LETTER XXVIII 61 



I am so much obliged both to the Poet and the Friend in Mrt 

 White's gallant and elegant Invitation, that I cannot help telling 

 him how much I am mortified that I cannot thank him in Person 

 for his admirable Poem. Your Description of Selbourne has left 

 nothing to " the craving Imagmation of Miss Hecky," and it was 

 kindly done to send me so lively a Picture, as I fear I am not 

 to see the Original. It is no great Compliment to say that I 

 wish to accept of your Invitation, as I write from this suffocating 

 Town, where I am kill'd with Heat and have no voice or 

 Strength. Here however I am most likely to remain, (if I can 

 exist) the greatest part of the Summer ; with only a refreshing 

 excursion of a Day or two now and then to Mr. Eichardson's at 

 Northend, to keep me alive. I shall gratifye his Vanity and my 

 own, by shewing him your Verses ; and I think yours, if you 

 have any, must taste the Praises of a Richardson. Pray give 

 my Thanks and compliments to your Father and Sister for their 

 part of the Invitation. I hope your Father has not seen your 

 more than Poetical Compliments, for if he has he must not see 

 me, unless he has a Turn for Poetry, and knows that a Poet 

 must give the Perfections he does not find. When next you 

 drink Tea in " the Pensile nest-like Bower " pity 



Your obliged humble Servant 



Yes Papa ! 



Letter 28. 



Staines. 



July 25, 1751. 

 Dear Gil : 



You see I am got into a new Place, but it is with a Family 

 of old Friends, Mr Burgh's, who used to live in my parish in ye 

 Duke of Beaufort's House ; the Duke has left us, & these good 

 Folks have taken a House for a Year in this place, & here they 

 have not only entertained me but nursed Me, for I am just come 

 out of a short Feaver. I accompanied my Father & Tom to 

 Maidenhead in their setting out on their Circuit, & there I was 

 taken ill; & when I got hither, which was not 'till- Night, I was 

 bloodied & vomited between ten & eleven. But that was my 

 Cure wth a few Powders, for I mended by Degrees & am at 

 present pretty well. I know You will pity Me for having such a 

 Tatterdemallion Constitution : but it provokes me yet more to 

 consider that I must deprive Myself of ye pleasure of seeing You 

 at Selbourne this Year. Indeed I dare not venture a Violence so 

 great as riding would now be to me, as I am not well of a Com- 

 plaint I told You of, tho' I thank God it is next to Nothing. 

 Whether ye constant Course of Physic that I have been engaged 

 in has made me more liable to Cold I cannot tell, but I am so 



