"human gratitude I owed them (than "which nothing could have given me ❝ equal pleasure), the only return I can "make them now is by kindness to "those they left behind them: would "to God poor Lizy had lived longer, "to have been a farther witness of the "truth of what I fay, and that I might "have had the pleasure of feeing once "more a fifter, who fo truly deserved my esteem and love. But fhe is hap

py, while we must toil a little longer. "here below: let us however do it "chearfully and gratefully, fupported "by the pleafing hope of meeting yet "again on a fafer fhore, where to recol"lect the ftorms and difficulties of life will not perhaps be inconfiftent with "that

"that blifsful state. You did right to

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call your daughter by her name; for

you muft needs have had a particular "tender friendship for one another, endeared as you were by nature, by having paft the affectionate years of your youth together; and by that great foftner and engager of hearts, mutual hardship. That it was in my power to eafe it a little, I account one "of the most exquifite pleafures of my

life. But enough of this melancholy though not unpleafing ftrain.

I esteem you for your fenfible and difintérested advice to Mr. Bell, as « you will fee by my Letter to him: as I approve intirely of his marrying

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*

again, you may readily afk me why I'

"don't

"don't marry at all. My circumstances "have hitherto been fo variable and un"certain in this fluctuating world, as

"induce to keep me from engaging in "fuch a state and now, though they "are more fettled, and of late (which you will be glad to hear) confiderably

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improved, I begin to think myself "too far advanced in life for fuch "youthful undertakings, not to men❝tion fome other petty reasons that are

66

apt to startle the delicacy of difficult "old batchelors. I am, however, not "a little fufpicious that was I to pay "a vifit to Scotland (of which I have "fome thoughts of doing foon) I might, "poffibly be tempted to think of a ་ "thing not eafily repaired, if done amifs,, "I have

"I have always been of opinion that

"none make better wives than the la"dies of Scotland; and yet, who more "forfaken than they, while the gentle"men are continually running abroad "all the world over? Some of them,

"it is true, are wife enough to return. "for a wife. You fee I am beginning "to make intereft already with the Scots "ladies. But no more of this infectious “fubject.-Pray let me hear from you

now-and-then; and though I am not "a regular correfpondent, yet perhaps "I may mend in that refpect. Remem"ber me kindly to your husband, and "believe me to be,

"Your most affectionate brother,

(Signed)

JAMES THOMSON.”

(Addreffed)" To Mrs. Thomfon in Lanark."

The benevolence of Thomson was fervid, but not active; he would give, on all occafions, what affiftance his purfe would fupply; but the offices of intervention or folicitation he could not conquer his fluggishness fufficiently to perform. The affairs of others, however, were not more neglected than his own. He had often felt the inconveniences of idlenefs, but he never cured it; and was fo confcious of his own character, that he talked of writing an Eastern Tale of the Man who loved to be in Diftrefs.

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Among his peculiarities was a very unfkilful and inarticulate manner of nouncing any lofty or folemn compofition. He was once reading to Doddington, who, being himself a reader eminently

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