removed. I have not looked into his boxes, but transferred that business to a gentleman in the neighbourhood, of cha racter above suspicion. 1789, May. SAM. JOHNSON. LXX. Bishop Newton to a Gentleman at Lichfield. MR. URBAN, THE inclosed is the original of a letter from the late very learned Bp. Newton; addressed to a worthy divine at Lich field, since also deceased; and will doubtless be acceptable to your readers. Yours, &c. EUGENIO. Grosvenor-street, March 29, 1759. MUCH am I obliged to my good friend for his accurate perusal and candid approbation of my Discourses on the Prophecies. Of all books the Revelation will admit of the greatest variety of interpretation. If I have succeeded in all the material parts, it is commendation sufficient. It is difficult, as I say, to trace out every minute resemblance. The full and perfect comprehension of this book will make part of the happiness of the glorious millennium. I can only exhibit what appears to me most probable; and my interpretation of the 14th chapter still appears to me more probable than yours. The clue that has principally conducted me through both parts of the Revelation, has been following the series of history and the successive order of events. After the descrip tion of the two beasts, secular and ecclesiastical, whose power was established, according to my opinion, in the 8th century, but, according to most other commentators, much sooner, there would be a very long chasm, without the prediction of any memorable events, if the 14th chapter, as you say, relates to the time immediately preceding the first resurrection, or the millennium. What a long interval would that be without any prophecy; and how thick the events would follow afterwards! For all the particulars, not only of the 14th, but also of the 16th, 18th, and 19th chapters, must be fulfilled before the commencement of the millennium. I can hardly frame, even in imagination, any events that can answer more exactly to the proclamations of the three angels than the three principal efforts towards a Reformation. Charlemagne, Valdes, Luther, and their followers, certainly deserve as exalted characters as are here given them; and it would be very strange, that there should be so many prophecies relating to the downfal of Popery, and yet none concerning the Reformation. The church of this period is not represented in that state of triumph and jubilation as you seem to imagine; there are hints of their suffering persecution in this very chapter: but if it was, as you imagine, yet why may not the true church be represented like the apostles and first Christians, "as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing," as "glorifying in tribulation," as being "exceeding joyful in tribulation," &c.? If the dead are blessed from henceforth," because they shall remain a shorter time in the separate state, and be sooner raised again, why is not that reason assigned, but quite different ones, "that they may rest from their labours, and their works do follow them?" These are reasons for "the blessedness of the dead, who die in the Lord," which hold equally at all times, and cannot be restrained and limited to any particular time; and therefore, I conceive, the words "from henceforth" refer not so much to "the blessedness of the dead," which is always the same, as to the writing and promulgating of this doctrine. I have expressed a doubt whether those prophecies of Ezekiel (chap. xxxviii. and xxxix.) and that of St. John (chap. xx.) may not relate to the same event; but I rather incline to think, that they relate to different events, for the reasons I have given. I believe those prophecies of Ezekiel to synchronize with the latter part of the 11th chapter of Daniel, and to relate to the fall of the Othman empire, which includes Gomer and many Europeans, as well as other nations. If Gog and Magog in the Revelation are the same, and are not mystic names, as I say, then, we must suppose the Othman empire to subsist throughout the millennium, which I can never believe, nor reconcile with other prophecies. We shall have opportunities, I hope, of talking over these and other topics more at large, when I come to Lichfield this summer; and then I will moderate, you please, between you and Charles Howard. If he was no better an advocate than he seems a divine, I should be sorry for his clients, provided you do, as I suppose you do, represent his arguments fairly. You who live in the country have fine time to prosecute your studies, and to exercise and amuse yourselves with literary disputations; but we, who live in town, at least I can speak for myself, have so many interruptions and avocations, that it is not easy to find if opportunities to express how truly 1 am, dear Sir, your af fectionate and obliged humble servant, 1789, May. THOMAS NEWTON. LXXI. Dr. Benjamin Franklin to John Alleyne, Esq. DEAR JACK, Craven-street, Aug. 9, 1768. YOU desire, you say, my impartial thoughts on the subject of an early marriage, by way of answer to the numberless objections which have been made by short-sighted people to your own. You may remember, when you consulted me upon the occasion, that I thought youth on both sides to be no objection. Indeed, from, the marriages which have fallen under my observation, I am rather inclined to think that early ones stand the best chance of happiness. The tempers and habits of young people are not yet become so stiff and uncomplying as when more advanced in life: they form more easily to each other, and hence many occasions of disgust are removed. And if youth has less of that prudence which is necessary to manage a family, yet the parents and elder friends of young married persons are generally at hand, to afford their advice, which amply supplies that defect; and by early marriage youth is sooner formed to regular and useful life, and possibly some of those accidents or connections that might have injured the constitution or reputation, or both, are thereby happily prevented. Particular circumstances of particular persons may possibly sometimes make it prudent to delay entering into that state; but, in general, when nature has rendered our bodies fit for it, the presumption is in nature's favour, that she has not judged amiss in making us desire it. Late marriages are often attended too with this further inconve nience, that there is not the same chance the parents shall live to see their offspring educated. Late children, says the Spanish proverb, are early orphans; a melancholy reflection to those whose case it may be! With us in America, marriages are generally in the morning of life, our children are therefore educated and settled in the world by noon; and thus our business being done, we have an afternoon and evening of cheerful leisure to ourselves, such as your friend at present enjoys. By these early marriages we are blest with more children: and from the mode among us, founded in nature, of every mother suckling and nursing her own child, more of them are raised. Thence the swift progress of population among us, unparalleled in Europe! In fine, I am glad you are married, and congratulate you most cordially upon it. You are now in the way of becoming a useful citizen, and you have escaped the unnatural state of celibacy for life, the fate of many here who never intended it, but who, having too long postponed the change of their condition, find at length that it is too late to think of it, and so live all their lives in a situation that greatly lessens a man's value. An odd volume of a set of books, you know, is not worth its proportion of the set: and what think you of the odd half of a pair of scissars?-it cannot well cut any thing-it may possibly serve to scrape a trencher. Pray make my compliments and best wishes acceptable to your bride. I am old and heavy, or I should, ere this, have presented them in person. I shall make but small use of the old man's privilege, that of giving advice to younger friends. Treat your wife always with respect; it will procure respect, to you, not from her only, but from all that observe it. Never use a slighting expression to her, even in jest; for slights in jest, after frequent bandyings, are apt to end in angry earnest. Be studious in your profession, and you will be learned. Be industrious and frugal, and you will be rich. Be sober and temperate, and you will be healthy. Be in general virtuous, and you will be happy, at least you will, by such conduct, stand the best chance for such consequences. I pray God to bless you both! being ever your truly affectionate friend, 1789, May. B. F. LXXII. Bishop Sherlock to Dr. R. Grey. DR. GREY, Temple, June 27, 1749. I CAME this morning out of the country, and am here only for two or three days, in my way to Tunbridge. I have published a new edition of the book of Prophecy, and have added the new Dissertation I mentioned to you. I will order my bookseller to send you a complete copy. As to the particular texts from Genesis and the Psalms, I had rather have seen them under your name than my own; but you will judge how necessary a part they are of the new Dissertation, which I had promised, and was expected. I have borrowed from you a reference to Boerhaave, which you will find at the bottom of one of the pages. Before August is quite spent, I hope to be at Fulham, and nobody will be more welcome there than yourself. I find there is a very old, bad house; I must repair a great deal of it, and, I am afraid, rebuild some part. It is late for me to be so employed, but somebody will be the better for it. I write with difficulty; I wish you can read. I am, Sir, your very affectionate brother and humble servant, 1790, July. THO. LONDON. LXXIII. From General Wolfe. MR. URBAN, THE following is an authentic copy of a letter written by Gen. Wolfe, which was communicated to me some time since by a friend of mine, who took it from the original. As it contains much useful instruction for those (especially the junior part) in the military line, who form a very considerable and honourable part of the community, I hope it may be found of use to this class of readers, and a matter of curi osity to those whom it may not so intimately concern. "DEAR SIR, C. T. Devizes, Sunday, 18th July, 1756. YOU cannot find me a more agreeable employment than to serve or oblige you; and I wish with all my heart, tha my inclinations and abilities were of equal force. I do not recollect what it was I recommended to Mr. Cornwallis's nephew it might be the Count de Turpin's book, which is certainly worth looking into, as it contains a good deal of plain practice. Your brother, no doubt, is master of the Latin and French languages, and has some knowledge of the mathematics; without this last he can never become acquainted with the attack and defence of places; and I would advise him by all means to give up a year or two of his time, now while he is young (if he has not already done it), to the study of the mathematics, because it will greatly facilitate his progress in military matters. As to the books that are fittest for his pur |