tions; the only time, I

may almost say, I think at all; and it is on Sunday that I write this long rigmarol. I leave these things to your own consideration, claiming no superiority; and would rather yield a point at any time than enter into controversy, which is endless. Be it an Irish bull, or be it not, the Commentator shall not fall out with the Connoisseur about the matter. If the Connoisseur thinks the Commentator very fond of controversy from the present specimen, he will do well to remember, that he endeavoured to fasten an Irish bull upon the Commentator, with the formality of an "I maintain," tacked to his assertion, and plainly indicated he did not think the Commentator fell into this bull designedly, but through ignorance. Does then the Commentator decline corresponding with the Connoisseur from an impression that he has nothing to yield in return? By no means. The Commentator has a great regard for the Connoisseurs good opinion; and only hints these things by way of claiming a little indulgence. The Commentator is a very various being; sometimes like brisk beer, sometimes like flat; and shall always be very ready to write the Connois

seur, when he finds himself in any thing of a right trim, or mellow humour.

WITH regard to herbs and plants, &c. I know little about them. There is, however, a coffee-house about two miles from London, where I have seen a number of foreign animals, birds, &c. Bird of paradise, rattle-snake, tarantula, &c. And another thing which would perhaps afford you small entertainment, namely, the china plate out of which Queen ELIZABETH used to eat her strawberries. With regard to the court end of the town, though I have little knowledge that way, I shall soon take an opportunity of disclosing what I may hear or see on that subject; and shall, therefore, beg leave to propose a few preliminaries at present towards settling a correspondence with you. I avow that I derive what I am to say from a narrow inspection into what has happened within my own breast, and am far from presuming to make any application to you. With my eyes turned inwards then, and three huge thumps on my stomach, I thus begin.

LET us be cautious of advancing any thing with a positive air; as that obstructs

knowledge very much, and the purposes of entertainment or edification will be promoted better without it. Let us, like two men in quest of a treasure, resolve to divide it between us; or, like two in a copartnery, dividing their acquisitions fairly. Advancing a thing positively is like violently grasping an acquisition which ought to be mutual,

Ir has been already mentioned, that the following letter, though dated in 1766, considerably posterior to any of the former letters, appears to have been written to Mr WILLIAM TOD; on which account, and because it does not particularly apply to any of the important incidents in the life of Mr SMELLIE, it is here inserted,

No. VII.

Mr WILLIAM SMELLIE to Mr WILLIAM TOD.

DEAR WILLIE, Edinburgh, 26th March 1766. It is no uncommon thing for the best of friends, during a long separation, to fall out

of the habit of corresponding. Such has been the case with us. I still have your last letter in my possession; but I believe it was written six years ago. Since that time I have had the happiness of conversing with you only once. A renewal of that long neglected correspondence would be extremely agreeable to me; and I flatter myself it would not be disagreeable to you. I shall never forget the attention you paid me while a mere carnoubie, and totally unworthy of your notice. I have since that time acquired eight or ten years more experience; and must confess that the revolution of every year makes me rate the pleasures of human life a degree lower.

THE plans and prospects of youth, as they are generally the fruit of a warm and illdirected imagination, seldom fail to prove abortive. However, as they please at the time, instead of despising, we ought to regard them as among the innocent amusements which accompany that giddy period of our existence. As we grow in years, these airy schemes are discovered to be without foun dation. This discovery undoubtedly gives us great pain, but not so exquisite as we

would imagine before hand; for, long before the period we had fixed for their accomplishment arrives, reflection informs us of the folly and extravagance of such expectations. Those only that are of a more solid and rational nature are now entertained; and even these we now begin to view with coolness and deliberation: If they succeed, the happiness is not so great as we expected: If they fail, something or other generally occurs, which, if it does not entirely annihilate, greatly blunts the pain of disappointment.

how

I WOULD willingly proceed to tell you disappointments have affected me, and from what sources I have found relief: But I must stop till I learn from yourself whether you chuse to correspond with me, and what subjects would be most agreeable to you.

THE principal intention of this letter is to offer my best services to a man whom I sincerely esteem. And I beg, as the greatest mark of friendship, that you will tell me freely if I can be of any use to you. Any thing I am able to perform you may com