LETTER VII. MR. BERE TO MRS. H. MORE. DEAR MADAM, Blagdon-houfe, May 8, 1800. A CONSIDERABLE preffure of imperious engagements have hitherto prevented my anfwering your letter on the fubject of your teacher's conduct in my parish. Indeed my nature is fo averfive to debate and oppofition, that it now fuffers much violence in refuming the question. If there were in this affair any thing of a dubious nature, I would moft chearfully fubmit to the arbitration of our common friend, Sir A. Elton, especially as he informed me he had been written to on this occafion *. But, dear madam, my accufation against this ftrange man, confift not merely of fufpicions; not trifles light as air," they are folid, plain facts; AND SUCH FACTS, as I am perfuaded, you will neither fanction, or fupport. My cafe is too long to ftate here; you will fee much of it in the third head of reports from the clergy of the diocefe of Lincoln. I affure you, dear madam, that nothing but a folemn impreffion of my duty to God, and my neighbour, fhould have protruded me thus far in a controverfy of this kind. Though I may Vide honeftly honeftly add, my allegiance to our gracious lo verign my veneration for our bleffed conftitution; my fworn, and therefore my bouńden duty, to the established church; of which I have the honour to be an humble minifter: urge me, to prevent as much as in me is, what in my confcience, I firmly believe to be difgraceful, not to fay dangerous to all. I am moft unwilling that this man's conduct (for his own fake) fhould be publicly inveftigated at this critical period I would not have the laughers at all religion, entertained with ludicrous reprefentations, even of her filmiest fhadows. But though I can reftrain myfelf, madam, I cannot be anfwerable for the forbearance of others; permit me therefore to remind you, that your teacher is furrounded by penal ftatutes, fuch as the 13, 14, and 22d of Char. II. If an information takes place; I have only to with that it may not be before me; but if it fo happens, I must, and will, without refpect to confequences, do my duty. Mr. Jones, of Churchill, called on me laft week, as I understood, to enquire into this bufinefs. I related to him fome inftances of the vile treatment I have received, and fhewed him the affidavit. He has known me thefe twenty years past, and I do not think, that either this gentleman, or any other in poffeffion of the whole cafe, would fay, I have deferved the virulence I have experienced; unless it be for my too long Madam, your teacher pofitively denied (the exceptionable words in the affidavit) and in the fame conference before, many witneffes, at laft confefsed, that he did ufe the words; but that he did not mean Mr. and Mrs. Bere. In answer to this unequivocal letter, Mrs. More replied in a little time, the original anfwer I have not before me, it being taken with my other papers by Dr. Mofs from Dr. Croffman, and not returned. I by accident retained this tranfcript only, which (as far as my memory ferves me) was the moft material part of that letter. "Dear fir, my health continues in too weak a ftate to allow me either to travel or to do bufinefs, I fhould otherwife have anfwered your letter fooner, which I am not yet ftrong enough to do." But this my letter never was answered nor further notice taken of it; I confoled myfelf however for this inattention, to what feemed to me a ferious fubject; with the hope, that as the fummer was faft advancing, I fhould foon have the pleasure of feeing her as ufual at the parfonage, and than we might freely, in an undisturbed colloquial investigation, adjuft poffibly to our mutual mutual fatisfaction, this unplea ant affair. The lady did come into the country, but alas! never more came to the parfonage. LETTER VIII. DR. CROSSMAN TO THE REV. MR. BERE. DEAR SIR, Rectory-houfe, Weft Monkton, TWO letters have I written to you within two months paft, on the unwelcome fubject. which has caufed of late fo much ftrife in the parish of Blagdon, and created in my breaft no fmall degree of uneafinefs, and to neither of thefe letters have I received any reply. In the first letter I requested you and Mrs. Bere to favor us with your company here for a few days, during the holidays of my boys, because they, as well ourfelves, would have been glad to have feen you. The fecond letter was recommendatory of moderation and forbearance towards Mr. Young, until fuch time as I might be able to go to Blagdon, for the purpofe of making requifite enquiries refpecting the conduct of this man*. Many letters have I received, and much have I heard with unfeigned concern relative to this unhappy affair; and I have participated in all the anxiety which the parties more immediately concerned must neceffarily Mr. Bere at this time had no fufpicions of the dark operations of his adverfaries; neither at that time was there much ftrife in the parish, for Mr. B. would not strive with them. have felt. On this important business, as well as on others of inferior concern, I have a great defire to fee you as foon as poffible, and as I am precluded at this inftant by various impediments from going to Blagdon, I fhall be glad to fee you and Mrs. Bere here. Although I am thus prevented from vifiting Blagdon at this particular period, I ftill retain the refolution I have long formed, of going thither as foon as I can free myself from certain hindrances, which at prefent operate as a check to my leaving this place. I have heard of your journey to London, and of your return to Blagdon, and therefore I fhall wait with impatience for your folution of fome questions relative to the affair of Young, which cannot conveniently be committed to paper, and can only be difcuffed by colloquial communication. Let me then fee you as foon as you can, for until that time my mind will continue heavily oppreffed with the weight of this unfortunate bufinefs, which difturbs the peace of my parish. Mrs. Croffman joins in compliments to Mrs. Bere, with Dear Sir, Your very fincere, &c. Rev. Mr. Bere. G. CROSSMAN, LETTER |