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likewife agree with you, that he might have difplayed more judgement, in arranging his materials : which (like what Mr. Addifon obferves concerning Solomon's Proverbs) refemble a fuperb amaffment of pearls, rather piled into a magnificent heap, than regularly ftrung and artificially difpofed. However, it is eafy to criticife. But, to compile fuch a performance, was not attended with equal facility : bic labor, boc opus.

Did you ever meet with a tract, written by Witfius, and entiled (to the beft of my remembrance) De Trinitate Judaïca? It is the only part of his Latin works, which I have never been able to procure. I dare believe, it would be worthy of your perufal: as every thing of his is peculiarly learned, elegant and judicious. Poffibly, if you enquire among your literary friends, fome of them may get you a fight of that very scarce differtation. Markius mentions it, in his Oration at Witfius's interment.

Thanks to you, dear fir, for the news-paper extraordinary; which contained several particulars, deferving of attention. The anecdotes, related of Richard III's illegitimate fon, are fo curious, and wear fuch an afpect of probability, that I thought them worth cutting out; and have pafted them to a blank leaf of Walpole's Hiftoric Doubts. The minutes of doctor Samuel Johnfon's Tour to Scotland are perfectly in character. He is the very original, there delineated. I have fome perfonal knowledge of him: and, however I diffent from various of his principles, nor can avoid fmiling at fome of his not-unpleafing oddities: he ftill paffes with me, for one of the ableft and honefteft men, who now adorn the republic of letters. Mr. Hollis's character is, I think, prodigiously overcharged; and the panegyric beyond measure exceffive; though he certainly was a very valuable member of fociety; and his deceafe awakened, in me, much of that painful fenfibility, which I heartily wish I could

diveft myself of. I stood obliged to him, for a number of scarce and curious tracts, relative to the time of Charles I. and he would have favoured me with incomparably more folid tokens of his efteem, had I been capable of feigning myself a republican, and of diffembling my fincere attachment to the Scriptures and to our ecclefiaftical establishment. I tremble, with you, for the event of things in 'America. But the kingdom of Providence rules over all. This is as much of politics, as I almost ever ventured to write. Vox audita perit: Litera Scripta manet. Adieu.

LETTER

Auguftus Toplady.

XXXVII.

To Mrs. MACAULAY, now at Bath.

HAD

Broad-Hembury, Feb. 18, 1774.

AD I not lived long enough in the world, to ceafe from wondering at any thing, I fhould have more than wondered at the incident, of which you fo justly complain. If almoft any pen, except your own, had informed me of Mr. 's ingra titude and injuftice, I fhould have queftioned the reality of the fact. I am forry, ftill more for his fake, than for your's, to find it fo authentically attefted. Well may Scripture (a book which you, madam, are too wife and too virtuous to defpife) fay, What is man!

Pity it is, that, on fuch occafions as the prefent, you are not divefted of that exquifite fenfibility, which, at your own expence, adds too much honour to the remembrance of a focial delinquent. Forget it all; and, as you are more than female, in underftanding; be more than mafculine, in fortitude. Triumph

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Triumph over the irritating favagenefs of the cyniçilm which has requited you fo ill, by oppofing to it the iron apathy of the portico.

Do more.

Rife into a ftill nobler revenge.Namely, by centering your expectations in him, who never difappoints thofe defires, of which his fpirit is the gracious infpirer.

"Lean not on earth; 'twill pierce thee to the

heart :

At best, a broken reed; but, oft, a spear.

On it's harp point, peace bleeds, and hope expires."

Only the experienced favour and the felt poffeffion of God in Chrift can fill the vaft capacities of a foul like your's. Enjoy his communicated fmile:

"Then bid earth roll; nor feel the idle whirl."

May Bath have an happy effect on the health of a perfon fo important to the community. You tell me, your ftay there will be of confiderable duration. I think to fee London, fome time in April. Should you continue at the Western Bethefda, until the fatter end of that month, or until the beginning of May, I will take Bath in my return to Devonshire, by way of feeing how the waters have agreed with

you.

Let me fubmit a fingle caution to your candour, viz. Be careful not to renew your acquaintance with the dapper doctor; and, above all, beware of being feen with him in public.

Hic niger eft: bunc tu, Romana, caveto. He would derive luftre from you; but, like a piece of black cloth, he would abforb the rays, without reflecting any of them back. The world is very malicious and a character, fo eminently confpicuous as your's, is a mark, at which envy and cenfure de

light to feize every opportunity of difcharging their

arrows.

As you give me hopes of feeing you in this country, during the courfe of the enfuing fummer; who knows, but I may have the honour of escorting you hither, through the whole length of Somerfetfhire? But I must not detain you from the Pump-room, by my tedious fpeculations. So, for the prefent, farewel. God give you good fpirits; for, where they lead the van, good health generally brings up the

rear.

Auguftus Toplady.

P. S. I could with you acquainted with Mrs. Derham, of Green-ftreet, Bath. You would find her one of the moft fenfible and amiable women in that city. She has all the genuine eafe, without any of the affected grimace of politenefs, her husband is a wine-merchant, and he has a lovely daughter, nearly the age of your's.

LETTER

XXXVIII.

To the Rev. Mr. DE COETLOGON.

DEAR SIR,

Broad-Hembury, April 5, 1775.

Received your late favour; and am much your debtor, as well for your obliging partiality to my humble efforts in behalf of God's truths; as for the politeness, with which you express it.

Weré I fituate near the capital, I fhould, with much readiness, accede to your requeft, by contributing my affiftance toward carrying on the Gofpel Magazine: but I find it fo very inconvenient, to

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have

have any concern with printing, at fo remote a distance, that I fhall, probably, in future, publish no more, in any way whatever, than abfolute occafion may require. With beft remembrance to your most amiable bride,

1 remain, your affectionate fervant,

Auguftus Toplady.

LETTER XXXIX.

To Mr. G. F.

Broad-Hembury, April 8, 1774.

LONGER time is ufually allowed, for the pay

ment of large debts, than of trivial ones. By parity of argument, a delay of correspondence, on the fide of him who has received great epiftolary obligations, is the more venial, on that very account. If iny valuable and valued friend will not admit this reafoning to be fair, I must own, that I have nothing better to urge, in extenuation of my having fo long omitted to thank him for bis lat welcome and much efteemed favour. Yet, as fome degree of imperfection is connected with every thing human I muft likewife confefs, that I cannot extend my thanks, for thofe ftrokes of undue panegyric, with which, dear fir, your kind partiality fo profufely honours me. Sincerely I fay it (and it may be faid, once for all) that I would much rather be told of my real faults, than of thofe fuppofed excellencies which the extreme benevolence of my friends is fo ready to place to my account. Candour and politeness, like your's, first illuminate every object, on which they fine; and then afcribe, to the object itself, those communicated rays, of which it is no more than the humble and obliged receiver.

Let

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