LETTERS. 207 



hope you will get the poems without trouble ; as for 

 begging patronage, I am tired to the soul of it, and shall 

 give it up. 



* « * « 



TO HIS BROTHER NEVILLE. 



Nottingham, 180a 



Dear Xeville, 



I write you, with intelligence of a very important na- 

 ture. You some time ago had an intimation of my wish 

 to enter the church, in case my deafness w^as not removed. 

 About a week ago I became acquainted with the Rev. 

 , late of St John's College, Cambridge, and in con- 

 sequence of what he has said, I have finally determined 

 to enter myself of Trinity College, Cambridge, with the 

 approbation of all my friends. 



Mr says that it is a shame to keep me away 



from the University, and that circumstances are of no 

 importance. He says, that if I am entered of Trinity, 

 where there are all select men, I must necessarily, with 

 my abilities, arrive at preferment. He says he wiU be 

 answerable that the first year I shall obtain a Scholar- 

 ship, or an exhibition adequate to my support. That by 

 the time I have been of five years' standing, I shall of 

 course become a Fellow (£200 a year); that with the Fel- 

 lowship, I may hold a Professorship (£500 per annum); 

 and a living or curacy until better preferments occur. 

 He says, that there is no uncertainty in the church to a 

 truly pious man, and a man of abilities and eloquence. 

 That those who are unprovided for, are generally men 

 who, having no interest, are idle drones, or dissolute 

 debauchees, and therefore ought not to expect advance- 

 ment. That a poet, in particular, has the means of 

 patronage in his pen ; and that, in one word, no young 

 man can enter the church (except he be of family) with 

 better prospects than myself. On the other hand, Mr 

 Enfield has himself often observed, that my deafness 



