They could not endure any statements which reflected upon the justice and policy of those palmy days of ecclesiastical oligarchy, and were very much stung by some passages in Neal's History of New England.
The celebrated Dr.Isaac Watts seems to have been written to on the subject.

His letter, apparently in reply, addressed to the Rev.Dr.
Cotton Mather, dated February 19, 1720, is very suggestive.

The sweet poet and learned divine says: "Another thing I take occasion to mention to you at this time is my good friend Mr.Neal's History of New England.

He has been for many years pastor of a Congregational Church in London--a man of valuable talents in the ministry.

I could wish indeed that he had communicated his design to you, but I knew nothing of it till it was almost out of the press....
He has taken merely the task of an historian upon him.