Q! that my improvement may keep pace with the advantages I enjoy.

"But, my dearest friend, what a separation between us. I often think of you when in this study pursuing my learning; think! did I say? I cannot help thinking of you, and I will cherish every tender thought of a friend I. so much love. Ofttimes I think that of an evening, when we are surrounding the family altar, you are engaged in the busy concerns of life-whilst I am enjoying the advantages of a kind teacher, a good library, and various other blessings, you are behind the counter of a glove shop. Yet do not despair. I hope we shall some future day enjoy one another's company, and these advantages connected with it. When I walk out, as I in general do every day for exercise, I imagine you to be here I converse with you I see you-and fancy many other enjoyments, which perhaps will not come SO soon. When I last saw you I was exceedingly vexed that we could not have half an hour together in private; but, however, I know you regard me still-and am sure I love you much; and it is some pleasure to think that we can yet pray for one another. O do not forget me, unworthy as I am, in your approaches to the throne of grace. Pray that I may not abuse my privileges; but that whilst I am here it may be manifest that I am possessed of a principle of divine grace in my heart. But I hope I need not mention this to you, for you do, I trust, still remember me in your best moments. I have not forgot the pleasure I experienced the last time I saw you in London, nor the affectionate manner in which

you conversed with me from Mr. F's to ny cousin's the last evening.

"I had a very tedious journey here, as I could not sleep all night in the coach. But I think I am well repaid. I did not imagine that I should be treated with such care; I have a nice little bed to myself; and, in short, am surrounded with blessings. I take some pleasure in contrasting my present situation with what it was when at Mr. Thodey's; but after I have considered the peculiar advantages of this to that, I find that there was one pleasure 1 enjoyed there which I do not here-that of your company and conversation; and thus is life made up of hopes and fears, pleasures and pains. May we be among those who are strangers and sojourners here, who seek a better country.

"The evening I generally employ in promiscuous reading, as the time is then as it were my ówn. As I come home from the vestry about an hour before the other boys, from that time till tea I am engaged in secret meditation, reading God's word, and prayer to him. Ah! Thomas, you are then more on my mind than during the other parts of the day, for I cannot but remember how often you have pressed on me the duty of private prayer; and indeed, my friend, you are then most remembered by me in the best sense. I do continue to pray for you; and I hope God will hear our petitions for one another, and send us answers of peace. I beg of you, I entreat you to be earnest in supplication for me, that if God has appointed me for the work of the ministry, I may be fitted for it,

and have a divine blessing attending me in all I undertake.

"Mr. H. bids me write now and then the heads

of a sermon of my own, and shew it him. I have

yet only done one: it met his approbation. "Be so kind as remember me to Mr. F

6

&e.

&c.—I suppose you like your business as little as ever; but I hope you will soon be put in a situation where you will enjoy yourself more-I mean in the best enjoyments. I still hope that we, formed for cach other's comfort, shall yet be made blessings to each other, and that in a particular way. Then let the conceited, covetous worldling say, Friendship is but a name?—we know it is something more-it is a great blessing; and where the friends have grace in their hearts, it is so eminently and especially. David and Jonathan found it so. I often think of your noticing particularly that expression, their souls were knit together. Dr. Young thought so when he said, 'poor is the friendless master of a world.' I am thankful that I have had such a friend cast in my way that will be, I trust, a blessing to me all through life, and that will dwell with me in a better world. May the hope of that happiness stimulate us to more resignation to the divine will, and holy disdain of the vanities of time and sense.

"And now, my dear friend, my letter draws to a close; I can scarcely forbear tears while I write it. I hope you will overlook its very visible imperfections, and remember that it comes from one that loves you. Need I again beseech you to pray for me, that I may find mercy of the Lord, be bles

sed with every blessing here below, and crowned with glory hereafter.

"Write me what religious intelligence you know I am ignorant of: I see the Magazine here and other periodical works. And -And now I desire to commit myself, my dear friend, and all our concerns, into the hands of a covenant God; and wishing you every blessing, I rest your ever faithful and affectionate friend,

"THOMAS SPENCER."

No. 9.

Harwich, February 24, 1806.

MY DEAREST FRIEND,

"More than a fortnight ago, according to agreement, I wrote to you; as I have not heard from you since that time, my mind is full of anxiety on that account, as I know not what to assign as a reason for it. I hope you received it, for I should never like our correspondence to be investigated by any body but ourselves. I hardly know how to write this letter; whether I should inform you of circumstances I mentioned in my last, (being in doubt whether you received it) or, taking for granted that you have had it, shall I tenderly chide you for not answering it. I cannot think you have either forgotten me, or are grown careless about me, and yet what can I say! I am full of conjectures. Have you been so busy as not to have time to write ; or have you written, put it in the post, and the

letter miscarried? I hope you will write to me, and inform me which of these is the real case.Need I tell you again that I am peculiarly comfortable in my situation, having nothing to render me otherwise but the absence of my friend, and my not having heard from him: nor from home either; for I wrote to my father, and I have not yet received an answer, which I expected immediately; indeed I cannot at all account for these things.

"As Mr. Hordle was a student at Hoxton, I have learnt a few things respecting the nature of the place, which perhaps you will like to know, for who can tell but some future day you may take the second, third, and last step towards being connected with them. You told me you had taken the first some time ago. But to drop this. The students, then, find themselves candles for their own studies, soap, towels, tea, and they have one gown to study in, &c. they have family prayer altogether morning and evening you know what they learn. I am very fond of Mr. H.'s preaching: we had three very fine sermons yesterday, on Exod. xxxiii. 16; 1 Cor. iv. 5; Eph. ii. 8. I have just begun to enter the heads of the sermons in a book, and I am sure he is like a father to me; I am indeed very well treated. I hope you are earnest in prayer, that God would let you know his will concerning you. O, my friend, I should think myself very happy if I could do any thing for you. Although I do not speak to you now, nor see you, nor hear from you, yet I do feel pleasure in praying for you. I never was better in my life than since I have been at Harwich. A day

or two ago I began to learn Hebrew.

I often