LETTER VI.

"Youth is the ftock whence grafted fuperftition

"Shoots with unbounded vigour."

MILLER'S Mahomet

All muft lament that he's under fuch banners, "As evil community fpoils our good manners,"

SIMKIN,

DEAR FRIEND,

AT the time that I was

bound apprentice, my master had two fons, the eldest about feventeen years old, the youngest fourteen, The eldest had just been baptized, and introduced as a member of the arianistical dipping community where my mafter and his family attended. The boy was a very fober induftrious youth, and gave his father and mother much pleasure,

youngest was also a good lad. thing continued well for fome

had been added to the family.

The

Thus every

time after I

Both of the

boys had very good natural parts, and had

learned

learned to read, write, keep accounts, &c. But they had been at fchools where no variety of books had been introduced, so that all they had read was the Bible. My master's whole library consisted of a school-fize Bible, Watts's Pfalms and Hymns, Foot's Tract on Baptism, Culpepper's Herbal, the History of the Gentle Craft, an old imperfect volume of Receipts in Phyfic, Surgery, &c. and the Ready Reckoner. The ideas of the family were as circumfcribed as their library. My mafter called attention to business and work

ing hard, "minding the main chance." On Sundays all went to meeting; my master on that day faid a short grace before dinner, and the boys read a few chapters in the Bible, took a walk for an hour or two, then read a chapter or two more,

"What right, what true, what fit we juftly call,
"And this was all our care-for this is all."

They then fupped, and went early to bed, perfectly fatisfied with having done their

duty;

duty; and each having a quiet confcience, foon fell into the arms of "Nature's foft nurfe! fweet fleep.

"And thus whatever be our station,

"Our hearts in spite of us declare;
"We feel peculiar confolation,
"And tafte of happiness a share."

HORACE Imitated.

I cannot here omit mentioning a very fingular custom of my mafter's: Every morning, at all seasons of the year, and in all weathers, he rofe about three o'clock, took a walk by the river-fide round Frenchware-fields, ftopt at an alehouse that was early open to drink half a pint of ale, came back before fix o'clock, then called up his people to work, and went to bed again about seven.

Thus was the good man's family jogging eafily and quietly on, no one doubting but he should go to heaven when he died, and every one hoping it would be a good while first.

"A man fhould be religious, not fuperftitious."

But, alas! the dreadful crifis was at hand

that

put an end to the happiness and peace of this little family. I had been an apprentice about twelve or fifteen months, when my master's eldest fon George happened to goand hear a fermon by one of Mr. Welley's preachers, who had left the plough-tail to preach the pure and unadulterated Gofpel of Christ. By this fermon the fallow ground

of

poor George's heart was ploughed up, he was now perfuaded that the innocent and good life he had led would only fink him deeper into hell: in fhort, he found out that he had never been converted, and of course was in a state of damnation, without benefit of Clergy. But he did not long continue in this damnable state, but foon became one of

He perfuaded himself that he had paffed through the New Birth, and was quite fure that his name was registered in the Book of Life, and (to the great grief of his parents) he was in reality become a new creature.

" 'Twas

" "Twas methodistic grace that made him tofs and tumble, "Which in his entrails did like julap rumble.”

OVID'S Epift. Burlesqued.

George had no fooner made things fure for himself, than he began to extend his concern to his father, mother, brother, and me; and very kindly gave us to understand, that he was fure we were in a very deplorable ftate, "without hope, and without God in the world," being under the curfe of the Law.

"For all enthufiafts when the fit is ftrong,
"Indulge a volubility of tongue."

FENTON.

In the long winter nights, as we fat at work together, he proved (in his way) that every man had original fin enough to damn a thousand fouls; and a deal was faid on that fubject. A paffage was quoted from the wife determination of the doctors of the Sorbornne, where they fay that children inclosed in their mother's womb, are liable to damnation, if they die there unbaptized. Quotations were also made from fome deep