LETTER XXXIV.

Το Mrs. THRALE.

DEAR MADAM,

Ashbourne, July 3, 1771.

L AST Saturday I came to Afhbourne; the dangers or the pleasures of the journey I have at present no difpofition to recount; elfe might I paint the beauties of my native. plains; might I tell of " the fmiles of nature, "and the charms of art:" elfe might I relate how I croffed the Staffordshire canal, one of the great efforts of human labour, and human contrivance; which, from the bridge on which I viewed it, paffed away on either fide, and lofes itself in diftant regions, uniting waters that nature had divided, and dividing lands which nature had united. I might tell how these reflections fermented in my mind till the chaise stopped at Ashbourne, at Ashbourne in the Peak. Let not the barren name of the Peak terrify you; I have never wanted strawberries and cream. The great bull has no disease but age. I hope in time to be like the great bull; and hope you will be like him tog a hundred years hence.

I am, &c.

Poor Dr. Taylor is ill, and under my government; you know that the act of government is learned by obedience; I hope I can govern very tolerably.

The old rheumatifm is come again into my face and mouth, but nothing yet to the lumbago; however, having fo long thought it gone, I do not like its return.

Mifs Porter was much pleafed to be mentioned in your letter, and is fure that I have fpoken better of her than the defired. She holds that both Frank and his mafter are much improved. The master, she says, is not half fo lounging and untidy as he was, there was no fuch thing laft year as getting him off his chair.

Be pleafed to make my compliments to every body.

2

I am, &c.

LETTER XXXVI.

To Mrs. THRAL E.

DEAR MADAM,

Lichfield, July 7, 1771.

NCE more I fit down to write, and hope ONCE

you will once more be willing to read it. Last Sunday an old acquaintance found me out, not, I think, a school-fellow, but one with whom I played perhaps before I went to fchool. I had not feen him for forty years, but was glad to find him alive. He has had, as he phrased it, a matter of four wives, for which neither you nor I like him much the better; but after all his marriages he is poor, and has now, at fixty-fix, two very young children.

Such, Madam, are the strange things of which we that travel come to the knowledge. We fee mores hominum multorum. You that wafte your lives over a book at home, must take life upon trust.

I am, &c.

LETTER XXXVII.

To Mrs.

THRA L E.

Ashbourne, July 8, 1771.

DEAREST MADAM,

IN

NDIFFERENCE is indeed a strange word in a letter from me to you. Which way could it poffibly creep in? I do not remember any moment, for a very long time past, when I could use it without contradiction from my own thoughts.

This naughty baby ftays fo long that I am afraid it will be a giant, like king Richard. I fuppofe I fhall be able to tell it, "Teeth "hadft thou in thy head when thou wert "born." I wish your pains and your danger

over.

Dr. Taylor is better, and is gone out in the chaife. My rheumatism is better too.

I would have been glad to go to Hagley, in compliance with Mr. Littelton's kind invitation, for befide the pleasure of his converfation,, I should have had the opportunity of recollecting paft times, and wandering per montes notos et flumina nota, of recalling the

images of fixteen, and reviewing my converfations with poor Ford *. But this year will not bring this gratification within my power. I promised Taylor a month. Every thing is done here to please me; and his ill health is a ftrong reafon against desertion.

I return all the compliments, and hope I may add fome at last to this wicked, tiresome, dilatory bantling.

I am, &c.

LETTER XXXVIII.

To Mrs. THRALE.

DEAREST MADAM,

Ashbourne, July 10, 1771.

I

AM obliged to my friend Harry, for hist remembrance; but think it a little hard that I hear nothing from Mifs.

There has been a man here to-day to take a farm. After fome talk he went to see the bull, and faid that he had feen a bigger. Do you think he is likely to get the farm?

Toujours ftrawberries and cream.

*Cornelius Ford, his mother's nephew.

Dr.