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confidential secretary ? and is she not generally clothed in black petticoats made out of your weeds ? · I fancy your grace took the hint when you last resided at Rome; you heard there, I suppose, of a certain Joan, who was once elected a pope, and, in humble imitation, have converted a pious parson into a chamberinaid. The scheme is new in this country, and has, doubtless, its particular pleasures. That you may never want the benefit of the clergy, in every emergence, is the sincere wish of your grace's most devoted humble servant, 1775, Aug.

SAMUEL FOOTE."

XIX. Letter containing Strictures on Gray's Posthumous Works,

MR. URBAN, OBSERVING that you sometimes admit Latin letters into your excellent Miscellany, I send you one in that language, (lately written to a friend,) containing free stricțures on some of Mr. Gray's posthumous pieces. If you think it likely to afford any entertainment to your classical readers, you will, perhaps, allow it a place in your next Magazine; if not, yo: will oblige the writer by suppressing it. Caerhues, Cornwall, Sept. 21.

Q. 1-K-B-F-S. D. Ego vero, Vir Amicissime, vehementer gaudeo nudius quartus cognovisse ex literis tuis, gregem modo 'Te tuum invisurum fuisse molarz haar; plus adeo gavisurus, si bonum hoc consilium, ut primum potueris, effectum dederis. ***

De posthumis Graii scriptis rectius Te molto atque xgtixsTegus statuisse puto, quam quidem ex iis cursim raptimque quodammodo legendis ipse statueram. Concinnavi porro comparationem quandam, parum felicem eam et male sanam, Odes hujusce Graii,

Barbaras ædes aditure mecum, &c. cum Horatiï Ode, mellita quidem illa,

Ulla si juris tibi perjerati, &c. totam utique Venerem spirante, quicum altera ea nil nisi metrum habet commune ; istius interim immemor, ut jure

quis suspicari posset, quam Septimio* suo Romanus dicavit poeta, quamque Anglus ille noster ex professo imitabatur. Insignem plane præproperi, et currente calamo, haud satis ad amussim exacti judicii errorem !

De Agrippina vero idem tecum sentio. Nihil hic simplex nudumque; nullus adeo verus naturæ color, nulla vox; sed compta, sed fucata, sed arcessita omnia. In scenam prodit princeps fæmina, mea quidem sententia fæminarum haud ita absimilis nostratium, † “ fictis, compositis, crispisque cincinnis--purpurata probe ac purpurissata probe f“cumatile et plumatile, ambitiosa nimium ornamenta, secum velut in pompam trahens; perinde quasi prima fuerit et præcipua imperatricis Romanæ laus, (ut alia translatione utar) declamatorio quodam tonare eloquio, atque ore rotundo loqui. Hanc quidem pol Agrippinani, sicut mihi videtur, “in spongiami” potius * incubuisse" oportuit, quemadmodum fere de Ajace suo dixit quondam per jocum Augustus, quam in publicum promi.

Neque aliter forsan de Literis plerisque Graii, prosa ora, tione conscriptis, æquus rerum æstimator judicarit. Judicet certe leves admodum esse eas futilesque, nec simplici de mum lectione, nedum Graio scriptore dignas. Non possum tamen quin ex hac qualicunque censura paucas quasdam e Gallia Italiaque missas lubens excipiam. Rectæ enim sunt, pulchræ et jucundæ; non in ostentationem illæ nescio quarum facetiarum illiberalium, sed ad animi.liberam quandam oblectationem compositæ, omnique gratiæ ac venustatis laude cumulatæ. Quin et res, loca, personas, varios hominum mores, variaque eorum studia, instituta, vitæ delini. menta ; ad hoc, speciosa quotquot fere sint his in terris nan turæ miracula, et quidquid denique oculorum uspiam au, Tiunive judicio subjiciatur, tam plane ac dilucide, tamque vivis egregiisque coloribus his in literis exprimi cernimus et depingi, ut, inter legendas eas, magis clare prope singula mente liceat cogitaigneque percipere, quam si mediis ipsi in rebus versaremur,

Haud scio an ļourgiori Te fuerim epistola moraturus, dice turusque quam mihi videatur Graius in Latine sciendo atque scribendo deus, ni laudem istiusmodi et parvi 'Te facere viderem, mihique deessent omnia fallacis memoriæ subsidia. Nam nec 'Littletopus hic, nec Ainsworthius ami. cam præbet opem, imo vero ne Colesius quidem. Ne mireris igitur, Vir humanissime, si pure minus, aut minus polite, loquar, qui vix* Latine loqui sciam. Vale. IX. Kal. Septembris.

* Septimi, Gades aditure mecum, &c.

+ Voces Plautinæ, quibus muliebrem in ornatų luxum lepide piugit Poeta. [Truculent. Act. II, Sc. 2. Epidic. A. II. S, 2.)

* Suetonius in Octavio.

1775, Oct.

1

XX. Mr. George Vertue to Mr. Charles Christian, concerning

Milton's Portrait.

MR. CHRISTIAN, PRAY inform my Lord Harley that I have, on Thursday last, seen the daughter of Milton the poet. I carried with me two or three different prints of Milton's picture, which she immediately knew to be like her father; and told me her mother-in-law (if living in Cheshire) had two pictures of him, one when he was a school-boy, and the other when he was about twenty. She knows of no other picture of him, because she was several years in Ireland, both before and after his death. She was the youngest of Milton's daughters by his first wife, and was taught to read to her father several languages.

Mr. Addison was desirous to see her once, and desired she would bring with her testimonials of being Milton's daughter; but as soon as she came into the room he told her she needed none, her face haring niuch of the likeness of the pictures he had seen of him.

For my part, I find the features of her face very much like the prints. I shewed her the painting I have to engrave, which she believes not to be her father's picture, it being of a brown complexion, and black hair, and curled locks. On the contrary, he was of a fair complexion, a little red in his cheeks, and light brown lank hair. 1776, May.

GEORGE VERTUE.

* Itaque hercle vereor, ne talem tamque grarem egomet quoque videar in me jure derivasse censuram, qualem jam olim commeruisse dicitur A. Albi. nus, qui “ Res Romanas" Romanus “ oratione Gra-ca scriptitavit.” Vide sis banc fabellam apud A. Gellium Noct. Attic. lib. Xl. cap. 8. perquam cle. ganter, more suo, narratan,

XXI. The Rev. Dr. Stanhope, Dean of Canterbury, to Mr.

Bowyer.

Good MR. BOWYER, Lewisham, Jan. 31, 1712. IT is with very great concern, that I heard of the sad disaster befallen you* You and your family have been in great part the subject not only of my waking, but even of my sleeping, thoughts, from the moment the ill news reached me. You are a person of understanding and religion, enough I persuade myself, thoroughly to believe, that second causes have a wise director, and that none of our calamities are the effect of chance. This thought, I doubt not, you pursue through all its just consequences, such as may work in you a true Christian resignation to God's afflicting providence, and render you contented under your loss, nay even thankful for it, not only on account of the lives which have been saved, but also of the excellent fruits this affliction may, and, I hope, will produce, by your improvement of it. For surely humbling one's self under the Almighty's hand; such a dread of his power and justice as may increase the fear of offending him ; less affection for, and no manner of trust in, the enjoyments of this world; and a more eager desire and endeavour after those in a better state, of which we may rest secure that they cannot be taken from us, are very natural and becoming consequences of so sad and sudden a calamity. You, God be praised, have the comfort of being far from the condition of those wretches, whom the world hath reason to think marked out for vengeance. But each of us, who looks into himself, will find more than enough there, to justify the severest dispensations toward him. Or, if it were not, which yet always will be, so; the best are not above the improvement of their virtues, of which great adversities are an eminent exercise and proof.

The post waits, and I must hasten.. My heart bleeds for your poor wife. God sanctify this trouble to you both; and give you the piety and the reward of those saints, who take joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves, that they have a better and more enduring substance in heaven.”'

I am,

Your sincere Friend and Servant,

Geo. STANHOPE.

- 1777, Nov.

The total destruction of his printing-office, and all his pro, erty, by a calamitous fire, Jan. 20, 1712-13. E,

XXII. Letters of Mr. Turner and Mr. Hughes.

MR. URBAN,

YOU receive herewith six original letters containing some. particulars which I cannot but think curious. If they appear to you in the same light, you will print them in your next.

Yours, &c.

EUGENIO.

LETTER I.

Rev. Mr. Turner to the Rev. Mr. Bonwicke.

St. John's College, Cambridge, Dec. 31, 1706. Sir, My absence from college has been very prejudicial to my interest; and to regain it, it is absolutely necessary to stay till the election is over, which will be about the latter end of March : if you can supply my place* till that time, I will return; if noi, I can send another (though not upon the same terms that I had.) Your are sensible, Sir, I believe, that I had never stayed so long with you, or at least had never promised to return, had I not a great respect to your person, as well as your causet: but if my absence till Lady-day be extremely prejudicial to your interest, I will sacrifice

my own to serve yours, and I desire you to believe that there is none in the world that more heartily studies and wishes your good, than your servant,

R. TURNER.

The death of some of our fellows has been strangely foretold by an apparition of one of our fellows, that died four or five years ago, and is attended by such notable circumstances as put it past all doubt: but I am in haste, and cannot give you a particular account of it. You will have it, I believe from Mr. Hughesi, very shortly ; if not, I will give you an account of it in my next.

* Of usher to the school which Mr. B. then kept at Headley, in Surry. # Alluding to his sufferings as a Đon-juror.

Fellow of Jesus college. See Letter IL

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