the city was the flight of two fervants into the country of the Philiftines; Shimei went in pur fuit of the fugitives, and brought them from Gath. Solomon was made acquainted with Shimei's conduct, and immediately commanded Benaiah to flay him.

I fhall conclude all my tedious commentaries with an ingenious ftricture of Dr. Chandler upon thefe words" And he brought forth the people "that were therein, and put them under faws and "under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, " and made them pafs through the brick-kiln.”

The Doctor acknowledges, that the Hebrew words here are difficult to be understood. But by a careful enquiry into the roots from whence thefe words are derived, he thinks that the true meaning of them is, that David, agreeably to the cuftoms of all nations at that time of day, made flaves of the prifoners, appointing them to various kinds of fervitude-Some, for instance, to hufbandry, fome to the more laborious parts of the carpenter's province, and others to the making and burning bricks.

Thus I have given you a fummary of several chapters in the Doctor's volume. There are many learned annotations, which I have left behind; but thofe I have mentioned will be fufficient

5

fufficient to conciliate your good opinion of the worthy, sensible, and animated author.

Dear Sir,

BUT, alas! my dear friend, how little interesting are all thefe political points, when compared with the important scenes which I have been witness to this week! I refer to the fick nefs and dying couch of that great man Dr. Young. It will never be my province to perfonate the ftatefman, or to move, even in the moft fubordinate sphere, relative to the adminiftration of public affairs: but to act the part of a fick and expiring mortal, is an allotment which must foon be my portion; and God Almighty grant, that I may be enabled to fuftain this character with patience, fortitude, and faith!

In my laft, I acquainted you, that I was called to Welwyn. When I arrived there, I found Dr. Yate waiting for ine. It feems he had been fent for three or four days before my assistance was defired. Dr. Young's disorder was attended with fome obfcurity. But on Tuesday matters wore a very difcouraging afpect; and on Wednefday, Yate and myself gave up the cafe as loft. From that period to the prefent, Dr. Young hath VOL. II.

e

been

been dying. Whether the scene be closed this evening I cannot take upon me to say; but this day, at noon, the physicians took their leave. Dr. Young, although in his eighty-fixth year, has difputed every inch of ground with death, from the ftrength of his conftitution, never impaired in early life by riot and debauchery. As I fat by his bedfide, how earneftly did I wish the vital knot untied! I humbly pray God, that myself, and all who are connected with me, whether by blood or friendship, may be favoured with an eafy tranfition out of this world into a better. For long and painful agonizings of nature under her diffolution, appear to me fufferings hardly inferior to fome of the feverest tortures of martyrdom; and confequently trials, which require apoftolical attainments and fupernatural affiftances to support our fouls under them.

Your friendfhip will excufe the melancholy reflections, for the fake of the object which fuggefted them. I was very fond of Dr. Young's company, and greatly venerated his mental abilities.

Dear

Dear Sir,

THERE is a great luminary (as you juftly obferve) lately fet-to rife, I hope, more glorious in another world.

It is paft all doubt with me, that Dr. Young's Night Thoughts have advanced the interests of religion. For, whatever imperfections there may be in that performance, there are indisputably fome of the moft ferious, most important, and moft elevated fentiments (expreffed in the moft nervous, striking, and animated language) which have ever dropped from the pen of man. It is faid (and perhaps with truth) that there were oddities in Dr. Young's conduct. But these will moulder away from our remembrance fafter than his afhes; while the more excellent parts of his character, like the colourings of a fine picture, will brighten by time, and improve every year in their valuation. Infidels and fenfualifts regard the deceased as an enthusiastic or melancholic, But that period is approaching, when wisdom will be juftified of her children, and when intrinfic worth fhall fhine forth as the ftars in the firmament.

I have fometimes thought, when I have heard men of literature speak with indifference of Dr. Young's abilities, that their strictures have proQ 2

ceeded

ceeded from a fecret principle of envy. But when this generation is passed away, I dare fay the Doctor's works will be univerfally held in great efteem,

Virtutem incolumem odimus,

Sublatam ex oculis quærimus invidi.

Dear Doctor,

I SHALL entertain you with two stories of Dr. E, which, for the poignancy of his wit, are very extraordinary at his advanced years.

I fuppofe it will be needless to inform you, that he hath had three wives-whose deficiency of understanding, or futility of behaviour, would have exercised the patience of a faint.

The Doctor fays, that fome fhort time ago, a man knocked at heaven's gate, foliciting an entrance into the manfions of happiness. Peter (who, you know, is faid to keep the key) enquired into the merits of the petitioner's request. The fupplicant replied, that in the days of his flesh he had been very unhappy in his choice of a wife. His cafe was commiferated, his plea

was allowed, and admiffion was granted.

Another fublunary fufferer, who had heard this comfortable intelligence, approached heaven's

portal