would not chuse to be in a dirty inconvenient lodging, where perhaps my Nurse might stifle me with a pillow, and therefore it is no wonder, if I prefer your house. But I tell you of this in time, that if either of you are frighted at the thought of a sick body, you may make a handsome excuse, and save yourselves this trouble. You are not to imagine my illness is in Esse; no, it is only in Posse, otherwise I should myself be scrupulous of bringing it home to you. I shall be in town in about a fortnight. You will be sorry (as I am) at the destruction of poor Stonehewer's views, which promised so fair: but both he and I have known it this long time, so, I believe, he was prepared, and his old Patron is no bad resource. I am told, it is the fashion to be totally silent with regard to the ministry. Nothing is to be talked of, or even suspected, till the Parliament meets; in the meantime the new Manager has taken what appears to me a very odd step. If you do not hear of a thing, which is in it's nature no secret, I cannot well inform you by the Post, to me it is utterly unaccountable. 1 Pray what is the reason I do not read your name among the Censors of the College? did they not offer it you, or have you refused it? I have not done a word more of Bard. Having been in a very listless, unpleasant, and inutile state of mind for this long 1 This alludes to the dismissal of Pitt, then paymaster of the forces, and the Right Honourable Henry Legge, Chancellor of the Exchequer, on the question of engaging this nation in a continental connection for the defence of Hanover.-[Mit.] VOL. II. T while, for which I shall beg you to prescribe me somewhat strengthening and agglutinant, lest it turn to a confirmed Pythisis. To shew you how epidemical self-murther is this year, Lady M. Capel (Lord Essex's sister) a young person, has just cut the veins of both arms across, but (they say) will not die of it, she was well and in her senses, though of a family that are apt to be otherwise. Adieu, dear Doctor, I should be glad of a line from you, before I come.-Believe me ever, most sincerely yours, T. G. CX.-TO THOMAS WHARTON. Cambridge, January 9, 1756. DEAR DOCTOR-I am quite of Mr. Alderman's opinion; provided you have a very fair prospect of success (for I do not love repulses, though I believe in such cases they are not attended with any disgrace) such an employment must necessarily give countenance and name to one in your profession, not to mention the use it must be of in refreshing and keeping alive the ideas of practice you have already got, and improving them by new observation. It cannot but lead to other business too in a more natural way, than perhaps any other; for whatever lucky chance may have introduced into the world here and there a Physician of great vogue, the same chance may hardly befall another in an age; and the indirect and by-ways, that doubtless have succeeded with many, are rather too dirty for you to tread. As to the time it would take I have continued the Soap every other day from the time I left you, except an interval or two of a week or ten days at a time, which I allow'd in order to satisfy myself, whether the good effects of it were lasting, or only temporary. I think, I may say it has absolutely cured that complaint I used to mention to you, and (what is more) the ill-habit, which perhaps was the cause of that, and of the flying pains I have every now and then felt in my joints. Whenever I use it, it much increases my appetite, and the heartburn is quite vanished. So I may venture to say, it does good to my stomach. When I shall speak of its bad effects, you are no longer to treat me as a whimsical body, for I am certain now, that it disorders the head, and much disturbs one's sleep. This I now avoid by taking it immediately before dinner; and besides these things are trifles compared with the good it has done me. In short, I am so well, it would be folly to take any other medicine: therefore I reserve lime water for some more pressing occasion. I should be glad to know the particulars of Lord Northumberland and the Archbishop's illnesses, and how far it has eased them in the gout. I am glad you admire Machiavel, and are entertained with Buffon, and edified with the divine Ashton. The first (they say) was a good man, as much as he has been abused; and we will hope the best of the two latter. Mr. Bedingfield, who (as Lord Orford sent me word) desired to be acquainted with me, called here (before I came down), and would pay a visit to my rooms. He made Dr. Long conduct him thither, left me a present of a book (not of his own writing) and a note with a very civil compliment. I wrote to him to thank him, and have received an answer, that fifteen years ago might have turned my head. I know [ ] will abuse him to you, but I insist he is a slanderer, and shall write a satire upon him, if he does not do justice to my new admirer. I have not added a line more to old Caradoc; when I do, you will be sure to see it. You who give yourself the trouble to think of my health, will not think me very troublesome if I beg you to bespeak me a rope-ladder (for my neighbours every day make a great progress in drunkenness, which gives me reason to look about me) it must be full thirty-six feet long, or a little more, but as light and manageable as may be, easy to unroll, and not likely to entangle. I never saw one, but I suppose it must have strong hooks, or something equivalent, a-top, to throw over an iron bar1 to be fixed withinside of my window. However, you will chuse the properest form, and instruct me in the use of it. I see an Ephraim Hadden near Hermitage stairs, Wapping, that advertises them, but perhaps you may find a better artisan near you. This with a canister of tea and another of snuff, which I left at your house, and a pound of soap from Mr. Field (for mine is not so good here) will fill a box, which I beg the favour of you to send me when you can conveniently. My best compliments to Mrs. Wharton.—I am ever yours, T. G. CXI. TO MR. RICHARD STONEHEWER. 2 August 21, 1755. I THANK you for your intelligence about Herculaneum, which was the first news I received of it. I have since turned over Monsignor Baiardi's book, 3 1 This iron bar is still to be seen at Peterhouse, in the window of Gray's rooms. —[Ed.] 2 Auditor of Excise. His friendship with Mr. Gray commenced at College, and continued till the death of the latter. —[Mason.] Mr. Stonehewer was, while at Cambridge, the Tutor, afterwards the private Secretary, and intimate friend of the late Duke of Grafton.-[Mit.] 3 Ottavo Antonio Baiardi (1690-1765) was a Parmesan antiquary of great pretensions, who was called to Naples by Charles III. to describe the excavations at Herculaneum. He took so long over his task, that the king appointed a Herculaneum Academy, of which Baiardi was to be president, to assist him; but, whether from wounded vanity or conscious incompetence, Baiardi would have none of their help, and left Naples abruptly in stately wrath.-[Ed.] |