When I had the pleasure of hearing from our friend Mr. **, I was afraid left publick concerns fhould have injured his health, or disturbed the composure of his mind. But perhaps, were we to decline attending to fuch concerns, and confine ourselves wholly to the duties of our families and functions, our minds might be ready to prey upon themselves for want of variety, and through a conftant attachment to one

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be the love of a character fupremely wife, holy and good; and to be moft fitly expreffed, not by the fond language of the animal paffion, but by an exalted veneration of thefe excellencies, and a delightful contemplating them; by the feady choice and purfuit of true goodnefs, by a chearful obedience to the divine commands, and an imitation of the moral perfections we admire.”

Speaking of another treatise of Dr. WATTS, Mr. ORTON Writes thus: "If you have not Dr. WATTS's Orthodoxy and Charity united, I wish you could procure it: as perhaps it gives the beft idea of orthodoxy, without verging to antinomianifm, that I ever faw."

track of thought and action. While Providence has favoured him with almost every domestic comfort to fo high a degree, and given him fo much fkill, reputation, and fuccefs in his profeffional capacity, it would grieve one to find, that his benevolent concern and attempts for the good of mankind impaired his health or prevented him from relishing fo many other enjoyments. Great caution and fteadiness are neceffary, that we fuffer not in these particulars; and I have peculiar reafon to give the hint to every friend I love, as I have fuffered fo much myself by not attending to it.

My two volumes of Sermons on Practical Subjects,* were advertised a few

*The fermons are thirty-fix in number, and testify, in the strongest manner, the ardent folicitude with which the author endeavoured to infpire mankind with the principles of piety and virtue," Account.

few days ago. I wish they may do good. The more I fee of many modern fermons the lefs I like them and the less I think they are calculated for usefulness. I would willingly write modern fenfe and accuracy, with the ancient fimplicity, pungency, and evangelical strain.

I have just been perufing an account of the donation of a miffal to a college of popish priests; under the title of which the donor had written, " When you read this, pray for the foul of A. B. who gave it." So I fay in the protestant sense at clofing this letter.

Your's affectionately,

JOB ORTON.

P. S. I do not think you too free in defiring the favour of me to revise the fermon* you intend to print: I

wifh

* The Country Clergyman's Advice to his Parishioners preached in the parish church of Wormington, in Gloucestershire, March 31, 1776. Second edition, price 3d.

wish you do not think me too free in the remarks I have fent you upon it. I fubmit it to your confideration, whether it may be proper to print it at prefent, or fome time hence, when you will be better acquainted with your parishioners, and they with you. I do not say with HORACE, nonumque prematur in annum; but would read (with Dr. BYROM) unumque.

LETTER

LETTER XXI.

DEAR SIR,

I

Auguft, 1776.

BEGAN to think it long till I heard from Mr. ***, who is vifiting his friends in London. I was ready to fufpect that the air of the metropolis had had the fame effect upon him as it hath upon most of my friends and correfpondents, who live within its influence. They refide in the centre of intelligence, relating to literary, political, and ecclefiaftical affairs, whilft I am thrown into an obfcure corner, out of the way and knowledge of any one of them. Yet I enter fo deeply into the concerns of my fellow-creatures, that I am eager to know how the world goeth on: but they will not indulge my curiofity, though they can moft