doubt not but he will prove a very worthy missionary, and continue to deserve well that recommendation.

On this occasion I write my most thankful acknowledment of your Lordship's kind letter of September 19th last (which came not to my hands till this very month), and would humbly inform your Lordship how extremely thankful we all are for the tender care you express for our Churches, and the solicitous endeavours you are using to promote Bishops for these remote parts. We earnestly pray God that your endeavours may be attended with the desired success: and I herewith send your Lordship a copy of our joint answer to a paper of proposals which has been sent into these parts (signed by as many as could have opportunity), if peradventure it may be of some use, though it may probably be too late.

As to what your Lordship desires in your letter to the late Bishop's Commissaries, I must humbly beg to be excused, and to refer your Lordship to the answers they will give to it, because I have no copy of his late Lordship's patent, nor ever had more than a very transient sight of it, and by reason of my distance and extensive care here, I have not for many years been at any convention of the Clergy, nor was there ever any juridical act carried on when I was present, besides inquiries into the condition of our parishes; so that I am unable to give any light that can be of any use to your Lordship on this subject. I could wish the Bishop or Commissaries might be empowered or directed to require an annual account from the people of their punctual performing their part towards the support of their Ministers, and that some provision could be made of a moderate discipline, purely spiritual, in pursuance of the rubric to suspend open and notorious evil livers from the holy sacrament.

But I doubt not but your Lordship will do the utmost you can for us, if at all any thing can be done. There are two more candidates to whom we gave our testimonials, who I believe will shortly embark; by whom, if any thing occurs to me that can be of any use, I shall write further to your Lordship. In the mean time I remain, my Lord,

Your Lordship's most dutiful, and most obedient son, and humble servant,

To my Lord of London.

SAMUEL JOHNSON.

Proposals, relating to AMERICAN BISHOPS, sent to England in 1750.

As the chief obstruction to the settling

Bishops in America arises from an apprehension here that the several colonies abroad would be unwilling to have Bishops among them, from a jealousy that introducing ecclesiastical power among them may interfere with some rights which, by custom, or by acts of their respective assemblies, are now vested in other hands; it is become necessary, in order to know their sentiments, to inform them rightly in this case.

Their objections (if they have any) must be, as is supposed, upon one or all the following accounts.

1. With respect to the coercive power such Bishops may exercise over the people in causes ecclesiastical.

2. With respect to the interest or authority of the Governors there.

3. With respect to the burthen that may be brought upon the people, of supporting and maintaining Bishops there.

4. With respect to such of the colonies where the govern ment is in the hands of the Independents, or other dissenters, whose principles are inconsistent with Episcopal go

vernment.

As these objections are all founded upon a misapprehension of the case, it may be proper to have it understood,

1st. That no coercive power is desired over the laity in any case; but only a power to regulate the behaviour of the Clergy who are in Episcopal Orders, and to correct and punish them according to the law of the Church of England, in case of misbehaviour or neglect of duty; with such power as the Commissaries abroad have exercised.

2dly. That nothing is desired for such Bishops that may in the least interfere with the dignity, or authority, or interest of Governor, or any other officer of state. Probate of wills, licence for marriage, &c. to be left in the hands where they are, and no share of the temporal government is desired for the Bishops.

3dly. The maintenance of such Bishops not to be at the charge of the colonies.

4thly. No Bishops are intended to be settled in places where the government is in the hands of dissenters, as in New-England, &c. but authority to be given only to ordain Clergy for such Church of England congregations as are among them, and to inspect into the manners and behaviour of the same Clergy, and to confirm the members thereof.

It is proposed to the society to recommend to such of their members as have correspondence abroad, to acquaint their friends with these particulars, in order to know the sense of the people there, when duly informed of the case; and to know what other objections they may have to the said proposal.

<We, the subscribers, having read the foregoing objections, are not able to recollect any others made by the dissenters. here against resident Bishops in America, but what are herein contained; and notwithstanding these objections, we are heartily desirous that Bishops should be provided for the plantations, and are fully persuaded that our several congregations, and all other congregations of the Church of England in New-England, are earnestly desirous of the same. TIMOTHY CUTLER,

EBENEZER MILLER,

HENRY CANER,

CHARLES BROCKWELL,,

WILLIAM HOOPER..

Boston, (N. E.) Nov. 28, 1750.

Letters from Bishop SHERLOCK to Dr. JOHNSON.

REV. SIR,

London, April 21, 1752.

I am very much obliged to you for your letters of the 26th of March, and 25th of September, 1751! I have, for above a quarter of a year, been under a fit of the gout, which has disabled me from attending to business; otherwise you should have heard sooner from me.

The observations you communicated to me, with relation to the settlement of Episcopacy amongst you, are very just, and worthy of consideration; but I am afraid that others, who have more power and influence, do not see the thing in the light that we do, and I have but little hopes of succeeding at present.

I think myself at present in a very bad situation: Bishop of a vast country, without power, or influence, or any means of promoting true religion: sequestered from the people over whom I have the care, and must never hope to see. I should be tempted to throw off all this care quite, were it not for the sake of preserving even the appearance of an Episcopal Church in the plantations.

Your letter of the 20th of October last, sent by Messrs. CAMP and COLTON, came but lately to hand. I thank you for it, and particularly for giving me some light into the quarrel between Mr. GRAVES and Mr. COLTON. Mr. GRAVES wrote to me a very bad character of him, but could not conceal his passion and resentment, charging him with very heinous crimes. His letter gave me great offence, as he will find when he receives my answer.

I am, Sir,

Your affectionate brother and humble servant,

REV. SIR,

THO. LONDON.

Fulham, Oct. 20, 1754.

In consideration of Mr. PALMER's circumstances, and the strong recommendation he brought from you and other worthy clergymen, I appointed a special ordination, and not being able myself to ordain, the Bishop of Bangor, at my request, was so good as to come hither and ordain him; but I refer myself to him to give you an account of his reception here.

Sir, I do heartily congratulate the Church abroad, upon the prospect of the settlement of a College at New-York