which the rugged road of life would be infupportably tedious. I think the French are the best philofophers, who make the most they can of the pleasures, and the leaft they can of the pains of life; and are ever ftrewing flowers among the thorns all mortals are obliged to walk through; whereas, by much reflection, the English contrive to fee and feel the thorns double, and never fee the flowers at all, but to defpife them; expecting their happiness from things more folid and durable, as they imagine: but how feldom do they find them! one meets indeed with difappointments in trifles; but they are easier borne: yet I confefs I was much concerned laft week at the difafter which befel my poultry, and found myself punished for my prefumption in daring all my neighbours to produce such fine turkies as mine, of which I had thirty-feven, and fix of them were fit to eat; whereas a pole-cat fetched away twenty in one night, and eight at three in the afternoon next day, and fucked the eggs of the turkies, ducks, and chickens, and (what vexed me more upon your account) of the Guinea hens.'

I faw to-day in the London Evening-Poft a letter, which reflects upon my brother B-ke, in regard to Mr. P-pe's treachery to him; in which the blame feems to be thrown from him upon my brother. I have not yet feen any one thing more that has been published concerning it, except a preface in a magazine in his favour, the truth of which I could atteft; and have often wondered he could fo long ftifle the abominable ufage he met with from P-pe in printing his work, which he had intrufted him to review, intending that it fhould not be published till after his own death. The letters between P-pe and the printer, bargaining for the price, were found by lord Marchmont, whofe bufinefs it was, by P-pe's laft will to look over his papers jointly with lord Bol--ke: but as to the subject of the book, I know nothing of it ; nor is that to the purpose as to P-pe's bafenefs to the beit of friends; without whom he had never fhone in the Effay on Man.'

LETTER

XXXVIII.

I do not know whether I am making reparation for my past offence, filence, or committing a worse, by babbling: for 1 not only answered your letter by your fervant, but wrote again the very next day; and still upon the fame fubject, Urns. I hoped for an anfwer laft Thursday; but not having one, I now torment you with a third epiftle, which will probably draw another from you; and, was your politenefs out of the question, I fhould expect it to be an order for me to stop my pen: I think it would be jut; and as the French ftyle (and french every thing) is fathionable, it might be allowable for you to fay in that language to me, cela fufit: which phrafe I have often heard ufed by thofe who would be fhocked to hear in rough English hold your tongue;' though I think, found makes the difference, not fenfe. Talking of that, who would have thought a pack of French ftrollers could ever, in any shape, have influenced the choofing or rejecting a member of the British parliament? and yet the advertisements about the Wefiminster election fhew them to be perfonages of confequence.-It is it feems fact, that a pretty good set of English actors, who made an attempt to

fet

fet up a ftage in a province on the out-fkirts of France, (where our language was a little understood) were driven off with the utmoft fcurrility; and yet our nobleffe fupport their ftrollers here; for they are, I hear, eftablished in fpite of the fracas made by the gallery; being well fupported by our lords, ladies, and still more by fome of our officers, who though they ran away from the French in Flanders, are eager to follow them here, and to pay their obfequious devoirs to the outcaft of them.-What will not Englishmen now bear?

"Were it permitted to find fault with m-fty, I fhould be angry Penlez did not receive the royal mercy. But, on the other hand, I am pleafed with the k-g's anfwer to the d--ke of New—, who went to his clofet exulting with joy to inform him of the fortunate event of Sir Watkin's death: I am forry for it; (anfwered his m-fty) he was a worthy man, and an open enemy.' This fine anfwer makes. one regret that his min-rs govern inftead of him.-But how happens it pray, that I talk fomething tending towards politics to you? I do not conceive what could make it enter into my head: but when it did do fo, I can eafily conceive it would fly away with my pen: for fo negligently as I write, the first ideas that prefent themfelves go off to my friends, unpolished and unconnected: but to others I give a very little flummery, and fo conclude. This word flummery, you must know, Sir, means at London, flattery and compliment; and is the prefent reigning word among the Beaux and Belles. Pardon my telling you what your Dictionary would not have told you; and pardon me alfo boafting of knowing fomething about the fashions my neighbours do not know, and which, thanks to chance, I do know!-I hope this felf-exaltation will not draw upon me the guilt of the arrogant Pharifee. My knowledge does not extend very far, as learned as I am; and yet I know it is the fashion for every body to write a couplet to the fame tune (viz. an old country dance) upon whatever fubject occurs to them; I should fay upon whatever perfon, with their names to it. Lords, gentlemen, ladies, flirts, fcholars, foldiers, divines, mafters, and miffes, are all duthors upon this occafion, and alfo the objects of each others fatire it makes an offenfive medley, and might be called a potpourri; which is a potful of all kinds of flowers which are feverally perfumes, and commonly when mixed and rotten, fmell very ill. This coarfe fimile is yet too good for about twenty or thirty couplets I have feen, and they are all perfonal and foolish fatire, even feverally; fo I will not fend them: but to make amends for my grave politics, I will fend you a good pretty innocent Ballad, wrote by a Mifs Jenny Hamilton, a pretty girl about town, who is going to marry More, the author of the Foundling, and writes word of it herself in this manner to an intimate friend in the country. It confifts, as you will find, of puns (or as the French properly call it jeu de mots) upon his name; and though I never was a lover of puns, I do not diflike the natural fprightly turn of thefe; and I hope they will amufe you a few moments, for the reason you quote from Cibber (himself!) That fmall matters amufe in the country.' The truth of which molt people have felt, or are unfeeling and unhappy.'-

LETTER

LETTER LXVII.

-My own fpirits are much lowered by my brother Bolingbroke's misfortune; which thunderbolt fell upon him quite unexpectedly, by the injuftice or unfkilfulness of French jurifprudence, and the chicane of their lawyers. He has appealed now to their parliament, where, if he does not find redrefs, it will be to their difgrace; but fo much to his detriment, that I dread the thoughts of it. The French judges are partial, even without having the modefty to dif guife their partiality; and of the cuftomary law of Paris it is said proverbally, que les formes emportent le fond. This iniquitous and abfurd judgment, given against my brother, is upon a prefumption that he was married to his late lady before the year 1722, which he was not; though, out of honour and friendship, he did too much to let it be believed in France: and his delicacy is thus rewarded by her own daughter and fon-in-law, who owe him great obligations. They take from him 18,500 livres a year in annuities in that country, and ondemn him to pay 300,000 livres to the marquis de Montmoria, his daughter-in-law's hufband. Every livre is about one fhilling; fo the fum is very confiderable to any body, much more to a perfon haraffed by attainders, forfeitures, &c.-But why do I harafs you with all this account? it is feemingly not the part of a friend to do fo, as your fpirits rather want to be cheared: and yet it is a strong proof of friendship; for to whom fhould one open one's heart, and fpeak of one's forrows, but to the perfon whom one thinks capable of feeling for one? and of courfe that must be one we have a friendfhip for, and on whofe reciprocal friendship we depend.

LETTER LXXIX.

-For once bid business avaunt, and ask us how we do at Bath, and at your friend Graves's. We can offer you friendly converfation, friendly fprings, friendly rides and walks, friendly paftimes to diffipate gloomy thoughts; friendly book fellers, who for five fhillings for the feafon will furnish you with all the new books; friendly chair-men, who will carry you through ftorms and tempefts for fixpence, and feldom elfe, for ducheffes trudge the streets here unattended: we have alfo friendly Othellos, Falstaffs, Richards the IIld. and Harlequins, who entertain one daily for half the price of your Garricks, Barrys, and Richs-and (what you will scarcely believe) we can alfo offer you friendly folitude; for one may be an Anchoret here without being difturbed by the queftion why?-Would you see the fortunate and benevolent Mr. Allen, his fine houfe, and ftone quarries? Would you fee our law-giver, Mr. Nash, whofe white hat commands more refpe&t, and non-refiftance, than the crowns of fome kings, though now worn on a head that is in the 80th year of its age? To promote fociety, good-manners, and a coalition of parties and ranks; to fupprefs fcandal and late hours, are his view; and he fucceeds rather better than his brother monarchs generally do: haften then your fteps; for he may foon be carried off the stage of life, as the greatest must fall to the worms repaft; yet he is new hanging his collection of beauties, fo as to have pace to hang up as many more future belles. His Apelles is Howard (in crayons); his Praxiteles is Howard's brother, who,

though

though a ftatuary, deigns alfo to exercise his art in fculpture on humble paper cielings, which are very handsome

LETTER CI.

Though I undertake to write to you to night, I do not know how my letter is to be wafted to Birmingham, unlefs fome kind fylph offers her service; the terreftrial meffengers not being able to travel, at least not in this country, where it fnows, rains, and freezes, not alternately, but at the fame time. Is that your cafe in Shropshire ? if fo, I pity you; but I think you and I, who have not much elfe to do, fhould utter our lamentations to each other from the corners of the fame chimney. Sharing the burden of winter, would be leffening it to each of us. I cannot go to the Leafowes; ergo you must come to Barrels, or we cannot meet; is not this true reafoning? You will fay (and perhaps with truth), that it is like an invitation to a funeral; which, I am perfuaded, is a compliment most people would be glad not to receive; but though it could not entertain you to accept of fuch an invitation, it would illuftrate your friendly qualities, by affording you an opportunity of giving, rather than of receiving, pleasure. The word pleafure, reminds me that I have received a very agreeable epiftle from your friend Mr. Hylton, whofe lofs of a place at court does not feem to fit heavy upon him. It is no more than I expected from the good fenfe I obferved in him.

LETTER

CIV.

Whether you are well or ill, alive or dead? and whether you remember that you have a fincere friend here, who is impatient for the pleasure of your company, and that you promised to come here before this time? are the queries I defire you to answer by the bearer, who goes to the Leafowes on purpose to receive those answers; which I hope will folve my doubts, and fet my mind at ease. You are two letters in my debt.

The clofe of Christmas is furely come; for the rooks are building, and confirm the new-ftile; yet you remain by your own fire fide, regardless of us abfent mortals, who regret the want of your company, and which you bestow perhaps upon your parishioners; for I imagine your neighbours of higher rank have abandoned you, as you do us: I fay us, but it is improperly that I write in the plural number; for God knows I am as much alone as a hermit; but however I thall fee Mr. Outing, and, I believe, Mr. J. Reynolds here this week; which will rather, I imagine, haften than retard your journey hither. Neither roads, nor waters, nor wind, nor froft, must be mentioned by you, fince the cautious Mr. Outing refolves to encounter those enemies; for, though you do not wear a cockade in your hat, I believe you as courageous as he. Adieu: I fay no more; for you will come and hear whatever I have to fay, if you are a man of your word; and you will take mine, I dare fay, when I affure you that I am, unfeign, edly, your faithful and obliged fervant,

H. LUXBOROUGH,

As a private correfpondence, thefe Letters will be allowed. fome fhare of merit, efpecially if her ladyfhip's apology be confidered never, fays the, made a copy of a letter in my

5

life;

life; and my pen and hand being always on the gallop will ftumble fometimes.' But certainly, if all the female letters which have the fame claim to public attention with those of Lady Luxborough were to be printed, the Reviewers would be obliged to look abroad for recruits to enlarge their corps, and it might be faid, almoft without a figure, that the world would not contain the books that fhould be written.'

Art. IX. The Nonconformifts Memorial: being an Account of the Minifters who were ejected or filenced after the Reformation, particularly by the Act of Uniformity, which took Place on Bartholomew day, Aug. 24 1662, containing a concife View of their Lives and Characters, their Principles, Sufferings, and printed Works: Originally written by the Reverend and Learned Edmund Calamy, D. D. Now abridged and corrected, and the Author's Additions inferted, with many farther Particulars and new Anecdotes, by Samuel Palmer. To which is prefixed an Introduction, containing a brief Hiftory of the Times in which they lived, and the Grounds of their Nonconformity. Embellished with the Heads of many of thofe venerable Divines. 2 Vols. 8vo. 16 s. Harris.. 1775.

T

will be is

due to thofe who, from real principles of confcience, res linquish lucrative employments and refpectable fituations; and this, whether their fcruples arife from rational and folid prin ciples, or from narrow views and falfe opinions. On this ground, the names of those clergymen, who chofe to refign their ftation in the church, rather than violate their integrity by complying with the requifitions of the Act of Uniformity, paffled in the beginning of the reign of Charles II. will doubt lefs ever be mentioned with applaufe. But it is not one memorable action, nor indeed a good character in general, that is of itself fufficient to intitle a man to a place in the records of biography. Diftinguishing features, uncommon in cidents, and interefting fituations, are neceffary to furnish materials for an entertaining and useful narrative. It was not to be expected a priori that the lives of two thousand men, in the fame walk of life, whofe education, employments, and connections were fimilar, would afford particulars fufficiently diftin&t and characteristic to be worth preferving.

We are not therefore furprised to find, in the accounts of thefe good men here published, fuch an uniformity and barren nefs, as muft render the work extremely infipid to every reader who does not fit down to the repaft with an appetite parti cularly prepared for the occafion. We cannot difcern any valuable end which is likely to be answered by this republication, except the profit that may arife to the editor from the fale of the REV. Jan. 1776.

F

work,