LETTER CXVIII. The Rev. J. PLUMPTRE to Dr. LETTSOM. Clare Hall, April 23, 1805. Much respected Friend, On my arrival in College yesterday, I found your very obliging letter of the 20th, and am happy to be able to answer it to-day, by sending you my Sermons; in the second of which I have taken the liberty of publicly making my acknowledgements for the many and undeserved favours which I have received from you. I shall be anxious to hear your real opinion of the work; it seems to me to be curious and interesting. I take the very great liberty of troubling you with a small packet to Dr. Jenner, who, I understand from your letter, is in London at this time, and with packets to several others, whose particular addresses I do not yet know, and to some (Dr. Waterhouse and Count Rumford) not in the kingdom; but you may perhaps know where to forward the latter in London, and the former, I recollect, you have frequent communication with. I fear you will think me forward in the many copies I have intruded on strangers, but you will see that it is å subject which has made no ordinary impression on my mind, and I almost feel acquainted with those with whom I have so long been conversing in their writings. I return the books you so obligingly lent me, and which I ought to apologize for having kept so long, but I hope you will not think they have been thrown away upon me. I am sorry that society have lost Dr. Woodville. I had hoped for the honour of presenting him with a copy. Mr. Neild's book I read with infinite pleasure, and you will see in my errata that I could not excuse myself for omitting his name in a list of worthies. I could add much on what you say respecting our good King. I believe that the execrable writings of Peter Pindar (for such they must be, if they have had that effect,) have done much to degrade him in the eyes of his subjects. I am obliged to conclude this hasty scrawl with repeated apologies; and am Your much obliged and Obedient humble servant, J. PLUMPTRE. P. S. The Sermon will not be published before Saturday. LETTER CXIX. From the same. Clare Hall, April 25, 1805. Respected Friend, I did not discover till after I had sealed up the parcel to you on Tuesday evening, that I had omitted Nelson's Address. As I am about sending a parcel to Mr. Rivington, I'inclose it in that, and also add a piece of information, which I think I forgot in my letter; namely, that my village Sermon had its desired effect, and that vaccine inoculation is begun in my parish. The first child was inoculated on Monday, and the whole parish are to be inoculated from that in due time. In great haste I remain your much obliged and obedient humble servant, J. PLUMPTRE. LETTER CXX. Dr. LETTSOM to the Rev. J. PLUMPTRE. Rev. Friend, London, May 7, 1805. My brother-in-law, Counsellor Garrow, dining with me at Grove Hill to-day, afforded me a frank, which I embrace hastily to acknowledge the very distinguished honour you have conferred upon me in addressing your interesting Sermon on staying the Plague, &c. to one so undeserving your regard. I cherish the honour, however, in a high degree, as proceeding from a character universally esteemed, and coupling my name with that of Jenner. Neild has acknowledged your notice of him, and has inclosed, for my perusal, a copy of his letter to you. I expected this benevolent man to be of my party to-day, but I was disappointed, I fear from indisposition; for in truth he is sacrificing his life to prison pursuits. If you may not have seen the last account in the Gentleman's Magazine, I now inclose it. Miss Porter, the author of Thaddeus of Warsaw, favoured me with the manuscript from Stockdale's Ximenes. I formerly proposed a festival on the 17th of May, the birth-day of Jenner. He assures me he will be in town. Will you partake of the feast of Reason, and allow me to introduce you to him. After dinner, a bed is at your service at my Tusculum at Grove Hill, three miles from the standard in Cornhill. Do not disappoint me; but if you previously inform me of your acquiescence, I will engage Jenner to sleep with me. Tria juncta in uno. I am almost sorry that the French are so much wiser than us, as to propose a general inoculation of the cow-pock throughout France. Chaptal, the great chemist, Minister of the Interior, directs this; and France will save 50,000 subjects in one year, whilst we are foolishly losing half that number by our obstinacy. Thus they are forming a sinking fund of human life adequate to all the losses by war. In London, about 15 murders are weekly suffered of infants, all of whom might be saved by vaccination. Last week, two patients consulted me-one inoculated with the small-pox is blind of both eyes; another, a child of fortune, is rendered a miserable object for life. I am almost angry to think of our obstinacy. Who could read your Sermon and hesitate a moment? Some parts are incomparably conclusive, and formed to engage attention in every rank. Thus far I write-at eleven a message calls me 15 miles off. I must travel all night, and conclude, with much esteem J. C. LETTSOM. LETTER CXXI. The Rev. J. PLUMPTRE to Dr. LETTSOM. Hinxton Vicarage, May 11, 1805. Much respected Friend, On my arrival here yesterday, whither I came to attend the third inoculation for the cow-pock in my parish, I found your favour of the 7th, and beg to return you my grateful thanks for its most obliging contents. Mr. Neild's obliging letter, and present of his book, had before satisfied me of your having received my parcel; and your favour, |