Manchester Memoirs, J^o/. liv. (1910), No. 5>. 33 



Conway next Friday and I shall take advantage of the picturesque 

 scenery by which we shall be surrounded, to improve myself in 

 drawing ; as I am convinced that the practice of taking views from 

 nature, is the principal way of acquiring that spirit and correctness, 

 which alone constitute superior excellence. I have been reading 

 lately the memoirs of Sir Joshua Reynolds, with his discourses to the 

 Royal Academy, and I am so enthusiastic an admirer of the beauties 

 of painting, that I derived both pleasure and instruction from the 

 perusal. Will you assume a very good, grave nientorial iz.c&, and give 

 me a long lecture, when I tell you I have also been guilty of reading a 

 Romance'/ It is the 'Scottish Chiefs' by Miss Porter, and though I 

 am by no means an advocate for Hisl07-ical novels as they bewilder 

 our ideas, by confounding truth with fiction, yet this animated 

 authoress has painted her Hero, the Patriot William Wallace, in such 

 glowing colours, that you cannot avoid catching a spark of her own 

 enthusiasm, as you follow him through the incidents of the narrative. 

 I am teaching myself Spanish, and find it much easier than I expected, 

 but I envy all Latin Scholars, for the great facility with which they 

 must acquire every new language, in consequence of an advantage 

 from which so many are debarred. I regretted much that I had not 

 had the pleasure of seeing the Hobsons as they passed through St. 

 Asaph, it would have been very interesting to me to have had a long 

 conversation about you ; I am so incensed at your not visiting Wales 

 this year that I am really half inclined to appear in person at jour 

 residence for the purpose of venting my displeasure, after which, I 

 shall run away with you to Bronwhilfa, where the kindest welcome 

 always awaits you. But I recollect that our approaching visit to 

 Conway must render this fine scheme impracticable for the present, 

 though you may depend on its being put into execution at some future 

 time. I have not any new poetry to transcribe for you at present, as 

 the only Pegasus I have mounted for some time past, has been a Welsh 

 Poney, whose quiet even pace has been of much greater service to me, 

 than all the vagaries of the former unmanageable steed. I do not 

 doubt but the romantic scenes of Conway will breathe Inspiration, 

 and from thence, my dear Sir, you shall receive the next poetic 

 effusions of your ever grateful, 



and affectionate young friend, 



Felicia Browne." 



Meanwhile Mr. Nicholson was preparing a little 



surprise for Felicia. The fugitive poems which he had 



received from time to time were all carefully preserved 



and copied out, and in 1811 Mr. Nicholson arranged that 



they should be published for Felicia's benefit and without 



any risk to her. Mrs. Browne was acquainted with the 



