DEANS YARD, WESTMINSTER, _Sept._ 24, 1861.

DEAR SIR,--I beg to thank you very much for your kindness in
sending me a valuable contribution to Ecclesiastical History in
your book, _The Ancient Church_, which I found here upon my return
to London two or three days ago. How much would it contribute to
the promotion of charity and the advancement of the truth were all
who combated the opinions and views of another to give him the
means of seeing what was written fairly and openly, and not to
endeavour to overthrow his arguments without his knowledge. This
will indeed ever be the case when truth is sought for itself, and
no personal feelings enter into the matter.

I have read your chapters on Ignatius, and you will perhaps hardly
expect that I should subscribe to your views. It is now about
twenty years since I first undertook this inquiry, and constantly
have I been endeavouring to add some new light ever since. I once
answered an opponent in my present brother canon, Dr. Wordsworth,
but since that time I have never replied to any adverse views--but
have only looked to see if I could find anything either to show
that I was wrong or to strengthen my convictions that I was right.
And I have found the wisdom of this, and have had the satisfaction
of knowing that my ablest opponents, after having had more time to
inquire and to make greater research, have of their own accord
conformed to my views and written in their support.

I attach no very great importance to the Epistles of Ignatius.
I shall not draw from them any dogma. I only look upon them as
evidence of the time to certain facts, which indeed were amply