been laid out in endeavouring to attain. With regard to the Wretches themselves, I had one comfortable Reflection, which will henceforward take off greatly from the Shock, which Executions of this Kind give to the humane Mind: That few of fuch Creatures ever reclaim of themselves; but, proceeding in a Series of Iniquities, die without Repentance. In this the

executed Malefactor has a great Advantage above the Rogue who escapes. The condemned Man has that Benefit which the Pfalmift prays for fo emphatically: "Teach me, O Lord, fo to "number my Days, that I may apply my Heart "unto Wisdom!" And I think, that the highest Crimes, fincerely repented of, fhall meet more Favour in the next World, than leffer Offences, unattoned by Sorrow and Contrition. I fhall pursue thefe Gallows Meditations no farther; but only observe to you, the powerful Effect of this great Salvo of Repentance, towards the perfect Quietism of a Mind, the least imbued with Religion, though untutored by Philosophy, in the Inftance of Johnfon, this Day; who, just before he mounted the Ladder, declared he would not change his present Situation with any Man in the World.

I am, my dearest Fanny,

B 5

Sincerely your's.

LETTER

LETTER CLXXXIV.

Dear FANNY,

IAM, at prefent, fitting in the midst of a

large Field of Barley, which I reaped the other Day; and am taking Care of the Binders and Stackers: There are forty-feven Women, and fourteen Men, at Work round about me, while I am reading Pliny, and writing to you.

I think Lord Orrery's Comment upon the feventh Epistle is extremely fine. The eighth Epistle of Pliny has a great Noblenefs of Sentiment, and a particular Juftnefs of Thought. I love the fine Struggle between natural Vanity, and the Contempt of Praife; which is obvious through the whole Letter. It may be Stoicifm, if you pleafe; but I never will admit any Pretence to Virtue to be true Heroifm, which feems to be above human Nature, 'till it has firft fhewn it's Strife with the Frailties of it. The ninth Epiftle was always a Favourite of mine: But there was a Note I expected from Lord Orrery upon this Paffage, "Thou art almost "preferable," &c. There is no Doubt but Pliny, if he had confulted his own Tafte and Inclinations, would have left out that Adverb, and put in omnino, or altogether: But the Philofophers

fophers were obliged to speak of the tranquil Joys of retired Contemplation, and learned Leifure, with fome Caution and Referve; either because the Antients had fo often spoken, and written, in fuch Raptures of thefe Pleasures, that the World had got into a Kind of Enthu fiasm, which alarmed Governments and States; and the more particularly for this Reason, that those Men, who are fittest for the World, are moft fond of retiring from it; or elfe Pliny moderated his ecftatic Soliloquy, because he could not think a Man, who was retired from all Business, could be quite fo virtuous, or, at least, capable of exercising so much Virtue, as one who employed himself in the Affairs of this World; for fome Part of the Duty of a Man, born a focial Creature, must be neglected.

In the Comment upon the tenth Epistle, there is poetical Wit in the Allufion to Ajax's Shield. There is an Expreffion in the fame Comment, which I think exceptionable: Speaking of the young Men among the Romans, he calls them Gentlemen; which, being a modern Phrase, is improperly applied, when we are speaking of the Antients.

The Obfervations, upon the eleventh Epistle are very pretty, and very juft; and please me particularly, because they flatter me about a Sentiment you may remember of mine, that "Abfence

B. 6

"Abfence to Friends, like Death to Enemies, "buries every Fault, and enlivens every Virtue."

In the last Paragraph of the Comment upon the 20th Epistle, there is a good deal of Wit and Juftness in the Simile of Lightning. There is also something extremely pretty in the Annotation to the second Epiftle of the fecond Book, in the Allufion to the Flux and Reflux of the Sea. The fixth Epistle of the fame Book pleases me much. I have been always offended, when I have seen fuch improper and paltry Distinctions at very good Tables, which I have often done; and always made it a Rule with myself, to take Part with the despised Guest, which has fometimes had the proper Effect upon the Enter

tainer.

I received your Letter, with Lady's inclofed, and am much obliged to her for remembering me, which it seems fhe does, by mentioning Lord. I know already, that I am not to expect any thing from her Kindnefs, in that Particular; for I mentioned to you before Mr. - 's Anfwer to my Letter, on that Head. Now, as I have a Way of profiting fomething from every Difappointment in Life, I fhall, from this, have the Satisfaction of feeling the grateful Senfe of Lady's Patronage, pure and unmixed, for the Friendship she defigned me; whereas, had I fucceeded, my Acknowledgments might be looked upon

rather

rather as a Rejoicing at the Emoluments of it, than a Gratitude for the Favour itself.

Now have at her Ladyfhip's + Crifs-CrofsA, then, is

*

B is

C fpends his Time between Books, Mufic, and the Business of his Farms; has, indeed, an uncomfortable Profpect, with Regard to his Fortunes; but has a certain Sturdiness in his Nature, which helps to keep up his Spirits. He has that happy Constitution and Turn of Mind, that, contemplating every Fortune or Accident in this Life, as he hopes to do when he is out of it, he regards each Incident of it as a Man fhould do," at the Hour of Death, or in the "Day of Judgment;" fo that he is refolved to regulate his present Actions upon that Plan, which the Ages, fome Centuries hence, (fhould his Memory last fo long,) fhall approve, or, at leaft, not condemn; when all Prejudices, private Interests, or partial Connections, fhall be no

more.

*

The

A Paragraph of a Letter, inquiring after three or four Perfons, under the Characters of A, B, C, &c.