Young Burke has just been with me, and I have dined to day with Dr. Adams, who feems fond of me. But I have not been very well. I hope I am not ill by fympathy, and that you are making haste to recover your plumpnefs and your complexion. I left you skinny and lean.

To-morrow, if I can, I fhall go forward, and when I fee Lichfield I fhall write again.

Mr. Parker, the bookfeller, fends his respects to you: I fend mine to the young ladies.

I am, &c.

I

LETTER CCLXVI.

To Mrs. THRAL E.

DEAR MADAM,

Lichfield, Oct. 20, 1781.

WROTE from Oxford, where I ftaid two days; on Thursday I went to Birmingham, and was told by Hector that I fhould not be well fo foon as I expected; but that well I fhould be. Mrs. Careless took me under her care, and told me when I had tea enough. On Friday I came hither, and have escaped the post-chaifes all the way. Every body here is as kind as I expected, I think Lucy is kinder than ever. I am very well. Now we are both valetudinary, we shall have something to write about. We can tell each other our complaints, and give reciprocal comfort and advice, as-not to eat too much-and-not to drink too

little,

little, and we may now and then add a few strictures of reproof: and fo we may write and write till we can find another fubject. Pray make my compliments to all the ladies, great and little.

I am, &c.

LETTER CCLXVII.

To Mrs. THRAL E.

DEAR MADAM,

Lichfield, Oct. 23, 1781.

I HAD both your letters, and very little good

news in either of them. The diminution of the eftate, though unpleafing and unexpected, must be borne, because it cannot be helped; but I do not apprehend why the other part of your income fhould fall fhort. I understood that you were to have 1,500l. yearly from the money arifing from the fale, and that your claim was first.

I fincerely applaud your refolution not to run. out, and wish you always to fave fomething, for that which is faved may be spent at will, and the advantages are very many of faving fome money loofe and unappropriated. If your ammunition is always ready, you may fhoot advantage as it ftarts, or pleasure as it flies. Refolve therefore never to want money.

The Gravedo is not removed, nor does it increase. My nights have commonly been bad. Mrs. Afton is much as I left her, without any new VOL. II, fymptoms;

L

fymptoms; but, between time and palfy, wearing away. Mrs. Gastrel is brifk and lively.

Burney told me that he was to go, but you will have my dear Queeney; tell her that I do not forget her, and that I hope fhe remembers me. Against our meeting we will both make good refolutions, which on my fide, I hope to keep; but fuch hopes are very deceitful. I would not willingly think the fame of all hopes, and particularly should be loath to fufpect of deceit, my hope of being always,

Dearest Madam,

Your, &c.

LETTER CCLXVIII.

To Mrs. THRAL E.

DEAREST DEAR LADY,

YOUR

Q&t. 27, 1781.

OUR Oxford letter followed me hither, with Lichfield put upon the direction in the place of Oxford, and was received at the fame time as the letter written next after it. All is therefore well.

Queeney is a naughty captious girl, that will not write because I did not remember to ask her. Pray tell her that I afk her now, and that I depend upon her for the hiftory of her own time.

Poor Lucy's illness has left her very deaf, and, I think, very inarticulate. I can fcarcely make

her understand me, and fhe can hardly make me understand her. So here are merry doings. But she seems to like me better than she did. She eats very little, but does not fall away.

Mrs. Cobb and Peter Garrick are as you left them. Garrick's legatees at this place are very angry that they receive nothing. Things are not quite right, though we are fo far from London.

Mrs. Afton is juft as I left her. She walks no worfe; but I am afraid speaks lefs diftinctly as to her utterance. Her mind is untouched. She eats too little, and wears away. The extenuation is her only bad fymptom. She was glad to fee

me.

That naughty girl Queeney, now the is in my head again, how could fhe think that I did not wish to hear from her, a dear fweet?-But he must fuffer who can love.

All here is gloomy; a faint ftruggle with the tedioufnefs of time; a doleful confeflion of prefent mifery, and the approach feen and felt of what is most dreaded and moft fhunned. But fuch is the lot of man.

I am, dearest Madam,

Your, &c.

L 2

LETTER

LETTER CCLXIX.

Το Mrs. THRAL E.

DEAR MADAM,

Lichfield, Oct. 31, 1781.

IT almost enrages me to be fufpected of forgetting the discovery of the papers relating to Cummins's claim. These papers we must grant the liberty of ufing, because the law will not fuffer us to deny them. We may be fummoned to declare what we know, and what we know is in those papers. When the evidence appears, * * * will be directed by her lawyers to fubmit in quiet. I fuppose it will be proper to give at first only a tranfcript.

Your income, diminished as it is, you may, without any painful frugality, make fufficient. Í wish your health were as much in your power, and the effects of abftinence were as certain as thofe of parfimony. Of your regimen I do not think with much approbation; it is only palliative, and crops the disease, but does not eradicate it. I with you had at the beginning digefted full meals in a warm room, and excited the humour to exhauft its power upon the furface. This, I believe, must be done at last.

Mifs Seward has been enquiring after Sufan Thrale, of whom he had heard fo much from Mrs. Cumyns, as excites her curiofity. If my little dear Perverfity continues to be crofs, Sufy may be my girl too; but I had rather have them both. If Queeney does not write foon fhe fhall have a very reprehenfory letter.