enter on your desired proposed correspondence. I am well pleased to hear of the welfare of the several branches of our family on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, and more particularly of that of your own; and shall always rejoice to hear of the increase and continuance of Divine blessings upon you. I need not inform you how small a part of the family is left in this part of the world. My eldest brother, Charles, lives in London, is a linen draper, and a very thriving man. He has a wife and four children, one of which is our namesake. I have been married not above two years and a half into a very religious, reputable family in Bristol, and have the happiness of a most agreeable wife and a handsome fortune. We have one son, as yet an Israelite indeed. I have been these eighteen years in the ministry, or thereabouts. I began in London, came from thence to Bristol, preached occasionally in the city and the country round about it, and in the year 1701-2 was called to Devizes in Wiltshire, where I have, I thank God, lived comfortably, and with success, ever since. My income is £60 per annum, which is the highest in this county, and very handsome for a country town. We are well situated, in a clear, keen, healthy air, and in a pretty large populous growing town. My congregation is about 500 in number, and several among them are very considerable men for piety and wealth. Both the auditory and the church are near as large again as when I first came to them. I live in good harmony with the protestants of several denominations in the town, whether they are Churchmen, Anabaptists, or Quakers; and I, not only in temper am disposed to be very charitable and to leave every man to his liberty in choosing his religion for himself, but am in principle for an impartial universal toleration. And as I think that every man has an undoubted right to choose a religion for himself, so I cannot but judge that it is extremely absurd and barbarous for any Civil or Ecclesiastical persons to undertake to punish a man for doing so, except his principles are hurtful to the civil society which he belongs to, and expects protection from. It may, perhaps, surprise you to find one of our family such a latitudinarian, but I never inquire what sentiments my father or grandfather were of in order to know or judge of the truth of my own. Antiquity and authority have but little weight with me, especially when set against the reasons and evidences of things. And I can assure you I am no bigot to any set of notions. I make the Bible the only rule of faith, and am no great friend to human rules and tests. I am too much a Protestant to be imposed upon by an imaginary infallibility in Synods or General Assemblies, and can't yet be so tame and easy as to content myself to see with other men's eyes, and take things very readily upon trust. I have closely studied Calvinism, Baxterianism, Simonianism, Socinianism, Arianism, and can't yet come to condemn every thing which the world, through ill nature and prejudice, have given an ill name to. By this time I guess you begin to wonder, and perhaps be at a loss to guess what sort of a fellow I am. Indeed, I know of no party which I belong to except it be that which is resolved to abide by the Bible. I have by Cousin Israel sent you as a present a very handsome set of Poole's Synopsis Criticorum, 5 vols., which is a very valuable book, and which I presumed you had not in your study. You should have given us a catalogue of your library to guide us, and to prevent our sending duplicates, but for the want of that we act in the dark. Please to favor us with it when you write again. I shall be very glad to serve you in what I can. Pray inform me, per Coz. Israel's return, what books are most salable in New England, and what prices they bear; how philosophy books, old or new, do go, and whether you can by self, or friend, undertake to sell a parcel for me. If encouraged, I design to sell those in my study which I can spare. I have now, I presume, pretty well tired you, and I han't time to enlarge, being just setting out for home. I am, with mine and spouse's respects to your whole self, Your affectionate kinsman and humble servant, To Rev. N. Chauncy of Durham. N. CHAUNCY, REV. NATHANIEL CHAUNCY OF HATFIELD. NATHANIEL CHAUNCY, the fourth son of President Chauncy, was born in or about the year 1639, at Plymouth, Massachusetts, but was baptized at Scituate, 1641. He was twin-brother of Elnathan. "We believe it is the baptism of these children, to which Winthrop alludes."-DEANE'S History of Scituate, p. 178. He took his first degree at Harvard College, A. D. 1661, with his twin-brother Elnathan, and his youngest brother Israel. There is a tradition that he was a distinguished scholar. He took the degree of A. M. in 1664, and maintained the affirmative of the question: Utrum detur idea omnium Entium, in primo ente? He was afterwards a Fellow of the College. On the title page of the New England Almanack for the year 1662, the next after his graduation, his name is placed as the author, with the following motto: Felix qui potuit rerum cognos cere causas. The following letter is connected with his introduction into Windsor, Connecticut: BOSTON, 7 of ye 4 Month, 1666. Revd and much honored in the Lord, We have received your letter by Brother Filer, and were we as capable of serving you in a matter of so great importance as we are willing, we should not be wanting to answer your desires. For Mr. Nathaniel Chauncy, we have good encouragement by what we have heard concerning his learning, studious diligence, hopeful piety, grave and peaceable demeanor. As concerning his voice, two of us never heard him preach; from the third you have had an account formerly. We have heard that it was better and more audible the second time he preached at Cambridge than the first. But we understand that he is likely to preach |