nify its arrival as soon as possible to me. I would not have any thing lost which would be of the least value to you. But if it is lost, my intention and execution of it will still remain as testimonies for me; and if it is possible any one of your friends could give occasion for imputations of inconstancy and unkindness, you may be assured I am, on motives which are invariable, dear sir, your affectionate friend, "H. BOOTHBY.

"We are to leave this place on Tuesday the 28th, and set out for Tissington, where I long to be. I hope to take much better health thither, for the use of my dear little nursery."

LETTER VIII.

"Tissington, 5th June, 1754.

"DEAR SIR,—The first leisure moment I have, is most justly due to the compliance with your kind request to be informed of our arrival here; and with much pleasure I tell you, that, after a very good journey of four days, we were met with the bloom of health, and the endearing smiles of innocence, last Friday, at Tissington. The sensations of joy and thankfulness I experienced on this interview with the little creatures are not to be described: but, I am persuaded, no heart but hers who bequeathed them to me, ever so truly owned and received them as children.

"The loss of that letter I can no way account for-think no more of it. The subject of part of it was my then situation, and some reflections on the exceeding decline of conversation I observed in general in which there seemed to be no other propriety than that of trifling French words to trifling somethings, not worthy of being called thoughts. I mentioned Adventurers, &c. and expressed, as well as I could, my particular satisfaction in Mr. Johnson's bullion, or rather pure sterling, amidst the tinsel base-mixed stuff I met with, and the high value I set on his letters. I gave you an abstract of Farneworth's History, which I have not time to repeat. I thank you for thinking of a school, and recommending one. Your recommendation would immediately fix me, if I alone was to determine. Two have been particularly recommended to Mr. Fitzherbert, Fulham and Wandsworth; and we have for some time been making all the inquiry we can into both. The last I have many objections to. I shall be much obliged to you for a more particular account of your friend; as-how many boys he takes-his rules and rates-and also if he has a French and dancing-master. I am strongly biassed towards a man you speak so well of. That-well instructed in virtue, is the thing I want: and a visit from you now and then, to confirm this instruction, is a high inducement. To some proper place I hope I shall be permitted to take this dear boy this summer, when I also

hope for the pleasure of seeing you. I know it will be a pleasure to you to assist me in an affair of such consequence, on many accounts; and I shall not say any more to Mr. Fitzherbert about Fulham till I hear from you; which, I assure you, I never do without great satisfaction; as I am, dear sir, your obliged and affectionate friend, "H. BOOTH BY. "Excuse the effects of hurry. I have a cold I brought from Bath; otherwise I am in much better health than I have been for above twelve months past."

LETTER IX.

"Tissington, 1st July, 1754. establishment of custom And as an excuse seems

"DEAR SIR,-Truth is my delight: no will, I hope, ever make me deviate from it. to me a kind of screen, which has at least the appearance of concealing something we would not have seen, I make none. Nor shall I now say more upon my long silence, than that I have thought and felt it such myself, and from thence leave you to infer that it has been unavoidable. Your last letter was such a one as I expected from you on such a subject-that is, so clear, full, candid, sensible, kind, and friendly, as I hardly ever saw from any other. If I had your talent of expression, I could expatiate on this letter with great pleasure; but as I have not, I must deny myself this indulgence, and treasure up those observations I have made for my own use, which if I could in the best manner express, you do not need for yours. I communicated what you said of Mr. Elphinston to Mr. Fitzherbert, who desires me to say, with his regard to you, that he is much obliged to you, but upon the whole, Mr. Elphinston is not the person he would choose. Though Mr. Fitzherbert is no warm party man, yet I believe, the "Scotchman” and “Nonjuror" would be insuperable objections. Fulham, I think, will be chosen, at least for a time. The hope of your seeing this dear boy sometimes is a comfortable one; thank you for it. His going from home, and at a distance, I am sure you would see the necessity of, could I lay before you the reasons which daily urge me to feel it. Less evils must be submitted to, with the view of avoiding greater. I cannot help, with much pity, regarding a mere fox-hunter as an animal little superior to those he pursues, and dreading every path that seems to lead towards this miserable chase.

My health continues tolerable, thank God; yours, and every other good, I sincerely wish you. If present resolutions hold, I may have the pleasure of seeing and conversing with you; however, I hope for that of hearing from you. I beg you never to let me lose one of your

Mr. James Elphinston, who kept a school at Kensington.-WRIGHT. [See ante, vol. i. p. 186. We gather from this letter that Mr. Elphinston was a nonjuror.ED.]

reflections upon life. Drop them on the paper just as they arise from your mind; I love them, and profit by them; and I am pleased particularly sometimes to find one of my own, brightened and adorned with your strong and masterly colouring, which gives me back the image of my mind, like the meeting an old acquaintance after absence, but extremely improved. I have no reason, I own, to expect a letter from you soon; but think not that, because I have not before now desired one, I do not deserve one, because I can with truth assure you I have this claim. Nobody can more value your correspondence, or be with greater esteem than I am, dear sir, your friend, and obliged humble servant, "H. BOOTH BY."

LETTER X.

"Tissington, 5th August, 1754. “DEAR SIR,—I have, as you desired, endeavoured to think about and examine your hypothesis; but this dear little boy, and the change resolved on for him, would not suffer me to speculate in a general way to much purpose. Must you not allow our perception of pain and of pleasure to be in an equal degree? Or does it not often happen, that we are even more sensible to pain than pleasure? If so, those changes which do not increase our present happiness, will not enable us to feel the next vicissitude of gladness with quicker, but only with equal, or with a less degree of perception; and consequently we shall be either no gainers or losers on the whole. And yet, though I am sure I shall experience the truth of this, if I only see you for a few hours, I shall however desire to see you. This is an enigma I will leave to your solution, and proceed to tell you, that, if nothing intervenes to change it, the present resolution is, that we are to set out for Fulham on Wednesday se'nnight, the 14th of August. On account of the dear little ones I shall leave here, I shall be obliged to make a speedy return; and propose staying only a week at a friend's in Putney, to see every thing fixed, as well as I can, for my young man. But I will contrive to see you and a very few more of my friends in town; and you shall hear from me, as to the when and where, from Putney. You, full of kindness, sitting in your study, will, I know, sayWhy does she hurry herself about so?' I answer, to save you the pain of this thought, that travelling always is very serviceable to me in point of health.

"You will never provoke me to contradict you, unless you contradict me, without reasons and exemplification to support your opinion. 'Tis very true-all these things you have enumerated are equally pitiable with a poor fox-hunter. 'Tis not in man to direct, either his own or the way of others aright; nor do I ever look but to the supreme and all-wise Governor of the universe, either for direction or with hope. I know you kindly mean to avert the pain of disap

pointment by discouraging expectation, but mine is never sanguine with regard to any thing here. Mine is truly a life of faith, not of sight; and thus I never, as Milton says—

'bate one jot

Of heart or hope; but still bear up, and steer

Right onward.'

"I like not the conclusion of your last letter; it is an ill compliment to call that mean, which the person you speak to most highly esteems and values. Know yourself and me better for the future, and be assured you both are and ought to be much regarded and honoured by, dear sir, your grateful and affectionate friend, "H. BOOTHBY. "Your dedication' to your Great Dictionary I have heard of in these words-A specimen of perfection in the English language."

LETTER XI.

"Putney, 9th August, 1754. "DEAR SIR,-As I promised, this is to inform you of our being here, but at present I cannot say more. The pleasure of seeing you, with the ways and means of procuring this pleasure, must be deferred for some days. This evening we take dear Billy to school, and till I have seen how he settles there, I am fixed here. Form some little plan for me, to be executed towards the latter end of this week; for really I am not capable of forming any myself at this time-and communicate it by the penny-post in a billet to me at Mrs. D'Aranda's in Putney. I and my little companions here are well, and all has a favourable aspect with regard to the dear boy's situation. I never forget any thing you say; and now have in my mind a very just and useful observation of yours, viz. The effect of education is very precarious. But what can be hoped without it? Though the harvest may be blasted, we must yet cultivate the ground,' &c. I am (somewhat abruptly)--but I am, dear sir, your much obliged and affectionate friend, "H. BOOTHBY."

LETTER XII.

"Sunday evening, Holborn-bridge. "Dear sir,—Do you think I would have been almost two days in town without seeing you, if I could either have been at liberty to have made you a visit, or have received one from you? No: you cannot think so unjustly of me. The truth is, I have been in a hurry ever since I came here, and am not well. To-morrow I am obliged to go a little way into the country. On Tuesday, Dr. Lawrence has

[She must mean the Prospectus addressed to Lord Chesterfield, which had been published so long before as 1747, of which the original manuscript, with some marginal notes by Lord Chesterfield, is in the possession of Mr. Anderdon.-ED.]

engaged me to spend the evening at his house, where I hope to meet you, and fix with you some hour in which to see you again on Wednesday. Thursday, down towards Derbyshire. Thus is whirled about this little machine; which, however, contains a mind unsubject to rotation. Such you will always find it. "H. BOOTHBY.”

LETTER XIII.

"Putney, 23d August, 1754.

"DEAR SIR,—Unless a very great change is made in you, you can never have the least reason to apprehend the loss of my esteem. Caprice may have accompanied the morning, and perhaps noon of my life, but my evening has banished that fickle wanderer; and as now I fix not without deliberation and well-weighed choice, I am not subject to change.

"Your very kind visit was a new obligation, which, if I could express my sense of, it must be less. Common favours it is easy to acknowledge, but a delicate sensibility to real proofs of esteem and friendship are not easily to be made known.

"Mr. Millar's method seems to me to be a very right one, and for the reasons you give; and if he will please to carry the catalogue to Mr. Whiston, by the time I shall be in town, I imagine he will have appraised the books; and then we will proceed to the disposal of them, as you shall judge best. Mr. Fitzherbert I have not seen since I had the pleasure of seeing you, and therefore cannot yet say when I can again have that pleasure; but I hope some time next week to repay your visit. I have an aching head to-day, so great an enemy to my inclination, that it will not let me say more than that I am, with much esteem and true regard, dear sir, your affectionate friend, "H. BOOTH BY.

"Mrs. D'Aranda and the young ladies desire compliments. My regards to Miss Williams."

LETTER XIV.

"Tissington, 12th September, 1754. "DEAR SIR,-I told you I would call upon you before I left London, if I could. I much desired to have seen you again; it was in my mind all Thursday, but so it happened, that it was not in my power. Mr. Fitzherbert having changed his mind and determined not to go to Tunbridge, suddenly took up another resolution, which was to take a house in town, and engaged me to go with him to see one in Cavendish-square, where I was the greatest part of the morning, and met with what took up the rest of the day, besides so much

[This relates to the sale of some books, which Miss Boothby's brother wanted to dispose of, and about which she employed Johnson to speak to some booksellers.--ED.]

VOL. IV.

NN