I am sorry, that our hearty
“Gratulationscongratulations of the New Year, &and sincere Wishes of many
“more happy Ones to yourself &and good Mrs Forbes shdshould
“be accompanied with the doleful News of yethe Death
“of my old &and very dear dear Friend, Mr Wagstaffe,
“who departed this Life, full of Days, &and full of Ho-
“nour, &and all true Worth, on the 3d3rd Ult.Ultimo mense in a fit
“of Apoplexy, which was notified to me by his
“Patron, who seems a good deal affected by yethe Loss,
“speaking of him in Terms of high Esteem &and Re-
“gard; but God’s Will be done, &and his Name ever
“glorified, who hath permitted it so to be.
“The good Man departed will be the Gainer,
“in being removed to the Mansions of Peace
“&and Rest; &and our temporary Loss, tho’though grie-
“vous to poor Mortals, will be compensat-
“ed in the Reflections on the rare Virtues,
“&and illustrious &and edifying Example of our dear
“Brother, now happy, I doubt not, in the So-
“ciety of the Faithful departed; to qchwhich So-
“ciety may we, who survive, prepare our-
“selves by constant &and assiduous EndeavrsEndeavours
“to be united. Faxit Deus! You may, per-
“haps, Sir, see an Account of my late dear
“Friend’s Death in the publickpublic Papers.”