he said, to engage immediately in some work to be laid before the public, and having previously given me his word that he would annually dedicate a portion of his time to the society of his friends in town. In the course of eighteen months, however, I did not see him; and finding that his letters, which had at first been full of his happiness, his occupations, and the progress of his work, were daily becoming shorter, and somewhat mysterious on the two last of these points, I resolved to satisfy myself by my own remarks with regard to his situation.

I arrived in the evening, and was shown into the parlour; where the first objects that caught my attention were a fishing-rod and two fowling-pieces in a corner of the room, and a brace of pointers upon the hearth. On the table lay a German flute, some music, a pair of shuttlecocks, and a volume of the Annual Register. Looking from the window, I discovered my friend in his waistcoat, with a spade in his hand, most diligently cultivating a spot of ground in the kitchen-garden. Our mutual joy, and congratulations at meeting, it is needless to trouble you with. In point of figure I could not help remarking that Mordaunt, though most negligently apparelled, was altered much for the better, being now plump, rosy, and robust, instead of pale and slender as formerly. Before returning to the house, he insisted that I should survey his grounds, which in his own opinion, he said, he had rendered a paradise, by modestly seconding and bringing forth the intentions of nature. I was conducted to a young grove, which he had planted himself, rested in a hut which he had built, and drank from a rivulet for which he had tracked a channel with his own hands. During the course of this walk, we were attended by a flock of tame pigeons, which he fed with grain from his pocket, and had much conversation with a ragged

family of little boys and girls, all of whom seemed to be his intimate acquaintance. Near a village in our way homewards, we met a set of countrymen engaged at cricket, and soon after a marriage company, dancing the bride's dance upon the green. My friend, with a degree of gaiety and alacrity which I had never before seen him display, not only engaged himself, but compelled me likewise to engage, in the exercise of the one, and the merriment of the other. In a field before his door, an old horse, blind of one eye, came up to us at his call, and eat the remainder of the grain from his hand.

Our conversation for that evening, relating chiefly to the situation of our common friends, the memory of former scenes in which we had both been engaged, and other such subjects as friends naturally converse about after a long absence, afforded me little opportunity of satisfying my curiosity. Next morning I arose at my wonted early hour, and, stepping into his study, found it unoccupied. Upon examining a heap of books and papers that lay confusedly mingled on the table and the floor, I was surprised to find that by much the greater part of them, instead of politics, metaphysics, and morals (the sciences connected with his scheme of writing), treated of Belles Lettres, or were calculated merely for amusement. The Tale of a Tub lay open on the table, and seemed to have concluded the studies of the day before. The Letters of Junius, Brydone's Travels, the World, Tristram Shandy, and two or three volumes of the British Poets, much used, and very dirty, lay scattered above a heap of quartos, which, after blowing the dust from them, I found to be an Essay on the Wealth of Nations, Helvetius de l'Esprit, Hume's Essays, the Spirit of the Laws, Bayle, and a common-place book. The last contained a great deal of paper, and an excellent arrangement, under the heads

of which, excepting those of anecdote and criticism, hardly any thing was collected. The papers in his own hand-writing were, a parallel between Mr. Gray's Elegy and Parnell's Night-Piece on Death; some detached thoughts on propriety of conduct and behaviour; a Fairy Tale in verse; and several letters to the author of the MIRROR, all of them blotted and unfinished. There were besides a journal of his occupations for several weeks, from which, as it affords a picture of his situation, I transcribe a part.

6

Thursday, eleven at night, went to bed: Ordered my servant to wake me at six, resolving to be busy all next day.

Friday morning: Waked at a quarter before six, fell asleep again, and did not wake till eight.

'Till nine, read the first act of Voltaire's Mahomet, as it was too late to begin serious business.

Ten: Having swallowed a short breakfast, went out for a moment in my slippers-The wind having left the east, am engaged by the beauty of the day to continue my walk-Find a situation by the river, where the sound of my flute produced a very singular and beautiful echo-make a stanza and a half by way of address to it-visit the shepherd lying ill of a low fever-find him somewhat better (Mem. to send him some wine)-meet the parson, and cannot avoid asking him to dinner-returning home, find my reapers at work-superintend them in the absence of John, whom I send to inform the house of the parson's visit -read, in the meantime, part of Thomson's Seasons, which I had with me- -From one to six, plagued with the parson's news and stories-take up Mahomet to put me in good humour-finish it, the time allotted for serious study being elapsed-at eight, applied to for advice by a poor countryman, who had been oppressed-cannot say as to the law: give him some money-walk out at sun-set, to consider the causes

of the pleasure arising from it-at nine sup, and sit till eleven, hearing my nephew read, and conversing with my mother, who was remarkably well and cheerful-go to bed.

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Saturday: Some company arrived-to be filled up to-morrow-(for that and the two succeeding days, there was no farther entry in the journal)- Tuesday, waked at seven; but, the weather being rainy, and threatening to confine me all day, lay till after nine -Ten, breakfasted and read the newspapers-very dull and drowsy-Eleven, day clears up, and I resolve on a short ride to clear my head.'

A few days' residence with him showed me that his life was in reality, as it is here represented, a medley of feeble exertions, indolent pleasure, secret benevolence, and broken resolutions. Nor did he pretend to conceal from me that his activity was not now so constant as it had been; but he insisted that he still could, when he thought proper, apply with his former vigour, and flattered himself, that these frequent deviations from his plan of employment, which, in reality, were the fruit of indolence and weakness, arose from reason and conviction. After all,' said he to me one day, when I was endeavouring to undeceive him, after all, granting what you allege, if I be happy, and I really am so, what more could activity, fame, or preferment, bestow upon me?-After a stay of some weeks, I departed, convinced that his malady was past a cure, and lamenting, that so much real excellence and ability should be thus, in a great measure, lost to the world, as well as to their possessor, by the attendance of a single fault.

I am, sir, yours, &c.

No. 51. TUESDAY, JULY 20, 1779.

TO THE AUTHOR OF THE MIRROR.

MR. MIRROR,

I AM the daughter of a gentleman of easy, though moderate fortune. My mother died a few weeks after I was born; and before I could be sensible of the loss, a sister of hers, the widow of an English gentleman, carried me to London, where she resided. As my aunt had no children, I became the chief object of her affections; and her favourite amusement consisted in superintending my education. As I grew up, I was attended by the best masters; and every new accomplishment I acquired gave fresh pleasure to my kind benefactress. But her own conversation tended more than any thing else to form and to improve my mind. Well acquainted herself with the best authors in the English, French, and Italian languages, she was careful to put into my hands such books as were best calculated to cultivate my understanding, and to regulate my taste.

But, though fond of reading and retirement, my aunt thought it her duty to mingle in society as much as her rank and condition required. Her house was frequented by many persons of both sexes, distinguished for elegance of manners and politeness of conversation. Her tenderness made her desirous to find out companions for me of my own age; and, far