nt here to be too much for me; for which reason I must (I
said) beg to be at liberty to resign my charge at Michaelmas. I
began to give him these notices in February, when I was very ill; and
now I perceive, by what he told me the other day, that he is in some
difficulty: for which reason he is at last (he says) resolved to
advertise, _and even_ (_which is much wondered at_) _to raise the
salary considerably __higher_. (What he allowed my predecessors was
20_l._ per annum; and now he proposes 50_l._, as he tells me.) I
never asked him to raise it for me, though I well knew it was not
equal to the duty; nor did I say a word about myself when he lately
suggested to me his intentions upon this subject."

In a postscript to this letter he says:

"I may mention to you farther, as a friend that may be trusted, that
in all likelihood the poor old gentleman will not find it a very easy
matter, unless by dint of money, _and force upon himself_, to procure
a man that he can like for his next curate, _nor one that will stay
with him so long as I have done_. Then, his great age will recur to
people's thoughts; and if he has any foibles, either in temper or
conduct, they will be sure not to be forgotten on this occasion by
those who know him; and those who do not will probably be on their
guard. On these and the like considerations, it is by no means an
eligible office to be seeking out for a curate for him, as he has
several times wished me to do; and would, if he knew that I am now
writing to you, wish your assistance also. But my best friends here,
_who well foresee the probable consequences_, and wish me well,
earnestly dissuade me from complying: and I will decline the office
with as much decency as I can: but high salary will, I suppose, fetch
in somebody or other, soon."

In the following July he writes:

"The old gentleman here (I may venture to tell you freely) seems to
me to be in a pretty odd way of late--moping, dejected, self-willed,
and as if surrounded with some perplexing circumstances. Though I
visit him pretty frequently for short intervals, I say very little to
his affairs, not choosing to be a party concerned, especially in
cases of so critical and tender a nature. There is much mystery in
almost all his temporal affairs, as well as in many of his
speculative theories.