suance of my mentioning that place of meeting in my last. But it gave me a most sensible concern, that you was not so kind as to come forward to Broughton; more especially when I reflect, that it seems to be owing to the appearance of neglect on my side; which suspicion I could have removed, had I thought you would have been there, by a letter. But indeed, imagining, from my not having an answer to my last, that you was scarce got from Mr. Gale's, I did not provide against the mischance. The truth of the case is this: I have been very ill for three weeks; at that time I was under a course of physic, attended with an indisposition that hindered me from getting upon horseback, which requires to you no explanation; nor was I able to ride with safety till just now. This, I say, makes me sorry you would not come on, if it was only to find whether I was in fault; and, if so, to reprove me as I ought. I think our friendship required thus much. I am sure your coming would, for more reasons than one, have been very useful to me. I gave you too an example the last time I did myself the pleasure of waiting on you; when, though I found you not at the New Inn, though I then knew no more the reason of your absence than you now did of mine, yet I pushed forward without hesitation. And indeed if, in an intimate friendship like ours, we must be subject to the plague of punctilios and suspicions, I shall be the most unhappy man breathing: for, to me, such an alliance is not like a vulgar acquaintance; and, while I labour under the thought of any thing being taken amiss of me by a friend, I am capable of no ease. Therefore, though I have given you the sincerest state of the case, and the true reason why I could not come, yet, if you think it not sufficient, I will make what acknowledgment and submission you will please to enjoin me. On Thursday I set forwards to the other side of Lincolnshire, and shall return on the Tuesday fullowing. lowing. If you will be so good to appoint any place where I shall meet you, to drag you to Broughton, I will attend you at the day and hour. If you refuse me this favour, I shall suspect you not forgive me. do My most humble service to your good spouse and pretty Miss, concludes me, dear Sir, your most affectionate and most faithful servant and friend, W. WARBURTON. LETTER XV. For the Rev. Dr. STUKELEY, at Mr. Sisson's, Strand. DEAR SIR, February 4, 1732-3. you I was glad to hear of your health, and where you was, from the Letter you wrote to my Brother*. I want much to see you, and shall be glad when get down. I am now very throng about my Moses Vindicatus, and want to talk to you de quolibet ente. I think I can prove my point in such a manner, that Moses' Divine Legation shall never be called in question again by impartial men. But, you know, the subject is to be a secret, that it may have when it appears, at least the grace of novelty. Middleton's and Pearce's dispute, that makes so much noise, I have seen: Middleton writes very agreeably, but, in his vindication of his Letter, has run into a great absurdity. Pearce is a heavy writer. My dear Sir, I hope you meet with every thing at London to your mind, and that you will soon meet the fruits of this voyage. If you have an opportunity, pray ask Watts, by-the-by, when Theobald's Shakespeare is like to come out. * Mr. Twells; see p. 1. + Dr. Zachary Pearce (afterwards Bp. of Rochester) took up the defence of Dr. Waterland; whom Dr. Middleton, in the dispute concerning Tindal's "Christianity as old as the Creation," had ventured to treat with the utmost contempt and severity. C 2 Pray Pray, what says the world of Bentley's Milton? I am, dearest Sir, your most affectionate friend, and sincere servant, W. W. LETTER XVI. For the Rev. Dr. STUKELEY, at Mr. Sisson's. DEAREST SIR, The receipt of your kind Letter of the 8th instant was an inexpressible pleasure to me on many accounts. I am charmed with the account you give me concerning your intentions of printing your fine work of Stonehenge in good earnest. If you print it by subscription, I desire the honour to be in your List, and that you would send me a receipt, and I will send you the money. I have at present a full intention of taking a journey with you to Salisbury Plain in May the project is perfectly right in several views, which have made me so oft repeat my instances to you to print. It is with the utmost concern I see you write that you gave a title; purely on your own account, because I am afraid it should raise a terrible clamour against you. The news of his going into orders creates a furious scandal here; and I believed it false till the receipt of your Letter. I ask your pardon for being thus free; but my concern for your glory and interest in life is so cordial, that it would be infinite concern, that all those amiable excellent qualities that fit you for the first stations in it, should ever receive any accidental clog from only the too precipitated effects of your good-nature and humanity. But, perhaps, it would go too hard with the scoundrels of the world, and they could not support through life an uneasy conscious worthlessness, if the great and good characters did not now and then give them a little relief * This elaborate Work was not published till 1740. in exercising their malice, by too generous and unguarded an action. I mean, such an one as has not what the world calls its full seasoning of prudence. Nobody has experienced this more homie than I have done, by a thousand imprudences in my course of life; and what makes the reflection of it more mortifying to me is, that I have no other claim to likeness of the good characters I mentioned above, than partaking with them in their foibles.—But to return. I am persuaded that, when you see me, you will convince me of the rash judgment I have passed of this act of your good-nature; and that indeed there were proper reasons, such as I must approve of, for your giving him a title; though, perhaps, there could be none for the acceptance of that title at the place where it was offered: for I have no notion of a man's running to the tremendous Altars of Jesus, reeking from the hot pollutions of a brothel, and covered over with all the stains of lewdness and impiety. We may write, and preach, and idly waste a midnight lamp, in defence of our sacred dispensation; but, while such become our coadjutors, and sit with us as watchmen on the rampart of Faith, we shall be an eternal derision to our adversaries, and the torrent of Infidelity will still roll on. As to what you say of Sir Isaac Newton's "Scripture Prophecy," I am inclined to think your judgment of it perfectly right. Though he was a prodigy in his way, yet 1 never expected great things in this kind (which requires a perfect knowledge of antient Literature, History, and Mankind), from a man who spent all his days in looking through a telescope. I am glad, dear Sir, that you wasted a little money with honest Gyles*, and that you got so soon shut of this epidemic disorder. My turn is to come yet. If my hoarseness should happen at the Visita * Fletcher Gyles, the well-known Bookseller in Holbourn. tion, where I am ordered to preach, I must get you to mount the Rostrum in my favour. You did perfectly right in reading a discourse to the Royal Society, and on a very capable subject *, for I remember the great Montaigne will not allow any Physician to be thoroughly skilled in any distemper but what he himself has laboured under. I suppose I shall see it in the next Transactions. I lament with you heartily for the death of the excellent Earl. I knew it would be a great grief to you. Sir Gilbert is indeed gone, From dreams of millions and three groats to pay, with the merit of three groats, and a debt of millions. I think with the Poet, Providence enough shewed how contemptibly it esteems riches when it so burthened an overlaboured individual. Your mention of the First-fruits-office put me in mind to desire a favour of you, which is, to pay my tenths for Brand Broughton, Loveden hundred ; they are 3. 118. 4d. I have got a good bill drawn for you for 41. 38. 10d.; the remaining 12s. 6d. I must desire the further favour of you to pay as the first subscription for the second part of Burnet's History; receipts are delivered, I suppose, by Tom Burnet in the Temple. I was a subscriber to the first volume. I am in sad pain for your health amidst all the terrible infection of the City, and wish I had you safe at Broughton. I thank you for your advice concerning application and health; it is perfectly right, and I will follow it. There is, as you truly observe, no encouragement for our ware, or a learned * On the Gout; see p. 25. Thomas Herbert, Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, died Jan. 22, 1732-3. Sir Gilbert Heathcote, who died Jan. 25, 1732-3, was reputed to be worth 700,000l. very honourably acquired. § The Bishop's third and youngest son, afterwards one of the Justices of the Common Pleas. industry, |