needs not to you, as alfo that you will rightly understand this, which is affectionatly intended by your moft affeured reall conftant friend,

"CHARLES R."

Superforibed, "For the Lords and Gentlemen Committies of the Scots Parliament, together with the Officers of that Army."

Mr. URBAN,

THE

Dec. 9.

HE following extract of a letter from Dr. JOHNSON to a friend in Scotland, dated at Buxton, was found among the papers of a diftinguished literary character not long fince deceased; but with a note fubjoined that it was fuppofed not to be by Dr. Johnson, but by Mr. Erikine in imitation of the Doctor's ftyle.

FORTUNE often delights to exalt what Nature has neglected; and that renown which cannot be claimed by intrinfic excellence is often derived from accident. The Rubicon was ennobled by the paffage of Cæfar; and the bubbling up of a ftream in the middle of a lime quarry has given celebrity to Buxton. The waters, in which it is agreed no mineral properties refide, and which feem to have no better claim to fuperior heat than what is derived from comparing them with the almoft Siberian atmofphere that furrounds them, are laid however to poffefs a spirit, which, though too volatile and unknown to receive a name from the chemifts of graver ages, have in this fanciful æra, when macaroni philofophers hold flirtation with Icience, taken the lead of all the other elements; and those whofe nerves have found no relief in change of fky, or variety, feek for a refuge here in fixed air.

It is indeed amazing, the avidity with which all ranks of mankind feek after that health which they have voluntarily alienated to difeafe; like Methodists, who hope for falvation through faith without works, invalids come here, in hopes to find in the well that vi

gour they loft in the bowl, and to absorb in the bath the moisture that evaporated at the ball or maf querade. For this purpose they venture to this dreary fpot, which contemplates with envy the highlands of Scotland, furrounded by barren mountains, beaten by storms almoft perpetual, where fcarce an inhabitant is to be feen, unless when the Sun, whofe appearance is juftly confidered as one of the wonders of the Peak, draws them out from a curiofity natural to man, to wonder into what cavern the ftorm has retired. Yet this is Summer; and if the Winter holds its natural proportion, the inhabitants of the hall, who are not 30 yards from the well, muft pafs months without any communication with it.

Yet the fame folly which created disease, for the cure of which fo much is fuffered, obftructs the operation of the remedy, from which fo much is hoped; animated by the appetite, which even the deluent power of common water, aflifted by the vibration of diurnal exercife, and the collifive hilarity of reciprocal falutation, would give to a body obftructed by gluttony and reft, they devour with delicious hunger a farinaceous fpunge, with its interftices undulated in butter, which might fmile with contempt at the peristaltic exertions of an elephant, and of which the digeftion would be no lefs an evil than the obftruction; if obftructed, it convulfes the ftomach with rancid exhalations; and if by its gravity it finds its way to the bowels, it tumities them with flatulent paroxifms of wind; by its detention in both it becomes acrimonious and mephitic; and while its fumes arife and falute the brain with palfy, its capul mortuum defcends, and lays the foundation of fiftula. Very providentially, however, the evils of breakfast are not aggravated by the dinner; dinner is rather a ceremony here than a repast, and those that are delicate

and

and fick acquire popularity, by diffeminating amongst the multitude that food which nothing but rude health, both of body and mind, can digeft. When it is finished, the Chaplain calls upon the company to be thankful for what they have received; and the company, remembering they have breakfafted, join in the thanksgiving.

The evils of the day are likewife happily alleviated by the early hours of going to bed; and if fleep fortakes the pillow, even fancy itfelf cannot charge it to the fupper. There are, notwithstanding, here upwards of 200 people, who, by talking continually of how much Nature has left undone, and how little Art has done for the place, increase the pleen they hope to cure at it; who fpeak with rapture

of the beauties and pleasures of

Matlock, which though within their reach they never go to; and who, hoping by the power of imagination to convert a fmoaking cauldron into a cold bath, relax and wafte to fenfitive agony thofe fibres which, from the comfortlefs ftate of Buxton, and of the beft well which Nature gives to man to drink of, require the tenfion of the bowftring and the rigour of steel.

Mr. URBAN,

Yout

Nov. 13. YOU have given in p. 981, a pretty correct account of the manner in which Mr. John Heathcote died; but, in following the news-papers, you have egregioufly miftaken the inanner in which his property was difpoled of, as well as its amount. The following firictly accurate account of both is much at your fervice.

The late baronet by his will left two eftates of the annual value of 8ool, each to his two youngest fons, John and Robert, to qualify them (as he faid) for feats in Parliament. On the decease of either, his landed property was directed to defcend, not to Sir Gilbert, but to the furviving younger brother. The eftate

in queftion, therefore, which is what you call "his feat in the country," is now in the poffeffion of his younger brother, Mr. R. Heathcote (the gentleman who accompanied Mr. Kemble to Paris, where he now is).

His houfe in town will be fold, and, together with his funded property, amounting in all to about 110,000l. will be divided in equal fhares between the dowager Lady Heathcote, his brother Sir Gilbert, his fifter (married to General Grofvenor, member for Chefter), and his brother Robert.

I know not that any ufe can be made of what I trouble you with : it is, however, perfectly accurate. Yours, &c.

Mr. URBAN,

E.

Dec. 3.

HAD you, D. 1997, called for

your correfpondent Oxo

As

fome of the late numbers of your Repofitory, which might have efcaped attention during the vacation, he might perhaps have anticipated fome remarks, which I have with-held, in hopes that the subject might be taken up by fome abler hand, and from a ftill more proper quarter; particularly if any member of that Society, to which Dr. Richard Newton was at leaft a benefactor (if not a. founder of it, as a college), had feen how harshly he is treated in a pamphlet, from which your Reviewer, p. 637, quotes a paragraph and note. your former pages make frequent and juftly honourable mention of him, perhaps you will give me an opportunity to refer your readers to his book. It probably did not occafion much difficulty to "difcover" the author, as I have now before me the first edition printed for Ofborn and Rivington in 1743, and a third in 1745, in the latter of which, as well as in the second, he added to the preface fome pages, containing a fimilar charge then made againft him, and his own anfwer to it. I leave them both to fpeak for themfelves, as the book

can

can without doubt be eafily procured that University; and if any one will take the trouble to transcribe them for you, I doubt not your willingness to do juftice to departed merit. I would first give his cenfurer credit for fome inaccuracy of language only, if there is not a typographical omiffion of the fmall but material word "there," in the fifth line from the bottom of the note, and make allowance for his ufing the word " Prefbyterian" in confequence of the title page of the work, where it is faid to be " by a Prefbyter of the Church of England."

Of the Doctor's fincerity in his avowed offer to refign his living, if he might be permitted to leave his refident curate as his fucceffor, the fubfequent fact of his actually fo doing about the year 1746, is a fair confirmation. If, of near 40 years incumbency, he refided almoft 20, Oxford knows how he paffed the remainder. It is a prefumptive proof in his favour, that the Right Reverend patron of the rectory, the Bishop of London, permitted him fo late in life to nominate his then curate for his Lordship's prefentation. And this gentleman did credit to his rector's recommendation by near forty years refidence and exemplary conduct, dying in July 1786, on the rectorial premifes. And to the liberality of mind in this latter rector, I ought not to omit this opportunity of doing fome degree of juftice, which is due to him from myself. Mr. Saunders being a bachelor, and having not any relations near to him either in point of fituation or affinity, after bequeathing to the next of kin his other property, left his fucceffor the option of accepting his household furniture and library, in lieu of any dilapidations, for which he was apprehenfive demands might be made, in confequence of a temporary neglect of fome repairs during an interval of abfence through illness. The felection of the library, which con

tained many proofs of Dr. Newton's zeal, industry, and abilities for promoting the cause of religion and ufeful learning, was proof of the judgement of the owner as a fcholar and a clergyman. The option left no doubt about its acceptance with the immediate fucceffor, your present correfpondent; and the fucceffive incumbents have accepted the fame; more than one having fince been presented by a venerable Patron, whom Oxford will long remember as an honour to its University when a Profeffor, and to its diocefe when Prelate. Yours, &c.

Mr. URBAN,

E. J.

Dec. 8.

SEND, for the amufement of your readers, fome fpecimens of Pope's imitations of antient writers; which feem hitherto to have efcaped the observation of his editors:

1. Prologue to the Satires. "Pretty in amber to observe the forms

worms;

Of hairs, or straws, or dirt, or grubs, or [rare, The things we know are neither rich nor But wonder how the devil they came there."

Martial, VI. 15. "Dum Phaetonteà formica vagatur in umbra

Implicuit tenuem fuccine gutta feram,

Sic modo quæ fuerat vià contempta ma.

nente,

Funeribus facta est nunc prætiosa suis." 2. Effay on Man, B. IV. "Or why fo long, in life if long can be, Lent Heaven a parent to the poor and me." Virg. Æn. X. v. 861. "Rhoebe diu, res fi qua diu mortalibus Viximus." [ulla eft,

3. Rape of the Lock. "Trivial the fuhject, but not so the praife." Virgil's Georg.

In tenui labor, at tenuis non gloria.”

4. Dunciad, Book IV. "Tis true on words is still our whole debate,

Difpute of me or te, of aut or et.”

Greek Epigram. Γωνιεβομβυκες μονοσυλλαβοι δισι μιμηθ Το σφιν και σφωι», και το μιν ηδε τον», Yours, &c. E. O. E.

Mr.