, April 2, 1777.

    Sir

   : The bearer of this, who is going to America, presses me to give him a letter of recom

   mendation, though I know nothing of him, not even his name. This may seem extraordinary, but I assure you it is not uncommon here. Sometimes, indeed, one unknown person brings another equally unknown, to recommend him; and sometimes they recommend one another! As to this gentleman, I must refer you to himself for his character and merits, with which he is certainly better acquainted than I can possibly be. I recommend him, however, to those civilities which every stranger, of whom one knows no harm, has a right to; and I request you will do him all the favor that, on further acquaintance, you shall find him to deserve. I have the honor to be, etc.

   Mr. Dickson, a colored barber in a large New England town, was shaving one of his customers, a respectable citizen, one morning, when a conversation occurred between them respecting Mr. Dickson's former connection with a colored church in that place:

   "I believe you are connected with the church in Elm Street, are you not, Mr. Dickson?" said the customer.

   "No, sah, not at all."

   "What! are you not a member of the African church?"

   "Not dis year, sah."

   "Why did you leave their communion, Mr. Dickson, if I may be permitted to ask?"

   "Well, I'll tell you, sah," said Mr. Dickson, stropping a concave razor on the palm of his hand, "it was just like dis. I jined de church in good fait'; I gave ten dollars toward the stated gospil de first year, and de church people call me '

    Brudder

   Dickson'; de second year my business not so good, and I gib only

    five

   dollars. That year the people call me '

    Mr.

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