CHAP. XXIX. Say, thou inconstant, what has Damon done, And had he lov'd you more, he less had charm'd. LORD LYTTELTON. ALMOST at the same time that Lords Courtney entered the Italian States, Clayton was preparing to leave them, in consequence of the following epistle from his sister: "This comes with my great grief to inform you, that our kind friend, and worthy uncle is no more, being fairly run down by death, and obliged to give in after a hard chace. He never was well after he breathed the confounded smoke of London; all the time he was there, he looked like a cow in a cage, and when he returned into the country, his appetite had failed, and he could not bear the sight even of a round of beef or a venison pasty; which I thought looked very dangerous, for you know they used to be his favorite morsels. He had three physicians, which to be sure might be against him; but he was so bad one night, that I thought he had fairly stole away, so foolishly in my fright sent for one, and he proposed sending for two more; for I do suppose they play into each other's hands when when they can. So they came every day to consult, as they pretended, but I never heard any consultation they had, excepting about the news or taxes, or weather; and as they met in the blue room, I generally heard them giving their opinion, as they called it, which they certainly did on every subject but their patient; who, however, might not fare worse for their silence; and perhaps they thought, ' least said, soonest mended.' I hope you will leave foreign parts directly you receive this, for I am terribly down in the mouth, and my eyes water from morning till night, with thinking of the kind friend we have lost; he was a true Englishman born and bred; and as honest a man as ever sat on horseback; he was staunch as the best hound in his pack, though docile as a spaniel; there are few left like him, seeing he was one of them, now affected to be despised or laughed at; that is to say, a worthy country squire, a title, in my opinion, more respectable than that of a town lord; and I believe his tenants will be of my way of thinking. "I doubt I shall be as soft as a turnip before you come back, for I have no heart to get out of doors; indeed my Highflyer goes very tenderly yet on his off fore foot, and has hung his toe ever since the confounded farrier pared him into the quick; I wish I had the paring of the rascal's ears, for I have now no pleasure in getting on to my saddle, and never was one that could find much entertainment within doors, not having any turn for book-learning, my uncle being no way given to it; and indeed, I cannot think there is much good in it, seeing that every year there are a vast number of new books published, and that we grow neither wiser nor better for reading them, but rather worse, if we may believe what the writers themselves say about the times. "The grass is down, and we have heavy crops; the corn likewise looks very well, and and stands rank; in short, the estate to which you have succeeded, is smiling in peace and plenty; you come to no rackrents, or lands out of heart; and God grant you may live to enjoy it many years in health and happiness, and be as much beloved as the late. worthy pos sessor was. "I am, dear brother, "with my loving service to you, 66 your dutiful, " and affectionate sister, "FRANCES CLAYTON." Whatever our readers may think of this composition, the writer considered it as a very serious undertaking, for she had never written so long an epistle in her life before; and indeed seldom took a pen in her hand, but to give a receipt, or make out the pedigree of a horse. The eloquenee of Demosthenes however could not have produced more sudн 4 den |