1805.] 
others, among whom is Dr. Samuel John- 
fon, from the Saxon word dunan, ta cla- 
mour. Both thefe derivations appear to 
be erroneous. ‘The origin of the word as 
related in a periodical work, publifhed in 
London nearly a century ago, is fimply 
this. In the reign of Henry the Seventh, 
a famous bailitf, named ‘foe Dux, lived in 
the town of Lincoln, This man was fo 
Extraés from the Port-folio of a Man of Letters. 
463 
extremely dexterous in his rough bufinels, 
that it was ufual, when a perfon refufed 
to pay his debts, to fay, Why don't you 
dun him ? That is, why don’t you fend 
Dun to arreft{ him? And hence the cultom 
of calling a perfon, who prefles another 
for the payment of money, a duz. 
I am, Sir, yours, &c. M. T. 
Extras from the Port-folio of a Man of Letters. 
Original Letters from Dr. Armftrong, Mr. 
Richardfon, Mr. Hume, Mr. Bofwell, 
and Dr. Bunter, found in a Trunk of 
Dr. Smollett’s, in Italy, where he died, 
and tranfmitted to a Gentleman in Ame- 
rica. 
“¢ Rome, Saturday Fune 30,1770. 
«¢ MY DEAR DOCTOR, 
PON. my retarn from Tivoli, on 
Wednefday laft, I had the pleafure 
to find two letters from you; one dated 
April roth, which had gone to London, 
the other June 7th. By a moft provoking 
blunder of Mr. Barraris’s clerks, they 
had both gone round by Naples. I have 
hired a veffura, which is to take me up 
¢¢ 
here next Monday morning, and fet me 
down in fix days at Leghorn; all my com- 
"pany, during that time, is to be tse dri- 
ver, and a blunderbufs of a fervant, 
whom I have reafon to think a very honett 
fellow; but he has fuch a flux de bouche 
of Italian French, that I can’t have tie 
pleafure of converiing with him. So that 
when I am fo happy as to meet you, I 
fhall have a double relifh for your com- 
pany, which needs no fuch fauce. Tam, 
-with, my compliments to Mrs. Smol- 
lett, &c. 
«¢ My dear Doétor, 
*¢ Your moft affeStionate 
“« JoHN ARMSTRONG,” 
« A Monfieur, 
“ Monfieur Smollett, 
"© Chez, Monfieur Reaner, a Livaurne.”” 
‘‘ MY DEAR DOCTOR, 
‘<T reproach myfelf—but it is as in- 
fiznificant as embarraffing to explain fome 
things.—So much for that. “As to my 
confidence in your ftamina, I can fee no 
reafon to flinch from it; but I wifh you 
would avoid all unwholefome accidents, 
as much as poflible. 
‘* Tam quite ferious about my vifit to 
you next autumn, My {cheme is now to 
a 
pafs my June and July at Paris, from 
thence to fet out for Italy, either over the 
Alps, or by fea from Marfeilles. Ida 
not expect the company cf any widew-~ 
hanter, or any other that may be too fat 
and indolent for fuch an excarfion; and 
hope to pick up fome agreeable fellow- 
traveller, without being at the expence of 
advertifine. 
«¢ You feel exa&tly as Ido on the fub- 
ject of {tate politics. But from fome late 
glimpfes, it is fill to be hoped, that ome 
patriots may be difappointed in their fa- 
vourite view of involving their country 
ia confufion and deftruction. As to tke 
King’s Bench patriot, it is hard to fay 
from what motive he publifhed a letter of 
yours, afking fome trifling favour of him, 
on behalf of fomebody, for whom the 
Cham of Literature, Mr. Johnfon, had in- 
terelted himfelf. 
<¢T have, within this month, publifhed — 
what E call my Mifcellanies. Though £ 
admitted my operator to an equal fhare of 
profit and lofs, the publication has been 
managed in fuch a manner, as if there 
had been a combination to fupprefs it. 
Notwithitanding which, I am _ teld i¢ 
makes its way tolerably at leaf. But £ 
have heard to-day, that fomebody is to 
give me a good trimming very foon. _ 
s¢ All friends here remember you kindly, 
and our Jittle club at the Two-arms never 
fail to devote a bumper to you, except 
when they are in the humour of drinking 
none but fecoundrels. I fend my bef 
compliments to Mrs. Smollett and two 
other ladies, and beg you will write me 
as foon as it fuits you, and with black 
ink, Iam always, 
«© My dear Doétor, 
‘¢ Moft affetionately your’s, 
** JouN ARMSTRONG.” 
‘A Monsieur, 
© Monfieur Smolleit, Gentilhomme Anglois, 
*§ Chez. Monfieur Renner, negotiant 
‘* a Liwourne, Tofcane.” 
“DEAR 
