objection myself, as you see, to praising or commending the cow; but, as she has once been the object, indeed still is, in some countries, of religious adoration, perhaps it were better, that the epithet Sacred were not attached to her.

Yours, &c.

JAMES PLUMPTRE.

LETTER CXI.

Dr. LETTSOM to the Rev. J. PLUMPTRE.

London, Dec. 15, 1804.

I have perused, con amore, the poetry on the cow, which I admire and approve, and see no reason to alter a word. I once saw, or at least heard, a song on the same subject; but on somewhat an heathenish construction. Juno, being jealous of Io, persuaded Jupiter to punish her, by changing her into a cow; but she bellowed so affectingly, that Juno relented, and requested Jupiter to restore her; but this he could not do, as the Fates had sealed his decision; as some remuneration, however, to succeeding beauties, he condescended to give her the cow-pock, that beauty and comeliness should, for ever after, be secured from the ravages of the small-pox. My Rev. Friend, al

though he might approve the result of the fable, would not approve the allusion.

Thy friendly mode of disapproving my application of the term sacred to the cow, evinces much candour, which I respectfully acknowledge.

J. C. L.

P. S. In our printed paper, there is an account of a fête given by Mrs. Crespigny, which I drew up and printed in the Gentleman's Magazine. The following will convey some outline of this lady.

Dear Mrs. Crespigny,

I did not peruse your Memoirs, in the Public Characters, till last night; and I had heard it intimated that I had been the author. I write this to assure you that the charge is not applicable to me. The writer might be a friend, but the cold praise of a friend is more injurious than the cold invective of an enemy. There is no invention or design in the biography. You are brought into the book, because you are individually prominent in society; but it rather lessens than increases your magnitude. It is a mirror that reflects a shade, but it wants tint. The author possesses no microscopic eye; he finds an outline, and he attempts to fill it up with patches of loose paint, but the colours are neither soft nor brilliant. Your suavity of manners, that makes all around you happy, and which gives the rare felicity of making us pleased

with ourselves, is not delineated. Your enchanting conversation, which makes the heart better, whilst it enlivens the mind, is forgotten. Your condescension and liberality, which, in your management, become interesting and dignified, are inserted in no part of the portrait. That dignity which has given importance to Camberwell, and rationality to the social intercourse of its inhabitants, occupy no part of the canvas; which is sombre where it should enlighten; and opaque where it should be brilliant. There is, indeed, something about family extraction, but your acquirements enable you to say with Turnus, "Vix ea nostra voco." Alas! the author has neglected all sentiment. He never saw you enter into a company, where instantly the living seemed to spring out of the dead-where your frankness has inspired social intercourse-where ease of manners has given facility to conversation, and the light of the sun has cheered, and sweetly mingled with the sedate rays of the moon. These I have seen and felt, where vivacity has meliorated sedateness, and diffused enjoyment to

J. C. LETTSOM.

VOL. II.

LETTER CXII.

The Rev. J. PLUMPTRE to Dr. LETTSOM.

Respected Friend,

Clare Hall, Dec 29, 1804.

My most grateful thanks are due for your very generous and acceptable present, and for your as great and additional kindness in the books which you have lent me. I have been confined to my rooms here ever since last Tuesday fortnight, by indisposition, and your box did not reach me till Thursday the 20th. Your works have amused and instructed me and my friends, many an hour since. Mr. Willett's book pleases me much. It is in a very admirable taste, though not altogether free from heathenism. I allude more particularly to the chimney-pieces. I see he considers Mahometanism as having tended to convert great part of the heathen world to the knowledge of the one true God. Do we not rather consider it as an apostacy from Christianity? He has also omitted the cross in the compartment which represents our Saviour and his religion. The temple of fame too, I think, might have been better managed, by introducing no live characters but those who have been contemporary with George the Third, and by putting deceased worthies into statues, busts, or medallions. But I had rather it had been some

thing relative to religion, and the king represented as "the nursing father" of the church. Perhaps, now, the king returning thanks at St. Paul's were a good subject. But on the whole it seems to me in a far superior taste to the generality of such designs, and might, I think, be imitated with success, even in a very humble way, by means of cheap prints to furnish rooms, if no other can be afforded. For my own part, I had rather have a good subject moderately executed, than a bad sub ject by the very first master. With Young's Night Thoughts I cannot say I am equally pleased. It is a curious book, but the designs are too much in the Fuzeli style to please me: like any thing rather than nature.

Of your own works, I have read the History of the Tea Tree, with much pleasure, being a great tea-drinker myself, finding it the most refreshing beverage after the greatest fatigue; but I always drink it with plenty of sugar and milk, and bread and butter. Your History of Medicine I have not yet read; but I have lent it to my friend Mr. Frederick Thackeray, who attends me, a young surgeon, I believe, of considerable ability, (and a great advocate for the cow-pock,) and who is much pleased with it.

Of your munificent present of prints and silhouettes, some already ornament my rooms; Dr. Lettsom, Mr. Neild, Mr. Colquhoun, and Dr. Jenner. Into one large frame I have put the two prints of Apparent Dissolution and Returning Ani