and concluded myself to be unimpaired in my facul

ties.

Soon after I perceived that I had fuffered a para lytick ftroke, and that my speech, was taken from me. I had no pain, and fo little dejection in this dreadful ftate, that I wondered at my own apathy, and confidered that perhaps death itself, when it should come, would excite lefs horrour than feems now to at tend it.

In order to roufe the vocal organs I took two drams. Wine has been celebrated for the produc tion of eloquence. I put myfelf into violent motion, and I think repeated it; but all was vain. I then went to bed, and, ftrange as it may feem, I think, flept. When I faw light, it was time to contrive what I fhould do. Though God ftopped my fpeech he left me my hand, I enjoyed a mercy which was not granted to my dear friend Lawrence, who now perhaps overlooks me as I am writing, and rejoices that I have what he wanted. My first note was neceffarily to my fervant, who came in talking, and could not immediately comprehend why he should read what I put into his hands.

I then wrote a card to Mr. Allen, that I might have a difcreet friend at hand to act as occafion fhould require. In penning this note I had fome difficulty; my hand, I knew not how nor why, made wrong let ters. I then wrote to Dr. Taylor to come to me, and bring Dr. Herberden, and I fent to Dr. Brocklefby, who is my neighbour. My phyficians are very friendly and very difinterested, and give me great hopes, but you may imagine my fituation. I

have fo far recovered my vocal powers, as to repeat the Lord's Prayer with no very imperfect articulation. My memory, I hope, yet remains as it was; but fuch an attack produces folicitude for the fafety of every faculty.

How this will be received by you I know not. I hope you will fympathise with me; but perhaps

My miftrefs gracious, mild, and good,

Cries! Is he dumb? 'Tis time he fhou'd.

But can this be poffible? I hope it cannot. I hope that what, when I could fpeak, I fpoke of you, and to you, will be in a fober and ferious hour remembered by you; and furely it cannot be remembered but with fome degree of kindness. I have loved you with virtuous affection; I have honoured you with fincere efteem. Let not all our endearments be forgotten, but let me have in this great diftress your pity and your prayers. You fee I yet turn to you with my complaints, as a fettled and unalienable friend; do not, do not drive me from you, for I have not deserved either neglect or hatred.

To the girls, who do not write often, for Sufy has written only once, and Miss Thrale owes me a letter, I earnestly recommend, as their guardian and friend, that they remember their Creator in the days of their youth.

I suppose you may wish to know how my difeafe is treated by the physicians. They put a blister upon my back, and two from my ear to my throat, one on a fide. The blifter on the back has done little, and those on the throat have not rifen. I bullied and

bounced,

bounced, (it flicks to our laft fand,) and compelled the apothecary to make his falve according to the Edinburgh Difpenfatory, that it might adhere better. I have two on now of my own prefcription. They likewife give me falt of hartfhorn, which I take with no great confidence, but I am fatisfied that what can be done is done for me.

O God! give me comfort and confidence in Thee: forgive my fins; and, if it be thy good pleafure, relieve my diseases for Jesus Christ's fake. Amen.

I am almost ashamed of this querulous letter, but now it is written, let it go. I am, &c.

LETTER L. To Mrs. THRALE.

DEAR MADAM,

AMONG thofe that have enquired after me, Sir Philip is one; and Dr. Burney was one of those who came to see me. I have had no reafon to complain of indifference or neglect. Dick Burney is come home five inches taller.

Yesterday in the evening I went to church, and have been to-day to fee the great burning glafs, which does more than was ever done before by the tranfmiffion of the rays, but is not equal in power to those which reflect them. It wastes a diamond placed in the focus, but caufes no diminution of pure gold. Of the rubies expofed to its action, one was made more vivid, the other paler. To fee the glass, I climbed up ftairs to the garret, and then up a ladder to the leads, and talked to the artist rather too long;

for

for: my voice, though clear and diftinct for a little while, foon tires and falters. The organs of fpeech are yet very feeble, but will I hope be by the mercy of God finally restored: at prefent, like any other weak limb, they can endure but little labour at once. Would you not have been very forry for me when I could fcarcely speak?

Fresh cantharides were this morning applied to my head, and are to be continued some time longer. If they play me no treacherous tricks, they give me very little pain.

Let me have your kindness and your prayers; and think on me, as on a man, who, for a very great portion of your life, has done you all the good he could, and defires still to be confidered, Madam, your, &c.

LETTER LI. To the Same.

DEAREST MADAM, London, July 1, 1783.

THIS morning I took the air by a ride to Hampftead, and this afternoon. I dined with the club. But fresh cantharides were this day applied to my head.

Mr. Cator called on me to-day, and told that he had invited you back to Streatham. I fhewed the unfitness of your return thither, till the neighbourhood should have loft its habits of depredation, and he feemed to be fatisfied. He invited me very kind. ly and cordially to try the air of Beckenham, and pleafed me very much by his affectionate attention to Mifs Vezy. There is much good in his character, and much usefulness in his knowledge.

Queeney seems now to have forgotten me. Of the different appearance of the hills and vallies an acVOL. XII.

Ff

count

count may perhaps be given, without the fuppofition of any prodigy. If fhe had been out and the evening was breezy, the exhalations would rife from the low grounds very copioufly; and the wind that swept and cleared the hills, would only by its cold condense the vapours of the fheltered vallies.

Murphy is just gone from me; he visits me very kindly, and I have no unkindness to complain of.

I am forry that Sir Philip's request was not treated with more respect, nor can I imagine what has put them fo much out of humour: I hope their business is profperous.

I hope that I recover by degrees, but my nights are reftlefs; and you will fuppofe the nervous fyftem to be fomewhat enfeebled. I am, Madam, your,

&c.

LETTER LII. To Mrs. THRALE.

London, October 9, 1783.

TWO nights ago Mr. Burke fat with me a long time; he seems much pleased with his journey. We had both feen Stonehenge this fummer for the first time. I told him that the view had enabled me to confute two opinions which have been advanced about it. One, that the materials are not natural ftones, but an artificial compofition hardened by time. This notion is as old as Camden's time; and has this ftrong argument to fupport it that ftone of that species is no where to found. The other opinion, advanced by Dr. Charlton, is, that it was erected by the Danes.

Mr.