swearing, it was a damned lie, and never could be: but it was for want of reading Thomas à Kempis, who knew mankind so much better, than I.

Young Pitt (whom I believe you have heard me mention) is returned to England: from him I hope. to get much information concerning Spain, which nobody has seen: he is no bad observer. I saw a man yesterday, who has been a-top of Mount Etna, and seen the ruins of a temple at Agrigentum, whose columns (when standing) were 96 feet in height: a moderate man might hide himself in one of the flutings. By the way there is a Mr. Phelps (now gone secretary with the embassy to Turin) who has been all over Sicily, and means to give us an account of its remains. There are two more volumes of Buffon (the 9th and 10th) arrived in England; and the two last maps of D'Anville's Europe. One Mr. Needham, tutor to a Lord Gormanstown now on his travels, has made a strange discovery. He saw a figure of Isis at Turin, on whose back was a pilaster of antique characters, not hieroglyphics, but such as are sometimes seen on Egyptian statues. When he came to Rome, in the Vatican Library he was shewed a glossary of the ancient Chinese tongue. He was struck with the similitude of the characters, and on comparing them with an exact copy he had of the inscription, found that he could read it, and that it. signified-(This statue of Isis is copied from another, in such a city : the original is so many measures in height, and so many in breadth.)—If this be true, it may open many

new things to us.

Deguignes some time ago wrote a dissertation to prove, that China was peopled from Egypt.

I still flatter myself with the notion of seeing you in summer: but God knows, how it will be. I am persuading Mr. Brown to make a visit to Lady Strathmore (who has often invited him) and then you will see him too: he is at present not very well, having something of the sciatica, which hangs about him. Present my best services to Mrs. Wharton.-I am ever truly yours, T. G.

P.S.-The Queen is said here to be ill, and to spit blood. She is not with child, I am afraid.

XXX.-TO THOMAS WHARTON.

DEAR DOCTOR-When I received your letter I was still detained in town: but am now at last got to Cambridge. I applied immediately to Dr. Ashton (who was nearest at hand) for information as to the expenses of Eton without naming any one's name. He returned me the civilest of answers, and that if the boy was to be on the foundation, I had no more to do but send him to him, and the business should be done. As to the charges, he was going to Eton, and would send me an account from thence; which he did accordingly on Sunday last, and here it is enclosed with his second letter. You will easily conceive, that there must be additional expenses, that can

be reduced to no rules, as pocket-money, clothes, books, etc., and which are left to a father's own discretion.

My notion is, that your nephew being an only son, and rather of a delicate constitution, ought not to be exposed to the hardships of the college. I know, that the expense in that way is much lessened; but your brother has but one son, and can afford to breed him an oppidant. I know, that a colleger is sooner formed to scuffle in the world, that is, by drubbing and tyranny is made more hardy or more cunning, but these in my eyes are no such desirable acquisitions : I know too, that a certain (or very probable) provision for life is a thing to be wished: but you must remember, what a thing a fellow of King's is, in short you will judge for yourselves. If you accept my good friend's offer, I will proceed accordingly: if not, we will thank him, and willingly let him recommend to us a cheap boarding-house, not disdaining his protection and encouragement, if it can be of any little use to your nephew. He has married one of Amyand's sisters with £12,000 (I suppose, you know her; she is an enchanting object!), and he is settled in the preachership of Lincoln's Inn.

Sure Mr. Jonathan, or some one has told you, how your good friend, Mr. L. has been horse-whipped, trampled, bruised, and p-d upon, by a Mrs. Mackenzie, a sturdy Scotch woman. It was done in an inn-yard at Hampstead in the face of day, and he has put her in the Crown Office. It is very true. I will

not delay this letter to tell you any more stories. Adieu!-I am ever yours,

T. G.

Pembroke Hall, January 23, 1761.

Mr. Brown (the petit bon-homme) joins his compliments to mine, and presents them to you and Mrs. Wharton. I have been dreadfully disappointed in Rousseau's Heloïse: but Mason admires it.

XXXI.-TO THOMAS WHARTON.

London, January 31, 1761.

MY DEAR DOCTOR-You seem to forget me: if it were for any other reason, than that you are very busy, that is, very happy, I should not so easily pass it over. I send you a Swedish and English Calendar. The first column is by Berger, a disciple of Linnæus ; the second, by Mr. Stillingfleet, the third (very imperfect indeed) by me. You are to observe, as you tend your plantations and take your walks, how the spring advances in the North; and whether Old Park most resembles Upsal, or Stratton. This latter has on one side a barren black heath, on the other a light sandy loam; all the country about it is a dead flat. You see, it is necessary you should know the situation (I do not mean any reflection upon anybody's place) and this is Mr. Stillingfleet's description of his friend Mr. Marsham's seat, to which in Summer he retires, and botanises. I have lately made an acquaintance

with this philosopher, who lives in a garret here in the Winter, that he may support some near relations, who depend upon him. He is always employed, and always cheerful, and seems to me a very worthy honest man. His present scheme is to send some persons properly qualified to reside a year or two in Attica to make themselves acquainted with the climate, productions, and natural history of the country, that we may understand Aristotle and Theophrastus, etc., who have been heathen Greek to us for so many ages. This he has got proposed to Lord Bute, who is no unlikely person to put it in execution, being himself a botanist, and having now in the press a new system of botany of his own writing in several volumes, the profits of which he gives to Dr. Hill (the inspector) who has got the place of master gardener at Kensington, reckoned worth near £2000 a year. There is an odd thing for you.

how to be treated.

One hears nothing of the King, but what gives one the best opinion of him imaginable. I hope, it may hold. The Royal Family run loose about the world, and people do not know how to treat them, nor they They visit and are visited: some come to the street-door to receive them, and that, they say, is too much; others to the head of the stairs, and that they think too little. Nobody sits down with them, not even in their own house, unless at a card table, so the world are like to grow very weary of the honour. None but the Duke of York enjoy themselves (you know, he always did) but the world