Mr. CALDWELL to Bishop PERCY.

"MY LORD, Dublin, March 4, 1801. "You may imagine there is much anxiety about the King; the packet yesterday evening brought accounts of his being much better; several private letters of some authority assure that it is not in the least degree a return of his former illness, but really a bilious fever. This unlucky event retards parliamentary business, but it must be submitted to. What a bustle has the Union rescued us from here on such an occasion!

"Dublin undoubtedly has not experienced the same dissipation as in former winters, nor can the expenditure be as much; but it is unreasonable the advantage of one town should prevail against that of three countries.

"I have been much gratified with Malone's curious 'Life of Dryden;' it is a most remarkable instance of diligence and accuracy; the numerous anecdotes, and the accounts of noted persons and families interspersed, are highly interesting. History would be much more valuable and authentic, if authors took equal pains for information with Malone, and he proves what can be accomplished by industry. This, I apprehend, has given mortal offence; it is a dangerous example to your writers for gain, and leaves them without excuse. Mr. Hardinge's imitation of the Canons of Criticism is but feeble; and especially if you look into Dryden's Life at the same time; there may be two or three comical hits, and one of the best is the name, Minutius Felix. I have had no account

one of the colleges of Oxford; and, after going through the usual course, he settled in London, and obtained his livelihood by writing for the booksellers. He superintended and improved many editions of popular common books. An edition of a large Geographical Dictionary, with the names of Sealey and Lyons, was entirely new modelled by him. He edited the Tablet of Memory, compilations of Chronology, and contributed articles to magazines without number. He showed his friend Mr. Caldwell a list of sixty works that he had enlarged and amended for the booksellers; among these were, "History of the Origin and Progress of Printing," London, 1770, 8vo. -་་ England's Gazetteer," 3 vols.-" British Chronologist," 3 vols. 8vo."Geographical Dictionary," 2 vols. 4to.-His favourite pursuit was conchology, and few knew the value of shells better. This was the only extravagance he indulged in, and he had a fine collection. He was infinitely happier, and was sensible of it, than nine-tenths of the sons of affluence. Though his assiduity was incessant, yet the occupation was always varying, instructive, and amusing. There is a mezzotinto 8vo. oval portrait of Mr. Luckombe, drawn by T. Kearsley, and engraved by R. H. Laurie. He died in Sept. 1803.

yet of Sir Richard Musgrave's History; a large 4to is a serious expense, as well as reading.

"The great merchant Mr. Byrne has purchased Serjeant Adair's fine estate in your neighbourhood. Not a single Popish tenant at present on the whole land.

"The poor boy* you mention will be fortunate, if he should merit your kind instructions and care; the culture of Parnassus, however, is not the most enriching kind of farming. The gentleman you wrote to was so good as to call yesterday, and read me your Lordship's letter. "I have just seen Cooper Walker; he seldom comes ANDREW CALDWELL."

to town.

"MY LORD,

Dublin, April 13, 1801.

"I send the copy of Burns's Works your Lordship subscribed for; I think you will be amused with them in the country. His prose, that is, his Letters, are full as surprising as his poetry.

"It gives me great pleasure I can congratulate you and Mrs. Percy on the nuptials in your family. There must be the best prospect of happiness with persons so well educated, and that have been long acquainted. I doubt you will feel yourselves, however, very lonely; but in our lot here we must expect frequent changes. I hope when the new married shall remove, it will not be to a great distance from your neighbourhood.

"I fear the poor King is in a dangerous state of health; the report is water in his chest; that is a disorder very difficult to cure, and seldom recovered.

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Perhaps you might like to see a copy of the Protest, which has made some noise; it is rather strong, and is not likely to get into the papers, as the printers are afraid:

'We deprecate and protest against the measure, because, as far as it may be carried into execution, it tends to dissolve the allegiance of the subject.

A country over which martial law is exercised may be crushed or subdued, but is not governed, much less protected; allegiance is not more a duty on one side than protection is on the other.

'The character of subjects and of enemies cannot exist together; a military force can exercise nothing but the dominion of the sword; with respect to the people there is no government. We therefore conceive it to be our bounden duty, in our endeavour to preserve the Government of the United Kingdom, not to lose sight of these advantages, which alone render it worth preserving.— THANET, ALBEMARLE, HOLLAND, King.'

"Mr. Irwin has in rehearsal a comic opera, The Bedouins, or Wandering Arabs.' It may not be an unentertaining subject; he has been in the country, and therefore his picture is from the life, not from the imagination or from other travellers.

"I am obliged to go to the county of Kilkenny for a fortnight, and hope to spend a day or two with the Bishop of Ossory* on my return. "ANDREW CALDWELL.'

"MY LORD,

Dublin, June 8, 1801.

"I do purpose myself the pleasure of paying my respects at Dromore House this summer: all it wanted when I saw it was the trees a little more grown, and which my imagination helped out; I well remember the glen in view of the drawing-room windows; the water there must have a fine effect. The general appearance of the country promises uncommon plenty after next harvest; the husbandman has certainly made great exertions; more potatoes and corn have been sown than ever before known. I fear the subscriptions and the outcry about the poor in this town have been carried too far; advantage has been taken of it by the idle, and begging seems for the lower orders the best trade going.

"Our Exhibition of Paintings has just opened. It surprises everybody. There are several pieces of real merit, and that might stand with the best in the London, as I have been told by two gentlemen just come from thence, and who can compare both. I am sorry your friend Robinson † did not send a picture, and particularly the Country Churchyard; it would have been very popular.

I have had a long, agreeable letter from Mr. Malone.

* Dr. Hugh Hamilton. He died Dec. 1, 1805, aged 77. See an account of him in Gent. Mag. vol. LXXV. p. 1176.

+ See vol. VII. p. 168.

He mentions a curious sale of the farrago of the famous Samuel Ireland, the Shakespeare Papers, in three immense volumes, bound in russia, green boxes without end, with old leases, deeds, seals, and playhouse accounts, to take in hunters of curiosities. The whole produced, nominally, 1,380l., but really 1,000l., which appears to me pretty well, and full the worth. The Shakespeare MS. and some others were puffed extravagantly, but it is supposed they remain on hand, and the biters were bit.

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"Mr. George Ellis has published Specimens of the English Poets,' in three volumes; the first an Historical View of the Progress of our Poetry.' This work is much approved of. Malone proposes to come over this summer with his brother.

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"I have had a letter from Charlotte Smith. She is writing more volumes of the Solitary Wanderer' for immediate subsistence. This work I have not seen, but it is well spoken of. She is a woman full of sorrows, and I fear her misfortunes are scarcely to be mitigated.* One of her daughters made an imprudent marriage; the man, after behaving extremely ill and tormenting the family, died lately of a fever; the widow has come to her mother, not worth a shilling, and with the addition of three young children. These are pitiable cases, and the more so where there is the genius and sensibility of Charlotte Smith.

"You had subscribed for Burns one guinea, but the first plan was enlarged, and Dr. Currie obliged to call on the subscribers for half a guinea more. A. ČALDwell."

"MY LORD,

Dublin, Aug. 13, 1801.

"I am extremely impatient for the pleasure of visiting Dromore House. I postponed writing in hopes of being able to fix a day for leaving town, but our house has been continually full with company. My brother and his daughter are still here, and I only wait for them to go away to England, and then nothing shall detain me.

"I assure you I wanted no temptation in addition to your kindness; it will, however, be very agreeable to be

Her chief embarrassments arose from the wild and ruinous projects of her husband, and other extravagant absurdities. Upon her expressing a wish to a gentleman that he could be engaged in some rational pursuit, he suggested that his enthusiasm might be most safely directed to Religion. "Ob," she said, " for Heaven's sake, do not put it into his head to take to Religion, for if he does, he'll instantly set about building a Cathedral.-J. M.

introduced to Dr. Anderson. His edition of the Poets I shall hardly be able to meet with, neither have I leisure just at this moment to look into it. My brother, I believe, means to sail for Liverpool next Tuesday, and, please God, I shall set out in a day or two after for the North.

"I shall be most happy in promoting to the utmost of my power the person you are interested about at Simpson's Hospital, and am certain your recommendation will have great weight with the Board. The revenues, from the determination of a leasehold and the dearness of provisions, had not been adequate, and the Governors were forced, on the Charter-day for admission last May, to refuse filling up any of the vacancies. The next Charterday is in November, and I hope we shall then be enabled to provide for meritorious candidates.

"You expressed a wish to know some of Luckombe's literary labours. The following memorandum I stole out of his list: History and Origin of Printing,' 8vo; 'England's Gazetteer,' three vols.; British Chronologist, three vols. 8vo.; Geographical Dictionary,' two vols. 4to. ANDREW Caldwell."

"MY LORD,

Dublin, Nov. 5, 1801.

"I have too long procrastinated acknowledging I am much indebted to your kindness for the many agreeable hours I enjoyed at Dromore House, and, I may add, instructive ones. I did hope I might have something entertaining to communicate, but perceive it is to no purpose to wait longer. This town is very quiet, and so far comfortable; but little company as yet, and therefore no enlivening occurrences.

"The blessing of peace was most unexpected, and must give joy to all friends of humanity. The secrecy with which it was conducted proves ability and good intention in the ministers both of France and England: great mischief and depredation by stock-jobbing and other contrivances were prevented. The common people here are prodigiously disappointed; indeed they make no secret, but express themselves pretty openly.

strong argument in favour of the peace.

That alone is a

"Sir James Blackwood is certainly to be married to Miss Forster, daughter to our late Speaker. He is a most worthy man, and she a very sensible, amiable young lady.