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were always like Borignons, Quietists; and never persecuted, when they had power, as in Philadelphia; the only religious body, indeed, among Christians, who never exercised religious power over any other religious body. In this respect they stand unique.

The Theophilanthropists of Paris are, I suppose, extinct. The religion there, if any remain, is that of the Cyprian Goddess, who has in her train 60,000 licensed votaries, and about as many more unlicensed. Alas! what contrasts are afforded by human weakness, and what numberless evils from depravity! Your text, however, encourages each to endeavour to rescue from ruin those who depart from the truth; and that you may enforce the doctrine with your wonted energy, is the wish of

Yours, respectfully,

J. C. LETTSOM.

P. S. About fifteen years ago, there was a middle-aged man, who chose to live in Shoreditch Workhouse. He had a room to himself, which he worked curiously with straw. He appeared to know the whole Bible by heart; and would say thus-"Take two of the first words in such a verse, and the last line of such a verse." Thus he would proceed for a whole day; and when these were put together, they read connectedly. He was thought to be inspired, and was much followed. I attended him once or twice, and his strings of

words, when put together, appeared like a connected sentence. Crowds followed him to know their fate, and what was going on in the future world, which Poor Helps, as he called himself, explained to his followers. I observed, that these enthusiasts and predestinarians, who consulted Poor Helps, had dark crisp hair and swarthy complexions, as almost all methodist preachers of this class have. Lady Huntingdon, whom I attended for the last five years of her life, was fair, and very lively accident, not constitution, made her a methodist.

Poor Helps was originally, I believe, a thief, and adopted his prophetic plan to elude prosecution. I have since attended him as a gentleman, though he still calls himself Poor Helps, and maintains his prophetic delusions with certain persons, particularly with a lady who used to receive girls of the town; but she has acquired about four thousand pounds a-year income, and has left off the girl-business, and has become a saint, in order to wipe away all stains. J. C. L.

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LETTER CXXVI.

The Rev. J. PLUMPTRE to Dr. LETTSOM.

Clare Hall, Nov. 21, 1805.

Much respected Friend,-for by that appellation I trust that you, my dear Sir, will still give

me leave to address you, since our personal acquaintance during my late visit in London; in which I must say with Posthumus, in Shakspeare, "I have been debtor to you for courtesies, which I will be ever to pay, and yet pay still."

In the midst of the present opposition to vaccine inoculation, I cannot forbear sending you an extract, trifling as it is, from the letter of a friend of mine, Mr. Walter Trevelyan, (of Netherwitton, Northumberland,) who is himself a vaccinator, and is now on a visit to the Rev. Mr. Borlase, of Castle Horneck, near Penzance: he tells me, Mr. B. so much approved of my Sermon on the Cow-Pock, as to resolve to become immediately a vaccine inoculator in that neighbourhood, notwithstanding the very strong prejudices which he would have to encounter; and that he (Mr. Trevelyan) prevailed upon several to be inoculated, who all went through it well." He then informs me of the sad effects of the small-pox there, and the terrible way in which it is mis-managed; and sends me some "additional facts concerning the cowpock, communicated by Dr. Jenner to Mr. B." which, though new to me, are no doubt not so to you, and therefore I need not transcribe them. Yours, &c.

JAMES PLUMPtre.

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I thank you for the interesting anecdotes respecting vaccination; and although I shall at present relinquish the subject, it shall be renewed in a future letter, in which, I think, I shall afford you pleasure. That your Sermons have produced much influence on the public mind, I fully believe; and this will be more particularly the case in America, whither I have transmitted several copies.

I cannot make out a complete set of my Letters on Prisons. Such as I have I transmit: the last was necessarily short, on account of the length of Mr. Neild's, which so usefully occupies several pages; but I hope that the subsequent one may afford some amends.

The last edition of "The Naturalist's and Traveller's Companion" is out of print. In the present improved state of chemical science, the two first are not worth perusal. I have tried to procure a copy from some printed catalogue, but hitherto in vain, and I have not a single spare copy. This last third edition of 1000 was disposed of in six

months. The second edition of 1774, of 500, in two months.

I have several of the late Jonas Hanway's Works, but am not in possession of the performance mentioned in your letter, which must have been interesting to you from the similarity of subject.

Yours, respectfully,

J. C. LETTSOM.

LETTER CXXVIII.

The Rev. J. PLUMPTRE to Dr. LETTSOM.

Stamford, Aug. 25, 1806.

Your packet, for which I return you my best thanks, contains a rich mental repast. The Report of the Royal Humane Society is particularly interesting; and the Emperor Alexander, in personally restoring to life a poor drowned peasant, seems to me much more to deserve the name of The Great, than the Man-killer of Persia*.

* In the year 1806 Mr. Grange communicated to the late benevolent Dr. Hawes, then Treasurer of the Royal Humane Society, the interesting fact of Alexander, the Emperor of all the Russias, having, by his own humane perseverance and personal exertions, rescued a Polish peasant from apparent death, by drowning. The Gold Medal and Honorary Diploma were voted to his Imperial Majesty, for his noble, unwearied, and persevering efforts, by which, under Divine Providence, life was re

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