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But the subjects I speak of to compensate (and more than compensate) that unavoidable poverty, have one great advantage when they fall into good hands. They leave an unbounded liberty to pure imagination and fiction, (our favourite provinces) where no Critic can molest, or Antiquary gainsay us; and yet (to please me) these fictions must have some affinity, some seeming connexion, with that little we really know of the character and customs of the people. For example, I never heard in my days that Midnight and the Moon were Sisters; that they carried rods of ebony and gold, or met to whisper on the top of a mountain: but now I could lay my life it is all true; and do not doubt it will be found so in some Pantheon of the Druids, that is to be discovered in the Library at Herculaneum. The Car of Destiny and Death is a very noble invention of the same class, and, as far as that goes, is so fine, that it makes me more delicate, than perhaps I should be, about the close of it. Andraste sailing on the wings of Fame, that snatches the wreaths from oblivion to hang them on her loftiest Amaranth, though a clear and beautiful piece of unknown Mythology, has too Greek an air to give me perfect satisfaction.

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Now I proceed. The preparation to the Chorus, though so much akin to that in the former act, is excellent. The remarks of Evelina and her suspicions of the Brothers, mixed with a secret inclination to the younger of them, (though, I think, her part throughout wants retouching) yet please me much, and the contrivance of the following scene much more. Masters of Wisdom, no, &c. I always admired; as I do the rocking stone, and the distress of Elidurus. Evelina's examination of him is a well-invented scene, and will be, with a little pains, a very touching one; but the introduction of Arviragus is superlative. I am not sure whether those few lines of his short narrative, My strength repair'd, it boots not, that I tell, &c. do

not please me as much as any thing in the whole Drama. The sullen bravery of Elidurus, the menaces of the Chorus, that Think not Religion, &c. the Trumpet of the Druids, that I'll follow him, tho' in my chains, &c. Hast thou a Brother, no, &c. the placability of the Chorus, when they see the motives of Elidurus's obstinacy, give me great contentment so do the reflections of the Druid on the necessity of lustration, and the reasons for Vellinus's easy escape; but I would not have him seize on a spear, nor issue hasty through the cavern's mouth. Why should he not steal away, unasked and unmissed, till the hurry of passions in those, that should have guarded him, was a little abated? But I chiefly admire the two speeches of Elidurus; Ah, Vellinus, is this then, &c. and, Ye do gaze on me, Fathers, &c. the manner in which the Chorus reply to him is very fine; but the image at the end wants a little mending. The next scene is highly moving! it is so very good, that I must have it made yet better.

Now for the last act. I do not know what I do not know what you would have, but to me the design and contrivance of it is at least equal to any part of the whole. The short-lived triumph of the Britons, the address of Caractacus, to the Roman Victims, Evelina's discovery of the ambush, the mistake of the Roman fires for the rising sun, the death of Arviragus, the interview between Didius and Caractacus, his mourning over his dead Son, his parting speech, (in which you have made all the use of Tacitus that your plan would admit) every thing, in short, but that little dispute between Didius and him; 'Tis well, and therefore to encrease that reverence, &c. down to, Give me a moment (which must be omitted, or put in the mouth of the Druids), I approve in the highest degree. If I should find any fault with the last act, it could only be with trifles and little expressions. If you

make any alterations, I fear it will never improve it; I mean as to the plan. I send you back the two last sheets, because you bid me. I reserve my nibblings and minutiae for another day.

LETTER LXVI.

MR. GRAY TO DR WHARTON.

October 7, 1757.

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DEAR DOCTOR,

I HEARTILY rejoice with you, that your little family are out of danger, and all apprehensions of that kind, over with them for life. Yet, I have heard, you were ill yourself, and kept bed as this was (I imagine) only by way of regimen, and not from necessity, I hope soon to be told, you have no farther occasion for it; yet, take care of yourself, for there is a bad fever now, very frequent, it is among the boys at Eton; and, (I am told) is much spread about London too. My notion is, that your violent quick pulse, and soapy diet, would not suit well with feverish disorders. Though our party at Slough turned out so ill, I could not help being sorry that you were not with us.

Have you read Mr. Hurd's (printed) letter to Mason, on the Marks of Imitation? You do not tell me your opinion of it. You bid me send you criticisms on myself, and, even compliments. Did I tell you what the speaker says? the second Ode, he says,

is a good pretty tale, but nothing to the Churchyard. Mr. Bedingfield, in a golden shower of panegyric, writes me word, that at York Races, he overheard three people, whom, by their dress and manner he takes for lords, say, that I was impenetrable and inexplicable, and they wished I had told them in prose, what I meant in verse, and then they bought me (which was what most displeased him) and put me in their pocket. Dr. Warburton is come to town, and likes them extremely. He says, the world never passed so just an opinion upon any thing as upon them; for, that in other things, they have affected to like or dislike, whereas, here, they own they do not understand, which he looks upon to be very true but yet thinks they understand them, as well as they do Milton or Shakespeare, whom they are obliged by fashion to admire. Mr. Garrick's compliment you have seen; I am told it was printed in the Chronicle of last Saturday. The Review I have read, and admire it, particularly that observation, that the Bard is taken from Pastor, cum traheret. And the advice to be more an original, and, in order to be so, the way is (he says), to cultivate the native flowers of the soil, and not introduce the exotics of another climate.

I am greatly pleased with Mason's Caractacus in its present state. The contrivance and arrangement of events, the manners of the country: the characters and passions strike me wonderfully. The difficult part is now got over; nothing remains, but to polish and retouch a little; yet, only the beginning of the first chorus is done of the lyric part; have you seen it? Adieu, dear Sir,

And believe me ever yours,

T. G.

I shall be in town probably sooner than you come to stay there.

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LETTER LXVII.

MR. GRAY TO DR. WHARTON.

DEAR DOCTOR,

I SHOULD be extremely sorry to think that you or Mrs. Wharton, came a day the sooner to town on my account, this fine season. If you are already come, I shall come to you; if not, you will let me know some day this week (for I shall hardly stay here much longer), that I may write for a lodging. I rejoice to you are all well.

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If there be really any enquiry into the expedition (which I believe will scarcely be, unless it be very hard press'd), many things will appear, as well with regard to the design as the execution, that do not yet seem to be generally known. * The design, for which the soldiers were put into the boats, was to attack a fort, called Fourasse, at the mouth of the Charante, (for Rochefort itself lies five miles up the river), it was necessary they should be masters of this place, not only to clear their way to the town, but, to have some place of security for their first embarkation of about 1,200 men, who must remain for four hours exposed to the enemy, before any. reinforcement could join them (as the admirals declared), and (I have heard) this design was laid aside in great measure, upon Cap

* This passage refers to the unsuccessful result of the expedition, under the command of Sir Edward Hawke, and Sir John Mordaunt, against Rochefort, in the month of September, 1757. For which Sir John Mordaunt was afterwards tried by a court martial, and acquitted.-Ed.

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