I fincerely lamented, even in the Commission; I fhould rather fay Omiffion. I am exceeding forry to find you have fo great a Quarrel with London. I fpeak fincerely, when I fay, I propose little Pleasure there without you. I faid in my laft Letter, we might contrive to meet there, as hitherto; I think we have contrived not to do it, and if we were to meet, I can't but fancy we might make it agreeable to each other. I fhall go thither immediately after Christmas, and fhould be glad to wait on you at Whitchurch, and from thence to London. You certainly conclude me happy, in having Mr. GRAVES so near me, and with Reason. I fhould think my Scheme of Friendship complete, if you was as near; but without that Circumftance, it is far from being fo. Sir T. HEAD and Mr. GRAVES fpent three Days with me last Week to my great Satisfaction.

I have had a Swelling in my Foot, which they tell me is the Gout-God forbid !-but 'tis certainly like it. I intend to go into a Milk Diet immediately, for I am terribly alarmed. If it should prove fo, I fhall think it a very hard Fate, having been no Drinker, and even E 2 Mul

Multitudes of those escape it: but Fortune favours the Brutes.

It was not our Mr. Powys's Landau, for he was at Home, and befides has never a one. I believe Mr. GRAVES and I fhall return Sir G-'s Favour foon, and fpend about a Week with him. How fhall we all wish for you to be with us! That I fhall, I can be upon my Bible Oath; and for the rest, I think I can answer in the affirmative. My Brother is at Whitchurch at prefent, who is a constant Companion to me while he ftays, but I fear that will not be long: but Mr. GRAVES I defign to fee often, both for Health and Pleasure.

What with going to London this Winter, and Bristol in the Summer, as I have laid my Scheme for the future, I fhall make Whitchurch not quite fo tedious to me; and above all, the Thought of waiting upon you, both in Oxfordshire, and at the Leafowes, vastly brightens my future Profpect. My Father and Mother defire to join with me in all Civilities to you-But I beg you would believe I furpafs moft People (notwithstanding your appa

rent

rent Merit) in the extreme Regard I have for you, when I fubfcribe myself,

Your most fincere Friend,

and humble Servant,
A. WHISTLER,

My Duty to Lord D. I wish his Lordship would favour me with fome Franks. I fhould look upon it as an Honour, and a Piece of Good-nature. A Frank, you know, would convey them.

LETTER

XVI.

Mr. WHISTLER to W. SHENSTONE, Efq.

Dear Sir,

I

HAVE been extremely bufy of late in new modelling my little Habitation; and the more fo, to bring it to fome Kind of Perfection, in Order to receive you. I have been building up, pulling down, planting, rooting up, turning Round to Square, and Square to Round. In fhort, I don't know, but fome E 3

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prudent People would fay, I have been playing the Devil. Indeed, (as in other Things in Life) my Fancy is fo confined by the Smallness of my Poffeffions, that my Scheme is not very expenfive: 'tis all in the Lilliputian Stile, and must be fo. Though I have tried to give it what Air of Magnificence it is capable of, I fuppofe it will ftrut like many of those unfortunate Heroes who happen not to be four Feet and a Half high.

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Did Lady LUXBOROUGH approve my Sentiment of enjoying Things beft by Reflection? I ftill maintain my Opinion, and endeavour to juftify it thus: What we enjoy by Reflection we have pure, nay, heightened by our own Fancy, at the fame Time no Inconvenience attends it; on the contrary, the Pleasure is more poignant by the Contrast. The Thought of an IceHouse in the Summer is refreshing, and the Imagination of July is a Cordial in Froit and Snow; befides, you well know Hope is the very Hartfhorn of Life, that enlivens every Thing, and particularly attends imaginary Pleasures, but vanishes whenever they become real-By Reflection, I mean Imagination in general.

I have fent you Stanzas on Flowers. If Lady LUXBOROUGH likes them, I fhall be proud of hitting the Pallate of a Lady of fo high a Taste. I have likewise enclosed another Copy of Verfes -though I am in Doubt, whether I did not fend them to you laft Summer; they were done then. I know you don't love Tranflations, but I have nothing new befides. I fet about them merely as an Exercise one Night, when I was dull and alone, not intending any Thing but tearing them afterwards, for I knew it was a worn-out Subject-But a fatherly Affection took Place, and I did not care for murdering it, though it was a Bastard produced

unawares.

N. B. I beg that nothing of mine may ap pear in Print,

I admire those two Lines of Lady WORTLEY'S very much. It is a natural yet uncommon and agreeable Thought. I am pleafed with the Compliment you make me, in faying you always with me with you to partake any Pleasure, and imagine how any Thing extraordinary would

ftrike

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