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 fubject for your reflection, and I have done.

What must have been Johnfon'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, she is an Irish woman. Her agreeable bufband,by his beauty and accomplishments,does credit to this country. He is remarkable alfo for his feelings. Adieu! This will affect you, I dare fay, in the fame manner your account affected me.

LE T

Ireland, I 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 should have been miferable. Yet, I wish 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 miftrefs.

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-house 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 such a story? If you don't lend it me, I will moft affuredly procure it fome time or another; fo, you may as well have the merit of obliging me.-My friend will send a fmall 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 almoft worn out), you shall be my debtor for them. So, fend me a note of hand, value receiv'd. The other things are furely not worth mentioning.

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 eight

eight or ten letters. When I grew uneafy, it was in vain, as I faid in my last, that I endeavoured to find your friend who brought the parcel (for I would certainly have seen him, and asked him about you). What is become of all my letters for this laft month? Did you get what I returned by your friend? Do you like the purfe? The book you mentioned, is just the only book you should never read. On my knees, I beg you never, never read it! Perhaps you have read it-Perhaps !-I am distracted. Heaven only knows to whom I may be writing this letter.

Madam, or Sir!

If you are a woman, I think you will; if you are a man, and ever loved, I am fure you will, oblige me with one line to fay what is come of Mr. of the regiment. Direct to Mrs. D. ftreet, London.-Any perfon whose hands my letter may fall into, will not think this much trouble; and, if they send me good news, Heaven knows how a woman, who loves, if poffible, too well, will thank them.

LETTER

XXXIV.

To Mifs

Ireland, 10 Sept. 1776.

As I am no fportfman, there is no merit, you may think, in devoting a morning to this employment. Nor do I claim any merit. 'Tis only making myself happy.

Now, I hope, you are quite at ease about me. My health, upon my honour! upon our love! is almoft re-established-Were I not determined to keep on this fide the truth, I would say quite. The four letters I have written to you, fince I received your frantic sheet of paper, have explained and made up every thing. How can I fufficiently thank you for all your letters? Efpecially for that of this week? Never did you pen a better. Did I know any body employed in a work, where that letter could properly appear, he fhould infert it in your own words.

Excufe me, I am unwillingly called away.What I said this morning about your letter, brings to my recollection fomething of that fort. fhall I tell it you? I will.

James Hirft, in the year 1711, lived fervant