fide of the water, he is an Englishman. His agreeable wife, by her beauty and accomplishments, does credit to this country. She is remarkable alfo for her feeling, though in a different way. You fhall relate an anecdote of dif

trefs, or read a story of ill usage, and, while hist eyes are winking for the object of the ill ufage or the diftrefs, her's fhall be ftriking fire with rage against the author of it. "Good God! fhe exclaims, "if that villain was but in my power!" And I fometimes think the is going to ring for her hat and cloak, that she may fally forth, and pull his house about his ears.-Bound up together (as they are, and as I hope they will long continue) they form a complete fyftem of humanity.

It would have gratified me much to have been with you when Garrick took his farewel of the flage. Do you remember the last paper in the Idler upon its being the last? The reflection that it was the last time Garrick would ever play, was, in itself, painful. How, my Laura, my M. my life, fhall I bear it, if I ever fhould be doomed to take my last leave, my last look of you!-

-In what I wrote this morning I mentioned the Idler. A curious letter was shown me the other day by a clergyman, which he affures me is authentic, and was written by the late Lord Gower

to

to a friend of Dean Swift. As I know how admire the eminent person whom it concerns, I send it to you.

you

"Mr. Samuel Johnson (author of London, a fatire, and fome other poetical pieces) is a native of this country, and much respected by fome worthy gentlemen in his neighbourhood, who are trustees of a charity-fchool now vacant, the certain falary of which is fixty pounds per annum, of which they are defirous to make him mafter; but unfortunately he is not capable of receiving their bounty, which would make him happy for life, by not being Master of Arts, which by the ftatutes of this school the master of it must be. Now these gentlemen do me the honour to think that I have interest enough in you to prevail upon you to write to Dean Swift to perfuade the University of Dublin to fend a diploma to me, conftituting this poor man Master of Arts in their University. They highly extol the man's learning and probity, and will not be perfuaded that the University will make any difficulty of conferring fuch a favour upon a stranger, if he is recommended by the Dean.- -They fay he is not afraid of the strictest examination, though he is off so long a journey; but will venture it if the Dean thinks it neceffary, choofing rather to die upon the road, than to be starved to death in tranflating for bookfellers, which has been his only fubfiftence for fome time paft. I fear there is more difficulty in this affair than thefe good-natured gentlemen apprehend; especially as their election cannot be delayed longer than the 10th of next month. If you fee this matter in the fame light it appears I hope you will burn this, and pardon me for giving you so much trouble about an impracticable thing: but if you think there is a probability of obtaining the favour asked, I am fure your humanity and propensity to relieve merit in diftrefs, will incline you to ferve the poor man, without my

to me,

adding

adding any more to the trouble I have already given you, than affuring you I am, with great truth, &c.

Trentham, Aug. 1, 1737.

One other subject for your reflection, and I have done.

What must have been Johnson's feelings, when, in his wonderful work, the English Dictionary, he cited the following paffage from Afcham, as an inftance of the ufe of the word Men? "Wits live obfcurely, men care not how; or die obfcurely, men mark not when.".

LETTER XXXI.

To Mr.

England, 25 June, 1776.

LET me give you joy of having found fuch kind and agreeable friends in a strange land.The account you fent of the gentleman and lady, efpecially of the latter, quite charmed me. Neither am I without my friends. A lady, from whom I have received particular favours, is uncommonly kind to me. For the credit of your fide of the water, he is an Irish woman. Her agreeable husband,by his beauty and accomplishments,does credit to this country. He is remarkable also for his feelings. Adieu! This will affect you, I dare fay, in the fame manner your account affected me.

LET

LETTER

XXXII.

To Mifs

Ireland, 1 July, 76.

YOUR little billet, of the 25th of last month, was a proper reproof for the contents of one of mine. 'Till I faw the joke I was truly unhappy.

If

you had not written the long and kind letter the next day, which came in the fame packet, I fhould have been miferable. Yet, I with you happy, most happy; but I cannot bear the thoughts of your receiving happiness from any hands (man, woman, or child) but mine. Had my affections not been fixed, as they are unalterably, elsewhere, the wife of my friend, with all her charms, would never fix them. I have but two masters, Love and Honour. If I did not confider you as my wife, I would add, you know I have but one mistress.

A friend of mine is going to England-(happy fellow I fhall think him, to be but in the fame country with you)-He will call at the Cannon coffee-houfe for me. Do fend me, thither, the French book you mention, Werther. If you don't, I pofitively never will forgive you. Nonfenfe,

H

fenfe, to say it will make me unhappy, or that I fhan't be able to read it! Muft I pistol myself, because a thick-blooded German has been fool enough to fet the example, or because a German novelist has feigned fuch a story? If you don't lend it me, I will most affuredly procure it fome time or another; fo, you may as well have the merit of obliging me.-My friend will send a small parcel for you to D. ftreet. The books I fend you, because I know you have not got them, and because they are fo much cheaper here. If you are afraid of emptying my purse (which by the way is almost worn out), you shall my debtor for them. So, fend me a note of hand, value receiv'd. The other things are furely not worth mentioning.

be

LETTER XXXIII.

To Mr.

England, 20 Aug. 76.

For God's fake! where are you? What is the matter? Why don't you write?-Are you ill? God forbid! And I not with you to nurse you! if you are, why don't you let somebody else write to me? Better all should be discovered, than fuffer what I fuffer. It's more than a month fince I heard from you. A month used to bring me.

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