ness could not have contrived a more certain principle of levelling, and republicanism in all her pride could not plan more perfect gratification than that of seeing the young farmers' sons cocking their guns in face of a landlord upon whom no man feeling any dependence, he will shelter himself among the crowds of London, and prefer being jostled at Vauxhall by his taylor, to the being robbed of innocent amusements by those who were bred on his land, and fed on his bounty.*

Our Chester paper even now reproaches the rich with their donations of bread and meat, which are already styled insults on the poor's independence; and Mr. Chappelow, who has been here on a visit, protested he was glad to get alive out of Norfolk, because he had presumed to give his parishioners barley and potatoe bread baked in his own oven. I wish you would write me a long letter, and tell me a great deal about the living world; and something of the dead too, for I see Mr. Howard's epitaph, but cannot guess who wrote it.

Vortigern will, I trust, be condemned almost without a hearing, so completely does the laugh go against it. This is the age of forgeries. I never read of so many causes célèbres in that way as of late; but poor dear Mrs. Siddons saves Ireland awhile, I suppose, by her ill health, and keeps Miss Lee from fame and for

* If indignation makes verses, it does not supply syntax; and this sentence, which I have not attempted to correct, bears a strong resemblance to that of the county member who described Sir Robert Peel as "not the sort of man that you could put salt upon

his tail."

tune which she expects to acquire by "Almeyda." Does Madame D'Arblay's novel promise well? Fanny wrote better before she was married than since, however that came about. I understand nothing concerning the young baronet that lost so much at backgammon. Those tales are seldom true to the extent they are related: much like the stories of mad dogs, which chiefly exist in newspapers; but I fear Lady Westmeath's Divorce Bill, like Mrs. Mullins, will carry conviction of her infidelity all over the world. We knew her and her lord at Bath very well. I try every time I write to get some intelligence of the Beavor family, but without effect.

Selden says marriage is the act of a man's life which least concerns his acquaintance, yet, adds he, 'tis the very act of his life which they most busy themselves about. Now Heaven knows, I never did disturb myself or him by Dr. Gillies's marriage, though it affected me exceedingly; his amiable lady and her family being of my most favourite acquaintance, and they are all lost to me somehow. Mr. Rogers' name has crost me but once since we left London either it was when he gave evidence in favour of that anagrammatic Mr. Stone *, who wrote his name backwards, as witches are said to do; who deal in deeds of darkness, and sing

"When good kings bleed we rejoice," &c.

* On Stone's trial, the author of "The Pleasures of Memory" proved a conversation with him in the streets, tending to show that he made no mystery of that which was charged as treasonable.

How does your book of fashionable dresses go on? it must, I think, receive some curious additions by what one hears and sees; for a caricature print of a famous fine lady who leads the Mode has already reached poor little Denbigh.

To the Rev. Daniel Lysons.

Brynbella, Tuesday Evening, 1797. COULD you, as you walk about and examine books upon stalls, find me a second or third, or thirteenth-hand History of Poetry, by Warton, or of Music, by Hawkins; I should be much obliged to you; but it must be under a guinea price. I have the good editions myself at Streatham Park. Your book of "Ladies' Dresses" must have received curious addition, by what I see and hear of the present fashions; but cutting off hair is the foolishest among the foolish. When they are tired of going without clothes, 'tis easy putting them on again; but what they will do for the poor cropt and shorn heads, now there are no convents, I cannot guess.

Do people rejoice now wheat falls in price? they made heavy lament when it was high,- or do we only sigh for peace that we may be at leisure to meditate mischief?

And so I see that both Ministry and Opposition have at last agreed in one point; they join against the Lapdogs:

"So when two dogs are fighting in the streets,
With a third dog one of these two dogs meets;
With angry teeth he bites him to the bone,
And this dog smarts for what that dog had done."

These verses are somewhat too soft and mellifluous for the occasion, being Fielding's, but I half long to address a doggrell epistle to Mr. Dent*; he would be as angry as Mr. Parsons, no doubt, and I understand his wrath is very great. What becomes of Ireland, I wonder, now his solemn mockery is ended. It was a forged bill, you see, and the public did well to protest it.†

If Mrs. Siddons was to work at Drury Lane all winter and run about all summer, she would have had no enjoyment of Putney; and the young ones, for whose sake she is to work and run, would never have delighted in an out of town residence. Cecilia is coming to the scene of action, London, where I think there were enough just such half-hatched chickens without her and Mr. Mostyn adding to the number; but then they do not care what I think, so 'tis all one. The Bishop of Bangor likes Wales no better than she does, I suppose, but he ought not to have said so; because an old bishop should be wiser than a pretty wench, and much will be endured from her, very little from him, especially in these days; he is got into a cruel embarrass

ment.

* Who gained the nickname of Dog Dent by the piece of legislation in question.

† "Vortigern" was acted and damned on April 2, 1796. The last audible line was

"And when this solemn mockery is o'er,"

which Kemble was accused of uttering in a manner to precipitate the catastrophe.

Tell something about our Princess of Wales and her domestiques, and of our infant queen-expectant, pretty creature! I should somehow like to see that baby excessively. My hope is that every English heart will devote itself to the service of so much innocence and sweetness.

I depend upon an excellent account of " Almeyda;"* the epilogue is charming. Only one fault; 'tis an epilogue would do for any play. I call such things verses to be let. Prologues and epilogues should, to be perfect, be appropriate, referring to what has been presented, or is to present itself before the audience. This, however, is playful and pretty, and so far as I know or can remember, quite original,

Adieu, dear Sir, and bid your brother not quite forget me. The arm of an old vestal virgin kept under ground since Agricola's time, is cold compared with the hand of his and your faithful servant,

To Samuel Lysons, Esq,

H. L. PIOZZI,

Wednesday, 10th Feb. 1808.

DEAR MR. LYSONS,-I have not written to you a long time, and now I cannot help writing. I loved your brother so much, and wished him happy so sincerely, his change of life affects me, and my feelings will not permit me to tell him so. Tell him yourself, my good friend, and assure yourself that the account of his wife's

* Miss Lee's play.