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Suppose then it were deferred only a few days; i.e. till you are safe and quiet at Bromley, whither you may carry a parcel, if not the whole, and on the return of that the rest may be sent. And if, in the interim, some of the plates are engraving, perhaps no time may be lost at all by this disposition. I say some of the plates, for you cannot possibly examine any part without the diagrams, which must accompany so much of the work as you have at one time. If this should be approved you will easily make it acceptable to them;if any other pleases you better, I will be directed."

Dr. Hawkesworth to Mr. Highmore.

"DEAR SIR,

"I flatter myself that it will give you pleasure to hear that I am once more safe in my own peaceful habitation, and have begun to resume the life of a rational being; if I had here one or two of those I left in town, I should have nothing to wish. I have read with great attention your preface, conclusion, introduction, and first part of the Perspective; in which I have made several alterations, except in the geometrical introduction, where I found nothing to alter; some of the alterations in the preface and conclusion, you may probably think capricious; yet every one is founded on some rule, which I thought broken by the original text. To give the reasons of every alteration upon paper would be endless, though in a téte a téte it would be an agreeable amusement. I must insist that you adopt and reject with the utmost freedom, as nothing else can reconcile me to the labour. I am not concerned to defend any alterations,

but when once I have suggested it shall never think of it again. Some queries, and perhaps some alterations of the treatise, may probably arise from my having mistaken your meaning, when that happens let the intention atone for the deed. I have done it with black lead, that you may confirm those you approve with ink, and remove those you disapprove with your handkerchief. I will go through the rest before I apply to any other thing, and in the mean time you may if you please, send what I now remit to you, after it has undergone your revision, to Jefferies, for I presume it would be not less agreable to you than to him that it should go on without further delay.

"I think the second part, where you keep the new method, infinitely clearer than the first; if I had not read Brook Taylor, I think I should not have understood the first diagram, which, though I had, cost me much time. The accommodation of the old to the new method, the picture to the horizontal plane, and the point of sight to the centre of the picture, somewhat perplexed me; of this however it is not possible I should judge, from a mere reading, so well as you, who are perfectly master of the subject, and I doubt not have seen it in all its lights, and of every possible method have chosen the best; for that is best, which

appears best to him who knows most, Pray accept my kindest and best wishes, and share them with your amiable and good girl. Mrs. H. warmly joins me in this request. I am dear sir, your faithful and obedient servant,

"Bromley, Sunday night,

3d Feb. 1760."

"J. HAWKESWORTH,

In 1765 Dr. Hawkesworth undertook the reviewer's department of the Gentleman's Magazine, and continued to fill that office with much ability and credit until the last year of his life.

In the same year, 1765, he published the works of Dean Swift, in twelve volumes 8vo, with notes, and a life of the author. This piece of biography was written in Hawkesworth's best style, but contained no new information, and has been since superseded by more original and elaborate performances.

Of the year 1767, we have it in our power to present our readers with the following original letter.

Dr. Hawkesworth to Mrs. Duncombe.

"MY DEAR MADAM,

"When your obliging favor of the 27th came to London, I was with Mrs. H. upon a visit to a friend in Essex.

"As time is of no value but as it brings pleasure, I shall always think it improved by an epistolary correspondence with you; my answers will always be punctual if not immediate, and I hope we shall not again lose sight of each other, though by this intercourse we are seen but as through a glass darkly,' and not face to face.

"You have made my dear Mrs. H. very happy by your affectionate remembrance; she kissed your letter with tears of pleasure in her eyes, and sighed to think how seldom we are likely to meet, before the places that now know us shall know us no more.

“I shall be very much gratified my dear Madam, if my emblems should meet your approbation; I was

mortified to find that none of our artists could as it were meet my ideas, or produce any new spark of fancy by collission. They could not perfectly reflect my own images, much less improve upon them, and they are not now what they would have been if I had had your happy power of transferring them to paper, not in words but in things. They will be as elegantly engraved as I could procure them to be in this country, but I have an idea of perfection in this art, which no artist on our side of the water can reach.

"We shall indeed be gainers in your loss by Mrs. B.——; but you will be gainers by ours in the family I was visiting in Essex when your letter came to the Gate. * The gentleman has long served his country with honour at sea, and has some time retired with a liberal fortune; he has married a young lady, his second wife, by whom he has three young children, these with a young lady, sister to his wife, is his family. My friend Captain W. has very strong natural parts, strong passions, and a benevolent and liberal mind;good nature, generosity, and a growing temper, make one of the best compositions for friendship that I know. The lady is sweet, gentle, has sense, and what is worth all the sense upon earth, sensibility :—she loves to converse, to read, and to think, and has a high relish for literary entertainments; so has her sister. You will certainly be able to make them happy, therefore they will make you so; for both our weakness and our strength, our vanity and benevolence, are gratified by giving pleasure.

* St. John's Gate, Clerkenwell;-the printing office, and well known badge of the Gentleman's Magazine.

"Our dear Miss H.- is not behind hand with you in regret at not seeing you, as she returned from abroad. She has however no Spa tales to tell; she says the scene was too uniform to please, and too trifling to interest, She saw nothing she says but gaming ;an accursed vice, which destroys alike virtue and pleasure, perverts the passions, and makes understanding useless. There is great difference between gaming, and playing at cards.

"I was most ageeably surprised by Mr. Duncombe's friendly visit in my garret; and as well as I love you I could rejoice heartily to think my not seeing you made you as miserable as it did me: perhaps you do not love me less for this malevolence.--" Woman is a riddle;"—and so is Man. By the laws of gallantry however I shall not be condemned, and I had rather be condemned by any other; for a prior engagement with a Lady, or to speak less equivocally and more honestly, with ladies, prevented my waiting upon you. I endeavoured to change the time, but could not succeed, as a party was made. Why have we no word in English that at once expresses female and friend !—

"My best compliments, and those of Mrs. H. attend your father and Mr. Duncombe. I am greatly obliged to him for his kind favor relating to my subscription. I have sent a few proposals to Mr. Highmore, I hope in time. I am, ever and ever, with perfect esteem, your faithful and affectionate

"J. HAWKESWORTH.

Bromley, Kent, 19th December, 1767.”

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