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Anecdotes of the life of Richard Watson, bishop of Landaff : written by himself at different intervals, and revised in 1814 / published by his son, Richard Watson
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My dear Sir, Calgarth Park, 28th Feb. 1812.

I accept, with real satisfaction, the honour you intend me.It is now near sixty years since I heard, in the Divinity Schools,at Cambridge, a public disputation between Doctors Powell andRutherforth, on the following question, which had been proposedby the former as an exercise for his Doctors Degree : Ecclesi-astici regiminis in Anglia et in Scotia constituti neutra forma autjuri hominum naturali aut verbo Dei repugnat ? This question wasthen so acutely and liberally discussed, that an impression wasthen made on my young mind, which has produced in me,through life, not only a great respect for the Church of Scotland,but great moderation towards Dissenters of every denomination.This uniform tenour of a long life has been injurious to my tem-poral interests ; but if it has in any degree contributed to pro-duce or to confirm a spirit of mutual forbearance and good-willamong Christians, I shall have reason to console myself with thereflection, that I have not lived in vain.

I am, See.

R. Landaff.

On the 23d of March, 1812, I received a letter from Sir JohnCox Hippesley, together with a publication of his on the CatholicQuestion, expressing his wishes that my health would permit meto attend the discussion of that question in the House of Lords ;and flattering me with saying, that I had done more than anyother person on that head, by having early given courage to thosewho followed me, to declare manfully their sentiments. I sent himthe following answer :