solemn act deferred for near a twelve-month--till November of the
following year? And why did Seabury himself delay his application
to Scotland till August of the same year? The answer is found in
Seabury's own letter of August, 1784, already quoted, in which he
formally applies to the bishops of Scotland. He says: "With regard
to myself, it is not my fault that I have not done it before, but
I thought it my duty to pursue the plan marked out for me by the
clergy of Connecticut, as long as there was a probable chance of
succeeding." [Footnote: Seabury's letter to Dr. Cooper of August
31, 1784. On the back of this letter there is a note, written
either by Bishop Skinner or, more probably, by his father, the
Rev. John Skinner of Linshart, in these words: "Dr. Berkeley, in
consequence of some fear suggested by Bishop Skinner, wrote the
present Archbishop of Canterbury [Dr. John Moore] that application
had been made by Dr. Seabury to the Scottish bishops for
consecration, and begged that if his Grace thought the bishops
here ran any hazard in complying with Seabury's request, he would
be so good as to give Dr. Berkeley notice immediately; but if his
Grace was satisfied that there was no danger, there was no
occasion to give any answer. _No answer came._" _Scottish
Church Review_, i. 113. In view of all these facts and circumstances,
how utterly preposterous is the gossiping story retailed by Granville
Sharpe!]

The explanation was satisfactory, and on the 2nd of October,
Bishop Kilgour, the Scottish Primus, wrote: "Dr. Seabury's long
silence, after it had been signified to him that the bishops of
this Church would comply with his proposals, made them all think
that the affair was dropped, and that he did not choose to be
connected with them; but his letter, and the manner in which he