CHAP, vii.] Present of Constantia. 279 



not been made within these thirteen years, chiefly by his 

 own son, or son's suggestion ! 



But I must stop here and turn to more earthly and 

 indifferent subjects (though they ought not to be called 

 indifferent neither), for in the first place I have to return 

 my thanks for no less than three dozen of Constantia wine, 

 but this I shall do but with a very bad grace, for ever since 

 the llth of May, when I received my nephew's letter, I have 

 been in the fidgets about the trouble he and his friends 



must have had before such a thing could reach me 



I feel more reconciled after unburdening myself of some of 

 this weighty concern by making presents to all who love 

 and esteem you so truly, and after setting apart a portion, 

 according to Captain Miiller's advice, with which you 

 may be treated when at your return you may perhaps visit 

 Hanover again, there remains more than ever I can get 

 through with, for I am very desirous to spin out the thread 

 of my life till you return home. And I know it is a mis 

 taken notion that old folks want more of what they call 

 comfort than young ones. It is not very easy to find out 



what will convey comfort in general I, for instance, 



know of no other comforts like those I derive from yours 

 and my dear niece's letters. Her last leaves me nothing to 



wish for 



***** 



You compliment me on having a steady hand, but if you 

 were to see the blotting I make before I can make it hang 

 together (when I am composing, as it were, a letter) you 

 would not say so, and, after all, it will cause you some 

 trouble to understand me, for the letter begins to my dear 

 niece, and soon after I find myself talking to you 



