your patience; fo fhall only beg that my moft fincere humble fervice may be acceptable to the young lady, and that you would believe that I am, with the utmost refpect, Sir, your most obliged and obedient humble fervant,

ED. MORGAN.

LETTER CCCLIX.

Sir RICHARD STEELE to

Mr. MORGAN *.

Dec. 20, 1724.

I

SIR,

HAVE the favour of yours of the 19th in

ftant, about the fame matter to which I thought I had fully anfwered before. Speaking of "back-friends" is unneceffary, for indeed nobody can have any power with me but what fhould be neceffary for affairs of that kind concerning which I am talking, therefore nobody could poffibly lay any exceptions concerning you, or your family. But there was no difpute raised about that matter in the leaft; the young woman did not enter into any enquiry concerning your circumftances, neither does the yet. Therefore I earnestly defire you will lay afide all thoughts of this kind; for the child is young and discreet, and utterly declares against admit

* From a paper in the hand-writing of Lady Trevor, intituled, "An exact copy of an anfwer my father wrote to a letter of "Mr. Morgan's, December the 20th, 1724."

ting

ting your courtship, which I defire you would please to forbear, and you will very much oblige, Sir, your most obedient, humble fervant, RICH. STEELE.

LETTER CCCLX. To Mrs. MOLLY STEELE. Feb. 6, 1724-25.

DEAR MOLLY,

Y Coufin Scurlock fends me word, you

MY

are mighty uneafy for coming hither.. My dear child, you stayed at your own request, and I am heartily glad that you think of coming to me, where you fhall enjoy all the happiness that you can. I am glad alfo to hear my Coufin thinks of coming with you when the coach comes to Hereford* in better time. She shall

"In 1725," fays Mr. Victor, "Sir Richard Steele le't "London. He retired to the city of Hereford, and was lodged "and boarded there at the houfe of a mercer, who was his 66 agent, and receiver of the rents of an encumbered eftate of fix "hundred pounds a year, which Sir Richard obtained by his "late wife at his death it devolved to his two daughters, who "were both well married. I was told he retained his chearful "sweetness of temper to the laft; and would often be carried out "in a fummer's evening, where the country lads and laffes were "affembled at their rural fports,-and, with his pencil, gave an "order on his agent, the mercer, for a new gown to the best "dancer. In the year 1727, when I was a levee-hunter, and "making an interest with the first minifter, that good old man "hearing of it, inclosed me an open letter to Sir Robert Wal"pole, that, I remember, began thus: If the recommendation of "the most obliged man can be of any service to the bearer-Sir Ro"bert received it with his ufual politenefs." See VICTOR'S "Dramatic Pieces, Poems, and Original Letters," vol. I. P. 330, 8vo. 1776.

have all the welcome this place will afford her, which you may tell her from your affectionate father, RICH. STEELE.

LETTER CCCLXI. To Mrs. ELIZ. STEELE.

MY DEAREST CHILD,

You

March 3, 1725-26.

OU were indifcreet to fend Sandy here yesterday night, for he is a gentleman I have fome reafon to know very well.

Give my most humble fervice to Mrs. Scurlock, and to Mrs. Bevans. There is no need of bidding you be civil to all you fee kind to me. I am, dear girl, your dutiful and compaffionate father, RICH. STEELE.

LETTER CCCLXII.

My dear, dear MOLLY,

To Mrs. MARY STEELE.

July 22, 1728.

WRITE to you because Mr. Duke is going to Bristol. I defire you would give my fervice to Dr. Lane; and remember, dear Molly, your ever loving and affectionate father,

RICH. STEELE

We

There is no direction to this letter; but at the bottom of it is written Mr. Plaxton; and it is indorfed, by Lady Trevor, My Father's."

+ "On Monday the firft infant, at about ten at night, died "at Carmarthen, in South Wales, Sir Richard Steele, knight,

"well

We are here in great joy because my mare has brought a foal, a male one, after eleven months time.

LETTER CCCLXIII. Mr. MEYRICKE to Mifs

MADAM,

I

STEELE.

Pembrokeshire.

HAVE lately heard a very excellent character of the honefty of John Trelogan; and, as I know how to efteem every recommendation of yours, I therefore employ him in a cafe of the higheft importance to myself, the carriage of a hundred weight of love, right good as any in England, at your fervice. Do not let your generous temper be in pain to make any return; I must ask none. Allow me leave to

"well known by his many eminent writings. He formerly "ferved in parliament for the boroughs of Stockbridge, Bo"roughbridge, and Wendover, and paffed through feveral emi

nent ftations, viz. a Commiffioner of the Forfeited Eftates, "Master of the Theatre-royal in Drury-lane, &c. He married "the only child and heirefs of John [Jonathan] Scurlock, of the "town of Carmarthen, efq. by whom he had iffue two daugh"ters, who are unmarried." Weekly Medley, Sept. 13, 1729. "We hear a stately monument will be put up in Westminster "Abbey to the memory of Sir Richard Steele, at the expence "of Sir Robert Walpole." British Journal, Sept. 20, 1729. *Of this and the ten following letters, nine are undated, and it is not eafy to place them in their exact order of time. From three of them the name of the writer is cut off. The handwriting, however, fhews that this and five others are from Mr. Meyricke. Letter CCCLXVII. is in a different hand.

I

fend

fend you all I have, for I am abundantly fup. plied, and think it no trouble; for, believe me, it is no trouble at all, Coufin. In mighty pain furely, I have convinced you, Madam, how conformable I can be to your command, fince I have left your prefence, where my only quiet and repofe dwell. It is true, I might find more fafety, but I buy it at a moft extravagant purchafe. You will, perhaps, draw a charge of a very ready fhew of difobedience even in my declaration of it, because you have commanded me not to love: but, not to love, is not to live; and not to love you, would be death in the worst form it can appear in. Do not, my fair unbeliever, urge my crime in this, fince I would die to be obedient to you in any thing; for it is the juft refolve and conftitution of my mind. If my paffion can be recommended by its purity, by its religious and heavenly fondness, it has that, and yet much more, to say for itself, if you would hear it. When you meet with any body that can love you better, that will more readily fubject his little life and fortune to your pleafure and inclination, I must then only learn to be content from your happiness, and I muft for ever own myself in the most religious rights, and greatest tenderness of my foul, dear Mrs. Steele, your most paffionately fond admirer, and evermore devoted, ESSEX MCK MEYRICKE,

* The name is cut away.

LETTER