H́nh ảnh trang
PDF
ePub

fuppofe the writer of the above may have overlooked fome circumstances that might have confiderably altered the cafe, had they been brought forward. Perfons who have a native warmth of heart, as we would in charity fuppofe, may be the cafe with the writer of the above, are not well acquainted with the circumftances that may affect the minds of perfons of a more phlegmatic turt; and therefore may difregard them fo much, as, unknowingly, to have given geat offence. Can the perfon be certain that he has never been guilty of an imprudence of that fort?

If the writer be poffeffed of that benevolence of dispofition that his own reprefentation of his cafe is calculated to make us fuppofe, it is probable he may have formed expectations of meeting with a kind of reciprocal warmth of exertion: But if the other perfon concerned never was fenfible of these kind of affections, docs he not act inconfiderately ever to expect it? Has he duly weighed this circumitance?

A perfon who is ardent in fupporting his friend, is、 alfo too often equally warm and fincere in reprehending whatever he fees amifs. But it is. only perfons of great vigour of mind, who can bear fuch kinds of freedom with temper. Is the writer certain that he has never tranfgrefied in this way, fo as to efface that tenderness for him, which he thinks himself entitled-to? If he has not been attentive here, is he not himself to blame for the conduct of which he complains?

Lafily. Has he compared what fhould be the effect of a conduct rigid and uncomplying on his part, with that of the attention and compliances that may have flowed from another quarter. It is perhaps one of the greatcft allevations to the diftreffes of life, that mankind are difpofed to court the favour of perfons who have money, from the hope of obtaining it. This confideration, and this alone, is fufficiently powerful to make many perfons flatter and coax the aged and the infirm, in mind as well as bedy, fo as to pleafe in eve

ry respect. The haughty perfon, who, proud of what he thinks internal rectitude, is perpetually wounding the feelings of those who can only digeft the mild milk of flattery; and as these are very numerous among the aged and infirm, there can be no doubt but the life of fuch perfons is rendered much more pleafing by these arts, than it could be without them. Has our writer tried this? If not, is he not fhort-fighted to expect that others will not do it? and is he to expect that this fhould be difregarded?

SIR,

To the Editor of the Bee.

INCLOSED is a copy of a letter from the late Sir Hew Dalrymple of N. Berwick, to Sir Laurence Dundas, if you think it merits a place in the Bee, I have only to add, that this letter procured the church for Mr. Dishington, and he enjoys it at prefent. I am, Sir,

your's &c.

B. B. *

Copy of a Letter from Sir Hew Dalrymple to Sir Laurence Dundas.

DEAR SIR,

Dalzell, May 24. 1775. HAVING fpent a long life in purfuit of pleasure and health, I am now retired from the world in poverty, and with the gout; fo, joining with Solomon, that "all "is vanity and vexation of spirit," I go to church, and fay my prayers.

* This letter has already appeared in print. It has been very little read; but were it even more generally known than it is, its intrinsic ex cellence is fuch as to entitle it to a place in any collection.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

I affure you that most of us religious people reap fome little fatisfaction in hoping, that you wealthy voluptuaries have a fair chance of being damn'd to all eternity, and that Dives fhall call out for a drop of water to Lazarus, one drop of which he feldom tafted, when he had the twelve Apoftles, twelve hogfheads of claret in his cellar.

Now, Sir, that doctrine being laid down, I wish to give you, my friend, a loop hole to creep through. Going to church laft Sunday, as ufual, I faw an unknown face in the pulpit, and rifing up to prayers, as others do upon like occafions, I began to look around the church, to find out if there were any pretty girls there, when my attention was attracted by the foreign accent of the parfon. I gave him my attention, and had my devotion awakened by the most pathetic prayer I ever heard. This made me all attention to the fermon; a finer difcourfe never came from the lips of a man-I returned in the afternoon, and heard the fame preacher exceed his morning work, by the finest chain of reasoning, conveyed by the most eloquent expreffions. I immediately thought of what Agrippa faid to Paul," almost thou "perfuadeft me to be a Chriftian." I fent to ask the man of God to honour my roof, and dine with me. I asked him of his country, and what not; I even asked him if his fermons were his own compofition, which he affirmed they were-I affured him I believed it, for never man had spoke or wrote fo well. My name "I am affiftant to an old is Difhington," faid he. minister in the Orkneys, who enjoys a fruitful benefice of sol. a year, out of which I am allowed 201. for preaching, and inftructing 1200 people, who live in two feparate iflands, out of which I pay 1 1. 5 s. to the boatman who transports me from the one to the other. I should be happy could I continue in that terreftrial paradife ; but we have a great Lord, who has many little people foliciting him, for many little things that he can do, and that he cannot do; and if my minifter dies, his fucceffion is too great a prize, not to raise up

66

66

many powerful rivals to baulk my hopes of prefer

ment."

I asked him if he poffeffed any other wealth. "Yes," fays he, "I married the prettieft girl in the island, fhe has bleffed me with three children, and as we are both young, we may expect more-besides, I am so beloved in the island, that I have all my peats brought home; carriage free."

This is my ftory,-now to the prayer of my petition. I never before envied you the poffeffion of the Orkneys, which I now do, only to provide for this eloquent, innocent apoftle. The fun has refufed your barren ifles his kindly influence ;-do not deprive them of fo pleafant a preacher, let not fo great a treasure be for ever loft to that damn'd inhofpitable country; for 1 affure you, were the archbishop of Canterbury to hear him, or hear of him, he would not do less than make him an archdeacon. The man has but one weaknefs, that of preferring the Orkneys to all the earth.

This way, and no other, you have a chance for falvation. Do this man good, and he will pray for you. This will be a better purchase than your Irith eftate or the Orkneys. I think it will help me forward too, fince I am the man who told you of the man fo worthy and deserving; fo pious, fo eloquent, and whose prayer may do fo much good. Till I hear from you on this head, your's, in all meeknefs, love, and benevolence,

H. D.

P. S. Think what an unfpeakable pleasure it will be, to look down from heaven, and fee Rigby, Mafterton, all the Campbells and Nabobs, fwimming in fire and brimstone, while you are fitting with Whitfield, and all his old women, looking beautiful, frisking,' and finging; all which you may have by settling this man, after the death of the prefent incumbent.

SIR,

To the Editor of the Bee.

[ocr errors]

I AM much obliged to you for fo kindly admitting into your ufeful mifcellany, the excerpts from the hymns in profe I fometime ago communicated to you. Since then, my ftate of health has been fuch as to prevent me from being able to fulfil my promife I embrace the firft opportunity that a fmall return of ftrength affords, to fend you the concluding extract that I promifed, which I hope will not tend to injure the fale of your work. I have now learnt, that thefe, hymns were written by Mrs. Barbauld. They are printed in a duodecimo form, anno 1782, and fold by J. Johnfon, No. 72. St Paul's Church-Yard.

I fhall continue to read your mifcellany as long as health permits, if you adhere to your judicious refoJution of admitting nothing into it that has an immoral tendency; and if my ftrength fhould return, I shall not fail to give you notice of any particular that occurs to me, which promifes to add to the value of your publication. With fincere good wifhes, I am, &c.

June 8th, 1791. S

SENEX.

Hymn IV. and laft, communicated by Senex, continued from Vol. II. page 264.

"CHILD of mortality, whence comeft thou? why is "thy countenance iad, and why are thine eyes red "with weeping?"

I have feen the rofe in its beauty: it fpread its leaves in the morning fun. I returned; it was dying ppon its talk; the grace of the form of it was gone

« TrướcTiếp tục »