While I am writing, the poft has brought your kind letter. Do not think with dejection of your own condition; a little patience. will probably give you health, it will certainly give you riches, and all the accommodations that riches can procure.

Now

LETTER CCCXLIX.

To Mrs. THRA L E.

I am broken loofe, my friends feem willing enough to fee me. On Monday I dined with Paradife; Tuesday, Hoole; Wednesday, Dr. Taylor; to-day, with Jodrel; Friday, Mrs. Garrick; Saturday, Dr. Brocklesby; next Monday, Dilly.

But I do not now drive the world about; the world drives or draws me. I am very weak; the old diftrefs of fleeplesnefs comes again upon me. I have however one very Strong

VOL. II.

Bb

ftrong basis of health, an eager appetite and ftrong digestion.

Queeney's letter I expected before now: Sufy is likewife in debt. I believe I am in debt to Sophy, but the dear Loves ought not to be too rigorous.

Dr. Taylor has taken St. Margaret's, in Westminster, vacant by Dr. Wilson's death: how long he will keep it I cannot guess: it is of no great value, and its income confifts much of voluntary contributions.

WH

London, May 31, 1784.

HY you expected me to be better than I am I cannot imagine: I am better than any that faw me in my illness ever expected

to

to have seen me again. I am however at a great diftance from health, very weak and very afthmatick, and troubled with my old nocturnal diftreffes; so that I am little asleep in the night, and in the day too little awake.

I have one way or other been disappointed hitherto of that change of air, from which I think fome relief may poffibly be obtained; but Bofwel and I have fettled our refolution to go to Oxford on Thursday. But fince I was at Oxford, my convivial friend Dr. Edwards and my learned friend Dr. Wheeler are both dead, and my probabilities of pleafure are very much diminished. Why, when fo many are taken away, have I been yet spared! I hope that I may be fitter to die.

How long we shall stay at Oxford, or what we shall do when we leave it, neither Bozzy nor I have yet fettled; he is for his part refolved to remove his family to London and try his fortune at the English bar: let us all with him fuccefs.

Think of

me, if

you can, with tenderness.

I am, Madam,

Your, &c.

I

LETTER CCCLI.

To Mrs. THRAL E.

DEAR MADAM,

London, June 17, 1784.

RETURNED last night from Oxford after a fortnight's abode with Dr. Adams, who treated me as well as I could expect or wifh ; and he that contents a fick man, a man whom it is impoffible to please, has furely done his part well. I went in the common vehicle with very little fatigue, and came back I think with lefs. My ftomach continues good, and according to your advice I fpare neither afparagus nor peas, and hope to do good execution upon all the fummer fruits. But my nights are bad, very bad; the asthma attacks me often, and the dropfy is watching an opportunity to return. I hope I have checked it, but great caution must be used, and indeed great caution is not a high price for health or ease.

What I fhall do next I know not; all my fchemes of rural pleasure have been fome way

or

or other disappointed.

I have now fome

thought of Lichfield and Afhbourne. Let me

know, dear Madam, your deftination.

THIS

an agreeable young man, and likely enough to do all that he defigns. I received him as one fent by you has a right to be received, and I hope he will tell you that he was fatisfied; but the initiatory converfation of two ftrangers is feldom pleasing or inftructive to any great degree, and ours was fuch as other occafions of the fame kind produce.

A meffage came to me yesterday to tell me that Macbean, after three days of illness, is dead of a fuppreffion of urine. He was one