been entered by ruffians when Mrs. Salusbury had been in it, and who can tell what horrours might have followed!

I thought you would in time compliment your compliments away. Nothing goes well when I am from you, for when I am from you the house is robbed*. You must therefore fuppofe, that if I had been with you, the robbery would not have been. But it was not our gang. I fhould have had no in

terest.

Your lofs, I am afraid, is very great; but the lofs of patience would have been greater.

My rheumatifm torments me very much, though not as in the winter. I think I fhall go to Afhbourne on Monday or Tuesday.

You will be pleafed to make all my compliments.

I am, &c.

* Mrs. Salufbury's houfe in town was robbed of goods and linen to a large amount, while fhe was abfent at Streatham.

LETTER XXV.

Mrs. THRALE to Dr. JOHNSON.

SIR,

July 17, 1770.

IT is unlucky enough that my power of acknowledging and returning civility should fail juft now, when you are daily giving me occafion to exert it; unmercifully indeed, and I fear with some wicked intention, to wear it quite out.

:

I fee your gang;-the heads of it, however, have for this time, as you fay, avoided fufpicion. You have an alibi ready to prove; and Mr. Baretti's book fhews, that he has been employed among more entertaining papers 'tis a moft pleafing performance, and meets with eager readers in our house: even Mrs. ***** is fure that fuch a gentleman muft keep a carriage, though not so fine a one, no fure, as Mr. Thrale's.

I have been very bad of an odious fore throat, which few escape: all the little ones are well though; fo is my mother, fo is my mafter. All fend their best compliments to

Mr.

Mr. Johnson; and Mr. Thrale particularly vexes left you should not fee Matlock on a moon-light night.

I am, &c.

LETTER XXVI.

To Mrs. THRAL E.

DEAR MADAM,

Afhbourne, July 20, 1770.

I

HOPE your complaint, however troublefome, is without danger; for your danger involves us all. When you were ill before, it was agreed that if you were loft, hope would be loft with you; for fuch another there was no expectation of finding.

I came hither on Wednesday, having staid one night at a lodge in the forest of Nedewood. Dr. Taylor's is a very pleasant house, with a lawn and a lake, and twenty deer and five fawns upon the lawn. Whether 1 shall by any light fee Matlock I do not yet know.

Let us not yet have done rejoicing that Mrs. Salusbury was not in the house. The robbery will be a noble tale when we meet again.

That Baretti's book would please you all I made no doubt. I know not whether the world has ever seen fuch Travels before. Thofe whofe lot it is to ramble can feldom write, and those who know how to write very feldom ramble. If Sidney had gone, as he defired, the great voyage with Drake, there would probably have been fuch a narrative as would have equally fatisfied the poet and philofopher.

I have learned fince I left you, that the names of two of the Pleiades were Coccymo and Lampado *

I am, &c.

LETTER XXVII.

To Mrs. THRAL E.

DEAREST MADAM,

Afhbourne, July 23, 1770.

TH

HERE had not been fo long an interval between my two laft letters, but that when I came hither I did not at first understand the

hours of the post.

* The allufion is to à fearch made at that time by the Streatham Coterie, for female names ending in O.

I have feen the. great bull; and very great he is. I have seen likewise his heir apparent, who promises to inherit all the bulk and all the virtues of his fire. I have feen the man who offered an hundred guineas for the young bull, while he was yet little better than a calf. Matlock, I am afraid, I shall not fee, but I purpose to fee Dovedale; and after all this feeing, I hope to fee you.

I am, &c.

LETTER XXVIII.

To Mr. THRAL E.

DEAR SIR,

March, 1771.

IN the Shrewsbury, an East India ship, commanded by Captain Jones, there is one Thomas Coxeter, who lately enlifted as a foldier in the Company's fervice. He repents of his adventure, and has written to his fifter, who brings this letter, to procure him his discharge. He is the fon of a gentleman, who was once my friend; and the boy was himself a favourite with my wife. I fhall therefore think it a great favour, if you will be pleased to use VOL. I.

• D

your