his civilities to you. I certainly am as much pleased with them as if they were offered to my. self; and, indeed, a little more.-My acquaintance with Lord Winchelsea is very slight; but I have known Lord Pembroke pretty intimately for some time. We may meet this summer, and we shall talk you over. I wish you had named me to him. What you say of Lord Shelburne is more important. I very well remember your application to me some time ago; I remember, too, that I mentioned it to Colonel Barre. Nothing farther came of it. I believe that agency was not vacant when you wrote. Between ourselves, and I would not have it go farther, there are, I believe, few who can do less with Lord Shelburne than myself. He had formerly, at several times, professed much friendship to me; but whenever I came to try the ground, let the matter have been never so trifling, I always found it to fail under me. It is, indeed, long since he has made even professions. With many amiable qualities, he has some singularities in his character. He is suspicious and whimsical: and, perhaps, if I even stood better with him than I do, my recommendation would not have the greatest weight in the world. This I mention as between ourselves. In the meantime, if an opportunity occurs, I shall do the best I can for you. I hope I am not inattentive to my friends to the best of my power; and let me assure you, that I have ever looked upon you as a friend, whose ease and welfare I have at heart as much as the interest of any person whatsoever. But, indeed, there is little in my power; and if I can serve any person, it is by mere accident. I gave assurances to Ned Barret, when I thought myself sure of an object for him, but I was disappointed,-and few

things have given me more concern. But he and Frank Kierman have informed me of your en gagement for the woods. I trust it will turn out as much for your advantage as you expected.

Poor Ned Nagle, when he came from the Mediterranean, and had hopes of relaxing himself for a while on the home station, was suddenly ordered to cruise off Saint Helena, to secure the East India ships against the American privateers. Wat is in London, I saw him some days ago. He is well; and I believe a good-natured and worthy The company has agreed to make him an allowance until he can be regularly employed again. As to Ned Nagle, he is perfectly liked by all the Captains he has served under, as a very good officer. He may probably do good service in some better times, and in a course of employment which I may like better for him than any which the present war affords.

man.

If

My son is now at home with me at his vacation. I think you would like him if you were acquainted. Richard, the elder, is in town. his business had prospered, you would have been one of the first to hear of it: but we do not troublc our friends except with pleasing news. He has had much wrong done to him; but the thing is not yet desperate. I believe that the commissioner who goes out will not have adverse instructions.

I have not been punctual in the newspapers, nor can I undertake it, we are so little regular. But I shall endeavour, now you are from home, to amuse you a little.

Wat Nagle was punctual about the money you ordered; I thank you for that and every thing; and am ever, with the greatest regard, my dear Garret, your affectionate kinsman, &c. &c. EDM. BURKE.

Edmund Burke to his cousin, Garret Nagle, Esq.

MY DEAR GARRET,

Beaconfield, October 2, 1777.

I AM heartily obliged to you for your letter, and for your kind remembrance of me when you happened to see so many of my most particular friends in so remote and sequestered a spot as the lake of Killarney. Ned Nagle told me that they were at your lodge, but your letter only expresses that you dined with them: I am sure that you passed a pleasant day, and I may venture to say, with no less certainty, that the satisfactions of the lake of Killarney were heightened by meeting you there, and by your obliging attentions to them. You are now become the man of the Lough, and must be admitted to be the true Garroit Jarlu, who is come at last. If you are not that Garret, he will never come, and the honest Kerry men will be disappointed from generation to generation. Don't you like Charles Fox? If you were not pleased on that short acquaintance, you would on a further; for he is one of the pleasantest men in the world, as well as the greatest genius that perhaps this country has ever produced. If he is not extraordinary, I assure you the British dominions cannot furnish any thing beyond him. I long to talk with him about you and your Lough. As to the thoughts of our visit to Ireland, it may possibly be in times more favourable to us both; but I am far from being able, at present, to engage for any thing.

I shall certainly remember what you say of Lord Kenmare. The moment I get to town, I shall wait upon him.

The captain, to whom you desire to be remem. bered, is one step nearer to a title to that appella

tion; for he was yesterday made a lieutenant, as the inclosed letter from Mr. Stephens, secretary to the Admiralty, will show you. This gentleman has been always very good to our Edmund, and steady in his protection to him. He had but just served the time necessary for his qualification, and could not have been made sooner, if he had been the first man in the kingdom in point of rank and interest. Indeed, all circumstances considered, he has been very fortunate. I dare say you will drink Mr. Stephens's health, as well as success to our young officer. I hope you will live to see him an admiral: at least, this is the talk of friends, on any promotion of those they love. Poor Wat Nagle has got out of a most disagreeable scrape, into which any man living might have fallen, but for which every man might not have been prepared with equally satisfactory evidence. It was very lucky for him, that my brother was in town at the time. He procured bail for him, and gave him letters for Bristol, and did every thing else which his disagreeable situation required. I also went to town; but my presence happily proved not necessary, as the grand jury threw out the bills. I wrote his brother Garret to put him out of his pain on so very unpleasant an accident. Mrs. Burke and my brother and son desire to be cordially remembered to you, and your son and family, and your worthy neighbours on the Blackwater. I find by Ned, that the old spirit and character of that county is fully kept up, which rejoices me beyond measure. I am ever, my dear Garret, your af fectionate kinsman and humble servant,

EDM. BURKE.

Mr. Curran to his son, Richard Curran.

DEAR RICHARD,

Paris, October 5, 1802.

I

Not

HERE I am, after having lingered six or seven days very unnecessarily in London. I don't know that even the few days that I can spend here will not be enough-sickness, long and gloomy-convalescence, disturbed by various paroxysms-relapse confirmed the last a spectacle soon seen and painfully dwelt upon. I shall stay here yet a few days. There are some to whom I have introductions that I have not seen. I don't suppose shall get myself presented to the consul. having been privately baptized at St. James's would be a difficulty; to get over it a favour; and then the trouble of getting one's self costumed for the show; and then the small value of being driv en, like the beasts of the field before Adam when he named them;-I think I sha'n't mind it. The character of this place is wonderfully different from that of London. I think I can say, without affectation, that I miss the frivolous elegance of the old times before the revolution, and that in the place of it I see a squalid beard-grown, vulgar vivacity; but still it is vivacity, infinitely preferable to the frozen and awkward sulk that I have left. Here they certainly wish to be happy, and think that by being merry they are so. I dined yesterday with Mr. Fox, and went in the evening to Tivoli, a great, planted, illuminated garden, where all the bourgeoisie of Paris, and some of a better description, went to see a balloon go up. The aeronaut was to have ascended with a smart girl, his bonne amie; for some reason that I know not, some one went up in her place; she was extremely