as will appear by the following Letter, which I communicate with much pleafure, as it gives me at once an opportunity of recording the fraternal kindnefs of Thomson, and reflecting on the friendly affiftance of Mr. Bofwell, from whom I received it. 66 "Hagley in Worcestershire, "October the 4th, 1747. My dear Sifter, "I thought you had known me bet "ter than to interpret my filence into a decay of affection, especially as your "behaviour has always been fuch as rather to increafe than diminish it. "Don't imagine, because I am a bad "correfpondent, that I can ever prove 5 66 an "an unkind friend and brother. I must 66 my "do myself the juftice to tell you, that affections are naturally very fixed " and conftant; and if I had ever rea"fon of complaint against you (of which "by the bye I have not the least sha dow), I am confcious of fo many de"fects in myself, as difpofe me to be "not a little charitable and forgiving. "It gives me the trueft heart-felt "fatisfaction to hear you have a good "kind husband, and are in easy con"tented circumftances; but were they "otherwise, that would only awaken "and heighten my tenderness towards 66 you. As our good and tender-hearted 66 parents did not live to receive any "material teftimonies of that higheft "human "human gratitude I owed them (than "which nothing could have given me equal pleasure), the only return I can "make them now is by kindness to "thofe they left behind them: would "to God poor Lizy had lived longer, "to have been a farther witness of the "truth of what I fay, and that I might "have had the pleasure of feeing once "more a fifter, who fo truly deserved 66 66 my esteem and love. But fhe is hap py, while we must toil a little longer "here below: let us however do it "chearfully and gratefully, fupported by the pleafing hope of meeting yet again on a safer fhore, where to recol"lect the ftorms and difficulties of life "will not perhaps be inconfiftent with "that "that blifsful ftate. You did right to "call your daughter by her nanie; for you must needs have had a particular "tender friendship for one another, endeared as you were by nature, by having paft the affectionate years of "your youth together; and by that great foftner and engager of hearts, "mutual hardship. That it was in my 66 power to eafe it a little, I account one "of the most exquifite pleasures of my "life. But enough of this melancholy though not unpleafing strain. "I eftcem you for your fenfible and "difinterested advice to Mr. Bell, as you will fee by my Letter to him: as "I approve intirely of his marrying « don't marry at all. My circumftances "have hitherto been fo variable and un"certain in this fluctuating world, as "induce to keep me from engaging in "fuch a flate: and now, though they "are more fettled, and of late (which "you will be glad to hear) confiderably improved, I begin to think myself "too far advanced in life for fuch "youthful undertakings, not to men"tion fome other petty reafons that are "apt to startle the delicacy of difficult "old batchelors. I am, however, not 66 a little fufpicious that was I to pay "a vifit to Scotland (of which I have "fome thoughts of doing foon) I might' poffibly be tempted to think of a thing not eafily repaired, if done amifs. "I have |