I was in this mortifying fituation, when a brother clergyman, an old acquaintance, who had also business to the fair, came up, and fhaking me by the hand, propofed adjourning to a public-house and taking a glass of whatever we could get. I readily closed with the offer, and entering an ale-house, we were fhewn into a little back room, where there was only a venerable old man, who fat wholly intent over a large book, which he was reading. I never in my life faw a figure that prepoffed me more favourably. His locks of filver grey venerably shaded his temples, and his green old age feemed to be the result of health and benevolence. However, his prefence did not interrupt our conversation; my friend and I difcourfed on the various turns of fortune we had met: the Whistonean controversy, my last pamphlet, the archdeacon's reply, and the hard measure that was dealt me. But our attention was in a short time taken off by the appearance of a youth,

who,entering the room, respectfullysaid some

thing foftly to the old ftranger. "Make no apoligies, my child," said the old man, "to

do good is a duty we owe to all our fellow "creatures: take this, I wish it were more;

but five pounds will relieve your distress, "and you are welcome." The modeft youth shed tears of gratitude, and yet his gratitude was scarce equal to mine. I could have hugged the good old man in my arms, his benevolence pleased me fo. He continued to read, and we resumed our converfation, until my companion, after some time, recollecting that he had business to transact in the fair, promised to be foon back; adding, that he always defired to have as much of Dr. Primrose's company as poffible. The old gentleman, hearing my name mentioned, feemed to look at me with attention, and when my friend was gone, most respectfully demanded if I was any way related to the great Primrose, that couragious monogamift, who had been the bulwark of the church. Never did my heart feel fincerer rapture than at that mo

ment.

ment.

Sir," cried I," the applause of

"fo good a man, as I am fure you are, "adds to that happiness in my breast which

your benevolence has already excited. "You behold before you, Sir, that Doctor

Primrose, the monogamist, whom you "have been pleased to call great. You

here fee that unfortunate Divine, who "has fo long, and it would ill become me "to fay, fuccefsfully, fought against the "deuterogamy of the age.” "Sir," cried the ftranger, ftruck with awe, "I fear I "have been too familiar; but you'll forgive my curiofity, Sir: I beg pardon." Sir," cried I, grafping his hand, " you are fo far from difpleafing me by your familiarity, that I muft beg you'll accept my friendship, as you already have all my esteem." "Then with gratitude "I accept the offer," cried he, squeezing me by the hand, "thou glorious pillar of "unfhaken orthodoxy; and do I behold— I here interrupted what he was going to for tho', as an author, I could digest

fay;

no

no small share of flattery, yet now my modefty would permit no more. However, no lovers in romance ever cemented a more inftantaneous friendship. We talked upon several subjects: at first I thought he seemed rather devout than learned, and began to think he despised all human doctrines as drofs. Yet this no way leffened him in my esteem; for I had for fome time begun privately to harbour fuch an opinion myself. I therefore took occafion to obferve, that the world in general began to be blamebly indifferent as to doctrinal matters, and followed human fpeculations too much" Ay, Sir," replied he, as if he had referved all his learning to that moment,

Ay, Sir, the world is in its dotage, and

yet the cofmogony or creation of the "world has puzzled philofophers of all ages. What a medly of opinions have

they not broached upon the creation of "the world? Sanconiathon, Manetho, Berofus, and Ocellus Lucanus, have all attempted it in vain. The latter has these

"words,

"words, Anarchon ara kai atelutaion to

pan, which imply that all things have "neither beginning nor end. Manetho

alfo, who lived about the time of Nebuchadon-Affer, Affer being a Syriac "word usually applied as a firname to the kings of that country, as Teglat PhaelAffer, Nabon-Affer, he, I fay, formed "a conjecture equally abfurd; for as we ufually fay ek to biblion kubernetes, which implies that books will never teach the world; fo he attempted to investigate"But, Sir, I ask pardon, I am straying "from the question."-That he actually was; nor could I for my life fee how the creation of the world had any thing to do with the business I was talking of; but it was fufficient to fhew me that he was a man of letters, and I now reverenced him the more. I was refolved therefore to bring him to the touch-stone; but he was too mild and too gentle to contend for victory. Whenever I made any observation that looked like a challenge to controversy, he would smile, fhake his head, and fay

no