not I want refolution; never virtue had more. Sick to death from the moment you left me, headach beyond description, five men and two women to compliment my way through in the afternoon; yet boldly rushed through them all, and took my place in the ftage-coach myfelf. After all, loft five fhillings earnest by a blunder, went in a wrong coach at laft, and fuch a morning!-But then I had a worshipful fociety! all filent and fick as myfelf; for which I thanked my ftars; for if they had fpoke I had been murdered. Mrs. had almoft talked me into nonexistence yesterday morning: and I had been totally annihilated, if you had not come in and restored me to my identity. Pray tell her this in revenge for my head-ach. All our friends that we took up in the morning we dropt gradually one by one, as we do when we fet out upon the journey of life; and now I have only a young ftudent of Oxford to finish the evening of my day with, and prepare for the grand events of to morrow. I have just been eating a boiled chicken with him, and talking about Homer and Madam Roland; and am now retiring with Mrs. Mary to my bedchamber, whom I fhall difmifs with her warming-pan in a moment. you do not permit me to pour out the prefent set of ideas upon all this paper 1 am inconfolable; for I have no book, and was too abfent till now to think I fhould want one. -How fudden, and how capricious, are the tranfitions of this mortal ftage! Pleasure and pain are parted but by a fingle moment. Windfor, Fern-hill, Brook-ftreet, and your grey gown, are no more; nor with Mr. Locke's affociations can I affociate a tingle idea of the past with the prefent. Even Lady- defunct. And yet fhe might. But the is no more; et de mortuis nil nifi bonum.

If

While virtue fhines, or finks beneath

This effort of poetry, and that fcrap of Latin which I don't understand, has fo exhaufted all my forces, that I find myfelf gradually finking into the arms of Sleep, and must now refign to the gentle power of dreams.

Farewell-and when like me opprefs'd with care,
You to your own Aquinam fhall repair,
To taste a mouthful of fweet country air;

Be mindful of your friend, and fend me word,
What joys your fountains and cool streams afford;
Then to affift your rhapsodies I'll come,

And add new spirit when we speak of Rome.

LETTER XLV.

JUVENAL.

To Mifs L. on the expreffions and compliments commonly made ufe of in letters.

THE money and books came found as a roach.

Safe is fo common an expreffion that I am tired of telling people for ever things come safe. We geniuses are forced to vary our expreffions, and invent new terms, as well to fhow our furpris fing compafs of thought as our great command of language. This fometimes appears ftiff and affected to the common clafs of readers, or hearers, who are apt to be out of their element upon hearing any new or unusual founds; but our nicer ears cannot always bear the fame cadences. There's fomething peculiar in the make and ftructure of the auditory nerve that requires divertification and variety, as well as fome fkill in the anatomy of language, to make an impreffion on it without wounding it. It is for this reafon, when i ask a

favour, (a thing I feldom chufe to do) I always felet the most delicate phrases I am mistress of; but in regard to forms, which most people are sick of, and yet furfeit their friends with, thefe I vary according as my own humour or inclination preponderates. Of confequence, when I come towards the end or peroration of a letter, I fometimes.communicate my compliments-fometimes defire they may be made known-or where there is a large family, and of confequence a number of civilities to be paid, the laconic ftyle of My deferences as ufual, has fometimes fucceeded beyond my expectations. I am fick of faying for ever, I beg my compliments to fuch a one.-But, as I propofe foon to give your Ladyfhip a particular differtation upon ftyle, and as I have many flowers of rhetoric yet inexhaufted, I fhall wind up the words above mentioned into the form of a letter, and communicate all the things I have to fay in the poftfcript.

ture.

LETTER XLVI.

From Mifs Jones to Lady

HE fir letter from an abfent friend is furely the most agreeable thing to mufe over in na Your's from Hatfield revived in me those pleafing remembrances which not only enliven but expand the heart; that very heart, which, but the moment before, felt itself mightily fhrunk and con tracted at the thoughts of your departure. Lady H. Beauclerk partook of the pleasure. The mo ment fhe faw your hand fhe cried Half-and read it moft complacently over my fhoulder.

It is to no purpofe to tell you how much you were miffed by every body that ftaid in town; how often I caft my eyes up at your dreffing-room win Ꮐ

dows, or how many people I have run over in contemplating your dining-room fhutters. All I have to beg of you is, to write to me very often, to be mindful of your health, and to order John, when I go to town again, to tie up that knocker. I could tell you many stories of the fenfible things; but of all the infenfible ones upon this occafion, your lamp provoked me the moft. To fee that creature, when I have gone by in the evening, burn fo prettily, and with fo much alacrity, has put me out of all patience. To what purpose fhould he light us into your house now? or who would be obliged to him for his paltry rays?— I took a contemplative turn or two in your dreffing-room once or twice: but it was fo like walking over your grave, that I could not bear to stay. -Lady H. departed two days after you; and, in fhort, I lived to fee almost every body I loved go before me. So last Saturday I made my own exit, with equal decency and dignity; that is, with a thorough refignation of the world I left, and an earneft defire after that I am now enjoying with Lady Bowyer and Mifs Peggy Stonehoufe. I fhall begin verging towards my laft home after having juft touched upon the confines of Lady H. B's world, there to fubfide and be at peace, where I fhall have nothing farther to hope for but to meet with a letter from you.

I have implored St. Swithen in your behalf; but he either not hears me, or, to pay you a greater compliment, weeps plentifully for your abfence. I fear you have had a terrible journey; for fcarce a day has paffed that he has not shed many tears.

From a tradefman to a correfpondent, requesting the payment of a fum of money.

SIR,

A

VERY unexpected demand that has been made on me for money, which I was in hopes of keeping longer in my trade, obliges me to apply for your affiftance of the balance of the account between us, or as much of it as you can spare. When I have an opportunity to inform you of the nature of this demand, and the neceffity of my discharging it, you will readily excufe the freedom I now take with you; and, as it is an affair of fuch confequence to my family, I know the friend. fhip you bear me will induce you to serve me ef fectually.

I am, Sir, your moft obedient fervant,
TIMOTHY JONES.

SIR,

IT

T gives me fingular fatisfaction that I have it in my power to answer your demand, and am able to ferve a man I fo much efteem. The balance of the account is two hundred pounds; for half of which I have procured a bank note, and for fecurity divided it, and fent one half by the carrier, as you defired, and have here inclofed the other.

G 2