128 
from writing, that is tranfcribing, to read- 
ing. Suré’ you ought to divert yourfelf 
rather than others ; though I fhould not 
day fo, if your pen had not confined itlelf 
to tranicripts. 
I am perfeétly well and heed not the 
weather: though I with the feafuons came 
a little oftner into their own places, in- 
ftead of each others. From November 
till a fortnight ago, we had warmth that 
T theuld often be ‘el: d of in fummer ; and 
fince we are not fure of it then, was re- 
joiced when I could get it. For myfelf, I 
am a kind of delicate Hercules: and 
though made of paper, have, by temper- 
ance, by ufing as much cold water in- 
wardly and outwardly as I can, and by 
taking no precautions againft catching 
cold, and braving ajl weathers, become 
capable of fuffering by none. My trien- 
nial vifitant, the gout, has yielded to the 
bootikins, and ftaid with me this laft time 
but five weeks in lieu of five months. 
Strong . men, perhaps, would kill them- 
felves by my praétice; but it has done fo 
Jeng with me, I fhall truft to it. 
I intended writing to youon Gray’ s 
Life, ii you had not prevented me. I am 
charmed with it, and prefer it to all the 
biography I ever faw. The fiyle is ex- 
cellent, fimpie, unaffected: the method, 
admirable, artful and judicious. He has 
framed the fragments (as a perfon faid) fo 
‘well, that they are fine drawings, if not 
finifhed pictures. For my part, I am fo 
interefted in it, that I fhall certainly read 
it over and over. I. do not find that is 
likely to be the cafe with many yet. Never 
was a book, which people pretended to 
expect fo much with impatience, lefs de- 
voured, at leaft in Londen, where quartcs 
are not cf quick digeftion. Faulis aire 
found, I hear, at Eaton, with the Latin 
poems, for falfe quantities—no matter, 
they are equal to the Englifh, and can one 
fay more? 
At Cambridge, I fhould think, the 
book weuld both offend much and pleafe ; 
at leaft, if they are as fenfible to humour, 
as to il] humour; and there 1s o:thodoxy 
geusugh to wath down a camel. The 
Scotch and the reviewers will be fill more 
angry; and the latter have not. a fyllable 
to pacify them. So they who wait for their 
decifions will probably mifs of reading 
the mcft entertaining bock in the worid: 
a punifhment which they who truft to fuch 
wietched judges deferve; for who are 
more contemptible than ech judges, but 
they who pin their faith on them? 
In anfwer to you, yeurfelf, my good Sir, 
¥ fhall not fudferibe to your ceniure of Mr. 
Coliana. 
[Sept. Ty 
Mafon, whom I love and admire, and 
who has fhewn the greateft tafte poflible in 
the execution of this work.’ Surely he has 
faid enough in gratitude, and done far 
beyond what grai ituie could demand. It 
feems delicacy in not expatiating on the 
legacy 5 particularizing more gratitude 
would have leffened the evidence of friend. 
fhip, and made the juftice doneto Gray’s 
character look more like a debt. He {peaks 
ot him in flender circumftances, not as dif- 
trefled ; and fo he was, till after the deaths 
of his parents and aunts, and even thén, 
furely, not rich. I think he does fome- 
where fay, that he meant to be buried 
with his mother, and not fpecifying any 
other place, confirms it. In fhort, Mr, 
Maton fhall never know your criticiims. 
He has a good heart and would feel them, 
though certainly noi apprifed that he could 
merit them. A man who has fo called 
out all his friend’s virtues, could not want 
them himfelf. 
I fhall be much obliged to o you for the 
prints you detiine for me. The Earl of 
Cumberland I have and will not reb you 
of. I with you had been as fuccefsful 
with Mr C——as with Mr. T—— 
I mean if you are not yet paid—-now is the 
time, for he has fold his houfe to the Duke 
of Marlborough. I fuppofe he will not 
keep his prints long. He changes his’ 
purfuits continually and extravagantly ; 3 
and then fells to indulge new fancies. 
I have had a piece of luck within thefe 
two days. Ihave Jong lamented our hav- 
ing no certain picce written by Anne 
Boleyn’s brother, lord Rochford. I have 
found a very pretty copy of verfes by him, 
in the new-publifhed fecond velume of the 
Nugz Antique, though by miftake he is 
called Earl of infead of Vifcount Roch- 
ford. They are taken from a M.S. twenty. 
eight years after the author’s death, and 
are much in the manner of Lord Surry’s 
and Sir ‘Thomas Wyats’ poems. I fhould 
at firft have doubted if they were not 
counterfeited, on reading my Noble 
Authors: but then the blunder of Earl for 
Vilccunt would hardly have been com- 
mitted. A little modérnifed and fofiened 
in the cadence, they would be very preity. 
T have got the reft of the Digby pictures, 
but ata very highrate! There isone very 
large of St. Kenelm, his wife and two 
fons, in exquihte prefervation, though the 
heads of hin: and his wife are not fo high- 
ly finithed as thofe Ihave. Yet the boys 
and draperies are fo amazing, that together 
with the fize, it is certainly the moft capi. - 
tal miniature in the wold. There area 
few more, yery fine too. I fhall be hap- 
py 
” 
