r when I
inquired, with a reverent spirit, seeing around me the tombs of great and
famous men, the mighty and wise of their day, what department it was of
the Abbey--"It's the eighteenpence department," said an uncircumcised
Philistine, with as little respect as if we had been treading the courts
of the darling Dagon.

Our concerns here are now drawing to a close; but before we return, we
are going for a short time to a town on the seaside, which they call
Brighton. We had a notion of taking a trip to Paris, but that we must
leave to Andrew Pringle, my son, and his sister Rachel, if the bit lassie
could get a decent gudeman, which maybe will cast up for her before we
leave London. Nothing, however, is settled as yet upon that head, so I
can say no more at present anent the same.

Since the affair of the sermon, I have withdrawn myself from trafficking
so much as I did in the missionary and charitable ploys that are so in
vogue with the pious here, which will be all the better for my own
people, as I will keep for them what I was giving to the unknown; and it
is my design to write a book on almsgiving, to show in what manner that
Christian duty may be best fulfilled, which I doubt not will have the
effect of opening the eyes of many in London to the true nature of the
thing by which I was myself beguiled in this Vanity Fair, like a bird
ensnared by the fowler.

I was concerned to hear of poor Mr. Witherspoon's accident, in falling
from his horse in coming from the Dalmailing occasion. How thankful he
must be, that the Lord made his head of a durability to withstand the
shock, which might otherwise have fractured his skull. What you say
about the promise of the braird gives me pleasure on account of the poor;
but what will be done with the farmers and their high rents, if the
harvest turn out so abundant? Great reason have I to be thankful that
the legacy has put me out of the reverence of my stipend; for when the
meal was cheap, I own to you that I felt my carnality grudging the horn
of abundance that the Lord was then pouring into the lap of the earth.
In short, Mr. Micklewham, I doubt it is o'er true with us all, that the
less we are tempted, the better we are; so with my sincere prayers that
you may be delivered from all evil, and led out of the paths of
temptation, whether it is on the highway, or on the footpaths, or beneath
the hedges, I remain, dear sir, your friend and pastor,