The Virginia Gazette

The PRINTER dispatches his sincere and very respectful Compliments to the CHRISTIAN LAYMAN, and humbly asks Pardon for having offended him, though he must say it was unwittingly; but hopes, upon a proper Eclaircissement, and due Reflection, that his Displeasure, in the Interpretation of his Orthodox Opponent, will not be anionian. He acknowledges (and he believes he signified so through the Gazette, as well as by Letter to the Christian Layman) the receiving of his fourth and fifth Numbers, when he gave his Reasons for not inserting them immediately; and upon their being returned, which was by the Layman's own Desire, acquainted him with his Intention of publishing one of them some little Time before, had it not been for many Inaccuracies, and the Difficulty he found in making out the Hand Writing, which determined him to apply for a more intelligible and correct Copy. If the Christian Layman had attended to what the Printer wrote to him when he returned his Letters, he would, he presumes, have come to the hasty Conclusion of complaining to the Publick that he had refused publishing them: for, as he had before found Room for his three long Epistles, and was led to believe that the fourth and fifth were to be the last on the sionian Subject, he would most gladly have obliged him, especially on such flattering Terms; although it has been without Fee or Reward, and at the Forfeiture of disgusting Numbers, who repeatedly complained of being pestered with unedifying religious Disputes, and even threatened, without an Amendment, to strike themselves off his List of Customers.

He congratulates his very obliging and very deserving Brother Printer upon the very lucrative Employment he is soon to be favoured with, and his respectable Readers upon the Entertainment that, of Course, will be afforded to them. To those of his own Customers, who did not relish this Repast, he tenders, he hopes, joyful Tidings; and begs Leave to assure them that he will use his best Endeavours to serve them up more delectable and easier digested Food than the rich Ollios of His Christian Laymanship.

The Printer declares, that he would not, knowingly, be guilty of so much Ingratitude as to offend any of his Customer's or kind Correspondents, much less give unmerited Treatment to a Gentleman for whom he had always a very profound Respect and hearty Goodwill, and, as he flattered himself, had not stood wholly unregarded by him; but finding that his best Intentions have been perverted, and the Christian Layman's good or bad Opinion so very fluctuating and liable to veer about, he is sorry to find himself under the Necessity of clapping his Helm a-Weather and bear away, though he does not despair of gaining some safer and more friendly Port.