and supported by arts, to which his soul was an utter stranger, and the affections of his heart were disappointed in every scheme of that domestic comfort, which he was so peculiarly qualified to impart, and to enjoy. He was a noble and edifying example of the power of Christian principles, in many instances, and very particularly in that absolute resignation to the Divine Will, which calmed his mind amid all its storms, which, with most unremitted violence beat upon him. In all the conversations upon his misfortunes, to which I have been a witness, I do not recollect ever to have heard him utter a single murmur or complaint. It pleased God to try him in the furnace of affliction; and, like gold, he came out with the brighter lustre and the greater purity. "The concluding scene of his life was conformable to all the first. The account is very affecting, but very delightful. His sun set in calm splendour without a cloud. His mind was supported by Christian faith, and his hopes were full of immortality. I had a letter from Mrs. Montagu last night upon this subject. She appears as deeply affected by it as one would naturally suppose her to be and expresses herself with as much piety as sensibility on the loss of such a friend."

In another letter to Mrs. Talbot she says,

:

"The newspapers must have informed you of the death of good Lord Lyttelton. He was indeed an Israelite without guile. Never, I believe, was a human heart more free from every bad inclination, or more filled with the kindest and most benevolent Christian; and

dispositions. He was a sincere

amidst the many and various afflictions which he suffered, he always preserved the most absolute and uncomplaining submission and resignation. The trial of his virtues is now over, and he is called away to the reward of them. All who intimately knew him must regret their loss of so excellent a friend: but most severely in all probability will it be felt by his daughter-in-law, to whom he afforded so kind a protection."

May 25, 1807.

ART. DCCCLXIX. Further Extracts from Mrs. Carter's Letters just published.

I EMBRACE with eagerness the opportunity of giving some detached extracts, containing the opinions of Mrs. Carter on celebrated cotemporary authors and their works. The judgments of this most excellent woman appear to have been at once original, candid, and sound. They are expressed in language perspicuous, strong, and elegant; and are the result of a mind acting on the most mature deliberation, and enlightened by the nicest powers of distinction.

Miss Talbot's thoughts were more quick; and I think it cannot be denied that her feelings were more acute; indeed morbidly acute, had they not been controlled by her angelic goodness of principle and of heart. The contrast adds strikingly to the interest of the correspondence. A mind more clear, more extensive, and better regulated than Mrs. Carter's does not occur in the annals of genius and

learning. And I feel confident that every one who has any sense of religion, or a gleam of taste or fancy, will agree with me that the amiable Editor could not have answered it to his conscience to have withheld from the public letters so eminently calculated to mend the heart and exalt the understanding. The scruples he once felt must have long since subsided; and left, in their stead, a conviction that by giving them to the world he is greatly aiding the cause of virtue and piety, and increasing the fame of the admirable relative, for whom his affection and his pride are' so deeply interested.

I have on the present occasion selected nothing but what relates to the characters of books and authors. The passages of sentiment and description, are still more beautiful, and equally just. But I have to regret that ill health, low spirits, and an excess of private business have consumed so much of my time in this month, as to render me utterly incapable of doing justice on the present occasion either to Mrs. Carter, or to the public. But it is said that complaint only exposes one to the contempt of the hard-hearted; and I have nothing to do therefore but to "steer right onward, in defiance of obloquy and injustice. I have, as my enemies have experienced, a dauntless spirit; and the good time perhaps will yet come!

June 23, 1808.

Pope and Warburton.

"Our present after supper author is Mr. Pope, in Mr. Warburton's edition. Is it because one's strong

*

est partialities, when in any point deceived, turn to the strongest prejudice of dislike, that I read those admirable poems and letters with a considerable mixture of pain and indignation? At some uncharitable moments one can scarce help looking upon all those eloquent expressions of benevolence and affection as too much parade, while one sees them overbalanced by such bitterness and cutting severity. I wish I knew the true history of Patty. Till I do, I cannot read the letters of friendship to her father with any satisfaction. I am afraid you will be angry with me for all this, but while every reading makes me more admire his genius, every one makes me more doubt his heart. One thing I am extremely offended at in his poems, and of which I never took so much notice before, his frequent quotations of scripture phrases in much too ludicrous a way. The notes are worth any body's running over; some very wild, some very ingenious, some full of amusing anecdotes, some bitterly but not wittily satirical, but merely rough, unjust, and angry, and the greatest number, true commentator-like, explaining what needs no explanation, and wire-drawing for meanings that the author never thought of.". +

Tom Jones and Clarissa.

FROM A LETTER TO MISS TALBOT.

"I am sorry to find you so outrageous about poor Tom Jones; he is no doubt an imperfect, but not a

Mrs. Martha Blount, to whom Pope left great part of his fortune. A more just piece of criticism, both upon the author and his commentator has not often occurred, or been conveyed in fewer words." Pennington.

detestable character, with all that honesty, good nature, and generosity of temper. Though nobody can admire Clarissa more than I do; yet with all our partiality, I am afraid, it must be confessed, that Fielding's book is the most natural representation of what passes in the world, and of the bizarreries, which arise from the mixture of good and bad, which makes up the composition of most folks. Richardson has no doubt a very good hand at painting excellence, but there is a strange awkwardness and extravagance in his vicious characters. To be sure, poor man, he had read in a book, or heard some one say, there was such a thing in the world as wickedness, but being totally ignorant in what manner the said wickedness operates upon the human heart, and what checks and restraints it meets with to pre-. vent its ever being perfectly uniform and consistent in any one character, he has drawn such a monster, as I hope never existed in mortal shape; for to the honour of human nature, and the gracious author of it be it spoken, Clarissa is an infinitely more imitable character, than Lovelace or the Harlowes."*

Young's Night Thoughts.

FROM MISS TALBOT.

1744.

"Dr. Young has now, I suppose, done with his Night Thoughts: he has given us one for every night in the week. I do not know whether you critics and fine folks will allow them to be poems; but