do feel very fenfibly for my friends in fuch circumftances. I cannot exprefs how much; nor will words leffen whatever you feel. I will leave this fubject. When you care to hear more from me, I fhall wish to write to you; and am, indeed, with all the good wishes of a friend, fincerely.

HOPE you are fo good a relation as to think it a reasonable impediment to my writing to you, (which I purposed as foon as you got into Warwickshire,) that my mother was very ill. She is now fo much better, that I begin to look with more cheerfulness on the coming part of my life: contrary to moft fons, I think, of all friends, a friend of one's family is the best; they are generally the fureft, for merit feldom gets the better of blood. The world of late has been fo bad, that it has feemed unwilling to attribute much merit to thofe who love us naturally, as kindred (and above all, parents) do: The true reafon of which I fear is, that we are too ready to depreciate the kindneffes we receive, to excufe our own carelefs, if not ungrateful, returns to them. But though our relations be obliged to be kind to us, are we therefore not obliged to be grateful to them? For my part I am so unfashionable

unfashionable as to think my Mother the best friend I have, for she is certainly the most partial one. Therefore as the thinks the best of me, she must be the kindeft to me. And I am morally certain fhe does that without any difficulty, or art, which it would coft the devil and all of pains for any body else to do.

In this domeftic way of thinking, you will not take me too much for a complimental perfon, if I, feriously and heartily, wifh to know from you that Mr. Newfham is in a better ftate of health.

I

am truly forry that especially when it is

you can't pass the winter here, occafioned by fuch an obstacle: but I know from myfelf (who am like on the fame account to fee very little of the town this winter), that there is more true fatisfaction in doing right, and in acting tenderly, than in all the vain, empty things, which the lovers of the town (the Cornishes of the world) can call pleasures. They hate the very thoughts of paradife, because it is defcribed as a garden: and have no opinion of heaven, but as they fancy it like an Opera.

I would not say this before Mr. Elliot *, who has bought (at my instigation) the marble for the Statue †,

upon

*Edward Elliot, of Port Elliot, Efq. who married Harriet, fifter of Mr. Secretary Craggs.

C.

Mrs. Newfham was alfo fifter to Mr. Secretary Craggs, and it is his monument which is the subject of this and some of the following letters. It was executed by Guelphi, whom Lord Burlington invited into the kingdom, and for whom he performed many works in London and at Chiswick. He was also some time employed in repairing the antiques at Lord Pomfret's at Eafton-Neston, now at

Oxford.

upon which the Italian is now at work. I will not forget thofe cautions about the forehead, hair, etc. which we obferved when we met on that occafion.

You know that I have enough of yours in my hands, to answer the Statuary's demands for the future. I have made the Latin Inscription as full, and yet as fhort, as I poffibly could. It vexes me to reflect how little I must say, and how far fhort all I can fay is, of what I believe, and feel, on that fubject; like true lovers' expreffions, that vex the heart from whence they come, to find how cold and faint they must seem to others, in comparison of what infpires them inwardly in themfelves: The heart glows, while the tongue faulters.

I fhall try my intereft with Mr. Nicols, in behalf of the young gentleman, who is fo much a part of you. I had once an intereft with him: and (because he is a good man) I will believe I have it ftill, for the fame cause that I have fome with you: One whom he loved and respected, happened to love me, though now removed from us for ever! That will be a reason with grateful and reflecting minds, to devolve benevolencies, and continue good wifhes, from generation to genera

tion.

I am, etc.

Oxford. Lord Orford thinks his tomb of Mr. Craggs in Weftminster Abbey is graceful and fimple, but that it shows Guelphi was a very indifferent fculptor. We are forry to add that it has fuffered, in common with fome of the finest specimens of art in the Abbey, by the wantonnefs of certain vifitors,

C.

MADAM,

γου

LETTER III.

TO THE SAME.

Twitenham, July 9th.

ou would have had a very free companion and correspondent of me, and have inherited that open and unreserved behaviour, which I both learned from your brother, and practised to him: But the day that you paffed at Twitnam, you did a thing that took away all my liberty, and made me a much less easy acquaintance than I hoped to have been to you. Methinks this period looks like a love-letter, to tell a lady fhe has taken away my liberty: But you'll understand it in a more serious sense: and I affure you, I am, instead of your friend, fo much your enemy for this, that I will live to be revenged of you. And in the mean time (like one that is very much intent upon revenge), I will fay not a word more about it, but feem entirely to forget it.

The Italian sculptor has not yet finished his clay model. Indeed, it is a vaft difadvantage as to the likeness, not to be able to fee the life. What would not you and I give that that were poffible? But at laft, by comparing the two other pictures and the print, (together with my own memory of the features of that friend who had often looked fo kindly upon me,) he has brought

8

brought it to a greater degree of refemblance than I could have thought. If you happened to come to town, I could wish you saw the model yet, before the marble be begun : for if you were not fatisfied, I would have another sculptor make a model in clay after the pictures, for a further chance of likenefs: If the artist were a worse carver than this man, yet it might be a help to improve his Statue in this refpect (fince all the rest he cannot fail to perform excellently). I am really in pain to have you pleased, in a point that I am fure is a tender one, fince it is all you can do for the best of brothers, and I for the best of friends!

What can I write to you about? Of him, we think alike, and I dare fay) we fhall think always. His very memory more engages my mind, than the prefent enjoyment of almost all that remains in the world to ftrike my senses. These things appear but as a dream, and that as a reality. A friend gone, is like youth gone, never to be recalled, and leaves all that follows infipid and fpiritlefs.

I'll add no more upon this fubject, though I know we shall never meet, or perhaps never write, without repetition of this kind. I heartily wish well to all that he would have wifhed well to, had he been yet among The wound is eternal, but it is fome eafe to us to give it air, by fhewing it to one another, and pitying one another. I hope to hear from you at your leifure, and be affured, as the only reasonable motive you can

us.