"All people give it," he says, "to Horry Wal"pole; and some like it. But, surely, it wants the "terseness and the elegance indispensable to the legitimate character of these effusions. Nor is the "want of them redeemed by powerful strokes of "invention. Nor can I allow the improper, and the "ungraceful use of many words, or the negligence "of construction. Yet, we all agree, it is worth "reading; and I send it accordingly. But I must "criticize the applications of his goddesses. They "are by no means particular, and appropriate. How "unlike the exquisite propriety of Addison's Gods, "in allusion to the personages in his view. We ❝ do not conceive upon what ground Lady Emily is "Venus; but, above all, Ill-judging Bard! will nothing serve-a, "Science, and wit should here be seen, "Be not offended, my dear Principal; but these verses are the hurried produce of your office this "morning. Towards the end of each quarter we have "much leisure, and I apply it cum dignitate; for the "subalterns kindly suppose that I am engaged in a * Who this Lady was, no Antiquarian gallant has discovered. 66 deep deep calculation, when I am only hunting for a "rhyme. Sept. 5, 1746." Part of another, dated Sept. 30, is very amusing, and characteristic of the writer's comic style. “*** You will say there is no getting rid of my impertinence, and that even the approved " method of dealing with troublesome visitors, "not "at home," cannot defend you against me. But, "when Monday is a holiday, I have a kind of "scription to pass it with you. Besides, you may "possibly have no factor of poetical wares in town. "Birch, I think, does not act in that capacity. pre “**** As to Richmond occurrences, you "will own that we improved upon Wimpole; for, "after two pools at commerce amongst F. R. S.'s "and Ladies of suitable gravity, we started up into country-dances. I would have Lady Grey know "in particular, that I, with a most prudent Lady for my partner, led up' De'el tak the war' with great "agility, and general applause." It is I can scarce tell, where to end; but I select at least one more, as at least a favourite of dated Oct. 25, 1746. my own. “*** The quarter is received, and a laudable "one it is; ready for you at your pleasure. The "other day, when money was paid for the Army, I "could not but reflect with pleasure on the persons "of the Deputy Paymaster, and of the Deputy Teller. "The golden age, thought I, of Augustus, or of "Charles the Second, is returned-" when Wits had places." ."-But must not my imagination have "run up to the two Principals, and close the verse, "and great men had wit ?" "It was edifying to observe Mr. Gr. count his notes, and sign his receipts, with all that phlegm, "and that absence of sprightly images, which becomes an Officer of the Revenue; when I, with equal gravity, leaning over my desk, superintended 66 "the "the labour. Ecce spectaculum dignum! I wish 66 every dull fellow in the Nation had assisted, in order "to be convinced what men of business we make." His badinage upon his official importance prompts him with a perpetual fund of humour. Upon the 17th of October 1746 he is full of it. "As for the sævus Aquilo, and Eurus, and "Auster, and the rest of them, I value them no "more than the obstinate fellow in Horace did, " or the God of the Sea in Virgil. It is not in the power of such blusterers to put their spoke in the "wheel of my visits at Wrest. 66 "But in the Office there is a lene tormentum, "which has great power. There is je ne scay quoy " at or near the end of a quarter, that attaches me "with a kind of spell. Why this very day did we "make up our accompt; and a worthy making-up it cc was. I could not forbear ejaculating, what an ad "mirable conduct of the Revenue! how calculated "for the ease, and comfort of the subject! "This week too, and the next, are busy ones upon "another account. So my project was to pass that "long string of holidays with you (the longest of the "whole Exchequer year), which begins with Simon "and Jude, and reaches to the Powder-plot. But my "Lord informs me that you are to be up at the birth"day. I praise your loyalty, and shall admire your "coat; but they are my ruin, for they cut off the last, "and sweetest retreat which I had reserved as the "bonne bouche of this delightfully extended summer.” I have mentioned the celebrated Edwards, who wrote the Canons of Criticism. There is a very entertaining Letter, which contains an account of him, not a little curious, and amusing, accompanied by a laugh at my hero's neighbour and friend Mr. Cambridge, who often took the same liberty with him. It is dated Kew Lane, 30 July 1750, and has this passage: "My expedition has been to Turrick, "where "where I found Edwards much improved by the "air of his vale. He was busy in erecting a fabric "to keep his winter-fuel dry, and proposed to adorn "the end of it with a Doric portico in the original "taste before the invention of sculpture, with real "sculls of sheep, and bones instead of triglyphs, in "the frieze. "*** How will his host Cambridge receive "so humble a guest-a mere Poet, and Critic, after "three Royal figures have dignified his wheel of "admiring visitors *." "If any thing could have added flow of spirits to "that naval genius, it must have been this event. "He had not only such illustrious company aboard, "but the very dinner cooked upon the Severn. Nothing is wanted for his glory but an Historian; " and it vexed me extremely that his Reporter in the Evening Post had no other sentiment for the Royal "Highnesses but that of being pleased with the novelty of the thing." ' " Another part of this Letter presents in the most pleasing form the vein of his comic style. "But why allure me with peaches, and venison? Surely I am not such a curva in terras anima; and though I can taste these lower pleasures, I rate "them but in their order, and love Wrest for en"tertainments far more delicate. The part which you assign to me in these your squirely visits, I "know not if I can sustain with éclat; but I comfort myself in the reflection, that, as I have not assisted "at ceremonies like these for three or four years, a new stock of conceits will not be necessary; the ❝ old ones, after such an interval, may, like Sermons, fairly come over again." In Oct. 6, 1759, there is a lively account of the celebrated Maclaine. "Justice Lediard has kept, * In a subsequent Letter of Sept. 1, he says: "Cambridge is con"tented with his late acquaintance the Duchess and the Prince, "and aims at nothing higher-till the King returns.” "by 66 by way of trophies, I imagine, some Letters found "in that gentleman's cabinet; not Letters of State, -let not your curiosity be alarmed, but a corre"spondence between him and Plunket his fellow"labourer in the fortune-hunting line of politics. "That rascal, it seems, acted in the capacity of Archer, "when his honoured Lord and Master made love "in Aimwell's manner. They had cast their eyes “ upon one Lady worth £30,000 whom Plunket "thus delineates ugly,ill-shaped, and very desirous “to marry a tall, handsome gentleman. If a man "of spirit could see her at church, and could assure "her that he would carry her to her beloved metropolis, he could not fail to succeed.'-In the same "repository are Love-letters, writ in a fair hand, like "the Academy of Compliments in their style, almost "fac similes. These were either intended for dif"ferent Ladies, or had been returned by them." r In the Letter from which I quoted an allusion to Mrs. WRAY's prowess at a rout, there is an account of the celebrated Wildman's Bees; and, as it happens, Mr. Cambridge is again the hero. "The modern Aristæus has exhibited here at the "Castle. He walked about with six swarms about him, which covered his head, breast, and shoulders, leaving only his nostrils and his mouth clear. "These he shook off upon a table, and then drove "them into their hive. "C. attended, not pour la physique, but in his "apostolical capacity-of catching men. It was "entertaining to see him hook all that could be "worth his bait." In a Letter of Sept. 23, 1766, there is an account of Akenside's Poem: " I was at Mount Ararat "sooner than usual, to attend Lord and Lady Dacre "accompanied by Akenside, who passed the evening "there, and communicated the second and part of a "third book in his great work. In the former, and |