"REV. SIR, April 26, 1737. "I sent a messenger with money to Mr. Bettenham's for one copy of the Answer to the second volume of Neal's History, and for two copies of the third, and in my letter, I told him I sent in your name. Yesterday I got the MSS. returned from Mr. Strahan, who will not engage in it unless you would take off 100 copies. I think to try Mr. Watson, who printed Bishop Madox's Answer to the first volume. He is a man that wishes well to the true Church party, and has suffered Government punishment for it; but I am afraid it will scarcely take. The Bishop has not used him well. He not only has got a great many copies in sheets from him, but several of them bound, not only in calf, but in Turkey and Morocco leather, finely gilt and bound, for the Royal Family, for which he never got a farthing. I think the world much obliged to you for your indefatigable pains; for my own part, I must think you have done excellently well, and represented our pretended godly Saints and Reformers in their own colours. I think you have been rather too gentle with all of them. I wish you had seen a book of two volumes, called 'The History of the name of Gordon;' but I wrote a Preface to it, and altered the title to The History of Scotland from .... to 1690, wherein,' &c. That Author cites the Scots Act of Parliament (which I never knew any do before), wherein what may be called the sale of the King is sole meridiano clarior.

"Some of my friends have been very earnest for me to be D.D.; and accordingly, without any motion in me, have prevailed with the University of Edinburgh to be willing to send me a Diploma to that effect, and insist, pro formá, that I should exhibit a testimonial, which one of their Regents (by the Professor of Divinity's approbation), has sent to me in the most general terms imaginable, that I should get signed by some Clergymen of figure that I am acquainted with; and though I shall keep it in petto till there be some favourable tiine to declare it; yet, as I have some expectations, I know that degree will be of some service one time or other. It is a favour that could scarce be expected from that quarter, from men of their principles to one of mine: so I would willingly take them in the humour; for when the new Present State of Scotland' comes out, with my amendments and alterations (which is now in the press), I dare almost say I cannot. have such another favourable time for it. The form is so far from being rigid, that I dare say neither Oxford nor Cambridge would accept of one in such general terms; viz. These are certifying, that the Rev. Matthias Symson, Master of Arts, Prebendary of the Cathedral Church of Lincoln, and Rector of Wenington in Essex is a person of good letters and knowledge, particularly in Divinity; is of a fair character as to his morals; and well affected to his Majesty's person and government: therefore we judge him worthy to be honoured with the degree of Doctor in Divinity by any University which will be pleased to confer the same degree upon him. Witness, &c. I am to get

the

the same signed (but on a different paper) by at least two Dissenting Teachers, which I shall be a little puzzled in; but Dr. Hay, Vicar of Coleman Street, says he has engaged one, so that I must struggle for another. As you are well known, and also Proctor for the Diocese, your hand will be equal to two others. I hope you will not refuse it, which will be a singular favour done to, Reverend Sir,

"Your most humble and obliged servant,

M. SYMSON." "REV. SIR, London, May 10, 1737. "I received yours, and return you my hearty thanks for your kind promise. The thing designed was not my motion in the least, but came from two gentlemen of figure and character, who assured me they will bring it to bear. There can be no dif. ficulties but two;-one is, to get, if possible, the hands of two or three non-contents, because I have not acquaintance with any such; and the other (which indeed can scarce be called one) is, that at present there is no Head, or Principal there, which sub judice lis est. The Magistrates of Edinburgh, who are Sole-Patrons and Curators, have elected Dr. Wisheart, a Londoner, to be Principal; and also presented him to a Church (in general) in that City; but as no parish has given him a call, the Presbytery powerfully oppose him, because he is not a true blue, fiery, hot zealot; and has asserted something in Sermons preached at his Meeting in this neighbourhood, favourable to good works in justification; and, as he is a rich man (being nephew to the late Admiral of that name), he will not accept of the Headship singly (which is worth 150l. with a good house and fine garden), though it be in a manner a genteel sinecure. My friends having recommended me to him for his hand, I waited upon him last Saturday: I was surprized at his civility. He said, as multitude of Laws was a sign of a bad Government, and strictness in excess has proved the pest of religion, he is afraid the Scot's Kirk is in a declining condition; for every year their General Assembly multiplies their Acts, which are so intricate and puzzling, and executed with more warmth than discretion, it will be necessary, in time, to erect Faculties and Professorships in Colleges, to explain them, as the Papists have done their Canon Law. He added, that as the case is to come this very month before the Assembly, he could not in prudence meddle in it, but will write down to the Professor Ordinarius in my favour; but if the cause go for him, there shall be no difficulty. At present I have no prospect of preferment. I would rather resign my little Lincolnshire Living to my son, if I can get the Patron in the mind. But I must beg leave to undeceive you as to Scots' degrees, both as to law and fact. Their Statutes and Privileges are confirmed by the Union, and, inter alia, they confer cuncta privilegia, quæ (tali gradu) uspiam concedi solent, &c.;-and, in fact, though the late Archbishop was not very willing to allow them, yet, when Mr. Baron Scroop went with Mr. Chalmers, who is M. A. of Aberdeen, one of the London Clergy, who has signed my certificate,

and

and told his Grace he would bring it into Westminster Hall, it ended that matter, and he got a Fiat. I can give other instances since then, particularly Dr Graham, who holds Blankney and Rowston near Lincoln; so that now it is a ruled case; but I am afraid I shall never have opportunity or good occasion to try it. The Dean has gone a progress into the West, to enquire into the real worth of several estates. However, seeing so many hands of Clergymen of note, I hope you will not refuse to ɛet your name, Member in Convocation for the Diocese of Lincoln, in one of the blanks (when Mr. Underhil signed it, who is a man of letters, and is a Writer in the Controversy for Dr. Waterland, he should have left more room either above or below); or, if you do not please to sign in any of these places, you may sign in the blank column just over against Dr. R. Clark, who is one of the King's Chaplains. If need be, I can get many more hands. Pray return the Certificate, either by post or carrier, whichsoever will be the soonest; and the two volumes by latter end of next week, unless you think fit to buy them.

"I have hereby returned your MSS. according to order; and have borrowed for ten days Gordon's History,' in two volumes. I wrote the Preface, and you will perceive the villainy of the Puritans from their first appearance, through the whole period of his book. Look in p. 526 and p. 560, which I have marked down. It being usual at Laureations (or Commencements) for the Regent Professor to chuse three or four of the candidates to make verses or declamations, my Regent was pleased to pick me up, and assign me a subject, which was in its utmost flourish, though it faded afterwards.

M. SYMSON."

"I am, with great respect, Reverend Sir, "Your most humble and obedient servant, "REV. SIR, London, Dec. 17, 1738. "About ten days ago my son waited at your house with my humble service, but had not the happiness to find you at home. He has now been very near three years out of College: my circumstances, at that time, would not allow me to keep him there; nor did I think his stay there proper, lest his brother might have been cast in his teeth. We could not prevail with Dr. Warren to certify for him any further than-that he was admitted at such a time, kept so many Terms, his name was taken out such a day, and has leave to be admitted into any other College ;-no mention that he may be re-admitted in the same College (though I should not at all insist upon it), nor that he left College without any censure, which the Bishop thinks cannot be refused, if it be true, as it certainly is, that he was not censured; nor did King's College any way censure their Fellow that was more than Socius in what my son was blamed for. The Bishop of Lincoln* promised a long while ago to ordain him; but puts it off because Dr.

• Dr. Richard Reynolds.

Lunn

Lunn* will not present him, as if that Bishop had only one Archdeacon, or that no Deputy could be appointed. The Archdeacon told me that he will not do it himself, but will not hinder any other. Being thus tossed between two for three years together, I procured a title in Surrey; and, having shewed sufficient testimonials, the Bishop's only demur is, how he left College? and told me he would by this post write to Dr. Warren about it. My desire to you is, that you would forthwith wait on the Doctor, and expostulate the matter why he, as a Tutor, and in a private capacity, for we do not desire it as locum tenens, cannot certify that my son left College, no public censure having been inflicted on him. I think my son has performed a long quarantine: the Canon requires but for three years last past, and I may safely say, his behaviour, since he left College, and has been more immediately under my eye, has been such as I may in conscience answer for. He is now upwards of 27 years old, and has got a more regular way of thinking than when he was younger. If frolicks and other follies of youth be a perpetual bar against Orders, I fancy a great many will be stopped. I must beg your immediate assistance, for the Bishop expects from Dr. Warren a speedy answer; and that thereof you will speedily apprise, Rev. Sir, "Your humble and most obedient servant, MATT. SYMSON."

“Rev.Sıâ, Prikland's Court, Coleman Street, June 15, 1738. "I have some grounds to believe that a friend of mine lately sent you' A Letter from a Freeholder in the Country,' &c.; but found he had been so rude and clownish as not to get it either franked or freed. I should take it as a singular favour if you will be pleased, in a letter, to let me have your thoughts upon the whole, which will be an additional obligation to the many you have already conferred on, dear Sir, yours, &c. M. SYMSON."

From the Rev. CORNEWALL TATHWELL.

"REV. DOCTOR,

St. John's, Jan. 29, 1746.

"I find you are resolved to be beforehand with me in obligations when you talk of a return for a trifle greatly overpaid by the young Ladies kind acceptance.

"I was not a subscriber to Mr. Russel's useful edition of 'The Apostolic Fathers;' and though I blush to accept what I have not the least claim to, I do not know how to refuse so obliging an offer without seeming to doubt of its sincerity, or to disdain assistance in my studies from one so eminent in the learned world as Dr. Grey.

* Dr. William Lunn (son of the Rev. Edward Lunn, Vicar of Nonington, and Rector of Denton, Kent), was of Bene't College, Cambridge; B. A. 1682; M. A. and Fellow, 1685; Rector of Elsworth, Cambridgeshire; Proctor for the Clergy of the Diocese, 1708; in the Commission of the Peace, and afterwards Archdeacon of Huntingdon, 1725. He published, "The use and abuse of Philosophy in matters of Religion; a Sermon preached at Bishop's Stortford School Feast, Aug. 22, 1710." He died March 17, 1745, and was buried at Elsworth.

+ Of whom see the "Literary Anecdotes," vol. VII. pp. 411, 637; vol. IX. p. 566. "The

"The intricacy of the ways about Houghton was owing to our ignorance. We were a sort of Knight-errants, who had wandered out of our knowledge. Your house seemed an enchanted Castle, that fled before us, and the bad roads we boasted to have overcome were only the monsters our fears had conjured up for us to encounter with. Besides, as my friend was a little past the time of life for such adventures, it is no wonder our complaints were much beyond our real grievances. However, our case in the end was very different from that of the Heroes in Romance. They triumphed over all dangers, to relieve distressed Ladies; we, on the contrary, were in great distress, and Mrs. Grey and the young Ladies were the kind Heroines who happily relieved us.

"I do not doubt but the country about Houghton is enchanting indeed in Summer; and I assure you I am so much more encouraged by our agreeable reception, and your obliging invitation, than discouraged by any difficulties I met with in my last visit, that I verily believe I shall be hardy enough some time next Summer (whenever I am at liberty from my attachments to this place) to make an excursion from hence, break through the spell, and do myself the pleasure to wait upon you.

"Our very worthy and ingenious Professor of Arabic, Dr. Hunt, a good friend of mine, is going to publish by subscription, A Compendium of the History of Egypt,' wrote in Arabic by one Abdollatiph, an Arabian Physician, with a Latin Translation and Notes. Proposals for the work may be seen, and subscriptions taken in, at Mr. Thurlbourn's. If you would be so good as to recommend this to any of your acquaintance who have a taste for Oriental learning, I shall take it as a particular favour, added to the many already conferred upon one who has the highest reason to subscribe himself, with compliments to Mrs. Grey and the young Ladies,

"Your obliged and humble servant, CORNEWALL TATHWELL." "REV. DOCTOR, St. John's, May 15, 1747.

"I was so unfortunate as to be in Lincolnshire at the time your kind letter came, by which means I never saw it till a great while after the date; and, as I am but just returned to College, this is the first opportunity I have to thank you for your kind present. I am very sorry the Music-seller should make such a mistake as to send a Cantata which wanted a leaf; but I write to a friend in town this post to call upon him, and enclose it in a frank with this; and I hope they will both kiss your hands at the same time. I should be very glad to do Dr. Rutherforth some service, on account of the value I have for his pieces, as well as for the worthy gentleman who recommended him *. As Moderator, I have introduced some time ago his Institutiones Physicæ' into our College exercise; but the good friend you saw with me has subscribed for me, and all I have spoke to hitherto had been applied to before. However, I will persist with a great deal of * Of this learned Divine, and his various publications, see the “Literary Anecdotes," vol. VII. p. 369.

pleasure