always" Pretty well, my darling ;" and when I gave him his food and his wine,-"That's my darling," with a smile of comfort and delight, inexpressibly dear to my heart. I often used to ask him if he loved me, his almost constant answer,— 'Do I love my own eyes?”

These pleasures are past, dear Miss Williams, and their recollection is yet too mournfully impressed, to admit an idea of mixing soon with the gay and busy world. Adieu! Yours faithfully.

LETTER IV.

EDWARD JERNINGHAM, ESQ.

April 3, 1790.

I WISH the compositions in question were more worthy the honour of your solicitude; but to print them by single volumes, would be dying by inches, from the anxiety and dread I feel in publishing. Settling my father's affairs, with the daily-recurring duties of my pen, not without impoliteness to be omitted, must engross my attention for a long time. I am far from being well. Indisposition disarms exertion, and renders the

wish of tranquillity an Aaron's rod in the bosom, swallowing up every other desire.

Respecting the illustrious martyr of benevolence-surely his apotheosis has been long since given !

"To that bright virtue's utmost scope

His ardent aim did Hayley raise,

As high, as mortal hand may hope
To shoot the glittering shaft of praise."

And shall I presume to shoot in that strong bow? One of the noblest odes our language boasts, in the first volume of Mr Hayley's poems, must have escaped your attention, or you had felt that the subject, rich as it is, has been exhausted.

With a grateful sense of your partiality in my favour, I remain your faithful and obedient ser

vant.

LETTER V.

To Mr COURTENAY, on his Pamphlet entitled PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTIONS ON THE LATE REVOLUTIONS IN FRANCE.

May 17, 1790.

I AM extremely gratified by the recent proof have now given me that I live in your remembrance.

you

I love genius, wit, and spirit, and knowledge, too well not to be charmed with your pamphlet ; and peace and order too much not to be almost frightened at it; for, on my word, the irony cuts deep, and respect for our boasted constitution, as we read, bleeds at every vein. You are just such a champion for subordination, kingship, and episcopacy, as Mr Hayley for ancient virginity. Bishops, nobles, monarchs, and old maids, may cry out to you both,

"An open foe may prove a curse,
But a pretended friend is worse."

We have our political grievances; but by no means of so oppressive a nature as those which justified the

exertions of France. They will be much for her happiness and glory, if she uses her victory with wisdom and justice-but, I am afraid, that does not seem probable from the present aspect of her affairs.

Your mock censure must give great triumph to the dissenters; your sarcastic commendation no small umbrage to the hierarchy; but let plump canons slumber in their stalls,

"The saint in crape be twice a saint in lawn ;”

-let sour presbytery growl on in exclusion, ere democratic indignation overwhelm the peace of this country!

I am particularly pleased with that passage in this humorous tract which ridicules the ruin of politeness by the extirpation of monarchy. The simile that closes it, appears to me perfectly new, and ingenious in the first degree. I almost grudge it to prose.

With much esteem, 1 remain, Sir, your faithful and obliged servant.

LETTER VI.

H. CARY, Esq.

May 18, 1790.

IN the fortnight which has elapsed since I had the pleasure of hearing from you, my friend, I hope you have discovered some congenial spirits, who rove academic bowers with dispositions suited to the purposes for which they were reared. The sons of vice and frivolity will affect to despise you for pursuits so far nobler than their own; but, when your genius and application shall have distinguished you in the public exercises, they will be taught to feel their own comparative littleness, and involuntarily revere what they are too stupid to emulate.

I see you, in my mind's eye, wandering solitary on the banks of the Cherwell, whose coy graces the picturesque muse of Mr T. Warton has so beautifully described. I wish I wish you could procure the honour of an introduction to him. You know

I am an enthusiast about his writings, in despite of my indignation at his observing that Milton had a bad ear. Milton! whose measures are so