bourhood again, particularly at Lord Lincoln's, who (I think) is hurting his view by two plantations in front of his terrace, that regularly answer one another, and are of an oval form with rustic buildings in the middle of them, a farm, dairies, etc. They stand on the opposite side of the water, and (as they prosper) will join their shade to that of the hills in the horizon, exclude all the intermediate scene of enclosures, meadows, and cattle feeding, and reduce that great distance to nothing. This seems to be the advice of some new gardener, or director of my Lord's taste; his successor perhaps may cut all down again.

I shall beg the favour of you (as you were so kind to offer it) to buy us a Lottery Ticket, if you find the market will not be much lower than at present; and (if you think it has no great hazard in it) enclose it to me here: I will take care to repay you as soon as I come to town, or (if you choose it) directly. My best respects to Mrs. Wharton. Pray let me hear soon, how you both are.-Believe me, ever yours,

T. G.

CL. -TO THE REV. WILLIAM MASON.

Stoke, August 11, 1758.

DEAR MASON-I was just leaving Cambridge at the time when I received your last letter, and have been unfixed and flitting about almost ever since, or you had heard of me sooner. You do not think I could stay to receive Fobus ; no more did Mr, Hurd, he was

2

gone into Leicestershire long before. As to uncle Balguy,1 pray do him justice; he stayed, indeed, to preach the commencement sermon, but he assured me (in secret) it was an old one, and had not one word in it to the purpose. The very next morning he set out for Winchester, and I do really think him much improved since he had his residence there; freer and more open, and his heart less set upon the mammon of unrighteousness. A propos,-would you think it? -Fobus has wit. He told Young, who was invited to supper at Doctor L.'s, and made all the company wait for him,-"Why, Young, you make but an awkward figure now you are a bishop; this time last year you would have been the first man here." I cannot brag of my spirits, my situation, my employments, or my fertility; the days and the nights pass, and I am never the nearer to anything but that one to which we are all tending. Yet I love people that leave some traces of their journey behind them, and have strength enough to advise you to do so while you can. I expect to see Caractacus completed, not so much from the opinion I entertain of your industry as from the consideration that another winter approaches, which is the season of harvest to an author; but I will conceal the secret of your motives, and join in the common applause. The books you enquire after are not

1 Doctor Thomas Balguy, prebendary of Winchester, and archdeacon; the friend of Warburton and Hurd.

2 Philip Yonge, Residentiary of St. Paul's, consecrated Bishop of Bristol 1758; translated to Norwich 1761; died 1783. He resigned the Public Oratorship in 1752.-[Mit.]

worth your knowledge. Parnell1 is the dunghill of Irish Grub Street. I did hear who Lancelot Temple2 was, but have really forgot. I know I thought it was Mr. Greville. Avon is nothing but a type.3 The Duchess of Queensberry's advertisement has moved my impatience; yet, after all, perhaps she may curl her gray hair with her grandfather's golden periods. Another object of my wishes is, the King of Prussia's account of the Campaign, which Niphausen talked of

1 The posthumous and dubious collection of Parnell's Remains, published in Dublin in 1758.-[Ed.]

2 A name assumed by Dr. Armstrong, the poet and physician. 3 "Avon," a poem in three parts, 4to. Birmingham, printed in the new types of Mr. Baskerville.

4 The Public Advertiser, July 10, 1758.-" Whereas a spurious, incorrect edition of a work represented to contain the history of the reign of his Majesty King Charles the Second, from the Restoration to the end of the year 1667, by the late Lord Chancellor Clarendon, has been attempted to be imposed on the public; to prevent which, their Graces the Duke and Dutchess of Queensberry have preferred a bill in the High Court of Chancery, and obtained an injunction to restrain the printing and publishing the same; and, in order to prevent the abuse which will arise to the public from such a publication, they think it incumbent on them to signify that a correct edition from the original manuscript in the hand of Lord Chancellor Clarendon, of his Lordship's life, from his birth to his banishment (and which includes the history of the Last Seven Years attempted to be imposed on the public), is now preparing for the press, and will soon be published, the profits of which have been appropriated by the family for a public benefaction to the University of Oxford." The Duchess was the wife of Douglas, third Duke of Queensberry. She was the friend of Pope, and patroness and protector of Gay, for whom she quarrelled with the Court. She retained in age the dress of her youth, which was one of her many eccentricities. She died in 1772.-[Mit.]

six weeks ago as just coming over, but it is not come; perhaps he waits for a better catastrophe. The Tickenham Press is in labour of two or three works (not of the printer's own). One of them is an Account of Russia by a Lord Whitworth, who, I think, was minister there from King William.

I seem to have told you all I know, which you will think very little, but a nihilo nil fit. If I were to coin my whole mind into phrases they would profit you nothing, nor fill a moderate page. Compassionate my poverty, shew yourself noble in giving me better than I bring, and ever believe me most sincerely yours, T. G.

I find you missed of Stonhewer by going to Sir Conyers Darcy's. Can you tell me if he is still at Harrowgate, for I do not know how to direct to him there ?

CLI.-TO RICHARD STONEHEWER.

Cambridge, August 18, 1758.

I AM as sorry as you seem to be, that our acquaintance harped so much on the subject of materialism, when I saw him with you in town, because it was plain to

1 This little work was printed at Strawberry Hill in 1758. The MS. was given by Richard Owen Cambridge, Esq., who had purchased Mr. Zolman's Library, which related solely to Russian History. In the Preface, written by Walpole, some account may be found of Lord Whitworth. The title is, "Account of Russia as it was in 1710."-[Mit.]