Reverend Sir,—­I did not receive your’s till Sunday night late; and now so ill in body, that nothing but my gratitude to you for all your goodness could have enabled me to write.  I have with great care and thought often read over your kind advice; and will, as well as the sad condition I am in will give me leave, speak the truth.

The first and most material to my poor soul is, that I believe in God the Father, and in His blessed Son Jesus Christ, who, I verily believe, came into the world to save sinners; and that He will come again to judge the world; and that we must all give an account in our own bodies, and receive the reward of a good or ill spent life; that God is a God of Justice, but of mercy too; and that by repentance all may be saved.

As to the unworthy man you mention, I never heard finer lessons come from any one.  Had he, Sir, shewn really what he may be (an infidel), I never should have been so deceived; for of all crimes, that ever shocked me most.  No, Sir, I owe all my miseries to the appearances of virtue; by that deceived and ruined in this world, but hope through Christ to be pardoned.  I was, and never denied it, the fatal instrument; but knew not the nature of, nor had a thought those powders could hurt.  Had I not destroyed his letters, all must have been convinced; but, like all the rest, he commanded, and I obeyed and burnt them.  There is an account, as well as I was able to write, which I sent to my Uncle in London.  That I here send you.  God knows never poor soul wrote in more pain, and I now am not able hardly to hold my pen.  But will not conclude this without explaining the true state of my mind.  As I did not give this fatal powder to kill or hurt my poor father; I hope God will forgive me, with repentance for the ill use I have made of that sense he gave me, and not be for ever angry with me.  Death I deserve, for not being better on my guard against my grand enemy; for loving and relying too much on the human part.  I hope (when all is done that friends can do for me to save that life which God has given me, and which if to last these hundred years, would be too short for me to repent, and make amends for the follies I have committed) I shall have such help from my God, as to convince my poor friends I die a Christian, and with hopes of forgiveness through the merits of our Advocate and Mediator Jesus Christ.

I beg, my dear sir, you will excuse my writing more, and will believe I am truly sensible of your goodness to me.  May God bless you, sir, and send you happiness here and hereafter.  I beg my duty to my poor uncle; pray him to forgive, and pity, and pray for me.  I beg my tenderest wishes to Mrs. Mounteney; and if she can serve me with the Bishop of W——­[22] or any other, I know she will do it.  Pray comfort poor Ned Hearne, and tell him I have the same friendship for him as ever.  And pray, sir, continue your friendship and good wishes to,

  Reverend Sir,