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Giovanni and I often execrate together the malicious author of that invective in the Gentleman's Magazine for June, upon a certain work, which, however we might, in some respects, have wished otherwise, no more deserves such censure, than the lightnings which dart in our hemisphere, and which are not without their danger, deserve to be classed as an evil with the baneful explosions of Mount Etna.

Mrs Knowles brought hither her admirable stage-coach manuscript. The adventure was fortunately ludicrous for the amusement of her friends; but most unfortunately so, for the selfconsequence of Dr Bamble-Bee. What admirable fun has she made of his epicurism, his spleen, and his cullibility! Adieu !

LETTER XXXIX.

THE REV. DR WARNER.

Lichfield, Oct. 13, 1786.

THE suspicion of being blandished into vanity, has more colour on my side than on yours;

* Dr Bro-by.

since, in a friendship between an unlearned female and a man of education, knowledge, and science, it is easy to see on which side the honour lies but of such a design, I trust we are neither of us seriously disposed to suspect each other. There are circumstances and situations in which the minds of two people become more complete→ ly unveiled in a few hours, than they would per haps be in more than as many years of ordinary intercourse. The thrice amiable and noble design, which you pursue with so much ardour, proves to me, that your heart is ingenuous, warm, and affectionate. It is to such that mine feels affianced.

Too justly does Mr Selwyn call this the marble age, so polished! so cold! It is sick of the disease of not admiring; and that morbid ennui is epidemic amongst us; but I think you and I are not infected. We may be subject to other maladies; but that indurated plague-spot is not upon us.

Nothing was ever more absurd, than opposing the inferior virtues of Hanway to those of Howard. I hope I am not uncharitable; but I can scarcely think the man genuinely good, who seemed to fancy his own comparatively feeble exertions, had equal right to public gratitude with those of the matchless philanthrophic hero. Han

way was too surely jealous of the expanding fame of him, whose excellence seems the most powerful emanation of deity that was ever shed on the human spirit.

We must take care, that the wit of your friend about the monument and the statue running a race, does not transpire. Ennui would take up the fancy with a cold smile, saunter with it to her sister Caricature, and mischief would ensue; for blighting is the effect of ridicule upon public sensibility.

Fanatics have almost always cold hearts. Mr Cowper, whose poetic talents have such glowing and creative powers, professes himself, in the Task, a contemner of all praise, which has not Deity for its exclusive object. The plain meaning of what he says on the subject is just this ;"You fools, with your jubilee for your Shakespeare, and your commemoration for your Handel! What is it to you, that one was the first poet, the other the first musician in the world? What is it to you, if one employed his talents in promoting the moral virtues, and the other in exciting the spirit of devotion? Neither of them can get you a better place in Heaven. Away, then, with your idle disinterested encomiums and honours. Praise only HIM who can permanently reward your praises." These are the maxims of

those cold-hearted devotionists, whose religion is composed of selfishness and terror. I cannot think that the oblations of such mere parasites in religion can be acceptable as those of the benevolent man, whose piety is the result of blended gratitude to his Maker, and of kindling esteem and love for whatever is great and worthy in man; who praises such efforts, without coldly pausing to consider, whether he shall get any thing by his encomiums, here or hereafter.

Since all the powers of the human mind in science and art, as well as in religion and morality, are the gift of God, to applaud and to commemorate their industrious cultivation, cannot be displeasing to their great Giver. Shall he not lend a gracious observance of such liberal and unenvying testimony of fraternal love from one creat-ed being to another? Mr Cowper bends an eagle glance upon the follies and vices of his contemporaries, and an owlish one upon their talents and virtues. He will be likely enough to bid his austere muse frown upon the design of such a public testimony of honour for the rare and energetic virtue of Howard.

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"Yet do not thou for that, or for ought else

Of cynic opposition bate one jot

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Of heart or hope!—But still bear up, and steer
Right onward!”

Farewell!

LETTER XL.

MISS SCOTT.

Lichfield, Oct. 20, 1786. ·

THE visible dejection of your mind, when you wrote last, pains me; so does it to learn that a new complaint, in the most important of our senses, is added to the many other circumstances of corporal annoyance, that have often made the hours, to which your talents are so capable of giving wings,

"Move slowly on

With dull and flagging pinion."

May their dark and retarding influence descend seldomer upon you! It is too much to hope that they may never come to the healthiest and the happiest.

"Who dreams of nature free from nature's strife?
Who dreams of perfect happiness below?
The hope-flush'd enterer on the stage of life,
The youth to knowledge unchastis'd by woe."

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