Memoirs of the Maxwells of Pollok > Correspondence

1713.] FAMILY AND DOMESTIC LETTERS. 365
cerely ; specially to keep them in peace and love — the blessing I heartily pray
for from God to both you and all mine, and am,
Yours most affectionat and faithfull unto death,
/ <£hvytoP
Edinburgh, 23d Aprile 1713.
To my Lord Pollock, Glasgow, — haste.
Dr. Cotton Mather, Boston, to Sir John Maxwell, Lord Pollok.
Boston, N. England 24 d - 2 m - [i.e. April] 1713.
364. Honourable Sir, diverse months ago I did myself the honour of writing to you,
and of presenting to you a small American production with your name in the
Dedication of it, which I hope has come safe to your hands. There has nothing
occurr'd since then in this countrey worthy of your notice, but that we have a
growing prospect of peace, with our salvages, and the wastes which the fire had
made in our capital town are very much re-edified, and in much more splendid
circumstances than were seen before the desolation. Methinks I therein see a
little emblem of what will befal the dear Church of Scotland, and in what
splendor it will appear after all that they who seek to devour it may do unto
it. I congratulate unto that church of the Lord His wondrous favours to it,
in the excellent men whom He bestows upon it, and pray that such burning
and shining lights may be continued and multiplied.
And, therefore, you will allow me to wish for you, Syr, that you may be
long spared, as a blessing unto His whole church, and more particularly unto
your famous university ; and that arriving to old age, you may not only have
an evynpia, beyond any mentioned by Tully in his Be Senectute, or the other
Roman, but also have that good old age described by my dear Calvin, in words
worthy of transcribing. "Tenendum est prsecipuam partem bonse senectutis
in bona conscientia, animo sereno et tranquillo consistere ; unde secmitur non :