Fift, to Betty Balfour, my filver buckles; to Polly Deeryn, my diamond ring; to Betty Mulligan, my laced fuit, cap, handkerchief, and ruffles; to Peggy Delap, a new muslin handkerchief not yet hemmed, which is in my drawer, and hope for my fake those persons will accept of these trifles, as a testimony of my regard for them.

I would advise * Jack Watson to behave himself in an honest and obedient manner in respect to his mother and family, as he is all she has to depend upon now.

I now go in God's name, though against his commands, without wrath or fpleen to any one upon earth. The very perfon I die for, I love him more than ever, and forgives him. I pray God grant him more content and happiness than he ever had, and hopes he will forgive me, only to remember fuch a one died for him.

There was, not long ago, fome perfons pleased to talk fomething against my reputation, as to a man in this town; but now, when I ought to tell the truth, I may be believed; if ever I knew him, or any other but my husband, may I never enter into glory; and them I forgive who faid fo; but let that man's wife take care of them that told her fo; for they meant her no good by it.

With love to one, friendship to few, and good will to all the world, I die, faying, Lord have mercy on my foul; with an advice to all people never to fuffer a passion of any fort to command them as mine did in spite of me. I pray God bless all my friends and acquaintance, and begs them all to comfort my mother, who is unhappy in having fuch a child as I, who is afhamed to fubfcribe myself an unworthy and difgraceful member of the church of Scotland,

Her brother."

Jane Watson, otherwife, Dixon."

My

My pen shall not interrupt your meditations hereon, by making a fingle reflection. We both of us have made, I dare fay, too many on it.She too was Jenny, and had her Robin Gray.

LETTER XXXIX.

To the SAME.

Ireland, 27 March, 773

If you write as you wrote last week, I cannot bear this diftance. Pofitively you must think of what I propofed last month.

That I may not difobey your commands this morning by writing too tenderly, I will tranfcribe you fomething in return for the contents of your last. It is in a different ftile, but full as capital. Tell me whether you don't think my French Robin Gray a good companion to your English one. The young Abbé who gave it me, aflured me it is almoft totally unknown. even in France. Louis Petit (a friend of Cor neille) wrote it, who died in 1693. Do let me fet you the task of tranflating it, when you will of courfe give Jeremiah leave to go and mind his own affairs.

Dès

Dès que Robin eut vu partir Toinette,
Il quitta là fe foin de fon troupeau,
Il jetta loin panetiere et houlette,
Et ne garda rien que fon chalumeau.
Il lamenta plus fort qu'un Jérémie;
Il fouhaita mille fois le trefpas;

Et, dans fon mal, il n'a d'autre foulas
Que d'entonner, fur fa flûte jolie,
Trifte chanfon, qui finit par, hélas!
C'est grand pitié d'eftre loin de s'amie.

Ces derniers mots, fans ceffer, il répéte,
Tantôt affis fur le bord d'un ruisseau,
Tantôt couché deffus la tendre herbette,
Tantôt le dos appuyé d'un ormeau.
One ne mena Berger si triste vie.
Du doux fommeil il ne fait plus de cas;
Plus qu'un Hermite il fait maisgres repas ;
Dances et jeux ne lui plaifent plus mic,
Et dans fa bouche il n'a rien qu'un--hélas!
C'est grand pitié d'estre loin de s'amie.

Il n'eft berger qui fon mal ne regrette;
Et près de lui bergeres du hameau
Viennent chanter, filant leur quenouillette,
Pour confoler ce triste pastoureau.
Mais leur doux chant point ne le folatie,
Tant la douleur le tient dedans fes lacs!

Pour ne les voir, les yeux tient toujours bas;
Et, fi leur dit," laiffex-moi, je vous prie;'
Puis auffitôt revient à fon-hélas !
C'est grand pitié d'eftre loin de s'amic.

EN VOI

Fils de Cypris, plus malin qu'une pie,
A confoler Robin l'on perd fes pas :
Toinette feule, avec fes doux appas,
Le peut tirer de fa mélancholie:

Rends la lui done; car, après tout- -hélas!
C'eft grand pitié d'eftre loin de s'amie.

LETTER

To the SAME.

XL.

Treland, 20 April, 1777.

Now you fee there is something in dreams. But why is not your alarming letter more particular about your complaint? Do they nurse you as tenderly as I would? Are they careful about your medicines? For God's fake tell them all round what happened lately here to Sir William Yorke, the chief justice.

Sir William was grievously afflicted with the ftone. In his fevere fits he used to take a certain quantity of laudanum drops. On calling for his ufual remedy, during the most racking pains of his diftemper, the drops could not be found. The fervant was dispatched to his apo

thecary;

thecary; but, inftead of laudanum drops, he asked for laudanum. A quantity of laudanum was accordingly fent, with special charge not to give Sir William more than twenty-four drops. But the fellow, forgetting the caution, gave the bottle into his master's hand, who, in his agony, drank up the whole contents, and expired in lefs than an hour.

Why, my dearest love, did you conceal your illness from me fo long? Now, you may have revealed the fituation of your health to me too late. God forbid!-If I write more, I fhall write like a madman. A gentleman takes this who fails for England to-day. To-morrow or next day the Colonel will be here. If Lord S. as I have reason to expect, has influenced him to refuse me leave of abfence, I will most certainly fell out out directly, which I have an opportunity to do. At any rate I will be with you in a few days. If I come without a commission you must not be angry. To find you both difpleafed and ill, will be too much for your poor H. For my fake, be careful. Dr. I infift upon your not having any longer. His experience and humanity are upon a par. Pofitively you must contrive fome method for me to fee you. How can love like mine fupport existence K 2

if