Mr. HERVEY continued with them.

The fallary of BIDDEFORD was very fmall, though the parishoners had raised him fixty pounds a-year. He was much efteemed by Mr. ORCHARD of STOKEABBEY in DEVONSHIRE, and was defired by that gentleman to stand god-fa ther to his fen, that he might have an eye over his chriftian education; prefer ring him to many gentlemen in the county, who would have looked upon themfelves as honoured by performing that office. It was here he laid the plan of his MEDITATIONS, and it is poffible wrote fome of them, as he fays it was in a ride to KILHAMPTON in CORNT

WALL, where he went to the church,

and there he lays the scene of his MB

DITATIONS AMONGST THE TOMBS.

HE ftaid two years and a half in this country, after which he had an exhibiti on in LINCOLN college. His father preffed him to get fome curacy three or four miles from OXFORD, and hold his exhibition; but this he would by no means comply with, thinking it unjust to detain it from, another perfon, whỏ might more want the benefit of that provifion; and could not by any means be prevailed upon to take his degree of A. M. though he was of fufficient ftand

ing, for fear it might be an inducement to him to become a pluralift, being at that time utterly averse to this; though he afterwards changed his mind on this head, as he faw it made him more useful, and furnished him with the means of be ing more charitable.

IN the year 1750, at his father's death, he fucceeded to the livings of WESTON and COLLINGTREE.

His

health was fo impaired at this time by his close attention to his ftudies, and the duties of his office, that his family and friends thought that a change of air would be of service for the recovering it;

they therefore formed a scheme of con

veying him to LONDON, which they af

fected by getting him into a chaise of a

friend, who was going there, under a

pretence of riding only a few miles; of which he pleasantly complains, in a letter to a friend, upon his arrival there, which begins thus:

'MY DEAR FRIEND,

IF you chide, I muft accufe. Pray 'where was your warrant, where your ' commiffon, to imprefs me into this 'journey? However, as a good Chrifti'an, I forgive you and your accompli 'ces.' After commending feveral cler

gymen his friends, whom he faw on the road, he concludes thus: My animal < nature is so very feeble, that I find no < benefit from the change of air, nor from 'the enjoyment of the most pleasing society?'

HE continued in LONDON till APRIL or MAY 1752, during which time he was feized with a fevere illness, which nearly coft him his life: but he recovered, returned to WESTON, and took poffeffion of it and COLLINGTREE, the two family livings..

IT will doubtless be thought strange,