in taking them; that I had no symptom of any disease whatever: he mentioned also, in confidence, that notice had been taken of my intimacy with Mrs. Forty; that there were some ladies not far from the well, strangers altogether to my poor dear, in whom religion had turned from milk, and soured into vinegar; who had little hope of being talked ill of themselves, and who made it a moral duty to slide themselves in upon the market-jury of every character, and give a verdict against them upon their own knowledge; particularly if there were any circumstance that made it an act of common mercy, in those canters of slanderous litanies, to be silent or merciful.-"My dear sir," said he, "let not women complain of their injuries from men, when they are such odious beasts in devouring one another."In truth, my dear Dick, it is frightful to see how little they can spare their friends, when they can make them the pretexts for venting their infernal malice. I confess it has added to my sickness of heart against that country *, of which I have really deserved so much.

You can scarcely believe what a difference I find here-courted and cherished by strangers; I assure you the question of celebrity between the royal tiger and me is not quite decided. The change of scene is amusing, so is the diversity of characters: there is a moral benefit in the change of scene; you look back to the niche you filled, and you see it not: how minute then must be the little thing that filled it! Here too every body is as intimate with me as I permit. I really be

Ireland: the censorious ladies in question were his country women..

gin to think that the best tenure of earthly attachment is tenantry at will. You have the use of the soil, and the way-going crop; then nothing you plant shoots so deeply but you may remove it without injury to the soil or to itself. If affections strike their roots far into the heart, they cannot be pulled up without laceration and blood. I am not without an idea of cutting you altogether: I could easily get into parliament, and on my own terms, but the object would not justify a purchase; and I need not tell you, I would not submit to restrictions.

You will be surprised when I tell you, that I have the highest authority for knowing that the silly malice of the Castle has not had the smallest impression on a certain high quarter. As I have jilted Mrs. Forty, my head is getting better, and I shall try and write. I may as well stay here some time as any where else: I am afraid of London; however, I can't but pay a visit to the Duke of Sussex. Will you enclose "Wagram *” to Mr. Reeves, and add my respects, and request that he will have the goodness to forward it to me to Cheltenham. The post is just going out, -write to me by return: best regards to the hill. I begin to think that "compliments to all inquiring friends" generally dwindles into a sinecure. What of the poor Priory? We have passed some happy and innocent days there. God bless you, dear Dick, prays very sincerely yours,

J. P. C.

P. S. These senators are in bed, or this should pass more free than I have ever been able to do.

* Lines, composed by Mr. Curran.

MR. CURRAN TO R. HETHERINGTON, ESQ.

DEAR DICK,

DUBLIN.

My last was in spleen and haste; this is a postscript. I can scarcely add what I should have said, because I forget what I did say: no doubt I was too vain not to brag of the civility I have met, and consequently of the good taste of every body. Did I say anything of the Italian countess, or the French count her uncle, whose legs and thighs are turned into grasshopper springs by a canister-shot at the battle of Novi? She talks of going westward; as Irish scandal does not talk Italian, and as she can't speak English, she may be safe enough, particularly with the assistance of a Venetian blind! Dear Dick, God help us! I find I am recovering fast from the waters; I think I'll drink no more of them; my nerves are much more composed, and my spirits, though far from good, are more quiet. Why may not the wretch of to-morrow be happy to-day? I am not much inclined to abstract optimism, but I often think Pope was right when he said, that "whatever is, is right," though he was perhaps too shallow a moralist to know, not why he thought so, but why he said so; probably 'twas like your own poetry, he made the ends of the lines jingle for the sake of the rhyme.

Apropos of jingle. I forgot, I believe, to beg of you to send me two copies of "Oh Sleep!" I

wrote it for Braham. correct.

I suppose the air not

Did I beg of you to see and to direct James as to the erections at the barn? don't forget it; because, perhaps, I may see the Priory once again. I dreamt last night of your four-horse stable, and was glad to find all well.

You can scarcely believe what a good humoured compromise I am coming into with human malice, and folly, and unfixedness. By reducing my estimate of myself, every collateral circumstance sets out modestly on the journey of humility and good sense, from the sign of the Colossus to that of the Pigmy, where the apartments are large and ample for the lodger and his train.

Just as before, the post is on my heels,Richard has only time to put this in the office. I shall probably soon write more at leisure.Compliments at the hill: ditto repeated shaking the bottle.

J. P. C.

The Scotch indorser of this gave me my dinner yesterday;-champagne and soda. He votes with the minister. I gave a lecture, and got glory for rebuking a silly fellow, that tried to sing an improper song in the presence of his son, "Thunders of applause."

MR. CURRAN TO R. HETHERINGTON, ESQ.

DEAR DICK,

DUBLIN.

Cheltenham.

I HAVE not been well here-these old blue devils, I fear, have got a lease of me. I wonder the more at it, because I have been in a constant round of very kind and pleasant society. Tomorrow Sir Frederick Falkener and I set out for London. I don't turn my face to the metropolis con amore, but the Duke of Sussex might not take it well if I did not call upon him-so I go, being at once an humble friend and a patriot. Low as I have been myself in spirits, I could not but be attracted with the style of society and conversation here, particularly the talents and acquirements of females,-I am sorry to say, few of them our country women. The vulgarity, too, and forwardness of some of our heroes quite terrible. On the whole, however, perhaps, I am the better for the jaunt.

MR. CURRAN TO D. LUBE, ESQ. DUBLIN.

London, 1814.

DEAR LUBE, As I sit down to write, I am broken in upon. In sooth, I had little to say;-the mere sending this is full proof that I have escaped being supped upon by Jones's landlord, or any of his subjects. I sailed Wednesday night, and arrived here at half past six this morning, soured and sad. Kings and generals are as cheap as dirt, and yet so much