Driver give an account of it to my fifter-in-law when they came in to fupper, and how, as he faid," he had tallyho'd old Squaretoes, as he flunk from his kennel."

My brother, you must know, has a mind to be a parliament-man, and fo he invites all the country, high and low, to eat and drink with him and sometimes I have been fadly out of countenance, and fo have we all, when fome of his old acquaintance have told long stories of things which happened to them formerly, though ten to one my brother does not remember a fyllable of them. As t'other day, when our fchoolmaster's fon Samuel put him in mind of their going together to Edinburgh for the first time, and how they had but one pair of filk stockings between them; and my brother had them on in the morning to fee a gentleman who was first coufin to an Eaft-India Director, and Sam got them in the evening to visit the Principal of the college; and all this before Sir Harry Driver, Lord Squanderfield, and Lady Betty Lampoon.

Then my brother is turned an improver, which every body fays is an excellent way of laying out his money, and is fo public fpirited and the planner who has come to give directions about it tells us, that in a few years hence he will get five pounds for every five fhillings he lays out now in

that way. In the mean time, however, it gives him a fad deal of trouble; when every thing is refolved upon to day, 'tis a chance but it is all turned topfy-turvey to-morrow; for his voters,. as they call the gentlemen on my brother's fide of the queftion, who come to vifit us, has every one their own opinion, and are always giving him advice how to do things for the best. One told him lately, he fhould level fuch a piece of ground which is in fight of the bow-window in the 'drawing-room; another, a few mornings after, blamed this firft adviser for want of tafte, and faid he would give 500 guineas for fuch a knoll in the very spot where they had levelled it; and fo they are building rocks there, and, planting them as faft as they can. He pulled down a piece of an old church that stood in the way of what they call the approach to the houfe; and prefently a gentleman from England told. him a ruin was the very thing wanted in that: place, and fo the old church must be built up aLord Squanderfield advised him to make a piece of water in the garden; and they had almoft finished it, when Lady Betty convinced him that in fummer it would be a puddle, as the termed it, that would ftink him out of his house,. and fly-blow every bit of meat at his table.

new.

Lady

Lady Betty has been very useful to my fifterin-law too about the choice of the furniture, though that likewife has been a troublesome job, owing to bad advice in the beginning. We had got fofas and stuffed chairs in the drawing-room, which my Lady has made her change for cabrioles; and the damask beds fhe has perfuaded her are not in the leaft fit for a country houfe; and fo they are all taken down, and chintzes put up in their place.

In the fame fhip with the blacks, my brother brought down a great collection of pictures, which were purchased for him at a fale in London, and are worth, I am told, Lord knows how much,. though he got them, as he affures us, for an old fong; and yet feveral of them I have heard cost fome hundreds of pounds. But this, between ourfelves, is the most plaguy of all his fineries. Would you believe it, Sir, he is obliged to be two or three hours every morning in the gallery with a little book in his hand, like a poor fchoolboy, getting by heart the names and the ftories of all the men and women that are painted there, that he may have his leffon pat for the company. that are to walk and admire the paintings till dinner is ferved up. And yet, after all, he is fometimes mistaken about them, as laft Thursday he told a gentleman that was looking at the pic

tures,

tures, that the half-naked woman above the chimney-piece was done for one Caroline Marrot, (I suppose from the picture fome Mifs no better than fhe fhould be); whereas the gentleman, Mr Gufto, declared it was as like Widow Renny as one egg is like another.

I could tell you a great deal more of embarraffments and vexations in the enjoyment of our good fortune; but I am fure I must have wearied you by my fcribble fcrabble account of what I have told. It will be fufficient to fhow you that Mr. Homespun has not fo much cause for envy as from his letter I prefume he feels against us, and will I hope alfo procure a little of your good counsel how to make a comi fo life fomewhat more comfortable to the greatest part of our family, and in particular to your humble fervant,

MARJORY MUSHROOM.

Z

No. 37. SATURDAY, October 15. 1785.

HE mythology of the ancients has given

Trife to many an elegant allufion, and ador

ned many a beautiful defcription.

In a book published lately at Paris, containing an account of the principal gems in the cabinet of the Duke of Orleans, is the following excellent illustration of the pleasing effects of the popular religion of antiquity,

"The delightful fictions built on their religious fyftem," fays the author of this work, “ have peopled and animated all nature, and made a solemn temple of the vast universe. Those flowers, whofe varied and shining beauty we so much admire, are the tears of Aurora. It is the breath of Zephyrus which gently agitates the leaves. The foft murmurs of the waters are the fighs of the Naiads. A god impels the winds. A god pours out the rivers. Grapes are the gift of Bacchus. Ceres prefides over the harvest. Orchards are the care of Pomona. Does a fhepherd found his reed on the fummit of a mountain, it is Pan who with his pastoral pipe returns the amorous lay. When the fportfman's horn

roufes