LIFE

OF

PHILIP DODDRIDGE, D. D.

WITH

NOTICES OF SOME OF HIS COTEMPORARIES,
AND SPECIMENS OF HIS STYLE.

By D. A. HARSHA, M. A.

AUTHOR OF THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM; A GUIDE TO THE SAVIOUR;'
LIVES OF EMINENT ORATORS AND STATESMEN,' ETC.

'I DESIRE TO LIVE ONLY FOR GOD'S GLORY.'-Doddridge.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by

D. A. HARSHA,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Northern District of New York.

PREFACE.

To persons of refined minds, and of sincere and ardent piety, it must afford great pleasure and profit to study carefully the life, character and writings of Philip DoddridGE, a name ‘on which all who have sympathy with the generous, the benevolent and the devout will ever delight to linger.' The object of

the present volume is to sketch the personal history and character of this excellent divine; to give some account of his times and of some of his distinguished cotemporaries; and to present a few choice specimens of his style.

The author has aimed to give a clear, succinct and comprehensive account of the principal events in the active and valuable life of Dr. Doddridge, in chronological order, with special reference to the interesting, touching and melancholy scenes of his last days, till the happy hour when, without one cloud of gloom,' his spirit winged its way to God. The dates and leading circumstances connected with his most important publications are also given, with brief criticisms on their peculiar merits.

Some of the gems of Doddridge's epistolary correspondence, throwing light on a variety of interesting matters, are interwoven with the biographical narrative. It is worthy of remark, that some of his earlier letters, written in the midst of rural delights, in his free and fresh communion with nature, display more of the beauties of imagination and of style than his later writings, reminding one, frequently, of the easy, graceful and vigorous letters of Pope, Gray, and some other distinguished writers of the classic age of Queen Anne and George I. The remark which Mr. Morell has made respecting Doddridge is, we think, very true, that none who have read his earlier correspondence can doubt, that if he had chosen to direct the

bent of his genius to works of imagination and taste he could have rivalled some of the most sprightly wits of that polished age.' Doddridge carried on an extensive correspondence with many eminent theologians and literary men, such as Samuel Clarke, David Jennings, Isaac Watts, John Barker, Hugh Farmer, Bishop Warburton, Daniel Neal, Benjamin Fawcett, Dr. Stonehouse, Robert Blair, William Secker, Nathaniel Lardner, Gilbert West, and Samuel Davies. As an instance of his large correspondence we quote his own words on one occasion; 'I marshalled my unanswered letters, and found them one hundred and six, near one-quarter of which reached me since Friday noon (and it was then Monday evening), and all this though I have written between fifty and sixty letters the last fourteen days, with my own hand, having no secretary.'

As it is interesting to trace the progress of intellectual discipline in superior minds, the author has been careful to mention some of the principal books which Doddridge studied, especially during his student-life, and which aided in the development of his mental powers, and in forming his taste. Doddridge, as it will be seen, was a great reader; but he did not peruse a book superficially; he carefully reflected on what he read and endeavored at the same time to make the stores of knowledge thus accumulated subservient to some valuable practical purpose-to the improvement of his understanding and heart. In the early days of his ministry, during his studious pursuits in a rural retreat, he writes to his brother-in-law: 'I find it most useful to join reading and reflection, and would not entirely depend either upon myself or others.' When such a course is pursued with regard to reading we can readily say with old Bishop Hall: 'No law binds us to read all; but the more we can take in and digest, the greater will be our improvement.' The criticisms of Doddridge on some of the books he read, during his student-life, frequently show a fine literary taste and a just appreciation of the beauties of celebrated authors.