XXIX.

MR. GRAY TO MR. WALPOLE.

DEAR SIR,

Stoke, June 12, 1750.

As I live in a place, where even the ordinary tattle of the town arrives not till it is stale, and which produces no events of its own, you will not desire any excuse from me for writing so seldom, especially as of all people living I know you are the least a friend to letters spun out of one's own brains, with all the toil and constraint that accompanies sentimental productions. I have been here at Stoke, a few days, (where I shall continue good part of the summer;) and having put an end to a thing,* whose beginning you have seen long ago, I immediately send it you. You will, I hope, look upon it in the light of a thing with an end to it: a merit that most of my writings have wanted, and are like to want, but which this epistle I am determined shall not want, when it tells you that I am ever yours,

T. GRAY.

Not that I have done yet; but who could avoid the temptation of finishing so roundly and so cleverly, in the manner of good Queen Anne's days?

This was the Elegy in a Country Church-yard.-Ed.

Now I have talked of writings, I have seen a book which is by this time in the press, against Middleton (though without naming him,) by Asheton. As far as I can judge from a very hasty reading, there are things in it new and ingenious, but rather too prolix, and the style here and there savouring too strongly of sermon. I imagine it will do him credit. So much for other people, now to self again. You are desired to tell me your opinion, if you can take the pains, of these lines. I am,

once more, ever yours.

XXX. MR. GRAY TO MR. WHARTON.

MY DEAR WHARTON,

Stoke, Aug. 9, 1750.

ARISTOTLE says* (one may write Greek to you without scandal) that Οι [γαρ] τόποι ου διαλυόυσι τὴν φιλίαν ἀπλῶς, ἄλλα τὴν ἐνεργειαν. Ενδέ xpoνίος ἢ ἀπουσία γενήται, και τῆς φιλίας δοκει λήθην ποιειν· ὅθεν ἐίρηται,

πολλὰς δὴ φιλίας ἀπροσηγορια διέλυσεν.

But Aristotle may say whatever he pleases, I do not find myself at all the worse for it. I could indeed wish to refresh my évɛpyέca a little at Dur

?

*Vide Aristotelis Ethic. Nicomach. Lib. 9. cap. 5, p. 350. ed. Wilkinson.

ham by a sight of you, but when is there a probability of my being so happy? It concerned me greatly when I heard the other day, that your asthma continued at times to afflict you, and that you were often obliged to go into the country to breathe. You cannot oblige me more than by giving me an account of the state both of your body and mind; I hope the latter is able to keep you cheerful and easy in spite of the frailties of its companion. As to my own, it can do neither one, nor the other; and I have the mortification to find my spiritual part the most infirm thing about me. You have doubtless heard of the loss I have had in Dr. Middleton, whose house was the only easy place one could find to converse in at Cambridge. For my part I find a friend so uncommon a thing, that I cannot help regretting even an old acquaintance, which is an indifferent likeness of it, and though I don't approve the spirit of his books, methinks 'tis pity the world should lose so rare a thing as a good writer.*

My studies cannot furnish a recommendation of many new books to you; there is a defence de l'Esprit des Loix, by Montesquieu himself. It has some lively things in it, but is very short, and his adversary appears to be so mean a bigot, that he deserved no answer. There are three Vols. in 4to.

* Mr. Gray used to say, that good writing not only required great parts, but the very best of those parts.-Mason.

of Histoire du Cabinet du Roi, by Messrs. Buffons and D'Aubenton. The first is a man of character, but (I am told) has hurt it by this work. It is all a sort of introduction to natural history. The weak part of it is a love of system, which runs through it, the most contrary thing in the world to a science entirely grounded upon experiments, and that has nothing to do with * vivacity of imagination. There are some microscopical observations, that seemed curious to me, on those animalcula to which we are supposed to owe our origin; and which he has discovered of like figure in females not pregnant, and in almost every thing we use for nourishment, even vegetables, particularly in their fruits and seeds. Not that he allows them to be animated bodies, but molecules organisées. If you ask what that is, I cannot tell; no more than I can understand a new system of generation which he builds upon it. But what I was going to commend, is a general view he gives of the face of the earth, followed by a particular one of all known nations, their peculiar figure and manners, which is the best epitome of Geography I ever met with, and wrote with sense and elegance; in short, these books are well worth turning over. The Mémoires of the Abbé de Mongon, in 5 Vol., are highly commended, but I have not seen them. He was engaged in

One cannot therefore help lamenting, that Mr. Gray let his imagination lie dormant so frequently, in order to apply himself to this very science.-Mason.

several Embassies to Germany, England, &c. during the course of the late war. The Presid. Henault's Abrégé Chronologique de l'Hist. de France,* I believe I have before mentioned to you, as a very good book of its kind.

You advised me in your last to be acquainted with Keene, and we are accordingly on very good and civil terms: but to love one another (I reckon) you hardly proposed. I always placed the service he did me about Tuthill to your account. This latter has done him some service, about his regulations. If you will give me the pleasure of a letter, while I continue here, it will be a great satisfaction to me. I shall stay a month longer. My best wishes to Mrs. Wharton and your family. I am ever yours, T. GRAY.

Do not imagine I have forgot my debts, I hope to replace them this year.

XXXI. MR. GRAY TO MR. WHARTON.

MY DEAR WHARTON,

A LITTLE kind of reproach, that I saw the other day in a letter of yours to Mr. Brown, has made my guilt fly in my face, and given me spirit to be

* See Walpole's Letters to H. Mann, vol. ii.

p. 331. Ed.