[From Letters of Bishop Hildesley]

Letter XXXVIII

Bishopscourt, Dec. 18, 1764.

I think my learned friend of Douglass must never plead want of time and attention to answer letters (unless messengers are on the wing), when he can bestow a whole page on the ancient dignity of a Goose.—To that page, therefore, excuse me, if I have nothing to reply. Your reflections on what parents must : feel on the death of their children, are as just and sensible, as any one's, perhaps, that has not had the self-feeling. One may smypathize and imagine what others endure on such occa- sions, but I believe it is generally short of the original—not but that I am aware, too, that there are a lot of dispassionate constitutions, which are considerably less affected by such losses, than others are apt to expect or con- ceive they are (68). Mr Wilks seems at present to be more sensibly touched with the anxiety and fear for his son Jemy's eyes (69) than anything else. As the smallpox he had was far from severe, I don't think there is sufficient reason to be so excessively alarmed about the consequence of the youth's eyes being inflamed: It is an odd observation, and 'twould be absurd to suppose it universal, but I have often found, what I have least feared, come to pass, and vice versa.

I thought you had told me in a former letter that M. 2, tho' too late for Lace, would go off by a pilot boat the next tide. This wind, I expect, will bring something from England—tho' it brings no good to my garden.

Your defence and apology with: respect to the vague newspapers I accept as satisfactory. The refusing them to neighbours on the spot tho' not subscribers, on the plea of sending them off to one that is, I perceive and believe be impracticable, and shall not, therefore, any more think of or expect it; but be glad to have them on the terms already agreed.of 10s, per annum and return them ... Be pleased only to recollect, when it was this 10s. bargain commenced. I shall not be satisfied with a non est inventum, s pray consider and recollect.

Provided you will promise me to make the St. Ann Deacon sensible of the rashness and unjustifiableness of proposing to quit the country, because he had not received a presentation to a living, before he was qualified for it, and when of two good vacancies likely to be shortly, one of them must needs fall to his share, then I'll promise you to save myself the trouble of administering any medicine for that part of his distemper.—Upon my word, Sir, the candidates for the Church Service as they are call'd, are in these days very different from what I remember, at least, in the land I come from, where, to the consolation of the disappointed cleric above referred to, I was only a Curate for 8 or 9 years after I was in priest's orders before I could get a living of any vaiue whatever. But our young men, even without the pretensions of academic education, are no sooner vested with their black sails than they are at top gallant, and scarce anything is too high or too good for them. Don't you think that if the Archdeaconry was vacant! (to go no higher), and the Duke or Duchess should think any one of these Inceptors in Divinity worthy to fill it, he would think so too. Indeed, my good Brother, it is fit that pride should be humbled. You best know your own case. But I can say for myself, mortifications have been good for me. You can't) forgive yourself, it seems, for divulging the impertinence of your Onesimus —whereas I have good reasons to thank you for it for his sake; and I hope he'll live to have sense enough to thank you, too. The discovery and notice of it will help him to know himself; and that you must allow is a benefit and advantage to him, and was, therefore, the most friendly part you could act by him. He has a great many good qualities, but real humility happens not to be one of them, notwithstanding his external show of modesty. Never owning the receipt of his watch, I doubt, can never be otherwise accounted for, but from a principal that coincides with a number of like instances, which, though I have forgiven and will still be his friend, yet I should be a very unfaithful one, if I suffered bad roots to lay smothered, for fear the en- deavour to extract them shonld not be well taken, Think again, of what I have said, and youll recall your repentance of what you have done for his gool. The production of your Tyro (of 22 or 23 years of aye) was delivered to me as a specimen I required of his Latinity, as I found you preferred him for his qualifications to be the representative among your disciples of the upper class to another I proposed for that province.

It showed more honesty than prudence toput it in my hands without exhibiting it to your inspection. This, however, helps to encourage repeated recommendation to a more frequent exercise of Latin composition; which a young man at the head of a grammar school, especially who is to assist his contemporaries as well as inferiors, ought to be a ready adept However, I must not forget your more than ordinary attention to the religious principles of your pupils is more than a compensation for Trustees forother defects. And so,because my Brother Trustees , for thechapel are mortal, as well as I, there will be no occasion for securing in subscriptions that must drop with the decrease of the subscriber. Well remember only, I have given fair warning against needless hazard. Answer not this by the return of the bearer, which is always, as you observe, a time of hurry. Just room for the compliments of the approaching season to you and Mrs Moore, etc., and to make my Mark.(70)

(68)—Neither Bishop Hildesley or Philip Moore had children

(69)—James Wilks, afterwards High-Bailiff of Castletown, he was a brother of Col, Wilks (see note 64a)

(70)—a joke on his name.