rusal of the book, there is nothing else in the whole six volumes that can be thought to hint

at him.

Ever yours,

TO MR. EDWARDS.

T. EDWARDS.

London, July 12, 1756.

THANK

you, my dear Mr. Edwards, for your reproof of me for want of complaisance to my really worthy wife. I read it to her-O how she chuckled! She ever loved Edwards!

And I love that you should Betsey-But, ah these bachelors! They may afford to be com plaisant to your sex. But I think I will no more complain to Mr. Edwards, child, whoever I tell my tale to!

I have written to Cuddesden, to know when

the hay-harvest will be over. I am a very cockney but I shall, perhaps, understand by the answer, when a visit into Buckinghamshire

may

may most conveniently, to certain respectable persons, be extended into Oxfordshire. I hope I shall be able to make the excursion before the summer is over.

You received the militia bill, I hope, as it passed the house of commons.

Have you seen Warton on the genius and writings of Pope? an amusing piece of chit

chat.

Have you seen Johnson's proposals for a new edition of Shakespeare? I will inclose you one of them.

All my family are at Parson's Green. What a profusion of pinks, honey-suckles, lilies, succeed the gaudy ranunculuses there! If change of air, and the exercise, would do you good, how glad should we be to see you there, were it but for one week! Miss Pennington is again with them. Miss Prescott obliged them with her company for some time, and was rewarded with amended health; having been in a bad way before she tried that air.

Miss Westcomb, Miss R-, Miss J——, are

well.

well. They desired, when I saw them last, to be remembered to you in the kindest manner. How do all the people I have named love you! Between you and me, I have reason to believe, that Miss Westcomb stays longer in town than she at first intended, for the conveniency of being courted by a very agreeable young gentleman; of whom she has had a very good account-Scudamore his name, of Hereford

shire.

Why, why, will not the prudence of our ministers justify our expectations of better success than we have hitherto met with, from our fleets, were it but to furnish one paragraph that might be thought tolerable by my dear friend, in a letter which contains so many of no importance ?

Adieu, my dear Mr. Edwards !—God restore you to perfect health! and make your good Mr. Williams his happy instrument to bring about an end so desirable! prays

Your ever affectionate and faithful

S. RICHARDSON.

WILL you permit me to take this opportu nity, in sending a letter to Dr. Young, to address myself to you? It is very long ago, that I wished to do it. Having finished your Clarissa, (oh! the heavenly book!) I would have pray'd you to write the history of a manly Clarissa, but I had not courage enough at that time. I should have it no more to-day, as this is only my first English letter-but I have it! It may be, because I am now Klopstock's wife,

(I believe