123. Letter Mlxxxvi.
LETTER MLXXXVI.
T o the Marquis of L――.
Bristol, June 27, 1755.
My Lord, HOW shall I express my gratitude to your Lordship, for condescending to answer my poor letter, and so readily concurring with the motion made in it, for a degree being procured for my worthy friend? The great Head of the church will bless and reward your Lordship for it. Never was there a man in the world, that could be more safely recommended as a scholar, and a truly
Christian minister of the gospel, and a laborious prudent President of a college, than Mr. Aaron Burr.—He was educated at Yale College in Connecticut, New England; and for his pregnant abilities, and many years well approved piety, was unanimously chosen to succeed the Reverend Mr.
D―― in the care of New-Jersey college. It would have delighted your Lordship, to have seen how gloriously he filled the chair last year, at the New-Jersey commencement. His Latin oration was beautifully elegant, and was delivered with an unaffected, yet striking energy and pathos. As a
preacher, disputant, and head of a college, he shines in North America; and the present prosperity of the New Jersey college, is, under God, greatly owing to his learning, piety, and conduct. The students revere and love him.
Your Lordship might have testimonials enough from good Governor B――r, Mr. Jonathan Edwards, cum multis aliis. And I believe, they would all concur in saying, "that of his age (now upwards of forty) there is not a more accomplished deserving President in the world." As for any thing of his in print, that can be referred to, I cannot say, unless it be a little pamphlet lately published, in which he hath animated the people against the common enemy, and discovered a close attachment to the interest of our rightful sovereign King George. May the King of kings long preserve his important and precious life! This piece of Mr. Burr's I have at London, and hope it is in Scotland. I just now wrote to Mr. G―― of Glasgow, who, together with Mr. J―― E――, I suppose will write to your Lordship concerning Mr. Burr. I wish the diploma may be transmitted against the next commencement. It will endear your Lordship more and more to the good people of America. May the Lord of all lords vouchsafe your Lordship a good degree in the kingdom of heaven! O for the lowest place there! It will be abundantly too high for such an unworthy wretch as I am: but his name and nature is Love. He still vouchsafes to employ me, and still continues to countenance my feeble labours. At London we have enjoyed golden seasons, and in the country the fields are white ready unto harvest. O that we may be helped to bear the heat and burden of every day! That your
Lordship may live long to do much for Christ, and be at last gathered like a ripe shock of corn into his heavenly garner, is the earnest prayer of, my
Lord, Your Lordship's most dutiful, obliged, and ready servant for Christ's sake,
G. W.