even beyond the expectation of our friends. He expressed himself highly pleased with the design, and sent Mr. Sheridan word it should receive all countenance and encouragement. Lord Bute is a man of his word, and every body knows his great influence; so that the affair now seems likely to become of great importance. The course of lectures which Mr. Sheridan is now reading in the city is attended in a manner that shows the people more warm and earnest on the subject than can well be conceived; his auditory seldom consisting of less than five hundred people, and this is the utmost the hall will contain; many have been disappointed for want of room, and he is strenuously solicited to repeat the course again immediately in the same place. This I believe he will comply with, though he is to give another course next month at Spring Gardens. Last Monday evening, Charles, for the first time, exhibited himself as a little orator. He read Eve's speech to Adam, from Milton, beginning

O thou! for whom, and from whom, I was formed, &c.

As his father had taken a deal of pains with him, and he has the advantage of a fine ear and a fine voice, he acquitted himself in such a manner as astonished every body. He purposes in his next course to show him in all the variety of style that is used in English composition, and hopes in a very little time to make him complete in his own art. Dick has been at Harrow school since Christmas: as he probably may fall into a bustling life, we have a mind to accustom him early

to shift for himself: Charles's domestic and sedentary turn is best suited to a home education. This is the present system of your little old acquaintance.

I shall be glad of your opinion on the Dissertation, as also to know what progress you yourself have made in this particular branch in your school, which I am very glad to hear by Mr. Rainsford is in great reputation. I am obliged to break off, as I have been interrupted a dozen times since I sat down to write. Indeed I am so distressed for want of a room to myself, that it discourages me from attempting any thing, though I have this winter made a shift to scribble something that you shall hear of another time. Adieu, dear Sam. I am yours, sincerely,

FRANCES SHERIDAN.

some

P. S. My sister Chamberlaine desires me to inform you (you may be assured I did not hint the subject) that she had paid Mrs. money that you had left in her hands for that use, which she expects you'll acquit her of. I leave my brother Dick to answer for himself.

DR. SMOLLETT TO AN AMERICAN GENTLEMAN. SIR, London, May 8th, 1763. I AM favoured with yours of the 26th of February, and cannot but be pleased to find myself, as a writer, so high in your esteem. The curiosity you express with regard to the particulars of my

life, and the variety of situations in which I may have been, cannot be gratified within the compass of a letter; besides, there are some particulars of my life which it would ill become me to relate. The only similitude between the circumstances of my own fortune, and those I have attributed to Roderick Random, consists in my being born of a respectable family in Scotland; in my being bred a surgeon, and having served as a surgeon's mate on board a man of war during the expedition to Carthagena. The low situations in which I have exhibited Roderic I never experienced in my own person. I married, very young, a native of Jamaica, a young lady well known and universally respected under the name of Miss Nancy Lascelles, and by her I enjoy a comfortable, though moderate estate in that island. I practised surgery in London, after having improved myself by travelling in France and other foreign countries, till the year 1749, when I took my degree of doctor in medicine, and have lived ever since in Chelsea (I hope) with credit and reputation. No man what time I em

knows better than Mr. ployed in writing the four first volumes of the History of England; and, indeed, the short period in which that work was finished appears almost incredible to myself, when I recollect that I turned over and consulted above three hundred volumes in the course of my labour. Mr. likewise knows that I spent the greatest part of a year in revising, correcting, and improving the quarto edition which is now going to the press, and will be continued in the same

size to the last peace. Whatever reputation I may have got by this work, has been dearly bought by the loss of health, which I am of opinion I shall never retrieve. I am going to the south of France, in order to try the effects of that climate, and very probably I shall never return. I am much obliged to you for the hope you express that I have obtained some provision from his majesty; but the truth is, I have neither pension nor place, nor am I of that disposition which can stoop to solicit either. I have always piqued myself upon my independency, and I trust in God I shall preserve it till my dying day. Exclusive of some small detached performances that have been published occasionally in papers and magazines, the following is a genuine list of my productions:-Roderick Random; the Regicide, a tragedy; a translation of Gil Blas; a translation of Don Quixote; an Essay upon the external Use of Water; Peregrine Pickle; Ferdinand Count Fathom; a great part of the Critical Review; a small part of the Compendium of Voyages; the Complete History of England, and Continuation a small part of the Modern Universal History; some pieces of the British Magazine, comprehending the whole of Sir Launcelot Greaves; a small part of the translation of Voltaire's Works, including all the Notes, Historical and Critical, to be found in that translation. I am much mortified to find it is believed in America that I have lent my name to booksellers; that is a species of prostitution of which I am altogether incapable. I had engaged with Mr., and had made some progress in a work exhibiting the

present state of the world, which work I shall finish if I recover my health. If you should see Mr. please give my kindest compliments to him; tell him I wish him all manner of happiness, though I have little to expect for my own share, having lost my only child, a fine girl of fifteen, whose death has overwhelmed myself and my wife with unutterable sorrow.

I have now complied with your request, and beg, in my turn, you will commend me to all my friends in America. I have endeavoured, more

than once, to do the colonies some service. am, sir, &c.

I

TOBIAS SMOLLETT.

DR. ARMSTRONG TO DR. SMOLLETT, AT PISA.

London, March 28, 1769.

O, MY dear doctor, I should severely reproach myself, for having so long delayed answering your letter, which gave much pleasure and entertainment, not only to me, but to all our common friends, if it was not that I waited for some news that might please you. I have none to send you at last, except you are, as I am, upon the Douglas side; but this is treating you with state intelligence.

It is needless to say how much I rejoice in your recovery; but I have all along had great confidence in the vigorous stamina with which nature has blessed you. I hope you may, within a year or two, be able to weather out, if not an