(seq. 33)

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[fol. 2v]

Forgive the desultory thoughts, wh flow from a heart more
than commonly impressed.

Last Evening were celebrated the nuptials of Miss E. Blake
the lady, who once called at H. to leave you a letter from me.
Notwithstanding the festivity of the occasion & the amusements,
wh were introduced, my heart was in the house of mourning.
I could not suspend, for one hour, those mournful thoughts, wh
involuntarily rushed into my mind. Never did I more forcibly re-
alize, that "It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to
"the house of feasting;" although I wished to adapt myself to the company.

Your last letter, my friend, came very opportunely, tho, at a
late period after its date. I did not receive it, till the even-
ing before last; wh was the time I heard of Prince's death. It was
principally employed, if you recollect, on the subject of mortality. You
point out one painful office of your profession, & bid me not to
"start back from it, as entirely gloomy." I do not, my dear Sir;
but think, if it ever fall to my lot to be a settled minister
shall take peculiar pleasure in the necessary acts of condolenc[...]
The throat distemper, wh prevails with you, has found its way into
this town. The oldest child of one, who has lately lost three by other
disorders, has fallen a victim to its rage. What renders the sit-
uation of this family peculiarly distressing is, that the father is
dangerously affected by the same disorder, & the mother is, by this
complication of troubles, rendered delirious. This distemper, I am
informed, rages in some parts of Boston.

Since beginning this letter, I have attended an occasional
lecture of Mr H. in wh he succeeded much better, than when
you heard him. He delivered an admirable discourse from the
3d. Epistle of John, 2d verse. Beloved, &c. He first informed us,
that in the Syriac, Coptic, & Ethiopic versions, above all things is
rendered in all things. He then descanted upon the great blessings
of prosperity, health, & a good conscience, &, after applications suitable
to the occasion, he informed us, that 46 have died in town the past

[fol. 2v]

year, wh is the greatest number, who have ever died, in a year, in
this town except 1776 & 1777, in the former of wh 71, & in the latter
56 died. For these 60 years, the average number of deaths has
been 27 in a year. The town now contains about 500 ratable
polls.

I thank you for your advice respecting the method of sermonizing &
the importance of studying the scriptures. Coming from one, who is
fresh in experience, I esteem it more, than the theory of a Newton. Ev-
ery hint of the kind, wh occurs to you, I would gladly & gratefully re-
ceive. Among other error, to wh I am liable, I fear, stiffness & ambigui-
ty of expression will characterize & disgrace my compositions. I wish,
Labor omnia vincit were true. "Poeta mascitur"; Sed heu! ingeni-
um non "fit".

You startle at six years. To confess the truth, the term was
dictated rather by my fears, than my wishes. I do not expect to be
popular. "I cannot dig. To beg I am ashamed." What better resolution,
than to make a virtue of necessity.

"Orton's lettters" was the first book I read after commencement.
[...] was pleased with the caholicism & most of the sentiments, [ ] I
[...]ther. I am told, he has written an exposition of the Old [ ]
[...]ccommodated to Doddridge on the New. You find, he is a [ ]

Have you read Paley's horæ Paulinæ? You must adm[ ]t.
It is an attempt, (& a very forceful one, in my opinion) to estab-
lish the authenticity of the Xn system from the undesigned coin-
cidences of St Paul's epistles with the Acts, & with one another.
Dr Priestly, in his answer to Paine, pays it a high compliment, tho
the author is a churchman & appears, by his various publications,
aiming at the Episcopal See. It contains 426 pages 8 vo; & so
free is it from party aspersions, that you could can not determine,
through the whole volume, whether the author be a Quaker, Ro-
man Caholic, or Episcopalian.

I like my situation too well to wish an immediate removal.
Plenty of books, a sermon a fortnight & good society are blessings too
great to be resigned for the wandering life of a pilgrim. But my
finances are low; my credit I have to establish. I must, therefore,
soon usher forth in quest of adventures. I thank you for your good
wishes of success. Not one word of E.! O, yes. Last even-
ing I had the pleasure of seeing her.

"I saw her charming: but I saw not all
"the charms her downcast modesty concealed."

Your fancy may supply the rest. I have room only to declare myself your's,

Philos.

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RCH in KZ

Line 67: The author references the book 'Horae Paulinae" by William Paley, first published in 1790. The author has written the words "horae" and "Paulinae" using the ligature for 'ae': æ, which these days appears to us very much like 'se'.