Lambeth, Jan. 20, 1761.

GOOD DR. JOHNSON,

The University of Oxford have unanimously given Mr. BARCLAY, at my request, the degree of a Doctor of Divinity, by a diploma, which is in my hands, but shall be sent to the Doctor in such manner as he shall direct. Be pleased in the mean time to congratulate him from me on the justice done in this respect to his merit.

My further inquiries for tutors in your college, though diligent, continue to be unsuccessful. Nor do we find persons to supply our vacant missions, which are now seven or eight. Pray is Mr. GIBBS, of Simsbury, in a condition to do any duty properly, and what? And is there any hope that Mr. LYONS, of Brookhaven, if removed with an admonition, would mend? I hope you will send us over good young men for missionaries when you can. We must supply the old parishes before we attempt erecting new ones.

The King hath had no opportunity as yet of showing what his dispositions are towards the American Churches, excepting that in general all his dispositions are good. But whom he will consult particularly on this head hath not hitherto appeared. I presume the Episcopal Clergy will transmit addresses to him, as their predecessors, when they were much fewer, did to the late King. This may lead him to inquire concerning them, and express himself in re lation to them. If any such addresses come to me, I will take the best care of them that I can.

You shall hear further, as occasion may require, from your loving brother,

THO. CANT,

GOOD DR. JOHNSON,

Lambeth, December 10, 1761.

I have been a very bad correspondent, and scarcely dare promise to amend, though I purpose it, God willing. Besides much extraordinary business arising from the King's accession, marriage, and coronation, and two visitations of distant parts under my jurisdiction, I have had a severe fit of the stone, and am now under a second fit of the gout within these six months; and must not hope, in my 69th year, that these complaints will grow lighter, but expect to be overwhelmed by additional ones. However, I have forced myself to take up my pen, to make my excuse to you as well as I can.

You judged rightly from my letter of January 20, that I had written a former, which had not come to your hands. It was written November 4, 1760. I should have sent a duplicate of it soon after. But all that I can do now is to send you a copy, and another proxy, that which accompanied it being, I presume, lost with it.

I thank you for your draught of an address for Bishops on a peace. Would to God both events were nearer than they seem to be at present. The right time to try is certainly when a peace is made, if circumstances afford any hope of success. But this is a matter of which you in America cannot judge; and therefore I beg you will attempt nothing without the advice of the Society, or of the Bishops. The address of the Clergy in and near Boston to the King upon his accession, which was sent to the late Bishop of London to be presented, never was presented, because he thought it mentioned Bishops prematurely. When I presented that which came from New-York, signed by you, I

told the King that there had been one from New-England transmitted to Bishop SHERLOCK (who was dead when I spoke to his Majesty), but that what he had done with it I knew not. I gave him that copy of the college address which was under the common seal..

I have received a very obliging letter from the Clergy assembled at Philadelphia, May 29, 1761, on occasion of my letter to Mr. MACLANEGHAN, with a request that I would give leave for its being printed. But as I am assured that his party is declining, I thought it unnecessary.

Many thanks to you for the tracts which you have written and sent me. I have read them with much pleasure, as I hope many have done.

Before I received your letter, informing me that Mr. VIETS, a person, I think, unknown to me, desired he might come and be ordained to assist Mr. GIBBS, the Society had ordered that a successor to Mr. GIBBS should be sent. But nothing hath been done in consequence of this order. And if Mr. GIBBS be in low circumstances, and the assistant will be content with part of the salary, that will be the better scheme..

Mr. READ, who seems to be a very prudent worthy man, Hath been at Oxford, and made inquiry concerning Mr. COOPER, whom he seems desirous to have at New-York college, and probably hath written to you concerning him. His character in the university is very good; and he hath applied himself diligently to Hebrew this year. He is very, willing to come to you, but only as Vice-President. You will consider of this, and specify what you can afford to give, unless you have heard of any other person. I can hear of no other.

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The new Bishop of London (Dr. HAYTER) is a very able, and active, and spirited man, and hath much influence with some who have influence with the King. I hope, therefore, that he will be very useful to the colonies.

Dr. BEARCROFT is dead, and we have chosen Secretary Dr. DANIEL BURTON, who was many years my Chaplain, and is Chancellor of the Diocese of Oxford, and Canon of Christ Church, a very pious, and sensible, and diligent, and careful, and disinterested man; who, I am fully persuaded, will give entire satisfaction, both on this side the water and on yours.

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We receive.complaints that Rye hath been vacant, and without the administration of the sacraments, for a long time. But I think we have had no request to send a new missionary and young Mr. WETMORE tells us that the Minister must be chosen by the Vestry. I have directed our new Secretary to see if he can find any thing in our books or papers about this matter. Old Mr. WETMORE was there before 1727.

Mr. CRAIG, missionary at Chester, in Pennsylvania, saith that as he was appointed by the Society before the people petitioned for a new Minister, they are very backward in complying with any reasonable terms. He is coming over for his health; by which means we shall hear more particulars, and settle whether he shall return to them or not.

I have not learnt yet what has become of Mr. CAMP, since his return from the south. Mr. LINDSAY, missionary at Trinity-Bay, Newfoundland, hath left his mission, and seems too much confused and disordered in his head to be fit for any other. I am told from the newspapers that good Dr. CUTLER is dead. Mr. JAMES GREATON was

ordained last year for his Curate, with a view of making him his successor if proper.

The Convention, which met in Philadelphia in May, 1760, sent word, that the Church of Newcastle, in that country, was grown very thin, and that the other and more numerous (I suppose at White-Clay) had refused to receive Mr. Ross for their missionary. Pray can you tell me what the reason of this is? And what becomes of those who have rejected Mr. Ross?

Mr. MOIR, in North-Carolina, sends over large accounts of multitudes baptized by him. At the same time Governor DOBBS saith, he hears Mr. MOIR doth but little, and doubts the truth of his numbers. Can you give me any informa tion about this matter?

Mr. MARTIN, of St. Andrew's, in South-Carolina, is come over hither, and hath very honourably told the Society that he thinks his salary of thirty pounds a year may be better employed by them. I wish we had more such instances, where circumstances will allow them. And I cannot help thinking that the laity of our Church abroad are not so liberal to their Ministers as they might be, and as those of other denominations are, but lean too hard upon the Society: in which, perhaps, their Ministers sometimes encourage them, or connive at them, in order to live upon better terms with them. You will tell me whether I am right in this notion.

A strict examination hath been made here into the state of our Barbadoes affairs, which appear to have been very bad for many years past; and a new committee is appointed to watch over them more diligently for the future. At the head of this committee is Dr. DRUMMOND, now Arch