as they are, with which she inspired me the other day while I was taking my noon-day walk. The suitors sinn'd, but with a fair excuse, I know not, that you will meet any body here, when we see you in October, unless perhaps my Johnny should happen to be with us. If Tom is charmed with the thoughts of coming to Weston, we are equally so with the thoughts of seeing him here. At his years I should hardly hope to make his visit agreeable to him, did not I know, that he is of a temper and disposition, that must make him happy every where. Give our love to him. If Romney can come with you, we have both room to receive him, and hearts to make him most welcome. ...... LETTER LXXXIV. To. Mrs. COURTENEY. W. C. Sept. 16, 1793 A thousand thanks, my dearest Ca tharina, for your pleasant Letter; one of the pleasantest that I have received received since your departure. You are very good to apologize for your delay, but I had not flattered myself with the hopes of a speedier answer. Knowing full well your talents for entertaining your friends who are present, I was sure you would with difficulty find half an hour that you could devote to an absent one. Poor Weston is a I am glad that you think of your return. desolation without you. In the mean time I amuse myself as well as I can, thrumming old Homer's lyre, and turning the premises. upside down. Upside down indeed, for so it is literally that I have been dealing with the Orchard, almost ever since you went, digging and delving it around to make a new walk, which now begins to assume the shape of one, and to look as if some time or other it may serve in that capacity. Taking my usual exercise there the other day, with Mrs. Unwin, a wide disagreement between your clock and ours, occasioned me to complain much, as I have often done, of the want of a dial. Guess my surprize, when at the close of my complaint, I saw one; saw one close at my side, a smart one, glittering in the sun, and mounted on a pedestal of stone. astonished. This," I exclaimed, is absolute conjuration."—It was a most mysterious affair, but the mystery was at last explained. lands. 66 I was This scribble I presume will find you just arrived at Buck- VOL. II. X denly denly conjured from one place to another, I could be so too, and could start up before your eyes in the middle of some walk or lawn, where you and Lady Frog are wandering. While Pitcairne whistles for his family-estate in Fifeshire, he will do well if he will sound a few notes for me. I am originally of the same Shire, and a family of my name is still there, to whom perhaps he may whistle on my behalf, not altogether in vain. So shall his fife excel all my poetical efforts, which have not yet, and I dare say never will, effectually charm one acre of ground into my possession. Remember me to Sir John, Lady Frog, and your Husband; tell them I love them all. She told me once she was jealous, now indeed she seems to have some reason, since to her I have not writ ten, and have written twice to you. But bid her be of good courage, in due time I will give her proof of my constancy. LETTER LXXXV. W. C. To the Revd. Mr. JOHNSON. Sept. 29, 1798. MY DEAREST JOHNNY, You have done well to leave off visit ing and being visited. Visits are insatiable devourers of time, and fit only for those, who, if they did not that, would do nothing. The worst consequence of such departures from common practice, is to be termed a singular sort of a fellow, or an odd-fish: a sort of reproach that a man might be wise enough to contemn, who had not half your understanding. I look forward with pleasure to October the eleventh, the day which I expect will be Albo notandus lapillo, on account of your arrival here. Here you will meet Mr. Rose, who comes on the eighth, and brings with him Mr. Lawrence, the painter, you may guess for what purpose. Lawrence returns when he has made his copy of me, but Mr. Rose will remain perhaps as long as you will. Hayley on the contrary will come, I suppose, just in time not to see you. Him we expect on the twentieth. I trust however that thou wilt so order thy pastoral matters, as to make thy stay here as long as possible. Lady Hesketh, in her last Letter, enquires very kindly after you, asked me for your address, and purposes soon to write to you. We hope to see her in November-so that after a Summer without company, we are likely to have an Autumn and a Winter sociable cnough. X 2 LETTER LETTER LXXXVI. To WILLIAM HAYLEY, Esqr. October 5, 1793, My good intentions towards you, my dearest Brother, are continually frustrated; and which is most provoking, not by such engagements and avocations as have a right to my attention, such as those to my Mary, and to the old Bard of Greece, but mere impertinencies, such as calls of civility from persons not very interesting to me, and Letters from a distance still less interesting, because the writers of them are strangers. A man sent me a long copy of Verses, which I could do no less then acknowledge-They were silly enough, and cost me eighteen-pence, which was seventeen pence halfpenny farthing more than they were worth. Another sent me at the same time a plan, requesting my opinion of it, and that I would lend him my name as Editor, a request with which I shall not comply, but I am obliged to tell him so, and one Letter is all that I have time to dispatch in a day, sometimes half a one, and sometimes I am not able to write at all. Thus it is that my time perishes, and I can neither give so much of it as I would to you, nor to any other valuable purpose. On Tuesday we expect company-Mr. Rose and Laurence the Painter. Yet once more is my patience to be exercised, and once more I am made to wish that my face had been moveable, to put on |