rated. My constant occupations too, as a magistrate,
presiding in a court of justice every day of my life,
(Sundays only excepted,) while I am in London

, joined
to other important occupations, I am sure will plead
my apology for delaying for so long a period, to
notice your two obliging letters of the nineteenth
of March and fifth June, last year, which I am ashamed
to say, that I now find among my unanswered let-
ters. For a good many years past, I have been able
to arrange matters, so as to be able to retire with
my family for a few weeks during the summer sea-
son to some part of the country near the sea; and in
this seclusion, I generally devote my time to that
species of business which my numerous public duties
in the metropolis oblige me to postpone. I have,
therefore, brought to this retired picturesque country
all my unavoidably postponed letters; and among
the rest, your two favours above mentioned.

It cannot fail to afford me the most heartfelt satis-
faction to learn, that the works I send you on Indi-
gence, and on the Education of the Poor, are likely,
under the sanction of your patriotic exertions, to
prove useful in ameliorating the state of society in
America, and of diffusing comfort and happiness
among the inferior orders in the United States, who
constitute the mass of the people in all nations. A
disposition certainly exists in this country, to adopt
many of the public measures I have recommended;
but I have written at an era, when in the rapid
succession of the most extraordinary events, fears
have been generated, even for the security of the
liberties and independence of our own country,
arising from the growing power of the ruler of
France

, and the wreck of nations, and ancient king-
doms and states, which have, in rapid succession, been
brought under his sway; and hence, from an atten-
tion to the primary object of guarding against dan-
gers, which appeared to become more and more
imminent, all considerations connected with internal