ject might have depreffed my lowered fpirits, and have made nervous cordials of no effect. My hand still trembles a little, as perhaps you will perceive, which will make me fhorten this letter; and Parfon Hall's converfation whilst I write, is another motive to my shortening it; fo I haften, Sir, to tell you that I am very happy in the thought of feeing you foon at Barrells, and much obliged to Mifs Dolman for her intended vifit. Every friend of yours is welcome here; therefore fhe would be fo, had I never feen her: but having had the pleasure of enjoying her company at your houfe, I should have a very bad taste not to be defirous of enjoying more of it. Here I naturally should say, the fooner you come the better; but I will tell you fincerely, that I am at present ashamed of my flovenly garden, which cannot be weeded, nor in the leaft fpruced up, till my hay is all in; which employs all my fervants, and all the hands I can get this bufy time. Mr. Outing writes me word, that in a fortnight he shall be at Somerviles-Afton, and that a few days after he will come to Barrells; by which time I reckon my hay-making will be at an end, and my garden put into fomewhat better order and as I know he will be greatly pleased to meet you here, I hope about that time to fee you, and

that

that you will not make fo fhort a ftay here as you mention.

Your pen gives me a very clear idea of Mr. Lyttelton's caftle, and I believe I know the spot on which it is fituated; but the propofal you make of my feeing it in fo agreeable a manner as by going to Mr. Dolman's, makes me unwilling to content myself with viewing it only in your letter.

I fhall be ready to contribute to any encou ragement you fhall think fit to give to Mr. Smith's Defigns; and am glad Virgil's Grove will have a place among them.

I return thanks for your compliment about my Son, who is as dear to me as he is dutiful, and, I flatter myself, deferving: he is returned from Italy to Spa, and is going to pay his duty to the King at Hanover. My Daughter is lately married. I hope your Brother is perfectly recovered, and that you will pardon this stupid letter, which I am fure is not fraught with the leaft fpirit; but in its lowly way is very fincere, particularly when it affures you of the perfect efteem, with which I am,

Sir,

Your much obliged

and very humble fervant,

H. LUXBOROUGH,

Your letter, though dated the 16th, did not reach me till last night.

At laft I am in the fashion, and have got a Pantin. Mifs Patty Meredith writes me word, that fhe fends me a Pantin of the newest fort, and that the woman who fold it affured her it was just arrived in England, and is reckoned to make as genteel a curtfy as any Monfieur Pantin in Europe. She adds, that though this invention must be owned to be a great improvement to the diversion of the town, there is another of later date that is worthy of admiration for there is a party of gentlemen and ladies of fashion who entertain the company at Vauxhall with the most charming harmony: the ladies crow like cocks, and if any gentlemen of the party are within hearing, they answer them by braying like an afs: That one Mrs. Woolafton has arrived to the greateft perfection, and has the honour of being called the head of the party for her excellence in this art.

LETTER

SIR,

A

Barrells, Wednesday, July zoth, 1748.

S my last letter might poffibly prevent my having the pleasure of your company fo foon as you intended to give it me, I take the firft opportunity of acquainting, you, that the obftacles are removed; for my hay-making is over, and my health is better. As to Mr. Outing's meeting you, indeed I cannot abfo lutely anfwer; but I know he left London last Monday was sevennight, with his coufin Walsh, and they were to come to Oxford in the stagecoach, ftay there a day, and proceed to Jacky Reynalds's on horseback; from whence I understood Mr. Walsh would go to drink Cheltenham waters, and Mr. Outing would, in a very fhort time after his arrival in Gloucestershire, make me a vifit at Barrells; and was much concerned he could not meet you and Miss Dolman here; for, I fuppofe he compre hended you were coming immediately, and his letter was writ the 5th inftant. I expect every day to hear from him, and I imagine he will be here next week; but whether he is or

1

no, I fhall hope to fee you, Sir, with Mifs Dolman, her brother, or any friend you choose to bring. If you write to me on Saturday, and direct it to be left with Mr. Williams, Painter, in New-street, Birmingham, I have defired him to forward it; and as his brothers live in Henley, he has more frequent opportunities of fending thither than Mr. Ironmonger. He has finished my chimney-piece; which he hopes will not be disapproved by you, Sir, to whom I owe the idea of it.

I am ashamed to own that I have not yet anfwered Lady Hertford's letter, nor read the books fhe recommended: in fhort, I might as well have been a mole and lived under ground, or a dormouse and flept inceffantly, as the infignificant animal I have been for fome time. Two or three days indeed I was kept awake by a vifit from Mr. Meredith, who entertained me with the many gay entertainments he had been a partaker of at London last Spring; but when he was gone, I was left alone with Monfieur Pantin, whom, I confefs, I have not wit enough to amuse myself with; fo that I feldom let him make his appearance, but when Parfon Hall comes; for they shew each other to great advantage.

I have not seen Mrs. Pilkington's Memoirs, (except the fpecimen in the Magazine) nor

Con.