wonder at it, for you know her heart and foul "was rapit up in his, as to hows bing the next "heir I believe it will be how my Lord pleases, he "is in ye Country & my Lady is with us fhe cant " go to her own houfe I belive the will go ftrait "to england to Mifs Bour, I was very unfortunate "to be in the country when our Vaux Hall was, if "I was in Town I fho'd be thear & I believe I "fhoud be much more delighted than at a publicker "devertion, I am quit alterd fince I faw you, there " is nothing I love fo much as folitude; I dont be"live it was Mr. knox you read of at Bath, for he "is hear and pray write me word when you faw " or heard from Mr. Crump.-is out Town "this tow months paft every-in the Country, "Dublin is ye ftupites place in the world "I hope ye winter will be moretho I fee "know great Liklihood of it, for I belive Shredian 66 can get know body to play with him is doing all "he can to get frinds for him fef to be sure you "have hread he is marrd for firtain to Mifs Cham"berlan a fweet pare, "Papa & mama & Mifs Betty & Mifs Kittys fin❝cer love and compts to yu & yr mama yr Littel "Hufband fends you ten Thousand kiffes he whiffes "he had you hear to give ym to you he fays they "wod be fwe- Lipes than on paper without ❝ making F4 Compts he fhakes me fo I cant Mifs Bellamy will excufe this "Dublin auguft 31. "I must bid a due & fhall "orly fay I am my D1 your "ever affecnat. "M. GUNNING. "Mrs Judy begs Leave to give her Compts to you, & is rejoyes'd to hear you are well, fhe is in "a very bad ftate of healht." Mr. Calcraft was now, feverely afflicted with the gout in his head, which claimed all my attention. For notwithstanding the contemptuous light I held him in, I could not be infenfible to, his pain on this occafion. I have always found illness, as I have already obferved, to endear even a perfon that is indifferent, and almost a stranger to me. How much more then must it do fo, when the object of my concern was conftantly in my fight? He was unhappy if I did not put the bags with feeds to his eyes; which, he faid, no perfon could do but myfelf. In fhort, I attended him with the fame affidu- ́ ity and tenderness, as if I had been really his wife. As for my qualifications in the beguine profeffion, I have already told you what my dear Mifs Conway ufed used to fay of them.-There is certainly a great pleasure attends the being both able and willing to adminifter to the wants of our fellow creatures. Mankind have a mutual claim upon each other for thefe acts of kindness, when indifpofition renders them needful.-We know not how foon we may require ourselves the aiding hand. G. A. B. LETTER LXIV. May 10, 17 ABOUT this time Mr. Dodsley, a gentleman justly admired for his private virtues, as well as his literary productions, offered Mr. Rich a tragedy called "Cleone." The fituations in the piece were most affecting. And the subject of it being a family diftrefs, that pre-determined the public in its favour. The fuccefs of it depended entirely upon the heroine, which fell to my lot. And this, as our company then ftood, was a double recommendation; for Rofs and Smith exerted their talents. much better under the aufpices of Thalia than of Melpomene. Mr. Garrick had declined the piece; but from what reason I could never guess. Mrs. Cibber had done the fame. It, however, had merit. Domef tic feelings ftrike more to the heart, than thofe of crowned heads. The language was fimple, and I determined that my performance of it should be the fame. It was an effort worth trying; as from its novelty, I fhould, at leaft, have the merit of its being all my own. My attendance upon Mr. Calcraft had injured my health, which made me wish to protract the performance. But I found that my attempts to put it off were confidered only as the effect of caprice. I know this has been practifed by many performers, in order to enhance their value; but it was a manœuvre I always defpifed. And I was fo much above being capable of such an artful mode of proceeding, that I could not even bear the fuppofition of it, much lefs the imputation. I therefore, although very unfit for the talk, accorded to the wifhes of the author in this point. the All Mr. Dodley's friends, who were numerous, attended the rehearsal of his piece; particularly the literati. Among thefe were Lord Lyttleton; who, notwithstanding his great partiality for me, gave author his opinion, that I had totally mifconceived the character. The public had been fo accustomed to noife and violence in their mad ftage ladies, that it was fuppofed from my manner, which was weakened by real indifpofition, and prevented my rehears ing out, that the piece, which totally depended upon me, would not fucceed. Among our visitors at the last rehearsal, upon which occafion the ftage was much crowded, I was ftruck with the fight of Mr. Metham. As we had never met fince our feparation, it is natural to fup. pofe I did not feel myself in the most agreeable fituation. I own, that I fincerely wished myself absent, or that there had not been fuch a number of fpectators prefent to be witneffes to the farce I knew him capable of performing. According to my apprehenfions, he began by affuming the most ineffable effrontery, which was, if poffible, fuperior to that of Cibber, when, in the character of Lord Foppington, he approaches Amanda. Taking a pinch of fnuff, in a careless manner, he walked up to me, with the most confequential air, accompanied with a fignificant non chalance, and wifhed me joy; regretting that he had not had an opportunity of doing it before. He then told me I looked more angelic than ever. Having done this, he turned to a person who was near him, faying, "I certainly am the happiest being in the universe, in having "been bleft with the affection of two of the first ac"treffes, and moft accomplished women, in Europe." Then, making a low bow, he retired. I never in my life received any compliments with lefs relifh than those lavifhed upon me at that time. They raifed F 6 |