than any body. You have given me a moft complete idea of your manfion and its fituation; and I doubt not that with your letter in my hand, by way of map, could I be fet down on the spot in a moment, I fhould find myfelf qualified to take my walks, and my pastime in whatever quarter of your paradise it fhould please me the moft to vifit. We alfo, as you know, have scenes at Wefton worthy of defcription: but because you know them well, I will only fay that one of them has within these few days been much improved; I mean the lime walk. By the help of the axe and the wood-bill, which have of late been conftantly employed in cutting out all ftraggling branches that intercepted the arch; Mr. Throckmorton has now defined it with fuch exactness, that no cathedral in the world can fhow one of more magnificence or beauty. I blefs myself that I live fo near it; for were it distant feveral miles, it would be well worth while to vifit it, merely as an object of taste; not to mention the refreshment of fuch a gloom both to the eyes and fpirits. And these are the things which our modern improvers of parks and pleasure grounds have difplaced without mercy; because, forfooth, they are rectilinear. It is a wonder they do not quarrel with the funbeams for the fame reafon.

Have you feen the account of five hundred celebrated authors now living? I am one of them; but stand charged with the high crime and misdemeanor of totally neglecting method. An accufation which, if the gentleman would take the pains to read me, he would find fufficiently refuted. I am confcious at least myself of having laboured much in the arrangement of my matter, and of having given to the feveral parts of every book of the Tafk, as well as to each poem in the first volume, that fort of flight connexion which poetry demands ; for in poetry (except profeffedly of the didactic kind) a

logical precifion would be stiff, pedantic, and ridiculous. But there is no pleafing fome critics; the comfort is,. that I am contented whether they be pleafed or not. At the fame time, to my honour be it spoken, the chronicler of us five hundred prodigies bestows on me, for ought I know, more commendations than on any other of my confraternity. May he live to write the hiftories of as many thousand Poets, and find me the very best among them! Amen!

I join with you, my dearest coz. in wishing that I owned the fee fimple of all the beautiful scenes around you; but fuch emoluments were never defigned for Poets. Am I not happier than ever Poet was, in having thee for my coufin; and in the expectation of thy arrival here, whenever Strawbury-Hill fhall lofe thee?

Ever thine,

LETTER CIII,

To Lady HESKETH.

W. C.

THE LODGE, August 9, 1788.

THE Newtons are still here, and continue with us I believe until the 15th of the month. Here is alfo my friend Mr. Rofe, a valuable young man, who, attracted by the effluvia of my genius, found me out in my retirement laft January twelve-month. I have not permitted him to be idle, but have made him tranfcribe for me the twelfth book of the Iliad. He brings me the compliments of feveral of the literati, with whom he is acquainted in town; and tells me, that from Dr. Maclean, whom he faw lately, he learns that my book is in the hands of fixty different perfons at the Hague, who are all enchanted with it; not forgetting the faid Dr. Maclean himself, who tells him that he reads it every day, and is always the better for it. Oh rare we !

I have been employed this morning in compofing a Latin motto for the King's clock. The embellishments of which are by Mr. Bacon. That gentleman breakfafted with us on Wednesday, having come thirty-feven miles out of his way on purpose to see your coufin. At his request I have done it, and have made two; he will choose that which liketh him beft. Mr. Bacon is a most excellent man, and a moft agreeable companion: I would that he lived not fo remote, or that he had more opportunity of travelling.

There is not, fo far as I know, a fyllable of the rhyming correspondence between me and my poor brother left, fave and except the fix lines of it quoted in yours. I had the whole of it, but it perished in the wreck of a thoufand other things when I left the Temple.

regret, allevi.

I LEFT you with a fenfible ated only by the confideration, that I fhall fee you again in October. I was under fome concern alfo, left, not being able to give you any certain directions myself, nor knowing where you might find a guide, you should wander and fatigue yourself, good walker as you are, before you should reach Northampton. Perhaps you heard me whistle juft after our feparation; it was to call back Beau, who was running after you with all speed to entreat you to return with me. For my part, I took my own time to return, and did not reach home till after one; and then fo weary that I was glad of my great chair; to the comforts of which I added a cruft, and a

glafs of rum and water, not without great occafion. Such a foot-traveller am I.

I am writing on Monday, but whether I fhall finifh my letter this morning depends on Mrs. Unwin's coming fooner or later down to breakfast. Something tells me that you set off to-day for Birmingham; and though it be a fort of Iricism to say here, I befeech you take care of yourself, for the day threatens great heat,' I cannot help it; the weather may be cold enough at the time when that good advice fhall reach you, but be it hot or be it cold, to a man who travels as you travel, take care of yourself, can never be an unreasonable caution. I am fometimes diftreffed on this, account, for though you are young, and well made for fuch exploits, thofe very circumstances are more likely than any thing to betray you into danger.

Confule quid valeant plantæ, quid ferre recufent.

The Newtons left us on Friday. We frequently talked about you after your departure, and every thing that was spoken was to your advantage. I know they will be glad to fee you in London, and perhaps when your fummer and autumn rambles are over, you will afford them that pleasure. The Throckmortons are equally well difpofed to you; and them also I recommend to you as a valuable connexion; the rather, becaufe you can only cultivate it at Weston.

I have not been idle fince you went, having not only laboured as ufual at the Iliad, but composed a spick and Span new piece, called, "The Dog and the Water-Lily ;" which you fhall fee when we meet again. I believe I related to you the incident which is the subject of it. I have alfo read most of Lavater's Aphorifms; they appear to me fome of them wife, many of them whimfical, a few of them falfe, and not a few of them extravagant. Nil illi medium-If he finds in a man the feature or

quality that he approves, he deifies him; if the contrary, he is a devil. His verdict is in neither cafe, I fuppofe, a just one.

LETTER CV.

To SAMUEL ROSE, Efq.

WESTON, Sept. 11, 1788.

MY DEAR FRIEND,

SINCE your departure I have twice vifited the Oak, and with an intention to push my inquiries a mile beyond it, where it seems I should have found another oak, much larger, and much more refpectable than the former; but once I was hindered by the rain, and once by the fultrinefs of the day. This latter oak has been known by the name of Judith many ages; and is faid to have been an oak at the time of the Conqueft. If I have not an opportunity to reach it before your arrival here, we will attempt that exploit together; and even if I fhould have been able to vifit it ere you come, I fhall yet be glad to do fo; for the pleasure of extraordinary fights, like all other pleafures, is doubled by the participation of a friend.

You wish for a copy of my little dog's eulogium, which I will therefore tranfcribe; but by fo doing, I fhall leave myself but fcanty room for profe.

I fhall be forry if our neighbours at the Hall fhould have left it, when we have the pleasure of feeing you. I want you to fee them foon again, that a little confuetudo may wear off restraint; and you may be able to improve the advantage you have already gained in that quarter. I pitied you for the fears which deprived you

of your uncle's company, and the more having fuffered fo much by thofe fears myself. Fight against that vicious fear, for fuch it is, as ftrenuously as you can. It is the worst enemy that can attack a man destined to the