IiBTTEB CCI 311 



Partiality that I must naturally have given You for his Success, 

 as it would bring forward the Advantage of my Son. He is now 

 wth me, he came on Tuesday last, & joins me in all Respects & 

 Gratitude. We came to this Place on June 5th. We found it 

 fragrant wth Roses & as green as we could well expect, consider- 

 ing ye season that proceeded it. We had soon some very refresh- 

 ing & delightfull Rains, but since then very drying weather, 

 & the same strange Appearance of the Sun that You have so well 

 described by a single Line of Virgil,* that happy Describer & 

 accurate Observer of natural Phsenomena. We have these two 

 last Ev'nings had very tremendous Storms of Thunder & Light- 

 ning : the first brought down a Deluge of Rain in a short Space 

 of Time ; That of last Night brought a competent Shower, but 

 not uncommon. I have had a most wretched Night & feel quite 

 relaxed & miserable ; & I think You may see Something of my 

 Titubation & Unnervedness in my Writing, which I do with 

 Pain in my Side. 



I am glad You have had an agreeable Visit from some of your 

 Nephews & Nieces, who seem to have a Pruriency to vegetate 

 into new Branches. If such Receptions You give, You will 

 apparently never want Nephews & Nieces as long as You live. 

 I have spoilt the Dean's Metre, but the Thing is Truth. 



That I thoroughly admired all your Lines, I think I told 

 You ; but I communicated them to many Friends, & You gained 

 just as many admirers ; & even transcribed them All to my 

 Sister Chapone ; Now I shall observe that She seemed to like 

 the Bainhow least, & Mr Nott liked it best, I do not know which 

 flatter'd your Opinion most. But all ye Pieces were much 

 admired ; I did not know which to preferr, they seemed to be 

 professedly Imitations of several stiles of Poets, & in that they 

 seem'd equally just.f You must not wonder that You did not 

 hear from my Daughters upon it, to whom they were directed. 

 They could hardly be answer'd but in their own Way, & that 

 they did not dare to attempt ; or in giving a Judgement on them, 

 which they thought would be too forward for them, but at least 

 You was secure of their highest applause & their gratefull Thanks. 

 Hester is not well, tho' better. In short ye excessive Heat dis- 

 concerts us all : I see wth Surprize the same filmy Atmosphere 

 return that we saw before ye Storms. I have been forced to 

 sacrifice a little Hay Meadow for Pasture for my Cows, & Horses, 

 & lose the Hay of it ; for my Cattle were wofully reduced. I am 

 now in my Hay, & have got in only 4 Loads, but hope to carry 

 Some Today. 



* "Cum caput obscurd nitidum ferrugine texit." 



t The author published them in the " Gentleman's Magazine," 1783, 

 professedly as imitations of tho older poets. 



