[From Letters of Bishop Hildesley]

Letter IV

Sept. 30, 1760.

"Aunt Nell thanks you for your literary Dissertations — but not for your compliment in thinking them unfit for her; and if you'll excuse the want of her reply, she says 'she does not care how many she receives of the same sort; for tho' she don't write, she can read (she was going to be so vain as to say — and understand) everything that comes from you, with pleasure. She intended also to add by way of explanation, because your manner and style are always entertaining and intelligible - even to her taste and capacity'. Query is this a compliment to you or herself?

We rejoiced for Mrs Black; if she has gained better health whatever else she may have lost. Let us go on to hope like the merchants, that she may get as much more by another freight as she is out of pocket by the last.

Mrs Moore (7), I have not had a word word with you of a long time, — am I not to see or speak to you, till I mount the school-house or pulpit stairs at Douglas ? If not, I shall wish the 19th of my favourite month of October was at hand.

I have not yet learnt from any pen or person whatever, that a certain young man who took his departure from hence over the foggy mountains, on the 19th inst. September, found his way — and is recovered of all the maladies he suffered at Bishopscourt, — not excepting that of the imposition of grave looks into his hands (tho' not obliged to read them) besides the hearing, more that he could not, (and I trust did not desire to) avoid If his stay in this dull house, longer than most people choose to make it, Was not a penance for somewhat he had done amiss in the city he came from, he may shew it by inducing others to follow his example in making the like experiment, — whether they can be content to ride about, breaking of fences, with a rambling Bishop in a strange country, without either guide or language, — in the day time, — and drinking Doddridge instead of beverage (Angl. Punch or Claret) at night (8).

You see my attention is not so engaged as you imagined, (or perhaps as it ought to be) in the work proper for my approaching circuit, but I have found time to furnish two long letters to you. If the time they take you in reading shall chance to save a boy from the inspection or correction of his exercise (as I may judge from long by-past times and circumstances, still fresh in memory) I shall be sure of his thanks, whatever I may of yours. My Blessing; from little Bell concludes this serio-comic packet from

Dr. Sir, your faithful and affecte Bro.,
M.S.M.

P.S.—If some people were to see or hear the contents of this paper, they would be apt to say, they 'should have expected another guise of letter from a Diocesan to one of his clergy'. To which you might reply, that you 'know how to distinguish the friend from the bishop, as well as sometimes to unite both —in your acceptation'. But what I think still better than this reply, will be to give no opportunity, or occasion for any.—' Let Discretion Guide Thee'.

(7)—The Rev. Philip's wife.

(8) The "young man" seems to be the Rev. Philip himself Doddridge was a learned divine and writer on theological subjects. The remark about language no doubt refers to the Bishop's ignorance of Manx.