[From Letters of Bishop Hildesley]

Letter LII

Monday, March 3, 1766.

I have heard it said that the best time to answer a letter is just after receiving it. But I don't think it best that that speed should entitle the Receiver to criticise every slip of the pen. When I make such remarks, it is for the sake of self-exculpation; being very apt to be guilty of epistolary errata.

I am obliged to Mr Postmaster Younger for the trouble of his transcript, but have had those orders in print some time ago. I think, if I remember right, I desired you would, among other expedients, ask the master of the vessel to pay the postage of any Shrewsbury letter at Whitehaven, or if he would not trust, you might have trusted him with a shilling, to have returned the difference. It will appear very odd to my correspondent, that I should only save him part of the expence. I had much rather have paid 2d. for desiring Mr Sewel to pay it. When the subscription for your poor is on foot, you'll let me have the honour of my name in it for a guinea. And now I am mentioning money, will you give me credit for the like sum to Dr. Gilespie, with my excuse for being a week or two behind of time.

The contest for power, you more than hint at, is disagreeable, no doubt, to both parties, and it is unfortunatie whenever those occasions occur; but I trust all will end amicably at last.

With respect to your Delicacy, the Society complain of, I have nothing further to note, having wrote you my full mind upon it; except, that when you have done what I think not right, you put it upon me to plead, what I told you I could not, viz., a proper excuse for it. Your distinction on that head seems stall to me to be unnecessarily nice — not to say squeamish. If the Society order you five pounds worth of books, not for your own Profit, but for the poor of your flock, because they have reason to believe you zealous for the cause of religion, it is a very trifling distinction, sure, that you won't accept their compliment, because you scorn to be rewarded. "Not willing to take from the Manks Fund!" You take nothing from it, nor was it meant or designed that you should. They present you with the books from a fund they have for that: very purpose of giving parcels of books to some of the more deserving of their members, which makes them say : "Donations of this kind are often made by them out of a particular fund set apart for that purpose ; and they never knew it offend any member to have an offer made to him of being the Society's Almoner in this way." So you must make the best of it, by outwitting your masters, if you please. I can say nothing for or about your distinctions ; you should understand one another, and not to have then members have scruples, where there is no sort of occasion.

As I told you in my last, I here repeat it, I would thankfully accept the like offer, at first sight. And which, if you had done, I don't think your Conscience would have been hurt, and your people, young and old, would have been benefitted some months ago. In any light or view whatever, I cannot approve your conduct in this particular, which you have been your own sole sufficient adviser ; and, therefore, no reason for my interposing.

England-bound Hesther, says, in answer to your wishing her to take the first fine day to set out, she rather chooses to wait for a rainy day to wash away the snow-mountains still remaining; but we talk here of pioneers; and attempting to get forward toward the beginning of next week. And when you have her you must get rid of her as you can.

Mr Sewel acquainted me in his letter that, Mrs. Birket had her book. The major part of his address was about advising me to print at Whitehaven and accepting him for Corrector.

Pray, how come you to imagine that our Prayer Book was printed from the blotted and interlined copy? You can't judge so from the event of the impression, which you seemed to think so good, bating the omissions in the Psalms, that there would be no need of the clergy's sending in their remarks; and, accordingly, we have had none [in compliance with my earnest request at Convocation] excepting what you saw of Mr Gill's.

In answer to your aspiring proposal of being my sole agent at Douglas, the honourable post is at your service; and much good may it do us both. Compensation and reward you seem so averse to, I will endeavour to guard against offending you with it — you having suffered sufficiently on that head from elsewhere. However, I am glad to see you say you don't insist upon compensation, further than the loan of a book, which, when I have got, I will not be long your insolvent Debtor.

M. S. M.

Poor Mrs Black mending but slowly! But I think she was too much hurt to be well at once. Let all her friends cheer up and hope the best. I never gave her up at the worst. If you have an Erasmus's Coloquies I would be glad to borrow it.

Mem—When the Rector of Bride was last at Bishopscourt, he mentioned Mr F. Corlett's desire that he would signify his desire to haye the Bishop's Tithe at Bride; which Mr Moore accordingly did. And when Mr Corlett was here last Thursday desiring to know whether Mr Moore had done as he requested, I answered yes. And unless the present Proctor did not hold it, I was determined he (Corlett) should have it; but that J. Christian, has been here the day before and renewed his Lease.