which he did not discover till he stept into bed, and the next morning he sent them the following billet,

Pray tell me you who deal in quaint conceits,
How a book bound can be a book in sheets?

In the year 1738 Mr. Newton became first acquainted with Dr. Pearce, afterwards Bishop of Rochester. He did not know that Dr. Pearce had so much as heard of his name, when the Doctor who was then Vicar of St. Martin's sent a message to him, desiring that he would give him a Sermon on such a Sunday at the Chapel in Spring Garden. After hearing him he invited

him to his house, and without sollicitation or recommendation, freely, of his own accord, and in the most handsome manner offered to appoint him morning-preacher at the said Chapel; which appointment was the more agreeable to Mr. Southwell the proprietor of the Chapel, as they had been schoolfellows at Westminster. The afternoon-preacher was Dr. Thomas Church, Vicar of Battersea, and Prebendary of St. Paul's, well known for his controversial writings. Mr. Southwell had built the chapel for the convenience of his tenants in Spring Garden, and he very generously gave all the profits arising from the rents of the pews to be divided in certain proportions between the officiating ministers; as his worthy

worthy son, Lord Clifford, did likewise. At that time there was a full and a polite congregation, consisting principally of a few noble families from Whitehall, and of those of the Lords of the Admiralty, and other good families in the neighbourhood, so that the whole profits to the ministers were not inconsiderable. This piece of preferment was the more agreeable too, as it was the beginning of an useful and valuable connection with a very learned and a very worthy good man. For such indeed was Dr. Pearce, whose custom it was on a Sunday evening, after the duty of the day, to have an early supper, at which some of the Clergy of his parish and a few others were usually present; and the conversation was such as became the day, and became the company, upon matters of religion and learning, wherein Dr. Pearce was excellently qualified to take the lead. They supped at eight, and parted at ten. Mr. Newton often made one of the company; and many of his Sundays passed agreeably enough, the burden and fatigue of the day were lightened, his mind feasted as well as his body refreshed, by dining at the Bishop of Durham's, and supping with Dr. Pearce. His connection too with Dr. Pearce, which began in this manner, was afterwards greatly improved, not only by visiting him frequently, but also by meeting him often and dining with him at Lord Bath's.

Another

Another acquaintance of his deserves to be particularly mentioned, as proving of the greatest consequence to him. Mrs. Anne Deanes Devenish, of a very good family in Dorsetshire, was first married to Mr. Rowe the poet, by whom she was left in not abounding circumstances, was afterwards married to Colonel Deanes, by whom also she was left a widow, and upon the family estate which was a good one coming to her by the death of a near relation, she resumed the family name of Devenish. She was a clever sensible agreeable woman, had seen a great deal of the world, had kept much good company, and was distinguished by a happy mixture of elegance and ease in every thing she said or did. She was honored with the particular regard and friendship of the Prince and Princess of Wales, was often with them in their privacies and retirements; and as the Prince was then instructing his children to repeat fine moral speeches out of plays, and particularly out of Mr. Rowe's which are the most chaste and moral, he desired her to have a more correct edition printed of Mr. Rowe's works, and recommended Mr. Mallet to her for that service. She rather chose to employ a friend of her own, and engaged Mr. Newton to undertake it, who supervised and corrected the press, and wrote the dedication in her name to the Prince of Wales. By these means his name came first to be known

to

to the Prince and Princess of Wales: and Mrs. Devenish like a true friend took every opportunity of commending him to them, and leaving a good impression of his character, which long after was of great service to him, and may be said to be the groundwork of his best preferment. Nor was this the only obligation which he owed to this lady; for she first introduced him to the acquaintance of Lord Bath, as well as to the knowledge of the Prince and Princess of Wales; and these two introductions he ever esteemed as two of the most fortunate circumstances, the most happy incidents in all his life.

Before Mr. Newton had the honor of being known at all to Mr. Pulteney, he had the highest veneration for his character, and remembered his being with his friend and school fellow, the first Lord Chetwynd, at Ingestree in Staffordshire, where he lay a long time most dangerously ill of a violent pleuretic fever; and he could never forget the consternation all the country were in for his danger, and the concern and anxiety they expressed for his health and recovery. That illness cost him about 750 guineas in physicians, and his cure was effected at last by some small beer Dr. Hope, Dr. Swynfen, and other physicians from Stafford, Lichfield, and Derby were called in, and had about 250 guineas of the money. Dr. Friend came down post from London with Mrs.

9

He

Mrs. Pulteney, and received 300 guineas for his journey. Dr. Broxholme came from Oxford, and received 200 guineas. When these physi cians, who were his particular friends, arrived, they found the case quite desperate, and gave him entirely over. They said every thing had been done, that could be done. They prescribed some few medicines but without the least effect. was still alive, and was heard to mutter in a low voice, small beer, small beer. They said, Give him small beer or any thing. Accordingly a great silver cup was brought, which contained two quarts of small beer. They ordered an orange to be squeezed into it, and gave it him. He drank the whole at a draught, and called for another. Another was given him, and soon after drinking that, he fell into a most profound sleep and a most profuse sweat for near twenty-four hours. In him the saying was verified, If he sleep, he shall do well. From that time he recovered marvelously, insomuch that in a very few days, the physicians took their leave, saying that now he had no want of any thing, but of a horse for his doctor, and of an ass for his apothecary. The joy for his recovery was diffused all over the country, for he was then in the heighth of his popularity. How unworthily he came to be deprived of it will appear in the sequel.

When