Sir H. E-: I think I had better fee Lord S-firft. God preferve you, and fend you a Speedy Recovery.

I am ever most affectionately yours,

Feb. 12.

R. DODSLEY.

I

LETTER XXXII.

Mr. DODSLEY to W. SHENSTONE, Efq.

Dear Sir,

AM forry I hurried my Effay out of your Hands, before you had done with it; but if I think of publishing my Fables next October or November, it is high Time I should put both to Press now, that the Printer may have good Weather to print in, and that the Work may have Time to dry, after it is finifhed, before the Books are bound.

H 4

But as it

happens,

happens, I cannot begin till the latter End of this Month, as the Printer is not at Leifure; however, I have put my Plates in Hand, and they are going on as faft as poffible. I never received Mr. ALCOCK's Drawings; fo I have got two others executed, of fomewhat a different Defign. I will not put the Effay in Hand till the laft, which may, perhaps, be about July, as I fhall be very defirous of its having the Advantage of your Corrections. But am I not to hope for a new Fable or two from you? You fee how I dwindle in my Expectations but pray don't let me be quite disappointed. I propofe, if poffible, to finish the Printing of my Fables before I set out on my northern Expedition. Mr. M—, and his Lady, will be at Nottingham about the latter End of August; they have wished I would meet them there, and in their Return to Town, bring them round by the Leafowes. Mr. BURKE has also a strong Inclination to meet us there; fo that poffibly we may be happy enough to spend a Day with you; another must be spent at Lord LYTTELTON's, (as they are both ac

* Author of the Sublime and Beautiful.

quainted

quainted with him) and a third at Birmingham. I fhall hate the Name of D— as long as I live: he is crooked in all his Ways; but the Devil will fet ftrait with him one Day or other. I have not feen a Page of Mr. PERCY'S Novel, and therefore cannot at all explain it to you; but I fuppofe he makes no Secret of it. I with Mr. GRAVES would finish his.-And will you really confent to an Exchange of Pictures? Upon my Word, you make but a forry Bargain for yourself: however, to give you as little Reason as may be to regret your Compliance, I will fit to one of our best Artists; and to supply the Want of Merit in the Original, will endeavour to give as much as I can to the Copy. If you have any Thing to fuggeft on this Subject, (as you seem to hint) you will be fo good as to let me have a Line, because, as foon as I am able to get abroad, which I hope will be in a few Days, I intend to confult with REYNOLDS* about it. Ay, I forgot to tell you, that I have been confined this Month with the Gout; every Man has his D-N; that is mine. I am glad your

*The present Sir JOSHUA REYNOLDS.

Likeness

Likeness is a ftrong one; and I think the Attitude, you are drawn in, is a good one; pray, is that the Picture you intend for me? The Writer of Triftram Shandy is a Mr. STERNE, one of the Prebendaries of York. As to Mr. BASKERVILLE'S Bible, he will eafily be diffuaded from the marginal Ornaments; but the TitlePage is a Favourite, and for my Part, I have not much Objection to it. Mr. WEBB'S BOOK, on Painting and Painters, is reckoned ingenious, and if you like the Subject, will be worth your Perufal. Antient and Modern Rome, I alfo think a good Poem. My Compliments to Mr, HYLTON, and all Friends.

I am ever,

Dear Sir,

moft faithfully yours,

R. DUDSLEY.

LET

LETTER XXXIII.

Mr. DODSLEY to W. SHENSTONE, Efq.

Dear Mr. SHENSTONE,

I

June 17.

WAS yesterday fearching for Figures for your two Niches-I have found three Pair, the Figures good, that will do as to Size, viz. the ANTINOUS I mentioned, and the APOLLO with his Arm over his Head; a FLORA and a CERES; and a HOMER and VIRGIL. The ANTINOUS and APOLLO are two Feet high, FLORA and CERES twenty-three Inches, and HOMER and VIRGIL twenty-one. These last are each of them leaning upon a Pedestal; on one of which, in Baffo Relievo, is Troy in Flames; on the other, RoмULUS and REMUS fucking a Wolf. Thefe are both pretty Figures; and don't you think them better Ornaments for a Library, and more fuitable Companions for SAPPHO, than either of the others? A Line by the Return of the Post, will just give me Time to get which of them you choose

finished,