179'* LETTER FROM SIR H. DALRYMPLE. 3*3 



many powerful rivals to baulk, my hopes of prefer- 

 ment." 



I aflced him if he poffeffed any other wealth. " Yes,'* 

 fays he, " I married the prettiell girl in the iiland, 

 fhe has bleffed me with three children, and as we are 

 both young, we may expeft more — befides, 1 am fo belov- 

 ed in the iiland, that I have all my peats brought home; 

 carriage free." 



This is my ftory, — now to the prayer of my pe- 

 tition. I never before envied you the polTeflion of 

 the Orkneys, which I now do, only to provide for this 

 eloquent, innocent apoftle. The fun has refufed your 

 barren ifles his kindly influence ; — do not depnvle them 

 of fo pleafant a preacher, — let not fo great a treafure 

 be for ever loft to that damn'd inhofpitable country j 

 for I affure you, were the archbifhop of Canterbury 

 to hear him, or hear of him, he would not do lels than 

 •make him an archdeacon. The man has but one weak- 

 nefb, that of preferrmg the Orkneys to all the earth. 



This way, and no other, you have a chance for fal- 

 vation. — Do this man good, and he will pray for you. 

 This will be a better purchafe than your Irilh eltate or 

 the Orkneys. I think it will help me forward tooj 

 fince I am the man who told you of the man fo wor- 

 thy and deferving ; fo pious, fo eloquent, and whofe 

 prayer may do fo much good. Till I hear from you on 

 this head, your's, in all meeknefs, love, and bene- 

 volence, 



H. D. 



P. S. Think what an unfpeakable pleafure it will 

 be, to look down from heaven, and fee Rigby, Maf- 

 terton, all the Campbells and Nabobs, fwimming in fire 

 and brimftone, while you are fitting with Whitfield, 

 and all his old women, looking beautiful, frilking, and 

 finging ; all which you may have by fettling this man, 

 after the death of the prefent incumbent. 



R r 3 



