregation, I hear, is thin, but those at Halifax and Bradford reduced almost to nothing, while the Methodists, &c., increase wonderfully. But the ministers want zeal, and pay no attention to the young.

This journey, to all appearance, will be of great service to me, and my wife too, as well as be some furtherance to the good cause; but I wish to be at home, at my translation and other pursuits.

I admire Mr. Wood very much. He has in hand an excellent work on the Old Testament, which he executed in his lectures to the young people. I persuade him to publish it.

P. S. Please to send copies of the Familiar Letters, to Mr. Thompson, (who lent me the curious book, mentioned in the preface,)§ to Mr. Shore, and Mr. Dodson. |

* See I. 188.

The present minister.

Consisting, "for a considerable part, of persons of fortune and genteel life," as described by Mr. Turner to Mr. Belsham. Orig. MS.

§ See supra, p. 78.

|| Orig. MS.