General Conway are to bear a part in it. The Duke1 has been very ill, with his leg; Ranby was sent for, but countermanded, the Marshall d'Etrées having sent him his own surgeons. I would wish to be like Mr. Bonfoy, and think that everything turns out the best in the world, but it won't do, I am stupid and lowspirited, but ever yours, T. G.

CXXVII. TO THE REV. WILLIAM MASON.

Stoke, Monday, August 1.

DEAR MASON-If I did not send you a political Letter forthwith, it was because Lord Holdernesse came in again so soon that it was the same thing as if he had never gone out, excepting one little circumstance, indeed, the anger of old Priam ; 2 which, I am told, is the reason, that he has not the blue riband, though promised him before. I have been here this month or more, low-spirited and full of disagreeablenesses, and, to add to them, am at this present very ill, not with the gout, nor stone (thank God), nor with blotches, nor blains, nor with frogs nor with lice, but with a painful infirmity, that has to me the charms of novelty, but would not amuse you much in the description.

I hope you divert yourself much better than I do. You may be sure Dodsley had orders to send you some Odes 3 the instant they were off the spit; indeed

1 Duke of Cumberland.

2 George the Second. 3 Odes by Mr. Gray, published August 8, 1757.—[Ed.]

VOL. II.

Y

I forgot Mr. Fraser, so I fear they will come to Sheffield in the shape of a small parcel by some coach or waggon; but if there is time I will prevent it. They had been out three weeks ago, but Mr. Walpole having taken it into his head to set up a press of his own at Twickenham, was so earnest to handsel it with this new pamphlet that it was impossible to find a pretence for refusing such a trifle. You will dislike this as much as I do, but there is no help; you understand, it is he that prints them, not for me, but for Dodsley. I charge you send me some Caractacus before I die; it is impossible this weather should not bring him to maturity.

If you knew how bad I was you would not wonder I could write no more. Adieu, dear Mason; I am ever most truly yours,

T. G.

CXXVIII.-TO THE REV. JAMES BROWN.

August 14, 1757.

DEAR SIR-Excuse me if I begin to wonder a little that I have heard no news of you in so long a time. I conclude you received Dodsley's packet at least a week ago, and made my presents. You will not wonder therefore at my curiosity, if I enquire of you what you hear said; for, though in the rest of the world I do not expect to hear that anybody says much, or thinks about the matter, yet among mes confrères, the learned, I know there is always leisure, at least to find fault, if not to commend.

1

I have been lately much out of order, and confined at home, but now I go abroad again. Mr. Garrick and his wife have passed some days at my Lady Cobham's, and are shortly to return again; they, and a few other people that I see there, have been my only entertainment till this week, but now I have purchased some volumes of the great French Encyclopedie, and am trying to amuse myself within doors. Pray tell me a great deal, and believe me ever most faithfully yours, T. G.

CXXIX.-TO THOMAS WHARTON.

Stoke, August 17, 1757.

DEAR DOCTOR-It feels to me as if it were a long while, since I heard from you. Not a word to flatter or to abash the vanity of an author! suffer me then to tell you, that I hear, we are not at all popular. The great objection is obscurity, nobody knows what we would be at. One man (a Peer) I have been told of, that thinks the last stanza of the 2d Ode relates to Charles the first, and Oliver Cromwell, in short the Zuverò appear to be still fewer, than even I expected.

You will imagine all this does not go very deep; but I have been almost ever since I was here exceedingly dispirited, besides being really ill in body. No

1 At Stoke.

2 This is a reference to the motto on the half-title of the Odes, Φωνάντα συνετοῖσι. —[Ed.]

gout, but something feverish, that seems to come almost every morning, and disperses soon after I am up. The Cobhams are here, and as civil as usual. Garrick and his wife have been down with them some days, and are soon to come again. Except the little amusement they give me, and two volumes of the Encyclopedia now almost exhausted, I have nothing but my own thoughts to feed upon, and you know they are of the gloomy cast. Write to me then for sweet St. Charity, and remember, that while I am my own, I am most faithfully yours,

My best services to Mrs. Wharton.

T. G.

CXXX.-TO RICHARD HURD.

Stoke, August 25, 1757.

DEAR SIR-I do not know why you should thank me for what you had a right and title to; but attribute it to the excess of your politeness, and the more so because almost no one else has made me the same compliment. As your acquaintance in the University (you say) do me the honour to admire, it would be ungenerous in me not to give them notice that they are doing a very unfashionable thing, for all people of condition are agreed not to admire, nor even to understand: one very great man, writing to an acquaintance of his and mine, says that he had read them seven or eight times, and that now, when he next sees him, he shall not have above thirty questions to ask. Another, a peer, believes that the last

stanza of the Second Ode relates to King Charles the First and Oliver Cromwell. Even my friends tell me they do not succeed, and write me moving topics of consolation on that head; in short, I have heard of nobody but a player and a doctor of divinity 1 that profess their esteem for them. Oh yes! a lady of quality, a friend of Mason's, who is a great reader. She knew there was a compliment to Dryden, but never suspected there was anything said about Shakspeare or Milton, till it was explained to her; and wishes that there had been titles prefixed to tell what they were about.

From this mention of Mason's name you may think, perhaps, we are great correspondents; no such thing; I have not heard from him these two months. I will be sure to scold in my own name as well as in yours. I rejoice to hear you are so ripe for the press, and so voluminous,2-not for my own sake only, whom you flatter with the hopes of seeing your labours both public and private, but for yours too, for to be employed is to be happy. This principle of mine, and I am convinced of its truth, has, as usual, no influence on my practice. I am alone and ennuyé to the last degree, yet do nothing; indeed I have one excuse; my health, which you so kindly enquire after, is not extraordinary, ever since I came hither. It is no

1 Garrick and Dr. Warburton. Garrick wrote some verses in their praise.

2 Alluding probably to the "Moral and Political Dialogues" then composing, and published in 1759.—[Mit.]