LETTER II. "To the Subscribers for erecting a Statue, &c. to London, Feb. 16, 1787. "MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, You are entitled to all the gratitude I can express for the testimony of approbation you have intended ine, and I am truly sensible of the honour done me; but at the same time you must permit me to inform you, that I cannot, without violating all my feelings, consent to it, and that the execution of your design would be a cruel punishment to me. It is therefore my earnest request, that those friends, who wish my happiness and future comfort in life, would withdraw their names from the subscription, and that the execution of your design may be laid aside for ever. "I shall always think the reforms now going on in several of the jails of this kingdom, and which I hope will become general, the greatest honour, and the most ample reward, I can possibly receive. "I must further inform you, that I cannot permit the fund, which in my absence, and without my consent, hath been called the Howardian Fund, to go in future by that name; and that I will have no concern in the disposal of the money subscribed; my situation and various pursuits rendering it impossible for me to pay any attention to such a general plan, which can only be carried into due effect in particular districts, by a constant attention and a constant residence. I am, my Lords and Gentlemen, your obedient and faithful humble servant, 1787, Feb. JOHN HOWARD.” LIV. Sir Dudley Carlton to Mr. Winwood. Woodbridge, Jan. 30. As your Magazine is curious in marking the manners of ancient times, the following little specimen of celebrating marriages at Court, may possibly find a favourable reception. It is taken from a work of no small reputation*. Yours, &c. R. L. *Winwood's Memorials. Extract of a letter from Sir Dudley Carlton to Mr. Winwood. London, January, 1604. ON St. John's day we had the marriage of Sir Philip Herbert and the Lady Susan performed at Whitehall, with all the honour that could be done a great favourite. The court was great, and for that day put on the best bravery. The Prince and Duke of Holst led the bride to the church; the Queen followed her from thence. The King gave her, and she, in her tresses and trinkets, brided and bridled it so handsomely, and indeed became herself so well, that the King said, if he were unmarried he would not give her, but keep her himself. The marriage dinner was kept in the great chamber, where the Prince and the Duke of Holst and the great Lords and Ladies accompanied the bride. The Ambassador of Venice was the only bidden guest of strangers, and he had place above the Duke of Holst, which the Duke took not well. But after dinner he was as little pleased himself; for, being brought into the closet to retire himself, he was there suffered to walk out his supper unthought of. At night there was a mask in the hall, which, for conceit and fashion, was suitable to the occasion. The actors were, the Earl of Pembroke, the Lord Willoby, Sir Sam. Hays, Sir Thomas Germain, Sir Robert Cary, Sir John Lee, Sir Richard Preston, and Sir Thomas Bager. There was no small loss that night of chains and jewels, and many great Ladies were made shorter by the skirts, and were well enough served that they could keep cut no better. The presents of piate, and other things given by the Noblemen, were valued at 2500l.; but that which made it a good marriage was a gift of the King's, of 5001. land for the bride's joynture. They were lodged in the Council Chamber, where the King, in his shirt and night-gown, gave them a Reveille Matin before they were up, and spent a good time in or upon the bed, chuse which you will believe. No ceremony was omitted of bride-cakes, points, garters, and gloves, which have been ever since the livery of the court; and at night there was sewing into the sheet, casting off the bride's left hose, with many other pretty sorceries. New year's day passed without any solemnity, and the exorbitant gifts that were wont to be used at that time are so far laid by, that the accustomed presents of the purse and gold were hard to be had without asking. The next day the King played in the presence, and, as good or ill luck seldom comes alone, the bridegroom, that threw for the King, had the good fortune to win 10001. which he had for his pains. 1787, Feb. LV. The Earl of Buchan's Address to his learned Correspondents. MR. NICHOLS, March 10. I HAVE sent you inclosed an address to my learned correspondents, which will sufficiently explain the intention of it; and I wish it to be inserted in the foreign journals, and in the most respectable periodical publications at home. I consider the Gentleman's Magazine, under your direction, as one of them and there it may appear when you think proper, and thence it will readily be copied by the printers of the foreign journals at Paris, &c. &c. &c. I am, Sir, with great regard, your obedient humble servant, BUCHAN. Omnibus Literatis et domi et foris, qui Epistolas ad me transmittere haud dedignati sunt. BUCHANIE COMES, S. P. D. VIGINTI abhinc annis me literis penitus dedi, et post mo ram forsan nimis diuturnam in Edinburgo Scotia urbe primaria, ut veri investigandi, et cum doctioribus colloquendi, mihi esset facultas, valetudinis cura mihi suadet rusticari. Non me latent tamen commoda et voluptas, quæ ab hoc literarum jucundo commercio accepi, et in hoc secessu vivere vellem, nec oblitus meorum nec illis obliviscendus, quorum ope et auxilio, reipublicæ, quantum in me fuit, inservire a prima adolescentia conatus sum. Ita natura comparatum est, ut qui sitiunt, ad eos potissimum confugiant, qui sitim relevare possunt, ideoque vos obsecrare mihi liceat ut scribendi labor delectabilis permaneat, et ut lux illa quæ florem ætatis meæ illustravit usque ad ætatis flexum sit splendidior, in gratiam terræ hujus quam incolimus, et cujus summa est et erit ambitio, me civem fuisse non prorsus inutilem; "Non mihi sed toti genitum me çredere mundo.” Ad impensas vestras minuendas a tributo literario, et ne hugis meis plus onerati quam honorati sitis, hanc supplicationem meam in actis publicis inserendam curavi lingua Latina, sermone eruditorum peculiari, præscriptionis jure, ut cum jurisconsultis loquar, quo profanum arcemus vulgus. Historia, philosophia, et artes humaniores mihi præcipue arrident, in quibus progressus qualescunque facere cupio sub auspiciis vestris. Prelum typographicum in animo est, rus mecum portare. Nihil inde emittetur, quod non spectat ad reipublicæ emolumentum et civium veram felicitatem, superstitioni et rebus politicis ut in hac insula vocantur, sub prætextu libertatis, catenas injicere infra prelum, fixum et ratum est. Multi Libri MSS. pretiosi blattarum et tinearum epulæ, in doctorum et indoctorum scriniis jacent sepulti: ea nunquam compilabit bibliopolarum societas, quos non scientiæ ardor sed lucrum semper sollicitabat.. Multæ etiam epistolæ gravissimæ, a viris doctis scriptæ, post literas xv sæculo instauratas, in eodem sunt statu mox perituræ. Tullij et Plinij Epistolæ injuriam temporis, et superstitionis, feliciter evaserunt, quarum præstantia, et utilitas causa est cur alias antiquorum desideremus, quibus certiores facti essemus non tantum de vita privata Græcorum et Romanorum, sed de irradiantibus ingenij scintillis, quæ melius splendore extemporali illustrantur, quam ponderosis voluminibus, quæ prelum unicum debent industriæ et labori; sed ad rem redeamus. Pergite, amici honoratissimi, mecum sententias vestras communicare. Me nec ingratum, nec immemorem unquam invenietis. Benevolentia vestra, quam expertus sum, mihi iterum roganti, ut spero, non deerit. Epistolæ quæ a regionibus exteris veniunt, more solito mittendæ sunt ad Georgium Dempsterum, virum dignissimum, unum ex senatu inferiori in publicis regni Comitijs, libertatis et virtutis vindicem strenuum, vel ad meipsum in Scotia. Denique promitto et spondeo me ea amicitia, quæ omnes in studijs humanitatis ac literarum versantes, qui ubique sunt, connectere et conjungere debet, fore vobis devinctum. Apud Coenobium de Dryburgh, vi ante Kal. Februarü, Anno S. MDCCLXXXVII. 1787, March. LVI. Letters from Sir Richard Steele to his second lady (Mrs. Mary Scurlocke) before Marriage. LETTER I. MADAM, Aug. 14, 1707. I CAME to your house this night to wait on you; but you have commanded me to expect the happiness of seeing you at another time of more leisure. I am now under your own roof while I write; and that imaginary satisfaction of being so near you, though not in your presence, has in it something that touches me with so tender ideas, that it is impossible for me to describe their force. All great passion makes us dumb; and the highest happiness, as well as highest grief, seizes us too violently to be expressed by our words. You are so good as to let me know I shall have the honour of seeing you when I next come here. I will live upon that expectation, and meditate on your perfections till that happy hour. The vainest woman upon earth never saw in her glass half the attractions which I view in you. Your air, your shape, your every glance, motion, and gesture, have such peculiar graces, that you possess my whole soul, and I know no life but in the hopes of your approbation: I know not what to say, but that I love you with the sincerest passion that ever entered the heart of man. I will make it the business of my life to find out means of convincing you that I prefer you to all that is pleasing upon earth. I am, Madam, your most obedient, most faithful humble servant, R. STEELE. LETTER II... MADAM, Lord Sunderland's Office, 1707. WITH What language shall I address my lovely fair, to acquaint her with the sentiments of an heart she delights to torture? I have not a minute's quiet out of your sight; and, when I am with you, you use me with so much distance, that I am still in a state of absence heightened with a view of the charms which I am denied to approach. In a word, you must give me either a fan, a mask, or a glove, you have wore, or I cannot live; otherwise you must expect I'll kiss your hand, or, when I next sit by you, steal your handker |