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hours, and devotes all the rest of his time to bufinefs, or to the private enjoyments of domeftick life. His circle of acquaintance, which might be the most extenfive in the kingdom, is exceedingly circumfcribed by his own choice; and that indefatigable man is feldom to be feen any-where but at his own boufe, or office. The minifter with whom he is upon the most intimate footing is the Minifter of Finance (Mr. de Calonne) being bimfelf the Superintendant of the Council of that department. With the other Minifters, Mefīrs. de Caftries and de Breteuit, he is upon a very cool footing. It may even be

faid, that, in respect to the last, their dispo. fitions are, in fome degree, hoftile; the Baron, on account of the neutral part Mr. de Vergennes took in Cardinal de Rohan's affair, having been exceedingly offended. But Mr. de Vergennes fears no enemy, and his Royal Mafter liftens to no reports either against him or against Marefchal de Castries, looking upon them both as the most honeft men he could put at the head of his councils. This difcrimination of the French Monarch is equally honourable to his Majesty and the two Minifters who have the confidence of their Sovereign.

LEAVES collected from the PIOZZIAN WREATH lately woven to adorn the Shrine of Dr. JOHNSON.

H

HIS FIRST DECLAMATION.
E told me too, that when he made

his first declamation, he wrote over but one copy, and that coarsely; and having given it into the hand of the tutor who stood to receive it, was obliged to begin by chance and continue on how he could, for he had got but little of it by heart; so fairly trusting to his prefent powers for immediate fupply, he finished by adding aftonishment to the applaufe of all who knew how little was owing to ftudy. "A prodigious rifque, *however," faid fome one. Not at all, (exclaims Johnson); no man, I suppose, "leaps at once into deep water who does not "know how to swim !"

I doubt not but this story will be told by many, and faid fo to him when he related it to me on the 18th July, 1773. "And who "will be my biographer (faid he) do you "think?"--Goldfmith, no doubt, replied I, and he will do it the beft among us. "The dog, to be fure, would write it beft, "replied he; but his particular malice to“wards me, and general difregard for truth, 4 would make the book ufelefs to all, and injurious to my character."

Trick'd in antique ruff and bannet,
Ode, and elegy, and fonnet.

[N. B. Mrs. Piozzi does not name the author here alluded to in the foregoing lines, but Mr. Warton, the prefent Laureat, is fupposed to be the object of the ridicule.]

Some of the old legendary ftories put in verfe by modern writers provoked him to caricature them thus one day at Streatham; but they are already well known, I am fure. The tender infant, meek and mild,

Fell down upon the store;
The nurse took up the fquealing child,
But ftill the child fqueal'd on.

A famous ballad alfo, beginning Rio verde, Rio verde, when I commended the tran@ation of it, he faid he could do it better himselfas thus :

Glaffy water, glaffy water,

Down whofe current clear and strong,
Chiefs confus'd in mutual flaughter,
Moor and Chriftian roll along.

But, Sir, faid I, this is not ridiculous at all. "Why no (replied he), why fhould I always BURLESQUE PARODIES, and other JEUX "made thefe verfes to imitate fuch a one, write ridiculously ? perhaps because I

66

D'ESPRIT.

WHEN a well-known author published his poems in the year 1777: Such a one's verfes are come out, faid I. Yes, replied Johnfon, and this froft has truck them in again. Here are fome lines I have written to ridicule them: but remember that I love "the fellow-for all I laugh at him.

Wherefoe'er I turn my view,
All is ftrange, yet nothing new:
Endlefs labour all along,
Endlefs labour to be wrong;
Phrafe that time has flung away,
Uncouth words in difarray,

" naming him:

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Se acquien los leones vence
Vence una muger hermofa
O el de flaco averguence
O ella di fer mas furiofa,

more than he thought they deserved, Mr.
Johnfon inftantly obferved, "that they were
"founded on a trivial conceit; and that con-
"ceit ill explained, and ill expreffed befide.-
"The lady, we all know, does not conquer in
"the fame manner as the lion does: 'tis a
"mere play of words (added he) and you
"might as well fay, that

If the man who turnips cries,
Cry not when his father dies,
'Tis a proof that he had rather
Have a turnip than his father."

And this humour is of the fame fort with which he answered the following line: Who rules o'er freemen should himself be free.

"To be fure (faid Dr. Johnson)

Who drives fat oxen fhould himself be fat." This readiness of finding a parallel, or making one, was fhewn by him perpetually in the courfe of converfation. When the French veríes of a certain pantomime were quoted thus,

Je suis Caffandre descendue des cieux, [fieurs,

Pour vous faire entendre, mefdames et mefQue je fuis Caffandre descendue des cieux :

he cried out gayly and fuddenly, almost in a moment,

I am Cassandra come down from the sky,
To tell each by-ftander what none can deny,
That I am Caffandra come down from the sky.
The pretty Italian verfes too at the end of
Baretti's book, called, "Easy Phraseology,”
be did all improviso, in the fame manner :

Viva! viva! la padrona!
Tutta bella, e tutta buona,
La padrona e un angiolella
Tutta buona e tutta bella;
Tutta bella e tutta buona;
Viva! viva! la padrona!

Long may live my lovely Hetty; Always young and always pretty! Always pretty, always young, Live my lovely Hetty long! Always young and always pretty, Long may live my lovely Hetty! The famous diftich too of an Italian impro. vifatore, who, when the Duke of Modena ran away from the comet in the year 1742, er 17439

Se al venir veftro i principi fen' vanno
Deb venga ogni di--durate un anno;

"Which (faid he) would do juft as well in
"our language thus:

If at your coming princes difappear,
Comets! come every day-and stay a year.”

When some one in company commended the verfes of M. de Benferade à fon lit;

Theatre des ris et des pleurs, Lit! ou je nais, et ou je meurs, Tu nous fais voir comment voifins, Son nous plaifirs, et nos chagrins. To which he replied without hesitating, "In bed we laugh, in bed we cry, "And born in bed, in bed we die; "The near approach a bed may show Of human blifs to human woe,"

A young fellow, fufficiently confident of his own abilities, lamenting one day that he had loft all his Greek-" I believe it happened at the fame time, Sir, (laid Johnson) that I loft all my large eftate in Yorkshire.

When Goldsmith was one day feeming to repine at the fuccefs of Beattie's Effay on Truth-"Here's fuch a ftir, faid he, about a fellow that has written one book, and I have written many."Ah, Doctor, (fays Johnfon) there go two-and-forty fixpences to one guinea."

When on his return from the Hebrides, a Scotchman, with a firm tone of voice, afked him what he thought of his country-"That it is a very vile country to be sure, Sir.""Well, Sir (replies the other, fomewhat mortified), God made it."-" Certainly he did, anfwers Mr. Johnfon; but we must al

ways remember that he made it for Scotchmen-and comparifons are odious, Mr. S. but God made Hell.

When Johnfon one day had been enumerating all the qualities neceffary for the formation of a poem and a poet-Mr. Grierfon began a comical parody on the ornamental harangue, giving praife to a cook, and preference to a dinner" And in this opinion, faid Johnfon, all the dogs in the town will join you

When Bickerstaffe's flight confirmed the fufpicions of his character, somebody obferved he always fufpected him, and I'm amazed, Dr. J. you could have thought otherwife"The eye, Sir, that is conttantly upon the ground cannot fail of feeing dirt-for my part, I hope to look at things from a better height."

ANACREON's DOVE.

Dr. Johnfon, knowing I kept a commonplace book, one day faid to me, good-humouredly, that he would give me fomething to

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write in my repofitory." I warrant, faid ❝he, there is a great deal about me in it :-"You fhall have at least one thing worth 66 your pains. I will repeat you Anacreon's "Dove directly; but tell at the fame time, "that I was never ftruck with any thing in "the Greek language till I read that, fo I 66 never read any thing in the fame language "fince, that pleafed me fo much. I hope my tranflation (continued he) is not worfe "than that of Frank Fawkes."-Seeing me difpofed to laugh, "Nay, nay (faid he), "Frank Fawkes has done them very finely." OD E.

LOVELY Courier of the sky,
Whence and whither doft thou fly?
Scattering, as thy pinions play,
Liquid fragrance all the way:
Is it bufinefs?-Is it Love?
Tell me, tell me, gentle Dove!

"Soft Anacreon's vows I bear, "Vows to Myrtale the fair,

"Grac'd with all that charms the heart,
"Blushing nature, fmiling art;
"Venus, courted by an Ode
"On the Bard her Dove beftow'd.
"Vested with a mafter's right,
"Now Anacreon rules my flight:
"His the letters that you fee,
"Weighty charge confign'd to me.
"Think not yet my fervice hard,
Joylefs tafk without reward;

"Smiling at my mafter's gates,
"Freedom my return awaits.
"But the liberal grant in vain
"Tempts me to be wild again;
"Can a prudent Dove decline
"Blifsful bondage fuch as mine?
"Over hills and fields to roam,
"Fortune's guest without a home;
"Under leaves to hide one's head,"
"Slightly fhelter'd, coarfely fed ;
"Now my better lot bestows
"Sweet repaft and foft repofe :
"Now the gen'rous bow! I fip,
"As it leaves Anacrem's lip;
"Void of care and free from dread,
"From his fingers fnatch his bread;
"Then with luscious plenty gay,
"Round his chamber dance and play ;
"Or from wine as courage fprings,
"O'er his face extend my wings;
"And when feaft and frolic tire,
"Drop afleep upon his lyre:
"This is all,-be quick and go,
"More than all thou canst not know;
"Let me now my pinions ply,
"I have chatter'd like a pye."

When I had finished copying the Ode,"But you must remember to add (fays Mr. “Johnson), that though these verses were "planned and begun when I was fixteen years old, I never could make an end of "them before I was fixty-eight."

[To be continued. ]

To the PHILOLOGICAL SOCIETY of LONDON.

CENTLEMEN,

THE inclofed is an original Letter to VILLARS Duke of BUCKINGHAM, from KATHARINE his wife. It was written about the year 1623, during his ftay with Prince CHARLES in the Court of Spain. —— With what unbounded tenderness this dissolute nobleman was doated on by his Lady will be best understood from the Epiftle itfelf, which is by no means published for the entertainment of the fcribbling miffes of the prefent age, who prefer the polished nothingness of a modern novel to the molt fincere effufions of a feeling heart. It is offered to thofe only who are convinced that the ardent affection of a good and beautiful woman like the Dutchefs however unadorned with refinements borrowed from a Richardfon) is a more exalted bleffing than the utmost prodigality of princes can beftow. Let me not, however, feem to detract from the merits of a writer to whom the caufe of religion and morality has infinite obligations; but proceed to explain myself by adding, that delicate and natural as the fentiments of Mr. Richardfon are, while they flow from his own pen, I have rarely met with any of his numerous female difciples, who were either fit to defcribe the paffion of love with juftness, or to excite it with fuccefs. So difficult is it to move firmly or gracefully under the preffure of an understanding more unwieldy than our own. It may be neceflary to add, for the fake of female criticks, educated in the fchool of Meffieurs Lowndes, Noble, and Lane, that the fpelling of the English language was quite unfettled, or little attended to, in the reign of James I. Many original letters of that royal pedant are still preferved, and have almost as little correctness to boast of, as the following artlefs compofition of her Grace of Buckingham. I am, &c.

"My dere Lord

"I

Humbly thanke you that you were
pleafed to right fo many letters to me,

HISTORICUS,

which was fo great a comfort to me as you canot imagen, for I protest to God I have had a greeves tim of this our greevous abfenes,

for I am fure it has bine fo to me, and my hart has felt enufe, more then I hope it fhall ever doe agane, and I pray God release me quickly out of it by your speedy coming heather agane to her that dos as derly love you as ever woman ded love you. And if every body ded love you but a quarter fo well, you were the hapyeft man that ever was borne, but that is unpoffible; but I proteft. I thinke you ar the best belov'd that ever faveritt was; for all that has true worth in them canot but love your fwett difpofition If I were not fo nere you as I thanke Chrift I am, I could fay no les if I feed truth; for I thinke there was never fuch a man borne as you ar. And how much I am. bound to God that I must be that hapye woman to injoy you from all outher women, and the unworthieft of all to have fo great a blefing! Only this can I fay for myfelf, you could never a had on that could love you better then your poore true loving Carte doth, pocre now in your abfenes,but elle the hapyeft and richest woman in the world. I thanke you for your longe letters. I thinke I muft give Sir Frances Cottington thanks for it to, because you fay he bad you night longe letters. I am beholding to him for it, because I am fure he knue they could never be to longe for me; for it is all the Comfort-I have now, to read often over your letters. My reafon I defired you not to do it was, for fear of trubling you to much; but feus you thinke it non, I am much bound to you for it, and I befeche you to contenne it. I hope you fee by this I have not omed righting by any that went, for this is the fixtenth letter (at the left) I have righten to you fens you went, whereof two of them I fent by coman pofts, but I hope they will all

com fafly to your hands. I thank you for fending me fo good nufe of your younge Mittres. I am very glad that she is fo delikat a creatur, and of fo fwett a difpoficion. Inded, my Lady Brifto fent me word thee was a verie fine lady, and as good as fine. I am very glad of it, and that the Prince liks her so well, for the Kinge fes he is wonderfully taken with her. It is a wonderfull good hearing, for it were grett pettye but the Prince should have on he can love, becaufe 1 thinke he will make a very honeft husband, which is the greatest comfort in this world, to have nan and wife love truly. I tould the Kinge of the privat mefage the Infanta fent to the Prince, to were a great roufe. He Jaft hartely at it, and feed it was a very goode fine I am very glad that you fend to hafen the fhips. I hope you men not to staye longe, which I am very glade of. The Kinge tould me to daye, that my father should go with the fl-et. If you intend to ftay tell the Princes comming, then I humbly thanke you for making choys of my father; but if y›u com hom afore, as I trust in God you will, then I confefe I wood have nobody go in your ofes but yourself: therfore I pray thinke of it, and you may take my father with you if you pleafe. I wood I might go with you. I can find you no cartan word yett of my being with child, but I am not out of hope ; butt we must refere all to God. As fone as I am quick, I will fend you word if I be with child. I thanke God Mall is very well with her wening. This with my daly prayers for our hapy metting, I take my leve.

Your loving and obedent wife,

K. BUCKINGHAM. "I pray send me word when you com.”

OBSERVATIONS on LONGEVITY. By ANTHONY FOTHERGILL, M. D. F. R.S. [From the "MEMOIRS of the LITERARY SOCIETY of MANCHESTER."]

I HAVE often thought, it would be an

ufeful undertaking to collect into one point of view, the memorable instances of longhved perions, whofe ages are recorded by monumental infcriptions, biographical writings, or even by the public prints. The only judicious attempt I have yet feen of this Mad, was by the ingenious Mr. Whiteburt, a few years ago, in his Inquiry into the Ori gin and Formation of the Earth. To the examples of longevity mentioned by him, as collected by a perfon of veracity from the above fources, I have now added fundry remarkable inftances of a fimilar kind, as they have occurred to me in the courfe of reading; and have annexed the authorities, (fo far as was practicable) that you may be enabled to EUROP. MAC.

judge of the degree of credibility that may feem due to the respective facts, and of the allowance which it may appear neceffary to make for that natural propenfity which mankind have ever betrayed for the marvellous. Now, admitting that many of the ages may have been fomewhat exaggerated, yet till there can be no potible doubt, that even thefe have extended far beyond the ordinary period of life, and may therefore be entitled to a place in the following Tables, which I fubmit to your confideration, as a fmall fpecimen of what might be more worthy your attention, if conducted hereafter on a larger fcale, and purfure with chronological accu

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William Walker, aged 112, not mentioned above, who was a Soldier at the

Battle of Edge-Hill.

[4] Fuller's Worthies, p. 140. [b] Phil. Trant. abridged by Low thorp, vol. III. p. 3 6.

[e] Derham's Phyfico Theology, p. 173. dj Annual Reguler.

[e] Daily Advertiser, Nov. 18, 1777[] Warwickshire.

Daily Advertiser, March 1774[h Morning Poft, Feb. 29, 1750. [] Daily Advertiser, Jane 24, 1755.

[4] Ibidem, August 22, 1776.

See Infeription in the Portico of Al

Saints Church.

[m] London Even. Poft, Aug. 22. 1-83. [] London Chronicle, Oft. 5, 1780. 101 Northamp. Mercury, Feb. 19, 1781 [p] Gen. Evening Post, March 24. 1781. [9] Well known to perfons of credit at Northampan.

Died

Feb. 19, 1781 [0]

March 17, 1781 1]

April 5. 1775 [

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