To the Same. The 13th of January, 1753. My most excellent Cousin. MR. ISAAC will do my letters most unmerited honour if he considers them as news-papers. Fame's mighty trumpet has no notes loud enough to reach my ears at Sandleford, nor of the lies she whispers, or of the truths she bawls, can I hear or repeat one syllable. Most things misunderstood, are misapplied, but the destination of my epistles to the service of the cook, to singe a fowl, or guard the bottom of a minced pye, was a judgment worthy of the wisdom and justice of a Minos or Rhadamanthus. I am much obliged to your amiable brother and Mrs. Temple West for their kind concern for my health; the good wishes of those one esteems, are almost equal to the blessings they desire for one. I am extremely glad that your manner of being in town will be such as will render yours and Mrs. West's residence there agreeable to you both. Good humour and good order seem to regulate the family you are to be in; together they make an excellent menage: I cannot think they will in such manner preside at the feast of those very discreet virgins, Mademoiselles Lant and Torriano. How came they to think of so jolly a matter as a feast? I think I see them marching round the porridge pot, and singing, Double, double, toil and trouble, I am very glad Lord Temple is out of danger; his good humour, cheerfulness, and his civility to your son, have recommended him much to me. I am sorry that Mr. Pitt is not in good health. I know it will give you great concern; however, consider the care, skill, and exactness with which nature has fitted up his head, and pardon her for some little neglects in the finishing his stomach: ample amends has been made to him for some want of bodily health. Consider how much worse is the lot of such who have the same infirmities of body without the extraordinary gifts of the mind. Then indeed, cousin, they are grievous, but one is used to bear them, and patience be comes a habit where suffering is so. I hope Mr. Pitt will next season try the Tunbridge waters; they succeed some times when the Bath fails. Pray in your next, let me know what account you have heard of Mrs. Anne Pitt, who, I fear, is in very bad health. bad health. I suppose Mr. Pitt has exercised his magic on your garden: let me know how he liked your Gothic seat. When such persons as Sir George Lyttelton and Mr. West pass a week to gether, one may imagine the time is not spent in mere unprofitable talk; by some things Sir George said to me, I imagined you would together apply to the finishing of a work of which I have heard you speak. You said something when I was at Wickham, of a discourse on miracles: I do not doubt of your treating any subject with a peculiar happiness, but of all subjects, it is the most nice in a philosophical and sceptical age. Arguments of equal credibility are not always equally believed. The regular process observed by nature in her ordinary productions, and the causes of many extraordinary appearances being now discovered, the philosophers are averse to a belief of miracles. An experience that many things formerly considered as such, were but in the ordinary course, and regular effect of certain powers and qualities, and frequent detection of imposture and fraud in those who pretended to miraculous powers, have together rendered men's minds more averse to that subject, and less open to the conviction of such proofs, so that they raise up both physical and moral objections to such arguments. Excuse me therefore if I say, they are of all the evidences of the Christian religion, what are at present least likely to meet with a candid reception. You did not mention any thing more than barely that the miracles were the subject of your writing; excuse me, therefore, for what I have said, and believe my concern arises from the most tender and zealous regard to the cause, and its advocate. I should be sorry to see the peace of a good man disturbed, and the pen of a wise one engaged in the impertinent and unprofitable sophistry of controversial writings; indeed there are many prating, but few writing, free thinkers; however, there are always some who can cavil and dispute. I do not mean that I would not wish you to employ your talents in so noble a cause as that of religion, but I would wish them so engaged, as would be most likely to do good to others, and not occasion you any trouble. Our Saviour himself did not urge those truths which he thought his disciples at that season not prepared to receive. I have lately read Mr. Locke's discourse on miracles, and I think, from his very definition of them, it is a difficult subject to write on in such a manner as to give any new light, or higher probability than they carry to every reader, from the account as you have it in the New Testament. I am at present reading |