distance.  Gapt.  Henderson  of  the  Marines  in  the  Constitution,
informed  me  of  Weems,  the  author  of  the  Life  of  Washington.  It
seems  that  this  is  a  travelling  preacher  in  Virginia,  &  as  he  repre-
sents, from  the  opinion  of  some  good  judges,  not  destitute  of  pul-
pit talents  tho'  the  anecdotes  of  him  give  an  excentricity  hardly
to  be  reconciled  with  the  gravity  of  the  pulpit.  Such  as  digressions
advising  laws  to  free  old  bachelors.  The  Capt  sbljb  Weems  had
property,  but  put  at  liberty  his  slaves  from  conscience  &  reduced
himself  to  beggary.  That  he  carries  about  books  for  sale  &  buys  his
oats  with  Almanacs.  That  he  carries  his  fiddle  with  him  &  while
his  beast  is  feeding,  often  amuses  himself  with  his  strings.  Once
he  was  asked  by  a  Mountebank  to  play  behind  the  scenes  &  the  fall
of  the  curtain  exposed  him  to  the  view  of  the  spectators.  Gapt  H.
says  since  the  sale  of  the  glebes,  preaching  is  lower  than  ever  in
Virginia.  That  the  place  of  worship  which  Gen.  Washington
visited  when  living,  he  saw  as  he  lately  passed,  without  doors  &
windows,  visited  by  the  cattle,  who  found  a  shelter  in  it.
Mr.  Parish  is  again  out  with  his  political  Fast  Sermon.  The
party  flatters  him  so  much  that  the  boy  is  distracted.  Our  Episco-
pal Ch.  of  St.  Peter  has  had  one  Adams,  a  Candidate,  but  he  has
too  much  of  Bishop^s  Calvinism,  to  be  highly  acceptable  to  the
assembly  at  that  place.  This  day  the  Church  was  shut,  &  another
Beader  is  expected.  A  Mr.  Perry  is  preaching  at  the  Branch,  &  Mr.
