“And since I find you have been pleased to make my hymns and imitations of the Psalms, together with their prefaces, the object of your frequent and harsh censures, give me leave to ask you whether I did not consult with you while I was translating the Psalms in this manner, fourteen or fifteen years ago? Whether I was not encouraged by you in this work, even when you fully knew my design, by what I had printed, as well as by conversation? Did you not send me a note, under your own hand, by my brother, with a request that I would form the fiftieth and the hundred and twenty-second Psalms into their proper old metre? And in that note you told me too that one was six lines of heroic verse, or ten syllables, and the other six lines of shorter metre; by following those directions precisely, I confess I committed a mistake in both of them, or at least in the last; nor had I ever thought of putting in those metres, nor considered the number of the lines, nor the measure of them, but by your direction, and at your request. I allow, sir, with great freedom, that you may have changed your opinion since, and you have a right to do it without the least blame from me; but I do declare it, that at that time you were one of my encouragers, and therefore your present censures should be lighter and softer. “You desire me at the end ‘to remember former friendships,’ but you will give me leave to ask which of us has forgot them most; and I am well assured that I have more effectually proved myself all that which you are pleased to subscribe, viz., your steady, hearty, and real friend, your obedient and devoted servant, “I. WATTS.” And the following letter is a very fair illustration of the temper and spirit of Watts’ replies to his censorious and abusive brother: “LIME STREET, _Nov. 1, 1725_. “REVEREND SIR, “On Friday night last my worthy friend and neighbour, Mr. Caleb Wroe, called on me at Theobalds, and desired me to convey the enclosed paper to you, with his humble thanks for the share you have given him in the late legacy intrusted with you, and he intreats that you would please to pay the money into the hands of this messenger, that I may return it to him; and I cannot but join my unfeigned thanks with his, that you are pleased to remember so valuable and pious a man in your distributions, whose circumstances are by no means above the receipt of such charitable bequests, though his modesty is so great as to prevent him from sueing for an interest in them.