1810.] 
have you read Dante, ‘sir?’ “ T have 
endeavoured to understand hima,” replied 
Mr. N. Mr. Gray, being much pleased 
with the illustration, arid: with the taste 
which it evinced, addressed the chief of 
his discourse to him for the remainder of 
the evening, and invited him'to hisrooms 
in Pembroke hall. 
Mr. Gray found in his young acquaint- 
ance a ready and a docile disposition, 
and he became attached to him. He 
then gave him instruction for the course 
of his studies, which he directed entirely, 
even to the recommendation of every au- 
thor, and to the very order in which they 
should be read, which happily continued 
till the time of Mr. Gray’s death. Mr. 
N. might well say to the poet, in the 
words of his favourite Florentine: “ Tu 
sei lo mio maestro.”* To this incident, 
so rare and so honourable to Mr. Nicholls, 
and to the improvement which was the 
consequence of it, I attribute not only 
the extent and the value of his know- 
ledge, but the peculiar accuracy and 
correct taste which distinguished him 
throughout his life, and which I have 
seldom observed in any man in a more 
eminent degree. 
The letters of Mr. Gray to Mr. Nicholls, 
preserved by Mr, Mason in his Memoirs of 
the poet, su ficiently prove the intimacy 
between them; and it is my opinion that, 
with the single exception of his earliest 
and most accomplished friend the hon. 
Richard West, Mr. Gray was more af- 
fectionately attached to him than to any 
Other person. 
By the advice of Mr. Gray, Mr. Ni- 
cholls visited France, Swisserland, and 
Italy. He there found scenes and per- 
sons congenial to his taste and to.his fa- 
culties. In Swisserland he locked abroad 
through nature, from every ‘ ice-built 
mountain” and rugged cliff; and by the 
lakes and valleys of that once envied 
country, he felt the truth of Rousseau’s 
inimitable remark, ‘ qu'il ya des moments 
ou il sufjit du sentiment de son existence.” 
Tn Italy he found al! which could capti- 
“ate and enchain his attention among the 
“most finished works of art; and under 
‘the soft but animating influence of cli- 
Mate, of scenery, and of classic imagery, 
he improved his talents; and, by his con- 
-Yersation and knowledge of the language, 
he was peculiarly acceptable in the most 
felect assemblies. When ~ Italy is the 
‘theme, it is difficult to restrain our sen- 
x itions: but in this place I would only 
a ~* Dante. Inf. c. 1 
* Moentuty Mae. No. 199, 
: 
Letter on the Death of the Rev. Norton Nicholls. 425 
‘add, that Mr. Nicholls; in an elegant and 
interesting narrative of his travels (which 
he never intended to make public), has 
privately recorded whatever fixed his 
mind, exalted his imagination, and re- 
firted ae judgment. The celebrated and 
learned count Firmian, the Austrian 
minister at Milen, to whom he was in- 
troduced, ngticed him, and became his 
intimate friend. From count Firmian’s 
powerful recommendation Mr. Nicholls 
had access to every circle of distinction 
in every foreign country which he visited ; 
and no man ever profited more from the 
advantages which were so singularly and 
so happily offered to him. 
On his return from the continent, he | 
found that he had sustained a loss which 
was irreparable. Mr. Gray was no 
more. His friend, his companion and 
enlightened guide, was no longer to cons 
tribute to his happiness, and to animate 
his studies ; and to this irreversible doom 
he submitted, quiet, though sad. 
Upon the best motives he retired, and 
resided constantly with his mother in the 
cheerless depth, and then uncultivated 
solitude, of his Suffolk livings, where he 
passed bis time im continued study and 
in the exercise of his professional duties. 
But I must observe that, since his resis 
dence there, the country and the neigh. 
bourhood have assumed another aspect. 
As there was no rectorial house upon 
either of his livings, he fixed upon a 
place, which I could wish that future 
travellers might visit and speak of as we 
do'of the Leasowes: I mean his villa at 
Blundeston, which, (if barbarous taste 
should not improve it, or some more bar- 
barous land-surveyor level with the soil 
its beauties and its glories,) will remain 
as one of the most finished scenes of cul 
tivated sylvan delight which this island 
can offer to our view. It was his own 
and his appropriate work; for scarcely a 
trace of its uncouth original features can 
be found or pointed out to the visitant, 
But to the eye of,a mind like Mr. Ni-« 
cholls’s, the possible excellences of a 
place yet-unadorned, were visible; and 
even as it then was, there were to be 
found in it walks and recesses, in which 
Mr. Gray observed, in his sublime con- 
ciseness, “ that a man who could think, 
might think.” By perseverance and 
skill, he at last surmounted every ie 
culty which was opposed to him throug 
a long series of years, and he formed and 
left the scene as it now is.* Throughout 
* December, 1809. 
$I the 
