“I shall take my chance for your smiles, or your frowns, in what I am going to add. As a teacher of religion, I never touch upon mysteries, and always cry down intolerance. But with great caution about doctrines, I have great zeal and great love for ceremonies, which are not gaudy nor burdensome; which have no connexion, even to the imagination, with doubtful and unprofitable controversies; which captivate the senses, and inspire common observers with piety, or at least with a sense of decorum. This opinion I have carried into practice very successfully with my rustic hearers; and for that purpose I have frequently expended large sums of my own money, and large contributions from my friends and pupils, in the decoration of my parish-church. Now I am preparing to close my labours, by assisting to get a new and enlarged set of bells. It so happens that from my youth upwards, even to this hour, I have been a distinguished adept in the noble art of ringing; that I have equal delight with Milton in the sound of bells; that I have far superior knowledge, in the science of casting them; and that my zeal for accomplishing my favourite project is very great. I hope, my dear sir, you will not be displeased with me for saying that, in the list of my subscribers, I shall be very proud and very happy to put down the illustrious name of Mr. Roscoe, &c. S. P.”
