who has had the misfortune to break his collar bone by a fall from his horse, but he is in a fair way of doing well. Lady Dysart' is in affliction for the loss of her youngest daughter, who has not long outlived her christening.

When you are at Oakly-Wood pray make my compliments to Lord Bathurst and all that family, to which I am always the same humble servant, though my necessary retreat from the world, and his necessary appearance in it, have kept us more asunder of late years than I could wish. I am now preparing to taste a little country air in the season of figs and grapes: the sports of the field I leave to others; if the hares and the partridge were to live till I killed them, there would be no want of game; for I would not willingly be the murderer of a fly!

My compliments I beseech you to your mother and my goddaughter, whom you find so agreeable a companion by a river-side;--I wish some Orondates would surprise you in the midst of your philosophical discourses, snatch you in his arms, clap you upon his crupper, and ride away with you to those regions of bliss, where I leave the rest to Lord Bathurst: he can best describe to you the ineffable joys of that country, where happiness only reigns; he is a native of it, but it has always been terra incognita to me.

I am, my dear niece, ever most affectionately,

Your faithful humble servant, LANSDOWNE. Your aunt and cousins are your humble servants, &c.

1720, Anne, Countess of Orkney, and secondly in 1761, Mary, daughter of Stephen Viscount Mountcashel. He died in 1777, and was succeeded by his nephew.

1

August 1733. Died the Lady Harriot Talmash, second daughter to the Right Hon. the Earl of Dysart.-Historical Register.

The above letter appears to have been written to Mrs. Pendarves whilst with her mother and sister in the country, after having heard her expressions of delight in the enjoyment of nature, which from her earliest years ever proved a true solace to her, as well as a gratification; but it was a sort of pleasure in which Lord Lansdown could not sympathize.

From Mrs. Pendarves to Dr. Swift.

Gloucester, Octr. 24, 1733.

SIR, I cannot imagine how my Lord Orrery came by my last letter to you: I believe my good genius conveyed it into his hands, to make it of more consequence to you; if it had that effect, I wish this may meet with the same fortune.

If I were writing to a common correspondent, I should now make a fine flourish to excuse myself for not sooner acknowledging the favour of your letter; but I must deal plainly with you, sir, and tell you (now do not be angry), that the fear of tiring you stopped my hand. I value your correspondence so highly, that I think of every way that may preserve it; and one is, not to be too troublesome. Now I cannot guess how you will take this last paragraph; but if it makes me appear affected or silly, I will endeavour not to offend in the same manner again. Some mortification of that kind is wanting to bring me to myself. Your ways of making compliments are dangerous snares, and I do not know how to guard against the pleasure they bring: to be remembered and regretted by you, are honours of a very delicate kind; I have been told, that unexpected good fortune is harder to bear well than adversity.

The cold weather, I suppose, has gathered together Dr. Delany's set: the next time you meet, may I beg

the favour to make my compliments acceptable? I recollect no entertainment with so much pleasure, as what I received from that company; it has made me very sincerely lament the many hours of my life that I have lost in insignificant conversation.

A few days before I had your last letter, my sister and I made a visit to my Lord and Lady Bathurst at Cirencester. Oakly-wood joins to his park, the grand avenue that goes from his house through his park and wood is five miles long and the whole contains five thousand acres; we staid there a day and half. The wood is extremely improved since you saw it, and when the whole design is executed, it will be one of the finest places in England; my Lord Bathurst talks with great delight of the pleasure you once gave him by surprising him in his wood, and showed me the house where you lodged. It has been rebuilt; for the day you left it it fell to the ground, conscious of the honour it had received by entertaining so illustrious a guest, it burst with pride! My Lord Bathurst has greatly improved the wood house, which you may remember but a cottage, not a bit better than an Irish cabin. It is now a venerable castle, and has been taken by an antiquarian for one of King Arthur's, "with thicket overgrown grotesque and wild." I endeavoured to sketch it for you, but I have not skill to do it justice. My Lord Bathurst was in great spirits; and though surrounded by candidates and voters against next Parliament, made himself agreeable in spite of their clamour we did not forget to talk of Naboth's vineyard' and Delville. I have not seen him since, though he promised to return my visit.

1 "Naboth's vineyard" belonged to Dr. Swift.

Dr. Delany's beautiful villa, about a mile from Dublin.