22 EARLY LIFE. 



began, and as I ride a great deal, I have seen every 

 one of the country seats hereabouts. 



" I think the conduct of your wise baillies during 

 the late riots proves them to be idiots and monsters that 

 ought to be expunged from the face of the creation. 

 I ought to make 1792 apologies to your sister for not 

 answering her very kind letter, which I received by Mr 

 Mitchell. Eead this to her, with my love, in which the 

 rest of this family join, not forgetting my dear Peter. 



" Tell your good mother that Mrs Syme looks upon 

 her letters, and those of my aunt Nelly (to whom, and 

 all other friends, remember me), as her greatest con- 

 solation, and that she expects a letter from them soon. 

 We were all sorry for B. Eussell's death ; indeed, except 

 John, I think she was by much the best of that family. 



" Expecting your answer by a parcel which is coming 

 here from Mrs Hope this week, I remain your most 

 affectionate cousin, H. P. BROUGHAM/' 



To go back, then, to my holiday task, the translation 

 of Florus. I consider that my learned kinsman was 

 much more lenient in his judgment on the work than 

 his illustrious father would have been, whom we never 

 thought of troubling with it. The following is his 

 answer to my letter of January : 



"April 21, 1792. 



"DEAR HENRY, I should make an apology for 

 having delayed so long to answer your letter. The 

 truth is that I received it during the hurry of the 

 winter session, when I could not command time ; and 



