"fanction of Mrs. Hannah More." and for his part he cared for no man, and Mrs. Martha Lintorn, a very intimate and useful friend, and frequent vifitor at Mrs. More's, told Mrs. Bere in my hearing, previous to her fending the first letter to the poft, he had better not fend it; and I fuppofe, by way of filencing all poffible objection to her advice, added, "it is what they like I tell ye, don't ye."

When Mrs. H. More came into the country. in the fummer of 1799, Mrs. Bere naturally expected that lady would make fome enquiry into the conduct of her teacher Young. Mrs. H. More came into the country, faw Mrs. Bere feveral times that fummer, was alone with her at the parfonage; but not a fingle fyllable did the utter on the fubject of Mrs. Bere's letter,

True it is, that Mrs. H. More had that fummer a very fhort conferrence with Mr. Bere as they were walking to church one Sunday, on what Mr. Bere had delivered in a fermon, which Mrs. More faid, "fhe had heard was in oppofition to the school." Mr. Bere, in reply, faid, "fomething, madam, relative to enthufiafm, but nothing against the fchool."

Mrs. More went out of the country late in the autumn, and left Mrs. Bere's reprefentation unattended to, and her fchool, as far as I have heard and believe, precifely in its former ftate.

From this period to the end of March more and more was heard of the improper conduct of Young and his people; at this time, a converfation took place at Young's houfe between him and a man

who

who was about to come into my fervice, containing fo ferious a charge against my moral character, that I confidered it incumbent on me as minifter of the parish to quafh as foon and as effectually as poffible, a falfhood, which from experience, I expected would be circulated with industry, and received with avidity, among Young's followers.

I fent therefore to Young, who came up to the parfonage, and there, in the prefence of feveral perfons, the man repeated the converfation that paffed between him and Young, the preceding Sa turday at his house.

H. Young at first denied this; afterwards he admitted that he did use the exceptionable words in the following affidavit, but that he did not mean by them Mr. and Mrs: Bere. His apparent duplicity and remarkable incoherence extorted from me thefe words," Mr. Young I have done with you. કેંદ્ર Very well fir," faid he," I must defend myself in the best manner I can." This happened on on the 3d of April, 1800. On the next day the young man went to a magiftrate in the neighbourhood and voluntarily made the following affidavit:

The depofition of Silas Derrick of Blagdon, fervant to the Rev. Thomas Bere, taken upon oath before me Sydenham Teaft Wylde, Clerk, one of his majesty's juftices of the peace in and for the faid county, this fourth day of April, 1800,

Who on his oath depofeth, that on Saturday the 29th day of March now laft paft, he, the faid de

ponent,

ponent, being in bufinefs at the house of Henry Young of Blagdon aforefaid, fchoolmafter, was thus addreffed by the faid Henry Young: "Well Silas, you are going to fervice at Mr. Bere's I find." "I don't know fir," replied this deponent. "Becaufe," added the faid Henry Young, "the house and orchard where your mother lives belong to you, and I would with you to go to Mr. Baker and hear what he fays concerning it.

But let Mr. Baker fay what he will, I would not advise you to go to fervice at Mr. Bere's at all; and if you do go, I would not advise you to ftay there long-For there is no knowing what they may put in your mind, to make you fign away your right to the houfe and orchard.

Sworn before me on the day and year above written. S. TEAST WYLDE.

SILAS DERRICK:

I hereby folemnly declare that the house and orchard above alluded to, which I hold in mortgage, were never directly or indirectly mentioned to me by the Rev. Mr. Bere, as tending to their alienation.

THOMAS STAR.

On Saturday the 5th I wrote the Letter III, to Mrs. H. More, and Young went off for Bath, where Mrs. More then was.

LET

LETTER III.

MR. BERE TO MRS. H. MORE.

DEAR MADAM,

Blagdon Houfe, April 5th 1800 IT pains me to communicate, what I prefume it will pain you to be informed of. Mr. Young's recent malevolence, accompanied with a moft infamous infinuation to the prejudice of my moral character; make it impoffible for me to confider him as a fit perfon to inftruct the youth, or leffon the aged of that parish whereof I am curate.

1

I cannot, Madam, condefcend fo very low as to have any altercation with a turbulent, troublefome perfon: But as I have always highly valued the inftitution of Sunday Schools, and will with heart and hand fupport them, as fuch, and while they continue to be fuch, and no other; and have always entertained the highest esteem for yourfelf and family, I have taken the liberty

*Vide the preceding affidavit.

+ On christmas-day 1798, the church, as ufual, being very full, this Young offered himself at the font as fponfor: in the courfe of the duty (infant baptifm) I asked him "Wilt thou obediently keep God's holy will and commandments and walk in the fame all the days of thy life?" Holding up a large book to his face, Young pronounced in a pompous tone, "I will endeavour fo to do, God being my helper." I then faid "Mr. Young, the refponfe is, I will." Erecting himself then, and looking very audaciously in my face, he flowly repeated in a louder voice, "I will endeavour fo to do, God being my helper." I replied, "Mr. Young, that is not the refponse of the church of England; the refponfe is, I will, and no more.' He re torted indignant!y, "'Tis fo in my book." "I know not what book you may have," faid the officiating minifter, "but the refponfe of the church of England is, I will.

He at laft made the proper refponfe, but when he returned to his people he behaved and fpoke in a very turbulent manner.

My letter No. 7, I am informed was fent to the Bishop, but this in which I have declared myself friendly to Sunday Schools, was Suppreffed.

to acquaint you of this (to me) very unpleasant affair. Not being willing, if it may be avoided, to make it an object of legal enquiry, left fimilar establishments might be evil fpoken of, by evil perfons, for the bad behaviour of one man.

I have only to add, that if this man continues here in his prefent character, I must infer (thero is no other conclufion) that it is avowedly with intent to render my miniftration in the Church as little effectual as poffible, and I fhall be driven to feek my remedy, where, and how I can.

With my best compliments to the ladies of your family, I remain,

Dear Madam,

Your humble Servant,

Mrs. H. More,

I am much concerned that you thould have had occafion to write to me on fo unpleafant a fubject as that which has given rife to your letter. It cannot but be my wifh on all accounts that my teachers fhould act in all refpects unexceptionably, and in particular that they fhould avoid giving all occafion of offence to the clergyman.

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