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publishing. As to reading and composing, I am constantly employed. Two of my best auxiliaries are dead, a third lives at and we are not on our former terms of friendship; the fourth, who helped me most largely in the rough draft for Sumner, is now at Thetford, and finds his whole time occupied by Henry Stephens's Thesaurus. Still I shall endeavour to get one person to help me; he is a good scholar and an old friend, but from long disuse he cannot do justice to his own talents.

My friend, I am far more anxious than you can be to get this business off my spirits; and the more so as my intentions are known at Eton, Harrow, Winchester, and both Universities, and much curiosity is excited.

I owe you for a book or two; and if I can get anybody to pay me I will pay you and other creditors. I cannot from the tenants on my two livings obtain one shilling rent, and yet I must pay income-tax, curates, &c. &c. What are we to do? Never shall I forget the day which you spent with me! May your visits be frequent, for your welcome will be hearty. If I ever go to London again, be assured that I will visit you. Your various and extensive knowledge, your frank communication, your honest principles, your friendly and convivial spirit; aye, and even your zeal, very disinterested and sincere in the cause of Toryism-all combine to make you a very instructive companion and valuable friend.

Oh that I could finish this work about Sumner! Books, letters, thoughts, and materials, are all ready; but where is to be found the scribe? I will do my utmost, even for my own sake; for I am pledged, not only to you, but to many of my honoured contemporaries.

With unfeigned respect and regard I am, dear Sir, your friend, S. PARR.

Mr. Nichols, to Dr. Parr.

Red Lion Passage, Fleet-street, Oct. 5, 1816.

MY KIND AND JUSTLY-RESPECTED FRIEND,

It was with great satisfaction that I heard, a few days since, by a gentleman whom you met at Thurcaston, that you are enjoy

ing the blessing of good health and spirits. Long may that blessing continue, for the comfort of your many real friends!

The last twelve months have with me been melancholy; having, within six months, lost my eldest daughter (Mrs. Pridden), and another lovely daughter in the prime of life. I have also been for nearly three months in a very dangerous state myself; but, I thank God, am now recovering.

I have also lately lost a lively and very able literary coadjutor, Mr. Justice Hardinge: from whom I had just received a very able memoir of Daniel Wray, Esq. and another of Dr. Sneyd Davies.

In one of Mr. Hardinge's latest letters to me, he requests that I will confer on his ambition the honour of accompanying Dr. PARR in the same volume. He adds, "My wish to accompany Dr. PARR, and you may tell him so, arises from the enthusiasm which I entertain for his powerful intellect, his classical taste, for his depth of learning, and for his eloquence."

I still hope to obtain from Mr. Hardinge's surviving friends Memoirs of Lord Camden, and of his father Sir John Pratt, and an Essay on Bosworth Field.

Chance has put into my hands a small pocket-book of your great-grand-father, and some letters of your uncle. These, should you ever have thought of compiling the History of the Parrs, may be of use. At any rate, I hope they will amuse you; and that you will accept them as a small proof of that esteem and regard with which I am, dear Dr. Parr, your much obliged and very faithful servant, J. NICHOLS.

MY DEAR AND GOOD DR. PARR,

Nov. 3, 1817.

Most heartily do I thank you for your favour of Oct. 31, and for the confidence reposed in me by your unanswerable statement of facts; still more, by the condescension of asking my advice, which, delicate as the subject is, I will freely and candidly give.

Against my own interest, then, as Sylvanus Urban, but conscientiously according to my feelings as John Nichols, the friend and admirer of Dr. Parr, I say, do not stoop to defend yourself against so feeble, however wanton, an attack; or, if you really, VOL. VIII.

H

on full consideration, think it necessary, let it be with a concise refutation in half a dozen lines.

None of your friends will think even thus inuch necessary. You stand on much too lofty an eminence for an idle reflection or a ridiculous nickname to affect you in the opinion of a scholar, or in that even of the humblest individual.

But I have still another reason, which with you will operate still more forcibly. Your justly-provoked vengeance would fall, not on the offender, but on his really excellent and sufficiently distressed widow. Need I say more?

Pardon, my dear friend, this great liberty, and act as you think best. Sylvanus Urban's pages are open to your pen; and will be graced by whatever you may deign to contribute.

With every sentiment of respect, in which my whole family unite, I am, Sir, your grateful and affectionate servant,

J. NICHOLS.

P. S-This moment I have a kind letter from Gumley; in which my worthy friend Mr. Cradock speaks with rapture of the truly pleasant days we there lately passed, and looks forward with the greatest satisfaction to a repetition next summer, and hopes that Mrs. Parr will then be one of the party.

Mr. Cradock expresses very feelingly his acknowledgments for the "favourable opinions of the truly learned Doctor."

MY GOOD AND WORTHY FRIEND,

Nov. 10, 1817.

After your truly kind and conciliatory letier, I sauld not again have troubled you on the subject of the Sexagen trian, were it not to remove an idea which you seem to have entertained, that Mr. Nares was the editor. I can assure you that he was not. This I have, not from himself, but from equally good authority. He certainly saw some of the early pages as they passed through the press; but he soon found sufficient reason to decline seeing any more. The work was literally edited by the author, with the exception of the last sheet, or rather part of the last sheet, which I cannot vouch, but verily believe, was finished by Mr. Rennell, Vicar of Kensington.

I trust you will have no occasion to print your statement. Should you at any time think otherwise, the Magazine will be

open to yourself, or to any friend whom you authorize. With the truest respect, I am, dear Sir, your much obliged and faithful servant, J. NICHOLS.

DEAR DR. PARR,

July 31, 1818.

It is to me a matter of great delight to have been able to present you with a volume which you so highly appreciate; and your regard for Burgess and his friends is truly gratifying. I had the honour, for such I then esteemed it, of personally knowing Jerry Markland, Dr. John Taylor, and "mild William Clarke;" and they were all as amiable in private life, as they were eminent in literature.

Favour me, by all means, with the Query you mention for the Magazine. The Note in p. 222, of the Latin Poems, mentions Markland's emendations, countersigned by Parr, as well as Taylor. That countersigning might form a part of the query. I suppose it is in your Notes in Horace. I take it for granted you have Markland's Epistle to Hare, and the first edition of his Quæstio Grammatica.

When you favour me with your doubt on Burgess's Preface, I will endeavour to answer it.

If you will have the goodness to say which volumes of the Magazine are wanting in your set, I have no doubt but I can supply them.

Pray look at the Letter on Hardinge's Criticism, in the Magazine for April last, p. 291. It is by Mr. Tate, of Richmond, Yorkshire.

Sir Henry Halford, the Steward of the present year, has very kindly requested me to meet him at the Race Dinner, as the historian of the county of Leicester; but I must reluctantly decline the invitation, as I have now neither nerves nor inclination for public spectacles or crowded dinners: yet in some more sequestered part of the county, and at some no less social board, John Nichols, a tory of the old school, indulges the hope of meeting Dr. Samuel Parr, who, notwithstanding the dereliction of some pretenders to the name, is still a genuine whig. Two of my four daughters (one of whom has never yet had that honour) will be my companions when next I pay my respects to Dr. Parr.

With every sentiment of grateful esteem, I am, dear Doctor, yours faithfully, J. NICHOLS.

P. S.-I am printing three volumes of Mr. George Hardinge's Miscellaneous Works; but am much at a loss for a copy of the speech which he made at Warwick in April, 1793, on the trial respecting the damages claimed by Dr. Priestley. (See Illustrations, vol. iii. p. 18.) Perhaps the Warwick bookseller could assist me.

P. S.-I end, my dear Doctor, with what I should have begun, an acknowledgment (with many thanks) of the bill inclosed in your last, value 51. which is placed to your credit.

Will you pardon my adding that, if a competent scribe could be obtained for a fair remuneration, it is an expence I would most cheerfully repay? Again and again most truly and respectfully yours, J. NICHOLS.

Dr. Parr, to J. B. Nichols, Esq.

DEAR MR. NICHOLS,

Hatton, May 20, 1824. You know well the esteem, the regard, the respect, and the confidence, which I feel towards your father, and you will give me credit for taking a warm interest in the welfare of yourself, your wife and children, and your amiable sisters. Most attentively have I read the memoirs of my admired pupil and beloved friend, Thomas Maurice. The task has been executed with good sense and fidelity. I have read them twice. I find only room for one slight remark on the composition. In p. 6, induces should be induce, because two nominatives precede. In the same page there is a list of persons more or less distinguished, with whom Tom was some way or other connected. You have there omitted my name, which ought to be inserted. You should have added Dr. William Bennet, the learned Bishop of Cloyne. He knew Tom, as one of my favourites, and the Bishop and I one day dined together at Tom's apartments at the British Museum. He had some acquaintance with Dr. Pearson, the celebrated chemist, and this you could mention. You should speak of Dr. Graham's two sons, as his schoolfellows under me at Stanmore.

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