‘REVEREND SIR,—You had sooner heard from me, but that my thoughts of late have been very much discompos’d by Severall Melancholy Objects. On Friday y^e last week I lost a dear child, of whom I was extremely fond, and all that knew Him excused me for being so. I find all y^e Philosophy I have, little enough to make me easie on this sad Occasion. The Images do at present return thick upon Me, but I hope in a little time to find y^m less afflictive. My wound would have been sooner heal’d had it not been kept open by the Occasions I have had to give Others y^t comfort which I have wanted myself. On Tuesday I went with Mrs Arbuthnot towards Brentford to meet Dr Gregory and his Wife who were expected that day from Maidenhead. My errand was to inform y^m of the death of their Girl, of whom they were extremely fond, they left Her well when they went to y^e Bath, and she died on Friday was sennight. We met not y^e coach We expected, and when We returned, We found a letter was sent from Mrs Gregory to her brother Dr Oliphant begging y^t he would come down to Maidenhead to y^e Dr, who was very ill. She came to Town on Thursday Night a very disconsolate Widow. The Doctor died on Tuesday-morning and was buried on Wednesday-Night at Maidenhead. A messenger was despatched to Hambledon to fetch you to Him, if you had been there. Mr Lesley came from y^e Bath with Him and assisted Him in his sickness, and in extremis. Dr Arbuthnot from Windsor came to Him. It seems He always told his Wife that He should be but short-lived, and of late has often desir’d Her to be prepared for his being taken from Her very quickly. When his last Suit of Cloaths was made, He said He should not live to wear them out. When He went out of Town, He did not expect to come home again alive; and when He left y^e Bath to return He thought He should not be able to reach y^e town. I am told that He has left his Family in very good Circumstances. I am afraid his tender con[cern] for y^m was prejudicial to his Health. He was an affectionate Husband, a tender Father, an excellent Scholar, a man of great Experience and Prudence, of good temper, of sober and religious principles, and One whom those who had the happiness to be acquainted with Him will much miss. I visited y^e Widow Yesterday, who bears her Affliction with as much patience and resignation as can be expected. I hope her Husband’s Friends will do what they can to make her loss less insupportable. ‘I am, Sir ‘Your H. Servant ‘G. S.’ * * * * *