ΤΟ THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND RIGHT REVEREND SHUTE BARRINGTON, LL.D. LORD BISHOP OF DURHAM. MY LORD, THE following Work was undertaken at your Lordship's recommendation; and, amongst other motives, for the purpose of making the mofl acceptable return I could make for a great and important benefit conferred upon me. It may be unneceffary, yet not, perhaps, quite impertinent, to ftate to your Lordship and to the reader, the feveral inducements that have led me once more to the prefs. The favor of my first and ever honored patron had put me in poffeffion of so liberal a provifion in the church, as abundantly to fatisfy my wants, and much to exceed my pretenfions. Your Lordship's munificence, in conjunction with that of fome other excellent Prelates, who regarded my fervices with the partiality with which your Lordship was pleafed to confider them, hath fince placed me in ecclefiaftical fituations, more than adequate to every object of reasonable ambition. In the mean time, a weak, and, of late, a painful ftate of health, deprived me of the power of discharging the duties of my ftation, in a manner at all funiable, either to my fenfe of thofe duties, or to my mcf anxious wifhes concerning them. My inability for the public functions of my profeffion, among ft other confequences, left me much at leifure. That lefure was not to be loft. It was only in my fudy that I could repair my deficiencies in the |