Philip Doddridge, Northampton, to the Rev. Thomas Scott, Norwich, 13 September 1739.1

Northampton Sept 13. 1739

Revd & Dear Sir

        The Length of your very entertaining & judicious as well as Friendly Letter & an apprehension of its requiring some more than ordinary attention in ye perusal joined wth ye necessity I have been under of preaching 2 Funeral Sermons almost together in ye same week & attending a very good Friend from London to see some Curiosities at ye Seats of some neighbouring Gentlemen occasions a Delay in reviewing your Letter wch concerns me tho it has only hinderd one pass. I cannot now answer it at large. Only must tell you that you have excellently in a few words illustrated the former Question & have said much to make your Opinion on the second probable but as I have not the whole of your Argument I chuse rather to defer my Remarks on that till I have the please of receiving the Remainder. At prest must only add a few words as to Mr Coppleston & so conclude for my last Illness & the Interruption wh this late Visit of my Friends has given me make it a point of Duty to contract my Letters within narrower Limits than I could wish wn I am writing to so worthy & dear a Friend. The Truth of the Matter & State of the Case wth relation to your greatly Regarded Request is this. I cannot engage to send the supply you desired for the Remainder of the Half year nay indeed considering how we are pressed on every Side for supply & how unwilling young people are long to interrupt an Academical Course on ye one Hand or on the other to take very long Journeys at such a Season which must be ye Consequence of varying the Supplies I am very much at a Loss to contrive or imagine any Thing which can be done in this Affair wh lies so near my Heart. I am willing indeed that Mr Coppleston should spend 4 Sabbaths more or even till ye 21st of October inclusive provided he will for a particular Reason be at Home to preach at Daventry on ye 28th of October if God permit. After this if you could contrive any Method of supplying Norwich without a Dependence on Northampton I could wish it might be attempted least we should then be at your ne plus ultra. I am very glad my young Friends Labours are acceptable to you dear Sir & your People & earnestly pray for the Recovery of your valuable Health about the State of wh I am sorry that I heard no more in your last. I cannot sufficiently thank both your & my other Brethren & Friends in Xt at Norwich for your repeated & affectionate Remembrance of me God hath graciously heard the many prayers which were offered on my Account & I doubt not but yours in particular came up wh peculiar Acceptance. & Regard. Now my hond Friend & Father let me also engage your Thanksgivings to God on my Behalf for I must own it to the Glory of his Mercy that considering the Extremity of my Illness my Recovery was speedy & perfect beyond all Expectation nor must I omit to mention the powerful Support of Gods gracious & reviving Presence wh I experienced in my greatest Affliction. The Loss of Mr Coppleston as a Secretary lies heavy upon me but I take some pleasure in the thoughts of sacrificing my personal Convenience to your Service. Be pleased Sir to prest my humble Services wh those of my Wife wh also wait you to your Lady, Miss Scot Mr Copp[leston]: & your whole Family. You see how I have run on & will I hope excuse all that is amiss wh I know is a great Deal. I wish I could ever promise that you should receive any other than hasty Letters from

                        Revd & very Dear Sir

                                   your most affect tho unworthy Brother

                                                 & obliged humble Servt

                                                             P Doddridge

I am sorry to tell you how slowly ye 2d Vol of ye Family Expositor creeps on

Address: To the Revd Mr Scot senr | at Norwich

  Post paid to London 3d     |  By London

Postmark: 14 September]

1 Simon Gratz Collection, Foreign Hymn Writers, Case 12, Box 2, Folder 47, Historical Society of Pennsylvania. This letter does not appear in Geoffrey F. Nuttall, Calendar of the Correspondence of Philip Doddridge (1977) but it does appear in Nuttall's Philip Doddridge: Additional Letters (2001). The above letter would be placed between letter 561 (to Samuel Clark at St. Albans on 30 August) and 563 (to Richard Clarke in Devon on 25 September) in the Calendar.