tians blood for their childrens eyes. Upon this improbable foundation, the Poles have established their faith; which, however, I believe they would not have done, unless they had found their account in it; for, at present, whenever a Jew in Poland is suspected of the unpardonable crime of being rich, some villainous Pole kills a Christian child, and, in the night time, lays it before the Jew's door, and, the corpse being found there in the morning, is looked upon to be a sufficient proof of the murder; and the Jew, unless he can buy himself off, is burnt. I am almost ashamed to tell you, that nine poor wretches were burnt upon this sort of proof when I was last in Poland. I talked to many of the best and wisest persons upon this subject; but the church of Rome has wisely banished reason out of her religion; and, therefore, all argument, even in the cause of mercy, is reckoned blasphemy. I am really persuaded that the religion of Mahomet comes nearer to the doctrine of Christ, than that of the church

of Rome; or (if you will give me leave to make a bull) that a Mahometan is a better Christian than a Roman Catholic. Adieu, Vive memor nostri et vale.

C. HANBURY WILLIAMS.

DEAR SIR;

TO THE SAME.

St. Petersburg, Aug. 14th, N. S. 1756,

leisure

After writing me the most friendly letter in the world, you conclude with desiring me to honour you with a line as often as my will permit. In obedience, therefore, to your commands, I answer your letter by the very first post; and, I begin by telling you, that to my great astonishment, I have received a letter from Mr. Hanbury, which is neither passionate nor brutal. At the end of which, he desires I would write him an answer in calmness and temper, which I shall not fail to do very soon: it would be very extraordinary in any body but him, to desire further time to settle accounts with me, when he himself had insisted receiving my Midsummer rents.

upon

not

I am very

willing that he should go on to receive the

produce of my estate, till next Christmas inclu

sive; but, then, I hope my accounts will be ready, and that he will pay the balance into your hands, for I do not like the sketch of our account which he has sent me by any means; I shall send it to you by the first courier that goes from hence, with a remark or two upon it. I beg you will return my thanks to Major Chambre; I always looked upon him as my sincere friend, and I am sure when he reflects or explains himself to me, he will find that there can be no person more proper to look after my estate, than he whose grandson will one day enjoy it. I therefore beg, that you would continue in your resolutions of settling my accounts, and of receiving the balance of my brother Hanbury next Christmas.

You do not say one word to me in your letter about the Morgan family, though you know how concerned I am for their welfare, and how strongly I am attached to their interest; I think colonel Morgan always looked upon me as his friend, and I certainly always was so.

My brother Hanbury tells me in his letter that he has made immense purchases in Monmouthshire, which will give him great power; and among other he says, he has bought the whole Castle of Caldicot, which I am the less surprised at, because I never heard of a Castle being sold by piecemeals.

I wish I had been in the country at the time of Mr. Edwin's death, I would have endeavoured to make your neighbour act with more steadiness. Sure Major Mathews will not carry his election; he is a most disagreeable man and far from being popular, I have heard from other hands that Mr. Morris acted with great spirit at Bristol. I think my brother Hanbury found means to quarrel with him as soon as he came to settle in our country, I have always heard, that he was a hot and injudicious man; and it was a very wrong step in our family to

The successful candidates were Capel Hanbury and William Morgan, Esqrs.