Job Orton, Shrewsbury [Salop], to Mercy Doddridge, Northampton, 27 November 1752.

Salop Novr 27 1752

Dear Mam,

         I  am favoured with yours of ye 24th & am very glad you consulted Mr West abt yr Inscription – I like wt he has sent you very well, & know not how to make any particular Remarks on wh is drawn up by so good a Judge of propriety & elegance – I think it is full long, & it appears to me to have been grounded on a Supposition, yt it was intended to be put ^up^ at ye Desire & Expence of ye Congregation, because of ye general Expressions in Line 14 & 15 – he has retained many of my Thoughts – but rejected wt was added in my last Line, as I suppose he might think it too much of ye presbyterian Dialect – The Form in which he has thrown it is so different from mine, that I know not how to introduce ye Lines you mention, without spoiling ye symmetry of ye Composition – The most proper place for them is after Line 14th of his, thus

                                                                     Lament him

This Stone ^It also^ silently, but strongly, admonishes

         His once beloved Flock;

And records a friendly, but faithful Testimony

         To the many amiable & Xtian Virtues,

Which adorned his more private Character.

By this Addition ye Inscription will be broke into 2 Sentences & there will be a proper pause in reading after lament him. Whereas as it now stands, the whole, except ye 2 last Lines, is one Single Sentence, without a period, which is my only Objection agt it – but perhaps, as it is so neat & so expressive, it had much better stand as it does without any alteration. – But this I leave to you –

         I am surprised & pleased at your Son’s Determination & I hope it was a kind providence, wch threw so many Bars in ye Way of his former Inclination – I heartily wish him ye greatest pleasure & success in his intended persuit [sic], & shall now with peculiar Satisfaction write to him when my Time will permit – but I have been much taken up with finishing ye first part of ye last Vol of ye Expn, which went to London last Tuesday – I have also wrote at large to Mr Godwyn & wait his answer, before I can compleat ye Revelation –

         I am much concerned to hear of Mr Jekylls Death, but own in some hope it may be a Mistake, as we had no Acct of it in ye public papers – I am

                                 Dear Mam

                                             Your affectionate & obliged Friend

                                                         & humble Servt

                                                                     J Orton

I do not like ye 10th Line of Mr West’s as ye Idea of much longer is included in perpetuated <–> yet I know not how to alter it. <–>

P. S. Since I wrote ye above the papers have confirmed your Acct of Mr Jekyl’s [sic] Death – I am truly sorry for ye Loss of so worthy & helpful a Man –

         I have also had your Son’s Letter, for which I thank him – I will send ye Watch & Sermon to Coventry this Week, if I can hear of a safe Conveyance, & will write to him perhaps by next post.

[Included is the Inscription for Doddridge in the Northampton chapel in Castle Street:

               To the Memory of                                             1

            Philip Doddridge D D,                                         2

  21 Years Pastor of this Church,                                        3

   Director of a flourishing Academy,                                   4

And Author of many excellent Writings,                              5

                    By Which                                                          6

His pious, benevolent, & indefatigable Zeal                         7

   To make men wise, & good, & happy,                           8

       Will far better be made known,                                  9

        And perpetuated much longer,                                 10

       Than by this perishable Marble:                                 11

  The humble Monument, not of his Praise –                       12

Yet of their Esteem Affection & Regret                           13

 Who knew him, loved him, & lament him;                         14

                 And who are desirous of recording in this Inscription             15

Their friendly but faithful Testimony                               16

To the many amiable and Christian Virtues                         17

Which adorned his more private Character.                         18

              He was born Jan. 26 1702                                       19

Died in the 50th year of his age, Oct. 26 1751                      20

Address: To | Mrs Doddridge | at Northampton | Turn at Towcester

Postmark: Shrewsbury

Notes: none

Text: ENG. MSS. 371, no. 95, Raffles Collection, John Rylands Library, Manchester.