[From Letters of Bishop Hildesley]

Letter XLVII

Jan. 10, 1766.

My Brother Moore, I fancy, has not lived long enough in the world to be able to join me in this observation, that those things which persons uncalled to it are almost ready to swear to the truth of are generally the most suspicious for their validity. To own ourselves fallible is akse a species of humility ; but as under that semblance there often lies lurking a conceit of beng in the right. Sometimes to receive conviction that we are wrong may do us more good than 100 loins of pork or shoulders of mutton. One of the latter, good sir, entered your doors on Saturday, 9th November — by return of the messenger, A. Cottier, that day I had your hand to paper,— replete with Thanks — for my "paying so much regard to your advice" as to insert Mrs Teare's name in the return of my order about the candidate for the election into Mr Murray's foundation. But not a word of the receipt of what accompanied my letter, either good, bad, or indifferent. Upon which I had the shameful impertinence to remind you of it, by desiring "an appeal might be made to the Clerk of Mrs Moore's kitchen, whether she ever saw a finer?" Another, viz., 2d. letter from P.M., in which he serves me right in taking no sort of notice of that appeal. Aud Mrs Moore still better in crying out, as she did, or ought to have done, "what a rout is here, about a pitiful shoulder of mutton, — as if we never had a bit of fat meat on our spit, or table before! I'll not ask Betty about it, for by this time she has forgot we had one, or where it came from." In a third letter, of 16th November, are these words, "with our thanks to Lady Hesther for the feast she has sent us — it will be a lure for bringing us together some day next week." Consequently mutton, that was killed the 4th, sent to Douglass the 9th, could never be meant of what: was to be feasted on the week after 16th. It never was once in your head in either of your three letters, even though called upon in the interim, and therefore, Hesther might well question whether it could be in your mouth. Ex proemissis itaque conclude, Homines ubi nimium confidentes saepius aberrare (91) Q.E.D,— and now you my almost swear if you please, though I had rather you would not

Let one rule henceforward be observed by us, with respect to Belly prog, only to say "Recd." —and thanks may be reserved, till we meet, and if the receipt should chance to be omitted in the first: letter, (which is very excusable) let it be inserted in the next: that it be known, not to be dropped on the mountains. As, for instance, "Muscles came to hand" ; and as to whitings they, I remember, were bespoke, and therefore of course placed to account, only please, henceforward not to send above 2 or 3 at a time, for the rest are forgot and lost: for want of eating in due time.

And now I am dispensing with all sorts of thanks in scriptis, for whatever may seem to call for them, I am reminded te return you back those, for what I had no title at all to, viz., those you sent me for my compliance, etc., above mentioned. I inserted Mrs T's name, purely to please her, and not from any conviction either her or her friends' high flown reasoning on the point had afforded me. Her acceptance (without the least demur or objection) of her own Agent's proposal to take the opinion of some eminent Council (sic ), in order for ascertaining her title, allowed me no sort of suspicion that she would dislike to wait a few weeks for that decision. And what if after all that both she and you have said upon it, I should appear beyond doubt that she and her heirs can at no rate be a legal Trustee; as the late donor mentions no other but his then Executor, and not a word of assigns successors in the estate or otherwise, as he does with respect to Bishop and Wardens and their successors, which otherwise could not have taken place. Whether Mr Murray, or the drawer of his will, forgot to insert the like for Mr Teare's representatives, I cannot say. And as to the endangering the donation, I can't, in the least, see it. For she herself has at sundry times acknowledged to me that we certainly could have entered on the estate on her late husband's refusal of payment. She gives for a reason of desiring to be one — "on account of her son's succeeding in it" — who, you'll give me leave to observe, if he does, it may be foreseen, what advantage, in future, when my bones are laid, the Trust may have from a person interested in keeping the money in his pocket. And that the next in succession to her, discovered such marks of a refractory and rebellious turn, as have been almost too much for his Tutor's and her joint authority to subdue it. 'Tis an instance of being father's own son, though possibly, you might not have heard of it, but it gave me a hint, notwithstanding all her boast of family government and submission that parents are sometimes partial to their own offspring.

With regard to your caution about the wardens not knowing anything of the Doubt that had been started, it was too late, for I found they had been apprized of it before they came to me, and seemed to look upon Mrs T's desire to have her name in much in the same light as I did, viz., as she was a well-behaved, good kind of woman, they were as willing as I, that she should be complimented with a "Valeat quantum — valere potest' (92), Your sorrow also for the uneasiness in this matter had given me might have been spared. or it gave me none, as I saw no immediate hurt in gratifying her request. Nor, as it has pleased her, do I think it at all necessary or expedient to damp her satisfaction with any more doubts or queries about validity of her title.

And so much for the matter of family trusteeship, which seemed to disturb you greatly; and, therefore, though not granted from conviction, I am glad, however, that, what I did, most readily, has proved to your, as well as to the widow's, particular satisfaction. And therein now let all parties rest, as in an innocent, Blot, that at present seems not likely to threaten damage to anybody — and if hereafter disputes should arise, it may then be time enough to rectify error, if there be any. I am glad to hear of the good state of health you have enjoyed this fine winter, as I am also of your having found a better excuse for not letting me see you, which you have exchanged for one I had helped you to, "lest you should be troubled," which in your edition is "lest you be troublesome."

(89) Both inclination and necessity will urge

(90)—This was the first edition of the Prayer-book which was issued in 1765.

(91)—"From these premises I therefore conclude that men when too confident more often go astray."

(92)—" Let it pass for what it is worth.'?