on the other side, that I am resolved to believe them genuine, spite of the Devil and the Kirk. It is impossible to convince me that they were invented by the same man, that writes me these letters. On the other hand, it is almost as hard to suppose, if they are original, that he should be able to translate them só admirably. What can one do? since Stonehewer went, I have received another of a very different, and inferior kind, (being merely descriptive) much more modern than the former (he says), yet very old too. This too in its way, is extremely fine. In short, this man is the very Dæmon of poetry, or he has lighted on a treasure hid for ages. The Welch Poets are also coming to light. I have seen a Discourse in MS. about them (by one Mr. Evans, a clergyman) with specimens of their writings. This is in Latin, and though it don't approach the other, there are fine scraps among it.

You will think I am grown mighty poetical of a sudden, you would think so still more, if you knew there was a Satire printed against me and Mason jointly; it is called Two Odes: the one is inscribed to Obscurity, (that is me) the other to Oblivion. It tells me what I never heard before; for (speaking of himself) the Author says though he has,

Nor the pride, nor self-opinion,

That possess the happy pair,

Each of taste the fav'rite minion,

Prancing thro' the desert air:

Yet shall he mount, with classic housings grac'd,

By help mechanick of equestrian block,

And all unheedful of the Critic's mock,

Spur his light courser o'er the bounds of Taste.

The writer is a Mr. Colman, who published the Connoisseur; nephew to the late Lady Bath, and a friend of Garrick's. I

believe his Odes sell no more than mine did, for I saw a heap of them lie in a bookseller's window, who recommended them to me, as a very pretty thing.

If I did not mention Tristram to you, it was because I thought. I had done so before. There is much good fun in it, and humour sometimes hit, and sometimes missed. I agree with your opinion of it, and shall see the two future volumes with pleasure. Have you read his sermons (with his own comic figure at the head of them)? they are in the style, I think, most proper for the pulpit, and shew a very strong imagination and a sensible heart. But you see him often tottering on the verge of laughter, and ready to throw his perriwig in the face of his audience. Now for my Season.

April 10. I observed the elm putting out.

12. That and the pear looked green. Therm. at 62.

13. Very fine; white poplar and willow put out.

15. Standard pear (sheltered) in full bloom.

18. Lime and horn-beam green.

19. Swallow flying.

20. Therm. at 60. Wind S. W. Sky-lark, chaffinch, thrush, mew, and robin singing. Horse-chesnut, wild-briar, bramble, and sallow had spread their leaves; haw thorn and lilac had formed their blossoms; black-thorn, double-flowered peach and pears in full bloom; double tonquils, hyacinths, anemones, single wall- flowers, and auriculas, in flower. In the fields,-dog violets, daisies, dandelions, butter-cups, red-archangel, and shepherd's purse.

21. Almond out of bloom, and spreading it's leaves.

26. Lilacs flowering.

May 1. Gentianella in flower.

2. Pear goes off; apple blows. Therm. at 63. Wind N. É. still fair and dry. 3. Evening and all night hard rain.

4. Th. at 40. Wind N. E. rain.

11. Very fine. Wind N. E. Horse-chesnut in full bloom; walnut and vine spread; lilacs, Persian jasmine, tulips, wall-flowers, pheasant-eye, lillyin-the-valley, in flower. In the fields,-furze, cowslips, bare-bells, and cow-parsnip.

2. Scarlet strawberries, duke-cherries. Hay-making here.

3. Wind S. S. E. Therm. at 84, (the highest I ever saw it), it was at noon; since which, till last week, we had hot dry weather; now it rains like mad. Cherries and strawberries in bushels.

I believe there is no fear of war with Spain.

[July, 1760.]

LETTER XC.

MR. GRAY TO DR. CLARKE *.

Pembroke-Hall, August 12, 1760.

NOT knowing whether you are yet returned from your sea-water, I write at random to you. For me, I am come to my resting-place, and find it very necessary, after living for a month in a house with three women that laughed from morning to night, and would allow nothing to the sulkiness of my disposition. Company and cards at home, parties by land and water abroad, and (what they call) doing something, that is,

* Physician at Epsom. With this gentleman Mr. Gray commenced an early acquaintance at College.-Mason.

racketting about from morning to night, are occupations, I find, that wear out my spirits, especially in a situation where one might sit still, and be alone with pleasure; for the place was a hill like Clifden, opening to a very extensive and diversified landscape, with the Thames, which is navigable, tunning at its foot.

I would wish to continue here (in a very different scene, it must be confessed) till Michaelmas; but I fear I must come to town much sooner. Cambridge is a delight of a place, now there is nobody in it. I do believe you would like it, if you knew what it was without inhabitants. It is they, I assure you, that get it an ill name and spoil all. Our friend Dr. **† (one of its nuisances) is not expected here again in a hurry. He is gone to his grave with five fine mackerel (large and full of roe) in his belly. He eat them all at one dinner; but his fate was a turbot on Trinity Sunday, of which he left little for the company besides bones. He had not been hearty all the week; but after this sixth fish he never held up his head more, and a violent looseness carried him off-They say he made a very good end.

Have you seen the Erse Fragments since they were printed? I am more puzzled than ever about their antiquity, though I still incline (against every body's opinion) to believe them old. Those you have already seen are the best; though there are some others that are excellent too.

* Near Henley.

+ Vide Letter XCII. of this Section.

LETTER XCI.

MR. GRAY TO MR. MASON.

Cambridge, August 20, 1760.

back as you desired me,

I HAVE sent Museus scratched here and there. And with it also a bloody Satire+, written against no less persons than you and I by name. I coneluded at first it was Mr. * * *, because he is your friend and my humble servant; but then I thought he knew the world too well to call us the favourite Minions of Taste and of Fashion, especially as to Odes. For to them his ridicule is confined ; so it is not he, but Mr. Colman, nephew to Lady Bath, author of the Connoisseur, a member of one of the inns of court, and a particular acquaintance of Mr. Garrick. What have you done to him? for I never heard his name before; he makes very tolerable fun with me where I understand him (which is not every where); but seems more angry with you. Lest people should not understand the humour of the thing (which indeed to do they must have our Lyricisms at their finger ends), letters come out in Lloyd's Evening-Post to tell them who and what it was that he meant, and says it is like to produce a great

* I had desired Mr. Gray to revise my Monody on Mr. Pope's Death, in order that I might correct it for the edition I was then preparing of my poems.

-Mason.

The parodies in question, entitled Odes to Obscurity and Oblivion, were written by Messrs. Lloyd and Colman, and have been reprinted since in Mr. Lloyd's Poems -- Magon.