LETTER I. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Mr. D—.

I AM ſorry to put you to an Expence for a trifling Letter at this Diſtance. It ſeems too, to give you leave to expect ſome⯑thing extraordinary, or uncommon. Whatever is ſo in my Letters, I am ſure, muſt be on the bad Side. I may however have the greater Power to convince you, that Diſtance is in⯑capable to ſeparate you from my Thoughts.

[2]I am, at preſent, in a very refined State of Indolence and Inactivity. Indeed I make little more Uſe of a Country Life, than to live over again the Pleaſures of Oxford and your Com⯑pany. You might convey me a Letter full, would you be ſo exceedingly good as your Promiſe. I am vaſtly ſelf-intereſted, for I write only in order to beg a Letter from you, with very ſmall Hopes of your receiving much Plea⯑ſure from mine.

I ſhould here give you an Account of the Pleaſures we have had at M—, but my Paper won't contain it. There was one only wanting, pour le comble—you'll be the laſt to find it out—your Company. I aim at render⯑ing my Letters as odd and fantaſtical as poſſi⯑ble; but when I write to a Perſon of your elegant character, my Compliments degenerate into downright Truths, juſt (I was going to ſay) as the Sun turns bad Wine to Vinegar; but downright Truths are ſometimes valuable, though a Perſon of your Taſte might reaſon⯑ably expect more refined—at leaſt leſs obvious ones. Sometimes, however, Vinegar has alſo [3] its Uſe, though to treat a Gentleman with it entirely may well create a Nauſea. I fancy my poignant Simile grows ſtale by this Time. I write to an Intimate, and a Man of Senſe, whoſe Good-nature will forgive what his Judg⯑ment may find fault with.

I hope your Ring gives you all imagina⯑ble Happineſs, however fatal it may prove to female Ken. I ſuſpect to hear of you as the fineſt Performer on the Spinnet in the World. Were I a Poet, I ſhould be highly pleaſed to celebrate the admirable Conduct of your little Finger— ‘"Tui Pollicis Ictum,"’ ſays Ho⯑race; vile Pedant that I am! who ſhall deli⯑ver me from the Influence of Formality?

I heard at Oxford of the Addition of the Side-Diamonds; I gueſſed, leſt the Splendour ſhould be extinguiſhed by a greater, où vous ſçavez. I want to ſee you exceedingly; you are, I aſſure you, a vaſt Part of my Pleaſure at Oxford, as POPE is in the Country; indeed, you might ſhare that Effect with Mr. POPE, would you write. It is a Favour, for which I muſt grow importunate; notwithſtanding [4] which, the Favours I have already received, would make me uneaſy, were I not conſcious who beſtows them.

Of all the moral Virtues, Gratitude is ſure the moſt beautiful; ſo far from betraying any Thing mean or ignoble in her Behaviour, ſhe has an Air which naturally diſcovers her Qua⯑lity.—I can't ſtay to deſcribe her now—It is ſufficient that I pay ſome Sort of Tribute to her, when I call myſelf Mr. D—'s

My humble Service to your Parents.—Direct to Harborough.

LETTER II. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Miſs G—.

I HAVE ſent the Patterns, though with far leſs Expedition than you might expect from one ſo entirely yours. The truth is, I was ſenſible how inſupportable the Tranſition muſt be from your Company to none at all, ſo contrived to pay ſeveral Viſits immediately after I had left M—. You'll gueſs how ſuffi⯑cient a Mortification I found even thus. To paſs from yours to the Company of dull Aunts and Couſins muſt needs prove tedious, as the Reverſe would be agreeable.

As to the Draughts, I am ſatisfied in what a ridiculous Light they muſt appear; it was a Taſk I was very much unuſed to, and ſolicited rather out of an officious Fondneſs to be em⯑ployed for you, than any Skill I was conſcious of in myſelf. I muſt beg Mr. G—'s Pardon for engaging in a Work, wherein he is far [6] my Superior. Such as they are, I beg you would believe they are the beſt I am capable of. I would rather have my Judgment than Care cenſured, in any Thing I am employed in for you. You'll be ſurprized to find them joined with a Paper ſcrawl'd over with dull Poetry: however, I muſt confeſs, as I wrote it to pleaſe myſelf, I ſent it, not without Hopes that it might, in an inferior Manner, pleaſe you. One may ſometimes amuſe one's-ſelf with what one can't entirely approve. As I can't flatter myſelf, your Judgment can excuſe, ſo I can't apprehend your Good-nature will ex⯑poſe me. To vindicate my Character to you, as a Poet, I ſhall only join theſe alleviating Circumſtances; Firſt, that nothing makes ſo aukward a Figure in Verſe (as well as in ſome other Reſpects) as Sincerity. Secondly, that theſe Lines were wrote when I had no great Flow of Spirits, namely, when I had juſt left M—, and you; but I ſhall want your Patience elſewhere, ſo will ſay no more about 'em—only this—that I ſhould not have mentioned Miſs L—, were I not perſuaded that, as you are entirely free from the other Faults of your [7] Sex, ſo you are from that of not bearing to hear another commended. It is a Sign of a great Want of Accompliſhments, when a Per⯑ſon is continually ſuſpicious of being rivalled; and, for that Part, you may give every One many more than their Due, without the leaſt Danger of being ſo.

I could not help envying WHISTLER's Hap⯑pineſs, when I came away; I fancy your Lives have been a conſtant Round of Delights; I don't know any Neighbourhood more likely to produce 'em. I could reconcile myſelf, how⯑ever, pretty well to Harborough's melancholy Scenes, were I not conſcious of ſuch ſuperior Pleaſures, où vous ſçavez. You might convey me a Letter full of them, but you'll, perhaps, think it an impertinent Requeſt. I could ſet what Value you pleaſe on the Favour, though the Pleaſure I can't pretend to limit.

I muſt now break off my Letter in as auk⯑wark a Manner as I take my Leave, which is likewiſe uſually moſt aukward, where I have moſt Reſpect. I'll e'en lay aſide further Cere⯑mony [8] in this, as in the other Caſe, and ſay no more than that I am,

LETTER III. Miſs G— to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

YOU expreſs ſo great a Concern for my Brother's Illneſs, that not only common Civility, but Humanity, obliges me to acquaint you, that he is upon the Recovery. His Phy⯑ſicians have thought him out of Danger theſe three Weeks, as to his Fever, but are appre⯑henſive of a Conſumption; to prevent which, they have ordered him a Milk-Diet, as ſoon as [9] he gets into the Country, which he hopes to do, ſome Time next Week. My Brother G— is with him. To make the Journey eaſy, they propoſe to hire a Chaiſe, and make three or four Days of it.

DICK has been ſo compaſſionate to write to me twice; the Firſt was only to ſhew me he was alive; in the laſt Letter he ſeems to have recovered his uſual Spirits, and ſays, he muſt be obliged to the moſt deſpicable Creature in the Univerſe for the moſt valuable Bleſſing in Life. He is quite determined to leave the Study of Phyſick, and turn Friar, which I am delighted at, as I believe it will be conducive to his Health.

I think I have been very particular in my Account of my Brother, which you would have received laſt Poſt, but that I was from Home when yours came, and did not return till late on Saturday Night. I write this in the greateſt Hurry, for Company waits for me to ſet out for S—: but I muſt tell you, that I am very angry you ſhould think ſo meanly of me, as to imagine I had not Generoſity enough to [10] ſend you an Account of my Brother and your Friend, without the Bribe of a Compliment. Out of Regard, however, I muſt pardon you.

P. S. The Letter you wrote to DICK, I have locked up in the Cabinet, to give him by Way of Cordial, at his firſt coming Home.

LETTER IV. Miſs F—R to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

I THINK it would be inconſiſtent with Gra⯑titude, as well as Good-manners, not to return you Thanks for the Pleaſures your Wri⯑tings have given me; but I ſhall deſiſt from [11] declaring my Sentiments of them, leſt you ſhould ſtile it Flattery. Writing has been my conſtant Employ (when at Home) ever ſince you left us, and I hope you could not expect them ſooner. I could not but think Fate doubly cruel, (when to part us was as much as we here could bear with Decency) to embroil us ſtill more by the Hurt of the Leg, which I am glad to hear is got well.

With you fled all Life and Spirit from A—; a total Eclipſe ſucceeded you, and the Sun will ſhine no more till your bright Influence diſpels the Cloud. Company and Fruit come in of⯑ten, but all in vain, for nothing has any Re⯑liſh, but the Writings of him who cauſed the Malady. You have ſhone ſo much to the Prejudice of our Neighbours, that it is with Difficulty we behave with tolerable Decorum. We drink your Health as conſtant as Appetite (or rather, Cuſtom) calls to Table, for nothing has any Taſte, except the Glaſs, in which you are named.

We ſent Tom Thumb's Performance (I think in my Heart it is Nonſenſenſe) to Mr. —, who [12] read it, called him naſty Dog, and put it in his Pocket. Whether it will be a Spit-Cat, or dumb Madneſs, I don't know; but I am ſure the bottled Small-Beer was very briſk laſt Sunday.

From Auguſt 25th we date our Miſery; no Smile ſeen, or Laugh heard ſince, till laſt Night.—What could cauſe one then?—Why, Mr. SHENSTONE, who had been dumb ſo long, ſpoke then, and who can hear him without being pleaſed? It is meet and right, as well as highly pleaſing to Mrs. MARY, that you ſhould reſpect Mr. A—, who, I believe, in⯑tends to ſpend his laſt Breath in your Praiſe, but he'll make your Name glorious. Nothing could give him more Pleaſure than you have done, except a Preſent of Lawn-Sleeves. As to the Scheme you mention, I dare not bid you hope, but I will venture to bid you not de⯑ſpair, on a Preſumption that your Rhetorick can never fail of Succeſs.

I can't prevail with my Siſters for a Letter a-piece. One ſays, that you ſhall be the next Gentleman ſhe writes to. Mrs. A— ſays, tho' [13] you cut off your Hair, ſhe believes your Ears will remain, and wiſhes nothing ſo much as an Opportunity to pinch 'em. Miſs K— ſays, ſhe has already ſuffered too much by that Ty⯑rant, Love, ever to engage with Mankind more, not even Mr. SHENSTONE; but cannot bear that Miſs D— ſhould be ſo happy. S— ſays, ſhe would make a handſome Speech, but cannot, and therefore ſends you only Service. My Brother deſires his Compliments, and ſays, he can't fix a Time for ſeeing the Leaſowes, but deſigns to be at Broom with your Brother, in Three Weeks Time. So here you have the Sayings of the A—ians. But I have not done yet, till I have been a little more troubleſome.

Note. If I did not know you to be a good Judge of Mankind, and had not experienced your Good-nature, (which inclines you to ex⯑cuſe the Foibles of the weaker Veſſel) together with the Hopes, that, for the Sake of ſome happy Favourite, you would not expoſe the Sex, I ſhould not have truſted you with my Nonſenſe. This concludes, therefore, with de⯑ſiring one Favour, which is, that you would [14] burn this, and that the Flame and my Folly may die together; and be aſſured you'll oblige

I begin to think you have vowed Deſtruction to ſome of my favourite Poets; and muſt own, you have given two of them a Wound in the Side; but if you conquer 'em, you ſhall never never know it. Adieu!

LETTER V. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Miſs W. F—R, at A—n.

ON a Time, as 'tis reported, the Moun⯑tains were in Labour; when, after a long Courſe of Pains and Inquietudes, they made a ſhift to produce that puny Animal, a Mouſe. [15] Now that very individual Mouſe, according to the myſterious and figurative Import of Types and Shadows, was the perfect Image and Re⯑preſentative of this mine Epiſtle. A groveling, ſtarveling, inſignificant Production, conceived with much Difficulty, and tranſmitted to you with Confuſion of Face. In ſhort, you may look upon it as the noble Booty you have taken, by baiting your Trap ſo artfully with Praiſe and Compliment, about two or three Months ago. True it is, that, conſidering the Politeneſs and Complaiſance of your obliging Letter, my Behaviour ſince muſt appear the moſt unknightly of all Proceedings, But your Packet did not arrive till three Weeks after it was ſent; ſo you will excuſe my Silence till the Day after I received it, and whatever was more than that, I freely acknowledge, came of Sin. However, you will, upon Confeſſion, par⯑don me, as you expect Pardon from your Con⯑feſſor, ſhould the Benedictines and Friars get a Footing in this Iſland, which I find your Brother is endeavouring to prevent.

I can be no longer ludicrous on this laſt Article. I am too ſeriouſly concerned for his [16] Safety; yet I don't fear but the Rebels will be defeated, and, it may be, all Danger over in leſs than a Fortnight. But General WADE's Behaviour, loitering ſo long at Newcaſtle, aſto⯑niſhes me. I was at Birmingham on Tueſday Morning, from whence I ſaw the Remains of LIGONIER's Horſe march with vaſt Spirits and Alacrity. They wiſh to have, what they call, the Refuſal of the Highlanders. They are Men of experienced Bravery, and fought like Furies at the Battle of Fontenoy. May they do ſo now, and with better Succeſs!

B— told me, your Brother would borrow my Piſtols. At that Time, ſuppoſing him in Jeſt, I ſent him no very ſerious Anſwer. I now think it incumbent on me to ſay, that I would lend them him with all my Heart, but that one of them is broke in the Stock, and cannot be fired with Safety till it is ſtocked afreſh. Perhaps he might recollect it was ſo when I was at A—.

We have been beſt Part of a Week at Litchfield, where we lived like Chickens in a Pen, confined and crammed, and where we [17] ſerved God after the Manner of Popes and Cardinals.—I only allude to Cathedral Service. Mr. and Mrs. D— ſeemed quite diſpoſed to entertain us agreeably. The Son and Daugh⯑ter, to ſay the leaſt, appeared much more indifferent in that Particular. ‘"Theſe,"’ as SHAKESPEARE ſays, ‘"are certainly better Chriſtians, or elſe, are worſe than we."’

You have eſcaped me at Birmingham, by concealing the Time of your Viſit. Surely, you will come over to Broom, ere it be long, and give me my Revenge.

Tell Mrs. A—, my Ears make great Shoots, and ſuch as may tempt her Hand egregiouſly: but if I am metamorphoſed into an Aſs entirely, I will come and ſerenade her in a Morning, when ſhe has been up late the Night before.

I beg my Compliments to all Friends. I muſt not make my Letter much longer—the Mouſe will elſe grow to the Size of a Rat. I beg you to accept this idle Billet in Part of an Anſwer to your elegant Letter, and in Lieu [18] of a thouſand Profeſſions of the Friendſhip and Eſteem, with which I am,

LETTER VI. Miſs F— to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

I HAVE ſeveral Times examined myſelf, to find out what can authorize or qualify me to write to Poets and Men of Letters. Upon ſtrict Enquiry, I am ſenſible, that nothing I am poſſeſſed of, can entitle me to it, and no⯑thing but Vanity and Selfiſhneſs could ſpur [19] me on to this Impertinence; Vanity, in being addreſſed by a Man of your Capacity and Fi⯑gure in the World, and Selfiſhneſs, as I am ſure to be a Gainer by your Correſpondence. I muſt, however, tell you, the Epithets of art⯑ful, polite, and witty, I have no Right to. In theſe Reſpects, I am an Heroine of your own making, but I attribute all this to the Con⯑ſequence of that great and generous Mind of your own, and in whoſe Nature it is to ima⯑gine you ſee in others what you really poſſeſs yourſelf.

I ſhall not trouble you with a Detail of the Frights, Fears, and dreadful Apprehenſions, almoſt every body has been under, concerning the Devil, the Pope, and the Pretender; 'tis my good Fortune to have more of that ſtrength⯑ening Ingredient, called Hope, than that of the deſtructive one, called Fear, in my Compoſi⯑tion, which has prevented my ſuffering ſo much upon the Occaſion, as the reſt of my Neigh⯑bours. For my own Part, I had but one Fear, which was that of my Brother's march⯑ing; but I was ſoon made eaſy in that Parti⯑cular, [20] when I found the Duke ^* had no Occa⯑ſion for, nor would accept of, the new-raiſed Regiments. All the neighbouring Gentlemen, who had not Commiſſions, went Volunteers in Captain WHITMORE's Company, but are all come Home again, and begin to think they have been upon a Don QUIXOTE Expedition, or have done like the King of France, and his Forty-thouſand.

All the Females are turned Politicians, except myſelf. I beſtowed two Minutes and an half in conſidering whether I ſhould affect to appear one or not. In the firſt Minute, my Thoughts ſuggeſted to me, that there never would be a Parliament of Women; in the ſecond, I was convinced, if that ſhould happen, it was mo⯑rally impoſſible I ſhould ever have a Seat in the Houſe; and the laſt Half-minute confirmed me in my Reſolution, not to meddle with Po⯑litics, which, I imagine, was never deſigned a Province for Women. I ſhall therefore be content till they act in their proper Sphere, [21] and Ribbons, and Fans, (which are better adapted to my Capacity) are again their Theme.

What ſhall I ſay, as to neighbouring Oc⯑currences? Your Friend, Mr. A—, is very well, and often talks of you. He told me, laſt Time I was in his Company, he deſigned him⯑ſelf the Pleaſure of calling on you in his Way to B—, early in the Spring. Meeting with bright B— the other Day, I deſired him to ſtir up his Muſe, to whip her, and laſh her, and put forth ſomething upon the Times. A Gen⯑tleman, who ſat by, replied, ‘"Perhaps he may ruin himſelf in Whip-cord, before he rouſes her."’ The Brobdignags go on with their Knotting, as uſual; but I don't find that your favourite Miſs D— deſigns you any for a Waiſtcoat.

It was not in my Power to give you more Notice of my Viſit to Birmingham than I did, as the Time was not fixed above ſix Days be⯑fore I ſet out, in which Time my Brother went to B—, and deſired Mr. D— to let you know, when he ſaw you, (which he ſaid would be in a Day or two) you would think you had [22] Revenge enough, if you knew how I was diſ⯑appointed. At laſt, I ſighed within myſelf, and ſaid, ‘"Surely, the Favour is more than I can merit."’

I ſhall now cry aloud, and ſay, Wo unto them that forget their Promiſe, for therein is their Fidelity called in Queſtion!—Wo unto them that eraſe out of their Letters what they had written, for thereby they injure the Brain of her that would find it out!—Wo unto them that are three Months in anſwering a Letter, for ſurely it muſt tire the Patience of her, who is, all that Time, in Expectation!—Woful Truths!

S— the Valiant deſires his Compliments, and thanks you for the Offer of your Piſtols, which Favour he never aſked, as he did not imagine they ſhould fight with Piſtols. He has been at Home this Month recruiting. I don't doubt but the Shropſhire Fuſileers will make a great Figure in military Hiſtory—at leaſt, in the Prints. The tender, the wild, the grave, and the mild, all lump their Compli⯑ments.

[23]By the Time you come to this Place, (which, without a double Share of Patience, you will never arrive at) you muſt be greatly diſap⯑pointed, as you'll then find the Sum Total of all I have ſaid amounts to Nothing: but don't then blame Nature, Education, or the Stars that preſided at my Birth, that I'm not a No⯑veliſt, nor capable of ſaying any Thing that can poſſibly entertain you herein, but rather blame your own wrong Choice in a Correſpon⯑dent. I will now, out of Compaſſion to you, put an End to this unparalleled Piece of Non⯑ſenſe, by wiſhing you the Compliments of the Seaſon, and aſſuring you, that I am,

P. S. Who is the Author of Biſhop RIDLEY's Ghoſt, a Poem juſt come out, which I ſuppoſe you have ſeen?—I ſhall be in daily Expecta⯑tion of the Book you promiſed, till it comes.

LETTER VII. Miſs F— to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

IT can't poſſibly be otherwiſe, than that I ſhall ſoon arrive at the Pinnacle of the Tem⯑ple of Vanity, in full Perſuaſion of the juſt and deſerved Encomiums on my Letters. In the Name of all that's ſincere and honeſt, let me prevail with you to leave off Flattery, and act the Plain-Dealer; and let it ſuffice, when I tell you, that the grand Compliment of all is, that you think my Letters worthy an An⯑ſwer, which alone is ſufficient to feed my Vanity.

Now, leſt you ſhould not immediately re⯑collect the fatal Conſequences, that may attend Flattery, from a Perſon one may chance to have a good Opinion of, imagine that you ſee me intoxicated to the greateſt Degree that weak Woman is capable of; in order to which, [25] you are to ſuppoſe that I have taken it into my Head, that the Houſe I live in, is not em⯑belliſhed with Ornaments and Decorations fit for me to inhabit; that the Meat I eat is too coarſe for my delicate Conſtitution, and Orto⯑lans alone fit for my Palate; that the Conver⯑ſation of my own Family is quite deſpicable; my Neighbours not worth my Notice; that the Air is not pure enough for me to breathe; in fine, that I am a celeſtial Creature, far ſu⯑perior to the Race of Mortals on Earth. And, ſhould this happen, you muſt then ſmite your Breaſt, and ſay, ‘"Alas! theſe are the Effects of Flattery!—Which ſhall deter me from the Practice of it upon Womankind for the future."’ I know 'tis a received Maxim with moſt Men, that no Woman can be pleaſed without Flattery; but why might there not be an Exception to this Rule? If my Letters are polite, 'tis what I never deſigned; nor do I think you could poſſibly expect they ſhould be ſo, from a little Garret, in a Corner of a Houſe, in a Corner of the World; and from one who has nothing more to boaſt of, than the common Gifts of Nature, without any other [26] Aſſiſtance than what proceeds from her Hand⯑maid Time.

As to your Diſpute with Mr. B—, 'tis ſo like that between the Turks and Perſians, that I fancy it won't be determined ſoon. For my own Part, tho' the Fighters have done little, I am inclined to think the Writers have done leſs; for, as yet, I have not ſeen one Line in the poetical Way, but what a B— may rival; and as to hiſtorical Facts, I think they hang much upon Uncertainties. As it probably will be demanded of every true Engliſhman, what he has done in Defence, or to the Honour of his Country, I would fain know, if you are provided with an hundred Pages to throw in the Teeth of any one who ſhall aſk you the Queſtion.

We are going to have ſome new Neighbours at W—d; they are Siſters in Law to old Mrs. D—T; perhaps, as compleat a Pair of old Maids as England can produce. The youngeſt is paſt Sixty, and yet the Lungs of of the eldeſt are ſo good, that I'll be anſwer⯑able ſhe ſhall harangue ten Hours together, [27] upon the Subject of Matrimony. She will ſcarce allow St. PAUL in the Right, when he ſays, ‘"They that marry do well;"’ but is thoroughly perſuaded of the Truth of his next Aſſertion, ‘"They which don't marry do bet⯑ter."’ The youngeſt is not ſo fluent with her Tongue, but ſhe, like the Welchman's Owl, pays it off with thinking. I fancy we ſhall be able, in a little Time, to furniſh out a conſider⯑able Society of old Maids, whereof Mrs. L— (which is the Name of one of the above-men⯑tioned Ladies) ſhall be Lady-Preſident.

The Amazonian Mrs. A— will not own that ſhe envies Mrs. M—; but I have a great Suſ⯑picion, that ſhe intends to rival JENNY CAME⯑RON, being equally fond of Wiſdom, to which I may add, ſome Ambition to out-ſhine her in the Field. She has practiſed frequently on one or other of the Family this Winter, by which Means it has been my Fate, more than once, to lye in Honour's Truckle-bed. I believe ſhe deſigns to do great Feats in War this Spring.

I am vaſtly pleaſed with the Converſation of your Tenants, and laughed immoderately [28] when I came to JOHN W—R's Witticiſm. I don't intend to appear in Print, till I am well aſſured I ſhall rival Mrs. — (A. P.) with her COPE, WADE, &c.

Mr. PITT has reſigned his Poſt in the Army, and recommended one of his Nephews in his Room; not Mr. B—, I believe, for I don't hear that he intends to boil his Lobſter.—I love a genteel Phraſe. Your Brother was here laſt Week, but I could not prevail with him to ſing Polly Willis.

That you may not think a Word of yours falls to the Ground, I muſt tell you that I de⯑livered your Meſſage to Mr. A—; at which, a Mixture of Joy and Gratitude appeared in his Countenance; and being inclined to believe it (and perhaps too complaiſant to call in Queſtion my Veracity) did not inſiſt upon my Oath. He told me, he had, before this Time, done himſelf that Pleaſure, had not Illneſs pre⯑vented him; but, if he lives, he intends to ſee you this next enſuing Summer. I have been un⯑der dreadful Apprehenſions of his drawing near the Time of his Diſſolution, and great Reaſon I [29] had, you'll ſay, when I tell you, that for ſix Weeks he had not Spirits to ſqueeze his dear MOLLY by the Hand. He has taken great Pains for upwards of thirty Years, to inſtruct and improve his little Flock; yet (ſuch is the Perverſeneſs of the People, and the Corruption of their Morals) that after a Sermon of half an Hour long, I fear he had little Reaſon to be⯑lieve he had made any great Alteration in their favourite Tenets.

I hope you are convinced, that the Conſe⯑quence of having a female Correſpondent, is to be peſtered with Nonſenſe, and the Return of a very few Letters lets you into the Knowledge of the Materials wherewith a Woman's Mind is furniſhed. From which of 'em ſhall we claim Merit?—All I beg is, a favourable Al⯑lowance, which will oblige

By the Birmingham Poſt, you may direct for me at A—n, near B—th, to be left at the Wheel. All here deſire their Compliments.

LETTER VIII. Lady HERTFORD^* (afterwards Ducheſs of SO⯑MERSET) to the Hon. Mrs. KNIGHT.

I OUGHT, and really intended, to have made Uſe of the Permiſſion you gave me, to trou⯑ble you with a Letter before this Time; but you do not need any Thing to lower your Spirits, and my Letters can hardly have any other Effect upon harder Hearts than yours, When I loſt my dear, and by me, ever-lament⯑ed Son,^† every Faculty to pleaſe (if ever I were poſſeſſed of any ſuch) died with him. I have no longer any chearful Thoughts to communi⯑cate to my Friends; but as the Joy and Pride of my Heart withers in his Grave, my Mind [31] is continually haunting thoſe Manſions of the Dead, and is but too inattentive to what paſſes in a World, where I have ſtill Duties and At⯑tachments, which I ought to be, and, I hope, I may truly ſay, I am thankful for. I am ſure my Affection for my Lord HERTFORD, and Solicitude for his Welfare, are ſincere; ſince, if I know my own Heart, I would not deliberate a Mo⯑ment to lay down my Life for his Service. Lady BETTY and Sir HUGH SMITHSON, and their Chil⯑dren, are juſtly dear to me; and I ſtill feel the Bonds of tender Friendſhip: but I enjoy all theſe Bleſſings with Trembling and Anxiety; for, after my dear BEAUCHAMP, what human Things can appear permanent? Youth, Beauty, Vir⯑tue, Health, were not ſufficient to ſave him from the Hand of Death! And who then can think themſelves ſecure? Theſe are the melan⯑choly Conſiderations, which generally entertain my waking Hours. Tho' ſometimes I am able to view the bright Side of my Fate, and aſk myſelf, for whom I grieve? Only for my⯑ſelf? How narrow an Affection does this im⯑ply! Could he have lived long as my fondeſt Wiſh deſired, what could I have aſked, at the End of that Term, more, than the Aſſurance [32] that he ſhould be placed where I humbly hope, and confidently truſt, he is, beyond the Reach of Sorrow, Sin, or Sickneſs? But I muſt leave a Subject, which, tho' I am never tired of, I ought, in regard to my Friends, to be ſilent upon, and aſk you, where you would have the Collection of Letters ſent, which you were ſo good to ſubſcribe for at my Deſire? I have a Letter from Mr. COLLINS this Day, in which he deſires to receive your Commands. My Lord, and Mr. COWLAD, charge me with their Compliments to you. I am, with great Truth,

LETTER IX. Miſs F— to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

I MUST certainly ſtand in a very bad Light, if, after ſo many Favours and Obligations conferred on me, I ſhould be ſo idle, as not to attempt to ſhew my Gratitude. But how can this be done? Where is the Pen that can deſcribe the Pleaſures I have been entertained with? (mine cannot do it—nay, even a THOM⯑SON's would fail here) or where ſhall thoſe Thanks, or that Praiſe begin, that ne'er can end?—But hold—He wants no Thanks, he deſires no Praiſe, he follows not Fame, but Fame takes Pride in following him. I ſhall only ſay, all that's agreeable is to be found at that elegant Place, the Leaſowes, where you reign, as Monarch of all, and have only to ſay to this Man, "Go," and he goeth, to ano⯑ther, "Come," and he cometh, to your Ser⯑vants, "Do this," and they do it, and that [34] with a Smile, which ſhews that Love, as well as Duty, binds 'em to Obedience.

Mrs. A— opens not her Mouth, but in Praiſe of you and yours. She deſigns to me⯑tamorphoſe into a Pigeon, and you may ex⯑pect to find her cooing in VIRGIL's Grove. Miſs K— thanks you for her Picture, and va⯑lues it as a Drawing of yours; S— drinks Tar-water, and looks fat; and W— could wiſh you would not ſtir off your own Domain, till you had finiſhed your Elegies, and that the firſt Journey then may be to print 'em. Did you but wiſh it may be ſo, it would not be in the Power of any Thing to prevent it.

My Brother has ſent you the Song, and with it his Compliments. He deſigned coming to the Leaſowes, while we were there, but was prevented, and now leaves off all Thoughts of it till Spring. I am going on in my old Way—but am determined to be as ſhort as a Shrewſbury Cake, in abruptly telling you that

All here deſire their Compliments. Excuſe every Thing.—Adieu!

LETTER X. Miſs F— to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

I CAN no longer forbear telling you, that you have in your laſt, obliged me more than by any one Action of your whole Life, and for which I could almoſt call you Friend; (which, I aſſure you, is the higheſt Appellation I can beſtow) for I muſt tell you, that no one yet ever commenced a Friend of mine, till they had corrected me of ſome Fault, Failing, or Error; and tho' I've long ſince been taught, that I ought not to make a Friend of any but my own Sex, together with other Particulars parallel to that, yet I cannot but think it a friendly Act, and as ſuch eſteem it. For my⯑ſelf, [36] let me ſay, that I am not ſo obſtinate as to perſiſt in an Error for the Sake of ſupporting a wrong Judgment; and had I diſcovered Rea⯑ſon to diſpute Superiority with you in any Reſpect, I ſhould have thought you little wor⯑thy of my Correſpondence; inſtead of which, I allow you to excel, much beyond myſelf, in all Pre-eminence.

Before I proceed any farther, let me clear Mrs. A— from the Aſperſion her Judgment ſeems to lie under in this Affair, otherwiſe I ſhall appear to be afraid of the Cenſure it de⯑ſerves. Know then, 'twas I choſe her Shape; and, peradventure, the better to ſerve my own Purpoſes; for how know you, but I intended to make a Letter-Carrier of her, (as they do in Babylon, Aleppo, and the Eaſt-Indies) and by that Means to accommodate myſelf with a ſwifter Meſſenger than the Poſt? And as I knew her Inclination, when a reaſonable Crea⯑ture, I concluded, after Tranſmigration, In⯑ſtinct would then as naturally incline her to frequent VIRGIL's Grove. How unnatural ſo⯑ever this Shape may appear to the Grove, I muſt tell you, I could produce ſome Authori⯑ties [37] on my Side, excluſive of thoſe you have mentioned; but I am not about to do this, for, as you ſeem to diſallow it, I readily give it up, and anſwer, ‘"True, O King!"’—Nay, I think to be in the Wrong, and to be re⯑proved in ſuch an ingenious, humane, and po⯑lite Manner by you, more than equals being in the Right. I believe too, 'twill be for your Intereſt, that ſhe remain in her own Shape, for ſome Time, as her Fingers are employed in knotting Fringe for you, ſo you find you have no Occaſion to buy; 'twill be ready be⯑fore the Seaſon for wearing it comes.

Marvel not that I don't admit your next Aſſertion, maugre all the Forces you can raiſe, nay, tho' the whole nine Muſes com⯑bined againſt me, I'll be abſolute for once. I am as tenacious of my Prerogatives as any of my Sex, nor do I think I have been guilty of an Infringement in what I have ſaid. I am neither ſo inſenſible of Favours as not to diſ⯑cover 'em, nor am I ſo proud, or ſo prudiſh, as not to acknowledge 'em. Surely, you have dealt with none but the laſt-mentioned Sort of the Sex, that you are ſo alarmed at what I [38] have ſaid. But no more of this—I now enter a Caveat to the Subject.

Mr. A— is much pleaſed with your kind Remembrance of him. He made an excellent Hare-Chaſe Preachment on the Thankſgiving-Day; for he told us all the Doublings and Turnings the Pretender and his Party made from their firſt Effort to their Defeat. He has got his Brother with him, a Man, whoſe Aſpect, at one View, diſcovers to you the Im⯑becility of his Mind. I do not yet know in what Capacity he is to act, but am a little afraid 'twill prove that of a Servant, which will be ſimilar to P—Y's Generoſity.

There was a droll Scene the other Day, at W—d, between bright B—Y, and old Mrs. D—T's Servant, who was ſent to aſk him to Dinner. The Meſſage delivered, B—Y nodded his Head, and replied, ‘"I conno' come."’ The Servant, not content with this, followed, pulled him by the Sleeve, and intreated him; upon which he reſponſed, ‘"I conno' come, nor I won⯑no' come."’ At this, the Man retreated, much chagrin'd, thinking, no doubt, his Miſtreſs [39] ſlighted, that his own Pocket had loſt a Chance, and nothing had been befriended—but the Sir-Loin. It was great Glee to the Spectators, and, being Sunday, there was a numerous Audience.

You have certainly added Beauty as well as Gentility to the Place, by deſtroying thoſe Hedges; for I think there can ſcarce be a Hedge near you, that does not hide a thou⯑ſand Beauties; and as to the Horſe-Pond, it diſturbed me greatly when I was there. Has Monſieur Snuff-Box ſent your Buſts, and will your Elegies ever be printed? Lord DUDLEY does us an honour, when he mentions us, and, if drinking his Health is an Equivalent, I aſſure you we are not behind-hand with his Lord⯑ſhip. I had a Letter from Mr. D—N this Week; he ſeems as much alarmed as you at my moderate Acknowledgment. Miſs F—Y is very glad to hear that you deſign her a Pic⯑ture. The encloſed is from Mr. D—IE. Sure⯑ly, Goſſip JOAN never prated faſter.

I have only to add, that I wiſh you an un⯑tarniſhed Bliſs in the Company of your po⯑liſhed Friend, and that you may enjoy each [40] other's Friendſhip even to the Age of old NESTOR,

I have already been too prolix, and 'tis Time I tell you, that

All here deſire their Compliments. You ſay, you have two Fellows, but I ſay, you are an odd Glove. Adieu!

LETTER XI.^* W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to the Rev. Mr. JAGO, at Biſhop's Itchington, near Kineton, in War⯑wickſhire.

I THINK I have out-correſponded all my Correſpondents; whether you are the laſt that is to be ſubdued, I cannot ſay; but the Reſt are ſo fatigued, that they are not able to achieve a Line. Apprized of this, and being by Nature diſpoſed to have Mercy on the Van⯑quiſhed, ‘Parcere ſubjectis, & debellare ſuperbos,’ [42] I ſeldom write a Syllable more than is requiſite to further ſome Scheme, or aſcertain ſome In⯑terview; the latter being the Purpoſe of this mine Epiſtle. I am in great Hopes I ſhall be at Liberty to ſee you, ere many Weeks be paſt, and would beg of you to let me know by a Line, when I am moſt likely, or when very unlikely, to meet with you at Home. The Reaſon why I can fix no week, at preſent, is, that I am in daily Expectations of Mr. LYTTELTON, and the HAGLEY Family. I dined there, ſome Time ſince, with Mr. PITT, Mr. BOUHOURS, Mr. CAMPION, and all the World. Mr. THOM⯑SON, that right friendly Bard, was expected, and I fancy may be there now. Mr. LYT⯑TELTON offered me the Viſit, and I own I am pleaſed with the Proſpect of ſhewing him ſome⯑thing at the Leaſowes beyond his Expectations. I have made a great Improvement in VIRGIL's Grove, ſince you were here, and have finiſhed a new Path from it to the Houſe, after the Manner you approved. They are going to build a Rotund to terminate the Viſto at Hagley; I think there is a little Hill joining the Park, that would ſuit one better, tho' it will be very pretty where it is.

[43]If I come to your Houſe, I won't go to Mr. M—R's. He has been, twice, as near me as the Grange, with CHARLES LYTTELTON, but never deemed my Situation worth ſeeing. I doubt you are a little too modeſt in praiſing it, wherever you go. Why don't you applaud it with both Hands?—

I am ſo very much enamoured, that is, ſo very partial to my native Place, that it ſeems a Mi⯑racle to me, how it comes not to be famous. But to be ſerious—How my Lord DUDLEY is tumbled about the World! He was overturned in going to Town, and now again in coming back. Is not this falling up Stairs and down Stairs?—Nevertheleſs, he is ſafe and ſound, and able to ſit up with you and me till twelve or one at Night, as I know by laſt Monday's Ex⯑perience.

I have ſomewhere about a thouſand Things to ſay to you—not now tho'—Mrs. KNIGHT's [44] Viſit I reſerve till I ſee you. A Coach with a Coronet is a pretty Kind of Phaenomenon at my Door;—few Things prettier—ex⯑cept the Face of ſuch a Friend as you; for I do not want the Grace to prefer a ſpirituous and generous Friendſhip to all the Gewgaws that Ambition can contrive.

I have wrote out my Elegies, and heartily wiſh you had them to look over, before I come, but I know not how to ſend them. I ſhall bring and leave much Poetry with you— ‘"Thus & Odores!"’—or rather a Covering Thuri & Odoribus—

LETTER XII.^* W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to the Honourable Mrs. KNIGHT.

AS it has hitherto ſeemed good to you to expatiate pretty largely on ſo diminu⯑tive a Subject as a Thimble, I flatter myſelf that you may read with Patience an Account of the Life and Converſation of your moſt trifling humble Servant. Otherwiſe, I ſhould not have told you, that I am extremely un⯑happy in my preſent Situation; that, when you left the Country, I had recourſe to another Kind of natural Beauties, namely, that which is to be found in ‘"Groves, Meads, and murmuring Streams,"’ and ſo long as Summer was pleaſed to continue his Favours, I looked upon your [46] Departure as what only changed my Pleaſure to Amuſement. Now, indeed, Summer has forſaken me likewiſe; the Trees and Groves are ſtripped of their Covering, and I am left without any Fence againſt Spleen, Vapours, Megrim, Diſcontent, and a numerous Train of ſuch Sort of Beings, which plague me to Death, whenever I offer to recollect your Ab⯑ſence; and how often that happens, I leave any one to gueſs but yourſelf, becauſe any one elſe is better acquainted with the numerous Ways and Means you have of rendering your Company agreeable. I appeal alſo to the ſame Perſons to gueſs how provoking you are, when you mention the Poſſibility there was that I might have ſeen you at the Leaſowes ſome Time ago. What need you tell one of it, ſince it could not be effected? Why will you put me upon curſing Fortune upon more Accounts than I have already Occaſion to do? Pray let me endeavour to conform myſelf to my real Circumſtances, rather than give me a Glimpſe of the Pleaſure which you was about to do me, and yet had not the Goodneſs to go through with. I want no Inducements to come to Wor⯑ceſter, ſince I diſcovered that you lived there, [47] and that being all that was neceſſary, tho' you have mentioned others that are attractive.

I beg you would make my Compliments agreeable to Mrs. WINSMORE, which you are beſt capable of doing, for two Reaſons; firſt, becauſe you know the Sincerity of my Eſteem, and, ſecondly, becauſe I have no Idea how any Thing you ſay can be diſagreeable. The Con⯑ſideration that ſhe remembers me, and that ſhe ſpoke of me in the ſame Breath with Mrs. KNIGHT (as my Vanity interprets your Letter) makes me ſo vain, that I, with the utmoſt Aſſurance, take the Liberty of ſubſcribing my⯑ſelf,

P. S. I believe I ſhall go to L—n the End of next Week. If I were to receive a Letter from you, as I put my Foot into the Stirup, I ſhould bid Mrs. ARNOLD take in her Bottle, [48] for I had no Occaſion for a Cordial. Your Affair (où vous ſçavez) diverts me highly.

LETTER XIII. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to the Honourable Mrs. KNIGHT.

A LADY, whoſe Converſation is ever diſ⯑covering ſomewhat new and agreeable, may poſſible find ſome Amuſement in a Sub⯑ject that is new, tho' with no other Recommen⯑dation. 'Tis upon this Account, that I beg your Acceptance of this groteſque Poem.

I took great Pleaſure in ſeeing the piping Faunus at RACKSTROW's, becauſe, as it is cer⯑tainly a genteel Deſign, it muſt needs prove agreeable to Mrs. KNIGHT. Connoiſſeurs would chuſe to have his muſical Intention expreſſed, [49] as it is, at preſent, by the Poſture merely; if the Pipe was added, it would prove more ob⯑viouſly agreeable. If I might preſume to ad⯑viſe, it ſhould be, to calculate it, in ſome De⯑gree, for Taſtes leſs refined than your own; becauſe there are Millions of the former Species to, perhaps, one or two of the latter, and I know you take a ſuperior Pleaſure in the Sa⯑tisfaction of others.

‘"Trifles light as Air,"’ or as the Poem I am ſending, acquire a freſh Weight with me, as often as they give me an Occaſion of aſſuring you that

LETTER XIV. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to the Right Hon. Lady LUXBOROUGH, at Barrels.

I WAS much concerned to hear by Mr. WILLIAMS's Account, laſt Thurſday, that your Ladyſhip has been greatly indiſpoſed. The Particulars of your Diſorder he does not mention, but tells me, he was deſired to give it as a Reaſon that I did not hear from you before. It is as natural for me to make En⯑quiry concerning the Recovery of your Health, as it is for me to wiſh it, which I very ear⯑neſtly do; I have, therefore, ſent an honeſt Neighbour of mine upon this Errand, who will be glad of an Opportunity of ſeeing Bar⯑rels. Poor TOM, my truſty Servant, has, ever ſince I came from Barrels, been in a very dange⯑rous way; and whether he ever may regain the ſmall Share of Health he has been uſed to, is a great Queſtion, elſe I had ſent ſomething [51] ſooner. But I muſt requeſt your Ladyſhip not to write, if you find it the leaſt trouble⯑ſome. A verbal Meſſage will be very ſufficient, till ſuch Time as you can write me a full Account of your Recovery.

I have no Particulars that can tempt me to enlarge this Letter, and, indeed, I hardly wiſh for any, leſt I ſhould accidentally let fall any Thing, that might tempt you, at this Time, to write an Anſwer; which, tho' ſo highly agreeable to me at a more favourable Seaſon, can afford me little Satisfaction, when I con⯑jecture that you write in Pain.

I hope Mr. HALL is recovered by this Time. As my rural Scenery could not attract him hither in Summer, I have little Hopes that my Converſation can have that Effect in Win⯑ter. Few Perſons care to ride twelve dirty Miles in Winter, be their Charity ever ſo great, ‘To ſee the dulleſt of the Sons of Men,’ for ſuch am I, without any Affectation, du⯑ring the Winter-Seaſon; altogether abſorbed [52] in what I think they call Swiſs-Meditation, that is, thinking upon Nothing. A very un⯑joyous Circumſtance this, for ſuch of my Friends as vouchſafe to read my Letters.—But I digreſs—I pray for your Ladyſhip's Health and Happineſs, hoping my Meſſenger may bring me an Account of both, agreeable to the Wiſhes of

'Tis now Oct. 18th—but this Letter was wrote, in order to have been ſent laſt Week. I ſate up late with Lord DUDLEY one Night this Week. He often propoſes your Ladyſhip's Health, and drinks it very reſpectfully.

The Inhabitants of our Pariſh have preſented our Parſon at the Viſitation; on which Occa⯑ſion, I have given myſelf the generous Air of obſerving a ſtrict Neutrality—in other Words, I am a Perſon unconcerned.

LETTER XV. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Lady LUXBOROUGH.

AFTER having owned, that the Fear your Ladyſhip has been under, is in reality to be imputed to me, I am at a Loſs for Words to expreſs my Concern, or to alleviate my Fault. I will not, however, diſallow that the Book came to Hand much ſooner than I could reaſonably expect it, and that the Let⯑ter encloſed in it, gave me that uncommon Pleaſure, which your Ladyſhip's never fail to do. I have nothing to ſay in my Behalf, but that I have never had Health or Spirits ſince I received it, that might encourage me to think I could return an Anſwer as I ought; and even to-night my Spirits are ſo bad, and my Head ſo confuſed, that I have no Reaſon to hope theſe few Lines can do any Thing more, than free you from your preſent Uncertainty. But if I am honoured with a Line from your [54] Ladyſhip hereafter, I will immediately acknow⯑ledge it as well as I am able, let my Capacity be what it will.

I do not know how far your Ladyſhip's Name may be diſtinguiſhable by a Poſt-Woman's Ear; but this I know, that if I had been Par⯑ſon H—K, your Ladyſhip ſhould not have known from me, that there was any Woman in the World, who could expreſs herſelf con⯑cerning you with the Indecency you mention. I am aſtoniſhed at her Behaviour, and not a little at her Forgetfulneſs. There ſeems to me to be no ſurer Conveyance in the World than that of the Farmer, by whom I ſent my Letter to the Poſt-Office at Henley, and by whom, I ſuppoſe, you conveyed your Parcel. However, in Obedience to your Ladyſhip's Commands, I have ſent this Letter to Maſter H—K, and ſhall have an additional Preſſure on my Spirits, till I hear you have been pleaſed to forgive my Neglect. I know extremely well, that Want of Time and Leiſure, and ſome other Excuſes, which are often made for not writing, can be of Weight from no one but a Cobler, who has ten or a dozen Children dependent on a Tatch⯑ing-End; [55] but I know as well, that your Lady⯑ſhip's is no ordinary Correſpondence, and that a Perſon ought to have a clear Head, and an unembarraſſed Chearfulneſs of Temper, when he ſits down to anſwer any Letter of yours. For my Part, I hardly look upon this as any Letter at all, and will infallibly write again, as ſoon as I can recover my natural State of Mind. I have as little Reaſon to conſider the encloſed as Poetry; but as they were ſhort Compoſitions, I had been writing them out yeſterday, with a Deſign to ſend them to the Poſt-Office to-night.

I am afraid I have tired your Ladyſhip with Madrigal and Sonnet. I hope, when the Weather gets finer (with which my Spirits uniformly ſympathize) to vary my Stile a lit⯑tle for your Ladyſhip's Amuſement; in the mean Time, I have ſent you a Poem, written by a Gentleman of my Acquaintance, and ſhewn up, for a College-Exerciſe, in Print. Your Ladyſhip will ſoon diſcover a juvenile Want of Judgment in ſeveral Places; but I truſt that the Elegance of his Fancy you will admire. He ſometimes comes and and ſtays [56] a Month with me at the Leaſowes, in the Sum⯑mer; the next Time he does ſo, I will be obliged to your Ladyſhip for Leave to intro⯑duce him at Barrels. I am miſtaken, if he will not be pleaſed almoſt to a Degree of En⯑thuſiaſm.

As to your Ladyſhip's Lameneſs, tho' it comes laſt in this irregular Letter, I beg Leave to aſſure you, that it gave me a ſincere Con⯑cern to hear that it was bad, and a very ſen⯑ſible Pleaſure to hear it was abated. I as hear⯑tily wiſh your Ladyſhip's Health and Happi⯑neſs as you do yourſelf; and as I ſolemnly aſ⯑ſure you, that ſuch is always the Diſpoſition of my Mind, I will hope to be forgiven, if I ſhould, through Ignorance, fall ſhort in my Means of expreſſing it. This laſt Neglect is what I ſhall ſcarce again be guilty of, and can only be excuſed by your Ladyſhip's Candour.

If your Ladyſhip wants the Book, I will ſend it directly; otherwiſe, I will beg Leave to keep it a Week or two longer.

LETTER XVI. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to the Right Hon. Lady LUXBOROUGH, at Barrels.

I HAVE ſent your Ladyſhip a Book of Gar⯑dening, which I borrowed, about five Years ago, of a Neighbour. If it will be of any Service to you, in modelling the crooked Walks in your Shrubbery, I ſhall be glad; and you may return it at your Leiſure, as I do. It is written by a poor illiterate Fellow, notwith⯑ſtanding its Dedication to His Majeſty, who is delighted with Enquiries into vegetable Na⯑ture. You will ſee ſomething of his Ignorance, perhaps, in every Page; more eſpecially Page 204, firſt Part, where he talks of MINERVA [58] and PALLAS for Statues, with many Blunders of like Nature. It was written, ſeemingly, when the preſent natural Taſte began to dawn, and which I wiſh, rather than hope, may laſt as long as Nature.

Mr. L—N, you may perhaps hear, has been offered, and has refuſed the Place of Trea⯑ſurer of the Navy, in Mr. D—N's Room.—What a Tide of Succeſs!

May your Ladyſhip be as happy as Succeſs ever made any Body! and that it is more in the Mind than Externals is to me a Demonſtra⯑tion. I'm ſure I ſhall never be ſo happy, with with all my Philoſophy and Succeſs, as an old Fellow who works for me: but I think your Ladyſhip has not only a right and philoſophi⯑cal Underſtanding, but good animal Spirits, which are half in half; ſo that you may be much happier that even him, which, I aſſure you, is to be greatly ſo.

I am now a little maudlin after Dinner, and if my Groups are inconſiſtent and queer, you muſt excuſe me. I hope Mr. ALLEN is, by [59] this Time, well. I have written a Line to Mr. OUTING, at the Head of his Regiment. I am now to take my formal Leave, as I do after a long Viſit; that is, with about half a Bow, and the Expreſſion of about half I think; but I include as much as any Body, when I ſay,

If your Ladyſhip could ſpare me about three Eggs of your Guinea Fowl, I ſhould be much obliged.

LETTER XVII. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Lady LUXBOROUGH.

I AM quite aſhamed that I have not been able to make a ſpeedier Enquiry into the Event of your Ladyſhip's Journey. It would give me the utmoſt Uneaſineſs to find that you un⯑derwent any Inconvenience from a Viſit which gave me ſo much Pleaſure and yourſelf ſo little.

I am ſomewhat apprehenſive, that one ought to guard againſt Ambition, and even too much Admiration, if one would prepare to live as beſeems a pious Hermit to do. Your Lady⯑ſhip will diſcover, therefore, how dangerous a Viſitant you are, and how much you muſt have retarded my Progreſs tow'rds an eremitical Tem⯑per of Mind; having diffuſed an Air of Dig⯑nity thro' my ſolitary Paths, which will not fail to preſent itſelf as oft as I reſume them. Per⯑haps, Politeneſs, Elegance, and Taſte, may be [61] ſome of thoſe privileged Accompliſhments, which it may be allowable for a Recluſe to admire, under certain Limitations. If not, I can only ſay, that I muſt remain a very im⯑perfect Hermit, till I am able to forget the Honour you have done me; and if I am not likely to ſucceed that Way, I may as well in⯑dulge my Ambition to the full, which I never fail to do, as oft as I am permitted to ſubſcribe myſelf

I propoſe to wait on your Ladyſhip at Barrels very ſoon; in the mean Time, if you would pleaſe to lend me Mr. MALLET's and Mr. WHITEHEAD's Poems, I will take all imagin⯑able Care of them.

LETTER XVIII. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Lady LUXBOROUGH.

THO' I think it is a Sort of Maxim, that a Perſon in London ſeldom complains he is forgotten by his Friends in the Country, yet I cannot, by any Means, prevail upon my Con⯑ſcience to acquit me of a Sort of diſreſpectful Silence, ſince your Ladyſhip went to Town. It was not either the Politics or the Amuſe⯑ments of our great Metropolis, that could make the Letters of your Friends appear impertinent, or even indifferent to you; and tho' the ſublime Entertainment you muſt receive from the Con⯑verſation of ſo great a Man as Lord BOLING⯑BROKE, might bid the faireſt to do ſo, yet was I not without Conviction, that your Ladyſhip would feel ſome ſort of Complacency upon the Sight of a Scrip of Paper, which ſhould ac⯑quaint you that I was alive.

[63]Alive, indeed, I am; at leaſt, if it may be called ſo, to exiſt among a Set of People, whoſe Employments, Paſſions, and Sentiments, are entirely foreign to my own; and where I ſee, and hear, and do nothing, but what I think may as well be left unſeen, unheard, and un⯑done. What can your Ladyſhip expect from a Correſpondent ſo ſituated, beſide pure Re⯑ſpect and Friendſhip, and many artleſs Aſſu⯑rances of their Reality and Continuance?

Mr. O— ſtayed pretty near a Week with me. He has, I think, ſtrict Honour, Good-nature, and good Senſe. What he wants, in my Eye, is a little genuine Taſte; for tho' good Senſe may, by Degrees, enable a Perſon to diſcover the Beauties of Nature or Art, yet it can never furniſh him with any extraordinary Reliſh or Enjoyment of them, which is the Effect of innate Taſte alone, and which differs as widely from the former, as the Palate differs from the Brain. Your Ladyſhip has, I dare ſay, frequently made the ſame obſervation.

[64]You will hear Sir THOMAS LYTTELTON, notwithſtanding he complained always of his Head, died of a Polypus in the great Artery; which, I do not find, was ever, in the leaſt, ſuſpected by his Phyſicians; but which, if it had been ever ſo apparent, they could not poſ⯑ſibly have cured. You will imagine that his Death muſt have thrown a Sort of Gloom round the Villages in his Neighbourhood. A nume⯑rous and faſhionable Family animates a Coun⯑try-Place to an inconceivable Degree. The Family at Hagley will be immediately diſperſed. Miſs LYTTELTON goes to Lady LITCHFIELD's, to the Colonel's, to London, and does not think to ſettle. Miſs WEST goes firſt to Stow, and then intends to reſide with her Brother the Commodore. Sir GEORGE and his Lady ſet out for London to-morrow, and as they propoſe to build, next Spring, upon the old Foundation, it may be many Years ere they come to reſide amongſt us, even for a ſmall Part of the Sum⯑mer.

Lord DUDLEY and I dined together at Hag⯑ley laſt Wedneſday, where we found Lord AN⯑SON's [65] Brother, and ſome other Company. Mr. MILLER unluckily aſked me at Table, how I liked the new Situation of their Column; which threw me under a Neceſſity of offending either againſt the Rules of Politeneſs, or (what it more ſacred with me) the Laws of Sincerity. The Truth is, I do not like it upon many Ac⯑counts; and I am perſuaded, before many Years are paſt, they will be of the ſame Mind. But leaſt of all, do I approve their Intentions of building three new Fronts, and altering every Room by a gothic Model, and that with an Eye to Frugality, at the ſame Time that they have not an Inch of Gothiciſm about the Houſe, to warp their Imagination that Way. But this Subject never fails to lead me too far; nor can I explain myſelf to the full, unleſs I could ſhew your Ladyſhip their Plan. The fine Si⯑tuation they have, within an hundred Yards, they neglect;—in ſhort, as it appears to me, they are going to ſacrifice an Opportunity of rendering their Place compleat, for the Sake of an imperfect, but expenſive Specimen of gothic Architecture; which, not having its Founda⯑tion either in Truth or Proportion, will fall into [66] Diſgrace again in the Courſe of a few Years—Can one then forbear crying out, ‘"The Graces droop"—’ ‘"Am I in Greece or in Gothland?"’ But as their Reſolution ſeems fixed, I mention this in Confidence, and muſt, for the future, lay my Finger on my Mouth.

Mr. S— has ſo mangled and disfigured my Grove, that I dare not ſend it to your Lady⯑ſhip, till he has altered the Plate, ſo as to render it leſs intolerable. FLUELLIN, as I remember, in SHAKESPEARE,^* ſpeaking of the near Reſemblance betwixt Macedon and Mon⯑mouth, obſerves, ‘"There is a River in Mace⯑don, there is a River alſo in Monmouth—pe⯑radventure, there be Fiſh in both.—Would you deſire better Similitude?".’ S— being a modeſt Man, has ſeemed to content himſelf with ſome ſuch Degree of Reſemblance: but I wiſh him well, and will cauſe him, one Day, to do the Place Juſtice, for his own Sake as well as mine—for his own, as his Piece will be ſeen by many who know the Place, and for [67] mine, as the Place is known to afford the beſt Scene I have.

LETTER XIX. The Counteſs of HERTFORD to Lady LUXBOROUGH.

HOW long ſoever your Letters are in co⯑ming, they never fail to aſſure their Welcome, by being more agreeable and en⯑tertaining, as well as breathing more of Friend⯑ſhip, than any Body's elſe have the Art of doing. I have been here about a Month, and find ſome little Improvements, which were ordered when we went to London, compleated; [68] and I think they are not quite unworthy of the Name. A Piece of waſte Ground, on the lower Side of the Abbey-Walk, has been turned into a Corn-Field, and a Turf-Walk, about eight Feet wide, round it; cloſe to a flouriſhing Haw⯑thorn Hedge; on one Side, there is a thatched Seat open on three Sides, which pretends to no Name of greater Dignity, than juſtly be⯑longs to what it repreſents, namely a Shep⯑herd's Hut; before it there is an irregular Piece of Turf, which was ſpared for the Sake of ſome old Oaks and Beeches, which are ſcattered upon it; and as you are ſitting down there, you have, under theſe Boughs, a direct View of Windſor Caſtle. There are Sweet-Williams, Narciſſus's, Roſe-Campions, and ſuch Flowers as the Hares will not eat, in little Borders, round the Foot of every Tree; and I almoſt flatter myſelf, that you would not be diſpleaſed with the rural Appearance of the whole. The Rains have given us the ſtrongeſt Verdure I ever ſaw: our Lawns and Meadows are enamelled with a Profuſion of Daſies and Cowſlips, and we have the greateſt Appearance of Fruit that has been ſeen theſe many Years. I conclude you will read Mr. [69] THOMSON's Caſtle of Indolence: 'tis after the Manner of SPENCER, but I think he does not always keep ſo cloſe to his Stile, as the Author of the School-Miſtreſs, whoſe Name I never knew, till you were ſo good as to inform me of it. I think it a charming Poem; and was very much pleaſed with his Ballad of Queen ELIZABETH's ſeeing the Milk-Maid. She ap⯑appears, at leaſt in my humble Imagination, in a more natural Light, than when we hear of her bullying foreign Powers, and cutting off the Head of an unhappy Queen, who fled to her for Protection. But to return to the Caſtle of Indolence; I believe it will afford you much Entertainment; there are many pretty Paintings in it, but I think the Wizard's Song deſerves a Preference.— ‘"He needs no Muſe who dictates from his Heart."’ Have you met with two little Volumes, which contain four Contemplations, written by a Mr. JAMES HERVEY, a young Corniſh or Devonſhire Cler⯑gyman? The Subjects are upon walking among the Tombs, upon a Flower Garden, upon Night, and upon the ſtarry Heavens. There is ſomething poetical and truly pious. Now I have got into the Impertinence of recommen⯑ding [70] Books to one who is a much better Judge than myſelf, I muſt name an Eſſay on Delicacy, ^* a Subject which, if I were not acquainted with [71] you, and one or two more, I ſhould imagine had no longer an Exiſtence upon our Globe.

I ſincerely ſympathize in the Pleaſure which you muſt feel, Dear Madam, from the extreme good Character which every Body gives of your Son, and which his Behaviour to you proves he deſerves. May this, with every other Bleſ⯑ſing, be long continued to you, and may you always look upon me as a ſincere, tho' inſigni⯑ficant Friend, as well as a

My Lord is at preſent in London, but I hope he will be here Time enough to ſave the Poſ⯑tage of this Letter. I ſhould be very glad to ſee any Thing of Mr. SHENSTONE's.

LETTER XX. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to the Rev. Mr. GRAVES, at Whitchurch, near Reading, Berks.

I FIND a very ſtrong Impulſe, prompting me to write to you this Evening. I don't know whether I ever let you into the Secret, that I re⯑ceive an inward Satisfaction at the Time that I am ſending you a Letter, and that this Action partakes of the Nature of all virtuous ones, in being its own Reward. However we are taught to hope for other and more ample Rewards at⯑tending Virtue, as I am inclined to expect a more conſiderable Pleaſure, when I receive your Anſwer. My Soul now leans entirely on the Friendſhip of a few private Acquaintance, and if they drop me, I ſhall be a wretched Miſan⯑thrope. Is it a great Fatigue to you to ſit down ſome vacant Half-Hour, and ſcribble me a few Lines, relating to the State of your Mind, [73] and your Affairs?—DICK JAGO, who called accidentally at a Public-houſe, at Mickleton, told me, they heard —; mentioning, at the ſame Time, his thorough Conviction, that, whatever might prove the Event of this Affair, as you were a Principal, it would be as it ought. Mr. SMITH, (the Deſigner) who knew you too, was here at the ſame Time, and many civil Things, very agreeable to me, were ſaid in your Behalf; ‘"Immo, Omnes omnia bona dix⯑ere."’ As to —

I thank you for your little Strictures on the School-Miſtreſs. I have ſacrificed my Partiality to your unbiaſſed Judgment; Multa gemens, have I ſacrificed it. The Truth is, I am not quite convinced (tho' I have acted as if I were) that one ſhould give up any Part, that appears droll in itſelf, and makes the Poem, on the whole, more agreeable, for the Sake of rendering it a more perfect Imitation of SPENCER. But when you have more Leiſure, and I collect my [74] Pieces, I don't deſpair of furniſhing a more compleat Edition yet.

Mr. SMITH (whom I mentioned juſt now) has taken two Views of Hagley-Park, which, with two from other Places, compleat a Set; the Subſcription-Price, half a Guinea; but he takes other little Views of the cloſer Scenes, and of particular Beauties, which will form a Draw⯑ing-Book, and which I ſhall like beyond thoſe I have ſubſcribed for. Would you not be ſur⯑prized to ſee a Draught of my VIRGIL's Grove inſerted among the latter?—He took one, and promiſed to have it engraved, and inſerted ſomewhere; but I had rather he ſhould ſtay a Week, and take about four Views, and that you were here, and would give him ſome In⯑ſtructions, and it ſhould make a little Drawing-Book to ſell for a Shilling. But, ‘"Ah, me!—I fondly dream"’—The Days of Fancy and dear Enthuſiaſm will never more return! Such as thoſe that flew over our Heads when you were here, and at Harborough, on your firſt Viſit; when the merum Rus of the Leaſowes could fur⯑niſh you with pleaſanter Ideas, than the nobleſt Scenes that ever Painter copied.

[75]I am impatient to ſee you, and reſolve to do ſo when I can; and I beg you will project ſome Means of coming to the Leaſowes with⯑out Inconvenience to yourſelf.

I beg my Compliments to Mr. WHISTLER. I don't know whether I am more aſhamed or vexed, that I cannot ſet out—to-morrow—for Whitchurch; but my Mind will not be eaſy till I have ſeen both him and you.

LETTER XXI. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Lady LUXBOROUGH.

WHEN I received your Ladyſhip's Letter on Friday, I was juſt upon the Point of ſetting out for Broom; I therefore declined anſwering it, till I had ſpoke with Miſs DOL⯑MAN. It is now with the greateſt Thankful⯑neſs for your obliging Invitation, and the moſt pleaſing Idea of the Viſit we propoſe, that I am to inform your Ladyſhip, we intend wai⯑ting on you upon Tueſday or Wedneſday ſev'n-night. If you ſhould have much Company at that Time, or the Viſit ſhould be otherwiſe unſeaſonable, your Ladyſhip will be ſo good as to let us know; if not, I will not fail to ſhew Miſs DOLMAN the Way to the moſt agreeable Entertainment, and the moſt enga⯑ging Converſation, I have met with any where. Your Ladyſhip will not imagine that I under⯑ſtand [77] Entertainment in the vulgar Senſe; (tho' what I ſay is true enough in that) my chief Pleaſures, I flatter myſelf, are Pleaſures of the Mind; and I can ſay, with great Truth, that my Mind was never more diſpoſed to be pleaſed any where elſe, or found equal Opportunities to gratify that Diſpoſition.

Miſs DOLMAN, tho' ſhe has not ſeen much of the World, has done great Things, or, in other Words, has made good Uſe of the Op⯑portunities ſhe has had, if ſhe can deſerve any Part of that favourable Mention you make of her. All I know is, that ſhe has Taſte enough to put the Pleaſure I have promiſed her at Barrels out of all Diſpute.

I now proceed to other Things. I have ſent your Ladyſhip the firſt Number of Sickneſs, a Poem, which is all I have. I ſend it as indeed I offered it, becauſe it bears ſome Relation to Lady HERTFORD, on Account of the Panegy⯑rick of Lord BEAUCHAMP, which I believe is juſt.

[78]I have of late read the Life of Colonel GAR⯑DINER, being induced to do ſo by a Viſion, which is deſcribed there, and which I hear Mr. LYTTELTON countenances. I will give your Ladyſhip my Opinion of the Story, when I come to Barrels.

Pray don't buy the Books I talked of; you will hardly read them twice; and I can lend you HERVEY's Meditations, the Life of Colo⯑nel GARDINER, and, in a ſhort Time, Memoirs of Mrs. PILKINGTON, either of my own, or my Brother's. I beſeech your Ladyſhip, that I may have leave to ſave you ſix Shillings, and three Shillings, and three Shillings; that is, according to the old Maxim, (viz. a Penny ſav'd, &c.) put into the Power of my Grati⯑tude, to be of about twelve Shillings ſignifi⯑cancy. By ſo doing, I ſhall not only talk, but proceed to one ouvert Act in the Cauſe of Oeconomy.—I wiſh it be not the only one.

In regard to Mr. OUTING, I will only ſay, that I pleaſe myſelf with the full Aſſurance of meeting him at Barrels. It is out of my Power this Day to ſend you an amuſing Letter, [79] whether it be ſo at other Times or not. There is not a ſingle Cloud or Dimneſs in the Sky, but has its exact Image or Counterpart in my Imagination; but one's Sincerity does not ſuffer by Weather, tho' one's Vivacity may; and it is with the greateſt Truth that I ſhall always remain

LETTER XXII. Miſs DOLMAN to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

I AM under two Obligations to you for the genteel Preſent you have made me; one, for the Pleaſure I have received, and ſhall re⯑ceive from the neat and valuable Letter-Caſe, [80] which is Part of it; and the other, for the Honour of your Letter. This Acknowledg⯑ment is all the Return I am able to make you for them, at this Time; but Fortune will, I hope, give me ſome future Opportunity of free⯑ing myſelf; as ſoon as ſhe does, I ſhall certainly take it, if I have your Conſent ſo to do; but the latter I deſpair of ever diſcharging, as I can never do it till Apollo is pleaſed to favour me in ſuch a Manner as he does you. I am de⯑ſiring you to accept of my Brother's Compli⯑ments, and to give both his and mine to your Brother.

LETTER XXIII. Counteſs of HERTFORD to Lady LUXBOROUGH.

I Remember Mrs. HIGGONS uſed to ſay, Lady CLARENDON had ſuch a Power over her Underſtanding, that ſhe might perſuade her ſhe was a Fiſh. You have pretty near the ſame Aſcendant over mine, yet cannot quite convince me, that eight Months is not an immoderate while to keep Silence, and make a Chaſm in a Correſpondence with a Friend, who inceſſantly wiſhes to hear of your Health and Happineſs. I am not more eaſily ſeduced into an aſſent to your Apology; for though I admire the beautiful Language in which the Fiction of your Dullneſs is painted, I cannot miſtake it for a Truth. I am ſo bad at Inven⯑tion, that I will not ſearch for an ingenious Fable, to excuſe myſelf for troubling you with an Anſwer ſo ſoon, though my Readineſs to obey [82] your Commands, in ſubſcribing for the Prints you mention (if you will let me know where I muſt ſend for a Receipt) might furniſh me with one: but honeſtly own, that as my Lord has been in London ſince Thurſday, I did not know how to employ the leiſure Hours his Abſence afforded me, more to my Satisfaction.

We returned hither from Bath only Friday the Eleventh: we were there two Months, the laſt Fortnight of which we were detained, after all our Things were gone, by my poor Lord's having a Fit of the Gout; and I be⯑lieve we came away rather too ſoon after it, for his Limbs had not recovered their Strength, ſo that he was terribly fatigued; however, he has now recovered it, and is certainly upon the whole infinitely the better, for having drank the Bath Waters. If I could envy you, dear Ma⯑dam, I ſhould be tempted to do it, for being in Reach of Hagley, for having Mr. WEST for a Neighbour, and Mr. SHENSTONE for a Friend. He has obliged me ſo much, in letting me ſee his charming Ode upon Autumn, and the Ho⯑nour he does Mr. THOMSON's Memory in that Poem, and in his Deſign to erect an Urn [83] for him in VIRGIL's Grove, that I am ſorry I cannot agree with him, in his Diſlike to Au⯑tumn. On the contrary, I draw one Motive of my Partiality to it, from a ſimilar Cauſe to what he partly aſcribes his Averſion: he hates it as a Seaſon which deprived him of a Friend; I love it, becauſe the lateſt Days my Heart could boaſt of Happineſs, in the beſt and moſt beloved of Sons, were in that Time of the Year, till (as Dr. YOUNG ſays)

And then,

Every Thing around me ſeemed to ſympathize in my Diſtreſs, and ſtill at every melancholy Anniverſary of my ever-to-be-lamented Loſs, put on the ſame friendly Appearance of ſocial Sorrow; and I may ſay with MYRA, in her [84] Poem, before Mr. THOMSON's firſt Edition of the Seaſons,

Forgive me, dear Madam, for thus continu⯑ally returning to this afflicting Subject: but two Lines of Mr. POPE's, with the Alteration only of one Word, muſt plead my excuſe,

I have done—and will now tell you, that our being obliged to go to Bath, has hindered us from undertaking any Thing here, ſo that I have nothing to talk of that is new, and I am afraid there was Nothing here before, that would make a tolerable Figure, either in a Print or a Drawing; a Flat can hardly look well upon Paper, though in reality, the Variety of Woods and Lawns, Water, Graſs, and Gravel, may produce a Contraſt not unpleaſing to the Eye. I am ſorry you find any Defects in Mr. HERVEY; for both the Deſign and Manner of his Writing pleaſes me extremely.

[85]I want to know what you think of the Peru⯑vian Letters, and eſpecially of the Fifth in the Suite. I have been very well entertained lately with the two firſt Volumes of the Foundling, ^* written by Mr. FIELDING, but not to be pub⯑liſhed till the 22d of January; if the ſame Spi⯑rit runs through the whole Work, I think it it will be much preferable to JOSEPH ANDREWS. My Lord is abſent from London, but I hope will be here Time enough to free this Letter, for I'm ſure it is not worth the Poſtage.

LETTER XXIV. Miſs DOLMAN to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

IN the firſt Place, I return you Thanks for your very polite Letter, which, I do aſſure you, I was proud of receiving, and ſhould have troubled you with an Anſwer the ſame Day, could I write with as little Difficulty as you.

I admire the Counteſs's Letter, and eſpe⯑cially that Part about her Son. She ſeems ſenſi⯑ble of her great Loſs ſtill. She talks of VIR⯑GIL's Grove, as if ſhe had ſeen it. I am ſure, if ſhe had, ſhe would have been highly de⯑lighted with the Beauties of that Place. I want Summer to come, that I may ſee the Urn, which you intend to erect to THOMSON's Memory, and VIRGIL's Grove in Perfection.

With Careleſſneſs and Inattention, I have read Mrs. PILKINGTON's ſecond Volume; ſhe [87] is ſtill more entertaining; I think ſhe ex⯑preſſes herſelf well; I fancy too her Poetry to be good; and I dare ſay, ſhe will think it hard not to be allowed the Liberty of her Tongue and Pen.—But I ought to be aſhamed of giving my Opinion, with ſo much Free⯑dom, to one who is ſo good a Judge of Wri⯑ting as you are.

My Litchfield Journey afforded me but ſlen⯑der Amuſement; leſs even than I expected. Mrs. DOLMAN had two Viſitants, Mrs. WHIT⯑BY and her Daughter, who came from the ſame Town where Lord ANSON lives. They talked much in Praiſe of his Lordſhip, and ſeemed to be intimate Acquaintance of his.

Miſs FLETCHER's ſevere Letter has never been anſwered yet: I hope, Sir, that will ex⯑cuſe for the Shortneſs of this, becauſe I muſt inſtantly ſet about writing one to her. Pray excuſe this Nonſenſe, with all its Faults, which are very numerous.

LETTER XXV. Miſs DOLMAN to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

SO, you are determined, Sir, to be ſilent, till I have wrote again!—An effectual Me⯑thod, indeed, to make me; for I ſhould be very imprudent, did I not procure myſelf your ini⯑mitable Letters every Opportunity I had, which are ſure to pleaſe, amuſe, and inſtruct at the ſame Time. But I have really ſo great Con⯑tempt for my own, that, when I have finiſhed a Letter, I can ſcarcely perſuade myſelf to ſend it, were I not inclined to believe, you are more my Friend, than to make any Uſe of it to my Diſadvantage.

Laſt Week I received an Epiſtle from Miſs FANNY FLETCHER. All ſhe ſays in Relation to Lady LUXBOROUGH is as follows: ‘"Pray don't think what I ſaid of Lord LUXBO⯑ROUGH proceeded either from Envy or Jea⯑louſy. [89] I aſſure you, it did not. I am nei⯑ther ſo ſtupid, nor ſo unreaſonable, to deſire you to like me only, and hope I am far from ſpeaking ill of any Perſons, becauſe they have Accompliſhments."’

‘"Mrs. D—T, of Worfield, is dead. Her Son is gone to Oxford, to qualify himſelf for a Living of £.600 a Year, which his Aunt S—N has given him, together with an Eſtate of £.100. The Living is held in Truſt by one Mr. W—RE."’

This is all ſhe informs me of, that I think worth relating to you, only that ſhe has your Eclogues very ſafe, and has kept them, ſhe ſays, ſeven Months longer than you gave her Leave, yet hopes, and truſts, you will forgive to ſeventy Times ſeven.

If you only mentioned the Ruffles to me, as a Hint that you wanted a Pair of that Sort, I am mighty glad I have taken it ſo. I have ſent the encloſed, to know whether the Flowers are filled up in the Manner you would have 'em; if not, pleaſe to communicate to me, [90] ſome way or other, how you mean, and then I will perſevere in my Work with infinite Plea⯑ſure.

This Summer I ſhall alſo begin my Brother a Fire-Screen, if he can contrive the Pattern of it. I wiſh I may be ſo fortunate, to pleaſe you both in the Performances which I have undertaken, and then I ſhall be ſure my Time has not been ſpent in vain: but if the contrary ſhould happen, I will immediately go in Search of the great Mr. AESOP, and intreat a Cup of the Waters of Forgetfulneſs. Adieu!—I would add more Nonſenſe to what I have already wrote, did not your Servant wait.

LETTER XXVI. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Lady LUXBOROUGH.

THO' I may ſeem to have been extremely idle, I have really taken no ſmall Pains in endeavouring to obey your Ladyſhip's Com⯑mands. I wiſh, when you peruſe my Pacquet, you may not rather think me too officious; tho' I ſhould imagine even that a Crime by no Means equal to Negligence, in any Affair, wherein you are pleaſed to employ me. How far I have erred in that Reſpect, I am utterly unable to judge, as your Ladyſhip's Directions were not very explicit, and as I have not been favoured with a ſingle Syllable from Mr. H—LL, to inform me whether, or how far he approved of any Alterations. But what Harm do I commit? I do not call them Alterations, which I ſend; they are only a ſmall Cargo of different Expreſſions, which I ſincerely deſire you will apply or reject, entirely as you think [92] proper; nor ſhall it give me the leaſt Offence if you reject the whole, if ſo be you pleaſe to acquit me of Preſumption. To ſpeak my pre⯑ſent Thoughts, I think the Epitaph on Mr. H—LL's Father, and, indeed, all Epitaphs, ſhould be ſhort. What I have chiefly aimed at in Number I. and Number II. is to expreſs his general Character in few Words. Neverthe⯑leſs, if Mr. H—LL chuſes to have a more par⯑ticular Account of his Father, I ſhould think he had better let ^*ARIS take off about half a Score Copies (on a ſingle Sheet) of that which your Ladyſhip has ſketched out; after you have made what Improvements and Additions you ſhall think adviſable; I mean to give them away amongſt a few Friends or Relations. I am not languid, in my Wiſhes to advance the Character to as high a Pitch, as Mr. H—LL can deſire, for I believe his Father might de⯑ſerve as good an one, as any Perſon in a public Station. But you remember theſe Lines of Mr. POPE—according to the Way of the World,

Where, by the Way, the ſecond and third Verſes ſeem to dwell upon the ſame Diſtinc⯑tion—but the whole Paragraph, to the beſt of my Memory, is exceedingly beautiful. What there ſeems of Weight in this, ſo far as regards the preſent Purpoſe, is, that the Character of a Perſon in private Life ſhould not be drawn too pompouſly. Perhaps, I am too ſcrupulous; however, I wiſh your Ladyſhip may be full as much ſo, in Regard to my trifling Criticiſms. Does the Affair require Haſte, or may it be deferred till I have the Honour of ſeeing you?—I will, however, for the preſent, take Leave of the Subject.

I lead the unhappy Life of ſeeing nothing in the Creation ſo idle as myſelf. I am continually piddling in little Matters about my Farm. What do you think of my publiſhing Verſes once a Week upon my Skreens, for the Amuſement [94] of my good Friends the Vulgar?—My Verſes for the preſent Week are publiſhed in VIRGIL's Grove, and run thus:^*

My Method is a very cheap one; I paſte ſome Writing-Paper to a Piece of Deal, then print with a Pen. This ſerves in Root-Houſes, and under Cover.

[95]Your Ladyſhip has been ſo unkind, as not to let me know how your Pavilion proceeds; whether you are happy in planning, or in be⯑holding the Plans executed—May I hope to hear ſoon?—Two hundred Pounds expended in a Rotund at Hagley, on Ionic Pillars! The Dome of Stone, with thin Lead underneath, to keep out wet. While I propoſe, or fancy I propoſe to build a Piece of Gothic Architec⯑ture, at Sight of which, all modern Caſtles near ſhall bow their Heads abaſed, like the other Sheaves to JOSEPH's. I ſend you the Plan; 'tis for a Seat on the Bank above my Hermitage, and will amount, on a moderate Computation, to the Sum of fifteen Shillings.

LETTER XXVII. Ducheſs of SOMERSET to Lady LUXBOROUGH.

YOUR Ladyſhip bids me give you an Ac⯑count of what Alterations we are making at preſent, but I feel myſelf much leſs able to deſcribe the Fabrick and Furniture of a Palace than a Hermitage, and while I am attending to all my Lord's Deſigns there, I fancy I'm no better acquainted with the Effect it will pro⯑duce, than a Perſon would be with the Beauty of a Piece of Tapeſtry, who ſaw only the wrong Side of it. My Lord will do a good Deal to the Front of the Houſe, in order to make it appear leſs like a Priſon; he builds a new Wing on the Right-hand Side of the Gar⯑den, which will contain a Library, Bed-Cham⯑ber, Dreſſing-Room, and a Waiting-Room. I think I told you, that all the Saſhes, Doors, and Ceilings, in both Apartments, muſt be in⯑tirely [97] new, and the Floors in my Lord's; the Stair-caſe is very noble, but will require as large a Lanthorn to light it, as that at Hough⯑ton, ſo much celebrated in the News-papers. The Chimney-Pieces in both Apartments are to be all new, and ſome of them very expen⯑ſive; the Draughts are mighty pretty. My Lord's Bed on the Ground-Floor is crimſon Damaſk, with Tapeſtry Hangings; the next Room is furniſhed with green Damaſk, on pur⯑poſe to ſet off his Pictures; the next with a Set of very fine old Hangings of the Duke of NEWCASTLE's Horſemanſhip, with his own Pic⯑ture, on Horſeback, as big as Life; and, now they are clean, looking neat, as when new. The Parlour to be hung with ſome very good Pictures; above Stairs, the great waiting Room, with Saxon green Cloth Chairs, with gilt Nails, and green Luteſtring Window Curtains, mar⯑ble Table, and large Glaſs between the Win⯑dows; firſt Drawing-Room, new crimſon Da⯑maſk, with Luteſtring Window Curtains, two very fine Japan Tables and Glaſſes between the Windows, with carv'd and gilt Frames; inner Drawing-Room, Tapeſtry Hangings, with ſmall Figures very pretty, and as freſh as new. [98] He lays two Rooms together in the right Wing of the Court, on the ground Floor, in order to make a Chapel, with a Gothic Wainſcot, Cei⯑ling, and painted Windows; there is to be a Dutch Stove in it, which is ſo contrived, as to repreſent a Tomb with an Urn upon it. The Court is to be paved, and the Foot-Way al⯑tered; and my Lord is in Treaty for nine Houſes on the other Side the Way, in order to pull them down and build Stables, (for there are none belonging to the Houſe) whoſe Gates are intended to open directly over againſt thoſe of the Court; if he can agree for this Purchaſe, he will widen the Street in that Part about eight Feet. Now, dear Madam, I have obeyed, you in the beſt Manner I am able: but upon looking back into my Letter, I find I have forgot my Bed-Chamber, Dreſſing-Room and Cloſet, which one would think, ſhould not appear leaſt intereſting to myſelf; the firſt of theſe is to have a new Bed-Hanging, and Chairs of crim⯑ſon Queen's Damaſk; the Dreſſing-Room, which has two large Saſhes, will have Tapeſtry Hangings and green Damaſk Chairs; the Clo⯑ſet, which is ſmall, and has only one Saſh, ex⯑actly facing the Chimney, furniſhed with paint⯑ed [99] Paper; the Chimney-Piece in the Dreſſing-Room, is to be of Statuary-Marble and Giallo di Siering, and juſt in the Front of it, the Fable of the Stork inviting the Fox to Dinner, very neatly carved; there is another little Waiting-Room, at this End of the Apartment, for the Groom of the Chambers to be in, in the Morn⯑ing, or, when I'm not in Form, in the Evening. To return to my Bergerie, nothing has been done in it this Summer, nor have I the Heart to propoſe any Thing, for I'm actually frightened with the Sum my Lord is laying out, about Nor⯑thumberland-Houſe; and I find, by living long in ſtrait Circumſtances, one contracts a Narrow⯑neſs of Mind, which makes launching out at once into great Expence, not appear ſo deſirable, as it would be thought by young, gay People. The cold North Winds have blighted and ruined the Beauty of my Roſes for the Remainder of this Year, and ſtarved all the various Flowers, which uſed to adorn our Clumps and Borders. The Time of our going into Suſſex remains unfixed; but I fancy it will be in about a Month: and we have taken a new Houſe in Bath, for the firſt Week in September, ſo that inſtead of en⯑joying my peaceful Shades, as I uſed to do, [100] I appear engaged in a tedious Pilgrimage, and am looking (over the Charms of the Summer Month) to a reſting Place in Northumberland-Houſe, and where, perhaps, I may never come; the probability is much ſtronger againſt me, than it was, this Time five Years, againſt my ever-lamented BEAUCHAMP; and indeed I am far from well at preſent, having a moſt terrible Cough and Cold, with a continual Head-ach and Sickneſs at my Stomach.

I am glad to hear, that Mrs. W—L's ſeem⯑ing Neglect did not proceed from her own Heart, but the Hardneſs of another's, which is a Stranger to all that is gentle or humane. I am perſuaded, your Improvements will add great Beauty to your Habitation, and would make me long to ſee it, if I were a movable Being, but you know I never was fond of tra⯑velling, and I cannot take a Journey now, but as the Rhodian Coloſſus might do. Among all my Lord's Acquiſitions, none has given me more Pleaſure than his Chaplain, who is be⯑tween ſixty and ſeventy, very well bred, ſtrictly pious, and they ſay, is an admirable Scholar; has a Genius for all the polite Arts, is a good [101] Judge of Poetry, has read a prodigious deal, is very modeſt, and at the ſame Time conſtant⯑ly chearful, but naturally inclined to a ſolitary Country Life; in ſhort, we are all fond of his Company, from my Lord to the loweſt Servant in the Houſe. I am ſure you are tired of my Obedience by this Time, and will be glad to ſee me come to a Concluſion, by ſubſcribing my⯑ſelf,

LETTER XXVIII. Mr. WHISTLER to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

I HAVE buried a Friend, who has made me his Executor, and, of conſequence, I have had a good deal of Fatigue. I tell you this thus abruptly, becauſe I could not have wrote a Sentence without bluſhing, till I had, in my Opinion, made a reaſonable Excuſe for my ſeeming Neglect of you; you, who ſo abun⯑dantly obliged me by your laſt Favour. The Flowers were the fineſt I have ſeen this Seaſon, though I have ſeen thoſe of a celebrated Flo⯑riſt this Year—inferior in no Reſpect, and ſupe⯑rior in this, (which weighs much with me) that they will not fade. Such is the Advantage of Art, the Offspring of the Mind, above the periſhable Beauties of Nature. I am ſure they ſhall never periſh in my Hands, for I ſhall even piouſly tranſmit them down to Poſterity, [103] as they deſerve. You are continually finding out ſome new Way to raviſh your Friends, and yet that ſeems needleſs, ſince in your old one, I mean that of Wit, you ſeem to be infinite. All this is ſo, and ſo ſuperlatively ſo, that I begin to think myſelf a Fool to hold ſo unequal a Cor⯑reſpondence. I am a Gainer in one Reſpect, but I am certainly a Loſer in another. It is a great Proof of my Affection to you however, for none but mean Souls would, otherwiſe, prefer their Pleaſure to their Honour. To ſpeak in the moſt ſincere Manner, I never am ſo ſenſible of my own Inability, as when I take one of your Letters before me to anſwer it. Emulation immediately ceaſes, and then you cannot wonder if I fall even below the Bathos of my own Genius.

I know you are, by this Time, impatient to hear what Friend I have loſt. It is Mr. BROOKER, of whom you have often heard me ſpeak. I have got, indeed, by his Death, but I aſſure you, no Gain would be ſufficient to make me unconcerned at the Loſs of a Friend—ſo far from it, that the Acquiſition only adds [104] to the Tenderneſs, and conſequently to the Re⯑gret.

Now I muſt return to the old Burthen. When ſhall I ſee you?—I long to ſee you—'Tis more than GARRICK playing RICHARD to ſee you—the next higheſt Pitch my Imagination can ſoar. I long too to ſee your Alterations, which I look upon as ſo many of your viſible Ideas.

As for my Retreat, it is not worth deſcri⯑bing; or, to deſcribe it at once, I may call it a Band-Box, viz. "The Citizen's Delight." However, I wiſh you were in it: and now let me propoſe my Scheme. It is the ſame I pro⯑poſed laſt Year. It is to meet either here, or at London, firſt; for I ſhall be alternately at both Places, and will order my Route at your Pleaſure. I purpoſe going ſoon; but a Let⯑ter from you ſhall determine my Schemes at any Time. Though if I ſhould be at London, and you would come thither firſt, and after⯑wards with me to Whitchurch, it would com⯑pleat my Wiſhes, for I long to be at both Places with you. My Reſidence in London is at Mr. PEARETH's Chambers, King's-Bench-Walks, [105] No. 7; but direct to me at Whitchurch as yet.

If you have any Vanity, it muſt be exquiſitely fed by the ſmalleſt Favour from Lady LUXBO⯑ROUGH. If you have a Taſte for Pleaſure, refined to the higheſt Degree, (Why did I ſay, If?) by all Accounts, her Politeneſs muſt gra⯑tify it to the full. When I ſay this, I don't ſpeak in the Groſs; I don't ſay, that this Per⯑ſon or the other ſaid ſhe was a Wonder, (tho' that I can aver too) but I go upon better Grounds for my Aſſertion, than general Applauſe; I go upon Particulars, from which I have formed a Character that muſt be beautiful.

You complain of Mr. —. I told him of it, but don't know whether he has made an At⯑tonement. I am a good deal picqued at him myſelf. Tho' we live next Door to each other, he has ſpent but one Evening with me ſince he has been at —, and that was after a thouſand Remonſtrances, and much againſt his Will. He neglects every Body for his Wife; in ſhort, he is no more.

[106]I hope you will favour me with a Line ſoon, and that it may bring ‘"ſweet Boadments."’ All Compliments wait on you. With theſe I muſt conclude, applauding myſelf, whenever I re⯑flect that I am

LETTER XXIX. The Ducheſs of SOMERSET to Lady LUXBO⯑ROUGH.

WHEN I look upon the Date of your Letter, it puts me both out of Coun⯑tenance and Patience with myſelf. Your Letter found me at Bath, from whence, I thank God, my Lord is returned with his Health and Ap⯑petite [107] much improved; and I hope, the good Effects of this Journey, will continue longer than thoſe of the preceding Years. Our Ser⯑vants and Goods have all been removed to Northumberland-Houſe, ſince before Michaelmas, but when we ſhall get into it ourſelves, is yet among the Secrets of Fate. It is ſtill hid with Scaffolds towards the Street, but by the Plan, and the little I could ſee of it when I was in London, on the King's Birth-Day, it will be very handſome, and indeed it ſhould, my Lord deſtined 10,000l. for the Alterations; but I believe he has by this Time experienced, that he deceived himſelf, at not ſetting it at above double; for though the Houſe itſelf will not coſt, perhaps, above 14.000l. yet the Houſes he has purchaſed, in order to widen the Street and build his Sta⯑bles, and the Remainder of the Duke of CHAN⯑DOS's grant for Scotland-Yard, which he is in Treaty for, in order to carry down his Garden, and open a View from his Houſe to the Thames, will coſt at leaſt as much more. Mean Time, you may gueſs our poor Bergerie has been neg⯑lected, and except a very pretty and convenient Hot-Houſe for Pine-Apples, has had no addi⯑tional Ornament of any Kind. We paſs this [108] Winter here, which I ſhould not regret at any other Time but as Lady BETTY^* is to lie in, and is already gone a Month paſt her Reckon⯑ing, I ſhould like to be nearer to her. I was not eight and forty Hours in Town, when I went to be preſented, on my Lord's new Earl⯑doms, and to make my Appearance on the Birth-Day; for I went from hence at Seven on the Sunday Morning, and was preſented that Day at Noon, and on the Monday, as ſoon as the Drawing-Room was over, undreſſed and came back directly. I lay at Sir HUGH SMITHSON's, for I could not have a Room at Northumberland-Houſe, and I have never ſeen London ſince. We have the moſt glorious Weather that I believe was ever ſeen in Winter: but, alas! I can only admire it from my Windows, being under Dr. SHAW's Hands, for the ill Conſequence of a Fall, which I had before I went to Bath, by a Servant heedleſsly taking away a Chair, juſt as I was going to ſit down, and which I took too little Care of at firſt, ſo I am now forbid all Sort of Exerciſe, which gives me but a melan⯑choly Proſpect, as to my Health, for the fu⯑ture: but God's Will be done! and I hope I [109] ſhall chearfully ſubmit to the Event, whatever it be.

Have you ſeen a little French Book called Con⯑ſeils à une Amie, ſaid to be written by Madame de POMPADOUR: the Name of the Author will not induce you to expect any very exalted Sentiments of Religion or Morality; but it contains good Rules for making a proper Figure in High-Life. I have alſo had the Letters of Monſieur RACINE LE PERE, and ſome Me⯑moirs of his Life, by his Son, lent me; and they give me a greater Eſteem for him as a Man, than as the Author of Eſter and Athaliah. I hope you have ſeen my old Acquaintance, the Miniſter of B—'s Anſwer to Dr. MIDDLETON's Free Enquiry about Miracles. I cannot ima⯑gine how he can reply to it, without owning himſelf a Deiſt, or explaining ſome of his Innu⯑endos in a different Way to what they appear at firſt Sight. Mr. and Mrs. WYMONDESOLD's handſome Behaviour to you, dear Madam, gives me a good Opinion of them both. I be⯑lieve I ſhall never have reaſon to alter that which I have formed of my Lord L— for ſome Years paſt; and as to that I ſtrove to enter⯑tain [110] of him before, 'twas the Work of Art, and a Contre-coeur. As to your Son, I think he does not act of himſelf. I am ſorry to hear Mr. SHENSTONE has been ſo ill, but I hope his Muſe has not left him; I am ſure yours has not; I am confident ſhe attended you very agreeably upon his Bench. Mr. LINDSEY, my Lord's Chaplain, (who by the Way is a very good Judge, and a pretty Sort of Man) prefers his Ode on Autumn to almoſt every modern Performance. My Lord ſends you his Compli⯑ments; and I am, with a very ſincere Regard,

The Firſt of the encloſed Verſes are ſaid to have been written by a Gentleman in New En⯑gland, the Second by Mr. MARSHMAM. If you have not ſeen them, I hope they will ſerve for a Minute's Amuſement.

LETTER XXX. Miſs DOLMAN to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

I Return you a Multitude of Thanks for the Favour of your laſt Letter to me. I think you ſeem to have had as ſolitary a Winter as we have at Broom. This is the Seaſon a Town Life is vaſtly preferable to that of the Country; the Country now is only fit for Poachers and Game-keepers. Like old DARBY and JOAN, we live now upon the Thoughts of paſt Pleaſures;

However, we have two Amuſements which ne⯑ver fail us, and thoſe are Reading and Muſic. In order that we may enjoy the latter in a great⯑er Degree than we have done of late, we have got Mr. G— over ſometimes, you know, who has procured us a new Spinnet, and he ſays, [112] he'll make us proficient in the Art of Muſic preſently, provided we will but be diligent.

I have ſent for the Pamphlet that is wrote againſt Mr. G—'s Compoſitions. As he's my Maſter, I have a Curioſity to it. He ſays, it pulls him all to Pieces. I can't tell what Ge⯑nius he has for compoſing Muſic, but certainly he's a very good Muſic-Maſter. As a Compa⯑nion, I do not much admire him: I think he's a diſagreeable Man; very mercenary; always full of Eſteem for himſelf, and of Contempt for all others; and does not conſider, that it is almoſt as glorious to acknowledge Merit in other Perſons, as to have it oneſelf: but he ſets good Leſſons, ſo I'll bear with him; as Lord FOPPINGTON tells his Shoemaker— ‘"Now by all that's great and powerful, thou art a moſt incomprehenſible Coxcomb; but thou makeſt good Shoes, ſo I'll bear with thee."^*’

Pray have you ſeen the Memoirs of the Houſe of Brandenburgh in Engliſh, by the King of Pruſſia? I have ſome Thoughts of buying [113] the "Oeconomy of Life,"^* but ſhould be glad of your Opinion of it firſt: it is wrote in the Manner of SOLOMON's Proverbs, which I think is a pretty one. I am very glad to hear that Lady LUXBOROUGH has her Health. The Family at A—n are all well; I heard from them this Moment. I am, Sir,

LETTER XXXI. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Lady LUXBOROUGH.

I CAN very faithfully aſſure your Ladyſhip, that the Pleaſure I received from your French Letter was equal to what I expected; and as I can hardly form an Expreſſion that implies my [114] Approbation more fully, I ought, perhaps, to add nothing more upon this Head. How⯑ever, I can ill avoid being more explicit; for beſides that your Choice of Words gives me an agreeable Idea of the French Language, there is I don't know what Kind of Pleaſure ariſes upon ſeeing common or domeſtic Affairs treated of in a Language foreign to one's own. I wiſh it may not one Day tempt me to hazard a few French Lines to your Ladyſhip, altho' I have, in a great Meaſure, forgot the Termination of my Moods and Tenſes, and ſhould of courſe make a thouſand Blunders, in regard to the proper Idiom: but if I ſhould, I truſt your Ladyſhip would be prevailed upon to burn what I wrote immediately. Surely it is either owing to the Delicacy of your Choice, or the French have great Numbers of Words more ex⯑preſſive than our own: for Inſtance ‘"trop bonne pour avoir Beſoin de cet Aſſaiſonnement;"^*’ I know not of any Engliſh Word that would be proper here beſides Recommendation, which is greatly inferior. I have obſerved the ſame of many others. But I confine my Partiality to their Proſe, and I dare ſay your Ladyſhip (who [115] knows ſo well all the Beauties of their Lan⯑guage) is alſo not unacquainted with the Im⯑perfections of it; by which Means you find yourſelf ſo well enabled to diſguiſe the latter, at the ſame Time that you are diſplaying the former. Notwithſtanding the ſuppoſed Qua⯑lifications of the GLUMS and the GAWRIES ex⯑cites one's Curioſity, the Book does not, I think, deſerve a Place in your Ladyſhip's Library, and I would not have you purchaſe it. It makes two Volumes in 12mo. Price 6s. It came into my Way, ſo I read it, giving it juſt Atten⯑tion enough to let it amuſe me with the imagi⯑nary Scenes it deſcribes. As to what I ſaid of the Scribbleriad, you will obſerve, I had read nothing but a few Quotations, and am now to requeſt your Ladyſhip's Opinion, who have re⯑ceived the Book. Believe me, my Lady, I am not lazy in Mind. I long for nothing ſo much as bodily Health and Spirits, to be able to ac⯑quit myſelf better of my Share of the Corre⯑ſpondence, and to deſerve the Vivacity of yours ſomewhat more than I do. But when I ſhall be able to exchange the Cypreſs Grove for the more agreeable Verdure of the Myrtle or the Laurel, is a Queſtion I cannot pretend to ſolve—Very [116] pedantic truly this!—But to proceed: I wrote many ludicrous Things at College, and in the former Part of my Life, and one or two of theſe am I thinking to encloſe during this inſipid Seaſon; perhaps taking, like Woodcocks, the Advantage of a Fog, they may hope at ſuch a Time for ſomething better Quarter, though, to ſpeak the Truth, they are much too ſilly, and your Judgment too penetrating, to give them any Room for ſuch an Expectation. As to printing, I will not ſay that I never intend it, but I muſt firſt be able to ſpend a few Weeks with my Friend GRAVES, who is a Perſon of great Delicacy, and whoſe Friendſhip may, per⯑haps, induce him to examine my Trifles with ſome Attention, no very agreeable Taſk to him or any one elſe. Mean Time, the Complaint you make of your preſent Want of Amuſement, gives me an Occaſion to pour in Floods of my written Impertinence. The Progreſs of Taſte I meant to ſhew you long ago. The Snuff-Box (which by interweaving another Poem or two, is now, I ſee, a mere Piece of Patch-Work) ap⯑pears before you for no other Reaſon in the World, but that it happens to be tranſcribed in the ſame Book with the former; and is intereſted [117] in my deſiring you not to read a Line of it. I ſend alſo the Ode I firſt mentioned to the Du⯑cheſs,^* and would aſk, in the firſt Place, whether it deſerves Correction? If you would not chooſe I ſhould immediately deſtroy it, will you be ſo Kind as to mark any Improprieties, or propoſe any Improvements to me? I hope you will be in no concern about defacing the Copy, in that Caſe, for I would write it over ever ſo often, if I could by that Means add a Syllable that was more expreſſive of my Veneration for her Grace, or that tended to give her a Mo⯑ment's Amuſement. I calculated the Subject as well as I could; but I am fearful you will diſcover nothing but common-place Thoughts. I think moſt of my Verſes ſmell of nothing but Field-Flowers, and conſidering how I ſpend my Time, they can ſcarce do otherwiſe.

A Word more, in regard to the propoſed Al⯑teration in your Room. If your Ladyſhip does not chooſe to go to the Expence of a carved Frame, what think you of a white oval Frame to your Glaſs in the middle, and a Feſtoon on [118] each Side; this with the Stucco need amount to no more than four Guineas. But the Room is mighty well as it is, and you are yourſelf the Judge, whether the Expence of the Altera⯑tion would afford you an anſwerable Amuſe⯑ment. I am greatly pleaſed with what your Ladyſhip mentions of coming to the Leaſowes; for tho' you will ſee but little new this Year, yet by allowing yourſelf ſome little Time, you will ſee the ſame with much greater Eaſe than you could before; and if I ſhould add, Pleaſure, I hope you will allow it to my Fond⯑neſs for a Place that has engroſſed my Care ſo long. You complain, Madam, of the Want of freſh Ideas, (which I never yet obſerved in your Converſation or Letters at any Time or Tide) gueſs, however, what muſt be my Caſe, who ſee nothing from Day to Day but

I once thought of inſcribing theſe on a Seat, but now my very Spleen forſakes me.

LETTER XXXII. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Lady LUXBOROUGH.

I Haſten to acquaint your Ladyſhip, that my Brother is now greatly better, and, is, we all hope, in a fair Way of Recovery.

What ſmall Hopes I have entertained for moſt Part of the Time ſince I wrote laſt to Barrels, have been rather owing to a Kind of Self-Flattery, and an Unwillingneſs to De⯑ſpair, than any proper Foundation—but theſe three Days, his Diſorder is ſo much abated, that they ſeem to receive ſome Sanction from Reaſon; not that I am entirely free from Ap⯑prehenſions. The aſthmatical Diſorder is fallen down into his Legs, where it continues at pre⯑ſent. But what by Means of Aſs's Milk, which agrees with him, the Advantage of a few Days, in which he has been carried Sedan-Faſhion [120] about my Grounds, and the moſt ſcrupulous Care, in regard to what we ſuffer him to eat or drink, his Spirits, Pulſe and Com⯑plexion are aſtoniſhingly recovered, and his Strength and Stomach proportionably reſtored.

I will not detain your Ladyſhip any longer on this Head, than to acquaint you, that I have thought about writing to Barrels every Day ſince your Servant was here; but finding all along, ſuch frequent Changes in the Diſor⯑der, and being utterly incapable to give your Ladyſhip any ſatisfactory Account, I had not the Spirit to ſet Pen to Paper.

This has been to me the moſt diſagreeable Seaſon, for a Continuance, I ever ſpent in my Life; betwixt ſleepleſs Nights, painful Ap⯑prehenſions, conſtant Solicitude, Confinement, and an entire Alteration in regard to my Way of Life, I found my own Situation not a little endangered: but as the original Cauſe begins to ceaſe, I hope the Effect will. I might have added to the former Vexations, the Difficulty of procuring good Advice, and the no leſs Difficulty of prevailing on my Brother to fol⯑low [121] it. Such Perſons as he ought always to be well; I mean, to guard more than others againſt Diſeaſes, as they have ſo little Pa⯑tience in reſerve to ſubmit to the Means of Cure.

But to lead your Ladyſhip from the ſick Room into the open Air a little—I am now beginning, for the firſt Time, to bruſh up my Walks. The Trees and Shrubs are in full Bloom all of a ſudden; I mean, ſo far as concerns the green Leaves, for the latter have not yet flowered. The Servants are now very buſy in cleaning my Grove, &c. whither I ſtray now two or three Times a Day, with great Complacency. I doubt the Death of poor Mr. H—LL's Brother will occaſion him much worldly Perplexity, as well as Concern, at preſent: I would otherwiſe preſs him to ſpend a Week with me at the Leaſowes, as ſome Kind of Relief to him, and a great Plea⯑ſure to us. I think a Change of Place, after ſuch an Affliction, is very often of no ſmall Service. That Book of Mr. PEARSALL's which your Ladyſhip ſubſcribed for, is come out, I hear, but I have had no Copies ſent yet. Your [122] Ladyſhip, I know, intended to oblige me by your Subſcription, and THAT Point you can never fail to obtain—more I am not at Liberty to ſay. You will pleaſe to mention this Publica⯑tion to Mr. H—LL; I ſent his Name, tho' I am not ſure that he ſubſcribed: but I know he would be the readieſt of Men to ſerve an old Schoolfellow. Would your Ladyſhip be ſo Kind as to lend me POMPEY the Little? I have read, as I ſaid before, nothing but Phyſic-Books for theſe laſt ſix Weeks, and I want now to be indulged with ſomewhat more amuſing. I won't pretend to your Ladyſhip that I am a very great Phyſician, but I conſider myſelf as qua⯑lified to make the beſt Nurſe of any body in the three Kingdoms. I hope ſoon to be able to adjuſt a Time, when I may have the long⯑wiſhed-for Happineſs of waiting on your Lady⯑ſhip at the Leaſowes. In the mean Time, I am to return my Brother's Thanks with my own, for every obliging Inſtance of your Regard, and to ſubſcribe myſelf inviolably

P. S. May 25. I ſhould have ſent the fore⯑going Account yeſterday, when it was wrote; but I find nothing to add hitherto, that may diſcolour the favourable Relation I have been giving of my Brother's Recovery. I will yet hope that there is ſome good in reſerve for us, which may in ſome Meaſure, compenſate for the gloomy Seaſon we have paſt—I don't know from what Quarter, but I'll ſtill confide—I hope your Ladyſhip does.

I did not propoſe to do much about my Houſe this Year, and I now ſhall do nothing. But I know your Ladyſhip will find ſome Pleaſure in the Conjecture, that the Money which might have been expended upon Rooms or Furni⯑ture, has been ſpent with ſome Effect upon my Brother's Recovery; without which, the Leaſowes would have afforded no Pleaſure of one while. I hope, with this good Weather, your Ladyſhip's wonted Spirits will return; I hope, alſo, that I ſhall henceforth be able to cor⯑reſpond with you upon more agreeable Subjects than I could of late. Miſs DOLMAN deſired her Compliments when ſhe was here laſt, which [124] was about a Week ago. I cannot yet write with any Sort of Spirit; ſo I will relieve your Ladyſhip at once from ſo many inſipid Nothings, as I ſhould probably add if I proceeded.

LETTER XXIII. Miſs DOLMAN to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

I Return you the Collection of Poems, which you were ſo kind as to ſend me, and can but acknowledge myſelf very much obliged to you for the Peruſal of them.

If I did not expect the Pleaſure of ſeeing them ſoon again in print, I ſhould have parted with them into your Hands with vaſt Reluc⯑tance, without having taken the Liberty of tranſcribing ſome of them for my Amuſement hereafter: but ſomething whiſpers me in my Ear, that you really deſign thoſe charming ^*Ele⯑gies [125] for the Preſs ſhortly, and that they will no longer be concealed in the little ſecret Box, from whence I remember I was ſo rude as to ſteal them.

Sometime before my Lord DUDLEY ſets out for London, my Brother and I flatter ourſelves, that he and Miſs LEA will come to Broom, and we hope too, that you and your Brother will accompany them there, whenever they in⯑tend us the Honour of a Viſit.

I came Home from the Grange ſo much ena⯑moured with the Concert I heard there, that the Deſire I had before of being a Performer in ſuch a one has, if poſſible, taken a deeper Root. CLARENDON calls Ambition a Weed, which, he ſays, is apt to grow in the beſt Soils, ſo I will not be wholly void of it; I will be ambi⯑tious of attaining to ſome Knowledge of two Things, namely, Muſic and the French Lan⯑guage; and in order to do the latter, I believe my Brother and I ſhall be ſo very extravagant, as to have a French Maſter attend us at Broom, as frequently as we have G—M to teach as Muſic now.

[126]How do you approve of the Scheme of our having two ſuch great Maſters both together? Can you ſay any Thing to encourage us in it or not?

I beg the Favour of you, Sir, to ſend me your Verſes upon Autumn, where you men⯑tion poor THOMSON's Death ſo feelingly; I want it extremely, to ſhew Miſs LYTTELTON, having promiſed that I would ſend it her a Fortnight ago: ‘"think of that, Maſter BROOM, I pray you think of that."^*’ Surely my Let⯑ters are always as dull as a twice-told Tale; yet am I ſo impertinent, as to ſend you this long one, without making any Kind of Apology for ſo doing.

LETTER XXXIV. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Lady LUXBOROUGH.

I HAD wrote to your Ladyſhip long before this Time, to acknowledge the Kindneſs of your Letter and Preſent: but I have a moſt deplorable Account to give of my Delay, and what ſo good a Friend as yourſelf will not read without a Sigh. Alas, dear Madam, I have loſt my only Brother! A more ſincere or truly affectionate one never bore the Name. I cannot now add more; tho' I ſhould not want Matter to expatiate upon his Merit, if I were not at the ſame Time to revive and lament the Loſs of it. He is gone before me in the very Prime of his Days, and ere the Force of his Underſtanding, or the Benevolence of his Heart has been half exerted or known.

[128]Future Letters, and other Converſations, may afford me an Opportunity to pour out all my Soul; at preſent, I am not enough Ma⯑ſter of myſelf. I find all my Views intercept⯑ed: my Schemes, Meaſures, and even my Heart itſelf, to be well nigh broken. I have loſt that Spirit of a Man, which alone is able to ſuſtain his Infirmities. Every Object round me, that was once the Source of my Amuſe⯑ment, revives a Train of Ideas that I can hardly render ſupportable. I procure a Set of low Friends to chat around me, and call off my Attention. But the greateſt Relief I have found, ſince the fatal Cloſe of November, is what I have drawn from Stupefaction.

Pardon me, my good Lady; I do not mean to make a Diſplay of my Affliction. I mention it, that you may account for, and excuſe any Omiſſions or Improprieties in your unfortu⯑nate Correſpondent.

Since this unhappy Cataſtrophe, it has been my Lot to hear of one that muſt nearly af⯑fect your Ladyſhip. Believe me, my honoured Lady, I am far from an unconcerned Obſerver [129] of Events, that muſt afford you either Pleaſure or Pain. But I am not in a Condition to re⯑ceive Relief, and how can I pretend to give it? One Thing, however, I will ſuggeſt—I think CAESAR confeſſed at an earlier Period of Life than what my Lord BOLINGBROKE arrived at, that he had lived enough, either in regard to Nature or to Glory.

During the Height of our Afflictions, we can ſcarce believe it poſſible they ſhould ever wear off. In my Caſe, there are ſome Parti⯑culars which render it improbable they ſhould. Yet Time, we find, alleviates the Misfortunes of others, and it is fitting we ſhould hope im⯑plicitly, that it may ſome how diminiſh our own.

I will excuſe your Ladyſhip from dwelling upon the Subject. Aſſure me only of the Con⯑tinuance of your Eſteem, and it will be of great⯑er Service than whole Volumes of Philoſophy.

Pray be ſo good as to write or dictate a Let⯑ter to me. I earneſtly pray that it may be [130] the former, I am, dear Madam, with all the Tenderneſs of my preſent State of Mind, your

This is the third Time I have begun this Letter, without being able to finiſh it till now. If your Ladyſhip will favour me with a Line, I hope to be able to anſwer it without the ſame Difficulty.

I have ſome Thoughts of waiting on you at Barrels for a Week, when I hear you are come down, but I have had a Kind of nervous Fever, for which I have been taking Medicines. This I did, tho' I knew at the ſame Time how ineffectual they muſt prove. I was taking Drugs from the Shop to cure Anxiety of the Mind.

LETTER XXXV. Mr. WHISTLER to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

MR. GRAVES has lately ſet me right as to a Miſtake, which otherwiſe I might have remained in much longer. As I hope to live, I had quite forgot my Promiſe of writing to you from London, and ſo wondered I did not hear from you. But upon his men⯑tioning it, I immediately, to my great Con⯑fuſion, recollected my Error. I felt a great deal of Uneaſineſs, while I imagined the Fault to lie at your Door; but I aſſure you, much more, ſince I find it to be at my own. In⯑gratitude is what I moſt abhor; and I muſt be a Monſter, to ſlight ſuch a Favour as your laſt to me, and from ſuch a Friend. Pray believe me incapable of it, or of poſſeſſing a ſerene Mind, while there ſhould be any Miſun⯑derſtanding between you and me. I am like⯑wiſe ſincerely concerned for the Death of your Bro⯑ther, eſpecially as Mr. GRAVES ſays, it touched [132] you ſo nearly, conſequently I ſhould adviſe you to change the Place a little after ſo melancholy an Affair; and I am ſure you can find in no Place, one who would be more ſolicitous to divert you than at Whitchurch. I can't aſk that Favour of you, becauſe I am ſo much in Debt to you already. But it would give me a double Pleaſure, ſince I believe at preſent it might be beneficial to you. For my own Part, I long to wait on you; but my Mother's State of Health is ſo bad, that I muſt not think of gratifying that Paſſion this Summer; tho' I can hardly lay that Hope aſide, or forbear ſaying, that a ſmall Altera⯑tion in her for the better would make me pur⯑ſue it. I have got a little Chaiſe, which at preſent I am much pleaſed with, and I aſſure you, its Wheels have a natural Penchant to run to the Leaſowes.

I wiſh'd for you much at London. Plays are well worth ſeeing now. I reckon thoſe who can't be pleaſed with the preſent Per⯑formances of the Stage, are too delicate ever to be pleaſed. There are a great many very good Actors, and ſome (GARRICK and Mrs. CIBBER) acknowledged to exceed all that ever [133] have been. You muſt come once more in⯑to the World, I mean to London; I am ſure it will do you good: I find the Benefit of it myſelf; Change of Place gives me Spirits for the Year, which, I find, fail me very much without—Don't let us grow old if we can help it; and I think Variety and new Scenes are the moſt likely to keep us young, at leaſt produce the Effects of Youth. I own Life is dull at beſt, and therefore it is the wiſeſt Way to vary it as much as poſſible. The moſt ſtupid Vulgar (both high and low) find their Account in this Method. Then you muſt find a double Pleaſure in it, who know how to vary it ſo elegantly, as to entertain others as well as yourſelf. I aſſure you, you ſucceeded ſo well as to the firſt, when you were here, that your Praiſes are ſtill blooming; the agree⯑able Impreſſion ſtill remains on all. I long to ſee you, and hope to hear from you. Pray harbour no ill Thought of me, for if I have erred, it was, I aſſure you, from Miſtake or Forgetfulneſs, and not with Intention. I never did, nor ever can, mean Ill or Diſrepect to dear Mr. SHENSTONE, but ſhall ever be his moſt ſincere Friend and humble Servant,

The latter End of July, Mr. PERTH is en⯑gaged to be with me for ſix Weeks; any Time before that, or after September, my Houſe will be empty, if you ſhould do me the Fa⯑vour I mentioned.

LETTER XXXVI. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Lady LUXBOROUGH.

MY Converſation, dear Lady LUXBOROUGH, is by no Means equal to the Reception I find at Barrels, and if you return me Thanks upon that Score, you make me doubly ſenſi⯑ble how unable I am to make a due Ac⯑knowledgement.

The Day after I left Barrels, I had a Morning Viſit from Admiral SMITH, Captain WHOOD, Mrs. STANLEY, and her two Daugh⯑ters, who engaged me to dine with Sir G. [135] LYTTELTON. Theſe are Ladies of Taſte, I think; but Admiral SMITH is the Delight of Mankind! I forgot to mention Mr. MILLER, who ſeems to recommend my Walks with great Cordiality. I ſee they condeſcend to look upon modern Plans at Hagley, and if they build anew, I ſuppoſe it will be in that Style.

Since this I have ſeen a good deal of Com⯑pany, more of whom arrive to ſee my Walks than me; yet I am not jealous or invidious: my Walks are truly more deſerving of this Favour.

Yeſterday, I had the Company of Miſs LEA, and Mr. HILTON, a very modeſt and ingenious Man, who came with Lord DUD⯑LEY from London; beſides two other Parties of Viſitants, who engroſſed my whole Day.

And now I ſit down by Five in the Morn⯑ing to anſwer your Queries concerning the Papier-Machée. It is bought of Mr. BROM⯑WICH, at the Golden-Lion, upon Ludgate-Hill. What you will want, will be an Ornament [136] for the Middle, and four Spandrells for the Corners. I have taken down the Pine-Apple from the middle of my Cieling, and ſend it you to ſee, together with ſome other Orna⯑ments which were never yet fixed up. They will coſt (I mean a middle and four corner Ornaments) ſomewhere about eight Shillings. You may ornament it more or leſs tho' as you pleaſe. As to the Cracks of your Cieling, (which I don't remember) if they are not violently bad, they may be mended by a com⯑mon Maſon, and the Colour will diſguiſe them. As for putting them up, I will ſend you over a very agreeable Neighbour of mine, who was once an eminent Upholſterer, but now lives upon his Fortune, who ſeems glad of the Op⯑portunity it will give him to ſee Barrels, and the Honour it will afford him of being ſer⯑viceable to your Ladyſhip. They ſhould be painted with Flake White and thin Starch; but all this he will manage to your entire Satis⯑faction. He is a Perſon of Taſte, has ſeen a good deal of Life; and tho' he has had his Share of Difficulties, always chearful. You muſt not offer him any Thing. Thus have I been as ſhort as I can, in pointing out [137] your quickeſt Method of embelliſhing your Cieling. The whole Cove (except the Moul⯑ding) ſhould be waſhed with Oker; but this you may defer, if you pleaſe, till Mr. PIXELL arrives.

I beg my Thanks to Mrs. WEYMONDE⯑SOLD, for her kind Remembrance of me: am a little fearful her Viſit will be too late in the Year; but 'tis in Mrs. WEYMONDESOLD's Power to make all Seaſons pleaſing.

My Lord DUDLEY will be extremely glad to wait on Mr. OUTING: but he muſt come hither firſt, and we will adjuſt the Remain⯑der.

I have taken the Liberty to ſend this by my Servant Girl, who is deſirous to ſee her Siſter and Barrels; and really my Man is ſo much Aſſiſtant in the Way of fitting up my Room (which engages me) that I could very ill ſpare him.

I hope Mr. PRICE is recovered, by the Men⯑tion you make of his going again to London. I [138] did not merely aſk, but wiſh to ſee him here. And now I muſt leave your Ladyſhip for the Company of my Carpenters; yet am ever uniformly your Ladyſhip's moſt obliged

LETTER XXXVII. Mr. H—N to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

AS I promiſed to write to you ſoon, I hope you will excuſe the Haſte and Errors of this Epiſtle. I was almoſt wet through before I reached Birmingham laſt Wedneſday, where I eat a Mouthful of Dinner at my Inn, and proceeded to Solihull: there I ſtopt, and was told by the Landlady, I ſhould be too late for the Races at Warwick, if I did not make haſte. I thanked her, and proceeded to [139] Mr. WREN's, who gave me a very friendly Reception, and aſked me to ſtay all Night, which I immediately accepted. We walked and talked much; he praiſed Gloom and So⯑litude, and I fine Proſpects: not but that (I told him) ſometimes I could reliſh a grave Scene, and lo! he opens a Door, and turned me into the Church-Yard, which he ſaid was full of Graves, and deſired me to tell you the ſame. Great Alterations might be made there, which he will never do. Next Day, after Breakfaſt, I took my Leave, and reached Warwick, and yeſterday came hither. I fear my Buſineſs cannot be ended before the Begin⯑ning of next Week, as it is Aſſize-Time, and my Brother is but in an indifferent State of Health. I have wrote thus far, and find my Pen can ſcrawl nothing but what is as inſipid as myſelf. Lord WILLOUGHBY DE BROOKE is dead. The Diſtemper is amongſt the Cattle here. Lord BROOKE is at War⯑wick, and has locked up the Caſtle Gardens.

I have not been at Coventry yet; neither do I intend to enter often into a Place ſo dia⯑metrically oppoſite to thoſe ſylvan Scenes I [140] was entertained with at the Leaſowes. Oh! when ſhall I ſit down and end my Days on ſuch a Spot ſomewhere near you? The mo⯑ney-getting Slaves all think me mad to ſpend my Life in Idleneſs, and wonder I have paſſed another Year without ſetting up in my Buſi⯑neſs. Sordid wretches! whoſe only God is Gold. How deſpicable muſt Life appear, when it has paſt away only in collecting a Heap of ſhining Cinders! My Reſolutions are more ſtrongly attached than ever to retire. When I come over, I purpoſe to talk with Mr. SHAW about Palmer's-Hill, which, if not much out of the Way, I will purchaſe. I ſhould be glad, when you meet any of the Work⯑men, you would aſk, now and then, how they go on at Northfield. I hope yourſelf and all Friends are well, to whom my beſt Devoirs, from

P. S. I fear Lady LUXBOROUGH, and all your fine Company, will viſit you before I come back. Pray let me hear from you, if convenient. I have wrote to Lord DUDLEY, of whom I begged the Favour to ſend you this. Adieu!

LETTER XXXVIII. The Ducheſs of SOMERSET to Lady LUXBO⯑ROUGH.

I AM extremely ſorry for the Accident which prevented my having the Pleaſure of hear⯑ing from you, and ſincerely hope you have overcome all the ill Effects of it. You are very obliging in the Concern you expreſs, for the Scenes of Sorrow I have paſſed through. I have, indeed, ſuffered deeply; but when I [142] conſider it is the Will of God, who never cha⯑ſtiſes his poor Creatures but for their Good, and reflect, at the ſame Time, how unwor⯑thy I was of theſe Bleſſings, which I now la⯑ment the Loſs of, I lay my Hand upon my Mouth and dare not repine; but I hope can with Truth appeal to him in the following Words: ‘Queſto affano ei ſu che non ſi oppone al ſuo ſanto voler: Chio gemo e gli affro tutti il ge⯑miti miei Chio Rango & in tanto Benedico il ſuo Nome in Mezzo al Pianto.’

You are ſo good, as to wiſh my Solitude may afford me ſome Amuſement; and as I think it a Duty, while it pleaſes God to con⯑tinue us here, not to let ourſelves ſink into a ſtupid and unthankful Melancholy, I endea⯑vour to find out ſuch Entertainments, as my Retirement, and my dear Lord's unmerited Bounty will admit of. I have built a Por⯑ter's Lodge at my Gate, and am now turn⯑ing the long Drawing-Room into a Chapel, which will be finiſhed in the Gothic Taſte, and have three fine painted Windows; theſe I [143] had beſpoke for Northumberland-Houſe, but as its preſent Owners do not intend that their Chapel ſhall be in the ſame Place that we had propoſed, they would not have fitted there. The Room where you were ſo good as to break⯑faſt with us, and my Lord's Bed-chamber, I could not bear to go into ſince my irrepara⯑ble Misfortune, and therefore, with Lord NOR⯑THUMBERLAND's Advice, have laid them to⯑gether, which will make a Room of 35 by 21. I ſhall put up a very pretty Chimney-Piece in it with Paper, on which I ſhall hang my beſt Pictures.

The Seaſon for ſome little Alterations with⯑out Doors is now coming on, and I intend ſome Change in my Roſary, and Openings in other Parts of the Park. I have alſo erected a little Hermitage in one of the Woods near the Canal, whoſe Roof is thatched, and its Walls of Straw. I read as uſual, and have lately been much pleaſed with the new Edi⯑tion of SULLY's Memoirs. Beſides this, my own Servant and myſelf have worked five croſs-ſtitch Chairs, and intend three more for my Chapel; they are a Gothic Moſaic, in fine Crimſon, and are to have Gothic Frames. [144] Thus, dear Madam, I have given you an Account of my Schemes and Occupations. My Company, at preſent, conſiſts of Dr. LE COURAYET, Mr. COWSLAD, and my Chaplain, who is a modeſt, ſenſible and truly pious young Man. The Gentleman who travelled with poor Lord BEAUCHAMP has been with me two Months, but left me yeſterday. What is come to Lord LUXBOROUGH, or rather to his Son? And why is poor Mrs. WYMONDESOLD to be treated as an Alien? I conclude ſhe did not marry without her Father's Conſent.

I hear an extreme good Character of your Nephew, Lord ST. JOHN, which I am ſure will give you Pleaſure. I muſt do Lord EGRE⯑MONT the Juſtice to tell you, that it is impoſ⯑ſible for any one to behave in a more kind and handſome Manner, than he has done ever ſince my dreadful Loſs; but Mrs. O—N has never taken the leaſt Notice of me. Lord and Lady NORTHUMBERLAND are at preſent in the Country, and very well. I am ſo near the End of my Paper, that I muſt only add the Aſſurance of being, dear Madam,

LETTER XXXIX. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Mr. —

THE Letter with which you favoured me deſerves my earlieſt Acknowledgments, and will prove not a little ſerviceable, in re⯑gard to the Subſcription we have in Hand. The whole Account of that Affair is as fol⯑lows: I had been aſſured by Perſons of Ve⯑racity, (amongſt which I may ſafely name Lord DUDLEY, Mr. PIXELL, and THO. COT⯑TEREL) that you had generouſly made an Of⯑fer of twenty Guineas towards the Addition of two new Bells to our preſent Set; and that in Caſe the Pariſh would ſupply what was wanting, it would be a Pleaſure to you, Sir, to have your Offer accepted. Upon this Encouragement, I determined to make Trial what a Subſcription would produce, and ac⯑cordingly drew up a Form for that Purpoſe; intending to write you an Account of the [146] Undertaking, ſo ſoon as I could form a Con⯑jecture of its Succeſs. This I was upon the Point of doing, when I had the Pleaſure of a Letter from you, which, nevertheleſs, was extremely ſeaſonable, as it immediately removed a Doubt that began to ſpread, in Regard to your Concurrence.

There is now ſubſcribed, (excluſive of your Benefaction) the Sum of fifty Guineas; and I make no Scruple of raiſing twenty more, by an Application to ſuch Perſons as have not yet been ſolicited. Be our Progreſs what it will, I purpoſe in a few Weeks to give you a farther Account of it; in the mean Time, can aſſure you, that the Subſcription will be puſhed forward with all poſſible Diligence, that it may give us the earlier Chance for the Pleaſure of your Company. I have only to add, that the Bells will never ſound more agreeably, than when they ring for your Arrival; will be heard no where more advantageouſly than from ſome Parts of my Farm, and that you will find no one more deſirous of making the Coun⯑try agreeable to you than

LETTER XL. Mr. H— to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

YOUR two laſt Epiſtles, of the 4th and 9th Inſtant, merit greater Acknowledg⯑ments than the trifling Return of mine. I am going upon an Expedition in a few Hours, yet muſt not neglect aſſuring you, how great⯑ly I think myſelf indebted to your Care and Informations relative to my Tenants, and beg, if they apply to you again, to tell them, I have lately had a Letter from Mr. I—, who has promiſed me to be down at Lady-Day, and ſettle Affairs with them all. The Brickman's Bill is much higher than I thought it would have been. Believe me, between Law⯑yers and Builders I am almoſt wearied out of my Life, and ſincerely wiſh myſelf diſengaged from them, eſpecially the former; I hope they may be the laſt Set of People applied to by you or me.

[148]The Malady you complain of at preſent is not, I conjecture, ſo much owing to the Winter, as to Solitude; Cold braces and Heat relaxes. Could you have in Winter the ſame Round of Company and enchanting Scenes that you enjoy in Summer, your Nerves would, I am con⯑vinced, be ſtronger, and your Spirits more alert. Your Friends (more particularly myſelf) ought to think ourſelves much obliged to you for that ſmall Palliative you adminiſter to your languid Hours, in thinking of, or writing to us. I could cure you much better by a Preſcrip⯑tion out of Madame DE MAINTENON's Letters, or our Friend HORACE, than by any the whole Materia Medica affords; ſhould theſe fail, SAP⯑PHO, that univerſal Panacea, might prove a Reſtorative. I think myſelf very happy in ha⯑ving this Opportunity of conveying to you, (according to Promiſe) what ſhe ſays of you in her Letter to me, which I ſhall do in her own Words, viz. ‘"Pray tell the Salopian Bard, that 'tis my Wiſh more than Hope, to preſerve him as an Admirer; I would cautiouſly avoid loſing a common PHILAN⯑DER, but a Son of APOLLO is ineſtimable,"’ [149] and again, ‘"The Genii could not pleaſe more than VIRGIL's Grove does; Miſs H—'s Glaſs ſhews it perfectly."’ In the Poſtſcript; ‘"Say ſomething clever to my ſecond Poet, and perſuade him, I ſhould do the ſame my⯑ſelf."’ You ſee how far the Lady is gone only by my Commendations: ſhe is a comi⯑cal Girl, and I wiſh you were to ſee her; ſhe has promiſed me to viſit you, as ſoon as our new Road will admit of their Coach, if I will eſcort her to the Leaſowes.

I was ſomewhat ſurpriſed at being nomi⯑nated for a Commiſſioner of our new Road, as my Reſidence is precarious; my Vote, if ne⯑ceſſary, will be guided by Merit, and the Di⯑rection of my Friends. As C— has been a Servant to my Father, and recom⯑mended by you as deſerving, I will give him my Vote, if in the Country. My Lord DUDLEY has been applied to by Captain W— for his Father, but declined it, and was ſo good to declare to me, he would ſerve C— before he ſaw your Letter.

The —, who never knew me at Hales, met me at my Lord's Houſe, and requeſted my [150] Vote; my Anſwer was, I knew ſo little of the Affair, and my coming down was ſo un⯑certain, that I could not declare myſelf in any one's Favour.

Mr. CHEEK I have not lately ſeen. Mr. OUTING and ſelf ſet out this Day for Pur⯑ford's-Green, to make a Viſit to our honeſt Friend CHARLES WALKER, where we hope to arrive before this Letter does at Lombard-Street.

My Lord, Miſs LEA, Mrs. ROCK, and her Daughter, all join in Compliments and good Wiſhes to you. They are in tolerable good Health, excepting now and then catching Cold. I had the Pleaſure of the three laſt to Break⯑faſt with me yeſterday Morning.

Mr. O— has often been ſolicited by me to write to you, which he ſincerely ſays he intends when we return to London next Week, and with his Compliments, hopes you will forgive the ſeeming Neglect he has been guilty of. His going to ſleep at the Leaſowes, and my accompanying him therein, has been often [151] Matter of Diſcourſe between us. He declares, he will ſoon write a Panegyric upon Sleep, and the Benefit ariſing from the unreſtrained Occupation of one's own Bed.

I can furniſh you with few Particulars con⯑cerning Mrs. W—'s Amour. All I know is, her Huſband and other People had ocular Demonſtration of her Guilt, by a Servant Boy's boring three Holes in the Wainſcot, which were afterwards cut in one. I am myſelf ſorry to ſee a Perſon poſſeſſed of amiable and noble Qualities, ſo much ſunk by one fatal Error; and much greater is her Fall, when the leſs malicious Part of the World condemn her, and declare her Foible of no late Com⯑mencement. Mr. O— tells me, Mr. K— (though I ſhould little have thought it) wears a triſte Viſage on this Occaſion, and whimpers that he is much concerned.

Your Glaſs is done, and I have got the gold Claſp back from the Chaſer's. Do let me procure you ſomething, if it is but in Silver, which perhaps you may like as well, and be Money in Pocket.

[152]DODSLEY's Man told me, Mr. GRAY's Poems would come out in about three Weeks. The Earl of Eſſex is a fine Tragedy; I have ſeen it, and the Rival Brothers, but do not like the Plot of the laſt. I am now reading the Memoirs of Sir Charles Goodville, in two Volumes; they are contained in a Series of Letters relative to his Family, and I think ſome of them pathetic and engaging. FRANCIS either has, or ſoon will publiſh a new Play.^* MOORE is now univerſal⯑ly allowed to be the Author of the Gameſter.

I have heard SOUTHWELL is now in Place, at his own Trade, and hope he'll do well. I am really glad my poor Patient is happily married, and hope ſhe will not relapſe any more into a bad State of Health. I ſhall be much obliged to you, for the Verſes you pro⯑miſe me to Mr. W. LYTTELTON, and be⯑lieve I ſhall like them full as well as thoſe you deſigned for the Colonel, becauſe more friendly than panegyrical.

[153]I wiſh (to the Lord! as O— ſays) I had the Spirit of Verſification, and I would exert it moſt ſuperabundantly againſt two or three of my witty Enemies, and believe I ſhall one Day endeavour to finiſh my Birming⯑ham Verſes, to revenge myſelf on ſome Folk in and near this Town, for ſmiling in my Face, and cutting my Throat at the ſame Time with a Feather. Mrs. R— is quite ſick of their Folly and Hypocriſy, and I believe no⯑body will ever lament the Loſs of their Ac⯑quaintance.

Miſs L— is, I think, more improved ſince ſhe came to Town than before; and I am glad to ſee her addreſs People with a little more Vi⯑vacity than ſhe uſed to do. My Lord has preſented her with a fine new flowered ſilk Sack, laced Linen, and a Pair of Diamond Ear-Rings, &c. &c. We were all, laſt Night, at the Concert in Dean-Street, Soho, and wiſh your Company had added to our Pleaſure.

Upon reconnoitering my Epiſtle, I imagine it appears a mere Farrago Litterarum, or more properly like a Welſh Diſh, called a Salma⯑gundy, [154] which hungry People may eat, but not well digeſt, and wiſh you may have any Re⯑liſh for this of mine.

The moſt falſely eſteemed polite Part of the World, deem long Letters ridiculous and rude; may they ever think ſo! I am now at my Concluſion of the fourth Page, and will ſo far avoid an Apology for it, that I aſſure you, it is only Want of more Time, that makes me conclude this, with the Requeſt of as ſpeedy, and as long an Anſwer, which will ſtill more firmly (if poſſible) unite the Bonds of Amity between, dear Sir, yourſelf and him who is moſt inviolably your affectionate

P. S. I ſhall be at Home again in five or ſix Days. I ſhould be glad of the Honour of Mr. W—'s Acquaintance. Captain O— blames me for not travelling like an Apoſtle, as he does, with one Coat, one Shirt, one Pair of Stockings, one Pair of Shoes, &c.

LETTER XLI. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Lady LUXBOROUGH.

WHILST your Ladyſhip's Spirits appear as perennial as your Genius, I have a deplorable Account to give you of my own. They have been, in ſhort, but few Degrees better than they were the laſt fatal Winter: and though I was conſcious what apparent Cauſe I gave you to be angry with my Si⯑lence, I could not bear the Thoughts of an⯑ſwering ſo polite a Letter as your laſt, with an Heart dejected, and a Head equally con⯑fuſed. ‘"Les Morts n'ecrivent point,"’ ſays Ma⯑dame MAINTENON, ‘"& je me comptois de leur Nombre."’

Suffer me to thank you here, Madam, for the very ſtriking Amuſement I received from thoſe Letters; I read them twice, and as I [156] have ſullied the Copy you were ſo good to lend me, I will ſend another I beſpoke for myſelf, as ſoon as it arrives.

The Memoirs of Lord BOLINGBROKE's Life abound too much with Politicks for me. I be⯑lieve the World alſo would be as well pleaſed with the more private Anecdotes of ſo great a Man. Herein your Ladyſhip would ſhine; and I could wiſh you to engage in ſomething of this Kind, though ever ſo ſhort; if not for the Public, at leaſt as an Amuſement to your⯑ſelf and Friends, and a Legacy to the pre⯑ſent Lord BOLINGBROKE, or whom elſe you ſhould prefer.

Now I have begun to mention Books, let me finiſh the Subject. The Gameſter I have read no more of, than what I gleaned from the Quotations in the Magazines. I never yet had any Opinion of the Genius of Mr. MOORE, and I hardly think I ſhall alter my Sentiments, on Account of this Performance. The Moral, however, muſt be allowed to be extremely ſeaſonable.

[157]The Earl of Eſſex I have read; the unfortunate Earl of ESSEX! whoſe Story, whatever it may deſerve, has never yet produced a good Line, and now hardly ever will, yet I am willing, with your Ladyſhip, to make all Allowances for the Writer.

The Brothers, which I have alſo read, is a noble Tragedy, full of refined and elevated Sentiments, and, generally ſpeaking, of ſuita⯑ble Expreſſions. I am not blind to many of its Faults—but I have read nothing of late Years that has affected me more.

Shall I beg the Favour ſome Time of bor⯑rowing "Manners," the Book you mention to have read.

I don't remember to have heard you men⯑tion any Thing about VOLTAIRE's laſt Play. I therefore ſend it—and thus ends all I have to ſay upon the Article of Books.

I am truly glad to hear that you had Mrs. DAVIES ſo long at Barrels, to counterwork the Effects of this unjoyous Seaſon. For my [158] own Part, had my Health permitted, I could gladly have borne a Part there; but I have been little better in bodily Health than I have been in Mind; and Home, when one is not truly well, has more Attractions than Elyſium. Pardon this unpolite Aſſertion, which ſeems to partake of Selfiſhneſs: and yet it is as un⯑polite at leaſt, to offer one's Company to ano⯑ther, when one is not pleaſed with it one's-ſelf. I deny that Penances can be done at Barrels. At the Leaſowes, I have had many a Winter's Experience they may; and what adds to their Severity is, that they are no way meritorious.

The Jack was ſent to COTTEREL to be copied in Mahogany long ago. 'Tis poſſible, your Servant may find it ready to take Home.

I was two or three Times in company with Captain SOMERVILLE, when he went to Weſt⯑minſter-School. I would ſend my Compliments, and an Invitation, if there was probability enough of his remembering me, to render it proper: though his Good-nature alone could induce him to viſit me now, when there is [159] not a Grain of Amuſement to be expected either from my Place or myſelf.

I hear now and then of Mr. O—, by Means of my good Friend Mr. H—. They were both going laſt Week to CHARLES WAL⯑KER's Villa; not his Cabbage-Garden orné, as Mr. GRAVES calls his Place at Claverton, and for which I rebuke him, for fear the Bur⯑leſque ſhould ſpread. The laſt I heard of O— was, that he blamed Mr. H— for not travelling like an Apoſtle, as he did, with one Coat, one Shirt, one Pair of Stockings, one Wig, &c.

I have promoted and accompliſhed the Ad⯑dition of two new Bells to our preſent Set; towards which, however, I give but two Gui⯑neas.

I drew up a Specimen, or foul Copy of a Petition to Sir GEORGE, about the Turn⯑pike, and ſo the People of our Pariſh have both ſigned and ſent the Echantillon.

[160]Pardon me, if I leave half your Letter un⯑anſwered. You write ſo fluently, and at the ſame Time ſo correctly, that I am angry at myſelf, and yet never better pleaſed than when I come to ſubſcribe myſelf,

LETTER XLII. Mr. WHISTLER to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

NOthing but ill Health could have hindred me from writing to you, and acknow⯑ledging the moſt agreeable Favour of your Letter. I have been confined ever ſince Chriſt⯑mas with that odious Diſtemper the Gout. The very Name of it is abominable. What leng⯑thened my Confinement was, that as ſoon as I was almoſt well, I fell down Stairs, hurt the [161] Part, and was again laid up; but you'll ſay, I might have wrote for all this. Indeed I could not. For one of the malicious Imps of the old Demon got into the Fore-finger of my right Hand at the ſame Time. I can ſhew the Mark now—Beſides, my Mother's Health has been ſo bad, as quite to diſpirit me, and continues to be ſo; elſe I aſſure you, I ſhould think of ſeeing the Leaſowes this Summer. But I can't do it, as Things are, upon any Ac⯑count, nor ſhould I ever forgive myſelf, ſhould ſhe die in my Abſence. All theſe Reaſons have likewiſe hindered my Journey to London this Year. Mr. PEARETH too, has been exceeding ill; ſo that I may look upon this Year, as unfortunate both to myſelf and Friends. I hope, however, you have not felt the Influence of this evil Star. That Health and Happineſs may attend you, is the Intereſt of all that know you; mine I am ſure in particular; and I can add, that I am thoroughly ſenſible of it.

I am an Architect at preſent. Since I have been able to hop about, I have amuſed my⯑ſelf that Way. I have been altering the Diſ⯑poſition [162] of my Rooms, and have made them more commodious as I think: but I will not prejudice your Judgment before-hand. I have, like you, been at ſome Expence this Way. But there are two Imperfections I have to ſtruggle with at Whitchurch, which never appeared at the Leaſowes; an indifferent Situation, and but a ſecond-hand Head for Architecture. I long to ſee your Improvements, from thoſe I have ſeen already. Lady LUXBOROUGH has cele⯑brated you as a Deſigner very juſtly and very elegantly.

I have got the Verſes, and wonder you did not communicate them to me, for they pleaſe me on two Accounts, yours and Lady LUX⯑BOROUGH's. I dare ſay it would have given me double Pleaſure, to have received a Letter from you by the Hand you propoſed. I am much obliged to you for your kind Inten⯑tion, and think myſelf unhappy I was not in London on that Account. Now, though I cannot aſk the Favour with any Propriety, yet, give me Leave to ſay, how glad I ſhould be to ſee you at Whitchurch this Summer; and whenever I have that Pleaſure, I beg you [163] will let me know before-hand, for fear of Ac⯑cidents. As for my Part, I reſolve to wait on you at the Leaſowes, as ſoon as ever it is in my Power to do it.

I have one Piece of News to tell you, which moſt likely you have heard by Mr. GRAVES, which is, that my Brother and Mrs. H—S are married. I think they are very likely to be happy. I had rather have a Relation than a Friend married, for the laſt is always en⯑tirely loſt. You have the Compliments of all this Place. But my own I ſhall always ſepa⯑rate from the Vulgar, when addreſſed to dear Mr. SHENSTONE, from

LETTER XLIII. The Ducheſs of SOMERSET to Lady LUXBO⯑ROUGH.

APologies between Friends appear ſo un⯑neceſſary, that if you have ſtill the ſame Inclination which you have formerly ſhewn to look upon me in that Light, you will never again treat me with the Ceremony of a for⯑mal Acquaintance; when you write to me, you give me Pleaſure; when you do not, I love my own Peace two well to fancy you are angry with me, while I am not conſcious of my deſerving to have you ſo. You ſee I do not regulate my Correſpondence as poor Lady — did her Viſits; which ſhe never was to return ſooner than her former ones had been repaid.

I am not in the leaſt ſurpriſed that you were pleaſed to return to the venerable Seat of your [165] Anceſtors, and the Abode of your firſt and happieſt Days, and find nothing trivial or chil⯑diſh in the Satisfaction you felt, in ſeeing old Faces full of Gratitude for Obligations long ſince paſt, and by you, perhaps, forgot; or in recalling ſome little lively Incidents in the earlieſt and innocent Hours of Youth. As for the Wiſe and Witty of the preſent Age, I know not what they would ſay, and I do not deſign to hear it; they will ſcarce viſit my Hermi⯑tage, and I ſhall not leave it to viſit them. I hope to diſpoſe of my Houſe in Downing-Street, which I would not do, if I ever in⯑tended to paſs ſix Weeks in London, for I am fond of the Situation. But I find myſelf hap⯑pieſt in the Retreat which my dear Lord's un⯑merited Beneficence has made me Miſtreſs of, and fixed my Home upon the Spot of Earth I would have choſe for myſelf. Every Thing both within and without the Houſe reminds me of my Obligations to him; and I cannot turn my Eyes upon any Object, which is not an Object of his Goodneſs to me. The Satisfac⯑tion I take in adding either Beauty or Con⯑venience to my Habitation, is greatly enhanced by the Reflection, that while I am adorning [166] it, I at the ſame Time can ſhew my Value for the Gift, and my Gratitude to the lamented Giver.

I have a regular, and, I hope, a religious Family. My Woman, though ſhe has not lived with me quite three Years, had before lived twenty-three betwixt Lord GRANTHAM's and Lady COWPER's; my Houſe-keeper has been a Servant as long; the Perſon who takes in my Accounts, pays the Bills, and overlooks the Men within Doors, has been in the Fami⯑ly nineteen Years; and the other, who has lived ten, has the Care of the Stables, and every Thing without. I riſe at ſeven, but do not go down till nine, when the Bell rings, and my whole Family meet me at Chapel; after Prayers, we go to Breakfaſt; any Friend who happens to be there, myſelf, and my Chap⯑lain, have ours in the little Library: the reſt in their reſpective eating Rooms. About ele⯑ven, if the Weather permits, we go to walk in the Park, or take the Air in the Coach: but if it be too bad for either, we return to our various Occupations. At three we dine; ſit perhaps near an Hour afterwards; then ſe⯑parate, [167] till we meet at eight for Prayers; af⯑ter which we adjourn again to the Library, where ſomebody reads aloud, unleſs ſome Stran⯑ger comes who chuſes Cards, until Half an Hour paſt nine, when we ſup, and always part before eleven. This to the fine World would ſound a melancholy monaſtic Life; and I cannot be ſuppoſed to have choſen it from my Ignorance of the Splendour and Gaiety of a Court, but from a thorough Experience that they can give no ſolid Happineſs; and I find myſelf more calmly pleaſed in my pre⯑ſent Way of Living, and more truly contented, than I ever was in the Bloom and Pomp of my Youth. I am no longer dubious what Point to purſue. There is but one proper for the Decline of Life, and indeed the only one worth the Anxiety of a rational Creature at any Age: but how do the Fire of Youth and Flattery of the World, blind our Eyes, and miſlead our Fancies, after a Thouſand imaginary Plea⯑ſures which are ſure to diſappoint us in the End!

I condole with you for the Loſs of Mr. PRICE, as a faithful Servant is always a va⯑luable Poſſeſſion.

[168]Mr. SHENSTONE does me a great deal of Honour in inſcribing his Ode upon Rural Elegance to me. I am perſuaded he is Ma⯑ſter of the Subject, for I have heard from People who ſaw his Gardens not long ago, that they are the moſt perfect Model of it.

I dare ſay, Lady NORTHUMBERLAND did not know how near ſhe was to you, or ſhe would not have paſſed by, without enquiring after you. The News-papers will inform you, that her Lord ſupplies the Place of Lord WALDGRAVE, in the King's Bed-Chamber. Their Children, I mean the two youngeſt, were both here, while they made their Warwick and Staffordſhire Tour, and alſo till they came from Bath. The little Boy is called ALGER⯑NOON, after his Grand-Papa; and is, though leſs handſome, the Counterpart of his poor Uncle, Lord BEAUCHAMP; his Innocence, his Temper, and his Voice, are juſt the ſame, and every Motion of his Body: judge if I am fond of him.

Books you wiſh me to name. You have undoubtedly read VOLTAIRE's Siecle de Louis, and [169] Madame MAINTENON's Letters; I have been entertained with both: he informs the Head; ſhe, I think, inſtructs, and may reform the Heart. I often regret that I had not ſeen her Writings thirty Years ago. I have ſeen no⯑thing in the Genie of CECILE, except la lai⯑de aimable, which I think are pretty. But as for Jenny Jeſſamy, Betty Barnes, and their Compeers, I never buy any of them, though I have looked over the two laſt I have named, in their Paſſage between Lady NORTHUMBER⯑LAND and Mrs. KINGDON. I hope you will prevail with Mr. SHENSTONE to let me ſee his Ode. There are ſome Particulars in Arch⯑biſhop TILLOTSON's Life, that may amuſe you, and a Dialogue upon Beauty, by Sir HARRY BEAUMONT; theſe are the only new Things I have ſeen. I have hardly Room to ſubſcribe myſelf,

I wiſh you as many happy Years as you wiſh yourſelf.

LETTER XLIV. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to the rev. Mr. GRAVES.

AFTER a long Seaſon of Vanity and uni⯑verſal Diſſipation, I return with unfeigned Pleaſure to a Correſpondence with my deareſt and moſt familiar Friends. So juſt is your Notion of the Permanency of my Affection; and ſo true it is, that much greater Civilities, than any yet ſhewn me by the Great, can ne⯑ver alter my Opinion of the Valuableneſs of your Friendſhip. Will you believe my ſimple Aſſertion, or ſhall I take Pains to prove it by the very Nature of Things? I cannot eſteem it neceſſary.

Your Accounts of Mrs. WALKER's Death was new to me. I will write to Mr. WHISTLER ſhortly, and am in Hopes, I ſhall now prevail with him to give me ſome Weeks of his Com⯑pany. Amongſt the Strangers who viſited my Walks this Summer, there were three or more, as their Servants informed us, who had re⯑courſe [171] to theſe Amuſements, on the Death of their Relations. Perhaps the Sight of an old Friend is no leſs ſerviceable on ſuch Occa⯑ſions.

Your Stream, I find, is very conſiderable; I dare ſay HORACE's was not larger, though mentioned as ‘"^* rivo dare nomen idoneus; ut nec frigidior Thracum nec purior ambiat Hebrum."’ And you are miſtaken in ima⯑gining that there is no Notice taken of it, for I aſſure you I have heard it commended here this Summer: I forget by whom. You ſhew exceſſive Delicacy in your Diſlike of its running over Water-Creſſes as Pot-Herbs. Pray what can at once have more Beauty and more Pro⯑priety, ſuppoſing your Stream to paſs through the Kitchen-Garden? But I will not quarrel with you about the Kind of Aquatick, if you will allow me to think nothing more pleaſing than Greens beneath tranſparent Water.

When I can fix upon a Painter, to draw me an Head of Lord DUDLEY, (for which he promiſes [172] to ſit at the Leaſowes) I will endeavour to get your Picture altered; though BOND,^* whoſe Pain⯑ting I have heard much celebrated, made no Scruple to pronounce it an admirable Portrait.

I am glad enough to hear of your Encreaſe of Salary, and begin to think a Sort of Af⯑fluence a little more eſſential to Happineſs than I have formerly done. Only remember you are thin, and do not injure your Conſtitution.

I encloſe you a Copy of that Ode to the Ducheſs. It would admit of many Emenda⯑tions, if it does not want many Corrections; but I know not when it will receive either, and I chuſe moreover to ſend it in the Dreſs it wore at Hagley Table. I would ſend you more⯑over the Ode to Sir RICH. LYTTELTON, but that it would be grievouſly irkſome to tran⯑ſcribe it at this Time. The antiquary Cha⯑racter given the — is not approved. I vin⯑dicated it as far as was decent for me; but I believe I muſt exchange it for a Compliment upon his Humanity.

[173]Sir GEORGE, the Dean, Mr. LYTTELTON, &c. made me a Morning's Viſit yeſterday, and took me with them to Dinner at the Grange. Sir GEORGE goes next Week to London, and the Family will diſperſe.

DODSLEY adds this Winter a fourth Vo⯑lume to his Miſcellanies. He wrote to me laſt Week, to beg a few Copies of Verſes; I ſhall ſend him the Autumn Verſes, and two Copies that are upon my Seats, ‘"Oh, let me haunt this, &c."’ and ‘"Oh, you that bathe in courtlye Blyſſe, &c."’ in old Characters. Give me your Opinion, what elſe of mine; and whether I ſhall ſend any Copy of yours: they will be read by the polite World. What do you think of getting your Verſes upon Medals inſerted? But he talks in his Letter as if they muſt be ſent immediately.

I deſire my Compliments to Mrs. GRAVES, and am ſatisfied that I never can be other⯑wiſe than what I am at preſent,

Excuſe this villainous Scrawl; I am not half in Spirits.

LETTER XLV. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Mr. H—N.

THIS can prove no other than an heavy, ſtupid Letter, agreeable to the preſent Diſpoſition of my Mind. The moſt it can pretend, is to acquaint you, in vulgar Terms, that you retain your uſual Place in my Af⯑fection and Eſteem; yet this may be no tri⯑vial Information, now you have accepted a Place at Court, and have left your Friends at Liberty to form Conjectures about your future Conduct; to continue, or to diſmiſs you, as our Electors do their Repreſentatives. Be this as it will, I confeſs that I rechuſe you, and wiſh that every Court in Europe conſiſted of as honeſt Men.

You are in the right to decline taking M—s, if you find the Scheme too expenſive; and as [175] he could not have come into your Service, without purchaſing his Time out from his Maſter, I believe it will now be his Point to continue with him till the Expiration of his Indentures.

I am now in ſome Sort of Doubt, con⯑cerning the Management of my Snuff-Box; whether to have it repaired in the cheapeſt Way, with a figured Tortoiſe-Shell on the Top, and a plain Tortoiſe-Shell in the Bot⯑tom; or to exchange the Gold of it, and have a figured Tortoiſe-Shell Box with a gold Rim, like yours with a gilt one, only in the Shape of an oblong Square, a little rounded at the Corners. I ſhould have no Thoughts of this, but that my own ſeems too little and unmanly. Give me your Opinion ſoon; though, if this latter Scheme includes much Expence, pro⯑ceed with the former, if you pleaſe, imme⯑diately.

I deſire my gold Claſp and Rim may be directly exchanged; I ſhall have a new gold Claſp and Rim: perhaps, may encloſe a Pat⯑tern for the former, before I ſeal this Letter. [176] Quaere, therefore, whether the Man, who makes it, will now allow moſt in the Exchange.

I believe I ſhall defer the Purchaſe of my favourite Waiſtcoat till the Spring. My Vi⯑ſitants begin to fail me, (though Sir GEORGE LYTTELTON, the Dean, and Mr. LYTTELTON, were here yeſterday) my Verdure abandons me, and I have little elſe to do, than go to ſleep for the Winter.

Pray ſend me the Verſes on Miſs B—R, by the honourable Perſonage. As to mine, you may give Copies, if you pleaſe; but as they are not fully corrected, I hope whoever has thoſe Copies, will take care they be not printed. I can ſay nothing polite at preſent, ſo muſt defer my Acknowledgments to the Ladies at Woolſton, till I write to you again.

Your Letter to Lady LUXBOROUGH was promiſed, ſo I think you ſhould by all Means write, though I confeſs it appears to have been rather too long deferred.

[177]And now having ſpoke to the principal Parts of your Letter, let me conſider what I have to add.

Firſt then, your Tenant, old Mr. P—s, of the Hill-Top, was carried in a Hearſe, through my Grounds, to be buried yeſterday. Mr. I— has been two or three Days in this Country adjuſting Matters with your Tenants. —.

C—Y tells me, you may have your Place ſup⯑plied at the Expence of five Pounds per Year. If ſo, is it not your Point to come down and live at Lappal? I do not herein ſpeak merely for my own Sake. Sir GEORGE told me yeſterday, that he had ſecured me BLOOMER'S Cottage. I ſaid, I was obliged to him, but did not aſk, after what Manner. He promiſed to come and dine, and ſtay a Night with me next Year. In the mean Time, I am beguiled of his dining with me, by your venerable D—; for having had an Offer from him, from Mr. [178] LYTTELTON and the Dean, to take a Dinner here this Week, the D—, through his great Addreſs, conveyed all theſe Honours to the Grange; and to-morrow, it ſeems, Sir GEORGE dines with Maſter PEARSALL. I remonſtrated upon this to Mr. LYTTELTON, at the Grange, in a Manner pretty forcible, and yet tolera⯑bly decent. He excuſed for himſelf and them in a Manner that made me quite ſatisfied with him. He is an excellent young Man.

Let theſe Things ſerve as Leſſons to you, who are a Courtier, not to hope from Am⯑bition to receive the ‘"Plaiſir ſans Peine."’

LETTER XLVI. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to the Ducheſs of SOMERSET.

I FIND myſelf at length enabled to obey your Grace's Commands, after a Delay, but ill expreſſive of the Pleaſure with which I received them. But by ſome Means or other, the Original of this Ode was miſlaid, and it was not immediately in my Power, from ſcat⯑tered Materials, to give it once more the Form, in which it now appears.

I fear it is no leſs requiſite to make an Apology for the Freedom of inſcribing it to your Grace from the Beginning. In this Re⯑ſpect, I have but little to offer, beſide the flattering Imagination, that the Subject might recommend it. It would be no ſmall Vanity in me to preſume, that in Regard to the more elegant Amuſements of a Country Life, I had [180] the Honour to entertain the ſame Sentiments with your Grace; however, ſomething of this Kind I muſt of Neceſſity confeſs, if I would give a genuine Account of the Liberty I have taken.

The additional Fragment was originally in⯑tended as an Epiſode to a much larger Poem on the Subject. It was thrown into its pre⯑ſent Form ſoon after the Rebellion, and it is now tranſcribed, becauſe I would not ſend a vacant Space in my Paper, wherein I had the moſt diſtant Chance of contributing to your Grace's Amuſement.

Lady LUXBOROUGH, who does me the Ho⯑nour of communicating theſe trifling Produc⯑tions to your Grace, will not fail to do me the Juſtice of declaring the ſingular Veneration I have for your Grace's Character. She will teſtify, with how much Diffidence I offer you ſuch imperfect Compoſitions, written at a Diſ⯑tance from every judicious Friend, with too much Inaccuracy, by the Side of Meadows and Streams, from which little can be ex⯑pected, but a Group of rural Alluſions. Above [181] all ſhe will be ſo obliging as to ſuggeſt, how little I am influenced by any other Ambition, compared with that of being eſteemed,

LETTER XLVII. The Ducheſs of SOMERSET to W. SHEN⯑TONE, Eſq.

IF Lady LUXBOROUGH has not been ſo juſt as to let you know that ſhe never con⯑veyed your two excellent Poems to my Hand till laſt Saturday Night, you muſt look upon [182] me as the moſt ungrateful and taſteleſs of all Mortals. I have read them both over more than once with Pleaſure: but will it not ap⯑pear ſtrange, if I confeſs to you, that the Honour you have done me by the Inſcription of the Firſt, and a Stanza or two in the Poem itſelf, has given me ſome Pain? And I ſhall look upon it as a very great Addition to the Favour, if whenever my Name, or that of Piercy-Lodge occurs, you will have the Good⯑neſs to fill the Blank (which leaving out thoſe Words muſt occaſion) with Stars, Daſhes, or any other Mark you pleaſe, without ſuſpecting me of an affected or falſe Modeſty, ſince to either of theſe Accuſations I can honeſtly plead not guilty. The Idea you have formed of my Character, you have taken from a partial Friend, whoſe Good-nature may have (and in this Caſe certainly has) warped her Judgment. The World in general, ſince they can find no Fault in your Poem, will blame the Choice of the Perſon to whom it is inſcribed, and draw mortifying Compariſons betwixt the ideal Lady and the real one. But I have a more impartial Judge to produce, than either my Friend or the World, and that is my own [183] Heart, which though it may flatter me, I am not quite ſo faulty as the latter would repre⯑ſent me, at the ſame Time loudly admoniſhes me, that I am ſtill further from the valuable Perſon Lady LUXBOROUGH has drawn you in to ſuppoſe me.

I hope you will accept theſe Reaſons as the genuine, and moſt ſerious Sentiments of my Mind, which indeed they are, though accom⯑panied with the moſt grateful Senſe of the Ho⯑nour you deſigned me.

I cannot help mentioning another Copy of Verſes of yours, which, if it is not already printed, I hope you will permit Mr. DOD⯑SLEY to add to his new Collection, and that is Damon's Bower, occaſioned by the Death of Mr. THOMSON. If you ſhould have miſ⯑laid the Original, I have a Copy at your Ser⯑vice, which I will tranſmit either to you, in Caſe you ſhould have a Mind to look it over again, or tranſmit it directly to Mr. DODSLEY.

LETTER XLVIII. The Ducheſs of SOMERSET to Lady LUX⯑BOROUGH.

I DID indeed, dear Madam, begin to de⯑ſpair of having the Honour, and (what I felt more ſenſibly) the Pleaſure of hearing from you again. I am ſo ſubject to fall into Errors, that I was afraid ſome unguarded Expreſſion in my laſt Letter might have given you Of⯑fence, and yet my Heart bore witneſs, how far I had been from intending it.

I have been extremely ill the whole Sum⯑mer, and for ſome Weeks believed in great Danger; but, by the Bleſſing of God upon Dr. SHAW's Preſcriptions, I am at preſent, though lean and ill-favoured, much better; yet ſtill obliged to be carried up and down Stairs, for Want of Strength and Breath to carry my⯑ſelf: but I have great Reaſon to bleſs God [185] for the Eaſe I now enjoy. When one comes to the laſt broken Arches of MIRZA's Bridge, Reſt from Pain muſt bound our Ambition, for Pleaſure is not to be expected in this World; where I have no more a Notion of laying Schemes to be executed ſix Months, than I have ſix Years hence; which, I believe, helps to keep my Spirits in an even State of Chear⯑fulneſs to enjoy the Satisfactions which pre⯑ſent themſelves, without anxious Solicitude about their Duration. We have lived to an Age that neceſſarily ſhews us the Earth crum⯑bling under our Feet, and as our Journey ſeems approaching towards the Verge of Life, is it not more natural to caſt our Eyes to the Proſpect beyond it, than by a retroſpective View, to recall the troubleſome Trifles that ever made our Road difficult or dangerous? Methinks it would be imitating LOT's Wife, (whoſe Hiſ⯑tory is not recorded as an Example for us to follow) to want to look back to the mi⯑ſerable Scene we are ſo near eſcaping from.

I have ſpent the laſt three Weeks moſt agree⯑ably. The firſt of them, the Biſhop of Ox⯑ford and Mr. TALBOT, paſſed with us, and [186] had the Goodneſs to leave Miſs TALBOT (whoſe Character I think you muſt have heard) when they went away. She is all the World has ſaid of her, as to an uncommon Share of Un⯑derſtanding: but ſhe has other Charms, which I imagine you will join with me in giving the Preference even to that; a mild and equal Temper, an unaffected pious Heart, and the moſt univerſal Good-will to her Fellow-Crea⯑tures, that I ever knew. She cenſures Nobody, ſhe deſpiſes Nobody, and whilſt her own Life is a Pattern of Goodneſs, ſhe does not ex⯑claim with Bitterneſs againſt Vice. We ſpent a good deal of our Time in our own Rooms, except in the Mornings, but our Time is a good deal broken in upon. Soon after nine we meet in the Chapel; as ſoon as Prayers are over, we go to Breakfaſt, and after that we work, during which, Mr. COWSLAD, or my Chaplain, read aloud; at eleven we go, if the Weather is tolerable, to take the Air for two Hours at leaſt, which Dr. SHAW inſiſts upon my doing. The Moment we get out of the Coach, we ſee no more of one another till three, when the Dinner is punctually upon the Table. Dinner and Tea are both over [187] by five, when we retire till eight, and then go to Prayers; after which we adjourn into the little Library, where we work, and the Gen⯑tlemen read, as in the Morning, till Supper, a Quarter before ten, and it is a Rule to be all in our Rooms a Quarter before eleven.

We are at preſent very highly entertained with the Hiſtory of Sir Charles Grandiſon, which is ſo vaſtly above Pamela or Clariſſa, that I ſhall not be eaſy till you have read it, and ſent me your Sentiments upon it. Miſs TAL⯑BOT received Lady GRAY's [Somewhat omitted, perhaps ſome Remarks on Grandiſon] in a Let⯑ter of ſix Sides, wrote with the greateſt good Senſe and Vivacity imaginable. I fancy ſhe is an excellent and agreeable young Woman.

It is now more than Time to return you Thanks for the Trouble you have taken in conveying Mr. SHENSTONE's admirable Poem^* to me. I have wrote to him this Poſt, and could not do it ſooner, becauſe his Letter was only dated Leaſowes, and I could not find out his Poſt-Town, without ſending to Mrs. STANLEY, whom I do not viſit, and who [188] lives twelve Miles from me. I have expreſſed my Gratitude in the beſt Manner I am able; but am under the Necſſity of declining the Honour he intended me, and have begged him to fill up the Blanks with Stars, or what he pleaſes, whenever my Name, or that of Pier⯑cy-Lodge was deſigned, and I hope he will oblige me.

You ſay, you have been in a Lethargy. Dear Madam, this muſt have proceeded from ſome Oppreſſion upon your Spirits, for which I have known Tar-Water to be a ſovereign Remedy, and wiſh you would try it. Poor Mrs. W—D! but ſince we can ſay nothing to her Honour, let us not expatiate upon her Diſgrace.

Any Thing directed to be left with WIL⯑LIAM PHILLIPS, my Porter, in Downing-Street, will be ſent to me directly.

LETTER XLIX. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Mr. IAGO.

I AM at a Loſs how to begin this Letter. I will not, however, in the uſual Way, give you a tedious Liſt of Apologies in the Front of it. Some Account of my Silence you will find diſperſed throughout the Letter, and as for what is deficient, I will depend up⯑on your Friendſhip.

There has not been a Perſon here ſince you left me, of whom I could obtain the leaſt Intelligence concerning you; and as an Enquiry by the Poſt was my only obvious Method, and as I both owed and promiſed you a Letter at Parting, I do acknowledge my⯑ſelf to blame, notwithſtanding all the Excuſes I can make.

[190]Amidſt all that Conflux of Viſitants whom I received this laſt Seaſon, I was hardly once ſo happy as I was in your Company: I was the happier in ſeeing you ſo, and if you re⯑member, I took Notice at the Time, how little your Vivacity was impaired, in compa⯑riſon of mine. If I was then but a ſorry Companion, it was not Solitude and Winter that could make me a better Correſpondent. That Gaiety and Humour, which you was once ſo partial as to diſcover in my Letters, will hardly appear again there, even to the Eyes of my moſt partial Friend; at leaſt, they will not enliven any Letter that I write in Winter. Yet Friendſhip ſtill remains; Friend⯑ſhip, like the Root of ſome perennial Flower, perhaps even then gathers Strength in Secret, that it may produce a better Diſplay of its Colours in the Spring.

This I do not pretend to be an adequate Apology. I know, my deareſt Friend, that you both like to ſee and to hear from me at all Times; but it proves that you have no great Loſs, either of my Letters or my Company.

[191]I am, as the Phraſe is, deeply penetrated by the Civility of your Neighbour, Mr. MIL⯑LER. He took a ſhort Dinner with me once, dropping Sir GEORGE at Mr. PEARSALL's; he could not have pleaſed me better: he after⯑wards breakfaſted here, and in general ſeemed fond of every Opportunity of bringing good Company to my Hole, the Leaſowes. Do you think that Radway or that Harbury have no Attractions for me? You know me too well to imagine it—But I truly am not well enough to dare to be from Home. Friends will ſay, ‘"You may be as free at my Houſe as at your own,"’ and they will mean what they ſay. But what is this to the Purpoſe, if you can⯑not make yourſelf ſo?

I cannot pretend to give you a Detail of what paſſed ſince I ſaw you. Lord D— with myſelf made one Viſit to Hewell. I will not ſay, that his Lordſhip only, for I alſo was received in the politeſt Manner imaginable. We met Mr. and Mrs. WINNINGTON. We took a Trip to Mr. VERNON's, where we met alſo Mr. COVENTRY, and a deal of other [192] Company. All this would afford Subject for Converſation betwixt you and me, but I muſt not uſe ſo much of my Paper to this Pur⯑poſe.

Lord P—'s Piece of Water ſhould have been only a large Serpentine Stream. I can give you many Reaſons. I think him ſuch a Sort of Character, as may ſhine in Company upon growing older; he is, and muſt be beloved already: he has been here once ſince, and talks of cauſing me to come and deſign for him in his Park. The Plan for the Houſe is right, ſuppoſing it right to continue it. His Park may have many Beauties. I hope ſome time to meet you there.

My Ode after long Delay has been ſent to the Ducheſs of SOMERSET. It has produced me two genteel Letters from her Grace, and I am pleaſed with the Event, for ſome Rea⯑ſons which I could mention.

Soon after this, DODSLEY aſked me to con⯑tribute to a fourth Volume of his Miſcellanies. I meant at firſt to do ſo pretty largely; but I [193] afterwards changed my Mind, and determined to ſend only little Pieces. I did ſend him ſe⯑veral of my own, ſome of my Friends WHIST⯑LER, and GRAVES, and ſome accidental Pieces of yours, which lay in my Drawer. I meant to ſend ſomething of yours of my own Accord, if I was hurried, otherwiſe not without ap⯑plying for Conſent. He wrote me word, laſt Week, that his Publication muſt be deferred, upon Account of the Elections, ſo that we ſhall now have Time enough to meet or write upon the Subject. What I purpoſed was your Linnets, ‘"I owe, &c."’ Dick G—s ſent me the incloſed little comical Fable; I made ſome few Alterations, and put it into DODSLEY's Hands. Be ſo good as to return it, as I have now no other Copy.

Some Correſpondence I have had this Win⯑ter with Mr. H—N, about Toys and Trinkets, which he gets done for me in London. He is by far a better Friend and Correſpondent than a Poet. Should you take a Trip to Town, he would be quite proud to ſee you.

[194]I am like the reſt of the World, peruſing Sir Charles Grandiſon. I don't know whether that World joins me in preferring the Au⯑thor's Clariſſa. He wants the Art of Abridg⯑ment in every Thing he has yet wrote.

My dear Friend, pardon this flegmatic Let⯑ter, and cheriſh and preſerve your own Viva⯑city. If Occaſion offers, do not neglect to call upon me, for my own Sake, and believe you have not alive a more laſting, or, more affectionate Friend, than

LETTER L. The Ducheſs of SOMERSET to W. SHEN⯑STONE, Eſq.

I WOULD ſooner have returned you my Thanks for the Favour of your moſt truly obliging Letter, but was afraid of being too troubleſome, by engaging ſo much of your Time, which you know ſo well how to em⯑ploy to better Purpoſes.

The kind Offer you made me, of ſending me any Thing you occaſionally happened to write, I look upon as the higheſt Obligation; and you will greatly add to it, if you will permit me to ſhew them to a very ingenious Friend of mine, whoſe Ingenuity is her leaſt Praiſe, ſince the even Chearfulneſs of her Temper, the Candour and Integrity of her Heart, joined with the moſt unaffected and honourable Piety, muſt claim the Eſteem of all [196] Lovers of Virtue, who have the Happineſs of being acquainted with her. You may poſſibly have heard of her, as in her very young Days, ſome little Things of her writing got abroad, which were thought worthy of Notice, conſi⯑dering the Age ſhe was then of. She is a Grand⯑daughter of old Biſhop TALBOT's and Niece to the Lord Chancellor of that Name. She has lately ſpent ſix Weeks with me here, and went away only laſt Thurſday.

I take the Liberty to ſend this Letter with⯑out a Cover, as I am conſcious that nothing I write is worth double Poſtage, ſince its only Meaning is to expreſs the Regard with which I am,

LETTER LI. Mr. H— to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

FEW People can boaſt a greater Senſibi⯑lity of the Obligations conferred upon them than myſelf, and few are, I believe, leſs able to repay them: but that I may not ap⯑pear quite defective in both, I will endeavour to ſend you a long, though not a very ele⯑gant Epiſtle, in return for the many obliging ones you have favoured me with.

My Spirits, like yours, have a Tendency towards Retirement, and whatever brings them into violent Action, is ſure to deſtroy them. No leſs than ten or twelve Perſons in different Parts of the Town, who are lately arrived from the Country, have I been obliged to at⯑tend to one Place or another, which, with my own Affairs likewiſe, have often made we wiſh to dwell where no one ſhould find me out for [198] ſeven Years to come. Mr. B—H was one of my Viſitors, and brought great Complaints from SAPPHO, and the Ladies at W—n, againſt me, for not writing according to Promiſe; I have wrote her a very penitential Letter of two Sheets, which I hope will make an At⯑tonement, and produce an Anſwer. Thus far have I wrote a Week ago, and by many Oc⯑currences have been prevented finiſhing my Letter till this Day, when I received yours of the twelfth Current, to which, as well as your former Epiſtles, I will ſcrawl forth ſome Things by Way of Anſwer.

I have at laſt got (after having two returned) a gold Pencil Caſe made to my Mind for you, which with the Aegyptian Pebble, and ſome Im⯑preſſions of my Seals, I packed up in a Box, and carried them myſelf to the White-Horſe, in Friday-Street, laſt Tueſday, in Order to go by ROWLEY's Waggon, but he was gone be⯑fore I arrived there; which induced me to leave the Box (packed up in blue Paper, and ſealed with my Arms) in the Hands of the Wo⯑man of the Houſe, who promiſed herſelf to deliver it to-day to old DANKS, and hope you [199] will receive it ſafe ſome-time next Week. The Pebble I was obliged to return, for I did not think it was made concave and convex enough; it is not quite as I would have it, however, it is as well as I can procure it, and if it pleaſes you, it will pleaſe me of courſe. I ſaw a beautiful Onyx at the Lapidary's, eight Inches long or more, and four broad, it was to be cut for an Etwee. I have bought a Sheet of China Paper, pink Colour, bigger than this, for one Shilling and Six-pence, and ſome few Prints, a new Pair of fine ſilver Buckles, &c.

If I could be aſtoniſhed at any Thing, it would be at the Perplexity and Delay of the Law; and to compleat my Amazement, my Attorney has preſented me with a Bill of Coſts of more than two hundred Pounds. Poſitively I will leave London. My Scheme is this; to board at L—, and ſee no Company, except yourſelf and Lord DUDLEY's Family, on any Account whatever. Do ſtand my Friend, and adviſe me what do in regard to ſettling there. I propoſe to ſend down my Cabinet, and ſome other Boxes, very ſoon. If you will be ſo good [200] to make JOHN TAYLOR and SAMUEL PARKES ſet their merry Men to work for me. I will prepare to depart from London the Be⯑ginning of next Month; muſt call for a few Days at Gore-Lands, as being the firſt viſiting Place in my Rout; next, Oxford will detain me a little while; from thence to Edge-Hills, (to ſee Mr. T—N, who I hear has got a Living of three hundred Pounds per Annum lately fell to him;) next to Coventry, where I muſt ſtay a Fortnight, or perhaps a Month, then to Birmingham, and then to the ne plus ultra of my Tours till next Summer, of which I can ſay nothing certain; however, I will live in Spe melioris Aevi, ^* and, with ſometimes your Company, I ſhall eſteem myſelf happier than if I remained here. Pardon me, when I confeſs, I fear you will think me altered in many Reſpects; that I am no very elegible Companion is moſt certain: what with the Intricacy of my Affairs, indifferent Health, (for my Pain in my Breaſt has troubled me much of late) and ſome other Incidents, I am rendered ſo ſtupid and confuſed, that I ſcarce can rank myſelf a Degree above the [201] verieſt Boor in the Country; and when I come down, I ſhall put a quick Stop to all the in⯑tended Viſits from all the Jack-a-Nokes's and Tom-a-Stiles of Hales-Owen, even though that double-faced Janus you mention were at the Head of them, peeping in at both Doors at once. I abſolutely have laughed very heartily this Afternoon, at your odd Account of the old Cur, whom I ſhould take great Pleaſure to mortify, or even to mar, for he can never be mended before the D—l has him.

I fear your Anger againſt me is at this Hour, (paſt eight at Night) at a Criſis; another very peſtilent Fit will ariſe, worſe than the former on Monday, which I prognoſticate will go off at the ſame Time, the very Inſtant you read this Part in my Letter. Am not I very vain, to think you can ſo very eaſily forgive me; I fear you will have more Reaſon to find Fault with me in the Country, when I ſhall be ſo much nearer to you then than I am now. I do not fiſh for a Compliment, when I ſay, I have many dark Spots for a few white ones: but I flatter myſelf, you will have the Good⯑neſs to bear with my Foibles, more than any [202] body elſe. Be not angry at me for not en⯑cloſing this to Lord D—Y. I write ſo of⯑ten there, and ſo ſeldom have anſwers, that I fear his Lordſhip will think I make too free with him: I deſired a few Franks a while ago, but have heard nothing concerning them; however, do make my reſpectful Compliments at the Grange, when you go there. I hear that Miſs DOLMAN and Miſs MILLWARD are in London; the former I have not ſeen, and the latter I am unacquainted with.

I lately contracted ſome Acquaintance with a Gentleman who is a great Virtuoſo, he is a F. R. S. and has a very fine Collection both of Medals and Foſſils, eſpecially the latter, which he is willing to increaſe, at the Ex⯑pence of the former. I told him of the Dud⯑ley Lime-Pitts; he ſhewed me ſome Foſſils, like thoſe you gave me from thence; begs me to procure him all I could lay my Hands upon, and he would exchange Medals for them. I ſhould be obliged to you, if you meet with any more, to reſerve them till I come down, and in the next to inform me, if you are like⯑ly to procure any for me, as I have promiſed [203] the Gentleman to viſit him again ſoon: you muſt not let the D—y Fellow impoſe upon you, he is ignorant, though impudent. The Gentleman's Name is B—E, of Swediſh Pa⯑rents: I bought ſome ſilver Coins of him very cheap. I ſaw the famous Mr. A. POND at his Houſe in the City, who had a Diamond on his Finger, which I think outſhone the D— of E—'s, who I find is, as a F. R. S. an Acquaintance of theirs. The D—n is gone to E—r.

What to ſay concerning Miſs — I know not! All has been done, and ſaid, and thought of, by all of us that could be. I pity her for her Mother's, as well as for her own Sake, and ſhould be ſorry to have her Mother think her incapable of going into the World; I do aſſure you, (under the Veil of Secrecy) ſhe is too giddy, young and thoughtleſs, as well as proud, to know her own Intereſt, or even, knowing it, to purſue it. A young Lady will not bear with her; and it would be ſomewhat difficult to introduce her to one of middle Age, who would ſtrictly keep her under her Eye, and improve her by Advice and Inſtruc⯑tion [204] more than Command; for ſhe has at School a great deal of Work to very little Book, which I am certain makes her, at her leiſure Hours, fly to Amuſement rather than Study. Do not mention this to Mrs. R. I will talk to Mrs. B— concerning her.

The Poſt-Bell rings, and I muſt conclude this with aſſuring you,

P. S. I am reading the Abbe de MAB⯑BLY's Remarks upon the Romans. It is too conciſe for them who have read but little of their Hiſtory. I will bring it down.

LETTER LII. Mr. H— to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

MY laſt Letter will reach your Hands this Evening; it will be very unamu⯑ſing I dare ſay, and though I ſnatch this Mo⯑ment to write, I do it at the Expence of poſtponing many other affairs; but the me⯑lancholy Occaſion demands, nay compels it.

Poor Miſs D— expired yeſterday Morning at three o'Clock; Dr. B— and Mr. S— were called up to no Purpoſe. Miſs M— fell into violent Hyſterics, and is now very indifferent. What ſad Cataſtrophes oftentimes attend the moſt deſirable and innocent Pleaſures! I will ſay no more of this Matter to you, as I be⯑lieve every Body of her Acquaintance muſt regret the Loſs of her.

I ſaw Mr. CRAWLEY to-day, who enquired after your Health, &c. deſiring his Compli⯑ments [206] to you. I am by him informed, that Miſs L— is one of Mr. W—'s Executors, and will inherit great Part of his Fortune; tho' the Will has a Caveat lodged againſt it, which may probably cauſe ſome Trouble before ſhe can enjoy what I hope will render her inde⯑pendent of the World. Pray do you know whether Lord D— is coming to Town or not? I hear he is.

My Cabinet and Boxes did not go laſt Sa⯑turday it ſeems, but will next—When I ſhall follow them I know not; my Attorney tells me, I muſt ſtay in Town till my Cauſe comes on, and is over. I have taken another Lod⯑ging, but ſhall not go to it till the Middle of next Month; and even then would have you direct your Letters here as uſual. I ne⯑ver ſhall like another Lodging ſo well as I do this.

My Brother, who is my principal Witneſs, is to come up; in ſhort, I have little Time of Relaxation, either to Body or Mind, and wiſh I were once ſettled in the Country. Your kind Invitation to the Leaſowes obliges me much, [207] but do not preſs me to ſee Company, whilſt I am ſo much happier there without. By Com⯑pany, I mean Viſitors whom I am unacquainted withal.

Sir G— L— is to be Treaſurer of the Navy, as reported. People tell me, I ſhould make an Intereſt for myſelf in his Favour. How am I to introduce myſelf? Believe me, I had rather live at L— comfortably upon a lit⯑tle, than be at any great Pains to acquire much here. Pray write ſoon to

LETTER LIII. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Mr. H—.

I Write in the utmoſt Aſtoniſhment and Con⯑fuſion of Spirit!—I wonder Mr. C— did not give me ſome Intimation of Miſs D—'s Ill⯑neſs before. However, all her Relations will think themſelves laſtingly indebted both to him and to all beſide who have contributed their kind Endeavours to further her Recovery. We are under a terrible Anxiety concerning her. Sa⯑tisfied as I am of the Abilities and Vigilance of Dr. B—, and convinced of the friendly Care of her Acquaintance that attend her, I ſhall dread to look into the Letter that I expect by to-morrow's Poſt. God grant it may be favourable! I have Hopes given me to-night; Mr. D— ſends me Word, that the Letter he received on Thurſday (probably writ⯑ten after yours) acquainted him, that the Puſ⯑tules began to turn; that ſhe was then better, and that they hoped the worſt was paſt.

[209]Believe me uniformly your Friend, but do not expect me to dwell upon many Particu⯑lars to-night, nor ſuffer any Thing I have ſaid to diſcourage you, in your Scheme of retiring into this Country. Will not the Grange, or the Leaſowes, be endurable for one half Year, and that the Summer half Year, when they dreſs themſelves afreſh to pleaſe you?

Your Cabinet nor Oyſters are neither yet brought me, whatever be the Reaſon. Leave my Compliments to dear Miſs D—, and all that attend on her. Send me five Lines at leaſt every Poſt next Week.

Adieu!

LETTER LIV. Mr. H— to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

I Really compaſſionate your Sufferings, both of Body as well as Mind, the former (the Tooth-ach I mean) may perhaps ſoon be re⯑medied, the latter, I fear, muſt be effected by Time, But it is needleſs, as well as imper⯑tinent, in me to moralize to you upon this, or any other unavoidable Misfortune, who know how to reconcile the ſeeming Contradictions in the Decrees of Providence, and to ſubmit to them in a better Manner than People of weak⯑er Judgments than yourſelf can. Let me have the Pleaſure, my dear Friend, to find your Spirits unbroken by this Shock, and endeavour to ſhake off the Melancholy you are too ſub⯑ject to indulge, to the Prejudice of your Health, when Accidents like this, or ſometimes leſs, befal you. I have not ſeen Mr. C—, (nor can I till Thurſday) therefore do not pretend to ſend [211] you any more Particulars, relating to the un⯑welcome News you have received. I beg, if you would have me think you well, to let me hear from you immediately.

I am extremely pleaſed with your Argument upon Enmity and Revenge; it is my own Way of thinking, yet I often lament, that I am compelled to act contrary to it, in the Proſe⯑cution of my Law-Suit againſt —, the faithleſs Guardian of my younger Days and ſhattered Fortune. If any Man will take my Coat, I muſt give him my Cloak alſo. This is very ſelf-denying Doctrine, and what I ſcarce think was intended to be literally accepted. I have been theſe three Days paſt attending on my Attorney, about ſettling ſome diſagreeable Truths relating to my Cauſe; and greatly wronged as I am, I would forgive the Author of my Evils, if he would reſtore what he un⯑juſtly detains from me, and baniſh himſelf from my Knowledge, without calling him to Ac⯑count for what his Extravagancy has hitherto robbed me of; this I fear he will not do, and Self-preſervation will compel me to take all Advantages I can.

[212]I am greatly concerned to think, I ſhall not be able to come down before the End of Summer. I will write to Mr. I—, to ſee what he can do with A— T—, in order to make him quit, when he meets him at Birmingham; am much obliged to you, for the Trouble you already have had, and ſtill offer to undertake to ſerve me.

As I am in great Expectations my Cauſe will be determined this Summer, I would defer doing any Thing material at L— till it is over, unleſs it be putting the Parlour in ſome Repair when the Tenants quit, which I ſhall deſire them by Mr. I— to comply with.

More Particulars I will mention in my next, and will write next Poſt, notwithſtanding Franks, I am told, will not go after to-night. Adieu, dear Sir, and let your next aſſure me, of your being as well as I can wiſh you, which will be the greater Satisfaction

LETTER LV. Mr. H— to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

I Should not have let two Poſts ſlip away ſince I received your laſt Letter, dated the 6th Inſtant, could I have avoided ſuch an Omiſſion; I will give my Reaſons for ſo doing before I end my Letter.

When I reflect upon the melancholy Situa⯑tion of Mind you labour under, I think I ſhould not indulge it. It is offering an una⯑vailable Sacrifice to an irremediable Misfortune. I can ſympathize with my Friend, and partake of his Grief, yet it is not, I believe, any Im⯑peachment of a compaſſionate Temper, to en⯑deavour to remove thoſe Ideas from the Mind (if they impair the Health of the Sufferer) which are too violent for it; even though the Object were (if poſſible) more meritorious than the greatly-lamented Lady who was ſo [214] ſuddenly hurried from us: however, while this Cataſtrophe is ſo recent, I may venture to write upon a Subject which I hope Time will draw the Veil over, though not totally efface; you expect it from me; yet I know few Par⯑ticulars that have not very probably reached your Ears by other Hands. I purpoſely avoid⯑ed going to Mr. C—'s, by Reaſon of the great Confuſion they were in, till the Middle of this Week, when I called, and paid the Thanks you deſired, both to that Family and Dr. B—, for their Care and Attendance. Mrs. C—'s little Girl was ſent out of the Way, and is not permitted to come Home yet; ſhe has been ſo ill herſelf, that it was feared ſhe would have miſcarried, but is now better. Miſs M—D came into the Room while I was there, and aſked much after you and Mr. D—, whom ſhe was glad to hear was gone to D—'s. She deſired me to remember her Compliments when I wrote to you, and ſhould be glad to hear how you were in Health. I thought ſhe looked a little Wild, and was fearful of mentioning any Thing that might diſorder her again; they tell me, ſhe is, in a Manner, quite well, for when ſhe was at the worſt, Ophelia in Ham⯑let, [215] Mrs. B— ſaid, could not equal her Deli⯑rium.

Mrs. B— could ſcarcely refrain her Tears when ſhe ſpoke upon the Subject, and it gave me great Pain to hear her Detail. She told me, the Doctor left her at half an Hour paſt ten as well as could be expected. At three in the Morning, the Nurſe went down Stairs; Miſs M— dropt aſleep, when Miſs S— perceived the poor Lady ſtruggling to ſpit, and though every Aſſiſtance was imme⯑diately at Hand, ſhe expired in leſs than five Minutes. The Doctor returned, Mrs. B— ſaid, ſo affected, that he did not recover his Spirits for two or three Days afterwards, and wiſhed often, that he had never known her, though every body is well ſatisfied with what he did; Miſs M—, in particular, ſpoke in Raptures upon the Tenderneſs of Conduct, and friendly Affability that appeared through his whole At⯑tendance.

I will here put an End to my Narration. I fear I have ſaid too much, and am almoſt inclined not to ſend what I have wrote. My [216] Motives for not writing ſooner appear on the other Side; only a diſagreeable Hurry you will find.

You may, perhaps, remember me to have mentioned a Relation I had in Norfolk, of my Name, who always was ſeemingly fond of me, and having no Children, promiſed to make me his Heir. I was ſent for by a Gentleman, a few days ago, who informed me, he was dead and buried; that his Will was proved in the Country, the Contents of which he knew nothing of; but that the Executors have ſold off all his Effects. I wrote laſt Tueſday to an Attorney near there, to whom I gave Orders to ſeek out the Executors, and ſend me a Copy of the Will. My Time has been ſome⯑what employed in ſeeking what Intelligence I could amongſt his Acquaintance here, who none of them had heard of his Death. I ne⯑ver had any great Reaſon to expect any Thing from this Gentleman; and I think it an Abuſe upon a Perſon's Credulity, to amuſe and de⯑ceive one with unmeaning Promiſes and falſe Hopes. If I am diſappointed, I will not ſuf⯑fer it to grieve me one Moment, but forget [217] it as ſoon as poſſible; to which Purpoſe, I will (if Mr. I— can ſpare me) come down to the Leaſowes for a Week or two, as my Cauſe will not come on theſe two Months, I be⯑lieve.

I do not find that Mr. COVENTRY and Mr. PYTTS are likely to have an Oppoſition in Worce⯑ſterſhire, therefore my Appearance will not ſerve them much, but only will prove an unneceſ⯑ſary Expence to myſelf. I have been impor⯑tuned, by many well-wiſhers to me, to congra⯑tulate Sir G— L— on his new acquired Ho⯑nour. Where would the Advantage be to either? I declare I would not (contracted as my For⯑tune is) willingly accept a Place of one hun⯑dred Pounds per Annum, to be confined to one Spot. I wiſh I were once fixed at ſome Cer⯑tainty in the Country, and twice that Sum ſhould not move me. I ſeemingly contradict myſelf, but you underſtand my Meaning. I would not ſell my Liberty.

Let me beg you to write to me ſoon; I hope you will be more capable of ſo doing than you were a while ago. Remember me [218] to Lord D—'s Family, whom I wiſh (the better Part I mean) Succeſs and Happineſs. I can learn no Particulars concerning Mr. W—'s Affairs. Miſs R— dines with me to-morrow, at Dr. B—'s. I am obliged to break off—Believe me, with every good Wiſh for your Health and Welfare,

P. S. I have wrote to I— I—, at L—, to quit the Rooms, that they may be repaired. I thank you kindly for taking Care of my Boxes. I have ſeen many curious Foſſils at Mr. BRANDER's, who has promiſed me ſome of his Duplicates. I can't procure the Plates of your old Box; they were thrown away: but I will bring ſomething better in lieu of them when I come down.

Pray preſent my Compliments to Lady LUX⯑BOROUGH when you write. I have not heard [219] from SAPPHO yet. I have ſome fine Impreſ⯑ſions of Seals given me to Day, and I have bought ſome beautiful Etchings of Dollabella's this Week. Once more, adieu!

LETTER LVI. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Mr. D—.

THE Arrival of your Servant gave me a retroſpective View of my own intolera⯑ble Omiſſions, and oppreſſed me with ſome⯑what like the Load of an evil Conſcience. I muſt allow that Appearances make againſt me; and yet I muſt and will aſſert, that there is no one has a truer Reſpect for Mr. D—, a deeper Senſe of his Civilities, a greater Re⯑liſh for his Company, or a more lively De⯑ſire to partake of thoſe Beauties which he is daily diſtributing round his Situation. Of theſe laſt, Miſs F— F— has ſometimes favoured me [220] with the greateſt Encomiums: I am ſure ſhe knew how much I ſhould enjoy them, and might alſo mean them as Inducements (which I never yet wanted) to haſten the Viſit I in⯑tended you at W—. Alas! neither her Plea⯑ſure in giving me theſe Deſcriptions, nor mine in receiving them, were unmixed with Pain; as ſhe was too often forced to adjoin but an indifferent Account of poor Miſs D—'s Health. For this, and for the Affliction it occaſions you and Mrs. D—, I really feel a Concern that I am not ſatisfied to expreſs in the ordinary Forms of Condolence.

I have paſſed this Summer in a Series of Diſſipation; betwixt ſome Events diſagreeable enough, and others that wear at leaſt the Ap⯑pearance of Pleaſure. I have done (what I muſt call) a good deal round my Place. Com⯑pany produced new Operations, and new Ope⯑rations produced almoſt daily Company. The Line of my Path is now almoſt univerſally ex⯑tended to the Sides of Hedges, and, together with ſome ſlighter Improvements, have been added two new Caſcades: of the firſt of theſe, I believe you have heard ſome Account; it is [221] really, if you'll pardon ſuch an Expreſſion from the Proprietor, a very great Thing for the Size of it.

My Servant has been weekly upon the Point of ſetting out for D— Houſe, ever ſince the Time I firſt heard of your Return to it: but as he is here much leſs of the Footman or Groom, than the River-God, he has been al⯑moſt continually called upon to unlock and conduct his Rivulets; for this Fortnight, in⯑deed, or three Weeks laſt, he has been leſs importuned on that Score; but then, during that Space, arrived a Viſitant, who is now with me in the Houſe, and, till the Time of whoſe Departure was aſcertained, I was unable to fix a Day when I could wait upon you and Mrs. D—: I hope to do ſo about the Mid⯑dle of next Week; and will not fail to ſend TOM over upon Monday or Tueſday. If he can be of any poſſible Service, in Regard to the Caſcades you propoſed (and I think his Head a clear one) you are welcome to com⯑mand him over as often as you pleaſe. I have detained your Servant much beyond the Time he purpoſed to return. I can therefore only [222] deſire my beſt Compliments to Mrs. D—, and aſſure her, that my Muſe is not leſs at her Service, and beg your Acceptance of this Ode to, &c. and would, I am ſure, eſteem it greater Honour to embelliſh your Place than mine. I wiſh you do not find it obſcure; however, if it diſcover but an ordinary Talent for Poetry, it will diſcover at leaſt a warm Attachment to rural Improvement. With this I ſhall be quite contented, ſo long as I think it has the leaſt Tendency to recommend me to Mr. D—'s good Opinion.

LETTER LVII. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Lady LUXBOROUGH.

I FIND it neceſſary to write to your Lady⯑ſhip this Week, not being able to endure that you ſhould think hardly of me, during the Time that may elapſe before I can poſſi⯑bly ſee you. When I have the Honour of doing ſo, I truſt that I can eraſe any unfa⯑vourable Impreſſions, and very fairly acquit myſelf of all voluntary Neglect; meantime, let me only beg, that you would ſuſpend your Accuſation. I wiſh I could fix a Time for the Performance of this Viſit, but it is not in my Power: ſuch Weather as the preſent does not only numb ones Limbs, but extends its Severity to our Projects, Hopes and Reſo⯑lutions. Your Ladyſhip well knows how Win⯑ter affects me; and have indeed yourſelf re⯑marked it in the very Style of my Letters. [224] I am dull enough to be unworthy of a Con⯑verſation much inferior to yours; and if I add, that I am a little peeviſh withal, I ſhall do myſelf no Injuſtice. Were it then poſſi⯑ble to retain the ſame venomous or torpid Qualities, when arrived upon the Coaſt of Bar⯑rels, I ought in common Policy to confine myſelf at Home: but I have been, and am confined upon a different Score, a Kind of Partition-treaty with Maſter D—, and when this is concluded or broken off, as I truſt will ſoon be the Caſe, I ſhall not then draw Excuſes from the Stupidity with which it is my Fate to be viſited in Winter. I have, indeed, ſome⯑times imagined, that I brightened up in your Company, when I had before eſteemed it as impoſſible as that you ſhould poliſh a Piece of Cinder or of Spunge.

I have expected to ſee DODSLEY's Miſcellany advertiſed ſix Weeks ago. Had he allowed me but one Half of this Time to deliberate, I could have adjuſted the Share we have of it much more to my own Satisfaction. I know but little what he has done, in Conſequence of that diſcretionary Power, with which, through [225] mere Haſte, I was obliged to intruſt him; and this poſſibly at a Time when his own Hurry was as great as mine. But this I know, that in all I did myſelf, you may expect to trace the Finger of Stupidity precipitated.

Stupidity, however, is many an honeſt Man's Lot; Preſumption is leſs excuſable; and it is with the utmoſt Humility, that I beg your La⯑dyſhip's Pardon for the Liberty I took in pro⯑poſing what I thought might be an Improvement of your Verſes. I have only this to plead, that you write theſe lively Pieces almoſt extempore; that you lay no Streſs upon them, and ſcarce ever reviſe them; that, on theſe Accounts only, I thought it poſſible an Expreſſion not altogether exact might here and there eſcape you; that finding my Propoſals diſapproved, I did all my Time would allow, to cauſe DOD⯑SLEY to have Recourſe to your original Rea⯑dings; and if he have not done ſo univerſally, (as I apprehend may be the Caſe) thoſe Rea⯑dings may be reſtored in any future Impreſ⯑ſion. I will reſume the Subject on ſome other Occaſion; at preſent let me only mention, that DODSLEY, when he wrote to me laſt, deſired my [226] Opinion, whether or no he ſhould be thought impertinent if he preſented your Ladyſhip with a complete Set of his Miſcellanies. It ſeems the three firſt Volumes are out of Print at this Time; but will be reprinted in about a Month: the fourth he gives me Reaſon to ex⯑pect every Day.

I am particularly glad to hear that your Health is tolerable, during this rigorous Wea⯑ther, as it gives me Room to conceive the Ad⯑vantage you may derive from a better. How do I long for the Approach of Spring! Me⯑thinks I could travel Leagues to meet it, were it poſſible by ſo doing to bring it faſter on its Way: and yet, unleſs it ſhould ſupply me with Health, as well as with Company, with Spirits, as well as Spring-Flowers, and in one Word, enliven both the Farmer, and the Farm, what would it avail? The two Ca⯑nary Birds that were given me about three Weeks ago ſing whilſt I am writing; ſing from Morn to Night, and that with all the Vigour which the Spring itſelf could inſpire; yet I do not half enjoy them; my Mind is not in tune: [227] the Commencement of my Spring muſt receive its Date at Barrels. I am, with conſtant At⯑tachment,

LETTER LVIII. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Mr. GRAVES.

PARDON the Arrival of this one more Letter without a Frank; I have ſent ſome Covers to my Lord of D—, who is down, and ſhall probably enough receive them before I write again.

There is nothing that I can leſs forgive the World than your Want of Leiſure. Do not miſinterpret me, or take amiſs what I ſay. I know you to be infinitely more happy than [228] myſelf, who am cloyed with it: but it would add ſomething to my Happineſs, if not to your own, that you had more vacant Spaces or Intervals of Time to employ in thoſe re⯑fined Amuſements, for which you are ſo ex⯑quiſitely qualified.

I am in doubt, whether I ſhould add Mot⯑tos to my Seal, or not rather cauſe the Circum⯑ference, which at preſent is rather of the largeſt, to be contracted. Should you have ſtruck out any Thing ſince you wrote to me, you will be ſo good as to let me know.

As to Sun-Dials, I never much affected the Things themſelves, nor indeed any Mottos with which I have ſeen them inſcribed; perhaps this Indifference may ariſe from no very com⯑mendable Sources, a Reflection upon my own Want of Proficiency in Mathematics, and an habitual Conſciouſneſs of my own Waſte of Time. However, I have often had Thoughts of placing a ſlight one ſomewhere upon my Premiſes, for the Sake of inſcribing it with a Couple of Lines from VIRGIL:

All the Lines in VIRGIL afford me that Sort of Pleaſure which one receives from melancho⯑ly Muſic; and I believe I am often ſtruck with the Turn and Harmony of his Expreſ⯑ſion, where a Perſon leſs attached to theſe can diſcover no great Beauty.

I told you, how much I was vexed that DODSLEY did not ſuffer me to avail myſelf of the Time that paſſed from the Correction of the Proof-Sheets to the Publication of his Book. He has at laſt ſent me a Copy, which I received laſt Thurſday Se'en-night. I wiſh the laſt Stanza of WHISTLER's Verſes upon Flowers had remained as he himſelf wrote it: but being ſomewhat diſſatisfied with the ori⯑ginal Reading, and having no Time left to improve it myſelf, I left it to D—, who I think has made it worſe; however, in this Reſpect, and ſome others, it may be proper to [230] fix one's Eye upon a ſubſequent Impreſſion; and DODSLEY has acted as diſcreetly as it was poſſible for him to do, conſidering what In⯑ſtructions were given him, and how much was left to his Diſcretion. Our Contributions may be ſaid to begin with Mr. SOMERVILLE's Ad⯑dreſs, &c. Page 302; amongſt which he has inſerted two Odes (Page 305 and 307) to which I am a Stranger. The Song marked J. S. H. is my Neighbour Mr. H—'s, who has a pretty Collection of Drawings, Petrefactions, and Coins. The Lady of Quality you know; and as to all the Pieces that follow, you know the Authors of them as well as I do. I will not anticipate your own Obſervations; but I cannot help remarking that MILTON's Il Pen⯑ſeroſo has drove half our Poets crazy: it has, however, produced ſome admirable Odes to Fancy, amongſt which, that of WHARTON (not in this Volume) I think deſerves the Prefe⯑rence; and after his, MERRICK's, PENSHURST, and the Ode on Solitude are of the ſame Tribe, and are good. The Pleaſures of Melancholy, and MARIOTT's Ode to Fancy, of the ſame Tribe, are indifferent. There is nothing I am more pleaſed with, than Father FRANCIS's Prayer, [231] MRS. BERKLEY repeated it to me in my Root-Houſe this laſt Summer, and, I think, ſaid it was Mr. WEST's. I could wiſh I had made you ſome Compliments in this Volume, for particular Reaſons, and had reſolutely done ſo, had your own Diffidence permitted me.

I have now and then ſome Thoughts of printing that Ode to the Ducheſs, together with ſomething ſufficient to make a twelve or an eighteen-penny Pamphlet, about the Time the Parliament riſes; but not unleſs it ſits till June as was reported, and not unleſs you will pro⯑miſe me the Favour of your Aſſiſtance.

'Tis the Property of great Delicacy, to be often-times too diffident; poſſibly then you may not long perſevere in that Manner of ſpelling your Name, which you ſeem at preſent to prefer; yet is nothing ſo clear to me, as that yourſelf and your Relations ſhould ſpell their Name GREAVES to the End of the World—Nati Natorum & qui naſcentur ab illis. ^*

[232]COWPER's Performance is all that you think it: but would you ſee both his Style and Sentiments effectually demoliſhed, look into the Account of Books in that Gentleman's Maga⯑zine where it was firſt advertiſed.

You will gueſs that I ſhall want impatiently to hear from you, when you have received your Set of Books, or peruſed them elſewhere.

LETTER LIX. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Mr. B—.

THE affectionate Letter I received from you ought to have been anſwered by the next Poſt; it had been ſo, if I had purſued the Dictates of a Heart, I will not ſay, al⯑together [233] happy in our Reconciliation, but more properly in the Manifeſtation of our ever-un⯑divided Friendſhip. I have had a large Con⯑flux of Viſitants this Summer, and the Diſſi⯑pation they have occaſioned me, was for the moſt Part very agreeable. But it muſt not be by any Acceſſion of Pleaſure, that I at⯑tempt to excuſe my unſeaſonable Neglect of writing; for Pleaſure I have in writing to my Friends, when my Mind is free from Anxiety, and that Pleaſure connected with a Duty I owe to Friendſhip, ſuperior to what is claimable by any mere Viſitant or Acquaintance; yet I can⯑not but confeſs the Change which a very few Years have wrought in me; for ſurely it is not long ſince I wearied you, and the reſt of my Correſpondents, with my Aſſiduity; where I now write one Letter, I then wrote twenty: mean while, the Warmth of my Heart is not diminiſhed, with regard to Friendſhip; I know it from the Pleaſure which the Receipt of your Letter gave me. Of this Kind are the only Pleaſures which accompany us through Life; they encreaſe upon Repetition, and grow more lively from Indulgence. ‘"Vient l'Appetit en mangeant,"’ was, I think, an Anſwer made [234] by a French Courtier to his Sovereign, when it was objected to him by the latter, that there was no End of his Importunities. But whatever odd Inſtances may be found of a perverted Appetite, the Maxim is only univer⯑ſal, in regard to ſocial Pleaſure. The Caſe is not the ſame, with regard to Pleaſures of Senſe; it is not ſo even with regard to Plea⯑ſures of Imagination. Accordingly, though I firſt embelliſhed my Farm, with an Eye to the Satisfaction I ſhould receive from its Beauty, I am now grown dependent upon the Friends it brings me, for the principal Enjoyment it affords; I am pleaſed to find them pleaſed, and enjoy its Beauties by Reflection. And thus the durable Part of my Pleaſure appears to be, at the laſt, of the ſocial Kind.

With much Willingneſs would I have waited upon your Friend Colonel C— this Year, but for the perplexing Law-Suit in which I am involved with young D—. It has made me rude to my Superiors, deaf to all inviting Of⯑fers, and neglectful, at once, to my old Friends and my new. Pray make my Compliments to him, and aſſure him how ſenſible I am of the [235] Honour he has done me. Another Year, if I live, will, I hope, make me ſome Amends for this, by affording me an Opportunity of wait⯑ing upon him and you.

Pray alſo make my Compliments to Mr. and Mrs. P—, and Dr. C—, and my Peace with the A—n Family, or any other where you viſit, that may miſtake Neceſſity for Diſ⯑reſpect. Above all, recommend me to Mrs. B— in the beſt Manner you are able, which, I take it, is by aſſuring her, that I ever have been, and am, and will be while I live,

LETTER LX. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Mr. S—.

I AM truly glad to hear of your Recep⯑tion with our worthy Admiral, to whom I will take the firſt Occaſion of conveying my Acknowledgments. It is not quite clear from your Letter, whether you are Mate or Midſhipman; but whatever your Poſt may be, I hope, and make no Doubt, that you will endeavour to fill it as becomes you. Should you happen to be continued in the Admiral's own Ship, you will have the Honour to ſerve more immediately under the moſt generous Man alive; whoſe Penetration will not ſuffer any Degree of Merit to eſcape his Notice, and who will allow yours the more Conſideration, on Account of his Regard for me. As the beſt Means, therefore, of promoting your In⯑tereſt, you will need to concern yourſelf little further, than to deſerve well; and this by an [237] uniform Courſe of Diligence and Sobriety, by the ſtricteſt Attention to Honour and your Du⯑ty, and by a Conduct entirely free from all Artifice and Diſguiſe. You have an honeſt, open Countenance; I do not in the leaſt queſ⯑tion that you will verify it in your Behaviour; neither do I drop any of theſe Hints, as though I miſtruſted your Conduct; I do unfeignedly believe them to be every one ſuperfluous: how⯑ever, it may prove a Satisfaction for you to reflect, that the Temper, which I truſt is na⯑tural to you, is what I think moſt likely to recommend you to the Admiral. And be aſ⯑ſured, that you ſhall acquire no Reputation in the Service, which ſhall not be ſeconded by all the Intereſt and good Offices of your affec⯑tionate Kinſman,

LETTER LXI. Mr. SP— to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

AFTER a Journey of above a Month, is it not very reaſonable to allow a Man of my Age, a Month to reſt himſelf? I have been here indeed ſo long; but Viſits, and re⯑turning Viſits, and Buſineſs, have prevented moſt of it from being a Time of Reſt. I am now ſet down to writing Letters, which I ve⯑rily believe will take up another Month, for, on caſting up my Accounts of that Kind, I found myſelf no leſs than forty-ſeven in Debt; a Number, for which I am ſure you muſt pity me.

I don't know how to thank you enough, for all the Pleaſure we had during the Week we were at the Leaſowes. I have talked of it every Day ſince, and dream of it a-nights. If you loved travelling as well as I do, I ſhould [239] certainly beſeech you to come and ſtay a Month or two here at Durham; and I ſhould be the more encouraged to do ſo, becauſe our Friend Mr. DODSLEY left us quite in love with the Place; (I don't mean the Town itſelf, but the Walks about it.) Indeed, if Wood, and Water, and Wildneſs, are the Things that make a Place agreeable, we are as muſt obliged to Nature here, and more, than any Town I have ever ſeen, either at Home or abroad.

My Obligations to you are not confined to Shropſhire, and your delightful Paradiſe in it; but ſpread through all the Counties that we paſſed; and increaſed, when we had Time to ſet down here, from your Works of another Kind; they often gave me the greateſt Plea⯑ſure, not only from their Spirit and Elegance, but from the good Heart that ſhines forth throughout them. Whatever Excellencies a Writer poſſeſſes, and to whatever Degree, this is the true Sun, that gives the nobleſt gild⯑ing of all to his Compoſitions; and you muſt give me leave to ſay, that you are the moſt ſun-ſhiny Writer of this Kind that ever warmed me.

[240]If, in the firſt Month that you can't walk abroad, you would favour me with the natural Hiſtory, how, and why, and in what Order, you laid out every Part of your Gardens, it would not only be a Continuation of the Plea⯑ſure you have given me ever ſince I ſaw you, but would be, I dare ſay, of particular Uſe to me, as a Guide and Aſſiſtant in many Things, and particularly in thoſe two great Articles of Viſtos and Caſcades. What I wrote down, was a mere Skeleton of the Ground, and was only intended to enable me to take all the Round of it, whenever I ſhould want to do ſo, in my Imagination; but what I would beg of you, is, a more lively Account of a Place, that is ſo much mine and every Body's Fa⯑vourite.

I went from you to Scotland, as I fear too many People do, with an Expectation of ſcarce ſeeing any Thing there worth ſeeing: but after paſſing above one hundred Miles of it, through bad Roads, over Mountains, by Cottages com⯑poſed of Dirt, and a barren, bleak Country, we were very agreeably ſurpriſed, on our Approach [241] toward Edinburgh, to find ourſelves in an open Country, well cultivated, and in a noble View, that ſtruck us with double Pleaſure, from our being uſed ſo long to ſee almoſt nothing but what was diſpleaſing. When you have coaſted the Pentland Hills, and get upon a Riſing, you ſee the City all at once, ſpread in a Line before you, with the Caſtle to the right, the Palace and a Rock (the middle Part of which is called ARTHUR's Seat) to the left; and a vaſt Baſon of Water (the Frith of Forth) ap⯑pearing from behind it; the Country near is varied with little Swells and Riſings, and ſtud⯑ded with Villas; the Land ſpreads on with a chearful and cultivated Look, and the whole is terminated with a long Range of Hills, that grow dimmer and ruder, quite on to thoſe of the Highlands. You may a little conceive of what an Extent this View muſt be, when I aſſure you, that the Baſon of Water about the Mid⯑dle of it does not appear at all over-propor⯑tioned, and yet we were aſſured, that it was ſixty Miles long, about thirty in the broadeſt Part, and fifteen in its opening to the Sea. I could ſay much more of this ſame Edinburgh, but I have been already rather too diffuſive.

[242]When you ſee Mr. BASKERVILLE, I beg my Compliments to him, and all the good Family. May you long enjoy the delicious Spot you live in; and may you always look upon me as a faithful Friend, and one of

P. S. Could you ſend me a Receipt how to build a Root Houſe? In my wild Abbey-Grounds, I have a Place that aſks for one loudly; but we have neither any Gentleman or Artiſt here, who underſtands any Thing of that Stile of Architecture.

Secondly, I hope you won't forget your Promiſe of a Viſit to me at B— next May.

Thirdly, Mr. DODSLEY told me, you de⯑ſired me to mark any Thing that I thought ſuſpicious in your Elegies; and wherever I [243] had the leaſt Feeling of any ſuch Thing in my Mind, I have writ it down, without much Reaſon, but with great Honeſty. I beg you would look upon them only as Queries, and not as Aſſertions.

LETTER LXII. Mr. W— to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

BEING gone for a few Days to Hampton-Court, I did not receive the Favour of yours ſo ſoon as you might naturally imagine, conſequently it was not in my Power to write to you by the returning Poſt; and ever ſince being full of Employment, I deferred that Pleaſure till the preſent Moment, which I fear will produce little worth your Attention; how⯑ever, ſuch as it is I give unto you.

[244]In going to Hampton-Court, I met with lit⯑tle or nothing curious or entertaining, as in⯑deed mere Motion and Horſe-Language are Subjects that afford no great Matter for Nar⯑rative. As to the Place, it is a flat, but very pleaſant, and has the Advantage of being al⯑ways dry. The Palace has externally little to recommend it beſides Bulk, and in this Re⯑ſpect, it would excite the Admiration of my Friend Dr. A—, who would call it a noble Pile. There are many grand Rooms within, and ſome fine Paintings; but the Method of ſhewing ſuch Places would not allow me much Time to examine them. The Gardens are all in the Dutch Taſte, with Ever-greens and ſtrait Canals, and ſome fine Braſs Statues interſperſed; there is a Terraſs by the Side of the Thames a great Length, with a Wall on one Side, and Iron Palliſades on the other, which, from the Quantity of Iron and the Workmanſhip, will deſerve the Approbation of thoſe who deal in that Manufacture, but I think their leaſt Merit is in the Place they occupy. I took ſeveral Walks round about, and the Number of Gentlemen's Seats and neat Villages in the Neighbourhood make it a de⯑ſirable Situation. Mr. GARRICK has built at [245] Hampton a Rotund Temple, in Honour of SHAKESPEARE, but I could not have an Oppor⯑tunity of ſeeing the Inſide of it. The Morn⯑ing I was to go to London, the Stage was full, therefore being very dry and pleaſant, I walked to Town; but taking Cold that Night after⯑wards at the Play, I was laid up for a Week. On my Return to Covent-Garden, I found, be⯑ſides your Letter, a Card from Mr. D—; I waited on him the next Morning, but had not the Pleaſure to find him at Home; he has ſince, however, been ſo obliging as to call on me, when I told him your Requeſt, which he promiſed to gratify. He was to have dined with the Mr. K—s and me on Sunday laſt, but ſent us Word, he had that Morning loſt ſome Blood. Mr. K— promiſes to write to you ſoon; he gave me ſome of Mr. P—'s Subſcrip⯑tions, which I make no Doubt but I ſhall diſpoſe of as ſoon as I go abroad; for not having a ſingle Article of Mourning by me, I am obliged to buy all new, and my Taylor is a Man of ſuch Conſequence, that I have not been able to obtain the Favour of mine from his Hands yet.

[246]I have not ſeen Mr. DODSLEY ſome Time; I intend him a Viſit ſoon. I have not met yet with an Antinous. Mr. K— and I ſhall ſome Morning ſcrutinize all the Shops in Town. It is very odd, that not many Nights ago, I dreamt ſomebody had made you a Preſent of one; if that ſhould happen to be the Caſe hereafter, I ſhall have more Faith in Dreams than ever I had before.

All public Diverſions were ſtopped for a Week on the Death of the Prince of ORANGE; how the Town ſo long ſubſiſted without, and what new Amuſement ſerved to kill Time, would be a Subject well worth knowing. There has been a ſucceſsful Method thought of to tax Curioſity theſe laſt three Weeks, with the Sight a famous Mohawk Warrior, armed with his Scalping Knife, Battle Axe, &c. and painted in the Indian Manner for War: his Body is ſtained Mahogany, but his Face is made moſt terrific by the Hand of ſome Sign-Poſt APPELLES; in his Cheeks, the Red is very predominant; his Eye-Brows owe their Breadth and Colour to a thick Stratum of Lamp-black, and his Noſe is not [247] leſs remarkable for a large Line of ſable. He goes through his Exerciſe with great Ex⯑pedition; performs the War Dance and Whoop, which is a Noiſe unheard in this Part of the World before: all this is very fine, exceeding curious, &c. but will not you laugh when I tell you who this formidable Hero is, Ecce ite⯑rum Criſpinus! Mr. FOOTE, and no leſs a Man; if 'tis not him in propriâ perſonâ, it is one of his Agents; 'tis certain it is no In⯑dian; if it was, he could not bear Confine⯑ment: another Circumſtance, Mr. FOOTE is miſſing, and has not been ſeen ſince the Arrival of this Mohawk, which gives ſtrong Proof to ſuſpect him; however, be who he will, he is a clever Fellow, and has got a great deal of Money. To-morrow Night a new Farce is to be acted at Drury-Lane, for the Benefit of Mr. S—, who has been ſome Time confined in Luke's Hoſpital.

Mr. G— B— is juſt come from Bath, where he left Mrs. P— in high Spirits, and Mr. and Mrs. B—; Mr. P— is gone into Warwickſhire, to attend a Law-Suit; ſomebody having laid Claim to a Part of his Eſtate, which his Fa⯑mily [248] have had uninterrupted Poſſeſſion of, for above fifty Years.

Your State of one Day's Account is, I muſt confeſs, very natural, and too often true, par⯑ticularly in ſome Articles; in return for it, I am promiſed by ſome Gentlemen of my Acquaintance, a true State of their Expences one Day, which, from the Manner of the Men and Way of Life, cannot fail of being extraor⯑dinary. Some Choice Spirits, to the Number of five and twenty, agreed to dine at WHITE's; and the Orders were, Get a Dinner as expen⯑ſive as you can poſſibly make it; which was punctually performed, and, to their great Sur⯑prize and Mortification, found that the moſt luxuriant Dinner amounted to no more than ten Pounds a Man! This Experiment ſerved to convince them, that eating was a mean, pal⯑try Enjoyment, and only fit for Cits and Al⯑dermen, to whom they left it, becauſe it coſt ſo little, and therefore confeſſed the Supre⯑macy of Gaming, which they embraced as their Summum Bonum, for the contrary Reaſon.

[249]Mr. BURKE's Treatiſe on the Sublime and Beautiful I read almoſt two Years ago, in his firſt Edition: the Pleaſure I received from the Peruſal, will make me embrace the firſt Op⯑portunity I have of reading the ſecond—Quaere, whether Lady COVENTRY correſponds with his Idea of Beautiful? The Study of Phyſic cer⯑tainly will produce in us Admiration; becauſe when we trace the Mechaniſm of Nature phi⯑loſophically, as in the human Body, it becomes an Object of the Sublime; every Step we take in ſuch Reſearches, fills us with amazing In⯑ſtances of Wiſdom and Contrivance: but in the living Body, Nature there conceals her Machinery, and preſents to our Eyes a ſmooth Object, whoſe external Figure is moulded with ſuch inimitable Harmony, ſuch an inſenſible and pleaſing Variation from the right Line, toge⯑ther with ſuch a Delicacy and Tranſparency in the Skin, that it cannot fail of exciting our Ideas of Beauty, which as they tend to relax the Solids, will refine them into thoſe of Love. Quaere then, if that Love may not receive additional Force in the Breaſt of an Anatomiſt, [250] from his previous Acquaintance with the in⯑ternal Springs and Structure of ſuch an Ob⯑ject, and thereby the better qualified to judge of the Beauty of the whole? In other Words, may not his Admiration, co-operating with his Love, make him a more ſenſible and feeling Obſerver? Argol, the Study of Phyſic may be ſaid (if not to produce) to heighten Love. I ſubmit it to your Deciſion; for who can paint Nature, muſt have felt, and who has felt is the beſt Judge.

I did not underſtand you literally, that you meant what you wrote: but as I am, beyond what many may conceive, taken up every Hour of the Day, I intended my Inſinuation of my Induſtry as a Plea for any ſeeming Neglect I might be guilty of towards my Friends, in not writing to them ſo punctually as I could wiſh; for I have known it a Maxim with many, that no People had ſo much leiſure Time as thoſe who lived in London. But let it not diſcourage the Oracle; let him deal out with as liberal a Hand as he pleaſes, myſte⯑rious Truths, and they ſhall be applied to form [251] the Conduct of one who has the Happineſs to ſubſcribe himſelf

LETTER LXIII. Mr. H.— to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

I Received the Tobacco-Stopper, which my Friend Mr. PERCY bought at MOODY's Shop, and alſo the Letter, to authenticate its being made of the Tree he mentioned. I am alſo pretty well aſſured of the Truth thereof, having lately ſeen Mr. HOBBS of Birmingham. who informs me, that he has a Piece of the ſame Tree, which he brought from Stratford, in his Poſſeſſion. I think the Wood much too ſpungy to carve neatly on it, elſe ſhould [252] like to improve a Hint that Mr. HOBBS gave me, of having a Cup or little Bowl, with ſome particular Scene out of one of SHAKE⯑SPEARE's favourite Plays carved thereon; how⯑ever, if you will get him to procure (but not at an extravagant Rate) any, or what he can of the ſaid Mulberry-Tree, I will have ſomething made of it, as ſhall make it advantageous to him for undertaking the ſame, if he pleaſes. I have Coins of moſt Sorts, both Engliſh and fo⯑reign, and ſome of JAMES the Firſt, therefore do not want what ſeems to me to be imper⯑fect: however, if that he mentions was really dug up near the Tree in SHAKESPEARE's Gar⯑den, I ſhall be glad to give a ſmall Matter more than the Weight for it, and Mr. HOD⯑GETTS, will pay for the ſame.

I will not apologize for applying to you on this whimſical Occaſion, as I have no other Connections about your Part of the World, by which I could procure ſuch a Me⯑morial of our diſtinguiſhed Bard. When I am ſo happy as to be the Subject of your Pen next, be ſo good as to give me your Thoughts on this Kind of Curioſity, (or whatſoever elſe [253] you pleaſe to call it) which induces us to pay a Price for a Morſel of a Tree, planted (as Report ſays) by SHAKESPEARE's own Hand; and how far you think ſuch a Paſſion allow⯑able, or (to frame a Word nearer my Meaning) indulgeable. I am, dear Sir,

LETTER LXIV. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Mr. DODSLEY.

I AM afraid you think me negligent: know then that I ſat down laſt Thurſday, to write you a long Letter, about ſeven o'Clock at Night, when I diſcovered that the Poſt went out at that very Hour I ſat down to write. I had immediate Recourſe to ſuch Con⯑ſolation [254] as the Caſe admitted; and ſuppoſed a Letter received on Monday Morning, might do near as well as one on Saturday Night, conſidering that Sunday intervened, which muſt be a leiſure Day, even for Printers. But in good Earneſt now, do you think me lazy? Or have not you, under your preſent Diſſipa⯑tion, an heavier Complaint againſt my Dili⯑gence? You and I ſhall hardly agree about the Means of eſtimating Letters; you, conſcious of your own Genius, are deſirous to value them by their Weight; while I, conſcious of my late Induſtry, would fix their Value by the Number of Words. What Pretenſions, pray, can you ſuggeſt, for ſo very perverſe a Man⯑ner of Reckoning? Is not Induſtry a moral Virtue? And are not many written Words a Proof of Induſtry? But though your Ingenuity be even a Miracle, you will hardly prove it to be a moral Virtue, unleſs, indeed, in the Way you manage it; and ſo, all your Faculties are moral Virtues: however, we leſs artful, or leſs heroick Perſonages, muſt magnify the Virtues that we have; of theſe, Induſtry is one, though perhaps this had been ſcarce allowed me, till within theſe three or four [255] Months paſt. I ſay, that we, who are the Animae nil magnae Laudis egentes;^* we, the Animae viles, inhumata infletaque turba: ^† In other Words, the Numerus, ^‡ and the ‘"nati Fruges conſumere;"’ if we would appear conſiderable, pray what Method can we take? I know, in⯑deed, but two; the one of diſparaging your Abilities, which is not quite ſo feaſible; the other, of taking all occaſion to magnify our own good Qualities. If then, Induſtry be a Virtue, I am poſſeſſed of it very remarkably: Not a Moment of my Time paſſes, but I am employed, either in overſeeing Labourers; reading ROBINSON's Hiſtory of Scotland; writing in my Paper Books, ('tis not material what, but writing;) perplexing the Birmingham Ar⯑tiſts with Sketches for Improvements in their Manufactures, which they will not underſtand; and laſtly, and finally, feeding my Poultry, my Ducks, my Pigeons, and my Swans; which laſt give me as much Pleaſure, as what I had be⯑fore gave me Vexation. No inconſiderable Pane⯑gyrick, [256] I'll aſſure you! And ſurely this is not only Induſtry, but an Induſtry of a better Kind than what employs the Animae viles of a Drawing-room. And now this laſt Inſtance of my great Induſtry puts me in Mind of aſking you a Queſtion:

Pray now, you that are a Mythologiſt, what an abſurd Man you are, not to jump at an Invitation to come directly to the Leaſowes? Here am I, (like your Friend AESOP, before OGILBY's Fables; or like ADAM, in our old Bibles) ſitting once or twice a Day with eve⯑ry created Animal before me. Is not this the only Reſidence for a Perſon that is writing Fables? 'Tis true, this very Perſon may con⯑template better in a Crowd, than another in the Depth of Solitude: you may far ſurpaſs me, who thus converſe with Birds, while he deſcribes a Sparrow from Pall-Mall, or a King-fiſher from Charing-Croſs: but Imagination is a pro⯑digious Heightener; and unleſs he paints them from Life, may he not attribute to a King-fiſher much finer Feathers than he in Truth poſſeſſes? Pray take the Opinion of Mr. SPENCE—How I bluſh, while I recollect that Name! [257] And yet, were it not for my own Omiſſions, it muſt revive only my moſt favourite Ideas. Surely 'tis written in the Book of Fate, that I ſhall diſcharge my Debt within a Poſt or two; for Fate evidently enough interferes, or I could never have been ſo long ſilent. I am almoſt aſhamed to deſire my humble Reſpects to him, and yet it is impoſſible for me to ſup⯑preſs my Feelings.

I muſt now proceed to Buſineſs. Paſt ſix o'Clock once more; but the Poſt now goes out at ten. If you can procure me the quarto Cuts for MILTON, it will be a very deſirable Fa⯑vour.

Mr. BOND has made ſome Alteration in your Grove, which I thought very pretty on its Arrival; yet, perhaps, he may be right enough, if Mr. GRIGNION can comprehend his Meaning. The Trees he means on the wrong Side the Water, are ſome of thoſe oppoſite to the Letter S, which I have put upon the Back: but I am fearful of ſpoiling; and muſt beg Mr. GRIGNION would re-compare the Print with Mr. BOND's original Drawing, then retouch his [258] Plate, and let me have a few more Proof-Sheets of both the Prints. Give me one or two Lines by Return of Poſt, if poſſible.

No Books ready? I want MALLET's Works, bound in Ruſſia Leather, and lettered on Green. Pray excuſe this laſt vile Page. I have waſted my Time, and now am utterly at a Fault for it.

LETTER LXV. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Dr. PERCY.

IT is, perhaps, no uncommon Caſe for the Magnitude of a Debt to prevent, or at leaſt retard every Step toward a Diſcharge. In Truth, the many Favours you have con⯑ferred upon me by the Packet I have received [259] for E—, have made me aſhamed of ſuch a partial Payment, as my Health and Lei⯑ſure would permit; when I complain of Health, I mean no other than a Kind of Drowſihead and Lentor which has ſomewhat infeſted me at this Seaſon; perhaps it were better expreſſed by that diſreputable Name, Stupidity: be that, however, as it may, it is by this chiefly, I have been diſqualified from thoſe refined Sorts of Amuſement, in which your Letters and Pac⯑kets required me to engage.

I have been expected to paſs a Week at Shiffnal, ever ſince the Beginning of May, where I was by particular Appointment to meet our Friend Mr. BINNEL. The Viſit is not laid aſide, but will probably take Place in about a Fortnight's Time or leſs. One Pleaure I expect from it, beſide what I ſhall reap from Mr. PITT and Mr. SLANEY's Com⯑pany, and that turns upon the Opportunity it will afford me of peruſing your OVID in Conjunction with Mr. BINNEL; and it has been with this View, in ſome Meaſure, that I have deferred the Examination you deſired me to beſtow upon it. In general, I would [260] wiſh you to make it as juſt to the Author's Senſe, and to your own Sentiments, as you can, and afterwards conſider me as a mere Muſic Maſter, whom you would employ to tune your Harpſichord; in other Words, as a proper Perſon to retrench any little Encroachments upon Simplicity, Eaſe of Style, or Harmony.

I want to communicate many Things; but muſt defer moſt of them till I ſee you. And pray let Mrs. PERCY know me for one of your peculiar Friends, and then I hope ſhe will not ſcruple to reward me with an irregular Viſit, by Way of Diſtinction. I brought my Friend JAGO's new Bride to pay me that Compli⯑ment the other Day.

Mr. DODSLEY in his laſt Letter deſired, I would preſent you with his new Edition of Cleone, which is the only one you ſhould pre⯑ſerve. It is, according to my beſt Calculation, improved in about an hundred Places merely, and altered in about ſix. I will either keep it till you come, or ſend it to you, if you will ſhew me how.

[261]I had retouched and tranſcribed both the Gentle Herdſman and Edom of Gordon, ^* long be⯑fore your Letter arrived. Your ſupplemental Stanzas muſt undoubtedly approach nearer to what was the original Reading, than thoſe which I have ſubſtituted, and which I will not ſend you now, becauſe I will multiply your In⯑ducements to viſit my Place in the proper Sea⯑ſon.

You muſt by all Means read Dr. YOUNGE's New Conjectures on original Compoſition; and let it deter you, when you have compleated OVID, from engaging in any more Tranſlations. I have alſo read the Eſſay on the preſent State of Learning, written by a Dr. GOLDSMITH, whom you know, and whom ſuch as read it will deſire to know. LA MOTTE alſo has afforded me no little Entertainment: I read it on Account of DODSLEY, who you may remember is writing Fables, and who has re⯑queſted me to ſend him my Thoughts upon the Subject.

LETTER LXVI.^* — to Mr. DODSLEY, at the Leaſowes.

I Finiſhed my Peregrinations the Day before you began yours; for the Day after my Arrival at this Place, I called at your Lod⯑gings, and was informed you ſet off that very Morning for Mr. SHENSTONE's. I have of⯑ten thought you, in many Reſpects, a Man to be envied; but in your preſent Situation, you are in Poſſeſſion of a Happineſs too great for Mortals; enjoying in one of the hotteſt Seaſons that ever was known in England, the Shade and Coolneſs of the fineſt Groves per⯑haps in the World, rendered ſtill more en⯑chanting by the Converſation of one of the beſt Poets, as well as one of the worthieſt Men of the Age. A certain Monarch of old [263] broke off all Connexion and Alliance with a Brother King in Greece, for no other Reaſon, but becauſe the other experienced an uncommon Share of Felicity. If his Example deſerved to be followed, you are the Man of all others, whoſe Friendſhip I would renounce. But the Truth is, you cannot have more Happineſs than I wiſh you; nor more, I am perſuaded, than you deſerve; and therefore, I will e'en be contented to hold on my Amity with you, till I have a better Reaſon for parting with it, which I am very ſure I ſhall never be fur⯑niſhed with.

With Reſpect to my own Travels, I have little to ſay worth relating. Finding my Health not equal to ſo long a Journey as to Scarborough, and the Weather at the ſame Time proving extremely cold and wet, I turned out of the high Road at Newark, and croſſed the Coun⯑try to Nottingham. As I found the Air of the Place agree with me, and likewiſe met with an old Friend, who lives like a true Arcadian, in a little rural Cottage, at a ſhort Diſtance from the Town, I continued there till my Re⯑turn hither. I ſaw every Thing in the Neigh⯑bourhood [264] worth looking at; but what pleaſed me moſt was Lord BYRON's Abbey upon the Foreſt, which without Doubt you have viſited. Adieu, dear Sir.

LETTER LXVII. Mr. DODSLEY to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

WHAT Apology can I make for not writing to you now for more than a Month, after receiving ſo much Pleaſure and ſo many Civilities? However, as you too well know how eaſy it is for ſuch Things to hap⯑pen, I will make none, but leave you to for⯑give us our Treſpaſſes, as we forgive them that treſpaſs againſt us. And this would lead me to expoſtulate with you for not coming [265] to Bath: but I forbear, having many Things to be pardoned in myſelf, as well as many to deliver to you, and therefore ſo much for Apo⯑logy.

I have ſeen Persfield, Mr. MORRIS's Seat; and Mr. SPENCE was juſt come from ſeeing it, when he arrived at Bath: he is much ſtruck with it, and has attempted ſomewhat towards a Deſcription of it. I ſhall have a Copy of his Papers ſoon, and will tranſmit it to you. The Place is certainly of the great and ſub⯑lime Kind; moſt of the near Views are ſeen below you from the Top of high Precipices, conſiſting of ſteep Rocks, hanging Woods, the Rivers Severn and Wye, which laſt winds about the Feet of the Rocks below you, in a very romantic Manner, almoſt ſurrounding a very pretty Farm, where Cattle and Sheep are feed⯑ing in the Meadows, at ſuch a Depth below your Eye, that they ſeem very much diminiſhed. The Rocks are bold and numerous, half co⯑vered with Woods, and riſe almoſt perpendi⯑cular from the Edge of the Water to a ſur⯑priſing Height, forming, from the great Cliff, a Kind of double Amphitheatre. A Gun fired [266] from the Top of this Cliff, creates, by the Reverberation of the Report amongſt other Rocks, a loud Clap of Thunder, two or three Times repeated, before it dies away: but even this Echo, conformably to the Pride and Gran⯑deur of the Reſt of the Place, will not deign to anſwer a ſmaller Voice than that of a Muſ⯑ket; with a Culverin, I ſuppoſe, it would hold a noble Dialogue. The Town of Chepſtow, and its ruined Caſtle, appear in the near View at ſomewhat more than the Diſtance of Hales Owen from your Grove; and the romantic Windings of the Wye are ſeen all the Way to them, except now and then that its Stream is hid among the Rocks; and all the Way below them, till it is ſwallowed up by the Se⯑vern, at about two miles Diſtance, where that River is alſo near two Miles over, and from whence it extends, enlarging in Breadth, quite down to King-Road, below Briſtol. I can con⯑ceive nothing finer than theſe Views would be, were the Waters of the Rivers as clear as that of the Thames: but, alas! they are ſo muddy, that they will ſcarce return the Images of the Rocks, Trees, and other Objects, that riſe upon their Banks. The diſtant Views are very ex⯑tenſive, [267] and lets the Eye into Parts of four⯑teen different Counties. The Extent of the Walks is near four Miles, which in about five Hours Time I made ſhift to accompliſh. I went from Bath with a polite Party of Gen⯑tlemen and Ladies, and our three Days Ex⯑curſion was altogether exceedingly agreeable.^*

[268]Dr. L— has favoured me with ſix new Fa⯑bles, which are very clever and ingenious. Poor Mr. M— has been ſo ill, that he has done but one. I have written one myſelf, ſince I came Home; the Butterfly, Snail, and Bee: and one Mr. G— gave me, the Tube-Roſe and Sun-Flower: the two laſt I ſend you encloſed. So that if you will favour me with half a Dozen, [269] I ſhall have got my Number. I will, there⯑fore, now ſet about writing the Preface and the Eſſay on Fable; and ſhall be glad to pub⯑liſh this Winter, that I may get them off my Hands, and out of my Head, before I am quite ſick of them. Mr. G— was ſo kind as to read them all over, and gave me ſeveral Corrections, and an Imitation of the ſqueaking Pig from PHAEDRUS. Mr. M— is now em⯑ploying himſelf the ſame Way; and when he [270] has done with them, Dr. L— will go over them again; ſo that I ſhall hope they may be pretty correct. I ſhall throw out ſeveral of the weakeſt of my own new ones, and ſhall endeavour to ſupply their Places with better.

As you ſeemed to like the Madeira, I ſhall ſend by TRIMEN's Waggon, next Monday, Car⯑riage paid, four dozen Pints of the ſame, which beg your Acceptance. Believe me to be ever,

P. S. Mr. SPENCE's Drawing, which I took to be the Arcadia, was only a Drawing that he directed to be made at Rome for a Lady's Monument in a Garden.

LETTER LXVIII. Mr. DODSLEY to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

I Suppoſe you have ſome Time ago received from my Brother the Things you ordered. I deſired him to ſend them, as alſo the Poems for Mr. WOODHOUSE, to whom I beg my Com⯑pliments, and am ſorry he had them not ſooner, but I had really forgot them. I have been ſuch a Rambler ſince I came to Town, that I have not had Time to attend to any Thing. I have not written a ſingle Fable ſince that I ſent you, and yet am ſo unreaſonable, as to wonder you have not ſent me your half Dozen. I am writing an Eſſay on Fable, and thinking of a Preface, both of which I ſhall deſire you to take the Trouble of reading and correct⯑ing, as ſoon as I have done them; however, I believe I ſhall take your Advice, and not think of printing this Winter. I was glad to hear you had ſome Hopes of finiſhing your [272] Affairs with Mr. D—, and hope they are com⯑pleated to your Satisfaction. I have been fa⯑voured with a Letter from Mr. WREN, which I anſwer by this Poſt. You ſaid, my Lord LYTTELTON was to be at the Admiral's till af⯑ter Chriſtmas, but I ſaw him paſs by in his Chariot a few Days ago. You have given me Hopes of ſeeing a Survey of your Farm; I beg you will not delay what will give me ſo much Pleaſure: would to God you would bring it yourſelf, with all your verbal Deſcriptions, Mottoes, &c. and let them be engraved and printed. I wiſh I could hear that you was writ⯑ing ſomewhat. What think you of an Elegy on the Death of General WOLFE? You know, I ſuppoſe that he was to have been married to a Siſter of —, before he went on his laſt Expedition, but that ſhe deſired it might be deferred till his Return. I think the Scene might be laid in her Chamber, on the re⯑joicing Night for the taking of Quebec; her Friends may be ſuppoſed to have concealed his Death from her, and her Anxiety for his Welfare, in the Midſt of the Rejoicings, might have a fine Effect: when ſuddenly his Ghoſt ſhould appear, inform her of his Fate, and [273] endeavour to comfort her in her Affliction. Here is Room for Deſcription, Reflection, and the true Pathetic. Such a Story as this in your Hands could not fail to be fine: I wiſh you to try, and that right ſoon.

I have ſearched all the Shops in London for a Pan proper for the Subject we talked of, but in vain. What think you of the encloſed Sketch? I think it might be mended. Is not the left Hand raiſed too high?

I had written thus far on Saturday After⯑noon, when your Letters and Plans arrived by the Penny-Poſt, which determined me to ſtay till Tueſday before I finiſhed my Letter. You have now embarraſſed me; I have ſo many Things to reply to, that I know not where to begin: I muſt take them as they lie.

Did I ever tell you of Mr. P—'s Chineſe Novel? If I did, I have quite forgot it, and will therefore never own it. I ſhall be very glad to ſee Mr. H—'s Picture: my Compli⯑ments to him, and tell him, I ſuſpect he in⯑tends it as a reconciling Preſent to Miſs S—. [274] I wiſh Mr. ALCOCK would finiſh my two Draw⯑ings for the Fables; as to my Face, it is a Subject not worth conſidering; however, I will make you an impudent Propoſal: if you will exchange Faces with me when you come up to Town, we will both ſit to the ſame Painter. Notwithſtanding you have taken Pains to for⯑feit all Claim to Favour from Mr. SPENCE, I am very well ſatisfied, the Letter you pro⯑miſe will effectually cancel all your Offences: I ſhall go down to him in about a Month, (you ſee I give you Time enough) encloſe it to me, and I will carry it to him, with one of your ſmall Plans, to which I will put Re⯑ferences; at the ſame Time, I will endeavour to get the Scotch Paper on Gardening. As to my Sketch of the Leaſowes, I have not yet had Time to think of it; but as ſoon as I have finiſhed my Eſſay, eſpecially if you make it unneceſſary for me to write any more Fables, by ſending me your half Dozen, I will certainly ſit down to it; you ſee I am willing to make good Bargains. The Ducheſs of SOMERSET's Letters I have ſafe, and will ſend them to you. I am glad Mr. GRAVES is going on; and doubt not but the Work [275] will turn to his Advantage. I ſhall certainly not print the Fables this Winter; and as to the Eſſay, I hope to have gone through it in about a Fortnight. I have read Dr. HAWK⯑SWORTH's Adventurer on the Subject, in which I exactly agree with you; and I have read a bad Tranſlation of LA MOTTE's Eſſay: I know nothing elſe on the Subject worth rea⯑ding. When I ſend you my Eſſay, I beg you will give it any Improvement which you may think it wants, either in correcting Im⯑perfections, or in ſupplying Deficiencies. I have got ſix more new Fables from Dr. L—.

Do not think that I will tamely hear my Friend's Cuſtard abuſed; I ſhall certainly find a Time to vindicate his Honour, and to make your proud Foreigner own the ſuperior Merit of Engliſh Cuſtard.

And now for your Plans: I am much obliged to you for ſending them; and if I might have my Wiſh, I would engrave the ſmall coloured one, with Figures of Reference. This ſhould be the Frontiſpiece to a Pamphlet, which ſhould contain a Deſcription of the Places and Things referred to, ſomewhat more at large [276] than they are in this Drawing; together with all your Mottos, Verſes, Compliments, &c. as alſo a verbal Deſcription of the riſing and fall⯑ing of the Ground; the Objects, Proſpects, &c. all the Way round. In the Middle of the Title-Page, I would put the laſt Plate of VIRGIL's Grove; as a Head-piece at the Beginning of the Pamphlet, I would have a Print of your Houſe; and at the End, which ſhould be contrived to be almoſt a whole Page, I think the chief Caſcade might be placed. The Plate ſhould be worked off in Green; the Road through the Path round the Houſe, and the Water, ſhould be afterwards coloured by Hand. Think of theſe Things; and may Heaven give you Reſolution to put them in practice!

P. S. Get a Drawing, by BOND, of the great Caſcade, and of your Houſe, of a pro⯑per [277] Size, and I will be at all other Expence; and if you have any Delicacy about being the Editor of this yourſelf, I will write a ſhort Preface, and ſign my Name to it, in which I will ſay, that I teized you into it, which is no more than Truth.

Dec. 3.

LETTER LXIX. Mr. DODSLEY to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

HEALTH, Happineſs, and all the Com⯑pliments of the Seaſon, to dear Mr. SHENSTONE! I have enquired of all the SPILS⯑BURY's in Town, but I cannot find that my little Drawings are yet ſent up. This, if Mr. ALCOCK be ſtill with you, I wiſh you would be ſo good as to tell him, with my Com⯑pliments. When am I to expect an Anſwer to my laſt long Letter? And when am I to have your half dozen Fables? I have ſent my [278] Preface, and my Eſſay on Fable, to Mr. GRAVES, by this Night's Poſt, with a Deſire, that he will tranſmit them to you in a Poſt or two. When you get them, I ſhall be very glad if you will look them carefully and cri⯑tically over: they are both very ſhort; and there are blank Pages on one Side, for what⯑ever Alterations or Remarks you ſhall favour me with. I beg you will be ſo good as to let me have them back, with your Fables, as ſoon as poſſible. I ſhall not publiſh this Win⯑ter: but I want to have all my Materials to⯑gether, that I may begin to think of diſpo⯑ſing them in the Order they are to ſtand.

I have Compliments to you from Mr. SPENCE, and he is much obliged to you for the Sur⯑vey of your Farm. He has never been able to get DALRYMPLE's Eſſay on Garden Grounds. I encloſe a few Lines on the Leaſowes. If you ſhould think them not totally unworthy of the Subject, I ſhould be glad if you would pleaſe to beſtow ſuch Correction upon them as you may think will tend to their good. I have other Matters to communicate to you, and to adviſe with you about; but you have [279] ſo much upon your Hands already, from my laſt Letter and this, that I will not diſcourage you from ſitting down to write to me, by adding at preſent any Thing further to your Trouble.

LETTER LXX. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Mr. HULL.

I AM with you aware, that the Story of the Spaniſh Lady is rather too ſimple, too de⯑ſtitute of Matter for the Generality of People who frequent the Galleries of a London Thea⯑tre; but might not ſome Incidents of Humour be extracted from the Group of Sailors, which muſt neceſſarily be introduced in the Piece? There are in real Life various, and very ſtri⯑king Characters among our Engliſh Tars. In⯑deed, [280] much Uſe has been made of them al⯑ready, and to very pleaſing Purpoſes.

Obſerve, I propoſe (or rather merely allow) this Violation of the Simplicity of the Story, as a Means to make it anſwer the Purpoſes of Emolument to you, if you chooſe to under⯑take it; for, as far as relates to my own Taſte, I think, even in Repreſentation, it could not be preſerved too ſimple.

The Conſideration that an Author is com⯑pelled to forego, in many Inſtances, his fa⯑vourite Intention, renounce a Compliance with his own Judgment, and even ſometimes abo⯑liſh the very Excellencies of his Genius, to gratify the vitiated Taſte of a few noiſy Au⯑ditors, who otherwiſe would condemn the Work, is rather melancholy; and could not by any Species of Reaſon be ſupported, except that which you advanced, namely, that your Thea⯑tres in London are maintained in theſe Days at a very great Expence, and that Expence muſt be repaid; conſequently, if SHAKESPEARE cannnot elicit a full Houſe, HARLEQUIN muſt extort it; but woe the while for the State of [281] Letters and Genius!—Such was not the ge⯑nuine End and Intention of a Theatre. I, for my own Part, look upon it as a Temple raiſed to Moral Virtue; the Deſign of it is to inſtruct through the Medium of Delight; to ſhew Virtue and Vice in their reſpective Co⯑lours: and the Buſineſs of the Audience is, to judge, compare, define, to diſtinguiſh between what is given for Example, and what for Pre⯑caution: ſo conducted and preſerved, a Thea⯑tre truly merits the Denomination I have given it; but if Moral is to ſubmit to Matter, if fine Sentiment is to give Way to fine Scenery, it falls from the Purpoſes for which is was originally inſtituted, and becomes a Place of Shew indeed, but not of Science,

All theſe Abſurdities and Misfortunes are owing to the Audience; and it is much to be lamented, that the Conductor of an uſeful Place of Amuſement cannot oppoſe and rectify them; but I clearly ſee he cannot. Your Anecdote of Mr. GARRICK's laudable Attempt, ſome Years ago, to remove from public View an annual Object of Indecorum and Immorality, and ſubſtitute a Piece, which (however antique) [282] furniſhed Matter for the moral HOGARTH to diſplay his Genius on, diverts me much, and would (were I of any Country beſide England) moſt probably aſtoniſh me. As an Engliſhman it does not. The Attempt was as much to the Credit of Mr. GARRICK, as the Defeat of it was diſreputable to the Audience.^*

This Subject might, I think, by itſelf fur⯑niſh Matter for a tolerably-ſized Eſſay; and I marvel that ſome Writer, who has rather more Affection for the Uſe of a Pen than myſelf, does not adopt it. A Reflection on the very ſevere Trial a dramatic Writer undergoes, when he offers his Work to the Public, has frequent⯑ly called forth my Compaſſion; the Means to procure general Approbation are ſo vague and precarious, that I almoſt wonder when I hear of any one hardy enough to ſtand a Can⯑didate for it.

My Zeal in theſe Particulars has made me deviate from the principal Object of this Let⯑ter, [283] which was to requeſt you to make a lit⯑tle Sketch of my favourite Story upon drama⯑tic Principles, during the Courſe of this Win⯑ter; and let us (Deo favente) when next we meet at the Leaſowes, ſee how the Deſign ap⯑appears. It may be an agreeable Amuſement, if it anſwers no other Purpoſe.

Whether I may ever execute the Elegy which Mr. DODSLEY has recommended, is very uncertain, though I much approve his Plan. Suppoſe you were to attempt it—I have ſome Reaſons for thinking that Elegy would ſuit your Diſpoſition and Abilities. The Men⯑tion of DODSLEY's Application^* to me has procured me twelve Lines, for which I hold myſelf indebted. You do not tell me who they were written by, ſo I ſuppoſe I am to aſk no Queſtions.

When you get any more ſuch original Mor⯑ſels, your communicating them will be a Kind⯑neſs. While I am thus a Winter Solitudina⯑rian, while

You can hardly conceive how much Value ſuch Trifles bear.

LETTER LXXI. Miſs M— to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

SCARCE was I ſat down after our agree⯑able Jaunt, when I was welcomed by my dear Mr. SHENSTONE's polite Favour. You are particularly good in conferring ſo much Honour on a poor, prattling, inſignificant Being like me; yet, however ill I may confeſs I de⯑ſerve it in my Ability to repay it, I will ven⯑ture to affirm, that my Merits, if rated by the Value I ſet on it, are equal to thoſe of any other wild Female in the Circle of your Acquaintance. But is it come to this? And muſt I really take Pen in Hand, and deſcribe our little Peregrinations? I muſt, for you have commanded me. If I even wanted an Induce⯑ment beyond your Command, it is at Hand. I mean our common Friend, Mr. HULL. I applied to him for Counſel, and he flatly ſays, I ſhall be rude, if I decline to obey. Here then, my [286] good Sir, take it in the beſt Manner I am able to execute a deſcriptive Letter, and if it is badly done, you muſt be my Advocate to yourſelf, for having drawn me into ſuch a Dilemma; in ſhort, your own humane Heart muſt make Allowances for whatever is un⯑worthy your Judgment.

Be it known unto you then, that laſt Wed⯑neſday Morning, we all four (you know our Party) got into a Coach, at ſix o'Clock, and drove at no ſlow Rate, for we got to Briſtol at eight. There we were met by a Gentleman and a Lady from the Hot-well, as wild and as whimſical as ourſelves; we are all of a Spinning I can tell you. We juſt took a Bit of Breakfaſt at Briſtol, and then made the beſt of our Way to Auſt, the old Paſſage over to Wales; there we dined, and then, after dri⯑ving a long Way over the Rocks, amongſt Sea-Weed, and I can't tell what, with ſome Difficulty we got into a Stable, in which we were to croſs the Water—A Stable! methinks I hear you ſay—Why yes, in Truth, good Sir; for pray what can one better compare a Thing to, that was littered from one End to the [287] other with dirty Straw, and filled with as many Horſes as People? Oh, we went moſt ſocia⯑bly over, Horſes, Coach, and ourſelves, all to⯑gether: this, however, was the worſt of the Bargain, all the beſt was to come.

When we arrived in Wales, we juſt took a little Refreſhment, and then drove to Chepſtow, remarkable for the great Height of its Bridge, the Tide riſing higher by ſome Degrees there than in any Part of the three Kingdoms. At this Place we were to ſleep, ſo we went to the beſt Inn to get Accommodations. Theſe ſecured, we made the beſt of our Way to Persfield, the Seat of Mr. MORRIS; and ſuch a Place, for the Variety and Beauty of its Proſpects, I never ſaw.

The Gardens are ſeven Miles round, ſo our poor old Lady was forced to occupy a Seat juſt by the Houſe, and the reſt of us then walked as far as our Legs were able to carry us. We could not compaſs the whole round, but ſaw all the principal Proſpects. To at⯑tempt deſcribing them is impoſſible, at leaſt to do it with Juſtice to their Merit, yet, though [288] unequal to the Taſk, I muſt ſay ſomething. The Gardens are ſituated on the Rocks, I can⯑not call them the Banks, of the River Wye, and cut into Walks, in themſelves exceſſively beautiful, but the ſuperior Beauty of the Views they command, ſo entirely engroſſes the Eye, that they can be very little heeded. Some⯑times we look down upon the River, from an Eminence of near four hundred Feet, which winds itſelf round as in a Semi-circle. The oppoſite Side is bounded by Rocks of equal Height, ſome barren, and reſembling the Ruins of old Fortifications; others covered with the moſt pleaſing Variety of Greens the Eye can wiſh to behold, while at the Bottom, Cattle are feeding in the ſweet Paſtures by the Ri⯑ver's Side: Cattle, we were told the Creatures were which we ſaw; but really our Faith had need be ſtrong to believe it, ſince they appeared to our View more like Hens and Chickens, and I do aſſure you, one of our Company took them for ſuch.

Here too we ſaw a Place called the Lover's-Leap, it was at the Summit of a Rock full four hundred Feet high from the River, and [289] I believe, if uſed, would be a certain Cure for Love or any other Kind of Trouble. Af⯑ter having delighted our Eyes as long as our Feet would ſupport us, we went back to the reverend Lady; and one of our Company being acquainted with a Lady at Mr. MORRIS's Houſe, we were invited to eat a Bit of Cake and drink a Glaſs of Wine; this was a moſt agreeable Repaſt after our Fatigue, and helped us on very notably. But here, methinks, I hear you ſay, Alas, the poor old Lady! She ſaw none of theſe fine Sights!—Yes, but ſhe did, Sir, as you ſhall hear: We had a Servant of Mr. MORRIS's to attend our Coach, and he con⯑ducted us through various Fields to ſome Views we had not ſeen in the Part of the Gardens we walked over, and from theſe the reverend Dame feaſted her Eyes; ſo you ſee ſhe came in for a Share of the Show.

We now returned to Chepſtow, where, after ſpending as laughable an Evening as could be deſired, (I have before told you, we were all of a Spinning) we retired to reſt, a Thing not at all unpleaſing after the Employment of the Day.

[290]Next Morning we got into a large Boat, with two Pair of Oars, and went up the Ri⯑ver Wye, to a Place called Tintern-Abbey. Here we had the extreme Pleaſure of contemplating the moſt curious Piece of Ruins I ever beheld; I do not believe your Balbecks or Palmiras can much exceed it. It is the Remains of a Cathedral; all the outſide Walls remain ſo far entire, as to be a Fence to keep People out, but are in a cracked, ruinous State; moſt of the Pil⯑lars on the Inſide are ſtanding, though robbed of the fine Carving which adorned them; yet we had ſome Notion of their former Beauty, from many Pieces tolerably intire, which lay ſcattered here and there on the Ground. Graſs and Wood Strawberries here ſupply the Place of a Pavement, except in one ſmall Part, where it has not yet been broken. Here is diſcerni⯑ble a very pretty Kind of Tile OF Stone, the Ground yellow, flowered with black.

The Top of the Church is entirely off, ſo that Birds build all around in the Pillars and Walls. There are planted a great Va⯑riety of Trees in many Parts of the Edifice, [291] ſome Fruit-Trees: I myſelf eat three Straw⯑berries I gathered in the Body of the Church. This Place, it ſeems, was dedicated to the Virgin MARY, and Part of an Image remains, which ſtill bears ſome Reſemblance to her. There is likewiſe one of an Earl of PEM⯑BROKE, formerly Lord of the Place; that Earl who was ſirnamed Strong-Bow, and as Tradition ſays, who had five Fingers and two Thumbs on each Hand; one Hand of the monumental Figure is ſo perfect, that we could diſtinguiſh the five Fingers and two Thumbs. In ſhort, I never in my Life ſaw any Place ſo well worth viſiting of its Kind as this Tintern-Abbey, and we were as loath to quit it, as I ſeem now to be of finiſhing my wild Deſcription.

Next we went to look at ſome Iron Works, and ſaw the Manner of making Bar Iron, and Drawing of Wire. After this we got again into our Boat, to return to Chepſtow, and as we rowed along the River, had the Pleaſure of looking up to thoſe beautiful Rocks we had looked down from, in Mr. MORRIS's Ground. This Reverſe of View made a ſecond Enjoyment, and we were more ſenſible of the [292] Height of the Mountains in this Situation, than when we were at the Summit of them. So delightful was this Water-Scene, that we all wiſh⯑ed a Continuance of it. This put us upon aſk⯑ing the Maſter of the Boat, if he could ſafely ven⯑ture to land us in England; he aſſured us he could, and then it was reſolved, nem. con. only to ſtop at Chepſtow to dine—we did ſo, and ſending our Carriage and Horſes to the Paſſage, to be again taken over in the before-mentioned Stable, we went on board our Boat, and rowed till we got into the Severn, and then the Wind favouring us, we had a moſt charming ſail to the oppoſite Shore. Here we had another Piece of Variety; the River was not deep enough from the Rocks to bring the Boat to dry Ground, nor ſhallow enough to let the Car⯑riages come to us, ſo we were all compelled to be carried out on Men's Shoulders.

We drank Tea at the old Paſſage-Houſe, and then drove to the Hot-well, Briſtol, but made King's-Weſton-Down in our Way, which, for the Beauty of its Proſpects, could well vie with what we had been ſeeing in Wales. Next Morning our firſt Route was up to Clifton, [293] where we ſaw Mr. GOLDNEY's Grotto; of its Kind, to be ſure, the moſt finiſhed Thing; all Deſcription muſt fail to do it Juſtice, ſo let your Imagination form the moſt regular, elegant, coſtly Arrangement of Shells it is able, and it can't go beyond the real Beauty.

From a Part of Mr. GOLDNEY's Garden, we had a Proſpect I think rather ſuperior to what we ſaw in Wales; it was, if I miſtake not, more extenſive, commanding a full Scope of the Severn loſing itſelf in the Sea, an en⯑tire, and uninterrupted View of Briſtol, and as fine a rural Proſpect around, as the Eye could wiſh to behold.

Are you not, my good Sir, almoſt weary with reading? I am of writing, I can aſſure you; and I fear you'll not make out what I have wrote without ſome Difficulty. But my Ideas of this charming Scene flowed ſo faſt, I could not keep my Pen in any Order, it run on, and I muſt beg you to take it as it is, for I have not Time to write a fair Copy.

[294]Mr. HULL, I take it for granted, will have the Happineſs to deliver this Scrawl of mine, as he ſets out for Warwickſhire to-morrow Morning. He has been endeavouring to per⯑ſuade us to another Jaunt incontinently, and to let him guide us to the ſweeteſt Retirement in the World, ſuch he calls the Leaſowes. That Happineſs is denied us at preſent, but I truſt will not be always ſo.

I hope, my good Sir, this implicit Obe⯑dience to your Commands, will entitle me to ſome ſmall Degree of Approbation, and that you will continue to eſteem me

LETTER LXXII.^* The Ducheſs of SOMERSET to Lady LUX⯑BOROUGH.

PRAY never think Excuſe can be neceſſary to me about Exactneſs in anſwering my Letters; I am always glad to hear from you when it is agreeable to you to write, but am not one of thoſe over-kind Friends who are for ever out of Humour with thoſe whom they rather enthrall than oblige, by giving them that Name. As a Proof I never wiſh to act ſo by my Friends, or am afraid of being treated ſo by them, I will own to you, I am not quite ſure, I ſhould have anſwered your laſt Let⯑ter ſo ſoon, were it not that I am under ſe⯑rious Concern to find how aukwardly I muſt have expreſſed myſelf to Mr. SHENSTONE, if I gave him Room to believe, I harboured a ſecret Wiſh to have ſo fine a Poem as his Ode [296] ſuppreſſed. On the contrary, I ſhould think myſelf guilty of a very great Crime and In⯑juſtice to the Public, if I were to be the Means of depriving them of ſo charming and rational an Entertainment. I gave him the true Rea⯑ſons in my Letter, for deſiring that my own Name, nor that of my humble yet peace⯑ful Dwelling, might be inſerted. You know I always envied the Lot of ‘"La Viſlette, qui ſe cache ſous l'Herbe."’

'Tis true, my dear Lady LUXBOROUGH, Times are changed with us, ſince no Walk was long enough, or Exerciſe painful enough to hurt us, as we childiſhly imagined; yet after a Ball or Maſquerade, have we not come Home very well contented to pull off our Ornaments and fine Cloaths, in order to go to reſt? Such methinks is the Reception we naturally give to the Warnings of our bodily Decays; they ſeem to undreſs us by Degrees, to prepare us for a Reſt that will refreſh us far more power⯑fully than any Night's Sleep could do. We ſhall then find no Wearineſs from the Fatigues which either our Bodies or our Minds have under⯑gone; but all Tears ſhall be wiped from our [297] Eyes, and Sorrow, and Crying, and Pains, ſhall be no more; we ſhall then without Wearineſs move in our new Vehicles, tranſport ourſelves from one Part of the Skies to another, with much more Eaſe and Velocity, than we could have done in the Prime of our Strength, upon the fleeteſt Horſes, the Diſtance of a Mile. This chearful Proſpect enables us to ſee our Strength fail, and await the Tokens of our approaching Diſſolution with a Kind of awful Pleaſure. I will ingenuouſly own to you, dear Madam, that I experience more true Happineſs in the retired Manner of Life that I have embraced, than I ever knew from all the Splen⯑dour or Flatteries of the World. There was always a Void: they could not ſatisfy a rational Mind: and at the moſt heedleſs Time of my Youth, I well remember, that I always looked forward, with a Kind of Joy, to a de⯑cent Retreat, when the Evening of Life ſhould make it practicable.

Boadicea I have read—there is an intereſting Scene or two in it; but there is ſomething wanting in the Management of the Drama to keep up the Spirits of the Audience. Philo⯑clea [298] I have not ſeen, nor have heard ſuch a Cha⯑racter of it, as to raiſe my Curioſity. If you have not read Deformity, an Eſſay, by Mr. HAY, nor his Religio Philoſophi (I don't know how that laſt Word ſhould end) I believe they will entertain you very well in their different Ways. The Adventurer will ſoon be publiſhed in Volumes, and will be very well worth buy⯑ing. I doubt I muſt agree with Mr. SHEN⯑STONE, that the Stile of Sir Charles Grandiſon is too prolix, and yet I don't know any of it I ſhould be willing to part with, except Harriot Byron's Converſation with the Oxonian, in the firſt Volume, and the Preparations and Entertainments at Sir Charles's Wedding, in the fifth.

When I came home from taking the Air on Friday, I was very agreeably ſurpriſed to find Lady NORTHUMBERLAND ready to receive me, as I had no Notion of her coming. She had been alarmed with a falſe Report, that I had not been ſo well for ſome days as ſhe left me. I took the Opportunity of ſhewing her your Letter, and ſhe deſired me to make her Com⯑pliments to your Ladyſhip, and tell you, ſhe [299] keeps no Servant about Lady ELIZABETH, while ſhe is at School, and at her Return will think it neceſſary to have a Perſon of a middle Age about her. Such a one ſhe now has about her little Boy; a pretty Sort of Woman, who ſpeaks French and Engliſh equally well, is grave and properly behaved, and, I believe, hopes for Lady ELIZABETH's Place, when her little An⯑gel of a Maſter goes into the Hands of the Men. His Mamma took him away with her on Saturday, after lending him to me for a Month (though ſhe is exceſſively fond of him) becauſe ſhe ſees he is the Joy of my Life. He has ſome faint Reſemblance (though not a good one) of his poor Uncle; but his Open⯑neſs and Mildneſs of Temper are the very ſame. Her eldeſt Boy too, is a very ſenſible and good one. He and Lady GREVILLE dine with me from Eaton every Sunday; they are here at preſent for two or three Days, on Account of their being Hollidays. I have hardly left my⯑ſelf Room to make Mr. COWSLAD's Compli⯑ments, and ſubſcribe myſelf, dear Madam,

LETTER LXXIII. Mr. DODSLEY to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

I AM very glad, that with the Return of Spring, your Strength and Spirits begin alſo to revive. May they proceed and encreaſe with the Seaſon, and communicate ſuch Health and Vigour to your vernal Shoots, as will en⯑courage and enable them to bud, bloſſom, and bear; for 'tis Pity, that Fruit of ſo exquiſite a Fla⯑vour ſhould be loſt to the Taſte of Mankind! But your Generoſity and Benevolence lead you to cultivate and improve the barren Soil and ſorry Shrubs of your Friends, to the Neglect of your own rich Fields and more excellent Plantations. You will ſee in the Critical Review a Character of my Fables ſufficient to make me exceſſively proud, were I not inwardly checked by conſi⯑dering how much they owe to your Correc⯑tion: but I ought to be proud of that, and I am ſo. They do not, however, yet appear [301] to be much taken Notice of; but it is early Days, and my Friends encourage me to hope, that when they are known, they will not be neglected. I am much pleaſed with the fur⯑ther Honour you have done them, in getting new Head and Tail Pieces executed, and ſhall be very impatient till I ſee your Liſt of the Subjects.

As to your Picture, you may be ſure I long to receive it, as it will at once adorn my Room, and do Honour to myſelf; and I think farther, that as it will, probably not be much mended by Alteration, the beſt Way will be to ſend it up without Delay: but this, how⯑ever, I leave intirely to your Determination.

I have applied to Mr. RICH, in Behalf of Mr. HERON; but he has no Vacancy in his Houſe, nor Room to employ him: as to Mr. GARRICK, I am not on ſuch Terms, at pre⯑ſent, as to aſk a Favour of him. I have ſpo⯑ken alſo to two or three Printers about Mr. W—, but I have not yet been able to hear of any Thing for him—but I will not [302] give it up: I ſhall be glad to know what Pay he will expect.

Mr. JENNYNS's Book will be publiſhed in about a Fortnight—When Mr. PERCY's will be ready is uncertain. All your Letters are very acceptable to me, as they aſſure me of your Friendſhip; therefore, pray write to me as often as you can, though you ſhould have nothing more to ſay, than to give me that Aſ⯑ſurance.

LETTER LXXIV. W. SHENSTONE, Eſq. to Mr. DODSLEY.

I HAVE ſpoken to Mr. L— upon the Sub⯑ject of his Dedication; and he agrees with me, that there can be no properer Perſon to procure the Leave we want than Mr. D—. Suppreſs, therefore, if you pleaſe, my Letter to Mr. L—, and engage Mr. D— as ſoon as ever you can, to do his beſt Offices in this Affair. They wait only for the Plates, and my Lord's Anſwer, before they can order his Arms to be engraved. I blundered, in regard to L—'s Univerſity; a Blunder ſo much the more unlucky, as they have no Maſters of Arts at Edinburgh: he was of Aberdeen. As to the reſt, you will give Mr. D— any pro⯑per Information my Letter affords you. L— does not expect a Preſent; he will be perfectly ſatisfied if the Work entitle him to any Degree of Lord B—'s eſteem: and this Mr. D— may [304] ſay, ſhould his Lordſhip give him an Oppor⯑tunity. Perhaps it need not be mentioned, that L— is a Scotchman, unleſs my Lord ſhould make particular Enquiry. Betwixt Friends, I believe, that having no Eſtabliſhment, he means here⯑after to aſk ſome little Matter, by Means of a Scotch Lady, who is my Lord's Relation.

The ſmaller Drawing you encloſed is really a perfect Beauty, and muſt be executed at all Events when I return it, which I mean to do on Saturday; I ſhall give the Engraver one or two Directions.

I wiſh I could think as highly of the Fron⯑tiſpiece. In Truth, it does not pleaſe me; and what to do, I cannot tell. The Deſigner does not ſeem to enter into the Spirit of the Story; and the Circumſtance of the Shield hung upon the Pillar, (a ſingle Pillar of the Temple had been ſufficient) with the Motto being wholly omitted, throws the whole Streſs upon the Me⯑rit of the two Figures in the fore Ground. I am ſorry to ſay, theſe do not anſwer, MAE⯑CENAS appears with no Dignity, and HORACE's Attitude I can't explain. If the Floor had [305] been raiſed one Step where the Patron ſits, and his Perſon tall, or his Chair embelliſhed a little, &c. and if HORACE were ſhorter, (as his Nature was) his Attitude no Way vio⯑lent, and his Head down-caſt, it would, per⯑haps, have removed ſome of my Objections. But if there were no Poſſibility of hanging a Shield, &c. on a Piece of a Temple, and ſo making the Back-Ground important, (as the Deſigner ſurely might have done) yet there evidently were Means of rendering it more beautiful than it appears here. HAYMAN cer⯑tainly ſhould have been the Man! But more of this when I write on Saturday.

When ſhall I ſee Baptiſta Porta? As alſo the Frontiſpiece only to the Ornaments, &c. of Temples and Churches? The Verſes in the London Magazine are tolerably well printed, though my Punctuation is not obſerved. Your Brother was to ſend me alſo the Annual Re⯑giſters; all, except that for the Year 1759. I believe W— has or will deſire your Bro⯑they to ſupply him with the few Magazines he diſtributes here. This Letter is written amid much Hurry and Confuſion of Brain, [306] when I can really expreſs nothing to my Mind, much leſs the Eſteem and Affection with which I am,

LETTER LXXV. Mr. W— to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

YOUR very obliging Letter gave me great Pleaſure; pardon my Delay in not re⯑turning my Thanks for that Favour ſooner; I waited to have offered my ſmall Collection to your View at the ſame Time, which Dr. W— gen⯑teely excuſed himſelf from the Trouble of pe⯑ruſing, profeſſing he had not Leiſure or critical Skill enough to be of Service to the Work.—[307] When my Brother received my Papers at Bir⯑mingham, he ſhewed them to Dr. H—, who obligingly aſked Leave to ſhew them to Lord LYTTELTON, which you will imagine was too agreeable an Offer not to be accepted: the Doctor took them to Hagley, about a Fort⯑night ſince, to be tranſmitted to his Lordſhip by Admiral SMITH. As ſoon as I receive them, I ſhall immediately do myſelf the Plea⯑ſure of ſending them to the Leaſowes.

To Mr. — I find myſelf indebted for the Publication of my Verſes to Miſs L—, of which, and my Letter to her, ſhe had given him Copies. I received the firſt Intimation of that Affair from you, but ſoon after ſaw the ſame incorrect Copy, together with his ab⯑ſurd and diſadvantageous Account of me, in two different Magazines. I wrote to him up⯑on that Subject; he promiſed to retract what he had aſſerted upon Miſinformation; but his Letters and Behaviour did not appear quite equal to the amiable Idea I had conceived of him. I am informed by a Friend in Town, that the ſame Perſon has ſent up a handſome Apo⯑logy, to be inſerted in the Gentleman's Maga⯑zine, [308] for February, which (as if it were intended purely for the Satisfaction of the Public, and not to do Juſtice to an injured Perſon) he did not condeſcend to honour me with the Peru⯑ſal of.

I am extremely obliged to you for the Trou⯑ble you took in ſending a correct Copy of thoſe Verſes to the London Magazine, which I ſaw with much Satisfaction. I am alſo to acknowledge the Favour of your friendly Advice, in Regard to Mr. W—'s Papers; what you ſay on that Head gives me great Pleaſure, as it intirely coincides with my own Sentiments: I had no Thoughts of inſerting thoſe Papers in my Collection, but looked up⯑on them as Things of a private Nature, in⯑tended only for the Amuſement of ourſelves.

When laſt I ſaw that Gentleman, he men⯑tioned my adding thoſe to the Number I in⯑tended to print; had I directly objected to it, I had ſome Reaſon to think it would diſguſt him: he mentioned referring it to you, which I agreed to with Pleaſure, reſolving to give it a fair Chance, not doubting but your Judgment [309] and Delicacy would diſapprove of ſuch an Ad⯑dition to my little Volume: (that is to be.) I have not yet wrote to Mr. W—, but ſhall take an early Opportunity of letting him know your Opinion, which cannot (I think) be any Diminution of the Pleaſure he may take in his Compoſition, as it is only the Subject which denies it a Place in my Collection.

LETTER LXXVI. Mr. M— to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

IT is not in my Power to expreſs the grate⯑ful Senſe of the Obligations I owe you, for your moſt agreeable Letter, and for thoſe valuable Pieces which accompanied it, and your other Favours. I am ſenſible, that ſo late a Return to ſuch repeated Marks of Goodneſs, carries with it Appearances againſt me; but as I am convinced, your Good-nature cannot in⯑terpret any Thing harſhly, I hold it as almoſt unneceſſary to aſſure you, that Neglect was not the Cauſe of my Silence; that, indeed, would have been a Fault for which I could not have forgiven myſelf, far leſs could I have aſked Forgiveneſs of you; the Hurry of Bu⯑ſineſs, during the Winter Seſſions, is the only Excuſe I ſhall plead in my Defence, which but too effectually deprived me of the Pleaſure of correſponding with my Friends, and cut me off from all Communication with Elegance or the fine Arts—and of late, an Inflammation in my [311] Eyes has much diſtreſſed me, which at preſent gives the more Pain, as it prevents me from the Satisfaction of writing ſo fully as I in⯑tended, and from giving you any Remarks on thoſe Pearls you was ſo good as to ſend me; the chief Intention of this is to aſſure you, that I have not been unmindful of your Friend Mr. PERCY, whoſe Deſign I much approve of, and the more eſpecially, as he has given you a rejecting Power. Pleaſe to let him know that I have written to my Friends every where, to pick up all the Ballads they can, while I am ſearching every Part in Town, where I ſuſ⯑pect any Thing may be found worthy of Pub⯑lication. In a ſhort Time I hope to have it in my Power to tranſmit you ſome Pieces which will merit a Place in his Collection.

Although it is not without ſome Difficulty that I now write, yet I cannot leave off with⯑out letting you know, how much I was de⯑lighted with your excellent Verſes, intended for the Pedeſtal of Venus de Medicis: ^* but all the Encomiums that I can give them (or your [312] other Compoſitions) fall infinitely ſhort of their real Value. The Thoughts are fine, and riſe naturally from the Subject; the three firſt Stanzas ſhew, indeed, the Hand of a Maſter, nor do I remember any Thing of Antiquity ſuperior to them for Elegance and Simplicity of Verſification, Juſtneſs of Sentiment, or Beau⯑ty of Alluſion; nothing can be more happily imagined, than the Oppoſition of your baſh⯑ful Beauty to the Paphian and Phrygian God⯑deſs, while the Choice of Words does Ho⯑nour to the Truth and Beauty of the Senti⯑ment. The ſeventh is charming, and the Epi⯑thet Meretricious conveys ſo ſtriking a Deſcrip⯑tion of falſe Taſte, and is ſo well adapted to the fulſome carving and gilding of Chineſe Baubles, that he muſt be dull indeed who is not ſtruck by it. It irks me, that I am obliged to defer taking Notice of the other Pieces till another Time.

I had lately the Pleaſure of a Viſit from your Friend Mr. COOKES, whoſe Connection with you I wiſh I had known ſooner. I ſhall take the firſt Opportunity of ſending you the Anandale Bronze Earth he mentioned. In the [313] mean Time, I have ſent you a little Provi⯑ſion of the beſt Preſton-Pans Snuff, both toaſted and untoaſted, in four Bottles, with one Bot⯑tle of Highland Sniſhon, and four Bottle Bon⯑nets, all packed in a Box, along with ſome Things for our worthy Friend Dr. ROEBUCK, at Birmingham, which I hope you will accept of, as a ſmall Stimulus to our Friendſhip. Pleaſe to let me know, which Sort is moſt agreeable, that I may ſend you a freſh Sup⯑ply in due Time.

The good Lord ALEMOOR is juſt now getting the better of a tedious Fit of the Gout; he returns you his kindeſt Reſpects, and bids me aſſure you in the ſtrongeſt Manner, of his moſt cordial Eſteem, that he would be happy to hear from you, but much more to ſee you in this Corner of the World. Profeſſor SMITH, DOUGLAS, HUME, Dr. ROBERTSON, (now Prin⯑cipal of our Univerſity here) and many other of your Friends, deſire me to return you their Compliments centuplicated. Allow me a ſmall Share in your Friendſhip, and believe that I am, with the utmoſt Eſteem, dear Sir,

LETTER LXXVII. Mr. DODSLEY to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

AFTER I parted from you at Broomſgrove, I arrived very ſafe and ſpeedily at Wor⯑ceſter, as I hope you did at the Leaſowes. I found Dr. D— in the ſame infirm State of Health, in which he has lingered for ſome Years paſt; but by keeping up his Spirits and his Appetite, by great Temperance, and by taking an Airing regularly twice a Day in his Chaiſe, for ſix or eight Miles at a Time, he has ſo nicely trimmed his feeble Lamp of Life, that he has prevented it from going out, and may poſſibly preſerve it burning ſome few Years longer. I employed Mrs. D— to get me a Pot of Lampreys, which I ſent, Carriage paid, to be left for you at Mr. HODGETT's: I hope you received them ſafe, and that they proved good.

[315]On the Monday following, I went from Wor⯑ceſter, in the Birmingham Stage, to Briſtol, and the next Morning in a Poſt-Chaiſe to Bath. I found a Letter at LEAKE's, which had lain for me eight or ten Days, and the Morning after my Arrival received another, both ear⯑neſtly preſſing my Return; I ſet out again, therefore, in two or three Days for London, where, without the leaſt Fatigue, on Tueſday laſt I arrived. If I can be of any Service to the Widow, I ſhall be very glad; but I am afraid the Father is inclined to take every Advantage which the Law will allow him.

At Bath, I ſaw Mr. MELMOTH, who arrived there with his Lady the Day before I ſet out. He laments very much his Misfortune in miſ⯑ſing you at the Leaſowes: but hopes he ſhall have the Pleaſure of ſeeing you ſome Time or other at Bath, where for the future (ex⯑cept two or three Months in the Winter, which he will dedicate to his Friends in London) he intends to reſide. I ſpent a Day with Mr. W—, who is meditating an Eſſay on Simplicity, of which he ſhewed me an imperfect Plan, and [316] ſome few Sketches of the Work; he conſiders it in Sentiments, Language, Actions, and Works of Art, and I fancy will make a good Performance of it. I ſpent alſo a Day with Mr. GRAVES. Mr. ALLEN has built him a good additional Room, and a handſome School. He is very earneſt in his Wiſhes, that you would purſue your Subſcription without farther Delay, and deſires that I will preſs you to it without In⯑termiſſion; I told him, I had ſaid all I could, and hoped you would proceed. You are in the Meridian of your Fame, he ſays, and ſhould not let your Sun decline one Moment, before you put your Work in Agitation.

LETTER LXXVIII. Mr. T. L— to W. SHENSTONE, Eſq.

THAT the Polite muſt ever pleaſe equally in the Matter and Manner is what I am not now to learn, having had convincing Proof of it, ever ſince I have had the pleaſing Ho⯑nour of being known to Mr. SHENSTONE. To comprehend in a Nut-Shell a Volume of Ideas, is the happy Talent of a ſuperior Genius, which thoſe of the more minute, at a Diſtance, admire, but cannot attain; at leaſt, in our dull Pro⯑feſſion, the Difficulties attending ſuch an At⯑tempt are almoſt inſuperable. It can't have eſcaped ſo penetrating an Obſervation as Mr. SHENSTONE's, that bad Men examine every Law with no other Intention than to reap the Benefits, and at the ſame Time to evade the equal Contributions intended to be levied from all thoſe, who, as they enjoy the Benefits, ought in Reaſon to contribute their juſt Pro⯑portions of the Expences incurred by thoſe, [318] to whom they are indebted for thoſe Advan⯑tages. Againſt ſuch artful and miſchievous Examiners, it is the Duty of thoſe of our dull Profeſſion to be upon our Guard, and to protect, by all the Vigilance we are able, the honeſt and well-meaning from the Artifices and Deſigns of the diſhoneſt and ungenerous. Few Words, alas! however ſignificcant, are not able to effect ſuch a Security; and though Dullneſs has been the unfortunate Cauſe of in⯑troducing a Multiplicity of uſeleſs Tautology in many legal Tranſactions, yet the neceſſary Cau⯑tions, requiſite to protect the undeſigning from the Dangers of Fraud, from thoſe who are the Peſts of Society, have unhappily made ſome Repetitions neceſſary in many Caſes, where a liberal Interpretation, and Elegance of Expreſ⯑ſion would point them out as unneceſſary, and place them in a ridiculous, and, indeed, con⯑temptible Light, in the Judgment of a liberal and generous Obſerver, unacquainted with the hackneyed Ways of bad and deſigning Men. But, alas! Such Men there are—ſuch muſt be guarded againſt; and to aid me in ſuch an Herculean Labour, to unite Force, and intro⯑duce, at the ſame Time, Dignity of Expreſſion [319] and Elegance, inſtead of dull Form, I took the Liberty of requeſting the Aid of a Pen-Shenſtonian! I return my very ſincere Thanks for the kind Aſſiſtance you have been ſo good as to give me; and, as far as the Cautions I am obliged to obſerve, in order to guard againſt the Inconveniences I have before hinted at, will permit me, ſhall profit by them; and as I foreſee many Difficulties that may be likely to ariſe before the Benefits we wiſh for from the intended Act may be brought to Perfection, I ſhall take the Liberty you ſo obligingly per⯑mit me, of deſiring the Aſſiſtance and Honour of your Advice, where I have Occaſion for it.

If I was much ſuſceptible of Vanity, I ſhould have ample Food for it in indulging the Belief you flatter me with, that a Corre⯑ſpondence from — could give you any Pleaſure or Entertainment: but I am not yet ſo vain—Plain Facts, and plain Truth and Since⯑rity, are all that I can aim at in a Corre⯑ſpondence; nor can I think, that ſimple Nar⯑ratives, unaided with any Embelliſhments of Genius, or Livelineſs of Fancy, can give Plea⯑ſure to a Mind ſo ſtored with brilliant Ideas [320] as Mr. SHENSTONE's; yet permit me to aſ⯑ſure you, if you honour me with any Com⯑mands, I ſhall take a very ſincere Pleaſure in obeying them.

You have much damped the pleaſing Ex⯑pectations I had formed of ſeeing you in — but I yet can't help indulging an Hope, that we yet may, by ſome happy Event that may deſerve your Attention there, be gratified with that Pleaſure the enſuing Winter. But wherever you are, permit me very ſincerely to wiſh you every Felicity, and to join in a par⯑ticular Aſſurance, with the general Aſſurances which I am deſired to add from all this Fa⯑mily, that they are, as I am,