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society, because I always believed that its missionaries were morezealous in proselyting Dissenters to episcopacy, than in convertingHeathens to Christianity . This conduct of mine has been con-sidered as exceeding strange, and has given great offence j butI had rather offend all the dignitaries of the church for ever,than act contrary to my decided judgment for an hour, andyour book will now inform them, that my reasons for not sub-scribing were well founded. Whenever I consider how muchthe Church of Christ has been polluted by the ambition of itsministers, how much the great ends of civil society have beenperverted by a lust of domination in its rulers, it makes meregret the low condition of humanity, and excites a longingfor some other existence where the petty passions incidentto our nature will be done away; where truth, and honesty,and charity, and all the virtues which either a philosopher ora Christian can set any value upon, shall be practised with lessdisadvantage.

“ I am a man of no kind of ceremony, and shall be happy incultivating your acquaintance whenever I have an opportunity.This short scene of life is too important to be wrangled away inendless disputes, on subjects of politics, or religion, with men whoare ignorant of every useful object of knowledge, or with thosewhose judgments are warped by interest or misguided by passion.I look upon the improvement of the understanding, by a freecommunication of sentiments with a candid and intelligent friend,as one of the greatest blessings on this side the grave.

“ I am, &c.

“ R. Watson.”

K