are incredibly surprised to see a raw Scotchman so little surprised, and so well acquainted with all that he sees.

"JOHN HOME.”

"MY DEAR CARLISLE,

"I HAVE long delayed writing to you, in expectation of writing what might be agreeable with regard to myself, or interesting as to others. I cannot say that I will at this present time do either of these, but I do not think it is fit I should be longer silent. Know, then, that as to myself, I have met with one disappointment. After having made some alterations in my play, and turned out some Scotticisms, or vulgarities as they were termed, Mr Littleton refused to read it, because if he did not approve it, he would be pained in saying so, and if he did, he would be put to as much trouble in supporting it, as he was last winter in carrying through Coriolanus, which, with all his interest, he hardly could make run for nine nights, for which reason he would not read a tragedy as a judge, nor engage in it as a patron, if it was writt by his own brother. I was also told, that it was not to be expected that any young man could write a tragedy better than Mr Thomson, who was the greatest poet of the age, (a brother of Littleton's, a dignified clergyman, told me all this pleasing matter,)—I bowed, and answered, that Mr Thomson was a

6

descriptive poet.' I thanked the gentleman for his civilities, and walked off with less appearance of chagrin than you will think possible. I thought at first that Littleton had read the play, and took this gentle way of dismissing me; but upon putting that, and desiring to know the worst, this parson, who I believe fears God, (though perhaps he may be a little Arminian,) assured me most solemnly,

that Mr Littleton had not read it, and that he himself did not pretend to be a judge in these matters, having addicted himself to the study of natural history; however, that he would have read it for all that, if it had not been his extraordinary business in attending upon the King as chaplain.' You see what people I have to deal with; I am only vexed that I applied to them. I could divide my body into two, and go to buffets with myself, for having solicited a dish of skimmed milk, (as Hotspur says,) in such an honourable action. I believe I need hardly tell you, that Maghie, Blair, and Barrow, judged of Agis as Logan, Blair, and have done. I cannot help telling you that one Englishman, after extolling the genius of the piece, added, that the author had formed himself too much upon Thomson's Seasons, and Lee's plays.' I could not have been more surprised if he had said that I had formed myself upon Euclid's Elements, and M'Laurin's Fluxions. The genius of this nation is really a little gross; by what I can see of

you

their public buildings, their entertainments, and their conversations, the plumb-pudding, and butter-sauce, makes their intellectuals boggy. However, I have met with some charming fellows amongst them,-Oxonians that were republicans, and citizens that were patterns of taste.

Your friend Smollett, who has a thousand good, nay, the best qualities, and whom I love much more than he thinks I do, has got on Sunday last three hundred pounds for his Mask.

"MY DEAR CARLISLE,

"JOHN HOME."

"I ADDRESS this to you with pleasure, as it will certify you of the more favourable state of my affairs, and that I hope to set out in a few days with assurance, if not certainty, of my plays being acted next winter. Kay, to whose cousin, Oswald, I am infinitely obliged, will tell you the particulars. I know your good sense and affection for me to be both so great, as that you will easily excuse the neglects in writing from a man like me, whose mind was torn with anxiety, shame, and indignation. I have now recovered my spirits and begun to write to my friends, the moment that it is not painful for me to write, and for them to receive my letters. Before I go any further, I desire you to make my

compliments,-(but that's a cursed word,)—to present my most respectful and affectionate remembrance to your father and mother, who I doubt not have often wondered at my silence. I delayed from post to post, because every day I expected to be the harbinger of better tidings.

I can't write to you about London as I do to other people to whom every thing is news. You know it better than I do, and we shall compare notes plentifully. I must acquaint you, that I found [torn off.] which is a most excellent place, neither are the chop-houses to be despised; only the people here in general are so execrably stupid, that there is no conversing with them, and their men of learning such shallow monsters, that I am always obliged to be upon my guard, lest I should really shock, or seem to insult them. I sometimes hearken to the coffee-house conversations upon poetry and politics, where there are such fellows authors, whose wigs are worth three pounds sterling, that it is ready to make a man of moderate patience Curse his better angel from his side, and fall to reprobation.'

"JOHN HOME,"

I am now to read three letters from Mr James M'Pherson, who at that time, I believe, was a sort of editor or manager of some newspapers in the interest of government, because they relate to an event which the national pride of this country sets down as a very extraordinary one, the combined fleets of France and Spain cruizing in the British Channel, and threatening to cover an invasion, and exhibit the feeling of the country on that event. One cannot help comparing that with the alarm afterwards felt from the preparations for a French invasion, and contrasting therewith a prouder national feeling, when the embodying and discipline of a militia, and other native force, had rendered the fears of an invasion a bugbear, with which no man, scarce a woman or child, condescended to be frightened.

"MY DEAR SIR,

"I HAVE news to tell you. The French and Spanish fleets are in the mouth of the Channel. An express arrived this morning, a lieutenant of the Marlborough, of 64 guns, which ship was chaced by the enemy to within a few leagues of the Lizard. Sir Charles Hardy was, by the last accounts, off Ushant. I reckon it likely that he has