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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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" Dear Sir , "Feb . 2 , 1741 . t € I had the pleasure of yours of the 22 d past , after a very long , and , as it seemed , unkind silence . I did not hear of your illness , and am glad I did not till now that the same letter brings me an account of your recovery . I will , in my turn , ' force you to a speedy answer ; ' for I desire the favour of you that you would send me all the Texts , in the Old and New Testament , which you know either to be urged by others , or that you yourself think have any
weight towards proving that a future state was taught by the Mosaic dispensation . It will be necessary for me to examine those texts , and I myself can find so few in the Bible , that I suspect the point I have to maintain prejudices me so as to hinder my discernment . This , therefore , will be of great use to me , and I do not know any one more capable of giving me this assistance . But , to shorten the trouble I give you , you need only mark the texts in a list , except where the inference from the text is so fine that you may reasonably suspect I cannot see it . The sooner vou do this the greater will be the favour ;
nor need you mark who it is that employs each text in this argument , for I do not intend to take any particular notice of any one on this head . " — i ( I am very confident your abridging the Bishop of Sarum ' s fourth Dissertation will be a very agreeable thing to him , for it is a favourite point with him . I have in the second volume had occasion to speak of the prohibition of cavalry , but whether in a manner he will like so well , I know not ; though I think I have made it appear that the Israelites could never have conquered Canaan from the seven nations by human force alone , with only infantry . But I give other
momentous reasons for the prohibition , besides a manifestation of the Divine power . "— "And now , dear Sir , I am to thank you for your friendly and obliging concern for my reputation . What you observe of that absurd account of my first volume in the 'Works of the Learned / is exactly true . I believe there never was so nonsensical a piece of stuff put together . But the journal is in general a most miserable one ; and , to the opprobrium of our country , we have neither any better , nor , I believe , any other ; and that this will never grow better I dare be confident , but by such an accidental favour as this which
you design it . I altogether approve of the method you propose to take as to the abstract ; and Robinson , I dare say , will not presume to alter a word ; I am sure I would not : and therefore my seeing it before he prints it will be needless . 1 will take care you shall have a copy sent you before publication . I propose to have it out about Easter ; and yet to my shame I must tell you , though it consists of three hooks , the first is not yet entirely printed , and that I have not yet composed the far greatest part of the other two . To let you into this mystery , I must acquaint you with ray faults and imperfections , the
common occasion of all profane mysteries . I am naturally very indolent , and apt to be disgusted with what has been any time in my hands and thoughts . When I published my first volume , I intended to set about the remainder immediately , but found such a disgust to an old subject , that I deferred it from month to month , and year to year ; till at length , not being able to conquer my listlessness , I was forced to have recourse to an old expedient—that is , to begin to set the press on work , and so oblige myself unavoidably to keep it going . I began this project last year , but grew weary again before I had half
got through the first book ; and there it stuck till just now , when I set it going again , and have absolutely promised the bookseller to supply him constantly with copy till the whole volume is printed , and to get it ready by Lady-Day . So that now I hurry through it iu a strange manner , and you may expect to find it as incorrect as the former , and for the same reason .. Yet I had resolved against serving this volume so ; and still my evil nature prevailed , and I find ,
at length , it is in vain to strive with it . I take no pride , I will assure you , in telling" my infirmities . I confess myself as to a friend , without any manner of affectation ; and that you may see it is so , I would not have you think that natural indolence alone makes me thus play the fool . Distractions of various kinds , inseparable from human life , joined with a habit naturally melancholy , contribute greatly to increase my indolence , and force me often to seek m
Untitled Article
388 Correspondence of Dr . Doddndge .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1830, page 388, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2585/page/28/
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