bookseller says it is out of print. I hope it will be reprinted.

I took the liberty about a fortnight ago of sending you a Sermon, which I have lately published, and which I hope you have, ere this, received.. I am happy that you approve my Calendars.

Yours, &c.

JAMES PLUMPTRE..

LETTER CIX.

Dr. LETTSOм to the Rev. J. PLUMPTRE.

London, Dec. 1, 1804.

It may be a cause of wonder, that in a metropolis of nearly a million of inhabitants, an humble individual may be found out. About 20 years. ago, a letter from the Indies, which came vid Liverpool, having neither the city nor the nation of my residence, came safe to me. I do not mention it as a matter of analogy; but it is said that Boerhaave's Letters were sometimes directed to him in Europe; however, a Letter directed to me in London is sufficient; my residence, really, is Sambrook Court, Basinghall Street. The Camberwell postman lives in my lodge, that opens to Grove Hill; he has the residence for the trouble of opening the gate. I am rarely there, as my professional duties oblige me to remain a denizen of

the metropolis. My wife likes the country, where I dine with her, usually every Sunday, with a party of select friends, and now and then sleep there: many of my associates are clerical, because they are a learned and improved part of the community. The religion of a quaker, as far as I know, is as expansive as the air; at least I entertain no partialities for sect.

I will not brand my kind correspondent as a sturdy beggar, because he is an acceptable and laudable one; I shall therefore put up a packet of Heads, not like those of Saracenic or Turkish vengeance, reeking in gore; though quiescent, the bodies from whence they were decapitated, still live and breathe to serve or ornament society.

With respect to thy projected plan of a modern Arcadia, it may evince the goodness or expansion of thy own heart; but I fear the heart of a great feudal possessor of castles and domains, will not be found equally capacious and liberal as the Vicar of Hinxton. He may, like Fenelon, give examples of what should be by his Telemachus, and you by your imaginary Arcadia.

Mr. Willett, a gentleman of great fortune near Dorchester, lately deceased, published an account of his library, which exhibited in its paintings and statuary, the progress of religion and of the arts; and perhaps I may be able to send it for thy inspection, as I think it would suit a person of thy cultivated taste, and it may be returned to me when convenient. I am now finishing a letter to

my amiable friend Dr. Madison, Bishop of Virginia, and the celebrated Dr. Ramsay, of Charleston; and if no vessel be soon sailing for those parts, I shall inclose them for thy perusal, and they may be returned in a week or two. I send them merely because they convey my ideas of the different species of man, and of the durability of the American Republic; but I am an incorrect writer: -it is however excusable - I write my correspondence in my carriage only, and being interrupted by alighting at the houses of patients, I become almost unintelligible from want of connexion; indeed, this is written with company in my coach; and I have the facility of writing and conversing at the same time, though not like Cæsar, who could dictate to 12 scribes at once. Perhaps one of the most learned and best-informed men in Europe is our amiable King, and I think I have seen him converse with two persons at once; but his astonishing capacity is almost equal to any thing, though inferior to the amities of his heart. As an individual, I have personal reasons for acknowledging his kind condescension.

I have read your excellent sermon with the more pleasure as it quadrates with my sentiments of the character of our Saviour, and my ideas of rational conviviality. At the last Anniversary of the Royal Humane Society our party was about 300 at dinner; and round the room walked three times a vast body of victims snatched from the grave. What a luxury! How such a sight must have tormented

the unfeeling heart of a Malthus, whose book, written against that first command of God, "be fruitful and multiply," ought to be publicly burnt.

The 3d edition of my Naturalist's Companion is out of print; two editions of 1500 sold within twelve months. If I meet with a copy at a sale, I will purchase and send it to you.

J. C. L.

LETTER CX.

The Rev. J. PLUMPTRE, to Dr. LETTSOM.

Hinxton Vicarage, Dec. 8, 1804.

Respected Friend,

Since I last troubled you, I have read your Apology*, your Appeal, your Address to Parents and Guardians, and the other papers you obligingly sent from the Magazines on the subject of the Jennerian Discovery, and on the other leaf I send you the result, which I beg you to consider as my mite towards forwarding the cause of Vaccine Inoculation, and which I send for your approbation and remarks, both with respect to the matter and the poetry.

* An Apology for differing in Opinion from the Monthly and Critical Reviewers. By Dr. Lettsom. Lond. 1803. ED.

+ An Appeal addressed to the Calm Reflection of the Authors of the Critical Review. By Dr. Lettsom. Lond. 1803. ED.

+ Vide Appendix, No. I.

Trifling as the mean is, yet I may do some good, as I am sorry to say there is much prejudice against the Cow-Pock in this part; partly owing to prejudice, as is generally the case, against any new practice, and partly from the injudicious application of it four years ago at Ickleton, a case which I think was laid before Dr. Jenner. The world of literature must acknowledge themselves under great obligations to you for your noble stand against the despotism of the Reviewers, and I beg you to accept my thanks, not that they can be of any value to you, but for my own satisfaction in discharging the debt of gratitude.

I am certain your candour will forgive me, if I confess my sentiments to be somewhat in accord with those of the Monthly Review (of which I knew nothing till I read your pamphlet), with respect to your engraving of the sacred cow. The late Mr. Jones, of Nayland, in his "Reflections on the growth of Heathenism amongst Modern Christians," shews how much the age is given to heathenism, and I fear that the infidel Revolution of France has tended to spread it farther. Nor does our continuance of the heathen names of the days and months seem to me to be exactly paralJel, for we annex no ideas of veneration to them on that account, and I should think that scarcely one in a thousand knows the meaning and origin of the names. But the word sacred is in every one's mouth, and I believe it is seldom used but with some ideas of religious devotion. I have no