MODERN. Mind. The profpects which flattered me, in regard to him, were not drawn from his diftinguished rank, or from the beauty of his perfon, but from the hopes that his example would have been ferviceable to the caufe of virtue, and would have fhewn the younger part of the world, that it was poffible to be cheerful without being foolish or vicious, and to be religious without severity or melancholy. His whole life was one uninterrupted courfe of duty and affection to his parents; and, when he found the hand of death upon him, his only regret was to think on the agonies which must rend their hearts; for he was perfectly contented to leave the world, as his confcience did not reproach him with any prefumptuous fins, and he hoped his er 625 rors would be forgiven. Thus he refigned his innocent foul into the hands of his merciful Creator, on the evening of his birth-day, which completed him nineteen. You will not be surprised, Sir, that the death of fuch a fon fhould occafion the deepest, forrow; yet, at the fame time, it leaves us the most comfortable aflurance, that he is happier than our fondeft wishes and care could have made remainder of years which it shall please him, which must enable us to fupport the God to allot for us here, without "murmuring or difcontent, and quicken 'our endeavours to prepare ourselves to follow to that happy place, where our dear vacontinuance of your prayers, and am, luable child is gone before us. I beg the Sir, your, &c. ELEGANT EPISTLES, &c. &c. &c. BOOK THE FOURT H. RECENT LETTER S. SECTION I. FROM THE LETTERS OF WILLIAM SHENSTONE, Esq. AND MR. GRAY, TO AND FROM THEIR FRIENDS. Dear Sir, expect to be always with regard to the orld; fometimes exclaiming and railg against it; fometimes giving it a good ord, and even admiring it. A funiny day, a tavern-fupper after a play ell acted, and now and then an invigoring breath of air in the Mall, never il of producing a cheerful effect. I do t know whether I gave you any acunt of Quin's acting Falstaff in my rmer letter: I really imagined that faw you tittering on one fide me, fhakg your fides, and fometimes fcarce conining yourself. You will pardon the titude in which I placed you, fince it as what seemed natural at that circumance of time.—Comus I have once been , for the fake of the fongs, though I eteft it in any light but as a dramatic iece, the taking of it feems a prodigy; et indeed fuch a one, as was pretty toerably accounted for by a gentleman who fat by me in the boxes. This learned fage, being afked how he liked the play, made answer, " He could not tell "-pretty well, he thought-or indeed "as well as any other play-he always "took it, that people only came there "to fee and to be feen-for as for what was faid, he owned, he never under"food any thing of the matter." I told him, I thought a great many of its admirers were in his cafe, if they would but own it. On the other hand, it is amazing to confider to what an univerfality of learning people make pretenfions here. There is not a drawer, a chair or hackney coachman, but is politician, poet, and judge of polite literature. Chimneyfweepers damn the convention, and blackfhce-boys cry up the genius of Shakefpcare. "The Danger of writing "Verfe" is a very good thing; if you have not read it, I would recommend it to you as poetical. But now I talk of learning, I must not omit an interview which I accidentally had the other night in company with Lord D and one Mr. C. We were taken to fup at a private house, where I found a perfon whom Sf 2 I had and to make me prefer him, and you, and honefty, to lace, brocade, and the fmiles of the ladies, Et Veneri, & cunis, & plamis Sardanepal. But I hope to keep my Hercules in view, whether in print or manufcript; and though I am as fond of pleasure as m people, yet I fhall obferve the rule, I had never feen before. The man be- Pofitam fic tangere noli. defire I may hear from you next pof: have a line or two, which I intend for the fons of utter darknefs (as you c them) next magazine: I would in! them to you, for your advice; but canot readily find them. I like every thing in Mr. Somervile's, but the running the last line. I think to infert ther Should be glad to have a line or t of your's, that one may make a bold tack. I look on it as fun, without t leaft emotion, I affure you. I am, der Sir, your, &c. I LETTER II. of his Father. Dear Mr. Jago, Leafowes, Aug. 23, 115- of the paper fo fubfcribed), your father's Mr. Shenftone to Mr. Jago, on the Dizi old friend and intimate, Sir Robert's right-hand, a perfon that lives elegantly, drives fix of the beft horfes in town, and plays on St. John's organ (you know Mr. L is not only Sir Robert's greateft enemy, but the Gazetteer's proper antagonist). We were invited to fee him very civilly, and indeed the man behaved with the utmost good-humour, without arrogance, or any attempts at wit, which, probably, would not have been very fuccefsful.-Afk your father what he would fay to me, if I fhould join in the cause with his old friend, and take a good anhuity under Sir Robert, which, I believe, I might have; and little encouragement, God knows, have I met with on the other fide of the queftion. I fay, I believe I might have, becaufe I know a certain perfon gives penfions of three pounds a-week to porters and the most illiterate stupid fellows you can imagine, to talk in his behalf at ale-houfes; where they fit fo long a time, and are as reguLarly relieved as one centry relieves another. At leaft tell him that I expect in is anfwer to my letter (which I fhall not allow him to affign to you), he write fomething to confirm me in my integrity, on this melancholy occafion. No can be more unfit to attempt to left your grief than myfelf, because no has a deeper fenfe of the cause of you affliction. Though I would by no me be numbered by you among the cor mon herd of your acquaintance that t you they are forry, yet it were imper nent in me to mention a mere frie concern to a perfon interested by fo more tender regards. Befides, I th be glad to alleviate your forrow, a fuch fort of condolence tends but to promote that end. I do not chue: flatter you; neither could I, more ep cially at this time; but though I c perhaps find enough to fay to perica lefs fenfe than you, I know of not but what your own reafon muft have gefted. Concern indeed may have i pended the power of that faculty; upon that pretence, I have a few this that I would fuggeil to you. After i it is time alone that can and will cureafflictions but fuch as are the confequenst of vice; and your's, I am fure, proceeds from a contrary principle. I heard accidentally of this forrowful event, and accompanied you to London with the utmost concern. I wifhed it was in my power to mitigate your griefs by fharing them, as I have often found it in your's to augment my pleafures by fo do ing. All that I can recommend to you is, not to confine your eye to any fingle event in life, but to take in your whole circumstances before you repine. When you reflect that you have loft one of the best of men in a father, you ought to comfort yourself that you had fuch a father; to whom I cannot forbear applying thefe lines from Milton: "Since to part! "Go heav'nly gueft, ethereal mellenger! "Sent by whole fovereign goodnefs we adore! "Gentle to me and affible has been "Thy condefcenfion, and fhall be honour'd ever With grateful'it memory End of Book VIII. PAR. LOST. I would have you by all means come over hither as foon as you can. I will endeavour to render the time you spend here as fatisfactory as it is in my power; and I hope you will ever look upon me as your hearty friend, through all the viciffi tudes of life. Pray give my humble fervice to Mrs. Jago and your brother. I am, &c. LETTER III. Mr. Shenstone to Mr. Reynolds. It Dear Sir, Leafowes, Aug. 1740. W ONDERFUL were the dangers and difficulties through which I went, the night I left you at Barels; which I looked upon as ordained by fate for the temporal punishment of obftinacy. was very kind, and in character, for you to endeavour to deter me from the ways of darkness; but having a fort of penchant for needlefs difficulties, I have an undoubted right to indulge myfelf in them, fo long as I do not infift upon any one's pity. It is true, thefe ought not to exceed a certain degree; they should be lenia tormenta; and I must own the labour I underwent that night did not come within the bounds which my imagination had prefcribed. I cannot forbear mentioning one imminent danger. I rode along a confiderable piece of water, covered fo clofe with trees, that it was as probable I might have purfued the channel, which was dangerous, as my way out of it. Or, to put my cafe in a more poetical light, having by night intruded upon an amour betwixt a Wood nymph and a River-god, I owed my escape to Fortune, who conveyed me from the vengeance which they might have taken. I put up finally at a little alehoufe about ten o'clock, and lay all night awake, counting the cords which fupported me, which I could more fafely fear to than to either bed or blanket. For farther particulars, fee my epistle to the Paftor Fido of Lapworth.-Mr. Graves fays, he fhould be glad to fhew you any civi lities in his power, upon his own acquaintance; and will ferve you as far as his vote goes, upon my recommendation; but is afraid, without the concurrence of fome more confiderable friends, your chance will be but fmall this year, &c. If the former part of this news gives you any pleasure, I affure you it gives pleafure proceeds from a principle which me no lefs to communicate it; and this would induce me to ferve you myfelf if it should ever be in my power.-I saw Mr. Lyttelton last week: he is a candidate for the county of Worcester, toge ther with Lord Deerhurft; I hope Mr. Somervile will do him the honour to appear as his friend, which he must at least think fecond to that of fucceeding. I hear you are commenced Chaplain fince I faw you, I with you joy of it. The Chaplain's title is infinitely more agreeable than his office; and I hope the fearf, which is expreffive of it, will be no diminutive thing, no four-penny-halfpenny piece of ribboning; but that it will "High o'er the neck its rustling folds display, "Difdain all ufual bounds, extend its fway, Ufurp the head, and push the wig away,” } I hope it will prove ominous, that my first letter is a congratulatory one; and if I were to have opportunities of fending all fuch, it would entirely quadrate with the fincere wishes of your, &c. I beg my compliments to Mr. Somervile, Mrs. Knight, and your family. |