HENRY KIRKE WHITE. XV 



lege, and fit himself for the Church. For though so far 

 was he from feeling any dislike to his own profession, 

 that he was even attached to it, and had indulged a hope 

 that one day or other he should make his way to the bar, 

 a deafness, to Avhich he had always been subject, and 

 which appeared to grow progressively worse, threatened 

 to preclude all possibility of advancement ; and his opi- 

 nions, which had at one time inclined to deism, had now 

 taken a strong devotional bias. 



Henry was earnestly advised to obtain, if possible, some 

 patroness for his book, whose rank in life, and notoriety 

 in the literary world, might afford it some protection. The 

 days of dedications are happily well nigh at an end ; but 

 this was of importance to him, as giving his little volume 

 consequence in the eyes of his friends and townsmen. 

 The Countess of Derby was first applied to, and the manu- 

 script submitted to her perusal. She returned it with 

 a refusal, upon the ground that it was an invariable rule 

 with her never to accept a compliment of the kind ; but 

 this refusal was couched in language as kind as it was 

 complimentary, and he felt more pleasure at the kindness 

 which it expressed, than disappointment at the failure of 

 his application ; a two pound note was inclosed as her 

 subscription to the work. The Margravine of Anspach 

 was also thought of. There is amongst his papers the 

 draught of a letter addressed to her upon the subject, but 

 I believe it was never sent. He was then recommended 

 to apply to the Duchess of Devonshire. Poor Henry felt 

 a fit repugnance at courting patronage in this way, but 

 he felt that it was of consequence in his little world, and 

 submitted ; and the manuscript was left, with a letter, at 

 Devonshire House, as it had been with the Countess of 

 Derby. Some time elapsed, and no answer arrived from 

 her Grace ; and as she was known to be pestered with 

 such applications, apprehensions began to be entertained 

 for the safety of the papers. His brother Neville (who 

 was now settled in London) called several times ; of 

 course he never obtained an interview : the case at last 

 became desperate, and he went with a determination not 

 to quit the house till he had obtained them. After wait- 



