a fifty gun fhip now. and we are all fo rejoiced. Once more farewel, and do not forget Streatham nor its inhabitants, who are all much yours and most fo of all,

Your faithful fervant,

H. L. THRALE.

We never name Mr. Newton of Lichfield: I hope neither he nor his fine China begin to break yet-of other friends there the accounts get very bad to be fure.

LETTER CCLXXI.

To Mrs. THRAL E.

DEAREST MADAM,

Lichfield, Nov. 3, 1781.

YOU very kindly remind me of the dear home

which I have left; but I need none of your aids to recollection, for I am here gafping for breath, and yet better than those whom I came to vifit. Mrs. Afton has been for three years a paralytic crawler; but I think, with her mind unimpaired. She feems to me fuch as I left her; but fhe now eats little, and is therefore much emaciated. Her fifter thinks her, and fhe thinks herfelf, paffing faft away.

Lucy

Lucy has had fince my last vifit a dreadful illnefs, from which her phyficians declared themfelves hopeless of recovering her, and which has fhaken the general fabrick, and weakened the powers of life. She is unable or unwilling to move, and is never likely to have more of either strength or spirit.

I am so visibly disordered, that a medical man, who only faw me at church, fent me fome pills. To thofe whom I love here I can give no help, and from thofe that love me none can I receive. Do you think that I need to be reminded of home and you?

The time of the year is not very favourable to excurfions. I thought myself above affistance or obftruction from the feafons; but find the autumnal blast sharp and nipping, and the fading world an uncomfortable profpect. Yet I may fay with Milton, that I do not abate much of heart or hope. To what I have done I do not despair of adding fomething, but what it fhall be I know not.

I am, Madam,

most affectionately yours.

LETTER

LETTER CCLXXII.

To Mrs. THRALE.

DEAR MADAM,

Ashbourne, Nov 10, 1781.

YESTERDAY I came to Ashbourne,. and last

night I had very little reft. Dr. Taylor lives on milk, and grows every day better, and is not wholly without hope. Every body enquires after you and Queeney; but whatever Burney may think of the celerity of fame, the name of Evelina had never been heard at Lichfield till I brought it. I am afraid my dear townfmen will be mentioned in future days as the laft part of this nation that was civilized. But the days of darkness are soon to be at an end; the reading fociety ordered it to be procured this week.

Since I came into this quarter of the earth I have had a very forry time, and I hope to be better when I come back. The little paddock and plantations here are very bleak. The Bishop of Chefter is here now with his father-in-law: he fent us a message last night, and I intend to vifit him.

Most of your Afhbourne friends are well. Mr. Kennedy's daughter has married a fhoemaker, and he lives with them, and has left his parfonage.

I am, &c.

LETTER

LETTER CCLXXIII.

To Mrs. THRALE.

DEAR MADAM,

Ashbourne, Nov. 12, 1781.

I HAVE a mind to look on Queeney as my own

dear girl; and if I fet her a bad example, I ought to counteract it by good precepts; and he that knows the confequences of any fault is beft qualified to tell them. I have through my whole progrefs of authorship honeftly endeavoured to teach the right, though I have not been fufficiently diligent to practise it, and have offered mankind my opinion as a rule, but never profeffed my behaviour as an example.

; but

I fhall be very forry to lofe Mr. * * needed not why should he fo certainly die? * have died if he had tried to live. If Mr. will drink a great deal of water, the acrimony that corrodes his bowels will be diluted, if the cause be only acrimony; but I fufpect dyfenteries to be produced by animalcula, which I know not how to kill.

If the medical man did me good, it was by his benevolence; by his pills I never mended. I am, however, rather better than I was.

Dear Mrs.

fhe has the courage becoming an admiral's lady, but courage is no virtue in her cause.

I have been at Lichfield perfecuted with folicitations to read a poem; but I fent the author word, that I would never review the work of an anonymous author; for why fhould I put my

name

name in the power of one who will not trust me with his own? With this answer Lucy was fatisfied, and I think it may fatisfy all whom it may

concern.

If Cy did nothing for life but add weight to its burden, and darkness to its gloom, he is kindeft to those from whom he is furtheft. I hope, when I come, not to advance perhaps your pleafures, though even of that I fhall be unwilling to despair; but at least not to increase your inconveniencies which would be a very unfuitable return for all the kindness that you have shewn to,

Madam, your, &c.

LETTER CCLXXIV.

To Mrs. THRAL E.

DEAREST MADAM,

Afhbourne, Nov. 14, 1781.

HERE is Doctor Taylor, by a refolute adherence to bread and milk, with a better appearance of health than he has had for a long time paft; and here am I, living very temperately, but with very little amendment. But the balance is not perhaps very unequal: he has no pleasure like that which I receive from the kind importunity with which you invite me to return. There is no danger of very long delay. There is nothing in this part of the world that can counteract your attraction.

The