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far as to let me know how he does; at the fame time I shall know how you do, and that will be a double fatisfaction to

Your, &c.

LETTER IV.

MY LORD,

The Answer.

Nov. 20, 1717.

Am truly obliged by your kind condolence on my Father's death, and the defire you exprefs that I fhould improve this incident to my advantage. I know your Lordship's friendship to me is fo extenfive, that you include in that with both my fpiritual and my temporal advantage; and it is what I owe to that friendship, to open my mind unrefervedly to you on this head. It is true, I have loft a parent for whom no gains I could make would be any equivalent. But that was not my only tye: I thank God another ftill remains (and long may it remain) of the fame tender nature: Genitrix eft mihi-and excuse me if I say with Euryalus,

nequeam lacrymas perferre parentis.

A rigid divine may call it a carnal tye, but sure it is a virtuous one: at least I am more certain

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that it is a duty of nature to preferve a good parent's life and happiness, than I am of any speculative point whatever.

Ignaram bujus quodcunque pericli
Hanc ego, nunc, linquam?

For fhe, my Lord, would think this feparation more grievous than any other, and I, for my part, know as little as poor Euryalus did, of the fuccefs of fuch an adventure, (for an Adventure it is, and no fmall one, in fpite of the moft pofitive divinity.) Whether the change would be to my fpiritual advantage, God only knows this I know, that I mean as well in the religion I now profefs, as I can poffibly ever do in another. Can a man who thinks fo, justify a change, even if he thought both equally good? To fuch an one, the part of Joyning with any one body of Chriftians might perhaps be eafy, but I think it would not be fo, to Renounce the other.

Your Lordship has formerly advis'd me to read the beft controverfies between the Churches. Shall I tell you a fecret? I did fo at fourteen years old, (for I loved reading, and my father had no other books) there was a collection of all that had been written on both fides in the reign of King James the fecond: I warm'd my head with them, and the confequence was, that I found

I found myself a Papist and a Protestant by turns, according to the last book I read. I am afraid most Seekers are in the fame cafe, and when they ftop, they are not fo properly converted, as out-witted. You fee how little glory you would gain by my converfion. And after all, I verily believe your Lordship and I are both of the fame religion, if we were thoroughly understood by one another, and that all honeft and reasonable chriftians would be fo, if they did but talk enough together every day; and had nothing to do together, but to serve God, and live in peace with their neighbour.

As to the temporal fide of the question, I can have no difpute with you; it is certain, all the beneficial circumstances of life, and all the fhining ones, lie on the part you would invite me to. But if I could bring myself to fancy, what I think you do but fancy, that I have any talents for active life, I want health for it; and befides it is a real truth, I have lefs Inclination (if poffible) than Ability. Contemplative life is not only my scene, but it is my habit too. I. begun my life where most people end theirs, with a dif-relish of all that the world calls Am

*This is an admirable defcription of every Reader labouring in religious controverfy, without poffeffing the

principles on which a right judgment of the points in queftion is to be regulated.

G 4

bition:

bition: I don't know why 'tis call'd fo, for to me it always feem'd to be rather stooping than climbing. I'll tell you my politic and religious fentiments in a few words. In my politics, I think no further than how to preserve the peace of my life, in any government under which I live; nor in my religion, than to preferve the peace of my confcience, in any church with which I communicate. I hope all churches and all governments are fo far of God, as they are rightly understood, and rightly adminiftred: and where they are, or may be wrong, I leave it to God alone to mend or reform them; which whenever he does, it must be by greater inftruments than I am. I am not a Papift, for I renounce the temporal invafions of the Papal power, and detest their arrogated authority over Princes and States. I am a Catholick in the ftricteft fense of the word. If I was born under an abfolute Prince, I would be a quiet fubject; but I thank God I was not. I have a due fenfe of the excellence of the British conftitution. In a word, the things I have always wifhed to fee are not a Roman Catholic, or a French Catholic, or a Spanish Catholic, but a true Catholic: and not a King of Whigs, or a King of Tories, but a King of England. Which God of his mercy grant his prefent Majefty may be, and all future Mar

jefties:

jefties: You fee, my Lord, I end like a preacher this is Sermo ad Clerum, not ad Populum. Believe me, with infinite obligation and fincere thanks, ever

Your, &c.

I

LETTER V.

Sept. 23, 1720.

Hope you have fome time ago receiv'd the Sulphur, and the two volumes of Mr. Gay, as inftances (how small ones foever) that I wish you both health and diverfion. What I now fend for your perufal, I fhall fay nothing of; not to foreftall by a fingle word what you promis'd to fay upon that fubject. Your Lordship may criticise from Virgil to these Tales; as Solomon wrote of every thing from the cedar to the hyffop. I have fome caufe, fince I laft waited on you at Bromley, to look upon you as a prophet in that retreat, from whom oracles are to be had, were mankind wife enough to go thither to confult you: The fate of the South-fea Scheme has, much sooner than I expected, verify'd what you told me. Moft people thought the time would come, but no man prepared for it; no man confider'd it would come like a Thief in the Night, exactly as it

happens

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