Isaac Watts, Stoke Newington, to Philip Doddridge, Northampton, 26 February 1741/2.

Newington Feby 26 1741/2

Dear Sir

         I cannot converse with you upon an Equal foot, for tho I think my Heart is honest, yet I am sure ye kindness of your Expressions far excced mine: may the Blessed God render you a much better Man than you take me to be, and pour out upon you all the Blessings that can make your Station usefull or desirable.

         As for the Assemblys Catechisms with Notes, we would have sent you a Doz: or two of them if you had told us how many you want, for you know our Number in the whole two years cannot arise above forty. I rejoice to hear that you have such success in these smaller Labors.

         I am glad Mrs Doddridge is so happy a Partner of Life to my Friend, & is so far restor’d to health & Usefulness. May every Blessing attend her & you, and your Household.

         Your Sermons on Regeneration still go on thro our Family on the Lordsday Evenings, & that with great Acceptance amongst us all: Our Ladys send you their hearty Salutations.

         I hope you will not lay aside for any long time the Rise and Progress of Religion, however some other Things may intervene.

         My Health I thank God has inabled me in the midst of the cold weather, to spend four or five half-hours in ye pulpit. But I am so broken that I can expect to Study or preach but a little [paper cut] my Friends who are near you and under ^your^ care, a thousand Thanks for all that Respect, Tenderness, and Goodness they manifest to me by their Prayers on my Account; may God return every Blessing abundantly into their own Bosoms.

         Your Scheme of rendering the female Sex more abundantly usefull in the World, by instructing them how to Educate their offspring will be a most  usefull service, if you always set a prudent guard upon your Self, how far to go in particulars, and where to stop.

         I received Mr Laughers Character with great Delight, and my Salutations attend Mr Parminter.

         As you have [a] great account of the Success of Mr Whitefields Ministry in Scotland, so have I of the Success of a great number of the Ministers in New England. The little Account Dr Guyse and I publish’d five years ago in ye American Northamton, seems to be repeated again throughout many more Towns in New England, & particularly in Boston there is a most surprizing work of God going on amongst them.

         Pray remember my kindest Salutations to poor Mrs Spencer, & thank her for the long Letters she wrote to me, & for the many affectionate wishes she there pourd out for your Self & for me. I am, Dear Sir, with much Affection

                     Your Humble Servt & Brother

                                             [signature cut out]

Address: To | The Revd Dr Doddridge | at |Northamton

Postmark: 27 FE

Endorsed: Dr Watts

         Dr Watts

         Dr Watts| Feb. 26. 1742

Text: MA 514.11, Isaac Watts Letters, The Morgan Library, New York. The MS of this letter was not known to Nuttall; he cites the printed version that appeared in J. D. Humphreys, ed., Correspondence and Diary of Philip Doddridge (1829-31), vol. 4, p. 75, as well as one other printed source.