Philip Doddridge, Northampton, to Elizabeth Scott, Norwich, 21 March 1745. [Copy of the original.]

Northampton. March 21st 1745

         It signifies nothing, I plainly perceive, my dear Friend, to wait for an Hour of Leisure to settle my Thoughts a little and write to you with some little, attempt of correctness, and on a large sheet too, full on all sides, which to say of Truth I had rather do in a very incorrect manner than such a Page as this with an exactness like your own. I have stood by ye bank of the River I know not how long, and it still runs on, and when I look toward the Head of it I rather suspect a greater Flood is coming so I will plunge in and bustle through as well as I can, though I come in a sad condition and quite unfit to appear before a Lady of Miss Scott’s Elegance. But she so hospitable and charitable will make all due allowances and if it be not my own Fault will always send me back better than I come.

         But why do I begin thus whimsically when I have so many grave things to write about, and first of all am to chide you for saying so many fine Things merely to be sure to show the creative power of your own Fancy. My dear Friend, that Fancy of yours is a very pretty thing and it ought to be exercised and ought to draw out those pretty pictures that so naturally rise up in it, but then you should not write under them the names of your plain Friends who have nothing more than just the common Features of a human Countenance to entitle them to such Forms of Beauty and Gracefulness. You are therefore very naughty and you deserve not only to be chid but to be punished, and I will come to Norwich and do exemplary Justice upon you and teize you with perhaps more of my Company than you expect, and I verily believe that if I were a single man I should study some of the most exquisite Revenge that ever was invented and persecute you beyond all the persecutions you ever endured since you have been fifteen in town and Country. Congratulate yourself that I have so good a wife and make much of her (for she will come too) as your great Deliverer and Protector.

         Thus much before I was aware and on [the] loss of my pen I would now, dear Madam, seriously thank you for all the constant Kindness and Tenderness your Letters express which my Heart answers not only with Sincerity but Fondness, only grieved and ashamed that such kind Friends as you and your dear Pappa should think and speak in such a manner of one who must improve greatly before he deserves a tenth part of those Things and thus ought not to hear them. We must not correspond on these Terms. Let us love one another. On my part I wod as well live without breathing as cease to do it. Let us pray for each other, but remember I am a sinful man and I admire you a hundred Times more than either of you would have me. Take therefore, if you can find it, some other way of showing me that you have yet some remainders of human Infirmity left without showing how invincibly after such repeated endeavors you are mistaken in me.

         I dare not tell you at least in writing this what a Scene God has carried me on a sick Bed. Perhaps we shall talk it over at large for you, dear Madam, and your excellent Pappa are of the small number to whom I can communicate such a Story. But an illness which seized me long since that (not three weeks ago) threatened to have deprived me of that pleasure. It was a sudden, violent Colick attended with symptoms which gave me some Apprehensions of the Stoick Passions, but I bless God I soon got over it and am now so well recovered as to be able to ride out which I had not done for near a Quarter of a year. Let me thank you from my Heart for all your kind Solicitude and earnest Prayers to God on my Account. Indeed prayer catched me back from the Grave. Oh that my Prayers would prevail that dear Mr Scott might be recovered to his publick work that you beloved Friend, might be strengthened both in Body and Mind and made as eminently happy as you are eminently good, and that the worthy Mr Baker, to whom I beg you would give my very respectful Service and thanks for his kind, pious Letter, might be strengthend and encouraged to come to the Table of the Lord which I hope will be accomplished before I see him. A thousand Thanks for your kind Cautions about my Health. I fear I am too cautious. The uselessness of my Life in many Days of it makes it almost a Burthen to me. Oh that I could live more to Him that died for me and for the Service of immortal Souls. My exceeding great Love to the New Testament makes me perhaps too earnestly desirous of finishing my Work on it. Indeed I am very willing to abide and permit me in the Confidence of Christian Friendship to add if while God gives me such Friends and such Intercourse with himself I were a most ungreateful Creature if I were not. God has also raised up my wife and my dear eldest Daughter. All calls for Praise and engages me to call my dear Norwich Friends to assist in it, but I must conclude amidst all this Fulness of my Heart. I wish I could lay it all open before you and dear Mr Scott that you might see how much beyond Expression I am

                     Yours and his

  P. Doddridge.

I beg Madam to present our united humble service to the honored and amiable Head of your Family and all its dear Branches and Members. My Heart wishes unnumbered Blessings upon you all. Mr Jergesson joins his grateful Compliments. Please to present  affecte service to good Tozer and tell him I will write to him next post and hope it may be in a satisfactory manner. As to myself nothing but Illness shall prevent my coming to his Ordination, but I believe I shall ask a Fortnight’s delay beyond  Whitsuntide ^that I may being my Vacation first^ and so not be just like a wayfaring Man that turns aside for a night at as delightful a Lodging. Mr Wilkinson and his Wife are yet well in Deal and very happy there. My services attend Mr Handcock who is very welcome to stay as long as he judges necessary.

Address: To Miss Scott | at the Revd Mr Scott’s | in Magdalene Street | Norwich | by London

           Post paid to London 3p

Text: Williams Family Papers, GEN MSS 1180, Box 2, Folder 78, Beinecke Library, Yale University.  The above letter is not mentioned in Geoffrey Nuttall's Calendar of the Correspondence of Philip Doddridge (1977) or Nuttall's Philip Doddridge: Additional Letters (2001).