---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,transcriber's ,note3 ,this version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects4 ,italics are delimited with the #8' character as italic4 ,superscripted characters are indicated using a carat 7#8'74 ,if multiple characters are encountered1 they are enclosed in brackets #8 '4 ,footnotes have been moved to follow the paragraphs in which they are referenced4 ,a multi-page manuscript letter was included between page #ahh and #ahi1 which are reproduced here4 ,a transcription of the contents is provided in the transcriber's notes at the end of the text4 ,minor errors1 attributable to the printer1 have been corrected4 ,please see the transcriber's note for details regarding the handling of any other textual issues encountered during its preparation4 ,,the ,,autobiography ,,of ,,arthur ,,young ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,illustration3 ,walker ,boutell1 phot4 ,from a ,miniature in the possession of ,alfred ,morrison ,esq4r ,london ,published by ,smith ,elder ,co #ae ,waterloo ,place ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,the ,,autobiography ,,of ,,arthur ,,young ,,with ,,selections ,,from ,,his ,,correspondence #8,that wise and honest traveller8'--,,john ,,morley ,,edited ,,by ,m4 ,,betham-,,edwards ,,with ,,portraits ,,and ,,illustrations ,,london ,,smith1 ,,elder1 ,,co41 #ae ,,waterloo ,,place #ahih ,all rights reserved ,,introductory ,,note ,an apology for these ,memoirs is surely not needed4 ,whilst ,arthur ,young's famous #8,travels in ,france' have become a classic1 little is known of the author's life1 a life singularly interesting and singularly sad4 ,whether regarded as the untiring experimentalist and dreamer of economic dreams1 as the brilliant man of society and the world1 or as the blind1 solitary victim of religious melancholia1 the figure before us remains unique and impressive4 ,we have here1 moreover1 a strong character portrayed by himself1 an honest piece of autobiography erring1 if at all1 on the side of outspokenness4 ,in his desire to be perfectly frank1 the writer has laid upon his editor the obligation of many curtailments1 the ,memoirs from beginning to end being already much too long4 ,from seven packets of ,,ms4 and twelve folio volumes of correspondence ,i have put together all that a busy public will probably care to know of ,arthur ,young--his strength and weakness1 his one success and innumerable failures1 his fireside and his friends4 ,one striking and instructive feature in this man's history is his cosmopolitanism1 his affectionate relations with ,frenchmen1 ,poles1 ,russians1 ,danes1 ,italians1 ,scandinavians4 ,never ,englishman was more truly ,english2 never ,englishman was less narrow in his social sympathies4 ,the religious melancholia of his later years is explicable on several grounds3 to the influence of his friend1 the great ,wilberforce2 to the crushing sorrow of his beloved little daughter #8,bobbin's' death2 lastly1 perhaps1 to exaggerated self-condemnation for foibles of his youth4 ,few lives have been more many-sided1 more varied2 few1 indeed1 have been more fortunate and unfortunate at the same time4 ,the ,memoirs1 whilst necessarily abridged and arranged1 are given precisely as they were written--that is to say1 although it has been necessary to omit much1 not a word has been added or altered4 ,whenever a word or sentence needed explanation or correction1 the editorial note is bracketed4 ,the foot-notes1 unless when otherwise stated1 are all editorial4 ,for the use of ,memoirs and letters1 c41 ,i am indebted to ,mrs4 ,arthur ,young1 widow of the late owner of ,bradfield ,hall1 the last of ,arthur ,young's race and name1 a gentleman alike in his public and private life well worthy of his distinguished ancestry4 ,mr4 ,arthur ,young1 who died last year1 is buried beside the author of the #8,travels in ,france1' in the pretty little churchyard of ,bradfield1 near ,bury ,st4 ,edmunds4 ,m4 ,b4-,e4 ,,contents ,,chapter ,i ,,childhood ,,and ,,youth1 #agda-agei ,,page ,ancestry--,anecdotes--,childhood--,scho ol life--,inoculation--,the #a paternal character--,mrs4 ,kennon--,letters to a schoolboy--,a mercantile apprenticeship--,a youthful love affair--,family troubles--,a gloomy outlook ,,chapter ,,ii ,,farming ,,and ,,marriage1 #agei-agff ,the gay world--,a call on ,dr4 ,johnson--,a venture--,offer of a #bf career--,farming decided upon--,garrick--,marriage--,mr4 ,harte--,lord ,chesterfield on farming--,literary work--,correspondence--,birth of a daughter ,,chapter ,,iii ,,in ,,search ,,of ,a ,,living1 #agfg-agge ,home travels--,a move--,anecdote of a cat--,disillusion--#8,a #dd ,farmer's ,letters'--,another move--#8,in the full blaze of her beauty'--,hetty ,burney and her harpsichord--#8,scant in servants'--,maternal solicitude--,money difficulties--,more tours--,lord ,sheffield--,howard the philanthropist--,correspondence ,,chapter ,,iv ,,ireland1 #aggf-aggh ,the journey to ,ireland--,characteristics--,residence at #ff ,mitchelstown--,intrigues--,a strange bargain--,departure--,letter to his wife--,a terrible journey ,,chapter ,v ,,farming ,,and ,,experiments1 #aggi-aghb ,corn bounties--,a grievance--,reading--,hugh ,boyd--,bishop #hc ,watson--,howlett on population--,irish ,linen ,board--,experiments--,correspondence ,,chapter ,,vi ,,first ,,glimpse ,,of ,,france1 #aghc-aghe ,birth of ,bobbin--,ice baths--#8,the ,annals of ,agriculture'--,a #aaj group of friends--,lazowski--,first glimpse of ,france--,death of my mother--,the ,bishop of ,derry--,fishing parties--,rainham ,,chapter ,,vii ,,first ,,french ,,journey1 #aghf-aghg ,death of my brother--,anecdotes of his character--,dr4 ,burney on #ach farming--,greenwich versus ,eton--,blenheim--,correspondence with ,dr4 ,priestley--,county toasts--,french projects--,first ,french journey ,,chapter ,,viii ,,travel ,,and ,,international ,,friendships1 #aghh-hi-agij ,the ,wool ,bill--,sheridan's speech--,count #afc ,berchtold--,experiments--,second ,french journey--,potato-fed sheep--,cost of housekeeping--,chicory--,burnt in effigy--,correspondence--,third ,french journey--,with ,italian agriculturists--,bishop ,watson and ,mr4 ,luther--,correspondence--,literary work--,illness--,the state of ,france ,,chapter ,,ix ,,patriotic ,,proposals1 #agia-ib ,illness--,correspondence with ,washington--,the ,king's gift of a #ahi ram--,anecdotes--,revising ,,mss4--,patriotic proposals--,death of the ,earl of ,orford--,agricultural schemes--,correspondence ,,chapter ,x ,,the ,,board ,,of ,,agriculture1 #agic ,the ,board of ,agriculture--,secretaryship--,residence in #bai ,london--,twenty-five dinners a month--,the ,king's bull--,the ,marquis de ,castries--#8,the ,example of ,france'--,encomiums thereof--,correspondence ,,chapter ,,xi ,,the ,,secretaryship1 #agid-ie-agif ,the ,secretaryship and its drawbacks--,social #bda compensations--,illness and death of ,elizabeth ,hoole--,letters of ,jeremy ,bentham and others--,a visit to ,burke--,home travels--,enclosures ,,chapter ,,xii ,,illness ,,and ,,death ,,of ,,bobbin1 #agig ,illness of ,bobbin--,letters of ,bobbin and her father's #bfc replies--,dress minutes at the opera--,hoping against hope--,bobbin's death--,seeking for consolation--,retrospection--,beginning of diary--,correspondence ,,chapter ,,xiii ,,diary ,,and ,,correspondence1 #agih1 #agii1 #ahjj ,assessed taxes--,society--,mr4 ,pitt and the ,board of #cab ,agriculture--,a foolish joke--,dinners to poor children--,interview with the ,king--,royal farming--,correspondence--,bradfield--,i ncidents of home travel--,portrait of a great lady--,correspondence ,,chapter ,,xiv ,,diary ,,continued1 #ahja-ahjc ,public affairs and prophecy--,the divining rod--,the #cdg appropriation of waste lands--,the word #8meanness' defined--,south's sermons--,projected theological compendia--,correspondence--,journalisin g to #8my friend'--,anecdote of ,dean ,milner and ,pitt--,death of the ,duke of ,bedford--,napoleon and ,protestantism ,,chapter ,,xv ,,approaching ,,blindness1 #ahjd-ahjg ,a great preacher--,arthur ,young the younger goes to #cia ,russia--,cowper's letters--,mrs4 ,young's illness--,dr4 ,symonds--,novel reading--,skinner's #8,state of ,peru'--,death of ,pitt--,burke's publishing accounts--,literary projects--,approaching blindness ,,chapter ,,xvi ,,last ,,years1 #ahjh-ahbj ,gradual loss of sight--,illness and death of ,mrs4 ,oakes--,daily #dda routine--,a disappointment--,riots--,death of ,mrs4 ,young--,anecdotes of ,napoleon--,a story of the ,terror--,national distress--,close of diary--,the end ,,index #dge ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations ,,portrait ,,of ,,arthur ,,young ,frontispiece ,,bradfield ,,hall ,,as ,,in ,,arthur ,,young',s ,,time to face p4 #abg ,,facsimile ,,of ,,letter ,,from ,,arthur ,,young ,,to ,,miss ,,young 0 #ahh ,,portrait ,,of #8,,bobbin' 7,,martha ,,young7 0 #bfe ,,arthur ,,young',s ,,tomb ,,at ,,bradfield 0 #dgb ,,autobiography ,,of ,,arthur ,,young ,illustration ,,chapter ,i ,,childhood ,,and ,,youth1 #agda-agei ,ancestry--,anecdotes--,childhood--,scho ol life--,inoculation--,the paternal character--,mrs4 ,kennon--,letters to a schoolboy--,a mercantile apprenticeship--,a youthful love affair--,family troubles--,a gloomy outlook4 ,i was born at ,whitehall1 ,london1 on ,september #aa1 #agda1 many years after my brother ,john and my sister ,elizabeth ,mary4 ,in examining the family papers from which the following detail is drawn1 ,i should observe that difficulties often occurred by reason of the ancient hand-writing of many documents1 and from several being written in the ,latin language not easily deciphered2 but the circumstances relative to the following dates were clearly ascertained as far as they are noted4 ,the principal object is the possession of the ,manor of ,bradfield ,combust1 which is traced in the family of ,canham till it came by marriage into that of ,young4 ,bartholomew ,canham the elder had two sons and two daughters4 ,in #afgb he transferred ,bradfield ,hall1 manor and lands to ,arthur ,young1 married to ,elizabeth1 his daughter4 ,the ,young shield bears a ,field ,argent1 three ,bends sable and a ,lyon rampant2 that of ,canham a ,field ,gule1 ,bend ,argent charged with a cannon ball sable1 the ,bend cotised with ,or4 ,the estate had been purchased in #afbj by my ancestor of ,sir ,thomas1 afterwards ,lord ,jermyn of ,rushbrooke1 being part of the great possessions of that family4 ,the steward who acted for ,sir ,thomas was ,martin ,folkes1 ancestor of the present ,sir ,martin ,folkes4 ,and here it is curious to observe the different results affecting the posterity of the private gentleman who purchases1 and of the steward of the great man who sells--,i am a poor little gentleman1 and ,sir ,martin ,folkes owner of an estate not far short of #aj1jjjl4 a year4 ,my father1 ,dr4 ,arthur ,young1 inherited ,bradfield from my grandfather1 ,bartholomew ,young1 ,esq41 called ,captain from a command in the ,militia1 and it is remarkable that with only a part of the present ,bradfield estate he lived genteely and drove a coach and four on a property which in these present times just maintains the establishment of a wheel-barrow4 ,dr4 ,arthur ,young1 my father1 was educated at ,eton and admitted to ,pembroke ,hall1 ,cambridge1 in #agaj1 afterwards settling at ,thames ,ditton1 ,surrey4 ,he was so much liked by the inhabitants that they elected him1 against a violent opposition of the inferior classes1 minister of that parish4 ,whether the ladies of the place had a particular influence ,i know not1 but he was a remarkably handsome man and six feet high4 ,it was here he became acquainted with ,miss ,anne ,lucretia de ,cousmaker1 to whom he was afterwards married4 ,she was the daughter of ,john de ,cousmaker1 ,esq41 who came to ,england with ,king ,william ,,iii41 bringing with him a fortune of #hj1jjjl41 the greater part of which he was deprived of by the imprudence of one or two of his sons4 ,if ever there existed in human form an ,israelite without guile1 it was this worthy man2 and it gives me great pleasure to reflect on the extreme respect and affection which were always felt for him and my dear mother4 ,mr4 de ,cousmaker1 my maternal grandfather1 was executor and residuary legatee to a ,mrs4 ,keene1 on which account he could have legally possessed himself of an estate left by her4 ,with an honesty unexampled he would not take one penny of it1 but exerted himself with incredible industry to discover some distant relation to whom he might transfer the property4 ,he did find one who had no legal claim1 and he gave him the estate4 ,this ,mr4 ,keene dying without issue1 his widow told my grandfather that out of gratitude she would provide for two of his children4 ,to a daughter she left an annuity of #cjjl4 a year1 to a son an estate which passed on to his descendants4 ,my mother brought a fortune to my father1 the amount ,i know not1 but it was sufficient to demand the settlement of the ,bradfield estate upon her for life4 ,she was of a very amiable1 cheerful disposition1 loved conversation1 for which she had a talent1 and read a great deal on various subjects4 ,the residence at ,thames ,ditton resulted in a friendship with the ,onslow family1 which proved highly advantageous to my father4 ,general1 then ,colonel ,onslow1 appointed him chaplain to his own regiment1 and the ,general's brother1 ,speaker of the ,house of ,commons1 also named him chaplain1 a step which afterwards led to the prebendaryship of ,canterbury4 ,mr4 ,speaker ,onslow and the ,bishop of ,rochester were my godfathers4 ,colonel1 afterwards ,general ,onslow1 was in the estimation of the world a highly respectable character1 in the formation of which it may easily be supposed that religion formed no part from the following anecdote4 ,one ,sunday morning his wife obtained his permission to read a chapter of the ,bible1 but he first bolted the door lest the servants should witness the performance4 ,he was afraid that the matter might reach the ears of his ,commander-in-,chief1 the ,duke of ,cumberland1 who to much brutality of character added the abhorrence of a soldier troubling his head about religion4 ,in #agcd my father published his #8,historical ,dissertations on ,idolatrous ,corruptions in ,religion1' a very learned work which is quoted by ,voltaire4 ,in #agdb he was in ,flanders acting as chaplain to ,colonel ,onslow's regiment1 and ,i have found among his papers the journal of a tour made through ,brabant1 ,flanders1 and a part of ,picardy2 on the whole1 it is interesting1 and the cheapness of living therein described is remarkable4 ,the following letter is from my father to his relation1 his ,excellency ,governor ,vassy1 relating to the conduct of ,general ,ingoldsby 7who married my mother's sister7 at the battle of ,fontenoy1 and which throws a little additional light upon that transaction1 though at the expense of the ,commander-in-,chief4 #8,bradfield ,hall3 ,july #bb1 #agde 7,o4,s474 #8,dear ,sir1--,my last1 which ,i wrote some time before our ,parliament broke up1 was of such a length as ,i suppose has tired you of my correspondence1 since which ,i1 having been here in the country1 have had nothing of news worth troubling you with4 ,i make little doubt but that our friend ,ingoldsby's behaviour has made much the same figure in your publick papers as your ,appius's has done in ours4 ,but ,i can assure you1 ,sir1 that1 notwithstanding the account published in our ,gazette1 he behaved like a good and a brave officer4 ,a court-martial has set upon him1 but what the result of it is we know not as yet4 ,but fear the worst1 since the clearing of him must reflect upon a ,king's son who has the command of an ,army4 ,i have enclosed his case1 which contains as much of the truth as he could have leave to print1 at the bottom of which you will find something wrote which his ,royal ,highness commanded particularly to be left out4 ,but if you1 ,sir1 who are nearer to the ,army than we are1 desire a more particular account of this affair1 your nephew ,everet1 who will continue here with us for more than a month longer1 shall give you the full detail of it4 #8,if1 dear ,sir1 the gentleman who is the bearer of this shall want your protection1 ,i recommend him to it2 he is going to the ,army as my substitute4 ,his name is ,gough1 and is nephew to ,captain ,gough1 who is a member of the ,house of ,commons and director of1 and the great manager in1 our ,east ,india ,company4 ,all that ,i particularly ask in behalf of him is that you will give him your directions how to find our ,army1 and1 if it be necessary1 to halt in your garrison4 #8,i am1 dear ,sir1 #8,your ,excellency's kinsman and servant1 #8,t4 ,,young4' ,ingoldsby was cruelly used at the battle of ,fontenoy by the ,duke of ,cumberland1 who had sent him orders to put himself at the head of a detachment to attack a temporary redoubt which the ,french had thrown up1 but gave him no directions to take cannon2 and when ,ingoldsby arrived at the spot he saw the necessity4 ,he instantly dispatched his ,aide-de-camp to demand cannon1 but before they came the position of the troops changed1 and an order came to draw off4 ,no consequences attended this business1 nor had it any effect on the loss of the battle2 but an opportunity was taken to throw the whole blame on ,ingoldsby1 and to attach to him all the consequences of that defeat4 ,ingoldsby complained of this1 and ,ligonier himself came to him from the ,duke to assure him that the ,d4 knew his bravery1 and highly valued him1 but advised him by all means to be quiet1 and everything would blow over1 and the business be forgotten4 ,nothing had been said on the affair1 but to save the reputation of the ,duke4 ,mrs4 ,ingoldsby1 losing all patience at his not being promoted according to promise1 never let him rest till he published his case1 which put an end to all hope of promotion in the ,army1 and he was obliged to retire4 ,he was in all the ,duke of ,marlborough's campaigns1 and served with great reputation to the moment of the battle of ,fontenoy4 ,when ,i was of a proper age to be placed at school1 a choice had to be made between those of ,bury ,st4 ,edmunds and ,lavenham#a2 no possible motive could induce any one to think of the latter1 except the circumstance of my father having been there himself4 ,the master of the former school1 ,mr4 ,kinsman1 was one of the finest scholars of his age1 and is mentioned with much respect by ,cumberland in his memoirs4#b ,whilst the matter was in abeyance the ,rev4 ,m4 ,coulter1 ,master of ,lavenham ,school1 came to ,bradfield1 and my mother1 unfortunately for me1 was so much pleased with the extreme good temper manifested in his countenance that she persuaded my father to entrust me to his care4 ,i was accordingly sent to that wretched place4 ,i was to learn ,latin and ,greek1 with arithmetic1 but whether from being a favourite or from the diversion of frequent visits home1 ,i afterwards found myself so ill-grounded in the above languages that for some time before ,i left the school ,i found it necessary to give much attention to them in order to recover the lost time4 ,it is easy to suppose how much ,i was indulged from one instance among many others4 ,at dinner the first dish the boys were helped to was pudding1 which ,i disliked1 and was excused from eating--the case of no other pupil4 ,as to correction1 ,i have no recollection of receiving any thing of the sort4#c ,i had1 however1 a sufficient awe of the ,master4 ,during the last years of my stay ,i had a pointer and gun1 and often went out with ,mr4 ,coulter1 he with a partridge net and ,i with my gun4 ,i had a room to myself and a neat collection of books4 ,i remember beginning to write a history of ,england1 thinking that ,i could make a good one out of several others4 ,how early began my literary follies6 ,i seemed to have a natural propensity for writing books4 ,the following bill for a year's schooling and board must in the present period 7about #ahaf7 be considered a curiosity3--#8,the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,young to ,john ,coulter1 ,xmas #agej1 to ,xmas #agea4 ,a year's board1 c4 #ael4 ,sundries #bl4 #ds4 #d;d4 ,total #agl4 #ds4 #d;d4' ,i find from a memorandum book of my mother's that in #agdf beef was #c;d41 veal #c;d41 and mutton #c;d4 per pound at ,bury4 ,about the year #agec ,i was inoculated4 ,this was a scheme of my mother's which she had more than once proposed1 but my father would not consent to it4 ,taking1 however1 the opportunity of his visit to ,cambridge1 she ventured on the experiment4 ,at this period inoculation was so little understood that it is utterly astonishing how anyone could escape2 instead of the cool regimen afterwards prescribed by ,sutton1#d the practice was to keep the patient's chamber as close and hot as possible1 the shutters were kept up1 and the door never opened without being shut speedily4 ,i suffered much1 and ,dr4 ,kerrich1 the physician at ,bury1 for some time attended every day4 ,it pleased the ,almighty that ,i should recover1 one of many instances in which ,his providence preserved a wretch who was to sin against ,him by a multitude of offences4 ,when my father returned and ,i ran out to meet him1 my mother exclaimed in a triumphant tone1 #8,there6 ,i have had ,arthur inoculated1 and you enjoy the comfort of knowing that your boy has had that terrible disorder4' ,my father looked at me1 but neither spoke a word on the subject then nor ever after4 ,this was his way--resolute in rejecting all proposals touching upon novelty1 and cool after their accomplishment4 ,in an inferior circumstance he showed the same temper1 as ,i will relate4 ,the family pew at church was a wretched hole1 lined with ragged cloth and covered with dust2 the pulpit also was tumbling with age and rottenness4 ,on my father's going to ,london and leaving my brother at ,bradfield1 he begged permission to have a new pew and pulpit4 ,this was refused4 #8,good enough1 ,jack6' said my father4 ,but ,jack attacked his mother1 and set the carpenter to work1 who made a spacious pew1 with one for the servants1 new pulpit and reading desk4 ,the first ,sunday my father went to church1 on approaching the place1 he stopped short1 surveyed all three with great attention1 said nothing1 and on joining the family party home never opened his lips1 nor ever after mentioned the subject4 ,he was inwardly pleased1 but not gracious enough to confess it4 ,there was in ,dr4 ,young a strong mixture of obstinacy and sang-froid1 as the preceding anecdotes prove4 ,in #agec ,i went to ,london1 and find by an old pocket-book that ,i saw ,mr4 ,garrick in #8,archer1'#e heard the ,oratorio1 #8,the ,messiah1' spent an evening at ,ranelagh1 and viewed the ,tower and ,st4 ,paul's4 ,i also remember visiting the widow of ,general ,ingoldsby1 who opened her house every evening to all comers1 nor was the number of fashionable people inconsiderable4 ,john ,wilkes1 afterwards so well known1 ,i met there more than once2 he was then considered a wit4 ,mrs4 ,ingoldsby made a point of going to ,court at least twice a year1 but ,i never heard her repeat any other conversation with the ,king than complaining to him how much she was afflicted with rheumatism4 ,in #aged died ,mrs4 ,sidney ,kennon1 a lady highly respected and well known as the midwife to the ,princess of ,wales2 she also brought into the world my brother1 sister and myself1 and was a very old friend of my father's1 and him she left executor and residuary legatee4 ,that her professional emoluments were of some consideration was proved by the fact of a gentleman after her decease presenting her executor with fifty guineas as her fee for having delivered his wife4 ,by her will all her furniture and a great collection of medals1 bronzes1 shells1 curiosities1 books on natural history1 c4 with money in the funds1 came into his possession1 to the amount of nearly five thousand pounds4 ,by a codicil she had ordered that her servants should be retained and the house kept for six months after her death1 in consequence of which our family moved into her residence in ,clifford ,street4 ,it was1 of course1 to be expected that my father would sell all the curiosities1 but that a clergyman1 a man of learning1 having a son of my brother's attainments should dispose of such a collection1 was not looked for2 my maternal ,uncle1 de ,cousmaker1 dining one day at the house enquired as to my father's intentions4 ,on being informed that everything would go to an auction1 he asked the price4 ,my father replied that the articles had not been valued1 but he supposed that they would fetch fifty or sixty pounds4 ,mr4 de ,c4 at once offered sixty guineas1 the bargain was struck1 and the books departed next day1 to our great mortification2 the price was preposterous1 as the collection contained many curious and scarce publications1 and my ,uncle afterwards sold many of the duplicates for a greater amount than he had given for the whole1 yet retaining a most valuable number4 ,as a proof of the worth of what might be called ,mrs4 ,kennon's ,museum1 ,i insert a letter to her from ,sir ,martin ,folkes1 ,president of the ,royal ,society4 #8,madame1--,i am sorry ,i had not the happiness of seeing you when ,i was last to wait on you1 but will take another opportunity of paying my respects4 ,the worms you were pleased to send seem to me the very same ,i received from ,holland1 and which ,i was in the utmost distress for1 being quite out1 and my ,polypes in great want1 so that a word of instruction1 how ,i may get at some of these worms1 will be a great obligation4 ,when ,i had the honour of leaving you a ,polype1 ,i had never a one by me with a young one fairly put out1 so here was one beginning4 ,i now beg leave to send you such a one2 and when you are disposed to cut one will wait on you1 and show it you in a microscope1 if you have not yet seen it4 ,i beg leave to return very many thanks for the favour of seeing your noble collection of rarities1 and have hardly talked of anything else since4 #8,i am1 ,madam1 with the sincerest respect1 #8,your ladyship's most obedient humble servant1 #8,m4 ,,folkes4 #8,may #f1 #agdc4 ,doddington1 in his diary1 under the date of ,june #bh1 #agej1 mentions supping at this lady's house1 in company with ,lady ,middlesex1 ,lord ,bathurst1 and ,lady ,torrington2 and in the #8,world' 7,no4 #aad7 there is a humorous paper on the distinctions between noble birth1 great birth1 and no birth1 in which the writer says1 #8,i never suspected that it could possibly mean the shrivelled tasteless fruit of an old genealogical tree4 ,i communicated my doubts1 and applied for information to my late1 worthy1 and curious friend1 ,mrs4 ,kennon1 whose valuable collection of fossils and minerals1 lately sold1 sufficiently prove her skill and researches in the most recondite parts of nature4 ,she1 with that frankness and humanity which were natural to her1 assured me that it was all a vulgar error1 in which1 however1 the nobility and gentry prided themselves2 but that1 in truth1 she had never observed the children of the quality to be wholesomer and stronger than others1 but rather the contrary1 which difference she imputed to certain causes which ,i shall not here specify4' ,i possess several letters written to this lady by the ,governor of ,bermuda1 ,mr4 ,popple1 in #agci and #agdj1 in which he considers her of sufficient importance to request that she would speak a good word for him in behalf of his being removed to a better ,government1 or some other employment at home1 and concludes a letter with saying1 #8,i believe your present power to assist your absent friends is now as great as ,i have always thought your inclination was4' ,when my father returned to ,bradfield1 after passing the winter in ,london1 he pulled down the old part of the house1 a wretched lath and plaster ill-contrived building2 then1 to the astonishment of every one1 he employed a hedge carpenter to rebuild exactly on the old foundations4 ,thereby was constructed a mansion which had not a single room free from every fault that could be found1 whether as to chimney1 doors1 windows1 or connecting passages1 and this at a larger expense than need have cost an excellent house4 ,the new stables1 with coach-house1 brew-house and offices1 were built of brick1 and cost #ejjl4 ,it was rather whimsical to give his horses1 carriage1 and brewery#f the warmth of solid walls1 and to house himself in lath and plaster2 but in fixing his new farmery1#g a sad error was committed4 ,the whole interposed between the dwelling1 and four acres of turf dotted with beautiful oaks4 ,my poor father1 however1 did not live to enjoy his improvements1 for he was very soon seized with a dropsy1 and which--as will be seen--terminated his life4 ,during one of his journeys to ,london in order to consult a doctor1 occurred a circumstance so whimsical that ,i must mention it4 ,several sleepless nights made him take it into his head that anything would be better than a bed2 as an experiment at one inn he ordered that a hole should be cut in a haystack1 in which he passed the night4 ,but it is time to return to myself4 ,during all these years ,i was at ,lavenham ,school reading ,csar1 ,sallust1 ,homer and the ,greek ,testament1 when a sudden whim seized my father1 and he ordered ,latin and ,greek to be discarded and algebra to take their place4 ,i thus became absorbed in ,saunderson4#h ,but what commanded more of my attention at this time was a very different branch of learning1 namely1 the lessons of a dancing master2 he came once a week from ,colchester to teach the boys1 also some young ladies of the neighbourhood1 two of whom made terrible havoc with my heart4 ,the first was ,miss ,betsy ,harrington1 a grocer's daughter1 admitted by all to be truly beautiful2 the second of my youthful flames was ,miss ,molly ,fiske1 a clergyman's sister4 ,for one or two years we corresponded1 but afterwards ,i went away1 and she married the ,rev4 ,m4 ,chevalier1 of ,aspall4 ,long after her marriage she told me that she had accepted that gentleman on finding that ,i did not come forward with the proposal4 ,her fortune was #d1jjjl4 ,arthur ,young1 from his ,sister ,elisa ,maria #8#agee4 #8,dear ,brother1--,i acknowledge it's very long since ,i last wrote to you1 but ,i enclose you my excuses1 and what was ,i assure you the occasion of my delay4 ,i designed making you a present of lace for a pair of ruffles1 and the weather had been so bad that it was too dirty for me to go out and get them4 ,i hope they will engage your approbation1 which is all ,i desire1 and you'll do me honor in wearing them4 ,i've not yet seen ,miss ,aspin1 and believe ,i shall not till ,monday1 when we propose going to ,genl ,onslow's1 and calling upon her in our way4 ,we have had so much rain lately that there has been no stirring1 or ,i would have made her a visit long ago4 #8,i believe ,i told my ,mother my ,uncle was disappointed of his company which were to be here on ,saturday last by ,miss ,turner being ill1 but she recovering we are to have the same party next week1 and a very grand concert it is to be1 because we are musical people4 #8,ranelagh is to be opened on the #hth with a rural carnival4 ,i vastly wished for you at ,mrs4 ,cibber's benefit4 ,the play was 8,tancred and ,sigismunda10 the plan of which you and ,i have often weep'd over together in 8,gil ,blas40 ,it was most inimitably acted by ,garrick and ,mrs4 ,cibber2 you would have been vastly entertained4 ,the play ,i was at before1 but went purposely to see the ,princess of ,wales and her family4 ,the ,prince and ,prince ,edward were in one box1 and the ,princess1 ,lady ,augusta1 ,elizabeth1 and ,louisa in the other4 ,upon my word1 they are a fine parcel of children2 only poor ,elizabeth is1 unhappily1 almost a dwarf1 but the rest make very good figures4 #8,monday your ,aunt and ,i were in the ,house of ,commons from one o'clock at noon till nine at night2 it was the ,mitchell ,election1#i when the great ones were setting themselves in combat against each other2 it was a most hard-fought battle4 ,the#aj ,duke espousing our party against the ,duke of ,newcastle in support of the other1 but the ,tories most of them going with the ,d4 of ,n4 gave him the majority4 ,though he lost it at the ,committee4 ,there was much speaking1 which was very entertaining2 ,mr4 ,fox talked a great deal with great vehemence1 for this loss frustrates his schemes1 as he finds the strength of the ,d4 of ,n4's party though he had all the ,army and the ,duke's ,court people with him4 ,and now1 ,mr4 ,arthur1 you being a very good polititian1 ,i shall proceed to entertain you with some more ,parliamentary affairs4 ,tuesday last the ,message was brought from the ,king to the ,house4 ,it imparted little2 nothing to be collected from it of either peace or war4 ,only desiring the ,parliament would support him in the armaments he might have occasion for by sea and land1 c4 c4 ,general ,onslow says during the eight and twenty years he has sat in that house he never saw1 or could have conceived it to be so unanimous in the acclamations of the ,king4 ,every one striving who should in the strongest terms express their confidence in him1 ,tories and all4 ,even ,sir ,john ,phillips declared he would vote the ,king twenty shillings in the pound1 for that their lives and whole fortunes were not too much for him1 and the ,house rung with their confidence in the ,king1 without any one of the ,ministers saying a syllable4 ,they were the silentest people4 ,the ,general says he would have given any money ,miripoix#aa had been in the ,house to have heard the ,parliament of ,england's hearty affection for their ,king4 ,i should have much liked to have been there1 but the ladies' privilege extends no farther than elections4 ,lady ,crosse sent to us on ,monday morning at ten o'clock to let us know she would call on us at eleven1 and we had to dress in gowns and petticoats and eat our breakfasts1 which last was not to be omitted1 for it was certain we were to have no dinner4 ,and by much hurry we did get ready for her ladyship1 but waited at her house for ,sir ,john till near one1 frighted to excess1 fearing we should not get in4 ,this ,mitchell ,election so famous an affair that all the town wanted to hear it1 and evidently the gallery would hold a small part of them4 ,however1 we had the luck to get excellent places1 having a chair for one of us brought out of the ,speaker's chamber4 ,the elections for this year are now all over except the ,oxfordshire1 and whether they will be able to finish that no one can tell4 ,in answer to this long letter ,i shall hope to hear very soon from you1 and am1 #8,your most affectionate #8,e4 ,m4 ,,young4 #8,friday ,good 7sic74' #8,august #bf1 #agee 7from ,bristol ,hot ,wells74 #8,dear ,arthur1--,i was in hopes you would have given me the pleasure of hearing from you4 ,i should have wrote to you before now1 but have so many letters perpetually upon my hands that no clerk to an attorney has more pen exercise4 ,i want much to have a particular account of the ,bury ,assizes2 ,i suppose you will go to an ,assembly1 and therefore pray you to send me intelligence of who and who are together1 who dresses smartest1 looks best1 and seems most pleased with themselves and those about them4 ,the balls here are vastly disagreeable4 ,i dance ,french dances constantly1 but none of the people of fashion dance country dances2 there are such numbers of ,bristol people that do1 and they are such an ordinary set that it prevents the fine folks4 ,the rooms of another night are much cleverer2 there is a lottery table which we play at from eight till half an hour after nine most nights4 ,my ,aunt and ,i have both hitherto played with great success4 ,the principal support of our table we lose to-day1 ,mr4 ,brudenell1 member for ,rutlandshire1 an extreem good-natured1 pretty kind of man2 the company is going off so fast and the place is so thin1 that ,i fear we shall miss him very much4 ,my ,aunt sends her love to you4 ,she says she made you a promise of giving you a pair of lace ruffles or a guinea1 which ever you chose1 and desires you will consult with your mother which you will have1 and if the lace1 let her know it2 for it's sold here as well as at ,bath4 ,i should advise the money2 for you have two pair of lace ruffles which ,i am sure is as much as you can possibly have occasion for2 those you have must be taken off the footings1 for the fine men weer them extreemly shallow2 they should not be near a nail of a yard deep4 #8,pray make my compliments to everybody that enquires after me1 and let me have a very long letter from you very soon4 ,i have nothing to add to your entertainment1 heartily wish ,i was at ,bradfield1 and beg you to tell me all you can that is doing there2 and #8,believe me with great sincerity1 #8,your most affectionate #8,,elisa ,,maria4 #8,be sure don't speak before my father of my playing at lottery4' ,extracts from further letters #8,my ,uncle ,ingoldsby ,i think looks very well4 ,he asked after you1 and so did my ,aunt4 ,he goes out of town for a fortnight next ,monday1 and ,mr4 and ,miss go then4 ,dr4 ,in4 has made a new coach4 ,yesterday was the second day of using it1 cost him #hbl42 it's very handsome1 all but being painted in a mosaic1 which all the smart equipages are4 ,miss ,joy's mother has made one this spring1 cost #adgl4 ,there is hardly such a thing seen as a two-wheeled post-chaise2 nobody uses anything but four-wheeled ones1 and numbers of them with boxes put on and run for chariots1 and vastly pretty they are4 #8,now ,i must give you some account of the masquerade at ,mrs4 ,onslow's2 ,lady ,onslow was there1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,onslow1 the ,mr4 ,shelley we met at the ,speaker's1 and ,miss ,freeman4 ,lady ,onslow was in a ,venetian domino white lustring trimmed with scarlet and silver blonde4 ,mrs4 ,onslow's dress we thought not at all pretty nor becoming2 she had no jewels on1 but was ornamented with mock pearl4 ,mr4 ,onslow was in a domino1 as was ,mr4 ,shelley2 the first was very genteel and handsome1 white lustring trimmed with an open shining gold lace and little roses of purple with gold in the middle of them4 ,i never saw anything prettier4 ,miss ,freeman was the sweetest figure ,i ever saw4 ,her dress1 a dancer1 blue satin trimmed with silver in the richest genteelest taste and very fine jewels4 ,they say ,fenton ,harvey was the best figure there amongst the gentlemen1 with his masque2 on his dress was a domino which was reckoned the genteelest dresses4 #8,lady ,coventry1 amongst the ladies1 was the best figure2 ,lady ,peterson another much admired4 ,the ,town said beforehand that she was to be ,eve and wear a fig leaf of diamonds2 however1 this was not true4' ,mrs4 ,tomlinson 7ne ,elisa ,maria ,young7 to her ,father #8,honoured ,sir1--,mr4 ,tomlinson and myself are your urgent petitioners for a favour which1 if granted1 will give us very great pleasure4 ,it is that you will give my brother ,arthur leave to make us a short visit2 my mother 7who we found safe and well at ,chelmsford and have conducted hither7 rejoins in the request2 she desires you to determine in what manner is best for him to come hither on horseback1 the joiner with him or in the stage coach1 but either way1 we beg to see him ,tuesday at farthest1 but on ,monday if he comes on horseback4 ,be pleased to direct him to have his linnen washed1 stocking 7sic7 mended1 c41 and in case he comes on horseback1 it may not be amiss to hint to him that he is not to reach ,london on one gallop1 for his impatience may outrun his prudence4 ,it was a great pleasure to hear a pretty good account of your health1 and hope we shall hear often from ,bradfield during my mother's stay here4 #8,beg my love with ,mr4 ,t4's to my brother4 ,he desires to present his duty to you4 #8,and ,i am1 honoured ,sir1 #8,your most affectionate and most dutifull daughter1 #8,e4 ,m4 ,,tomlinson4 #8,bucklersbury3 ,tuesday night1 #aj o'clock 7#ageg74' ,whilst at school ,i made in the playground a famous fortification1 and then besieged it with mines of gun-powder1 nearly blowing up two boys and an old woman selling pies4 ,a better example was my habit of reading1 which became a sort of fashion4 ,i was thought to be of an uncommon stamp1 and when the pupils returned home their parents became desirous of seeing the lad to whom they thought themselves indebted4 ,my own acquisitions received a mortal shock on the marriage of my sister with ,mr4 ,tomlinson1 of the firm of ,tomlinson ,co4 ,the opportunity of introducing me into their counting-house was thought advantageous by my father1 and in consequence orders came that ,i should receive immediate instruction in mercantile accounts2 as a further preparation the sum of #djjl4 was paid to ,messrs4 ,robertson1 of ,lynn1 ,norfolk1 for a three years' apprenticeship4 ,in ,february #ageh ,i took my last farewell of ,lavenham1 and paid a visit to my married sister in ,london4 ,i remember nothing more of this visit than several performances of ,mr4 ,garrick4 ,when ,i took leave of my sister1 who was far advanced in her pregnancy1 she wept and said she might never see me more4 ,this proved to be the case1 as she died during her lying-in4 ,she was a remarkably clever woman1 with much beauty and vivacity of conversation1 combined with much solidity of judgment4 ,my mother grieved so much for her loss that she could never be persuaded to go out of mourning1 but mourned till her own death1 nor did she ever recover her cheerfulness4 ,this had one good effect1 and that a very important one for me2 she never afterwards looked into any book but on the subject of religion1 and her only constant companion was her ,bible1 herein copying the example of her father4 ,every circumstance attending this new situation at ,lynn was most detestable to me till ,i effected an improvement4 ,this was done by hiring a lodging1 surrounding myself with books1 and making the acquaintance of ,miss ,robertson1 daughter of my employer's partner4 ,she was of a pleasing figure1 with fine black expressive eyes1 danced well1 and also sang and performed well on the harpsichord2 no wonder1 as she received instructions from ,mr4 ,burney4#ab ,he was a person held in the highest estimation for his powers of conversation and agreeable manners1 which made his company much sought after by all the principal nobility and gentry of the neighbourhood4 ,here ,i must reflect1 as ,i have done many times before1 on the unfortunate idea of making me a merchant4 ,the immediate expense absolutely thrown away differently invested would have kept me four years at the ,university1 enabling my father to make me a clergyman and ,rector of ,bradfield4 ,this living he actually gave to my ,lavenham schoolmaster4 ,the whole course of my life would in such a case have been changed4 ,i should have known nothing of ,lynn1 and have taken a wife from a different quarter4 ,i should probably have been free from all attraction to agriculture1 and that circumstance alone would have changed the whole colour of my existence4 ,i might never have been of any use to the public1 but my years would have passed in a far more tranquil current1 escaping so many storms and vicissitudes which blew me into a tempest of activity and involved me in great errors1 great vice1 and perpetual anxiety4 ,this was not to be the case1 and what ,i thought an evil star sent me to ,lynn4 ,in this place monthly assemblies were held1 a mayor's feast and ball in the evening1 a dancing master's ball and assemblies at the ,mart4 ,it was not common1 ,i was told1 for merchants' clerks to frequent these1 a suggestion ,i spurned1 and attended them1 dancing with the principal belles4 ,i was complimented by the dancing master1 who assured me that he pointed out my minuet as an example to his scholars4 ,but pleasure alone would not satisfy me2 ,i was by nature studious1 and from my earliest years discovered a thirst for learning and books4 ,these1 the smallness of my allowance 7,i think not more than #cjl4 per annum71 with my great foppery in dress for the balls1 would not permit me to purchase and supply me with what ,i so much needed4 ,accordingly in #ageh ,i compiled a political pamphlet named #8,the ,theatre of the ,present ,war in ,north ,america1' for which a bookseller allowed me ten pounds' worth of books2 as he urged me to another undertaking ,i wrote three or four more political tracts1 each of which procured me an addition to my little library4 ,my first year's apprenticeship had not expired before the death of my sister overthrew the whole plan which had sent me to ,lynn4 ,as #djjl4 had been paid for the agreed period of three years1 ,i was kept there from no other motive4 ,under such circumstances it may be supposed that the counting-house and the business received not an atom more of attention than could be dispensed with4 ,i was twenty years old on leaving ,lynn1 which ,i did without education1 profession or employment4 ,in ,june of this year 7#agei7 my father died1 and as he left debts1 my mother thought it necessary to take an exact account of his effects4 ,the following is the result3-- s4 ,household goods #fgd #a ,farming stock #bbf #d ,plate #adi #ac ,books #eg #j ----- ---- ,total #a1ajf #ah ,i am sorry to add that money or money due to him made no part of the estimate4 ,the fact was that my father died much in debt1 and it was two years before my mother found herself tolerably free4 ----- ,footnote #a3 ,lavenham is a very pretty village1 with splendid church1 lying between ,sudbury and ,whelnethan1 whilst ,bury ,st4 ,edmunds is the second town in ,suffolk4 ,footnote #b3 ,memoirs of ,richard ,cumberland1 #ahjf4 ,footnote #c3 ,elsewhere ,arthur ,young mentions a severe flogging #8very properly' administered by his father for an act of cruelty1 adding1 #8,it was the only time that ,i ever received any correction at his hands1 yet he was a remarkably passionate man4' ,footnote #d3 ,robert ,sutton1 physician and inoculist1 #ageg1 ,dict4 of ,biography1 ,sampson ,low4 ,dr4 ,guy's ,public ,health has the following3 #8,the ,suttons were noted for their success in inoculation1 but ,dr4 ,gregory gives more credit to diet and exposure to air than to the antimonial and mercurial medicines they extolled4' ,footnote #e3 ,hero of ,the ,beaux' ,stratagem1 ,g4 ,farquhar4 ,footnote #f3 ,till the last generation it was the fashion to brew one's own beer in ,suffolk4 ,footnote #g3 #8,the buildings and yards necessary for the business of a farm4'--,webster4 ,footnote #h3 ,nicholas ,saunderson1 ,d4,d41 author of the ,elements of ,algebra1 in ten books1 #agdj4 ,footnote #i3 ,the ,mitchell ,election1 a petition brought by ,lord ,orwell and ,colonel ,wedderburn against undue election and return for borough of ,mitchell1 in ,cornwall4 ,see ,commons' ,journals1 xxii41 xxiv4 and xxxii4 ,footnote #aj3 ,the ,duke of ,cumberland4 ,footnote #aa3 ,m4 de ,miripoix1 then ,french ,ambassador at ,st4 ,james's4 ,footnote #ab3 ,dr4 ,charles ,burney1 author of the ,history of ,music1 father of ,madame d',arblay4 ----- ,,chapter ,,ii ,,farming ,,and ,,marriage1 #agei-agff ,the gay world--,a call on ,dr4 ,johnson--,a venture--,offer of a career--,farming decided upon--,garrick--,marriage--,mr4 ,harte--,lord ,chesterfield on farming--,literary work--,correspondence--,birth of a daughter4 ,in #agfa ,i was at the ,coronation1 had a seat in the gallery of ,westminster ,hall1 and being in the front row above the ,duke's table1 ,i remember letting down a basket during dessert1 which was filled by the present ,duke of ,marlborough4 ,on this visit to ,london ,i had a mind to see everything1 and ordered a full dress suit for going to ,court4 ,this was in ,september4 ,in ,december ,i was again in ,london figuring in the gay world4#ac ,in ,january #agfb ,i set on foot a periodical publication entitled #8,the ,universal ,museum1' which came out monthly1 printed with glorious imprudence on my own account4 ,i waited on ,dr4 ,johnson1 who was sitting by the fire so half-dressed and slovenly a figure as to make me stare at him4 ,i stated my plan and begged that he would favour me with a paper once a month1 offering at the same time any remuneration that he might name4 #8,no1 sir1' he replied1 #8such a work would be sure to fail if the booksellers have not the property1 and you will lose a great deal of money by it4' #8,certainly1 sir1' ,i said2 #8if ,i am not fortunate enough to induce authors of real talent to contribute4' #8,no1 sir1 you are mistaken1 such authors will not support such a work1 nor will you persuade them to write in it2 you will purchase disappointment by the loss of your money1 and ,i advise you by all means to give up the plan4' ,somebody was introduced1 and ,i took my leave4 ,dr4 ,kenrick1#ad the translator of ,rousseau1 was a writer of a very different stamp2 he readily engaged to write for me2 so did ,collier#ae and his wife1 who between them translated the #8,death of ,abel4'#af ,i printed five numbers of this work1 and being convinced that ,dr4 ,johnson's advice was wise and that ,i should lose money by the business1 ,i determined to give it up4 ,with that view ,i procured a meeting of ten or a dozen booksellers1 and had the luck and address to persuade them to take the whole scheme upon themselves4 ,i fairly slipped my neck out of the yoke--a most fortunate occurrence1 for1 though they continued it under far more favourable circumstances1 ,i believe no success ever attended it4 ,in ,september of the following year ,i broke a blood-vessel and was attended by a ,lynn physician1 who ordered me to ,bristol ,hotwells1 as ,i was in a very consumptive state4 ,i accordingly went1 boarding and lodging in a house where ,i met very intelligent and agreeable society2 amongst the number was one gentleman with whom ,i had many arguments concerning ,rousseau and his writings1 ,i1 like a fool1 much admiring both1 my new acquaintance abusing them with equal heat4 ,but the principal acquaintance ,i made at the ,hotwells was ,sir ,charles ,howard1 ,k4,b41 then an old man4 ,being informed that ,i was a chess-player1 he introduced himself to me in the pump-room and invited me to coffee and a game of chess4 ,after some time and various conversations he made enquiries relating to my family and destination4 ,i took it into my head that he seemed more affable when he was informed 7for his enquiries were numerous7 that ,mr4 ,speaker ,onslow and the ,bishop of ,rochester were my godfathers4 ,on understanding that ,i was not bred to any profession and was without hope of any settlement in life1 he asked me if ,i should like to enter the ,army4 ,i answered in the affirmative1 but added that it could only be matter of theory1 as ,i had not lived with any officers4 ,he often recurred to the idea1 and at last told me that he would give me a pair of colours in his own cavalry regiment1 and bade me write to my mother for her approval4 ,this ,i did1 and was not at all surprised by her reply4 ,she begged and beseeched me not to think of any such employment1 as my health and strength were quite inadequate to the life4 ,i loved my dear mother too much to accept an offer against her consent4 ,i also became acquainted with an officer in the ,army1 ,captain ,lambert1 who visited the ,countess of ,b4 at ,b4 ,castle4 ,she was esteemed a demirep1 handsome and fascinating4 ,a little before ,i left ,bristol ,i was introduced to her1 and had my stay been longer should have made one in the number of her many slaves4 ,on returning from ,bristol to my mother at ,bradfield1 ,i found myself in a situation as truly helpless and forlorn as could well be imagined1 without profession1 business1 or pursuit1 ,i may add without one well-grounded hope of any advantageous establishment in life4 ,my whole fortune during the life of my mother was a copyhold farm of twenty acres1 producing as many pounds1 and what possibility there was of turning my time to any advantage did not and could not occur to me2 in truth1 it was a situation without resource1 and nothing but the inconsiderateness of youth could have kept me from sinking into melancholy and despair4 ,my mother1 desirous of fixing me with her1 proposed that ,i should take a farm1 and especially as the home one of eighty acres was under a lease expiring at ,michaelmas4 ,i had no more idea of farming than of physic or divinity1 but as it promised1 at least1 to find me some employment1 ,i agreed to the proposition1 and accordingly commenced my rural operations1 which entirely decided the complexion of all my remaining years4 ,my connections at ,lynn carried me often to that place1 and my love of reading proved my chief resource4 ,i farmed during the years #agfc-d-e-f1 having taken also a second farm that was in the hands of a tenant4 ,i gained knowledge1 but not much1 and the principal effect was to convince me that in order to understand the business in any perfection it was necessary for me to continue my exertions for many years4 ,and the circumstance which perhaps of all others in my life ,i most deeply regretted and considered as a sin of the blackest dye1 was the publishing the result of my experience during these four years1 which1 speaking as a farmer1 was nothing but ignorance1 folly1 presumption1 and rascality4 ,the only real use which resulted from those four years was to enable me to view the farms of other men with an eye of more discrimination than ,i could possibly have done without that practice4 ,it was the occasion of my going on the southern tour in #agfg1 the northern tour in #agfh1 and the eastern in #aggj1 extending through much the greater part of the kingdom1 and the exertion in these tours was admitted by all who read them 7and they were very generally read7 to be of most singular utility to the general agriculture of the kingdom4 ,in these works ,i particularly attended to the course of the farmer's crops1 the point perhaps of all others the most important1 and the more so at that period1 because all preceding writers had neglected it in the most unaccountable manner4 ,they relate good and bad rotations with the same apathy as if it was of little consequence in what order the crops of a farm were put in provided the operations of tillage and manuring were properly performed4 ,it has been very justly said that ,i first excited the agricultural spirit which has since rendered ,britain so famous2 and ,i should observe that this is not so great a compliment as at first sight it may seem1 since it was nothing more than publishing to the world the exertions of many capital cultivators and in various parts of the kingdom1 and especially the local practice of common farmers who1 with all their merit1 were unknown beyond the limits of their immediate district1 and whose operation wanted only to be known to be admired4 ,in ,december #agfb ,i was again in ,london1 and1 as usual1 constantly at the theatre4 ,the parts in which ,mr4 ,garrick acted to my great entertainment were1 ,macbeth1 ,benedict1 ,lear1 ,posthumus1 ,oakely1#ag ,abel ,drugger1#ah ,sir ,j4 ,brute1#ai ,sir ,j4 ,dominant1#bj ,bayes1#ba ,carlos1#bb ,felix1#bc ,ranger1#bd ,scrub1#be ,hastings4#bf ,i must once for all remark that this astonishing actor so much exceeded every idea of representing character that the delusion was complete1 ,nature1 not acting1 seemed to be before the spectator1 and this to a degree a thousand times beyond anything that has been seen since4 ,the tones of his voice1 the clear discrimination of feeling and passion in the vast variety of characters he represented1 surpassed anything one could imagine1 and raised him beyond competition4 ,i have often reflected on the principal personages who figured in ,england during this age1 and ,i am disposed to think that ,garrick was by far the greatest1 that is to say1 he excelled all his contemporaries in the art he professed4 ,few men have been able to laugh at their own foibles with as much wit as ,garrick4 ,a striking instance was his little publication called #8,an ,ode to ,garrick on the ,talk of the ,town1' in which we find this stanza3 ,two parts they readily allow ,are yours1 but not one more they vow1 ,and they close their spite4 ,you will be ,sir ,john ,brute#bg all day1 ,and ,fribble#bh all the night4 ,in #agfe the colour of my life was decided4 ,i married4 ,my wife#bi was a daughter of ,alderman ,allen1 of ,lynn1 and great-granddaughter of ,john ,allen1 ,esq41 of ,lyng ,house1 ,norfolk1 who1 according to the ,comte de ,boulainvilliers1#cj first introduced the custom of marling in the above-named county4 ,we boarded with my mother at ,lynn4 ,this year 7#agfe7 ,i was in correspondence with the ,rev4 ,walter ,harte1#ca ,canon of ,windsor1 and author of the #8,essays on ,husbandry' and the #8,life of ,gustavus ,adolphus4' ,he advised me to collect my scattered papers in the #8,museum ,rusticum1' and1 with additions1 to publish them in a volume4 ,this ,i did under the title of #8,a ,farmer's ,letters4' ,i visited ,mr4 ,harte at ,bath2 his conversation was extremely interesting and instructive4 ,i have rarely received more pleasure than in my intercourse with this amiable and deeply learned man4 ,it is well known that he was tutor to ,mr4 ,stanhope1 natural son of ,lord ,chesterfield1 to whom so many of that nobleman's letters were addressed4#cb ,to ,mr4 ,harte #8,blackheath3 ,august #af1 #agfd4 #8,sir1--,i give you a thousand thanks for your book1 of which ,i've read every word with great pleasure and full as great astonishment4 ,when in the name of ,god could you have found time to read the ten or twenty thousand authors whom you quote1 of all countries and all times1 from ,hesiod to du ,hamel8#cc ,where have you ploughed1 sowed1 harrowed1 drilled1 and dug the earth for at least these forty years8 for less time could not have made you such a complete master of the practical part of husbandry4 ,i can only account for it from the ,pythagorean doctrine of the transmigration of souls1 and the supposition that ,hartlib's soul has animated your body with a small alteration of name2 seriously1 your book entertains me exceedingly1 and has made me quite a dilettante1 though too late to make me a virtuoso1 in the useful and agreeable art of agriculture4 ,i own myself ignorant of them all1 but am nevertheless sensible of their utility1 and the pleasure it must afford to those who pursue them4 ,moreover1 you've scattered so many graces over them that one wishes to be better acquainted with them1 and that one reads your book with pleasure most exquisite4 ,it is the only prose ,georgic that ,i know1 as agreeable1 and ,i dare say much more useful1 in this climate than ,virgil4 ,why have you not put your name to it8 for though some passages in it point you out to be the author here1 they will not do it so in other countries1 and as ,i am persuaded that your book will be translated into most modern languages and be a polyglott of husbandry1 ,i could have wished your name had been to it4 ,how goes the ,havabilious complaint3 has not the ,bath waters washed it away yet8 ,i heartily wish it was1 as ,i sincerely wish you whatever can give you ease or pleasure4 #8,for ,i am with great truth your #8,faithful friend and servant1 #8,,chesterfield4 #8,p4,s4--,though ,i can be as partial as another to my friends1 ,i cannot be quite blind to their omissions2 for though you have enumerated so many sorts of grass1 with a particular panegyrick on your dear ,lucern1 you have not described1 nor so much as mentioned1 that particular sort of grass which while it grows the steed starves4 #8,your ,elve is very well at ,dresden4 ,i will send him his book when ,i can find a good opportunity4' ,the following letters ,mr4 ,harte was so good as to address to me3-- #8,bath3 ,february #c1 #agfe4 #8,dear ,sir1--,that ,i am obliged to trouble you with a letter1 purely on my own account1 ,i balance not a moment within myself1 between interrupting a friend and being thought ungrateful4 ,the kind mention you have been pleased to make of my ,essays on ,husbandry in the last number of the ,museum ,rusticum deserves my warmest thanks and acknowledgements3 and though your good opinion of me as bonus agricola1 bonus civis may be a little partial1 yet sure ,i am that your favourable report is the overflowing of a generous mind1 and under that medicament ,i must with modesty and diffidence arrange it1 feeling at the same time that inward pleasure which ,tacitus describes ,dulce est laudari a laudato ,viro4 ,for my own part1 my ill health1 as ,i greatly fear1 will make me unable to continue much longer on the theatre of agriculture2 but if it pleases ,god that this nation is ever touched with a true vital sense of the uses of husbandry in their full extent 7and runs not mad with the visionary notions of ,colonies71 there will soon be a succession of younger and abler genius's to perfect that1 which ,i have had the honor and satisfaction of suggesting to my beloved but mistaken country4 ,i may say as old ,dryden did to ,congreve4 7,you will put aside the vanity of naming ,dryden in the same paragraph with myself47 #8,so1 when the ,states one ,edward did depose1 ,a greater ,edward in his room arose1 ,but now not ,i but husbandry the curst1 ,and ,tom the ,second writes like ,tom the ,first4 #8,and now1 ,sir1 give me leave to assure you that ,i am extremely pleased with your last published performance1 and the rather as the idea is useful and new4 ,in order to send abroad a truly qualified person1 as you have most judiciously characterised him1 you do well to address yourself to noble-spirited individuals4 ,kings and ministers look upon agriculture as only physical means of supplying mankind with food2 nor does one glimpse of an idea ever enter their heads or hearts concerning the circulation of profit from the highest to the lowest resulting from thence2 nor of the national strength1 health1 population1 and1 ,i may say1 the sobriety of getting money which results from that art when it is exercised and maintained in full activity4 ,france might till this time have languished for her enclosure of waste land and exportation of superfluous corn if a shrewd and artful foreigner had not flattered a fair lady into a passion for agriculture2 the man ,i mean is ,m4 ,patulle4#cd ,and indeed1 since the times of ,augustus and ,mcenas 7which latter loved agriculture1 before he loved poetry1 but lavishly united both in ,virgil7 and since the time of ,constantine ,,iv4 to the present hour ,i can recollect no ,princes and ,prime ,ministers who understood the national advantages of husbandry in their full extent but ,henry ,,iv4 and ,sully4' ,letter breaks off here4 #8,windsor3 ,may #a1 #agfe4 #8,dear ,sir1--,your last kind pacquet was conveyed to me here by our much esteemed friend ,mrs4 ,allen1 whom ,i hope to see at ,bath in about twelve days4 ,i am now to thank you for entertaining me with so much and so good matter relating to ,harrows1 and look upon your improvement to be a most sensible and most ingenious one at the same time4 ,this is the happy perfection in writing which ,horace mentions3 #8,omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci4 #8,in the same manner ,i have also read with delight and improvement your remarks upon broad-wheeled waggons1 in the ,museum for last ,march3 but why1 my good friend1 do you bury such dissertations as yours in blue-paper ,periodical ,essays8 ,or why rather do you not throw them together in one book1 or large pamphlet8 ,i return you my best thanks for your ,technical ,terms of ,art in the ,suffolk ,husbandry1 and the provincial words1 which latter1 one time or other1 shall be considered by me in a more extensive and critical view respecting the ,english language in general4 ,many of these provincial words#ce are the truly classical words of our nation4 ,some of them are elegant and musical1 and most of them in general express the sense in their sound4 ,in one word1 from a thorough knowledge of the provincial words of our language1 one might venture to explain ,shakespear1 ,b4 ,jonson1 ,beaumont and ,fletcher1 c41 better and safer than all his editors and conjectural critics4 ,if you have a friend tolerably skilled in husbandry1 who lives in any part of ,england except the southern and western1 be so obliging to me as to solicit his assistance1 and convey the list of words to me2 for by what ,i have before suggested1 you see ,i have views that extend beyond husbandry4 #8,when you go to ,london1 will you not be tempted to make a flying excursion to ,bath8 ',tis a digression1 but it can hardly be called an episode4 ,if ,i have any skill1 or knowledge of the world1 ,mrs4 ,allen's conversation alone will indemnify you for your trouble1 and that most amply4 ,he also who subscribes his name to this letter has a private ambition to be better known to you than upon paper4 #8,i am1 dear ,sir1 your most obedient and most humble servant1 #8,w4 ,,harte4#8 #8,kintbury1 ,berks3 ,may #g1 #agfe4 #8,dear ,sir1--,if gratitude did not operate strongly upon me 7and that towards a friend whom ,i never saw but hope to see1 know1 and cultivate his friendship7 ,i should not trouble you with another letter so quick upon the heels of my last from ,windsor2 but finding by chance here1 in a lone village1 the ,museum ,rusticum1 ,i see you have done justice to the ,essays on ,husbandry4 ,i wish they had half the merit which your partiality to the author fancies they have4 #8,in the main particular you have spoken exactly my private sentiments4 ,when ,i write for the instruction and amusement of ,cuddy and ,lobbin and ,clout in matters of husbandry ,i will also publish a supplemental essay on the art of push-pin1#cf stylo puerili4 ,who would write for farmers1 who perhaps cannot read1 or who1 ,i am sure1 will never try to read8 ,were ,i condemned to this punishment ,i would desire my footman to hold the pen--and even then what would such critics say8 ,they would find fault with inelegance and want of propriety in the work4 ,they bring to my mind an anecdote which de ,voltaire once told me of his father 7by the way1 ,voltaire put the incident into a farce1 and was disinherited for it74 ,the peevish old gentleman said one morning when his son rose from bed at about #aa o'clock3 8,young man1 you were drunk last night2 you will sleep away your senses1 neglect your studies1 and die a beggar40 ,piqued at this reproach1 ,voltaire got up at #d next morning1 and by the by it was in winter4 8,son10 said his father at breakfast1 8you will ruin us in the expenses of fire and candle4 ,all your draggle-tailed ,muses will never indemnify us with the wood-merchant and chandler40 ,this is a just picture of a reviewing ,critic or a ,mago4 #8,quo teneam vultus mutantem ,protea noto8 #8,as to the ,museum ,rusticum 7your writings in it excepted7 ,i know nothing of the authors1 but look upon it 7as ,i am now speaking to you sub sigillo silentii7 as a blue-paper job4 ,books in this age are a manufacture as much as hats or pins4 ,the bookseller chooses a subject and the author writes at #ajs4 a sheet4 ,it is probable that one man in a garret1 who does not know a blade of wheat from a blade of barley1 writes half the letters from the #8,kentish man1' #8,yorkshire man1' #8,glocester man1' c4 ,and perhaps the same hand1 in the notes1 signs with all the letters in the alphabet4 ,perhaps this very man ,rocque 7,i speak only from conjecture71 for ,i observe the whole work has a tendency to favour this avanturier in agriculture4 ,i declare to you seriously that ,i know nothing of its authors1 you excepted4 ,might it not be better if you kept your admirable tracts by you1 and to those you have already published1 so much to your honour1 you may add such occasional pieces as you shall afterwards write1 and let them all appear together in a volume which might be entitled ,,sylvae1#cg or occasional tracts on husbandry and rural economics4 ,i would have all books on husbandry1 if possible1 pocket volumes1 that one may read in the fields1 c4 ,in short1 ,i would print it in a beautiful duodecimo as du ,hamel does2 you have written enough already to make one such volume1 or nearly4 ,however1 there must be some new things in this work2 doubtless you have the plan of more tracts by you4 ,if you read ,french ,i would recommend a charming idea to you in this enclosing age1 namely a little #abmo4 called ,l'amlioration des ,terres1 by ,patulle4 ,in that work are plans1 and also the manner of throwing a square tract of ground of three or four hundred acres1 c41 into an ornamented farm1 or1 as the ,french call it1 ferme orne3 the house and buildings in the centre2 the fields are square1 the hedges quick set1 and the owner may command with his eye1 and almost with his voice1 everybody and thing he is concerned with4 ,if you cannot get the book 7though you certainly may at ,vaillant's7 ,i will send you mine4 #8,adieu1 dear ,sir1 #8,your most affectionate and obliged friend1 #8,,walter ,,harte4' #8,barton ,street1 ,bath3 ,oct4 #af1 #agff4 #8,dear ,sir1--,my wretched state of health must be my just excuse for being so bad a correspondent4 ,i owe you an answer to a letter of yours which was equally kind and long1 and that answer is now of near a quarter of a year's standing2 not but that ,i think of you and my honoured friend at ,lynn almost every day of my life4 ,pray inform me in your next how your husbandry lucubrations go on in point of progress and advancement8 ,i will be responsible for their good taste and accuracy4 ,you are like the ,matinian bee mentioned by ,horace1 which gathers more fragrance from a few sprigs of thyme than others can do from the stately lilac and larch trees4 ,you gave me some hopes that my ever honoured friend at ,worcester should convey to me1 from you1 some manuscript dissertations on agriculture1 but ,i have been so unhappy as to know no more of them than of the lost books of ,livy4 ,in the course of the winter you will see an octavo volume of religious poems intituled the 8,amaranth10 adorned with very fine sculptures from the designs of the greatest masters1 and executed by an artist of my own forming1 who never appeared before in a public capacity1 except on my ,essays on ,husbandry4 ,the poetry ,i hope will prove that ,i have been bred up in the school of ,pope1 and ,i hope the disciple will retain something at least of the manner of the master4 ,when you see ,mrs4 ,allen you will impart this little anecdote to her1 because ,i am not yet quite clear whether ,i shall prefix my name or not4 #8,i am1 dear ,sir1 c41 c41 #8,,walter ,,harte4 #8,p4,s4--,i have just had a visit from my old friend the ,marquis of ,rockingham1 who 7to say truth7 loves husbandry as much as you or ,i do1 and is1 besides1 an excellent judge of it speculatively and practically4' #8,bath3 ,nov4 #bd1 #agff4 #8,dear ,sir1--,i received safely by coach your manuscript1 which shall be perused with all the accuracy of friendship1 after having turned partiality out of doors4 ,my impatience about whatever concerns you has already made me read a part of your work1 and enables me to prophesy well concerning it4 ,pray be not fearful about the execution of your plan1 which seems to me a good one2 authors must be careful but not fearful2 we have a proverb in husbandry 7as old1 ,i think1 as ,henry ,,vii4's time71 which deserves to be written in letters of gold3 ,he that's afraid of a blade of grass must not sleep in a meadow4 #8,i like one part of your manuscript exceedingly2 it is in truth the only thing wanted1 and yet the only thing too often omitted1 ,i mean the idea and calculation of the outgoing expenses4 ,m4 ,patulle felt this as folly as you do1 and as good wit will jump1 hit upon a part of your plan4 ,you therefore must see that book1 as the ,french say1 cote que cote2 ,i have1 ,i believe1 almost the only copy in ,england1 which shall be conveyed to you in a week's time4 #8,i am1 dearest ,sir1 #8,your affectionate friend1 #8,,walter ,,harte4' ,mr4 ,harte published a volume of religious poems called #8,amaranth1' which he sent me4 ,he took great pains about the decoration of this book by a young artist of his own forming1 but it had no success4 ,in #agff my daughter ,mary was born1 and ,i remained at ,bradfield1 with the exception of several journeys to ,lynn4 ----- ,footnote #ac3 ,the following notes are taken from a small memorandum-book appended to memorials3-- #8#agfa4 ,july #bc4--,leak in full 7meaning debts71 #el4 #es4 ,sept4 #bb4--;,coronation4 0 #bh4--,to ,court4 ,oct4 #i4--;,blackheath2 cards4 ,dec4 --,to ,london with ,ed4 ,allen4 0 #ca4--;,debts #fbl4 7,my7 ,history of the ,war published4' ,footnote #ad3 ,dr4 ,kenrick1 critic of the ,monthly ,review1 attacked ,dr4 ,johnson1 who said1 #8,i do not think myself bound by ,kenrick's rules4' ,footnote #ae3 ,joseph and ,mary ,collier2 the first1 author of a ,history of ,england4 ,footnote #af3 ,gesner ,solomon1 born at ,zurich1 #agcj4 ,footnote #ag3 ,the ,jealous ,wife4 ,footnote #ah3 ,the ,alchemist4 ,footnote #ai3 ,the ,provoked ,wife4 ,footnote #bj3 ,the ,man of ,mode4 ,footnote #ba3 ,the ,rehearsal4 ,footnote #bb3 ,love ,makes a ,man4 ,footnote #bc3 ,the ,wonder4 ,footnote #bd3 ,the ,suspicious ,husband4 ,footnote #be3 ,the ,beaux' ,stratagem4 ,footnote #bf3 ,she ,stoops to ,conquer4 ,this last play seems to have been first acted in #aggc4 ,see ,brewer's ,reader's ,handbook4 ,footnote #bg3 #8,the coarse pot-house valour of ,sir ,john ,brute1 ,garrick's famous part1 is finely contrasted with the fine lady airs and affectation of his wife4'--,chambers's ,english ,literature4 ,footnote #bh3 #8,all the domestic business will be taken from my wife's hands1 ,i shall shall make the tea1 comb the dogs1 and dress the children myself4'--,fribble1 in ,miss in her ,teens 7,garrick74 ,footnote #bi3 ,mrs4 ,young was sister to ,fanny ,burney's stepmother4 ,the marriage proved unhappy from the beginning4 ,footnote #cj3 ,see his work1 ,les ,intrts de la ,france mal entendus1 ,henri1 ,comte de ,boulainvilliers1 voluminous author on ,french history1 #afeh-agbb4 ,footnote #ca3 ,rev4 ,w4 ,harte1 poet1 writer on rural affairs1 historian1 #agjj-aggd4 ,dr4 ,johnson much commended ,harte as a scholar and a man of the most companionable talents he had ever known4 ,he said the defects in his history 7,gustavus ,adolphus7 arose not from imbecility1 but from foppery4 ,his ,essays on ,husbandry is an elegant1 erudite1 and valuable work 7,lowndes74 ,footnote #cb3 ,the accompanying letter is included in ,arthur ,young's correspondence of this year1 and is given1 although not addressed to himself4 ,footnote #cc3 ,duhamel du ,monceau1 botanist and agronome1 contributor to the ,encyclopdie1 #agjj-agha4 ,footnote #cd3 ,patulle4 ,a ,french writer on agriculture4 ,footnote #ce3 ,here is an illustration4 ,the ,suffolk husbandman's afternoon collation is invariably called #8beaver4' ,in ,nares' ,glossary we find1 #8,bever1 from the ,sp4 and ,it43 an intermediate refreshment between breakfast and dinner4' #8,without any prejudice to their bevers1 drinkings1 and suppers4'--,b4 and ,fletcher1 #8,the ,woman ,hater4' ,footnote #cf3 #8,a child's game1 in which pins are pushed alternately4'--,webster4 ,footnote #cg3 ,included in ,a ,farmer's ,letters4 ----- ,,chapter ,,iii ,,in ,,search ,,of ,a ,,living1 #agfg-agge ,home travels--,a move--,anecdote of a cat--,disillusion--#8,a ,farmer's ,letters'--,another move--#8,in the full blaze of her beauty'--,hetty ,burney and her harpsichord--#8,scant in servants'--,maternal solicitude--,money difficulties--,more tours--,lord ,sheffield--,howard the philanthropist--,correspondence4 ,during this year ,i executed that journey1 the register of which ,i published under the title of a #8,six ,weeks' ,tour1' in which1 for the first time1 the facts and principles of ,norfolk husbandry were laid before the public1 and which have since become famous in the agricultural world4 ,till my work appeared nothing of that husbandry was known beyond the county4 ,the publication excited great interest1 and became unquestionably the origin of many and great improvements in various parts of the kingdom4 ,i scarcely went into any company in which it was not mentioned4 ,had ,i better understood the art of husbandry it might1 perhaps1 have been well for me4 ,finding that a mixture of families was inconsistent with comfortable living1 ,i determined to quit ,bradfield1 and advertised in the ,london papers for such a house and farm as would suit my views and fortune1 that is to say1 one thousand pounds which ,i received with my wife1 the remainder being settled upon her4 ,i fixed upon a very fine farm in ,essex called ,samford ,hall2 there ,i worked with incredible avidity both in the agricultural and literary department4 ,i remember once to have written a quire of foolscap in one day6 ,the work was entitled #8,political ,essays on the ,present ,state of the ,british ,empire4' ,and here ,i may mention a singular instance of animal sagacity4 ,the gentleman who gave up the house to me was a ,mr4 ,farquharson4 ,his wife had a favourite cat which1 upon their removal1 was put into a sack and carried away with the furniture from ,essex to ,yatesby ,bridge in ,hampshire4 ,i was surprised in about five or six days to see poor puss again at ,samford ,hall2 nearly at the same time a letter was received from ,mrs4 ,farquharson lamenting her loss1 but doubting the possibility of the cat having returned to its original home4 ,the circumstance is astonishing1 and shows an instinct almost incredible1 for the animal must have travelled seventy miles and threaded the ,metropolis4 ,my landlord1 a ,mr4 ,lamb1 was a ,king's messenger4 ,he had formerly been1 ,i believe1 butler or valet de chambre to the ,duke of ,leeds1 and gave me many accounts of the journeys he had made to ,petersburg1 ,constantinople1 ,naples1 c41 profiting by every journey very considerably1 as he expended much less in travelling than was allowed by ,government4 ,i write from memory1 but ,i think he said that a journey to ,petersburg or ,constantinople paid him a neat profit of a hundred guineas4 ,this speculation turned out a bitter disappointment4 ,i trusted to the promise of a relative to lend me some money1 making1 with what ,i possessed1 sufficient for the undertaking4 ,but he was himself disappointed of the money1 and ,i clearly foresaw that an insufficient capital would infallibly cramp me in such a manner as to render all my efforts very uncomfortable and perhaps vain4 ,i determined to make a short cut and get rid of it immediately1 which ,i did at the end of six months at no further loss than of #ajjl4 ,this was a lesson of some use to me at subsequent periods of my life1 and taught me early to distinguish between certainty and probabilities4 ,arthur ,young to his ,wife #8,tuesday3 #agfg4ch #8,my ,dearest1--,i am much in hopes ,i shall have a letter from you to-morrow2 if ,i have not it will be a great disappointment2 for when you don't write in huffs your letters are my only comfort4 ,i went to ,yeldham's this morning1 but he1 according to custom1 was out1 and will not be home of some days2 it will be ,saturday before ,i can see him4 ,how this terrible affair will end ,i cannot conjecture1 nor what ,i am to do4 ,the most miserable circumstance of all is the being in such suspense and anxiety4 ,it absolutely stupefies me1 and ,i am forced to pin myself down to writing without the soul for anything but mere copying4 ,i would give my right hand that ,i had never seen this place1 but such reflections only make one the more miserable2 and the thoughts at the same time of what you feel with a young child to suckle hurt me more than ,i can express in a word2 we shall both be capitally miserable till we are fixed somewhere on a certainty1 and when that will be ,heaven knows4 ,i had infinitely rather live in a cottage upon bread and cheese than drag on the anxious existence ,i do at present4 ,whichever way ,i turn my thoughts ,i see no remedy1 nor know who can advise me what step to take4 ,i know not which is best myself1 ,i am sure1 for everyone depends so on contingencies that sagacity itself cannot foresee the consequences of all4 ,an ill star rose on my nativity2 had ,i never been born it would have been just so much the better for me1 for you1 and our wretched children4 ,if anybody was to knock me on the head it would be a trifling favour done to you all three1 for most assuredly no good will ever come from my hands4 #8,adieu6 ,i have scribbled out the paper to but little purpose4 #8,a4 ,y4' ,the gentleman who assisted me in getting rid of this nuisance was a ,mr4 ,yeldham4 ,i am sure the reader will peruse with gratification the following letter 7given in part73-- #8,saling3 ,dec4 #aj1 #agfh4 #8,dear ,sir1--,your obliging present of lampreys and more obliging letter of the #gth came safe to my hands1 as did your books and ,westphalia ham4 ,i assure you ,i thought myself amply rewarded for the service ,i did you in ,essex by the present of your work on agriculture1 and everything beyond that was unnecessary and the result of your generosity4 ,give me leave to return you my respectful thanks1 and to assure you that in the twenty-six years ,i have had transactions with mankind1 and whenever in my power have endeavoured to assist as many as ,i could1 ,i have scarce ever met with so much gratitude as you have shown4 ,it will not be in my power ever again to do you any acceptable service1 but for your sake ,i shall be more ready to do a kind office than ever2 so if ,i mended your fortune by helping you off a hurtful contract1 you will mend my heart by making me more in love with mankind1 and more ready to seek opportunities of being useful4 #8,i have often heard of the fine husbandry of the ,north4 ,if such things as you speak of are to be had every day1 why are ,north ,country farmers so poor8 ,here we give from ten to fifteen shillings per acre for lands not a whit better than you can have in the ,north for a penny4 ,we get estates and live like gentlemen2 ,north ,country farmers are poor and live worse than our labourers4 ,these are allowed truths1 but utterly irreconcilable to the small share of reason ,i possess4 ,all our good farmers can lay up from one to two years' rent of their farms in common years1 after paying the landlord1 the parson1 the poor1 servants' wages1 c4 c4 ,were the ,north ,country farms in the least comparable should not we hear of it8 ,would not some of us get farther from the capital for the sake of profit8 ,our mercantile people ramble all over the world for gain1 so would the farmer could he find it2 and any distance would be agreeable4 ,there must1 ,i think1 be something in the distant counties' prices which counterbalances the cheapness of the land and labour4 ,i heartily wish you success and comfort in all your undertakings1 and that ,bradmore ,farm may produce corn1 wine1 and oil in abundance4 #8,mrs4 ,yeldham joins in compliments to you and ,mrs4 ,young4 #8,i remain1 dear ,sir1 c4 c41 #8,,john ,,yeldham4' ,my correspondence with ,mr4 ,harte continued4 ,it gave me pain to find that his health greatly declined4 ,he was a cripple at ,bath1 but the disorders of his body seemed little to affect the vigour of his mind4 ,he spoke very flatteringly of the reception of my #8,farmer's ,letters4' #8,i am amazed1' he writes1 #8that you have so soon and so easily acquired the hardest point in all writing--namely1 perspicuity and ease of style4' ,and elsewhere1 #8,your letter addressed to my ,lord ,clive on an experimental farm is new1 spirited and pleasing1 but ,i fear he has not a spark of the divina aura in him4 ,i have shown your pamphlet to the best judge in ,england1 my ,lord ,chesterfield1 who is now here4 ,he likes it extremely1 and vows if he was young and rich enough he would carry your scheme into execution4' ,from ,samford ,hall ,i moved1 in #agfh1 to another farm at ,north ,mimms1 in ,hertfordshire4 ,i had scarcely settled here before my bookseller united with many correspondents in urging me to take another tour4 ,i accordingly travelled through the north of ,england1 registering so many observations1 and noting the experiments of such a number of gentlemen1 that the record of the whole1 with the necessary remarks1 filled four octavo volumes1 and enabled me to present the public with interesting agricultural details never before published4 ,i may assert this without vanity1 because the real merit belonged to those who furnished me with the information2 and the success of the work was so great that the first edition was sold almost as soon as it appeared4 ,in the #8,six ,weeks' ,tour' ,i visited but few gentlemen1 and consequently witnessed but few experiments4 ,on the #8,northern ,journey' the case was very different1 and the number of trials reported on a variety of soils were great and interesting4 ,i spent some time with my friend1 ,mr4 ,ellerton1 of ,risby1 in the ,east ,riding2 he accompanied me to ,york races and on a visit of several days to the ,marquis of ,rockingham1 who had previously to the journey invited me to see him1 and pointed out a number of persons proper for me to visit4 ,amongst the company at ,wentworth was ,mr4 ,danby1 of ,swinton1 and his daughter1#ci then in the full blaze of her beauty4 ,my ,lord ,rockingham overheard her speaking to me and using the expression #8amazingly fine turnips4' #8,so1 so1 ,mr4 ,young1' said his lordship1 #8you are getting farming intelligence of ,miss ,danby2 the lady must let us hear more of those fine turnips4'#dj ,his lordship ordered me into an apartment1 in a closet of which was a considerable collection of ancient and curious books on agriculture1 which he pointed out for my amusement when ,i had time to consult them4 ,there was one circumstance which seemed very awkward to me at ,wentworth1 the necessity of every person always having his hat under his arm1 a hint of which ,lord ,r4 gave me on my arrival1 and ,i saw the want of it in one or two new comers1 who1 when the horses were brought to the door1 had a journey to make through the house before they could find their hats4 ,from ,wentworth ,i went to the ,duke of ,portland's and others1 and afterwards examined a great part of the county of ,york with much attention1 everywhere being received in a very flattering manner4 ,this year ,i made many visits to my friend1 ,dr4 ,burney1 in ,poland ,street1 to whom my wife's sister was married1 and whose daughter ,hester 7by a former marriage7 entertained1 or rather1 fascinated me1 by her performance on the harpsichord and singing of ,italian airs4 ,i was never tired of listening to the #8,ah1 quelli occhi ladroncelli1' and #8,alla larga1' of ,piccini1#da and it is marvellous to me now to recollect that ,i was thus riveted to her side for six hours together4 ,during this year my daughter ,bessy was born1 and the second edition of my #8,farmer's ,letters' published4 #agfi4--,my son ,arthur born4 ,the whole of this year ,i passed at ,north ,mimms1 very well received and visited in that thronged neighbourhood4 ,the ,duke of ,leeds1 who lived in the parish1 condescended to make overtures with a view to my acquaintance4 ,sir ,charles ,cocks1 afterwards ,lord ,somers1 if ,i do not mistake the year1 did the same1 and often drank tea with me2 also ,dr4 ,roper and his wife ,lady ,harriet4 ,he was a man of great learning1 and she a most amiable woman1 free from all pride and affectation4 ,i also often met ,lady ,mary ,mordaunt at two or three houses1 and her sister ,lady ,frances ,bulhely1 with whom she lived2 with the former ,i had something of a flirtation and lent her many books2 she was rather handsome and very agreeable4 ,i was elected member of a dining club at ,hatfield1 and became acquainted with ,samuel ,whitbread1 ,esq4 ,m4,p41#db and ,mr4 ,justice ,willes from ,east ,barnet4 ,i was very well received by ,mrs4 ,willes1 a fine lady1 and rather fantastical4 ,they were both vain people1 and ,i remember one day at dinner ,judge ,willes saying to his wife1 #8,my dear1 ,i think we are rather scant in servants'--yet there was one to every chair and some to spare4 ,she was making an ornamental path round the homestead1 and asked my advice in several difficulties4 ,during this year ,prince ,massalski1 ,bishop of ,wilna1 wrote me a long ,french letter on the agricultural prosperity of ,england4 ,he afterwards passed two days with me in ,hertfordshire1 an agreeable1 well-instructed man1 who much lamented the miserable state of his own country4 #aggj4--,what a year of incessant activity1 composition1 anxiety and wretchedness was this6 ,no carthorse ever laboured as ,i did at this period1 spending like an idiot1 always in debt1 in spite of what ,i earned#dc with the sweat of my brow and almost my heart's blood1 such was my anxiety2 yet all was clearly vexation of spirit4 ,well might my dear mother write to me as she did4 ,i trusted in an unparalleled industry1 but not in ,god2 and see how ,he brought it all to nought1 as if to convince me of my supreme folly and infatuation4 ,my old ,suffolk bailiff was the channel through which ,i ran into debt to the ,bury banker by a series of drawing bills1 one to pay another1 till the plan became so obvious that he cut short and refused to accept any more4 ,i had run near a thousand pounds into his debt1 and it was necessary for me to go over directly to ,bury to see what could be done to pacify him4 ,he was at his country seat at ,trosston4 ,thither ,i followed him1 and1 with great difficulty1 persuaded him to have patience1 under a promise that ,i would make arrangements to pay him very speedily4 ,this ,i did with difficulty1 and ,i scarcely recollect how4 ,i shall1 in the first place1 note that the ,eastern ,tour was accomplished1 the journal of which was afterwards published in four volumes4 ,in the preface ,i returned thanks to those who contributed to my information1 and in the number were many most distinguished personages amongst the nobility and gentry in the counties through which ,i travelled1 with numerous distinguished farmers4 ,it is necessary here to pause a little in order to examine the object and the effect of the three tours ,i made and published4 ,they have1 by the very best judges1 been esteemed highly useful to practical agriculturists1 and unquestionably they are equally so for the information they afford in political economy3 they have accordingly1 in these views1 been celebrated#dd in almost every language of ,europe4 ,when a work appears1 the object and execution of which are equally novel and unexampled1 it is not surprising that a certain measure of success should attend such a work4 ,nothing in the least similar to it had before appeared in the ,english language2 for though there had been a tour of ,great ,britain1 and other tours through great part of the kingdom1 yet all these works agreed in one circumstance--that of the authors confining their attention absolutely to towns and seats1 without paying any more thought to agriculture than if that art had no existence between the towns they visited4 ,indeed my work was admitted on all hands to be perfectly original4 ,in regard to the practical husbandry of the farmers1 and the experimental observations of the gentlemen ,i visited1 the utility of these could not be doubted4 ,when a ,lord ,chancellor of ,england1 amusing himself with husbandry1 read the ,english works on that subject for information1 and burnt them as affording him nothing but contradictions1 without doubt he complained that these writers did not describe the common management of the farmers1 and on that management founding their propositions of improvement4 ,but the fact was1 and it must be1 in the nature of things1 writers confined to their closets1 or1 at most1 to a single farm1 could not describe what it was impossible for them to know2 and before the appearance of my tours there was scarcely a district in the kingdom described in such a manner as to convince the reader that the authors had any practical knowledge of the art2 for a man to quit his farm and his fireside in order to examine the husbandry of a kingdom by travelling above four thousand miles through a country of no greater extent than ,england was certainly taking means sufficiently effective for laying a sure basis for the future improvement of the soil4 ,to understand well the present state of cultivation is surely a necessary step prior to proposals of improvement4 ,this ,i effected2 and in the opinion of some very able agriculturists now living1 the greatest of the subsequent improvements that have been made during the last forty years have1 in a great measure1 originated in the defects pointed out by me in the detail of these journeys4 ,i shall venture to insert one anecdote which occurred in the ,northern ,tour4 ,at ,mr4 ,danby's1 at ,swinton in ,yorkshire1 ,i met a very uncommon instance of extraordinary industry in a collier1 who improved some waste moors by the labour of his own hands beside his common hours of working in the colliery4 ,he had so animated a spirit of improvement that ,i thought it a great pity that he should be left without better support2 and therefore ,i proposed a subscription for him1 which raised in all about #ajjl41 and ,mr4 ,danby1 his landlord1 releasing him from his colliery1 he was enabled to extend his improvements with much more comfort to himself4 ,after a few years he died1 leaving his farm for the benefit of his family4 ,he shortened his life1 poor fellow1 by his industry4 ,this year ,i was obliged to decline an invitation from ,lord ,holdernesse to accompany him to ,hornby ,castle4 ,upon informing my mother of the refusal1 she1 with her ever watchful kindness concerning my interests1 wrote thus3 #8,i am extremely sorry that you refused ,lord ,holdernesse's invitation2 it was an opportunity you may never have again1 for when favours that great people offer are refused1 they seldom1 if ever1 make a second2 it is very extraordinary indeed if they do4 ,he is as likely to be one in the ,administration as any other1 for since ,lady ,h4 is one of the ,ladies of the ,queen's ,bedchamber it is not likely that he ,lord ,h4 will be long out of post2 and who knows8 you might have found favour in his sight4 ,i fear as long as my poor eyes are open ,i shall never want for something relating to your welfare to vex me extremely1 which ,i must own is a great weakness4 ,as to the regard of this world1 thank ,god ,i do often reflect on the shortness of every earthly felicity1 a misery compared with the duration of hereafter1 and ,i am fully convinced that on ,god all events depend4 ,i can't help transcribing a few lines out of a book you know little of4 ,here follow scriptural texts4 ,thank ,god1 ,i don't owe five pounds in the world1 not that ,i brag of being free from debt as owing to any merit to me1 for ,i am far from thinking anything like it2 no1 it is to the mercy and goodness of ,god who has given me a comfortable provision for the situation ,i am in1 and in a better ,i don't desire to be1 for a little with ,god's blessing goes much farther than a great deal without it4 ,you may call all this rubbish if you please1 but a time will come when you will be convinced whose notions are rubbish1 yours or mine4' ,i here insert another letter from my mother1 at the risk of being taxed with personal vanity3-- #8,i had a letter yesterday from your brother1 in which was a paragraph that ,i think will give you a little pleasure4 ,it is as follows3 ,i find that ,arthur has printed lately a pamphlet on the #8,exportation of ,corn4' ,a gentleman who came from the ,drawing ,room yesterday told me that the ,king asked him whether he had read ,mr4 ,young's pamphlet on the subject1 and commended it4 ,oh1 dear6 how pleasing it is to have the approbation of a ,king1 even though we never get sixpence by it4 ,and yet how few are desirous of the approbation of the ,king2 yet they may be sure of it if they sincerely try1 and can never fail of being well rewarded1 both in this world and the next4 ,oh6 ,arthur1 with what capacities are you endowed--with what advantages for being greatly good6 ,but with the talents of an angel a man may be a fool if he judges amiss on the supreme point4' #agga4de--,the same unremitting industry1 the same anxiety1 the same vain hopes1 the same perpetual disappointment4 ,no happiness1 nor anything like it4 ,this year ,i published the third edition of the #8,farmer's ,letters1' the second edition of the #8,northern ,tour1' the #8,farmer's ,calendar1' my #8,proposals for ,numbering the ,people'--the occasion of which was the ,earl of ,chatham's words3 #8,when ,i compare the number of our people--estimated highly at seven#df millions--with the population of ,france and ,spain1 usually computed at twenty-five millions1 ,i see a clear1 self-evident possibility for this country to contend with the united powers of the ,house of ,bourbon merely upon the strength of its own resources4' ,i conceived that to draw such political principles for the national conduct from a mere supposition of population was a doctrine tending to very mischievous errors4 ,i therefore was convinced that an actual enumeration of the people ought to take place4 ,nothing1 however1 was done at the time1 but thirty years afterwards#dg the ,legislature was of the same opinion1 and not till then were the numbers ascertained4 ,this year ,i began my correspondence with ,mr4 ,john ,baker ,holroyd1#dh afterwards so well known for his literary productions as ,lord ,sheffield4 ,in his first letter1 dated ,march #agga1 he mentions his wish that ,i should forward some cabbage seed1 and hopes that ,i may be the means of introducing the culture of cabbages into that neighbourhood 7,sussex71 but adds--what must now appear singular--that the very extraordinary scarcity of hands cramps him very much4 #8,all the lively1 able young men are employed in smuggling4 ,they can have a guinea a week as riders and carriers without any risk2 therefore it is not to be expected that they will labour for eight shillings a week until some more effectual means are taken to prevent smuggling4' ,i had also a letter from the deservedly celebrated philanthropist1 ,john ,howard1 with a basket of his ,american potatoes1 afterwards known under the name of #8the ,howard and cluster potatoes4' ,he added3 #8,permit me1 sir1 to offer my thanks for the entertainment of your very ingenious and useful labours1 and the honour you did me in the mention of my name4' #aggb4--,published #8,political ,essays on the ,british ,empire1' #8,present ,state of ,waste ,lands4' ,a third edition of the #8,six ,weeks' ,tour' was also published4 ,this year ,i attended very much the meetings of the ,society for the ,encouragement of ,arts1#di ,manufactures and ,commerce1 as well as the ,committee of ,agriculture1#ej of which ,i was ,chairman4 ,in a letter from ,mr4 ,butterworth ,bayley1 he lamented the want of a respectable publication by the ,society of ,arts1 and called on me to think of some means of remedying the misery 7sic74 ,when ,i became ,chairman of the ,committee of ,agriculture1 ,i was the first to propose that annual publication which afterwards took place4 ,this proposition was at once acceded to1 and ,valentine ,green1 the engraver1 had the impudence to assert that it originated with him4 ,this year ,i visited ,samuel ,whitbread1 ,esq41 at ,cardington1 in ,bedfordshire1 and as ,mr4 ,howard1 who afterwards became so celebrated for his philanthropy1 lived in the same parish1 ,mr4 ,w4 took me to call upon him one morning4 ,he was esteemed a singular character1 but was at that time quite unknown in the world4 ,he was then only famous for introducing a new series of potatoes into cultivation4 ,we found him in a parlour1 without books or apparently any employment1 dressed as for an evening in ,london--a powdered bag wig1 white silk stockings1 thin shoes1 and every other circumstance of his habiliments excluding the possibility of a country walk4 ,he was rather pragmatical in his speech1 very polite1 but expressing himself in a manner that seemed to belong to two hundred years ago4 ,i asked ,mr4 ,whitbread if ,mr4 ,howard was usually thus dressed and confined to his room1 for he was as intimate with ,whitbread as with anybody4 ,he had never seen him otherwise1 he said1 but added that he was a sensible man and a very worthy one4 ,at this time ,i published my #8,political ,essays on the ,present ,state of ,affairs in the ,british ,empire1' also the third edition of the #8,six ,weeks' ,tour4' ,comber's #8,real ,improvements in ,agriculture on the ,principles of ,a4 ,young1 ,esq41' was likewise printed4 ,comber was afterwards deeply engaged in the #8,monthly ,review1' and belaboured me with all the abuse he could accumulate4 ,i published also a tract entitled #8,the ,present ,state of ,waste ,lands in ,great ,britain4' ,in ,march1 ,mr4 ,allen1 my wife's brother1 an alderman of ,lynn1 applied to the ,earl of ,orford to procure for me an establishment in some public office1 and his ,lordship wrote to ,lord ,north on the subject4 ,in his reply the latter spoke of me as one #8whose very ingenious and useful writings point out as a very proper object of notice and reward4' ,it was an application for a ,king's waiter's#ea place1 a sinecure4 ,at this time ,i was so distressed that ,i had serious thoughts of quitting the kingdom#eb and going to ,america4 ,surely the three last years ought to have convinced me1 had ,i not been worse than an idiot1 of the vanity and folly of my expenses1 and how utterly all comfort and happiness must fly such pursuits4 ,feeling a force and vigour of mind in myself erroneously1 ,i trusted in them4 ,as to ,god1 ,i lived without ,him in the world1 and had not a companion that could bring me to ,him4 ,but my mother1 my ever dear mother1 wrote in vain to me2 her advice was not listened to4 ,she tried to bring me to a right sense of religion1 which would have conferred that peace and content which flew before my vain pursuits4 ,dr4 ,hunter1#ec of ,york1 wrote to me this year on the ,georgical ,essays1 and on carrots and their conversion into a confection for the use of seamen1 of which he entertained great expectations4 #8,i received much pleasure1' he wrote1 #8from the perusal of your ,eastern ,tour1 and could not help expressing uneasiness at the rancorous treatment of the monthly reviewers4 ,we are all open to fair and candid criticism1 but when there is the least spark of resentment seen it then ceases to be criticism1 and deserves another name4 ,i propose to finish the ,georgical ,essays1 with two more volumes1 in #aggc4 ,my own natural avocations will not permit me in future to be anything but an editor2 ,i wish ,i had leisure to prosecute so agreeable a study4 ,i have1 however1 some satisfaction in seeing the art 7of agriculture7 improve under your hands1 and hope that nothing will prevail upon you to withdraw yourself from the public4 ,i have1 this year1 a large experiment with onions and carrots4 ,these vegetables have not hitherto been cultivated in the field in this country4 ,besides the application of carrots for horses and hogs1 ,i am persuaded that they may be converted by a cheap process into a confection for the use of seamen4 ,this1 and the last year's experiments1 convince me of the practicability of the scheme1 and next year ,i propose to ship a considerable quantity for the above purpose4 ,the expense is small1 and my expectations are great4' #aggc4--;,here began a new career of industry1 ill-exerted1 of new hopes and never-failing disappointments1 labour and sorrow1 folly and infatuation1 which it is scarcely possible for a man1 turned into the world without business or profession1 to escape1 and it affords a most impressive lesson to all parents to be almost as ready to hang their children as to bring them up without a regular profession4 ,if ,i had been a country curate with #ejl4 a year1 in addition to the income ,i possessed1 and had lived in a quiet parsonage1 the probability of happiness would have been far greater4 ,the business of my farm at ,north ,mimms was insufficient to keep me employed1 and the intercourse ,i constantly had with ,london ,i considered as a means which should be turned to some account in the increase of a most insufficient income2 in fact1 ,i was in a most uncomfortable state1 which induced me to listen to the proposals of a gentleman ,i met with--,i have quite forgotten whom--who informed me that the #8,morning ,post' proprietors were in great want of some person to report the debates in ,parliament4 ,in consequence of this information ,i applied at their office1 and they very readily engaged me for a trial1 to see if ,i was able to perform the business they required4 ,this was done1 and as they were well satisfied with the manner in which the work was executed1 ,i continued it at a salary1 as well as ,i can recollect1 of five guineas a week4 ,every ,saturday ,i walked seventeen miles to my farm1 and back again on the ,monday morning4 ,this year ,i published my observations on the present state of waste lands1 which contained a new idea of extreme importance in the mode of working any great and effective improvement4 ,in most of the attempts that have been made by individuals to accomplish these meritorious works1 there generally appeared a weakness of effort and insufficiency of means1 which prevented anything considerable being effected1 and the cause ,i justly explained to be1 a want of proportion between the means and the end1 not so much in a want of money as in a most erroneous method of applying it4 ,to raise a set of buildings for a farm1 with gradual additions to the whole1 and enclosing from the waste1 field after field for improvement1 with views merely of forming a large farm1 and keeping the whole in hand1 demands so large a capital that the succeeding languor of the exertions has been evidently owing to want of money1 the capital being insufficient for the two distinct objects of farming and improving4 ,the novel idea struck me that the whole capital in such cases should be appropriated to improvements alone2 that no other buildings should be raised than exactly sufficient for such a small farm as lets most readily in the district--and this1 usually1 is little more than a cottage1 and ten or twenty acres of grass round it4 ,hence ,i proposed that an entire new farm should1 after one course of crops1 be formed1 and let1 sold1 or mortgaged every year4 ,in this mode of proceeding the farming would be entirely subservient to the improvement1 and the capital would be constantly moving to fresh land4 ,i showed that a small sum of money1 thus employed1 would gradually improve a great and increasing breadth of waste2 whereas1 if the same money was employed in the common manner of farming and occupying a larger farm1 the space improved1 after fifteen or twenty years1 would be trifling1 and the profit very inferior4 ,my explanation of this system carries conviction with it2 but the work appearing at a period when the rapidity of my publications satiated the world1 little or no attention was paid to it4 #aggd4--;,i1 this year1 published on my own account my political arithmetic1 one of my best works1 which was immediately translated into many languages1 and highly commended in many parts of ,europe4 ,judges of the subject here1 as well as abroad1 have considered it as abounding in valuable information and the justest views2 but1 unfortunately1 as in the case of my work on waste lands1 it followed so many other of my publications that little attention was paid to it1 except by the few who saw the importance of the subject1 or who were able to judge of the merit of the work4 ,the winter was passed in ,london in the same employment as the preceding2 but ,i had become known to so many men of science that several hinted to me the propriety of my being a candidate for election as a ,fellow of the ,royal ,society1 and my recommendation as such being garnished with some respectable names ,i was accordingly elected1 which adds the ,f4,r4,s4 to my name4 ,once in conversation with ,dr4 ,burney on these elections1 he said1 #8,no matter1 for that we have got our ends of them4' ,this year ,i was elected an honorary member of the ,palatine ,society of ,agriculture established at ,mannheim1 also of the ,geographical ,society of ,florence4 #agge4--,this winter ,i spent in ,london4 ,from #agff to #agge being ten years1 ,i received #c1jjjl41 or #cjjl4 a year4 ----- ,footnote #ch3 #8,we were married more than two years4' ,note by ,a4 ,y4 ,footnote #ci3 #8,the ,mashamshire ,molly1' afterwards ,countess of ,harcourt4 ,footnote #dj3 ,it must be remembered that turnips were a comparative novelty at this date1 not being cultivated as food for cattle till the latter part of the last century4 ,footnote #da3 ,nicolo ,piccini1 #agbh-ahjj1 composer of the opera ,znobie1 c4 ,footnote #db3 ,samuel ,whitbread1 son of a great brewer1 distinguished in ,parliamentary life as a vigorous assailant of ,pitt2 committed suicide #ahae4 ,footnote #dc3 ,entry in memorandum-book of this year3 #8,the year's receipts1 #a1afgl4' ,footnote #dd3 ,sic in author's ,,ms42 #8translated' would seem to be the word4 ,footnote #de3 ,in a memorandum-book occurs the following entry3 #8#agga4--,receipts1 #figl42 expenses1 #cfjl4--,i know not how4' ,footnote #df3 ,estimated population of ,england and ,wales in #aggj1 #g1dbh1jjj4--;,haydn's ,dictionary of ,dates4 ,footnote #dg3 ,the first census was taken in #ahja4 ,footnote #dh3 #agdj-ahba4 ,the friend and editor of ,gibbon4 ,footnote #di3 ,founded #aged1 mainly owing to the efforts of ,mr4 ,shipley and ,lord ,folkestone4 ,footnote #ej3 ,this evidently depended on the ,society of ,arts4 ,footnote #ea3 ,king's waiter4 ,i have not been able to discover the precise nature of this sinecure4 ,footnote #eb3 #8,mr4 ,young is not well1 and appears almost overcome with the horrors of his situation2 in fact1 he is almost destitute4 ,this is a dreadful trial for him1 yet ,i am persuaded he will find some means of extricating himself from his distress--at least1 if genius1 spirit1 and enterprise can prevail4'--,early ,diaries of ,fanny ,burney4 ,footnote #ec3 ,dr4 ,alexander ,hunter1 died #ahji1 editor of ,evelyn's ,sylva1 and author of ,georgical ,essays1 #8an able and esteemed work' 7,lowndes74 ----- ,,chapter ,,iv ,,ireland1 #aggf-aggh ,the journey to ,ireland--,characteristics--,residence at ,mitchelstown--,intrigues--,a strange bargain--,departure--,letter to his wife--,a terrible journey4 ,the events which followed the close of this year carried a better complexion than the preceding period1 and therefore ,i shall in general remark that the last four or five years of my life had been detestable1 my employments degrading1 my anxiety endless1 every effort unsuccessful1 exertion always on the stretch1 and always disappointed in the result1 uneasy at home1 unhappy abroad1 existing with difficulty and struggling to live1 never out of debt1 and never enjoying one shilling that was spent4 ,what would not a sensible1 quiet1 prudent wife have done for me8 ,but had ,i so behaved to ,god as to merit such a gift8 ,the only pleasant moments that ,i passed were in visits to my friend ,arbuthnot#ed at ,mitcham1 whose agriculture so near the capital brought good company to his house4 ,he was upon the whole the most agreeable1 pleasant and interesting connection which ,i ever made in agricultural pursuits4 ,he was brother of the present ,rt4 ,honorable4 ,i had in #agge determined on making the tour of ,ireland1 to which the ,earl of ,shelburne#ee much instigated me1 and ,i corresponded with several persons on the subject1 who urged me much to that undertaking1 but ,i was obliged to postpone it to the following year4 ,the following is a note from ,mr4 ,burke on the subject3-- #8,mr4 ,burke sends the covers with his best compliments and wishes to ,mr4 ,young4 ,he would be very glad to give ,mr4 ,young recommendations to ,ireland1 but his acquaintance there is almost worn out1 ,lord ,charlemont and one or two more being all that he thinks care a farthing for him4 ,however1 if letters to them would be of any service to ,mr4 ,young1 ,mr4 ,b4 would with great pleasure write them4' ,on ,june #ai of this year #aggf ,i embarked at ,holyhead for ,ireland1 and in consequence of this journey through every part of the kingdom1 produced in #aghj that tour which succeeded so well1 and has been reckoned among my best and most useful productions2 and ,i have reason to believe had considerable effect in enlightening the people of that country4 ,i took with me many letters of introduction1 from the ,earl of ,shelburne1 ,mr4 ,burke1 and other persons of eminence in ,england2 and on landing at ,dublin1 was immediately introduced to ,colonel ,burton1 afterwards ,lord ,cunningham1 aide-de-camp to the ,earl of ,harcourt1 at that time ,lord ,lieutenant1 and well known to the whole kingdom4 ,colonel ,burton1 to whom ,i was more indebted for letters of introduction than to any other man in ,england1 was a most remarkable character4 ,he had great care and elegance united with a measure of roughness1 which may be attributed to a sort of personal courage which was apt to boil over4 ,this led him into many quarrels1 and not a few duels1 one of which was fought across a table of no great length from end to end1 and1 not strange to tell of in ,ireland1 several of the party stood near enjoying the sport4 ,he was a true friend to the interests of ,ireland1 and far more enlightened upon it than the greater part of well-informed people to be found there4 ,he made immense exertions to improve the fisheries on his estate at ,donegal1 but they were unsuccessful4 ,he was respectable#ef for general knowledge1 and possessed a great flow of animated conversation4 ,he carried me to ,lord ,harcourt's villa at ,st4 ,woolstans1 with whom ,i spent some days2 and the ,colonel arranged the plan of my journey1 giving me a multitude of letters to those who were best able to afford valuable information4 ,i kept a private journal throughout the whole of this tour1 in which ,i minuted many anecdotes and circumstances which occurred to me of a private nature1 descriptive of the manners of the people1 which1 had it been preserved1 would have assisted greatly in drawing up these papers2 but1 unfortunately1 it was lost1 with all the specimens of soils and minerals which ,i collected throughout the whole kingdom4 ,on returning to ,england1 ,i quitted my whisky#eg at ,bath1 and got into a stage1 and sent a new ,london servant1 the only one ,i had1 thither to bring the horse and chaise to ,london1 and the trunk containing these things4 ,the fellow was a rascal1 stole the trunk1 and pretended that he had lost it on the road2 in addition to the loss was the torment of hunting him out 7for he went away directly7 through ,london for punishment4 ,with great difficulty ,i found him1 and serving a warrant upon him1 carried him to ,bow ,street1 where ,fielding the magistrate at once dismissed the complaint1 it being only a breach of trust1 as the robbery could not be proved2 and all ,i got for my pains was abuse from the fellow4 ,this was a very great loss to me1 as the specimens ,i brought of soils would have been of great use to me in the course of experiments which ,i soon after began in the object of expelling gases from earths4 ,in my journey through ,ireland ,i was received with great hospitality1 which characterises the nation1 and with that particular attention which my peculiar object excited in so many persons who rendered agriculture either their profit or amusement4 ,i travelled four hundred miles de suite without going to an inn4 ,amongst those who were most desirous of my calling upon them was ,sir ,james ,caldwell1 of ,castle ,caldwell1 on ,lough ,erne4 ,one anecdote will give some idea of his character4 ,the ,marquis of ,lansdowne1 then ,earl of ,shelburne1 being in ,ireland1 and intending to call on ,sir ,james1 he1 with an hospitality truly ,irish1 thought of nothing night or day but how to devise some amusement to entertain his noble guest1 and came home to breakfast one morning with prodigious eagerness to communicate a new idea to ,lady ,caldwell4 ,this was to summon together the hundred labourers he employed1 and choose fifty that1 would best represent ,new ,zealand savages1 in order that he might form two fleets of boats on the ,lough1 one to represent ,captain ,cook and his men1 the other a ,new ,zealand chief at the head of his party in canoes1 and consulted her how it would be possible to get them dressed in an appropriate manner in time for ,lord ,shelburne's arrival4 ,lady ,c41 who had much more prudence than ,sir ,james1 reminded him that he had #bjj acres of hay down1 and the preparations he mentioned would occupy so much time that the whole would now stand a chance of being spoiled4 ,all remonstrances were in vain4 ,tailors were pressed into his service from the surrounding country to vamp up1 as well as time would permit1 the crews of men and fleets4 ,the prediction was fulfilled3 the hay was spoiled1 and what hurt ,sir ,james much more1 he received a letter from ,lord ,s4 to put off his coming till his return from ,kilkenny1 and that uncertain4 ,to add to the mortification1 after some weeks1 ,sir ,james being on business at ,dublin1 ,lord ,s4 arrived without giving notice1 and ,lady ,c41 not presuming to exhibit the intended battle1 but wishing to amuse his ,lordship as well as the place would afford1 told him at breakfast that the morning should be spent in fishing4 ,lord ,s4 replied1 #8,my dear ,lady ,c41 you look upon a fine lake out of your windows2 but ,i have often remarked--from the ocean to the pond--that where at the first blush you have reason to expect most fish you are sure to find least4' ,this made ,lady ,c4 exert herself--boats1 nets1 and all were collected1 and they caught such an immensity as really proved a most gratifying spectacle to his ,lordship1 who confessed that his maxim failed him for once4 ,his stay was too short for ,sir ,james's return4 ,at ,lord ,longford's ,i met a person of some celebrity at the time for adventures not worth reciting1 ,mr4 ,medlicott4 ,lord ,l4 and he gave me an account of a gentleman of a good estate in that neighbourhood1 but then dead1 whose real life1 manners and conversation far exceeded anything to be met with in #8,castle ,rackrent4' ,his hospitality was unbounded1 and it never for a moment came into his head to make any provision for feeding the people he brought into his house4 ,while credit was to be had1 his butler or housekeeper did this for him2 his own attention was given solely to the cellar that wine might not be wanted4 ,if claret was secured1 with a dead ox or sheep hanging in the slaughter-house ready for steaks or cutlets1 he thought all was well4 ,he was never easy without company in the house1 and with a large party in it would invite another of twice the number4 ,one day the cook came into the breakfast parlour before all the company3 #8,sir1 there's no coals4' #8,then burn turf4' #8,sir1 there's no turf4' #8,then cut down a tree4' ,this was a forlorn hope1 for in all probability he must have gone three miles to find one1 all round the house being long ago safely swept away4 ,they dispatched a number of cars to borrow turf4 ,candles were equally deficient1 for unfortunately he was fond of dogs all half starved1 so that a gentleman walking to what was called his bed-chamber1 after making two or three turnings1 met a hungry greyhound1 who1 jumping up1 took the candle out of the candlestick1 and devoured it in a trice1 and left him in the dark4 ,to advance or return was equally a matter of chance1 therefore groping his way1 he soon found himself in the midst of a parcel of giggling maidservants4 ,by what means he at last found his way to his #8shakedown' is unknown4 ,a #8shakedown' when ,i was in ,ireland meant some clean straw spread upon the floor1 with blankets and sheets1 in what was called the barrack room1 one containing several beds for single men4 ,at ,mr4 ,richard ,aldworth's1 in the county of ,cork1 ,i met with an instance1 both in that gentleman and lady1 of elegant manners and cultivated minds4 ,he had made the grand tour1 and she had been educated in that style which may be imagined in a person nearly related to a ,lord ,chief ,justice and an ,archbishop4 ,but it was evident that patriotic motives alone made them residents in ,ireland4 ,a sigh would often escape when circumstances of ,english manners were named1 and they felt the dismal vacuity of living in a country where people of equal ideas were scarce4 ,mrs4 ,aldworth had in her possession one original manuscript letter of ,dean ,swift1 entrusted to her under a solemn promise that she would permit no copy to be taken1 nor ever read it twice to the same people4 ,it was without exception the wittiest and severest satire upon ,ireland that probably ever was written1 and it was easy to perceive by the manner in which it was read that the sentiments were not a little in unison with those of the reader4 ,this letter was equally hostile to the nobility1 the gentry1 the people1 the country1 nay the very rivers and mountains2 for it declared the ,shannon itself to be little better than a series of marshes1 that carried to the ocean less water than flows through one of the arches of ,london ,bridge4 ,from various other instances1 as well as from this1 ,i was inclined to think that that degree of a polished and cultivated education1 which suits well enough for ,london or ,paris1 or a country residence in a good neighbourhood of ,england1 was ill-framed for a province in ,ireland4 ,persons of equal attainments may now and then come across them1 but they are compelled to associate with so many who are the very reverse that a more certain provision of misery can scarcely be laid4 ,the preceding observation is in a measure applicable to ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,jefferys and ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,trant1 who lived in the vicinity of ,cork4 ,the two former when ,i was there were actually embarking for ,france1 after great speculations in building a town and establishing manufactures1 which probably had proved too expensive4 ,they were well informed and cultivated1 and spoke most modern languages4 ,mr4 ,trant was an instance of a singularly retentive memory4 ,it was never necessary for him to consult the same book twice4 ,all that he ever read in a variety of languages was at his tongue's end1 and he applied these uncommon stores with great judgment and propriety4 ,the most beautiful description of ,kilkenny was written by him4 ,it gave me pleasure to hear not long afterwards that ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,jefferys were at ,paris but a few days1 and then returned to ,england4 ,the motive of the journey was reported to be to get rid of a much too numerous establishment of servants1 as they started again on a much more moderate and comfortable plan4 ,as a feature of ,irish manners1 ,i may mention another circumstance which astonished me4 ,when upon my tour ,i spent a day or two with the ,right ,hon4 ,silver ,oliver1 who had at that time much company in his house4 ,the table was well appointed1 and everything wore an air of splendour and affluence4 ,afterwards when ,i resided at ,mitchelstown--,mr4 ,oliver was either dead or absent1 and everything in the house was advertised to be sold by auction--,i went over to that auction1 which gave me an opportunity of examining the whole house4 ,i desired to be shown into the kitchen1 as ,i could not find it of myself4 ,when pointed out ,i was in utter amazement4 ,there never was such a hole4 ,i insisted upon it that it could not be the kitchen1 as ,i had myself partook of dinners which could never have been dressed in such a pig-stye2 but they assured me there was no other4 ,it was about eight feet wide and ten long4 ,scarcely any light1 and the walls black as the inside of the chimney4 ,the furniture was no better than the fitting up2 dressers1 tables1 and shelves seemed to have been laid aside as superfluous luxuries4 ,it must have been an effort of uncommon ingenuity to cook at a turf hearth1 in such a cave as this1 the ample dinners ,i had seen in this house1 and ,etna or ,vesuvius might as soon have been found in ,england as such a kitchen4 ,its existence for a single instant in the house of a man of fortune would be a moral impossibility4 ,no ,english farmer would submit to it for a week4 ,this strongly shows the manners of the people4 ,a family with whom ,i resided for some time1 while waiting for the ,waterford packet1 was that of ,mr4 ,bolton1 in a beautiful situation1 commanding the finest views4 ,mr4 ,bolton1 the elder1 was a respectable man2 but his son1 the present proprietor of the estate1 then in ,parliament1 was a man of singular and genuine patriotism1 and of so mild and pleasing a temper that ,i much regretted ,i had him not for a neighbour at ,bradfield4 ,i had the pleasure of sending him from ,suffolk many implements c4 for assisting him in his improved husbandry2 and he has proved to the present day one of the most enlightened friends that ,ireland has to boast1 making an equal figure in my tour1 and in the very able work of ,mr4 ,wakefield#eh published within an interval of thirty years4 ,among the persons who received me in the most agreeable and hospitable manner ,i may be permitted to name the following3 ,earl of ,harcourt 7,lord ,lieutenant71 ,earl of ,charlemont1 ,lord ,chief ,baron ,forster1 his ,grace the ,lord ,primate1 the ,archbishop of ,tuam1 ,sir ,james ,caldwell1 c4 #aggg4--,this was the first favourable turn that promised anything after ten years' anxiety and misery1 yet how little did ,i deserve from that ,providence ,i had so long neglected4 ,the year was a remarkable one in the events of my life4 ,mr4 ,danby1 of whom mention has already been inserted1 was this spring in ,london1 and as ,lord ,kingsborough1 son of the ,earl of ,kingston1 was intimately acquainted with ,mr4 ,d41 and at that time there also1 his ,lordship often complained of the sad state of neglect in which his property remained in the hands of an ,irish agent1 who never saw an acre of the estate but merely on a rapid journey once1 or at most twice1 a year to receive the rents4 ,for this purpose a clerk resided at ,mitchelstown1 having a summer house in the ,castle garden for his office1 and here the tenants came to pay their rents in a constant succession of driblets the whole year round4 ,his ,lordship observed that it would be of much importance to him to have a respectable resident agent who understood agriculture1 and might greatly contribute to the improvement of the property4 ,mr4 ,danby entirely coincided in this opinion1 and told his ,lordship that he knew a gentleman who possessed the unquestionable knowledge and management of estates1 and as he had known me for several years he had every reason to believe in my integrity4 ,he then named me4 ,lord ,k4 begged him to make the application to me immediately1 which ,mr4 ,danby did1 and invited me to meet ,lord and ,lady ,k4 to dinner4 ,i had a good deal of conversation with ,lord ,k41 and the next day ,mr4 ,danby made an agreement with his ,lordship for me to become his agent at an annual salary of #ejjl41 with an eligible house for my residence1 rent free1 and a retaining fee1 to be paid immediately1 of #ejjl4 more4 ,in consequence of this arrangement1 to which ,i readily agreed1 ,i disposed of the lease of my farm in ,hertfordshire1 and sent my books and other effects which ,i might want to ,cork by sea1 going myself to ,dublin1 where ,i resided some time in a constant round of ,dublin dinners1 till ,i was informed by ,lord ,kingsborough that the house at ,mitchelstown was ready in which ,i was to reside1 whilst a new one was building on a plan and in a situation approved of myself4 ,in ,september ,i left ,dublin for ,mitchelstown--#acj miles off--making a detour through those counties which ,i had not sufficiently seen the preceding year4 ,and here ,i cannot avoid inserting the following excellent advice from my ever affectionate mother3 #8,my memory begins to fail me1 but no wonder at #gb4 ,that is not the cause of yours doing so1 but the multiplicity of business you are engaged in4 ,i attribute it also to being overburthened with your affairs4 ,i can get neither ploughman nor footman to go over to ,ireland1 so you must see what you can do when you come yourself1 which1 ,i am sorry to hear1 is not till 7next7 ,september4 ,god only knows if ,i shall live so long as to see you once more4 ,however1 to hear you are well and happy is a great comfort to me1 and the only one ,i have left1 for it is my lot to be deprived of all those who to me are dearest4 ,i hate now to do anything but sit by the fire and write to you4444 ,but the happiness of this world1 ,arthur1 is but of a short duration2 ,i therefore wish you would bestow some thoughts on that happiness which will have eternal duration4#ei #aggh4--,the opening of this year found me at ,mitchelstown1 where ,mrs4 ,young joined me4 ,on my arrival ,i busied myself incessantly in examining and valuing the farms which came out of lease1 and was so occupied several months4 ,i was most anxious to persuade ,lord ,k4 into the propriety of letting his lands to the occupying cottar as tenant1 and dismissing the whole race of middlemen4 ,i adhered steadily to this1 and had the satisfaction to find that ,lord ,k4 was well inclined to the plan4 ,but a distant relation of ,lady ,k4's1 who had one farm upon the estate as middleman1 ,major ,thornhill1 feeling the sweets of a profit rent upon that one farm1 was exceedingly anxious to procure from ,lord ,k4 the profits of others upon the same terms1 and in this respect ,i was placed in an awkward situation4 ,it was impossible for me1 consistently with the interest of ,lord ,k41 in any measure whatever to promote the success of designs which struck at the very root of all my plans1 as the ,major had his eye upon several of the most considerable farms4 ,lady ,k4 had a high opinion of the ,major1 who was a lively1 pleasant1 handsome man1 and an ignorant open-hearted duellist2 she had of course favoured his plans1 and ,i as carefully avoided ever saying anything in favour of them4 ,thus from the beginning it was not difficult to see an underground plot to frustrate schemes commencing very early1 but things in the meantime carried a fair outward appearance4 ,i dined very often at the ,castle1 and generally played at chess with ,lady ,kingsborough for an hour or more after dinner1 and ,i learned by report that her ,ladyship was highly pleased with me1 saying that ,i was one of the most lively1 agreeable fellows4 ,lord ,kingsborough was of a character not so easily ascertained1 for at many different periods of his life he seemed to possess qualities very much in contradiction to each other4 ,his manner and carriage were remarkably easy1 agreeable1 and polite1 having the finish of a perfect gentleman2 he wanted1 however1 steadiness and perseverance even in his best designs1 and was easily wrought upon by persons of inferior abilities4 ,mrs4 ,thornhill1 the wife of the ,major1 was an artful designing woman1 ever on the watch to injure those who stood in her husband's way1 and never forgetting her private interest for a moment4 ,i saw a fixed plan in her mind for dispossessing me of the agency and procuring it for the ,major1 and ,i conceive it was by her misrepresentations that a decisive use was made of an opportunity which soon after offered for effecting her plan4 ,lady ,k4 had a ,catholic governess1 a ,miss ,crosby1 relative to whom ,mrs4 ,t4 had inspired ,lady ,k4 with sentiments of jealousy1 insomuch that she was discharged1 and ,i was employed to draw up an engagement to grant her an annuity of #ejl4 per annum4 ,this transaction and others connected with it occasioned me to be much at the ,castle1 and in situations which were converted by ,mrs4 ,thornhill into proofs that ,i was in league with ,miss ,c4 for securing the affections of ,lord ,kingsborough at the expense of his wife1 and1 at the same time1 it was carefully impressed into his ,lordship's mind that ,i was in love with ,lady ,k4 ,thus by a train of artful intrigues and deceptions the ladies brought ,lord ,k4 to the determination of parting with me1 after which nothing remained but to settle our accounts4 ,this was done1 and a balance being due to me of about #fjjl4 or #gjjl41 ,i informed his ,lordship that ,i waited only to be paid in order to set off for ,england4 ,here was a demur1 and ,major ,thornhill came to inform me that his ,lordship had not the money to pay me2 several days passed in which ,i was in a very awkward state of uncertainty4 ,it occurred to me as ,i saw no sign of payment to propose that he should give me an annuity for life1 which he at once agreed to4 ,what that annuity should be ,i was perfectly ignorant1 but there was an advertisement in a ,london paper offering terms1 which ,i sent to his ,lordship1 with a note1 informing him that if he would give me an annuity on the terms there specified ,i would agree to it and free him for the present from all payment4 ,this his ,lordship at once acceded to1 and signed a bond granting me an annuity for life of #gbl41#fj according to the terms specified in the advertisement4 ,this business being settled to the satisfaction of both parties1 and my books packed up and sent to ,cork1 ,i stepped into my post-chaise1 and1 with a pair of ,irish nags1 set off on a journey to ,waterford on a visit to my excellent friend1 ,cornelius ,bolton1 ,junr4 ,esqr4 ,m4,p41 where ,i waited for the packet to sail for ,milford ,haven long enough to have gone round by ,dublin and have reached ,rome or ,naples4 ,i had a miserable passage of three days and nights1 a storm blowing us almost to ,arklow1 but through the providence of ,god we escaped the threatened dangers and landed safely in the desired haven4 ,i travelled post to ,london1 and thus ended one of the greatest speculations of my life1 and ,i remember observing that in all probability the providence of ,god was exerted to remove me from a kingdom in which no unconnected motives could induce me to remain4 ,the transaction was not absolutely free from circumstances in a measure favourable to my future ease and repose4 ,i had received #ejjl41 which took me out of some difficulties1 and had the addition of #gbl4 per annum to my income1 which was to me an object of some consideration4 ,it also removed me entirely from the farm in ,hertfordshire1 a most unprofitable one1 and1 what was better1 from a winter residence in ,london4 ,it also took me back to ,bradfield to my aged mother1 whose health was daily declining1 and whose memory1 being much impaired1 subjected her to imposition by tenants and servants4 ,to his ,wife #8,haverford ,west3 ,oct4 #bc4 #8,my ,dearest1--,it pleases ,god that ,i am once more to embrace you and my children--a passage that is common in eight hours was from ,sunday morn eight o'clock till one o'clock this morning ,wednesday1 thirty-six hours of which1 a raging storm2 we talk of them at land1 but those who have not seen them at sea know not what the very elements are4 ,pent up in the ,irish ,channel1 the ship ran adrift1 wearing#fa to keep free from rocks and sands--the wind did not blow1 it was like volleys of artillery2 part of the sails were torn into fritters2 the waves were mountains high1 while the ship was perfectly tossed on end of them2 the cabin window burst open1 and deluged everything afloat2 the horses kicked and groaned1 the dogs howled2 six passengers praying1 shrieking1 and vomiting2 every soul sick but myself2 the sailors swearing and storming2 and the whole--such a scene6 ,the ,captain1 who has been many voyages1 and the pilot thirty-six years1 never saw such a storm--to last so long4 #8,it has worried and starved the horses so that ,i know not what ,i am to do--shall go with them as far as ,i can1 and if they knock up must leave them and take some fly to be by you thirty-first2 of which send immediate notice to ,b4 #8,i know not if ,bath be my nearest way1 so let me have a letter at ,nicoll's in case ,i am not in ,town1 to the same purport as that to ,bath1 to inform me what ,i am to do and when to go4 #8,adieu1 #8,most truly yours1 #8,a4 ,y4 #8,thank ,god for me4 ,peter would not come over with me4 ,my passage has cost me between #gl4 and #hl41 which is the very devil1 so that ,i shall come home without a shilling1 and the thoughts of coming full swing upon poverty again make me miserable4 ,two ships were lost in the storm4' ------- ,note in memorandum-book4--#8,note of my being thirty-eight1 and poetry in my head4' ----- ,footnote #ed3 ,appears to have been brother to the ,hon4 ,robert ,arbuthnot1 third son of ,john1 ,viscount ,arbuthnot1 whose death is recorded in the ,annual ,register of #ahja4 ,footnote #ee3 ,first ,marquis of ,lansdowne2 took part in ,lord ,chatham's ,ministry4 ,footnote #ef3 ,this use of the word as respectworthy is noticeable4 ,footnote #eg3 ,whisky3 a light carriage built for rapid motion4--,webster4 ,footnote #eh3 ,edward ,wakefield1 ,an ,account of ,ireland3 ,political and ,stastical4 #ahab4 ,footnote #ei3 ,entries in memorandum-book #8the year's receipts1 #a1adel4 ,wrote ,alcon and ,flavia1 a poem4' ,footnote #fj3 ,this curious arrangement seems to have been faithfully kept1 as will be seen later on4 ,footnote #fa3 ,wear3 sea-term1 to bring a ship on4--,bailey's ,dictionary4 ----- ,,chapter ,v ,,farming ,,and ,,experiments1 #aggi-aghb ,corn bounties--,a grievance--,reading--,hugh ,boyd--,bishop ,watson--,howlett on population--,irish ,linen ,board ,experiments--,correspondence4 #aggi4--,quitting ,ireland and coming again to ,bradfield occasioned a great pause and break in my life and pursuits1 and had ,i made a proper use of it might have fixed a quiet destiny1 so far as a heart not renewed could be happy and content2 but ,i wanted religion1 and that want includes all others4 ,i arrived at ,bradfield on the first of ,january1 and had then full time to reflect upon what should be the future pursuit of my life1 and upon what plan ,i could devise for that fresh establishment of myself1 which should1 at the same time1 prevent any relapse into those odious dependencies upon uncertainties1 which from #agga to #aggh had been the perpetual torment of my life4 ,while ,i was hesitating what plan to follow1 an emigration to ,america arose in my mind and much occupied my thoughts4 ,but the advanced period of my mother's life and her persuasions against any scheme of that sort prevailed1 and with some reluctance ,i relinquished it4 ,i had also to consider1 how far it would be prudent to yield to her earnest entreaties to return to farming at ,bradfield and live with her4 ,to stock a farm of any size would have been to me a matter of difficulty1 but1 at the same time1 to get free from all ,london engagements1 and to secure the tranquillity of a retired life after all the stormy perplexities through which ,i had passed1 was an object full of attraction1 and it prevailed4 ,a small farm contiguous to the old family mansion was to be vacant at ,michaelmas1 and notice was accordingly given to the tenant to quit4 ,thus was ,i once more engaged in husbandry1 with a prospect of gradually increasing my business according as my capital should enable me4 ,relative to my farm1 it may here be proper once for all to observe1 that as the leases of the estate fell vacant ,i gradually enlarged my occupation1 till ,i had between three and four hundred acres in hand1 most amply stocked1 and conducted with such an expense of labour as enabled me to support the credit of my husbandry4 ,i remained at ,bradfield the whole year1 and the only literary pursuit ,i engaged in was a correspondence with ,mr4 ,wight upon some points in the ,scotch system of farming2 it was published in his #8,present ,state of the ,husbandry of ,scotland4'#fb ,i had reason to believe that his letters were written under the eye of ,lord ,kames1#fc the author of the well-known work called1 #8,the ,gentleman ,farmer1' and much better known book1 #8,elements of ,criticism4' ,about this period ,i was elected a member of the ,imperial conomical ,society of ,petersburg4 ,the first event of the year #aghj was the publication of my ,irish ,tour in one volume quarto4 ,it was so successful and popular in both kingdoms that it is unnecessary to expatiate upon it2 thus much1 however1 ,i trust ,i may say without vanity1 that it has stood the test of examination1 and received from the best judges the highest commendation4 ,but there is one circumstance which appears never to have been sufficiently understood1 or at least the effect properly attributed to this work4 ,perhaps the most novel1 instructing1 and decisively useful part of the publication was the attack made upon the bounty paid on the land carriage of corn to ,dublin4#fd ,i therein proved beyond the possibility of doubt the gross absurdity of the measure4 ,the whole kingdom1 however1 without exception1 considered this bounty as the great palladium of their national agriculture1 and in conversation upon that subject with the most able men then living there1 ,i found them so strongly prejudiced in its favour that they were not very willing to hear anything spoken against it4 ,but it appeared to me so manifestly absurd that ,i exerted my industry to examine the measure on its very foundation4 ,when ,i was a complete master of the subject and stated the result in conversation to the warmest friends of the measure1 ,i had the satisfaction to find that the documents thus produced were utterly unknown to all1 and they were fairly beat#fe out of their prejudices in favour of the measure2 at least their argument entirely failed on the occasion4 ,but the event proved that the conviction was real4 ,for in the very first session after the publication of my book the bounty was reduced by half1 as appears by ,mr4 ,henry ,cavendish's publication on the revenue and national expenses of ,ireland4 ,it was afterwards gradually reduced1 and at last gave up entirely4 ,the saving to the nation occasioned palpably by this publication amounted to #dj1jjjl4 per annum immediately1 and as the expense of the bounty had been constantly increasing1 the saving was of course in reality much greater4 ,long after1 in conversation with ,lord ,loughborough1 he told me that he had read that part of my work relative to the bounty1 c41 with particular attention1 and that he thought the arguments most unanswerable1 adding1 #8,ireland ought to have rewarded you for that4' ,when the whole was given up it was a saving of #hj1jjjl4 a year to the nation4 ,this was much for one individual to effect2 and some reward for such services would not have been much for the nation to grant4 ,i cannot on such an occasion name ,ireland without remarking that though the ,irish are certainly a generous people1 and liberal sometimes almost to excess1 yet not a ray of that spirit was by any public body shed on my labours4 ,after ,i had left the kingdom and published the tour1 ,i received the following letter3-- #8,dublin3 ,sept4 #af1 #aghj4 #8,sir1--,with great pleasure ,i take up the pen in obedience to the commands of the ,dublin ,society1 to communicate to you their thanks for the late publication of your tour in ,ireland1 a treatise which1 in doing justice to this country1 puts us in a most respectable view2 for which reason we consider you to have great merit4 ,but what particularly gained the attention of the ,society were your just and excellent observations and reasoning1 in the second part of that work1 relative to the agriculture1 manufactures1 trade1 and police of the kingdom4 ,and gentlemen thought the publication of that part1 particularly so as to fall into the hands of the generality of the people of this country1 might be of great benefit and use2 and we wish you would let us know your sentiments relative to the preparing a publication of that kind1 and in what mode you would think it most proper1 and would answer best1 and what you would judge a reasonable amends for all this trouble1 that we may lay the same before the ,society at our next meeting1 the beginning of ,november4 ,there are a great many useful observations and hints interspersed in many parts of your tour which may be of great use to throw into the hands of the public4 #8,i am1 ,sir1 #8,your most obedient servant1 #8,,red4 ,,morres4' ,in answer to this letter1 ,i returned sincere thanks for the honour of the vote2 and assured them that ,i should be ready either to publish any part of the work separately1 or to make an abridgment of the whole1 reduced in such a manner as to be diffused at a small expense over all the kingdom4 ,in a few posts ,i received1 under the ,dublin post-mark1 an envelope1 enclosing an anonymous essay1 cut out of a newspaper1 which referred to the transactions of the ,society relative to me1 and condemning pretty heavily my whole publication2 and in this unhandsome manner the business ended4 ,in a ,society which disposed of #aj1jjjl4 a year of public money1 granted by ,parliament chiefly with a view1 as the ,act expresses1 to encourage agriculture1 but which patronised manufacturers far more1 there will necessarily be an agricultural party and a manufacturing one4 ,according as one or the other happens to prevail1 such contradictions will arise4 ,all that is to be said of my case now is1 that it was not so bad as that of poor ,whyman ,baker1 who settled in ,ireland as their experimenter in agriculture--lived there in poverty ten or twelve years--and broke his heart on account of the treatment which he met with4 ,but while their ,societies acted thus1 the ,parliament of the kingdom paid my book a much greater compliment than any ,society could do2 for they passed more than one ,act almost directly1 to alter and vary the police of corn1 which ,i had proved was vicious1 but which till then had been universally esteemed as the chief pillar of their national prosperity1 and ,i had thus the satisfaction to see the ,legislature of the kingdom improving the policy of it from the known and confessed suggestions of a work that1 in other respects1 had proved to the author a mere barren blank4 ,i have1 however1 since heard from many most respectable gentlemen of that nation1 as well as from the correspondence of others1 that the book is even now esteemed of some value to ,ireland1 and that the agriculture of the kingdom has been advanced in consequence4 ,but it is time to dismiss a subject upon which ,i have dilated too much1 and spoken perhaps with an unguarded vanity and self-love which would ill become me4 ,i was the chief part of this year at ,bradfield1 but ,i had bought at ,london a pair of roan mares for drawing a post-chaise1 and having the small farm in hand1 ,i made myself by practice no bad ploughman1 and could finish the stetches#ff neatly1 and execute everything except the rivalling the ,suffolk ploughman in drawing straight furrows to a mark set for that purpose2 yet ,i overcame this difficulty in a manner that would have been commended in any other county4 ,the ,society for the ,encouragement of ,arts1 ,manufactures1 and ,commerce voted me their ,honorary ,medal for some experiments ,i had communicated to them on the culture of potatoes4 ,according to custom1 part of my time was occupied in reading1 and among other works was highly entertained with ,gray's letters1 and particularly with the following passage1 which displays so much knowledge of the human mind1 and1 at the same time1 much sterling sense3 #8,to find oneself business ,i am persuaded is the great art of life1 and ,i am never so angry as when ,i hear my acquaintance wishing they had been bred to some poking profession1 or employed in some office of drudgery1 as if it were pleasanter to be at the command of other people than at one's own1 and as if they could not go unless they were wound up4 ,yet ,i know and feel what they mean by this complaint2 it proves that some spirit1 something of genius 7more than common7 is required to teach a man how to employ himself--,i say a man1 for women1 commonly speaking1 never feel this distemper1 they have always something to do4 ,time hangs not on their hands 7unless they be fine ladies71 a variety of small inventions and occupations fill up the void1 and their eyes are never open in vain' 7vol4 ii47 ,thank heaven1 ,i have so much of the woman in me as to possess this faculty of employing myself4 ,the day is never too long1 for ,i think time spent in reading is always well employed1 unless a man reads like an idiot1 that is1 equally removed from instruction and entertainment4 ,now the general occupation of my life--agriculture--has the happy circumstance of giving much employment1 and with it exercise1 at the same time that it naturally leads into a course of reading1 to which it gives the air and turn of a study1 and consequently renders it more interesting1 an advantage ,i shall be solicitous to preserve1 by persisting1 at all events1 to be much interested in farming1 even though ,i should not continue an actual farmer4 ,gray felt the advantage of country pursuits4 #8,happy they that can create a rose tree or erect a honeysuckle1 that can watch the brood of a hen1 or see a fleet of their own ducklings launch into the water2 it is with a sentiment of envy ,i speak it1 who never shall have even a thatched roof of my own1 nor gather a strawberry but in ,covent ,garden4' ,i read also ,roberts' #8,map of ,commerce1'#fg and find the following extract about the spot where should be the ruin of ,troy3 #8,anno ,domini1 #afbj4--;,i hardly saw the relics of this mighty fabric 7,troy71 though ,i traced it for many miles1 and gave ear to all the ridiculous fables of those poor ,grecians that inhabit thereabouts in many villages within the compass of her ancient walls1 from ,mount ,ida to the ,river ,scamander1 now only a brook not two feet deep1 so that what ,ovid said of old ,i found by experience verified1 8jam seges est ubi ,troja fuit40' ,there is a melancholy which attends such reflections that with me makes a deep impression2 the idea that what was once the seat of power1 arts1 literature and elegance is now in the most miserable situation which ,turkish oppression and ,mahometan superstition can inflict1 that not a trace of a once mighty city is now to be found1 is depressing to the human mind4 ,in an equal series of time what will become of the cities which are now the pride of ,europe8 what obscure farmer of futurity shall plough the ground whereon that ,house of ,common stands in which a ,hampden1 a ,bolingbroke1 a ,pitt1 and a ,mansfield have delighted the most celebrated assembly now in the world8#fh ,my visit to ,london was1 part of it1 very agreeable1 my whole intercourse with ,arbuthnot entirely so4 ,at ,dr4 ,burney's1 while it lasted1 the same2 the opera1 parties1 the ,royal ,society1 with some of the attendance on ,parliament1 add to this being in the world and on the spot for whatever happened1 were all so many opportunities for pleasure and amusement1 which1 however1 ,i did not make the most of4 ,against these ,i must now rank ease in my circumstances4 ,let it fly1 and the change has been a bad one1 indeed4 ,but ,i think ,i have resolution enough to take special care of the greatest of all man's chances4 ,i do not remember when my acquaintance with ,mr4 ,hugh ,boyd#fi began1 but ,i was acquainted with him in ,london1 met him in many companies in ,dublin1 and travelled with him from thence to ,london4 ,it has been supposed that he was the author of #8,junius1' and ,i must give it as my opinion that there was much probability in the supposition4 ,i have been many times at his house1 at breakfasts1 morning calls and dinners1 and never without seeing the ,public ,advertiser and remarking that they were blanks1 that is to say1 without being stamped4 ,all writers in newspapers are allowed a copy gratis1 and these are never stamped4 ,his company was so much sought after in ,dublin that ,i was scarcely at a great dinner without his being present4 ,a very striking circumstance in his character was a memory in some points beyond example2 he would multiply nine figures by eight entirely in his head1 and would give the result with the most perfect accuracy4 ,when it is considered that such an operation demands the recollection not merely of the figures1 but of their position in order for the final addition1 it must be admitted to be a stupendous one4 ,he was on all occasions and in every circumstance a most pleasing1 agreeable companion4 ,his wife was a woman of very good understanding1 and appeared to be sensible of her husband's extraordinary talents4 ,one morning at breakfast ,mr4 ,burke's son came in1 and as his father had made a very celebrated speech the day before in the ,house of ,commons which he intended to publish1 but had1 in the conclusion1 departed from his notes in a very fine strain of eloquence1 knowing the great memory of ,boyd1 he sent his son to request some hints for that conclusion4 ,we set to work to recollect as much as possible his own words1 and furnished young ,burke much to his satisfaction4 ,mr4 ,boyd's letters1 of which ,i have preserved several1 are written in a most pleasing1 lively style4 #8,norfolk ,street3 ,august #af1 #aghj4 #8,my dear ,sir1--,you have an excellent physician1 but ,i should be glad to know what right the patient has to become his own apothecary8 ,the doctor's prescription consists of such rare ingredients as require no common skill to discover and use1 ,cuivis in su arte4 ,if it had been your inferior fate to wield the pestle instead of the ploughshare and the pen1 ,i should subscribe to the judgment of the apothecary as fully as ,i do to the author's genius and the farmer's knowledge4 8,a friend who can enliven the dulness of the country40 ,well said1 doctor4 ,macbeth himself might take your advice1 for there is little difference between a dull mind and 8a mind diseased20 but my good friend has neither4 ,his mistake1 therefore1 in making up your prescription1 and shaking me up as the aforesaid ingredient1 is of little consequence4 ,to convince him1 however1 that he is mistaken--for ,i love to set your clever men right--,i shall make my appearance1 first in the county of ,cambridge1 and next in the county of ,suffolk--or ere the amorous ,phbus shall have twice resorted to his evening assignation to take an oyster with ,miss ,thetis4 ,by the bye1 we have had very good entertainment in town for some days--though as to days ,i can only answer for one and a half2 being no longer returned from a ,western ,tour1 which ,i have had the pleasure and trouble of making--for everything is mixed1 you know1 pleasure and pain--rose and thorns--man and wife2 ,i ask ,mrs4 ,young ten thousand pardons4 #8,i have had hopes sometimes of tempting ,mrs4 ,b4 to a country excursion1 and she has almost agreed to make it with me to ,cambridge1 where ,i wish to call for half a day1 and perhaps longer1 soon2 the hopes of seeing her friends at ,bradfield ,hall are a strong inducement4 #8,believe me1 #8,very sincerely yours1 #8,h4 ,,boyd4' #8,august #ag1 #aghj4 #8,my good friend will be at least just in this instance1 when he is in every other so partial to his friends2 and you'll believe that it is no small disappointment to me quod inclination1 though the cause will probably be very advantageous1 businessly speaking1 that ,i am obliged to postpone my ,suffolk trip4 ,observe ,i establish a credit by the term postpone1 and ,i sincerely hope it will not be a long term4 ,i have at present only another half minute to say fifty things4 ,but not being able to think1 speak1 or write the fiftieth part as quick as certain persons of my acquaintance 7my love to ,mrs4 ,young71 ,i must confine myself to one subject--which ,i have too much at heart to omit--the assuring you and her of my being very sincerely yours1 #8,h4 ,,boyd4' #8,september #b1 #aghj4 #8,my dear ,friends1--,you'll excuse coarse paper1 and coarse writing in every sense1 ,i'm afraid1 8in matter1 form1 and style10 according to ,milton's divisions1 when you know that ,i sit down to this delectable epistle in a ,city coffee-house1 in the midst of ,bob-wigs and worsted stocking knaves1 ,turks1 ,jews1 and brokers1 infidels1 and merchants4 ,nunquam1 si quid mihi credis1 amavi ,hos homines4 ,o dialect of ,babel6 ,who calls for coffee8--,this policy1 sir--,strong convoy1 a very good thing--,pen1 ink1 and wafer--,i'sh would be rejoished to do for you1 shur--,was ,mr4 ,shylock here this morning8--8,yesh1 just gone to ,jerusalem40 ,o blessed race6 ,i wish you were all there1 with all your adopted brethren of ,jewish ,christians from this holy land4 #8,i have continued in much disappointment--at least1 suspense--since ,i wrote to you last1 when ,i hinted the sudden occurrence of some business preventing the pleasure of my proposed trip4 ,depending on the pleasures not only of some three or four different persons1 but of great ones1 too1 who think themselves personages1 you will not wonder that the said business has been like ,sisyphus's ,stone1 or ,ixion's ,cloud1 or ,tantalus's ,apple1 or anything else that's infernally troublesome4 ,but it may1 and1 notwithstanding their greatness1 probably it will1 be very consequential4 ,in the meantime ,i must deny myself both ,suffolk and ,cambridge4 ,the former1 indeed1 is the self-denial2 for ,cam4 ,i had more at head than at heart4 ,besides1 wishing to establish my ,mastery of ,arts by a little residence near them1 ,i had a little reading and writing also in contemplation1 near the walks locally--perlongo intervallo in every other sense--of old ,erasmus4 #8,i should have been happy in being at ,bradfield ,hall2 ,i long to hear my friend refute himself1 to complain with good spirits1 and to demonstrate1 with much wit1 that he was extremely dull4 ,but ,i dare say you have too much genuine vivacity1 as well as good taste1 to enter much into the bastard sort of alacrity--the intoxicated bustle that rages in empty heads and full pockets1 by ,royal proclamation4 ,i should not object if the cui bono8 could be answered4 ,but in the present desperate size of power and depopulation of spirit1 so much and so expensive pains seem little better than a curious folly4 ,if a man's brains must be blown out1 why need he gild his pocket pistol1 much less purchase a great gun--unless it be a ,scotch canonade1 which1 it must be confessed1 will do the business1 con amore1 for ,england or ,ireland8 #8,yours ever1 #8,h4 ,,boyd4' ,i continued farming at ,bradfield1 and also reading and writing with much attention1 as about this time ,i had formed the intention of delivering lectures on agriculture1 and had prepared several4 ,the original hint came from ,mr4 ,wedderburn1#gj who persuaded me to persevere in this plan2 but the lectures never took place4 ,i was highly honoured by the commendation and partiality of a friend1 ,dr4 ,watson1#ga the celebrated ,professor at ,cambridge1 afterwards ,bishop of ,llandaff1 who wrote thus3 #8,we owe to the agricultural societies1 and to the patriotic exertions of one deserving citizen 7,arthur ,young1 ,esq471 the present flourishing condition of our husbandry' 7#8,chemical ,mag4' vol4 #d74 ,i find from an application of my friend1 ,arbuthnot1 that the ,bishop of ,chester was at this time collecting materials for a work on population by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,howlett1#gb and had desired ,arbuthnot to apply to me for assistance4 ,i was myself meditating such a work1 but complied with the request1 and transmitted the collections ,i had made to the ,bishop1 who wrote me a most obliging letter4 #8,your facts are clear and decisive1 and the conclusions you draw from them1 unanswerable4 ,the only difficulty ,i am apprehensive of is that as his work is now pretty far advanced1 and is already larger than ,i could wish he will not be able to take in the whole of your papers1 especially as ,i observe that he has in some part of his pamphlet fallen into the same train of reasoning as yourself4 ,if1 therefore1 you would allow him to take only your two general tables of baptism before and after the ,revolution1 and the two more recent periods of thirty years each1 which is the very method he has himself adopted1 subjoining such of your observations as are the most important and are not in some measure anticipated by him1 he will be most exceedingly obliged to you1 and will1 ,i am sure1 be very ready to acknowledge in proper terms the sense he has of your goodness to him4' ,i had also a sad letter from my friend ,arbuthnot on his return from ,france1 but it was written in so melancholy a strain on his own situation and that of his wife and family1 that it has often made my heart ache to read it4 ,by ,lord ,loughborough's interest he got an appointment in ,ireland under the ,linen ,board1#gc which carried him to that country1 where he lived but a few years4 ,i lost in him by far the most agreeable friend ,i was ever connected with4 ,at this time ,i was much engaged in making a variety of experiments in expelling gaseous fluids from specimens of soils1 the results of which were afterwards published in #8,the ,annals of ,agriculture4' ,as ,i met with some difficulties ,i wrote to ,dr4 ,priestley1 stating them1 and begging information4 ,he very liberally and politely answered all my enquiries1 encouraging me to proceed with my trials1 and ,i received several interesting letters from him4 #8,birmingham3 ,dec4 #ab1 #agha4 #8,dear ,sir1--,if ,i had any remarks or hints respecting the subject of your experiments1 ,i should certainly with much pleasure have communicated them long ago4 ,i meant1 indeed1 to have made a few more experiments on the growth of plants in the course of the last summer1 but the weather was so bad1 and the sun shone so little1 that ,i dropped the scheme4 ,all ,i can do1 therefore1 in return for your facts1 is to mention one that ,i have lately observed4 ,i readily convert pure water into permanent air1 by first combining it with quicklime1 and then exposing it to a strong heat4 ,the weight of the air is equal to the weight of water1 and no part of the water is turned into steam in the process4 ,during the whole of it1 a glass velum1 interposed between the retort and the recipient for the air1 remains quite cool and dry4 ,the air ,i procure in this manner is in part fixed air1 but the bulk of it is such as a candle would hardly burn in it1 but is such as ,i should imagine would be the best for plants1 which would purify it and render it fit for respiration4 ,and as this kind of air would be yielded in great abundance by volcanoes1 from calcareous matter in the earth2 such was perhaps the original atmosphere of this earth1 which according to the ,mosaick account 7which you must allow me to respect7 had plants before there were any land animals4 #8,this letter ,i fear is hardly worth sending you2 your objects and mine are so very different1 though now and then coinciding2 but mine have seldom any practical uses1 at least no immediate ones1 whereas yours are highly and immediately beneficial4 ,wishing you the greatest success1 and wishing you and all philosophers joy of the near prospect of peace1 #8,i am1 yours sincerely1 #8,j4 ,,priestley4' ,this year's memoranda3 #8,wrote 8,emigration10 an ode4' ,in the autumn of this year ,i spent a month at ,lowestoft1 where the sea air and bathing agreed so well with me that ,i do not recollect in my life ever having spent a month with so continued a flow of high spirits1 which received no slight addition by the society of a very handsome and most agreeable girl1 whose name ,i have forgotten4#gd ,in a letter from ,dr4 ,burney 7of this year7 he rallied me with much wit on my culture of the earth instead of the ,muses4 ,this friend of mine had a happy talent of rendering his letters lively and agreeable1 indeed they were a picture of the man1 for ,i never met with any person who had more decided talents for conversation1 eminently seasoned with wit and humour1 and these talents were so at command that he could exert them at will4 ,he was remarkable for some sprightly story or witty bon mot just when he quitted a company1 which seemed as much as to say1 #8,there now1 ,i have given you a dose which you may work upon in my absence4' ,his society was greatly sought after by all classes1 from the first nobility to the mere homme de lettres4 ,he dressed expensively1 always kept his carriage1 and yet died worth about #ae1jjjl41 leaving a most capital library of curious books4 ,his second wife was my wife's sister1 the handsome widow of a ,mr4 ,allen1 of ,lynn1 who in a short life in commerce made above #dj1jjjl41 leaving her a handsome fortune and her two daughters equally provided for4 ,this year ,i had a controversy in the #8,bury ,st4 ,edmunds ,news' with ,capel ,lofft1 ,esq41#ge on the proposal which originated with the ,earl of ,bristol1#gf for building a #gd-;gun ship and presenting it to the public4 ,i wrote a paper in favour of this scheme1 which so pleased ,lord ,bristol that he complimented me on my eloquent1 spirited language1 and he caused a numerous edition of it to be printed and given away4 ,lofft attacked the scheme as unconstitutional1 ,i retorted1 and a paper war ensued which lasted for some time1 and was afterwards published4 ,the ,earl of ,shelburne1 at that time ,minister1 wrote several letters to ,lord ,bristol in which he appeared highly gratified by this plan4 ,capel ,lofft at the conclusion of our controversy wrote to me a very polite letter1 expressing his satisfaction that our names should be united in the same publication4 ,these papers were read with much avidity1 and established the ,bury paper in which they were written1 to the great emolument of the proprietor4 ,prince ,potemkin1 the ,russian ,prime ,minister1 sent this year to ,england three young men consigned to the care of ,m4 ,smirnove1 chaplain to the ,russian ,embassy1 who requested that ,i would fix them in my immediate vicinity1 in order that ,i might pay some attention to their progress and acquisitions4 ,this ,i readily did1 and took every means to have them well instructed in the ,english mode of cultivating land4#gg #aghb4--,this year ,mrs4 ,cousmaker1 sister to my mother1 died in her house at ,bradfield4 ,she was a maiden lady who never would marry1 though she had several advantageous offers4 ,she left me her house and two farms1 and a long annuity in the funds of #aejl4 a year1 which expired about fifteen years afterwards4 ,she had #cjjl4 per annum of three annuities1 the whole of which had once been left to me1 but being much offended with my wife she gave half of it to another person4 ,she also left me her carriage and horses4 ,she was a very religious character2 the bequest in her will by which she left the farms to me was not expressed exactly according to her mind1 and she therefore altered it with her own hand after executing the will4 ,this vitiated the legacy1 on consulting ,lord ,loughborough1 and he had doubts upon the question2 but upon taking the opinion of several great lawyers1 they declared the legacy null1 and that the estates lapsed to the heir of law4 ,this was ,john ,cousmaker1 ,esq41 of ,hackney1 who very generously declared that he would not take advantage of the error1 and desired that ,joshua ,sharpe1 a celebrated solicitor1 might draw up a deed1 by which he might make good the intention1 which was accordingly done4 ,such an instance of uncommon liberality deserves to be recorded for the credit of mankind4 ,this year the ,episcopal ,earl of ,bristol lived at ,ickworth both summer and winter1 and having very early called upon me after coming to the title and estate1 a great intimacy took place between us2 and ,lord ,b4 desired me to dine with him every ,thursday1 which ,i did through the whole year4 ,mr4 ,symonds1 ,professor of ,modern ,history at ,cambridge1 ,sir ,john ,cullum1#gh author of the #8,history of ,hawstead1' a very learned antiquary1 and the ,rev4 ,george ,ashby1 ,rector of ,barrow1#gi another antiquary1 and a man of universal knowledge1 who for many years wrote a multitude of papers in the #8,gentleman's ,magazine1' being constantly of the party4 ,it was a trait in this nobleman's character1 which deserved something more than admiration1 to select men distinguished for knowledge and ability as his companions4 ,lord ,bristol was one of the most extraordinary men ,i ever met with4 ,he was a perfect original--dressed in classical adorning2 he had lived much abroad1 spoke all modern languages fluently1 and had an uncommon vein of pleasantry and wit1 which he greatly exerted1 and without reserve1 when in the company of a few select friends4 ,when abroad1 and for many years afterwards1 he lived in a manner that was not very episcopal4 ,he had been so long absent from ,ireland that the ,primate wrote him three letters of remonstrance1 and the answer he sent him was to do up and send in three blue peas in a blue bladder4 ,the old proverb symptomatic of contempt1 #8,oh6 that is but three blue peas1' c41 is well known4 ,the ,bishop removing1 he could not be forced back1 and remained where he was4 ,in my life ,i never passed more agreeable days than these weekly dinners at ,ickworth4 ,the conversation was equally instructive and agreeable4 ,this eccentric man built in ,ireland a large and very expensive round house1 on a plan as singular as himself2 and1 what was more extraordinary1 a repetition of it at ,ickworth4 ,the shell of the body was finished and covered in2 the wings scarcely begun1 and nothing done towards completing the centre4 ,above #dj1jjjl4 was expended1 and it would require much more than forty more to finish it on the original plan1 after which it would be nearly uninhabitable4 ,lady ,bristol used to call it a stupendous monument of folly2 but the most extraordinary circumstance in relation to it was1 that he began it while he disliked the spot1 from the wetness of the soil1 and would often tell me that he should never be such a fool as to build in so wet a situation4 ,it was then generally imagined that as he must inherit ,rushbrooke he would wait till that period1 and if he built at all1 would do it there4 ,it was begun and carried on till the time of his death without his ever having seen it2 and he often declared in letters that he never would set his foot in ,england till it was finished and furnished with all the vertu that he had collected in ,italy4 ,he never did set his foot in ,england again1 for the shell of this fantastic building1 and that of its still more extraordinary possessor1 were finished at the same time1 and my ,lord left the whole1 as if by design1 a burthen to his son and successor1 with whom he had been on the worst terms1 and from whom he gave away by will the very furniture of the old habitable house at ,ickworth4 ,at the ,thursday dinners ,i1 of course1 met all who were visitors to the family1 among whom ,lord ,b4's uncle1 ,general ,hervey1 was sometimes present4 ,this was another uncommon character in some respects1 but had not half the originality of his brother4 ,he1 too1 was a most determined infidel1 but had so far an expectation1 not only of a future state1 but also a kind of instinctive belief of the possibility of rewards and punishments1 that acting happily for others1 poor man1 if not for himself1 this half-faced belief made him one of the most charitable men living4 ,his morning rides were generally amongst the poor of the neighbouring parishes1 amongst whom he distributed clothing1 food1 and bedding1 with money to take them out of difficulties1 in a spirit of liberality rarely equalled1 and gave away during a long course of years more in charity than thousands who had ten times his fortune4 ,this instance may excite a reflection upon the weakness of judging a man's religion only by his works2 for surely it would be a strange absurdity to take the measure of piety in the heart by any circumstance of the conduct which would be emulated or surpassed by an infidel4 ,but what is charity when the right motive is wanting8 ,in my library#hj is a complete edition of ,rousseau's works1 given me by the ,earl of ,bristol4 ,about this time my friend1 the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,valpy1#ha who had for some time been ,usher at the ,grammar ,school of ,bury ,st4 ,edmunds1 was elected master of that at ,reading1 and a correspondence commenced which lasted many years4 ,he was a most learned1 ingenious and agreeable man1 in so much that ,i greatly regretted his departure1 feeling most sensibly the loss of his society4 ,i have been occasionally connected with him since1 and shall always hold him in great estimation for his learning1 his talents1 and sincerity of friendship4 ,my son was under his tuition for some years4 ,in the following letter my brother describes the state of this nation1 which he thinks miserably bad3-- #8,eton ,college3 ,oct4 #ca1 #aghb4 #8,dear ,arthur1--,i wrote to you three days ago1 and yesterday ,i received yours1 complaining that ,i write no politicks4 ,if you can1 ,i cannot think of them with any degree of patience4 ,we are a ruined people1 tearing ourselves to pieces1 everyone thinking of his party and himself1 and no one caring for the publick1 and that is the truth whatever you may hear or read4 ,there is not a blockhead in ,england1 who can only read and write and some who can only sign their names1 of whom ,i could give you instances1 who does not think himself qualified to new model the constitution4 ,all true regard for liberty1 and law1 and a free government is gone1 and there seems to be a general resolution not to be governed at all1 which must end in despotism4 ,we have no ,ministry1 nor do ,i see how we can have any4 ,the whole summer has been spent in enlisting recruits against the winter4 ,the friends of the old ,ministry give out that ,lord ,north has the decisive votes1 which ,i think may be true4 ,he was very lately unengaged1 and1 ,i am glad to hear1 has declared positively against all innovations4 ,for ,i am sure there is neither honesty1 nor knowledge1 nor abilities in this generation1 to be trusted with altering our constitution4 ,there are but two modes of governing--by power1 or by influence4 ,i desire to be governed by influence1 but not that the influence may be so great as to be equivalent to power4 ,i think that the ,bill1#hb taking away the votes of the ,revenue officers1 will have great effect if ever executed1 and am against proceeding further till ,i see the consequences of that ,bill4 ,i would annihilate the enormous plates in the ,exchequer1 but that would not much affect the influence of the ,crown4 ,as to increasing the ,navy--what do you mean8 ,can you possibly increase your ,navy without increasing the number of your seamen8 ,and can you increase them without increasing your trade8 ,you have already more ships than you can man4 ,when your silly ,suffolk scheme of building a ship was first mentioned to ,lord ,keppel1 he said3 ,if they could find him seamen he should be obliged to them1 for he had ten more ships ready if he had seamen to put into them4 ,we have got into one of those stupid wars which the ,tories have always clamoured for1 a naval war with ,france1 without any land war in which our men might die in ,german ditches2 we pay no subsidies to ,german princes for defending themselves1 and you see how it has succeeded4 ,the ,french having no diversion of their wealth to a land war are superior at sea1 as any man of common sense might have foreseen4 ,if your ,suffolk gentry would take care of their own duty and suppress the smuggling on their coast1 it would be well4 ,the ,parliament will supply ,government with money1 levied equally on the subject1 to build ships as they are wanted2 and ,government is by common law armed with power to avail itself of every seaman in the country2 and that is the only just and equitable way of providing a ,navy4 #8,i shall be in town next month1 and will call on our ,aunt ,ingoldsby4 ,i am sorry to hear that my mother's memory fails so fast2 it frightens me out of my wits every time ,i forget anything4 #8,yours very affectionately1 #8,j4 ,,young4' ----- ,footnote #fb3 ,in memorandum-book occurs this note3 #8,correspondence with ,wight printed in his reports4' ,this seems to be ,alexander ,wight1 author of #8,an ,enquiry into the ,rise and ,progress of ,parliament1 chiefly in ,scotland4' ,footnote #fc3 ,henry ,home1 a ,scotch judge1 better known by the title of ,lord ,kames1 author of several legal and other works1 among them #8,introduction to the ,art of ,thinking4' ,died #aghb4 ,footnote #fd3 ,corn bounty in ,ireland1 #aghj4 ,this was granted by the ,irish ,parliament4 ,the ,lord ,lieutenant1 in his speech at the close of the session1 said3 #8,ample bounties on the export of your corn1 your linen1 and your sail-cloth have been granted4' ,see ,annual ,register1 #aghj1 p4 #cch4 ,footnote #fe3 ,beat3 participial adjective4--,webster4 ,footnote #ff3 ,stetch3 as much land as lies between one farm and another4--,prov4 ,eng41 ,halliwell4 ,footnote #fg3 ,lewis ,roberts1 ,the ,merchant's ,map of ,commerce1 ,london1 #afch4 #8,the first systematic writer upon trade in the ,english language' 7,lowndes74 ,footnote #fh3 ,had this sentence appeared in print anterior to ,macaulay's famous passage1 the latter might have been deemed a plagiarism4 ,footnote #fi3 ,hugh ,boyd1 a writer whose real name was ,macaulay1 author of two political tracts now forgotten4 ,died at ,madras in #agia1 having dissipated his wife's fortune and his own4 ,footnote #gj3 ,alex4 ,wedderburn1 ,earl of ,rosslyn1 ,baron ,loughborough4 ,in #aggh ,attorney-,general2 in #agic succeeded ,lord ,thurlow to the ,chancellorship4 ,died #ahje4 ,footnote #ga3 ,richard ,watson1 a celebrated prelate4 ,in #agif he published an answer to ,paine's ,age of ,reason4 ,he was left an estate worth #bd1jjjl4 by a ,mr4 ,luther1 an entire stranger to him1 author of many theological works and memoirs of himself4 ,died #ahaf4 ,footnote #gb3 ,died in #ahjd4 ,there is a notice of this writer in ,watts' ,bibliotheca ,britannica4 ,footnote #gc3 ,irish ,linen ,board1 established #agaa2 the ,board abolished #ahbh4 ,we do not learn upon what business ,mr4 ,arbuthnot had gone to ,france4 ,footnote #gd3 ,that ,arthur ,young's society was equally agreeable to the other sex ,fanny ,burney tells us4 ,in the gossipy1 ecstatic journal of her girlhood she writes3 #8,last night1 whilst ,hetty1 ,susey1 and myself were at tea1 that lively1 charming1 spirited ,mr4 ,young entered the room4 ,oh1 how glad we were to see him6' ,footnote #ge3 ,a ,suffolk squire1 ardent ,whig1 and of considerable literary attainments4 ,at his expense was published ,bloomfield's ,farmer's ,boy4 ,footnote #gf3 ,frederick ,hervey1 ,episcopal ,earl of ,bristol4 ,the ,annual ,register for #ahjc has the following3 #8,his love of art and science was only surpassed by love of his country and generosity to the unfortunate of every country4 ,he was a great traveller1 and there is not a country of ,europe in which the distressed have not obtained his succour4 ,he was among the leaders of ,irish patriots during the ,american ,war1 and a member of the ,convention of ,volunteer ,delegates in #aghb4 ,he was on this occasion escorted from ,derry to ,dublin by volunteer cavalry1 receiving military honours at every town4 ,he died at ,albano1 ,rome1 surrounded by artists whose talents his judgment had directed and whose wants his liberality had supplied4' ,footnote #gg3 ,by an irony of fate1 ,arthur ,young1 who had found farm after farm in his own hands a disaster1 was now by general acceptance the first ,european authority on agriculture4 ,footnote #gh3 ,the ,history and ,antiquities of ,hawstead and ,hardwicke1 in ,suffolk4 ,the second edition appeared in #ahac1 with notes by ,sir ,t4 ,gery-,cullum4 ,footnote #gi3 ,author of many antiquarian treatises4 ,footnote #hj3 ,sold by auction in ,december #ahif4 ,footnote #ha3 ,richard ,valpy1 ,d4,d41 #aged-ahcf1 distinguished scholar1 voluminous writer on educational works1 and author of the famous ,greek and ,latin grammars4 ,footnote #hb3 ,this ,bill to disable ,revenue officers from voting in ,parliamentary elections was introduced ,april #af1 #aghb1 and read a third time on the #beth2 read a third time in the ,house of ,lords by #cd ,contents to #ah ,non-contents4 ,see4 ,hansard4 ----- ,,chapter ,,vi ,,first ,,glimpse ,,of ,,france1 #aghc-aghe ,birth of ,bobbin--,ice baths--#8,the ,annals of ,agriculture'--,a group of friends--,lazowski--,first glimpse of ,france--,death of my mother--,the ,bishop of ,derry--,fishing parties--,rainham4 ,on ,may #e of this year my dear ,bobbin was born4#hc ,i passed the year at ,bradfield1 and was much in the society of many neighbouring gentlemen4 ,at this time ,i was a desperate bather1 going into the water every morning at four o'clock each winter1 and with or without the obstruction of a thick coat of ice1 having often to break it before ,i could bathe4 ,all my friends much condemned the practice1 and assured me that ,i should kill myself1 but it became so habitual that their prophecies were vain4 ,as soon as ,i was out of bed ,i continued my favourite practice1 walking about two hundred yards to a bath ,i had constructed1 and plunging in1 notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather4 ,i had this year a severe fever1 which occasioned several of my friends1 with all the acrimony that a departure from the usual modes of life occasions1 strongly to dissuade me from persisting in my scheme4 ,i myself was firmly persuaded that it was not1 as they declared1 the cause of my illness1 and therefore when ,i was perfectly recovered resumed the practice1 which ,i continued for many years2 and ,i once at ,petworth1 at ,lord ,egremont's1 went into the bath at four in the morning1 when the thermometer was below zero4 ,upon coming out1 walked into the shrubbery1 and rolled myself in the snow as an experiment to see the effect on my body2 it had none1 except that of increasing strength and activity1 and was not at all disagreeable4 ,in ,january commenced one of the greatest speculations in my life--the publication of #8,the ,annals of ,agriculture4' ,i had long meditated such a work1 and corresponded upon it with ,mr4 ,whyman ,baker1 of ,ireland1 who had promised communications4 ,the plan which first suggested itself was peculiar1 and to the exclusion of all private profit--with a constant publication of the printing and publishing accounts--but the booksellers applied to1 rejected the idea1 and the work appeared monthly1 with very indifferent success1 for about a twelvemonth4 ,the correspondence being highly respectable1 and no papers inserted without the name and place of abode of the writer1 it rose gradually to the support of itself1 and after a time enabled me to insert a great number of plates4 ,it would have proved a very profitable publication but for the many numbers which were obliged to be reprinted4 ,printing only #ejj afterwards occasioned reprinting another #ejj1 still a third #ejj4 ,this created so large an expense that it swallowed up everything that wore the resemblance of profit1 and many years afterwards ,i continued reprinting various numbers for the sole object of completing sets2 this formed a back current2 which carried away what would have been profit4 ,it may be added that many of those papers written by myself1 forming perhaps a third or fourth of the whole work1 may be reckoned among my most valuable productions1 and have received the sanction of approbation1 by being translated into several foreign languages4 ,it is an anecdote which cannot be generally known1 that two very able letters1 which came under the name of ,robinson1 the ,king's shepherd at ,windsor1 were really the production of his ,majesty's own pen1 describing what he had long been intimately acquainted with1 the husbandry of ,mr4 ,ducket4 ,the ,king took in two sets of the work1 one of which he regularly sent to that farmer2 and in the interview which ,i had with his ,majesty upon the terrace of ,windsor1 the first word the ,king said to me was3 #8,mr4 ,y41 ,i consider myself as more obliged to you than to any other man in my dominions1' and the ,queen told me that they never travelled without my #8,annals' in the carriage4 ,lord ,fife informed me that he himself always had the #8,annals' sent him the moment they were published1 but still he always found that the ,king was beforehand with him1 for upon the first of the month1 while the number was unopened upon his table1 riding out and meeting his ,majesty1 he at once spoke to him on a paper of his own 7,lord ,fife's7 in that number1 showing that he had read the whole before it had met the eye of the author4 ,among the letters ,i received this year the following may be particularly noted3-- l4 #8,londonderry3 ,april #bc1aghc4 #8,a thousand thanks to you1 my dear friend1 for your recollection of me at so many miles' distance1 and for your summary ,gazette of the present miscellaneous state of our neighbours1 but no thanks at all to you for wishing me back to the foggy1 fenny atmosphere of ,ickworth1 in preference to the exhilarating and invigorating air1 or rather ether1 of the ,downhill4 ,when you are vapid1 if ever those ptillant spirits of yours are so1 come and imbibe some fixed or unfixed air at the ,downhill1 where a tree is no longer a rarity1 since above #bjj1jjj have this winter been planted in the glens round my house2 come and enjoy the rapidity and the success with which ,i have converted sixty acres of moor1 by the medium of two hundred spades1 into a green carpet1 sprinkled with white clover4 ,am ,i not an adept in national dialect8 ,come and enjoy some mountain converted into arable1 and grouse metamorphosed without a miracle1 into men2 come and teach a willing disciple and an affectionate friend how to finish a work he is barely able to begin4 #8,in all my leases to the tenants of the ,see1 ,i have providently1 and with a long forecast1 made a reservation to myself of all the bog and mountain lands deemed unprofitable4 ,well1 these ,i am enabled by statute to grant in trust for myself during sixty-one years4 ,now is the moment to execute this great purpose2 the reserved acres amount to several thousands1 and upon one mountain only ,i have received proposals for building #bjj cabbins 7cabins72 the limestone is at the bottom of the hill1 and the turf at the top4 ,what gold may not this chemistry produce1 and who do you think would himself submit to vegetate at ,ickworth whilst he can direct such a laboratory at the ,downhill8 #8,can ,ashby crawl--,quantum mutatus ab illo8 ,i shall next expect to hear of ,arthur's creeping4 ,mure ,i knew always to be a prince in his ideas2 ,i am glad to hear he is able to be so in his works4 ,cullum can dignify any subject1 and interest his reader in the most insignificant1 so ,i conclude we all read even his ,hawstead ,antiquities with pleasure and instruction4 ,but what is ,symonds#hd about8 not six yards round ,i hope like ,falstaff--l4#he ,pray ramble once more to ,ireland either by the proxy of a letter or in person4 ,you will ever be welcome to your affectionate friend1 #8,,bristol4' ,this year ,arthur ,young1 an ,american prisoner1 wrote to me asking charity2 it deserves to be mentioned that in a book called #8,england's ,black ,tribunal'#hf there is a list of emigrants to ,america in the seventeenth century1 at the head of whom stands the name of ,arthur ,young4 ,the following letters are from ,james ,barry1#hg the celebrated painter4 ,this was a very singular character4 ,i sat to him for the portrait which he inserted in his famous painting for the decoration of the ,society's room4#hh ,i met him often at ,dr4 ,burney's1 and always found him to abound with original observations1 which marked a character peculiarly his own4 ,he always seemed to me to be proud of his poverty4 #8,adelphi3 ,april #aghc4 #8,dear ,sir1--,i am very much obliged to you for your kind letter1 and hope your goodness will make every allowance for my not having answered it sooner1 but of all things ,i hate writing at any time1 more particularly at present1 when ,i had resolved to allow myself some days' ,sabbath1 to the utter exclusion of all manner of labour1 even of that which was most agreeable to me4 ,i shall be sincerely obliged to you for your corrected copy of my account of the pictures1#hi and the freer and the more extensive your strictures are the more thankful ,i shall be2 whatever is for use shall be adopted1 and ,i will further promise you that whatever may not be to the purpose shall be thrown aside with as little reluctance as if ,i had written it myself4 ,i expect to find you on a wrong scent in what you call my violence1 which you may think has been carried too far1 and ,i shall have a pleasure in setting you right as to that matter the first time we meet4 ,you will find nothing has arisen from resentment1 nothing from a desire of retaliating1 nothing from paltry1 interested views2 such motives1 though ,i might be inclined to make allowance for them in others1 ,i should reprobate in myself4 ,it appeared to me a bounden duty to point out for the common good whatever ,i could discover of those quicksands1 shoals1 and rocks that obstruct and endanger our viaggiatori in the belle arti1 and ,i am confident that the arts and the reputation of the country will receive essential service1 whenever this chart 7of which ,i have made but a rude sketch7 shall be perfected by some man of more information and better abilities 7though perhaps not of more love for truth1 for the public and for science7 and of penetration1 energy1 vivacity and perspicuity1 to treat this matter as it deserves4 #8,though ,i don't wish to hurry you1 yet ,i hope your copy will come soon2 ,i accept your terms1 or rather ,i insist upon them1 but do not content yourself with what you may have written in the margin1 in which1 upon this occasion1 ,i am sorry to believe you must be straitened for want of room2 however1 you can stick papers between the leaves1 and in charity spare not the rod1 as it may save the child4 ,i have on all hands got more praise than ,i well know what to do with1 and something else may now be more profitable to me4 #8,in what you say of yourself ,i feel for the country--the loss is theirs1 not yours4 ,god ,almighty has so ordered matters in this world that it is praiseworthy and honourable when genius and abilities will struggle to exert themselves for the service of others2 it was for this end they were given1 and with the consciousness of these honest and dutiful endeavours such men must be contented1 and1 indeed1 ought to be happy1 as no more can depend upon themselves4 ,others are to be accountable1 and to receive glory or infamy for what is done on their part in the assistance or the obstruction they may have flung in the way4 ,farewell6 #8,yours most affectionately1 #8,j4 ,,barry4' #8,adelphi3 ,july #aghc4 #8,dear ,sir1--,i am delighted with your account of ,ireland1 'tis wise1 candid1 bold1 exceedingly humane1 and just what the nature of the case required4 ,i have long been sick at heart of the timid1 trimming1 mistakingly prudent1 and palliating conduct of those writers who have been hitherto quacking and dabbling with the sores and miseries of that country1 and was without the least hope of ever seeing this matter undertaken by any man of such sufficient courage1 philanthropy1 or charity 7which are indeed but different points of view of the same virtue71 as might obtain for us a fair1 open and entire exposition of this unexampled and very melancholy case4 ,judge1 then1 what a pleasure ,i am receiving in the perusal of your book4 ,you have1 ,i find1 probed the evil to the bottom1 and left me without a wish4 ,the men of ,ireland are surely much indebted to you1 and will1 ,i trust1 one day acknowledge it1 but for the present you must have patience and ought to bear with them1 as the illiberality or meanness you may justly complain of may fairly be ascribed to an unhappy combination of circumstances1 owing principally to the tyrannical monopolising disposition and rascally interference of your own forefathers1 who had with the most abominable and diabolical policy employed their whole skill and power utterly to erase from the minds of ,irishmen all those noble and generous feelings which were incompatible with a servile and enslaved condition1 and which ultimately estranged them from the exercise of even the ordinary vulgar virtues4 #8,in situations where men are divided into large bodies of tyrants and slaves1 little good is to be expected4 ,their vices may differ1 but they are all equally remote from virtue1 truth1 justice1 gratitude1 the love of excellence1 or any other of those qualities which constitute the real dignity of human nature4 ,those who are attached to no country or description of men1 but for the ends and furtherance of humanity1 by equal justice and happiness1 will with me rejoice and give ,almighty ,god thanks for the dissolution of whatever has hitherto obstructed the growth and spreading of virtue1 and for that just sense of the human dignity which is now diffusing itself so extensively in ,ireland1 and gives fair prospect of a plentiful harvest 7in due season7 of those other virtues which1 though but thinly scattered in ,england1 are at present1 ,i fear1 in vain to be sought for anywhere else4 #8,yours most affectionately1 #8,,james ,,barry4' ,at this period commenced a most agreeable acquaintance with a ,french gentleman who came to ,bury1 and ,i must dilate a little on the origin of his journey4 ,the ,duke of ,liancourt#ij was ,colonel of a ,french regiment1 the quarters of which were at ,pont ,mousson1 in ,lorraine1 to which he went every year1 according to the regulations of the ,french army4 ,at that place he accidentally met ,monsieur de ,lazowski1#ia son of a ,pole1 who came to ,lorraine with ,king ,stanislas4 ,the ,duke was so struck with his manner and conversation that he resolved to cultivate his acquaintance4 ,about that time he was in want of a tutor for his two sons--not for the common purposes of education1 but to travel with them4 ,he accordingly engaged ,lazowski to make the tour of ,france with these lads1 the ,count de la ,rochefoucault and the ,count ,alexander de la ,rochefoucault4 ,the ,duke thought it an important part of education to become well acquainted with their own country4 ,during two years they travelled over the greatest part of the kingdom on horseback4 ,the ,duke was so well pleased with the conduct of ,lazowski on this journey that1 having determined to send his sons to ,england in order to acquire the language of that country1 and1 generally1 in compliance with the ,anglomania which then reigned in ,france1 he continued ,lazowski in his situation and sent them all three to ,england4 ,among other objects in ,france1 ,lazowski had given some attention to agriculture1 particularly in its connection with political economy4 ,on his arrival in ,london he made enquiry who could most probably give him information relative to agriculture1 manufactures1 commerce and other national objects4 ,among others ,i was named to him by some person who was so partial in his representations that he at once determined to fix at ,bury for a short time1 which he understood was the nearest town to my country residence4 ,he and the two young men went to the ,angel ,inn1 from thence hired convenient apartments1 and enquired where ,i resided4 ,at that time ,i was absent1 and ,mr4 ,symonds1 understanding that two young men of fashion from ,france were at ,bury1 introduced himself and showed them various civilities1 and when ,i returned brought them over to ,bradfield4 ,from that time a friendship between me and ,lazowski commenced1 and lasted till the death of the latter4 ,he was about forty years of age1 and in every respect a most agreeable companion4 ,he soon made rapid progress in the ,english language1 which he spoke not only with fluency1 but often with extreme wittiness4 ,there was not in his mind any strong predominant cast2 but the grace and facility of his manner1 with suavity of temper1 made him a great favourite1 and being also highly elegant and refined1 he often produced impressions which were not easily effaced4 ,from his general conversation in mixed society it was not readily concluded that he could or would attend with great industry and perseverance to objects of importance4 ,but this would have been erroneous1 for he exerted the greatest industry in making himself a master of all those circumstances which mark the basis of national prosperity1 and he formed in his own mind a very correct comparison of the resources both of ,britain and ,france4 ,he often expressed to me much surprise at what he thought on this subject in ,england1 and declared that the ignorance of the ,french relative to their great rival was most profound4 ,the ,duke of ,liancourt was highly gratified by his correspondence1 and after he had resided some time1 first at ,bury and afterwards with ,mr4 ,symonds1 he was directed to take the young men a tour through ,england and ,scotland1 which he did4 ,the ,duke himself came over on a visit to ,symonds while his sons and their tutor were in the house4 ,soon after his arrival in ,england1 hearing that there were such carriages at ,bury as were called buggies1 and desiring to make use of all sorts1 he ordered one to be hired to convey him and ,lazowski to ,bradfield4 ,on its coming to the door1 ,lazowski perceiving that1 though it was drawn by one horse only1 it ran upon the quarter1#ib he would have persuaded the ,duke not to attempt driving1 as it would be #bj to #a that he would overthrow it2 but the ,duke1 full of presumption1 held such prudential advice in contempt1 and1 whipping away1 had not gone half a mile in a cross road before he overturned the carriage1 and in the fall dislocated his shoulder4 ,the ,duke was conveyed to ,symonds4 ,lazowski instantly rode off to inform me of the accident1 and the ,duke expressed no more desire to drive carriages he had never seen4 ,lazowski's connection with the ,duke was not put an end to when the education of his sons was finished2 he was so useful that he continued his salary and an apartment in the ,htel de la ,rochefoucauld1 ,paris1 and ,i often admired the independent spirit with which he lived in the family4 ,a dinner did not often pass without an argument between him and the ,duke1 which was carried on with a great deal of heat on both sides4 ,on such occasions ,lazowski never gave up the shadow of an opinion1 and being gifted with more natural fluency than the ,duke1 he had usually the better of the argument4 ,this was equally to the credit of both4 ,his employment was chiefly drawing up memorials upon political subjects for the ,duke's information1 who was a vain man1 and1 without doubt1 figured in conversation by this subsidiary assistance4 ,his vanity appeared in one circumstance in which he attempted much more than he could perform4 ,while he was in the bath1 or dressing by his valet de chambre1 he had three secretaries1 to whom he pretended to dictate at the same time4 ,one of them told ,lazowski that it was scarcely credible how they were fatigued by his incessant blunders4 ,yet in ,france1 perhaps1 this very attempt gave a sort of reputation4 ,it was suspected that he merely attempted this in imitation of ,csar1 who did the same thing1 but in a very different manner1 it is presumed1 from the ,d4 de ,liancourt4 ,with a view similar to that of retaining ,lazowski1 he gave an apartment to ,jarr1 an officer who had long been in the ,russian service1 and afterwards became famous for burning the suburbs of ,courtray4 ,he was well known in ,england as ,general ,jarr1 and placed at the head of the ,military ,asylum at ,wycombe4 ,while ,i was in ,france1 ,m4 ,jarr published an octavo volume under the title of #8,crdit ,national1' a whimsical work1 in which the arguments were very ill supported4 ,lazowski always showed me great friendliness1 and ,i returned it with great constancy and truth4 ,among all the men ,i met with in ,france1 attached to the higher classes or constituting them1 all were infidels1 and poor ,lazowski of the number4 ,he never lost himself so completely as when he entered into an argument upon the truth of ,christianity with the ,bishop of ,llandaff1 for1 though civilly done1 the ,bishop ground him to powder4 ,the latter1 of course1 thought him nothing but a frothy ,frenchman1 like most of his countrymen1 with ,voltaire in his head and the devil in his heart1 all of whom would have talked the same language had they had the same opportunity4 ,before ,lazowski and his pupils had learnt ,english1 ,symonds took them to ,cambridge1 and introduced them to the ,bishop1 who1 understanding that the young men were of high rank in ,france1 and knowing that he spoke ,french himself with difficulty1 put on his canonicals to receive his foreign guests1 and1 entering the room with a most stately air1 addressed them all in ,latin1 hinting to ,symonds the propriety1 as ,latin was the language of that learned ,university1 and1 therefore1 in using it he was classically right4 ,the ,frenchmen1 of course1 replied with plenty of bows and grimaces to every learned sentence rolled out in most majestic tone from the ,bishop's mouth1 but giving no other answer4 ,the ,bishop was at last compelled to address them in his broken ,french3 #8,latin1 gentlemen1 is our language here1 but perhaps you had rather ,i should speak in bad ,french than not use that language at all6' and then relaxing his episcopal dignity1 he conversed with them at ease and quieted their ruffled spirits4 #aghd4--,this year ,i took a journey with my son for farming intelligence into ,essex and ,kent1 c41 and1 being at ,dover1 we went over to ,calais just to enable us to say that we had been in ,france4 ,but ,i had another motive1 which was to see ,m4 ,mouron1 and the capital improvements that gentleman had made near ,calais4 ,we lived three or four days at ,dessein's celebrated inn4 ,m4 ,mouron not only showed me his great farm1 but explained to me every circumstance of the improvements1 which ,i printed in the #8,annals4' ,some years before the ,empress ,catherine had sent over seven or eight young men to learn practical agriculture1 two or three of whom were fixed with my friend ,arbuthnot1 and others in different parts of the ,kingdom4 ,they were under the superintendence of the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,sambosky1 who wrote to me at ,bradfield earnestly requesting that ,i would go to ,london and examine all the young men1 that he might take or send them to ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,this ,i accordingly did1 and examined them very closely1 except one1 who refused to answer any questions from a conviction of his absolute ignorance4 ,i gave a certificate of the others' examination1 and ,i asked ,sambosky what would become of the obstinate fool who would not answer4 ,he replied that without doubt he would be sent to ,siberia for life1 but ,i never heard whether this happened4 ,one of them1 by much the ablest1 remained in ,england1 and became in time ,chaplain to the ,russian ,embassy1 in which situation he is at the present time1 and held in general esteem4 ,the intended establishment of an ,imperial farm never took place1 and after at least an expenditure of #aj1jjjl41 the men on their arrival were turned loose1 some to starve1 some driven into the army1 and others retained by ,russian noblemen4 ,in this wretched and ridiculous manner did the whole scheme end1 which1 under a proper arrangement1 might have been attended with very important effects4 ,prince ,potemkin1 one of the first noblemen in the ,russian ,empire1 must have been animated with truly liberal and enlarged ideas1 or he would not now have sent three young men to learn practical agriculture4 ,it gave me the greatest pleasure to be able to promote their enquiries during a part of their residence here4 #aghe4--,this year ,i wrote a note in the #8,annals' relative to a great work ,i had long been engaged in1 which it may not be here amiss to insert1 viz43 to collect1 under regular heads1 all the well-ascertained facts that are scattered through books of agriculture1 and1 inter alia1 in other works1 with those to be deduced from the common practice of various countries2 to interweave experiments made purposely to ascertain the doubtful points2 and to combine the whole into regular elements of the ,science is the great desideratum at present4 ,it is a work more proper for an ,academy on a ,royal foundation than for any individual4 ,but as no such ,academy is to be looked for1 and as all private societies pay their attention to desultory objects1 as often to those already ascertained as to points in which we want information the most1 ,i undertook the work myself more than ten years ago4#ic ,illustration3 ,,bradfield ,,hall ,,as ,,in ,,arthur ,,young',s ,,time4 ,i had this year the misfortune to lose my mother1 to whom ,i was most tenderly attached1 and with the greatest reason1 as her kindness and affection for me had never failed during the course of her whole life4 ,she had been educated in the most religious manner by her father1 ,mr4 de ,cousmaker1 of whom mention has already been made as a character eminently pious1 but it was not till the loss of my sister1 ,mrs4 ,tomlinson1 that deep affliction recalled in her heart those sentiments of religion which had been so assiduously cultivated in her youth4 ,she was always extremely fond of me1 and ever eager to do what could contribute to my satisfaction1 both as to worldly views1 but especially as to my eternal interests4 ,the tranquil bosom of my good mother's hermitage--my native ,bradfield--once more opened its arms to receive us1 little more than to come to close the eye and receive the last signs of that beloved parent4 ,blessed spirit6--may my hitherto restless days finish as thine did1 who didst meet death with the tranquillity of a healthy life1 and mightst have said with as much justice as an ,addison1 #8,see with what peace a ,christian can die4' ,upon her death this patch of landed property#id devolved to me by a previous agreement with my elder brother1 and by my mother's will1 written at his desire with his own hand4 ,but that agreement before it terminated cost me a mortgage of #a1bjjl4 ,the transaction does my brother's memory too much honour not to mention it4 ,he was entitled to #b1jjjl41 but knowing the smallness of the property1 and humanely considering that ,i had a family unprovided for1 that he had an ample income and no family at all1 he generously demanded and took no more than #a1bjjl4 ,whether such things happen among relations or strangers1 they should be mentioned for the credit of the human heart4 ,my correspondence this year was1 upon the whole1 interesting1 as a few of the letters will show4 ,from the ,earl of ,bristol1 a panegyric on agriculture2 another from the same1 an animated defence of the ,presbyterians4 #8,downhill1 ,coleraine3 ,jan4 #ae1 #aghe4 #8,my dear ,arthur1--,i am mortified1 and should really be ashamed to see your entertaining letter so long unanswered1 but that the multiplicity1 as well as variety of my occupations1 bereave me sometimes of the most pleasing ones2 from sunrise to long after sunset ,i am not a moment idle1 either in mind or person1 and ,i can venture to assure you that agriculture1 being the basis of all public and private virtues1 as it banishes laziness1 fortifies the body1 leads to fair and honest procreation1 provides sustenance and multiplies the tenderest and most endearing ties in nature1 has no little share both of my time and attention4 ,let one hundred and fifty men daily employed verify my assertion2 let the rocks which disappear and the grass which succeeds to them corroborate that evidence4 ,but1 then1 what have ,i to do with the ,english plough8 ,neither our soil1 nor our climate1 nor our labourers are the same2 we are poor and you are rich2 when industry has approximated a little of our wealth to yours perhaps we may be tempted to adopt your luxury in agriculture1 unless before that you shall have discovered your errors and so saved us the trouble of retracting what we have not had time to adopt4 #8,as to my ,presbyterians1 ,i am glad you are modest enough not to censure those1 whom you are honest enough to confess you do not know2 all the harm which ,i find in them is that they love the rights of mankind1 and if in pursuing them for themselves they refuse to participate with their fellow citizens1 ,i would join in your execrations1 and set them a better example than hitherto they have received from our church4 ,adieu6 let me hear from you sometimes when you have nothing better to do1 and tell ,symonds1 with my affectionate compliments1 that ,i have recovered my lost map of the ,pontine marshes1 and will send it by the first opportunity4 ,if you ever see the learned and good-humoured ,rector 7,reverend ,george ,ashby7 don't let him forget #8,your affectionate friend1 #8,,bristol4' #8,downhill1 ,coleraine3 ,march #i1 #aghe4 #8,dear ,arthur1--,i have but just received yours of the #aith1 and though ,i do not think my letters worth paying for1 yet since you do1 and ,i have a leisure half hour1 have at you4 ,and in this duel of our pens1 who would expect a ,bishop of the ,established ,church to be an advocate for the anti-,episcopal ,schismatics1 called ,presbyterians1 whilst a man whose religion lies in his plough and his garden1 that is1 with the ,goddess of the one and with the ,god of the other1 to be so zealous an opponent8 ,my defence rests principally on this point1 that they have as good a right to differ from me as my ancestors from our joint ancestors1 or the ,church established above twelve hundred years before4 #8,as to their political principles1 ,i think them1 from their system of parity1 and from their practice in most parts of ,europe1 infinitely more favourable to political liberty than ours4 #8,witness ,germany and ,switzerland and the short reign of ,old ,nol4 #8,you say1 8,but their political principles never became powerfully active without involving their country in a civil war40 ,and are there not two words to that bargain1 and does not the pot call the kettle1 c4 c48#ie ,you might as well object the same to all good citizens when oppressed by bad ones2 you may as well object the same to the first ,brutus and to the second2 you may as well object it to ,luther and ,melanchthon4 ,did the ,presbyterians ask anything unreasonable when they desired to have their nonsense tolerated as well as other nonsense8 for if it be nonsense 'tis paying it too great a compliment1 and ourselves too bad a one1 to persecute it2 and if it be good sense1 surely1 for one's own sake1 as well as that of our neighbours1 it deserves a better reception than persecution4 #8,when ,i see ,switzerland and ,germany pacified for above #aej years1 after throat-cutting for #adj1 by the single means of a reciprocal toleration1 and by the ,pacta ,conventa of #afdh1if which allowed them to share those loaves and fishes alternately monopolised by each party1 ,i must confess1 if ,i were ,frederick the ,first of ,oceana1 or of ,atlantis1 ,i should not hesitate to begin my reign with that system with which most sovereigns are compelled to close theirs6 ,the rights of humanity1 dear ,arthur1 the rights of humanity form a great article in my creed1 and that religion1 or sect of religion1 which can teach otherwise may come from below1 but surely did not descend from above4 #8,believe me1 our whirlwind is not past1 perhaps 'tis only just beginning2 yet three hundred labourers with their spades fill my mind's eye with as pleasing and as satisfactory ideas as the whole ,coleraine ,battalion with their muskets before my door4 ,if in this whirlwind ,i can direct the storm1 so much the better for humanity1 but not for the lank-haired ,divinity1 nor the frizzle-topped ,divinity1 nor the hocus-pocus ,divinity4 #8,i love agriculture because it makes good citizens1 good husbands1 good fathers1 good children2 because it does not leave a man time to plunder his neighbour1 and because by its plenty it bereaves him of the temptation2 and ,i hate an aristocratical ,government because it plunders these honest fellows2 because it is idle2 it is insolent2 it values itself on the merits of it1 and because1 like an overbearing torrent1 the farther it is removed from its fountain head1 and the less it partakes of its original purity1 the more desolation it carries with it2 and because1 like a stinking1 stagnated pool1 it inflicts those very disorders which it was the chief merit of its spring and fountain head to heal and remove4 #8,adieu4 #8,ever affectionately1 #8,,bristol4' ,my brother1 the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,young1 ,fellow of ,eton ,college1 in this letter informs me that the ,king reads my #8,annals' and is much pleased with them1 and highly approves of my arguments to show that we are far enough from being in a ruined state4 #8,eton ,college3 ,may #a1 #aghe4 #8,dear ,arthur1--,i have two of your letters to answer2 the latter directed to ,worcester1 why1 ,i know not1 for ,i never intended to be there till the beginning of next month4 ,i see no reason for your being at the expense you allude to for the public1 and think you ought to be indemnified2 you cannot afford these journeys to ,london1 and so ,i would plainly tell the ,ministers4 #8,yesterday se'nnight as ,i returned from the chase the ,king spoke to me of you in very handsome terms2 ,i find that he reads your publications4 #8,he commended particularly your recent periodical work as being very useful1 and was much pleased with your argument to prove that we are not a ruined people1 but have great resources4 ,i told him that you had been sent for by ,mr4 ,rose1#ig which he did know4 #8,you wrote to me some time ago that you were of the same opinion with ,lord ,sheffield1 but now you write that the commercial part of their measure#ih is very good1 but the political part is very bad4 ,how do you reconcile this1 for ,lord ,s4 is against the commercial part8 #8,i wish you would explain this1 for ,i am against both parts1 though1 ,i confess1 no judge4 #8,you ask whether ,i continue my new trade of hunting4 ,if you think it is a profitable one you are much mistaken2 so far indeed it is1 that ,i hope to take this year twenty pounds out of my apothecary's bill2 ,i have not been for some winters so well as ,i have been since ,i took to hunting1 and ,i hope to continue the trade next year4 ,i was yesterday seven hours and a half on horseback1 and rode certainly fifty-five miles1 besides fifteen more home from ,henley in a post-chaise1 which is pretty well at fifty-seven years old4 #8,i have two very fine horses2 the ,king1 who is generally but moderately mounted1 will tell you the two best in the hunt4 #8,why would you not call on me when you were in town8 #8,adieu1 dear ,arthur4 #8,yours affectionately1 #8,,john ,,young4' ,from ,dr4 ,valpy1 who corrected a poem ,i sent him1 and1 to my surprise1 approves of my poetry3-- #8,my dear ,friend1--,i beg your pardon again and again for keeping your poem so long4 ,unhappily ,i had mislaid it1 and chance only recovered it4 ,there runs a vein of fancy through your poetry which stamps a high character upon it1 and would your genius but stoop to the minuti of correctness would raise you to an exalted rank in that line4 ,whether you will approve my alterations or not ,i cannot tell1 but it would be difficult to point out more inaccuracies in the poem4 ,you obliged me much by your introductory number4 ,i had sent for one before1 with a view to lend it to my friends and to engage them to become purchasers of the work4 ,it is very correctly written1 except that sometimes you use shook as a participle4 #8,everybody here is ,pitt mad4 ,addresses upon addresses crowd the avenue to ,st4 ,james's4 ,it has even been proposed to offer ,mr4 ,pitt a seat in ,parliament for this town if ,mr4 ,neville can be engaged to put up for the county4 ,our county meeting was no bad an epitome of the ,house of ,commons4 ,we had some excellent speeches4 ,i had occasion to be at the ,oxfordshire meeting--a most shabby wrangle and scene of illiberal confusion4 ,i admire ,mr4 ,pitt--and do not like ,fox2 but ought not a dissolution to have taken place1 or the people have instructed their representatives rather than suffer the ,house of ,commons to be so degraded8 ,what are your sentiments on this unhappy dissension8 ,sorry1 very sorry ,i am that you would not come down to ,reading4 ,i am certain you must have met with an opportunity4 ,it was my intention last ,christmas to have paid you a visit1 but ,i had some friends with me4 ,next ,christmas1 however1 ,i mean to see ,suffolk1 if possible4 ,cullum is still here4 #8,the present state of my school is this3 six-and-thirty boarders and three parlour boarders1 besides day scholars4 ,i have two ushers4 ,i sometimes hear of your brother1 but ,i have not met with him4 ,i am told he has a mortal aversion to everything that comes from ,oxford4 #8l4--,i hope your family and the materfamilias are in a prosperous way4 ,pray give my best respects to ,mrs4 ,young1 and remember me to the young ladies and my old scholar4 ,something ,i have heard of another child4 ,one of the greatest luxuries that ,i sigh for in life is that you lived near me4 ,but inconveniences of absence do not seem likely to be prevented by your endeavour to come after me4 ,let me1 however1 hear from you as often as you can4 #8,adieu4 #8,r4 ,,valpy4' ,i find by memoranda that ,i was busied in the imagination of new fish-ponds1#ii taking lively interest in and examining how much of the low meadow at ,bradfield could be laid under water4 ,what led me to this folly is not easy to conceive1 because ,i could have afforded to attempt the making of an ocean as much as of a pond2 but how often is the register of a life the register of human folly8 ,i was 7this year7 elected an honorary member of the ,royal ,society of ,agriculture of ,paris4#ajj ,about this time ,i went on a farming journey to the ,bakewells1#aja in ,leicestershire2 it was a very instructive journey and in which ,i gained a great deal of valuable information4 ,i also spent several days about this time with ,lord ,townshend#ajb at ,rainham and his uncommonly agreeable young wife1 equally elegant and beautiful4 ,during my visit ,i had an ample opportunity of admiring the noble picture of ,belisarius by ,salvator ,rosa1 a performance which can never be too highly commended4 ,with the agreeableness of this noble family1 and especially of ,lady ,townshend1 ,i rendered my visit extremely pleasing4 ,the noble ,lord1 to whose liberal attention ,i owe much information1 came to his estate in so high a degree of cultivation1 owing to the unrivalled exertions of his grandfather1 that little was left for him to perform2 a life of great activity and service1 had the situation of his property been different1 would not have allowed a minute's attention4 ,these notes will1 however1 show that ,lord ,townshend has not been idle at ,rainham4 ,on my arrival there ,i was anxious to view that part of the estate chiefly near the house1 which was improved by a man who quitted all the power and lustre of a ,court for the amusements of agriculture4 ,charles1 ,lord ,viscount ,townshend1 who was ,ambassador ,extraordinary to the ,states ,general in #agji1 a ,lord of the ,regency on the death of ,queen ,anne1 ,knight of the ,garter1 ,lord ,lieutenant of ,ireland1 twice ,secretary of ,state1 and ,lord ,president of the ,council1 resigned the seals in ,may #agcj1 and1 as he died in #agch1 it is probable that this period of eight years was that of his improvements round ,rainham4 ,the ,irish propositions#ajc which were at this time under the consideration of ,government meeting with many unforeseen difficulties1 ,i had a letter from ,mr4 ,rose requesting information relative to the comparative circumstances of the two kingdoms1 and ,mr4 ,pitt thought the information so much to the purpose that he desired ,mr4 ,rose to write to me requesting my attendance in town4 ,i accordingly went1 and gave ,mr4 ,pitt the information he wished1 at the same time answering an abundance of collateral enquiries1 for which ,i received a formal letter of thanks4 ,my correspondence with ,mr4 ,rose recurred several times after these interviews4 ,in his third letter he requested to be informed of the amount of a labourer's consumption of taxed commodities1 in order to ascertain what excises and other taxes such consumption supports4 #8,i conceive1' he wrote1 #8that the articles consumed by that description of people are leather1 candles1 soap1 beer1 probably some spirits1 and perhaps a small quantity of starch4 ,i wish also very much to know what their chief diet is1 and the price of the articles in the different parts of the country4'#ajd ----- ,footnote #hc3 #8,my lovely ,bobbin'--christened ,martha ,ann--the adored child whose loss at the age of fourteen was the great sorrow of ,arthur ,young's life4 ,the pet name of #8,bobbin' originated in that of #8,robin1' which the child gave herself but could not pronounce4 ,footnote #hd3 ,dr4 ,j4 ,symonds1 ,professor of ,modern ,history at ,cambridge1 was ,,ll4,d41 and wrote a book1 ,hints and ,observations on ,scripture4 ,footnote #he3 ,the ,bishop misquotes from memory4 ,the quotation is from ,horace1 ,ep4 ,bk4 ,i4 iii4 #ba2 agis should be audes4 ,footnote #hf3 ,published #agjc1 giving an account of the trial of ,charles ,i41 of ,montrose1 c4 ,footnote #hg3 ,died in great poverty1 #ahjh1 and was buried in ,st4 ,paul's ,cathedral4 ,footnote #hh3 ,the society of ,arts1 ,adelphi4 ,footnote #hi3 ,this apparently refers to ,barry's report of the ,royal ,academy4 ,footnote #ij3 ,the friend of ,louis ,,xvi41 who summoned courage to announce the fall of the ,bastille4 #8,it is a revolt8' said the ,king4 #8,sire1' replied the ,duke1 #8it is a revolution4' ,this amiable and well-intentioned man leaned towards a constitutional monarchy2 finding this hopeless1 he emigrated1 returning after exile to ,liancourt 7,seine and ,oise71 ending his days among a community he had raised morally and materially4 ,died #ahbg4 ,footnote #ia3 ,his brother must not be wholly judged from ,madame ,roland's portrait1 penned in prison4 ,the #8,queen of the ,gironde' no more than her fellow-partisans was free from political animus4 ,it is true that ,lazowski threw himself into the very heart of ,sans-culottisme1 and that his funeral oration 7#agib7 was pronounced by ,robespierre4 ,his alleged share in the ,september massacres requires stronger evidence than that of his bitterest enemies at bay4 ,footnote #ib3 #8,that part of a horse's foot between the toe and heel1 being the side of the coffin4'--,farrier's ,dict4 ,footnote #ic3 ,this project developed into one much more formidable than the writer at this period conceived1 namely1 that monumental history--or1 rather1 encyclopdia--of agriculture never destined to see the light4 ,for three-quarters of a century the ten folio volumes of manuscript garnished the library of ,bradfield ,hall1 perhaps once in twenty years to be taken down by some curious guest4 ,what was to have been ,arthur ,young's crowning achievement and legacy to future ages is1 fortunately1 not wholly lost to posterity4 ,the ten volumes are now housed in the ,,ms4 department of the ,british ,museum4 ,footnote #id3 ,bradfield ,hall was sold on the death of ,arthur ,young's last descendant1 the late ,arthur ,young1 ,esq41 in #ahif4 ,footnote #ie3 ,proverb1 #8,the pot calls the kettle black4'--,bailey's ,dict4 ,footnote #if3 ,the ,peace of ,westphalia4 ,footnote #ig3 ,george ,rose1 ,president of the ,board of ,trade4 ,died #ahah4 ,footnote #ih3 ,this measure is referred to on page #acg4 ,footnote #ii3 ,arthur ,young's fishing parties are described in ,fanny ,burney's ,camilla4 ,footnote #ajj3 ,founded #aghe4 ,footnote #aja3 ,robert ,bakewell1 died #agie1 a celebrated grazier4 ,it was wittily remarked that #8his animals were too dear for anyone to buy1 and too fat for anyone to eat4' ,footnote #ajb3 #8,turnip ,townshend1' ancestor of the ,lord ,townshend here named1 was celebrated in the famous lines-- #8,why of two brothers1 rich and restless1 one ,ploughs1 burns1 manures1 and toils from sun to sun2 ,the other slights for women1 sports1 and wines1 ,all ,townshend's turnips and all ,grosvenor's mines4' ,pope's #fth translation of ,horace4 ,footnote #ajc3 ,this seems to refer to ,mr4 ,pitt's resolutions upon the commercial intercourse between ,england and ,ireland4 ,the debate thereon began ,february #bb1 #aghe4 ,see4 ,hansard4 ,footnote #ajd3 ,how different would be the list of a labouring man's #8necessaries' in these days6 ----- ,,chapter ,,vii ,,first ,,french ,,journey1 #aghf-aghg ,death of my brother--,anecdotes of his character--,dr4 ,burney on farming--,greenwich versus ,eton--,blenheim--,correspondence with ,dr4 ,priestley--,county toasts--,french projects--,first ,french journey4 ,this year my brother died4 ,he was in the habit of hunting with the ,king1 and having heard of a very fine hunter to be sold in ,herefordshire1 he sent his servant to purchase him4 ,it was the end of the season1 but the ,king appointing one day more for the sport1 ,dr4 ,young determined to try his new horse1 and he went in company with another gentleman to the field4 ,his friend observed to him that his horse tripped in an odd manner1 to which ,dr4 ,y4 replied3 #8,it is the last day of hunting1 and ,i shall see how he performs4' #8,take care1' said the other1 #8that it is not the last day of your life4' ,he persisted in the trial1 and was for a time much pleased with his horse in several leaps2 in taking another it struck its own legs against an obstruction1 threw his rider1 whose neck was instantly broken4 ,he was taken up dead and carried home4 ,thus died my nearest relative1 who was a man of very peculiar talents and of most singular originality of character4 ,he had a great deal of eccentric wit1 and was extremely beloved by many intimate friends1 amongst whom were several of the ,townshends1 ,cornwallises1 and the ,duke of ,grafton1 with whom he was on the most intimate terms1 and was a great favourite of the ,duchess4 ,cornwallis1 ,archbishop of ,canterbury1 valued him so much for his rectitude of conduct in this that he determined to promote him to the best preferment that should fall in his gift1 and ,i have several letters from him repeating this intention4 ,thus ended a life that promised so many advantages1 for he was high in favour with the ,king1 who was pleased not only frequently to converse with him1 but to ask his opinion respecting many sermons which were at that time published4 ,thus high in expectation of further promotion1 to lose his life in so unexpected and sudden a manner was indeed singularly awful and unfortunate4 ,it was a dreadful blow also to all my son's hopes1 for as he was educating at ,eton for the ,church1 my brother1 who had his turn as ,fellow of ,eton and ,prebendary of ,worcester in about seventy pieces of preferment1 and had passed all by that came to give away1 stood high in the lists purposely with a view of promoting ,arthur4#aje ,there was in ,dr4 ,young a steady rectitude of principle1 an absolute abhorrence of every mean and unworthy action1 great natural parts1 and as he had been ,captain 7,i think71 or very near it1 of ,eton ,school1 he went to ,king's at ,cambridge a capital scholar4 ,the following anecdote relative to my brother ,i copy from a letter to my wife1 written by my old friend ,professor ,symonds3-- #8,i assure you1 ,madam1 that ,i was really at a loss to conjecture whether you were in earnest or not when you desired an answer to your letter2 but in case you were in earnest 7which ,i can now hardly think1 since the question might be answered better in conversation71 you must be surprised and offended by my neglect2 but ,i defy you to have been more surprised than you will be at my charging your husband with this letter4 ,i concealed from him the purport of it1 but judged it necessary to inform him that there was not the shadow of an intrigue between us4 #8,so far the prologue2 now for the anecdote1 which is just as interesting as thousands are which are daily propagated4 ,it was about two years before the divorce of the ,duchess of ,grafton that her ,grace and ,lord ,march played at 8brag0 for two or three hours one evening at ,euston2 the others--viz4 the ,duke and ,mr4 ,vary and ,jack ,young--looked over without playing at all4 ,lord ,m4 had been very forward in 8bragging10 but threw up his cards afterwards when he had three knaves1 whether he had a presentiment that the ,duchess had three aces or whether he had artfully seen her hand4 ,this cowardice struck ,jack ,young so sensibly that he fixed his eyes very sternly on ,lord ,m41 and addressed him thus3 ,why6 ,march1 thou art the most dunghill ,scots' peer that ,i ever met with4 ,his ,lordship instantly arose from his chair1 filled with indignation1 and whilst he was wavering whether he should use a poker or some other instrument1 the ,duke said to him3 8,i find1 ,lord ,march1 that my friend ,jack ,young treats you as he constantly treats my wife and me40 ,this prudent and good-natured interference disarmed ,lord ,m41 and they all passed the evening pleasantly4 ,you may depend upon the truth of this story1 as ,i had it from ,mr4 ,vary4 #8,i remain1 dear ,madam #8,yours1 c4 c41 #8,j4 ,,symonds4' ,the next anecdote was considered at the time by all who heard it to redound to the credit of my brother4 ,in one of his visits to ,euston he arrived unexpectedly and late in the afternoon1 and immediately went to the room always appropriated to him to dress for dinner1 and thence proceeded directly into the dining-room1 when1 to his astonishment1 he perceived sitting at the head of the table the notorious ,nancy ,parsons instead of the ,duchess4 ,he instantly drew back1 at the same moment extending his arms to mark his astonishment4 ,the ,duke went up to him with a conciliatory air1 took his arm and said3 #8,come1 come1 ,jack1 these things are always done in a hurry without consideration4 ,i had no time to make alterations or inform you4 ,i will explain afterwards4' ,but he only answered with a shake of his head1 and1 shrugging up his huge shoulders1 retired1 mounted his horse1 and reached ,bradfield the same night1 a distance of nearly fifteen miles4 ,it should be remembered at this time the ,duke was ,prime ,minister and the ,doctor looking up to him for further preferment4 ,by this he lost a bishopric4 ,i was at ,bradfield1 and received an express#ajf from ,dr4 ,roberts1 ,provost of ,eton1 to inform me of the accident1 which called me thither at once4 ,i resided there some time on account of my brother's affairs1 dining every day with the ,provost and ,fellows4 ,on the same account ,i was obliged to go to ,worcester1 where he was a ,prebendary and ,rector of ,st4 ,john's in that city4 ,dr4 ,y4 died without a will1 as he had often told me he would do4 ,when all his affairs were settled ,i returned to ,bradfield4 ,so sudden and dreadful an accident affected me deeply2 there is something in such deaths that strikes every feeling of the soul4 ,in the midst of the rapid movements of that animated amusement1 in one moment to be hurried into another world without one thought of preparation has something tremendously formidable in it2 yet every one is liable to deaths equally sudden1 and the suggestion ought to be universal3 #8,prepare to meet thy ,god4' ,the misery is that thousands sitting in their chairs and with ample time for preparation are apt to think of any subject rather than this most important of all4 l4 ,no date1 but evidently written at this period4 #8,as ,i should be sorry to keep from you anything that must give you pleasure in your welfare of your children1 ,i shall report a conversation with ,dr4 ,langford1 the under-master1 who my brother got the ,prebendary of ,worcester for by speaking to ,lord ,sidney4 #8,on his calling on me ,i lamented the loss--in which he joined warmly--spoke highly of my brother as his friend4 ,i said that my bosom had all the feelings of affection for him1 but that the loss to my poor boy was nothing short of ruin4 ,he had no friend left4 8,no10 replied he1 don't say that1 for give me leave to say that1 feeling as ,i do the obligations ,i have been under to ,dr4 ,young1 ,i must be allowed to call myself his friend4 ,if ,i succeed in life ,i will be a friend to him1 and ,i hope his progress in his learning will permit me to be so4 ,he said more to the same purpose1 and as he is a rising man in a situation that gives him power to act according to his feelings1 ,i hope he will remember it4 ,but the account ,mr4 ,heath gives me is by no means satisfactory1 and sorry ,i am to say that ,arthur seems determined to do little for himself4 ,he is now at a crisis1 and sinks or swims4 ,i gave ,mr4 ,heath three guineas that he might encourage him with a crown now and then 7as from himself7 when he did well1 but don't write of that to him1 and desired him to write me when he was negligent4 ,my brother's affairs turn out very badly2 bills to the amount of #cfjl4 now lie unpaid before me here1 besides ,worcester1 and ,i can see no more than #bfjl4 to pay it4 ,i hear a bad account of the ,rectory at ,worcester1 but suspend all judgment till the whole is before me4 #8,a4 ,y4' ,two honours were this year added to my name1 by being elected into the ,patriotic ,society of ,milan and that of the ,geographical ,society of ,florence4 ,i had also a visit from a ,polish nobleman1 ,count ,kalaskowski1 who spent some time with me at ,bradfield4 ,the letters ,i received this year were numerous1 and many of them very interesting4 ,from the number ,i have selected the following3-- ,from ,dr4 ,burney1 on reading my #8,annals' and a character of ,handel4 ,this was after he had been at ,bradfield4 #8,august #a1 #aghf4 #8,what have ,i without an inch of land to do with farming8 ,is it the subject or manner of treating it1 or both that fascinated me1 when you first were so kind1 my dear friend1 as to send me some of your ,annals of ,agriculture8 ,i was in the midst of my winter's hurricane and immersed in other pursuits1 but now1 having conversed with some of your correspondents1 seen your farm1 and rubbed up my old rusticity1 all my love for country matters returns1 and ,i sincerely wish myself a villager4 ,you seem to have worked yourself up to a true pitch of patriotism1 and ,i think1 besides the instructions the essays convey1 that your knowledge on the subject1 and animated reasoning1 and admonitions1 must have a national effect4 ,your book fastened on me so much on the road that ,i hardly looked on anything else4 ,mr4 ,symonds' essays on 8,italian ,husbandry0#ajg are extremely curious1 and furnish a species of information totally different from what can be acquired from the perusal of any other author4 ,many of the communications in the three first volumes1 of which ,i have almost read every word1 seem to me instructive1 amusing1 and masterly4 ,my countryman1 ,mr4 ,harris1 of ,hanwood1 in ,shropshire 7the birthplace of my father and grandfather71 seems a notable planter4 ,as editor and chief of the ,agricola family1 ,i think you merit the thanks of every ,englishman1 not only who loves his country1 but who loves his belly1 for if your discoveries1 improvements1 and instructions are followed1 we may certainly always find upon our own island de quoi manger4 #8,now ,i would not have you1 my dear ,arthur1 put contempt upon my praises1 as coming from a ,londoner1 whom you may regard as a mere ,cock-neigh immersed in the vanities1 follies1 and dissipation of the ,capital1 for then ,i'd have you to know that ,i reckon myself a countryman born and bred as much as yourself4 ,i never was within the smell of sweet ,london till ,i was eighteen1 and then1 you know1 ,i lived during nine of the best years of my life in ,norfolk among the best farmers in ,europe4 ,indeed1 if ,i were ten or a dozen years younger than ,i am1 ,i believe ,i should take your white house and all the land about it you could spare1 and enter myself for your scholar1 and run for the give and take plate2 you know that ,i have been giving lessons all my life2 it is now high time ,i should take some4 ,as to ,london1 if it were not for a few friends whom ,i sincerely love1 and for its vicinity to several branches of my family1 ,i would take half a crown never to see its sights or hear its sounds again4 #8,my friend1 honest ,arthur1 who is a very ingenious1 good-natured lad1 will deliver to you a copy of my account of the 8,commemoration of ,handel20 it is not so good a one as ,i wish to send1 though the best in my possession4 ,i beg when you have nothing better to do that you will read it without too strong prejudices against ,old ,handel2 for though he is called a ,goth by fine travelled gentlemen1 accustomed to more modern music and to posthumous refinements1 yet candour and true knowledge must allow that he was the greatest man of his time1 and that he had a force and majesty that suited our national character1 and when you look at the list of his works you will allow that his resources were wonderful4 ,his own performance on the organ was perhaps more superior than that of any inhabitant of this country1 even than his compositions4 ,upon the whole1 though ,i am far from wishing to put an extinguisher upon every other candidate for musical fame1 yet it would be the height of injustice not to allow that this country was much obliged to his genius and talent1 and that the late performances of his productions do honour to the cultivation of musick in this kingdom1 as well as to our national gratitude4 #8,i beg you will present my affectionate compliments to ,mrs4 ,young1 and best thanks for the hospitality and kindness with which she treated us at ,bradfield2 and pray give our hearty love to the gentle1 sweet1 and amiable ,miss ,bessy4 #8,and believe me to be1 with very sincere regard1 #8,your affectionate #8,,charles ,,burney4' ,from ,john ,symonds1 ,esq41 on the examination of the boys at ,greenwich ,school for speaking ,latin4 ,gold medal c4 given to master and boys4 ,a curious letter4 #8,st4 ,edmund's ,hill3 ,december #aghf4 #8,my dearest ,friend1--,i returned hither yesterday1 and shall go to ,euston on ,thursday to pass five or six days there4 ,the ,bishop of ,peterborough will return with me1 but whether on ,wednesday or ,thursday se'nnight ,i know not1 but ,i will send you a line soon after ,i get there1 and ,i hope you will keep yourself free from engagements those two days4 ,you may possibly have seen or heard of a remarkable circumstance that does equal honour to the ,society of ,arts and to ,greenwich ,school4 #8,the ,society decreed a gold medal to that schoolmaster who should teach his boys to speak the best ,latin4 ,this was claimed last week by the schoolmaster of ,greenwich4#ajh ,sir ,william ,fordyce and my friend ,professor ,martin were appointed ,examiners4 ,more1 the ,secretary1 requested ,bishop ,watson to attend1 who excused himself1 as he was obliged shortly to leave ,london4 ,five boys attended with their master4 ,the ,examiners had prepared a great number of questions such as boys maybe supposed to understand4 ,these were put in ,latin and answered in ,latin without hesitation4 ,the boys were then ordered to withdraw into a private room together1 and to make an original composition in ,latin without the help of a dictionary4 ,this they all performed in half an hour4 ,then the ,examiners asked numberless questions in ,english1 which were answered immediately in ,latin4 ,the gold medal was given to the schoolmaster1 and five silver ones of equal value to the five boys1 who were pretty much upon an equality1 and what is surprising is that not one of the five had learned ,latin longer than two years and a half1 and the eldest of them was not above thirteen years4 ,you may be certain that this is true1 as ,i saw it in a letter from ,martin to his brother-in-law1 the ,vice-,chancellor1 and he concludes it by saying 8that they all spoke ,latin with fluency1 propriety1 and elegance40 ,were ,i possessed but of a small portion of the fire with which you are animated1 ,i should cry out with a generous indignation1 8,blush1 ye proud seminaries of ,eton and ,westminster10 c4 c4 c4 #8,my compliments aux ,polonais4 #8,i am now set down in earnest to renew acquaintance with my ,italian agricoltori4 #8,ever affectionately1 #8,,john ,,symonds4' ,in a ,westerly ,tour ,i made this year1 amongst numerous other places ,i visited ,blenheim1 and made the following memorandum3-- #8,viewed the pleasure ground at ,blenheim1 the enclosed part of which consists of #bjj acres1 with the water near #cjj4 ,it can scarcely be too much admired2 the whole environ of the water is fine1 various in its feature1 with the character of magnificence everywhere impressed4 ,the cascade scenery1 viewed independently of the new improvements1 is extremely pleasing1 and indeed wants nothing but a deeper and more umbrageous shade for an accompaniment4 ,the new walks1 caves1 fountains1 and statues do not1 however1 seem entirely calculated to add to the beauty of the scenery4 ,the most splendid view is from the walk leading from the cascade to the house4 ,there are two points nearly similar1 where are benches2 the water fills the bottom of the vale in the style of a very noble river2 few1 indeed1 in the kingdom exceed it4 ,we may conjecture that if ,brown1 in the exultation of his heart1 really said that the ,thames would never pardon his superb imitation for exceeding the original1 it was the view from one of these benches that inspired the sentiment4 ,the proud waves that roll at your feet2 the declivity steep enough to make the water and every contiguous scene more interesting to the eye2 the opposite shore1 a hill spread with wood that hangs with forest boldness to the water2 the whole is formed to make an impression on the mind4 ,no ill-judged decoration weakens by dividing the effect2 no intruding objects hurt the simplicity of the scene4 ,i know not any artificial scene that is finer4 ,the concluding one where the water expands is great1 but ,i think inferior to this4 ,but to return---- l4 ,it appears this year#aji that ,i was engaged in a pursuit entirely new to me1 that of making many new and pneumatic experiments on expelling gas from soils1 manures1 and various other substances1 in order to ascertain whether there was any connection between the quantity and species of such gas 7from ,geist1 ,german for ghost1 spirit4 ,authority1 ,b4 of ,llandaff1 see ,newman's #8,trans4 of ,boerhave's ,chemistry'7 and the fertility of the soils from which my specimens were selected4 ,it seems that ,i prosecuted this enquiry with diligence2 and as it was my commencement in chemistry1 ,i corresponded upon the subject with ,dr4 ,priestley1 and went to ,cambridge for the conversation of ,mr4 ,milner1 then ,professor of ,chemistry in that ,university4 ,the result of my experiments was very remarkable1 for ,i decided1 after a very careful deduction from the result of all my trials1 that there existed a very intimate1 and almost unbroken1 connection between the fertility of land and the gas to be expelled from it4 ,this was an entirely new discovery belonging to me only1 and it has been quoted by many celebrated chemists in a manner which showed that they considered me as the origin of it4 ,i sent a detail of my trials to the ,royal ,society1 through the hands of ,mr4 ,magellan1#aaj as my paper contained some eudiometrical experiments made with the eudiometer invented by that philosopher4 ,mentioning to a friend what ,i had done1 #8,you have been very foolish1' observed the friend1 #8for depend upon it your paper will never get into the 8,philosophical ,transactions40' ,expressing my surprise1 ,i demanded the reason4 #8,why1 know you not1' he replied1 #8that there is a most inveterate hostility between ,sir ,j4 ,banks and ,magellan1 from a violent quarrel1 and ,sir ,j4 is not a man to permit anything to be printed that comes through hands offensive to him1 especially as the paper is to the credit of ,magellan's instrument8' ,the event proved the truth of this prediction1 but this did not prevent my labours being duly appreciated by those who were the most competent judges4 ,in the pursuit of these trials ,i gradually established and furnished a laboratory1 sufficient for my own enquiries1 at about #aejl4 expense4 l4 #8,birmingham3 ,jan4 #bg1 #aghc4 #8,dear ,sir1--,there is no person ,i should serve with more pleasure than you1 because there is no person whose pursuits are more eminently useful to the world4 ,you alone have certainly done more to promote agriculture1 and especially to render it reputable1 in this country than all that have gone before you4 ,but the little ,i might do to aid your investigations will be reduced to a small matter indeed by my distance from you4 #8,all that ,i should be able to do with water would be to expel by heat all the air it contains1 and then examine1 by nitrous air1 how much phlogiston that air contains1 but it is very possible that the fitness of water for irrigating meadows may depend upon something besides the phlogiston it contains4 ,experiment alone can determine these things4 ,i never heard before of the inference1 you say1 has been drawn from my doctrine with respect to the use of light in vegetation4 ,i know of no use that light is of to the soil4 ,the whole effect is on the living plant1 enabling it to convert the impure air it meets with in water or in the atmosphere into pure air4 ,when that end is effected that water is of no further use to it4 ,plants will not thrive unless both their leaves and roots be exposed to air in some degrees impure4 ,this ,i have fully ascertained1 but ,i am afraid that the doctrine is not capable of much practical application4 #8,i know of no method of conveying phlogiston to the roots of plants but as combined with water1 and this seems to be done in the best way by a mixture of putrid matter4 ,water will not imbibe much inflammable air4 ,i find volatile alkali to contain much phlogiston4 ,it is indeed almost another modification of the same thing4 #8,since my last1 ,i have hit upon various methods of converting water into permanent air4 ,it is sufficient to give it something more than a boiling heat4 ,if ,i only put an ounce of water into a porous earthen retort1 ,i get a hundred ounce measures of air from it1 and when ,i have1 in this manner1 got near an ounce weight of air from the same retort1 it has not weighed one grain less than it did4 #8,i shall be glad to hear the result of your experiments1 and am truly sorry that ,i can do so little for you4 #8,j4 ,,priestley4' #8,birmingham3 ,march #ca1 #aghc4 #8,dear ,sir1--,i received from ,mr4 ,more#aaa two bottles of water1 one marked 1 which ,mr4 ,boswell informed him was from the spring mentioned in his 8,treatise on ,watering ,meadows10 and another without any mark from a spring arising in a bed of sand1 and ,i examined them immediately4 ,i found the former to contain air much purer than that of the atmosphere2 but the latter air was much worse1 that is1 phlogisticated2 a candle could hardly have burned in it4 ,this last ,i should think to be the better spring for the watering of meadows1 or perhaps it might have been better corked2 for on the #aith1 though ,i put the corks in again immediately1 but without any cement1 ,i found the air in both very pure1 more so than the purest before1 and hardly to be distinguished1 and they were so this day when ,i examined them again4 ,they should be examined on the spot4 ,the air in the spring from the sand was much warmer than that in my pump water1 or than that of water in general4 ,but water exposed to the open air soon loses the phlogiston it contains4 #8,perhaps much of the effect of water on meadows is that1 at this time of the year1 it comes out of the earth considerably warmer than the roots of the grass4 ,what think you of this8 #8,i expect to set out for ,london this day three weeks1 and shall stay there about a fortnight4 ,i should be glad to meet you there1 when we shall find an hour's conversation better than all our correspondence4 ,wishing you success in all your laudable pursuits4 #8,i am1 dear ,sir1 #8,yours c4 c4 #8,j4 ,,priestley4' ,at ,chadacre1 six miles from ,bury1 resided ,john ,plampin1 ,esq4#aab who had three daughters1 all1 at this time1 unmarried and at home4 ,i was intimately acquainted with them4 ,two of these ladies were much distinguished by their beauty1 and reigned as toasts throughout the county3 ,sophia married afterwards to the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,macklin1 and ,betsy married in #agid to ,orbell ,ray ,oakes1 ,esq4 of ,bury4 ,i introduced my friend ,lazowski to these ladies1 and he was much at ,chadacre1 admiring not a little the youngest of them4 ,they persuaded their father to give a ball1 at which the ,duke of ,liancourt1 his two sons1 ,lazowski and myself were present1 and the evening passed with uncommon hilarity till the rising sun sent us home4 ,mr4 ,symonds afterwards gave a weekly ball when the ,frenchmen were with him1 and these parties were uncommonly agreeable4 ,early in the spring of #aghg ,i received a letter from a friend at ,paris1 ,mons4 ,lazowski 7who had resided two years at ,bury1 much to my amusement and satisfaction1 with the two sons of the ,duke of ,liancourt71 to inform me that he was going with the ,count de la ,rochefoucault to the ,pyrenees1 and proposed my being of the party4#aac #8,liancourt3 ,april #i1 #aghg4 #8,dear ,sir1--,i was at ,liancourt when ,i heard from you the last time1 so that ,i was very uneasy upon the bill which you had drawn upon ,m4 de ,vergennes1 who could not be informed by me about it1 but very happily my letter to him went at a proper time1 and it has been paid4 ,nothing wants now but to have turnips1 as your ,english wit whispers it4 ,but we have another matter to settle together1 if you are not now incumbered4 ,i told you by the last that it could be1 but ,i would travel this summer4 ,the case is that the ,count is1 for the sake of his health1 obliged to go to ,bagnres-de-,luchon1 in the ,pyrnes1 to drink those waters2 he asked from me to be his companion1 and his relations seemed to be glad of it4 ,i did therefore comply with his demand1 and we are going about the middle of ,may1 which is the time just of your coming over to ,france4 ,now will you come with us8 ,such proposition is not a foolish one4 ,we will pass by a part of ,france in going1 and come back by another part1 so that you will see almost the two-thirds of this kingdom4 ,you will learn the ,french2 with us everything will be explained to you2 in short1 ,i will be with you1 and that is enough1 ,i hope4 ,that part by which you will pass through is not an uninteresting one4 ,look upon a map4 ,you will pass through the ,limousin and ,toulouse in going1 and in coming back by ,bordeaux1 c42 the ,pyrnes are very worth to be seen1 and1 besides1 if nothing very extraordinary prevents it1 we intend to go to ,barcelona in ,spain1 in order to see the ,catalogne1#aad the finest province after that travel4 ,i must not tell you that ,i shall be another ,arthur here for you1 not that ,i presume to say that you will find in me an ,encyclopdia living as ,i did in you1 but your friend1 and therefore to your commands in ,paris and everywhere4 ,our manner of travelling is very convenient to you also2 we go with our own horses1 you will have one1 my servants will be yours1 nothing therefore shall be too much expensive4 ,have you your horse8 ,is it possible to come over with him at a proper time8 ,if not1 do write to me a word1 and the ,count and ,i will do our utmost to get one cheap enough1 between fifteen and twenty pounds4 ,if you cannot be ready here for the #aeth of ,may1 we will expect five or six days1 but you see that it is impossible to expect more1 since the ,count must drink the waters2 in two words1 you seemed to wish to see this kingdom1 never you will have such an opportunity2 if ,i am obliged to stay at ,bagnres1 nothing will prevent you to make some excursions in the environs1 and you will speak ,french very well4 ,the whole depends of your family business4 ,if you cannot now1 then you will wait till ,september1 and we will be at ,paris2 but you must give greatest of attention to it1 and as soon as your mind will be fixed upon anything pray do write to me4 ,what devil are you doing about the notables8 7l47 ,i suppose you know my mind about the whole by my letter4#aae ,m4 de ,calonne is exiled1 so is ,m4 ,necker4 ,what will be the result ,i do not know1 but the notables have missed the way1 and they know nothing of the matter2 but public business must give way to what ,i make a proposal to you1 it is question of nothing else but to travel together a thousand miles1 without more expense but that you would spend anywhere1 c4 c4 so you may go to the devil if you don't speak well of me and my prospect4 ,my best compliments to ,m4 ,symonds c4 c4 chiefly ,lady ,gage and ,sir ,thomas4 #8,yours for ever1 #8,,ly4 #8,do not forget to write and to speak about your horse1 whether you will bring yours1 or if we must get one for you4' ,this was touching a string tremulous to vibrate4 ,i had so long wished for an opportunity to examine ,france4 ,in the survey of agriculture which ,i had taken in ,england and ,ireland1 of about #g1jjj miles1 ,i had calculated1 from facts1 the rent produce and resources of those ,kingdoms1 and ,i had often reflected on the importance of knowing the real situation of ,france2 the effect of ,government2 the state of the farmers1 of the poor--the state and extent of their manufactures with a hundred other enquiries certainly of political importance2 yet strange as it may seem not to be found in any ,french book written from actual observation1 all that ,i was before able to learn having been composed in some great city without travelling beyond the walls4 ,i should accept a very unsatisfactory work upon sheep1 written by ,mons4 ,cartier1 employed and paid by ,government4 ,i had but little time given me to consider of the proposal1 but ,i wrote to learn if they travelled post1 because ,i previously determined in that case not to go4 ,and1 further1 ,i requested to know if ,i were to travel at any other expense than that of myself and horse4 ,the answer was that they travelled with their own horses1 and did not propose making more than twenty or twenty-five miles a day2 that my expense would be merely what ,i stated1 and mostly in a cheap part of the kingdom4 ,this most agreeable plan ,i instantaneously acceded to1 and soon set out for ,france on horseback4 ,at ,dover1 being detained1 ,i copy the following note on that expedition3-- #8l4--,had the packet sailed this morn as ,i expected ,i should not have scaled1 as ,i never did before1 ,shakespeare's ,cliff4 ,by the way it is by no means so formidable as ,i expected from it4 ,i think the look down from its perpendicular position very striking1 and when ,i reflected how much more it must be from the summit1 the reflection1 perhaps1 injured the principal effect 7l474 ,this is a proof that we ought never1 when a powerful impression is wished1 to advance to the principal point gradually4 ,it should come upon us at once2 nor should ,i have seen ,mr4 ,harris's drill plough1#aaf which ,i liked much better from seeing it than from the print4 ,but ,i principally should have wanted time to run over my accounts1 to review the debts and credits of several loose memoranda1 and find from the result that ,i had not acted imprudently or unguardedly in omitting the necessary preparations to such a journey4 ,my dear child1 my lovely ,bobbin1 ,i left in perfect health1 the rest of my family well and provided for in every respect as they themselves had chalked out1 the #8,annals' lodged in the hands of a man on whose friendship and abilities ,i could entirely confide4 ,revolving these circumstances in my mind gave me pleasure1 so that ,i could hardly regret in the evening the day which in the morning ,i had pronounced lost4 ,at night ,i went into a bye boat#aag and had a villainous passage of fourteen hours4 ,nine hours rolling at anchor had so fatigued my mare that ,i thought it necessary for her to rest one day1 but next morning ,i left ,calais4 #8l4--,wait at ,desseins three days for a wind1 ,dover1 ,london1 ,bradfield1 and have more pleasure in giving my little girl a ,french doll than in viewing ,versailles4'#aah ,the journey to ,france cost me #aahl4 #aes4 #b;d4 ,things bought1 #bjl4 #ags42 books1 #hl4 #afs4 #f;d4 ,this year ,i had a long visit at ,bradfield from ,m4 ,bukaty1 nephew to the ,polish ,ambassador1 a heavy1 dull man with a ,tartar countenance4 ,his intention was to learn agriculture1 but he made a poor progress4 ,my correspondence this year contained much variety1 and ,i have reperused many of the letters with much pleasure4 ,in the number were the following3-- ,from ,sir ,j4 ,sinclair#aai on clothing for sheep1 which he sent and desired me to buy4 ,i did so1 and the rest of the flock took them ,i suppose for beasts of prey1 and fled in all directions1 till the clothed sheep jumping hedges and ditches soon derobed themselves4 #8,whitehall3 ,april #aa1 #aghg4 #8,sir1--,i went yesterday to ,knightsbridge1 and have ordered the canvas for covering the sheep1 which will be ready next week1 and ,i shall be glad to know how it can be best forwarded4 #8,my idea is to put the coverings on immediately after the sheep are shorn1 when ,i imagine it would be comfortable instead of distressing to the animal4 ,that the experiment may have full justice done ,i send you three covers of oil skin1 three of pretty strong unoiled canvas1 and two done over with ,lord ,dundonald's tar4 ,if lambs are apt to die of cold1 would it not be of use to them8 #8,i am1 ,sir1 your obedient servant1 #8,,john ,,sinclair4' ,from ,mr4 ,symonds1 an account of his tour in the ,west c41 of the ,king and ,queen's visit to ,whitbread's ,brew ,house2 duties to the ,crown1 #eb1jjjl4 per annum for the brewery alone4 #8,sunning ,hill3 ,july #ab1 #aghg4 #8,my dear ,sir1--,i wrote to you from ,cornwall1 and hope you received the letter which was directed to ,creil4 ,i am returning from a tour through ,devonshire1 where ,i visited ,mount ,edgecombe1 ,dartmouth1 ,teignmouth1 ,torbay1 ,dawlish and ,exmouth4 ,at ,exeter ,i passed ten days with my old friend the ,bishop1 ,dr4 ,ross1 and however ,i may have lost my time in other things ,i certainly was not deficient in my religious duties1 for during the ten days ,i attended divine service nineteen times1 taking in his ,lordship's private chapel and the cathedral4 #8,after visiting most of the fine seats in ,somersetshire c4 including ,lord ,radnor's famous triangular house1 ,i came to ,salisbury1 where ,i met several old acquaintances1 and among the rest ,mr4 ,windham1 who published ,doddington's ,diary1 and who permitted me to look over the vast collection of ,doddington's private correspondence1 and to copy what ,i pleased4 #8,from ,salisbury ,i came hither1 having made nearly a thousand miles in my gig1 without suffering the least inconvenience1 either from weather or accident4 ,could ,i do better than to end1 as it were1 my tour with a visit to the ,monarch's and the ,muses' ,seats8 #8,the only public news that you can now think of abroad is whether we are to have peace or war2 but ,i have heard here from very good authority that ,thurlow1 ,lord ,stafford1 and ,mr4 ,pitt are for peace1 and that 'tis thought the latter will resign if things take a different turn4 #8,whitbread expended not less than #ae1jjjl4 in entertaining the ,king and ,queen at his brewery4 ,they left off working it three days before--new clothes--the floor carpeted1 and three or four sets of china made on purpose at ,worcester after the most beautiful models of ,svres1 that the ,royal ,family might be entertained separately1 though in the same rooms4 ,the ,king asked ,whitbread what he paid for duties to the ,crown1 and his ,majesty was not a little surprised to hear that he paid #eb1jjjl4 for the ,brewery alone4 ,you will say all that is kind for me to the ,count and ,lazowski4 ,madame de ,polignac#abj c41 together with the ,french ,ambassador1 have been at the ,terrace1 where they were received by the ,king and ,queen4 ,at ,bath the ,french ladies broke the standing rules by all going to the ball much too late1 and on foot1 which is not common1 and one danced in coloured gloves4 #8,you and ,i shall agree about the ,liancourt ,plough as well as most other things4 ,the ,duke's ideas of farming resemble those of ,mons4 ,baron1 whose self-conceit is exceeded only by his ignorance1 and who must inevitably starve1 if he had to gain his bread by farming1 and practised for himself4 #8,adieu4 ,ever faithfully yours1 #8,j4 ,,symonds4' ----- ,footnote #aje3 ,arthur ,young's only son1 born #agfi4 ,footnote #ajf3 ,express1 n41 a messenger sent on a special errand4--,webster4 ,footnote #ajg3 ,published in the ,annals4 ,footnote #ajh3 ,dr4 ,egan1 ,royal ,park ,academy4 ,footnote #aji3 ,the writer's memory is at fault here4 ,his correspondence with ,dr4 ,priestley is dated #aghc4 ,the letters1 however1 are given here1 as otherwise they would not be intelligible4 ,footnote #aaj3 ,mr4 ,magellan4 ,this gentleman1 often mentioned in ,a4 ,y4's correspondence as descendant of the great ,portuguese discoverer1 seems to have attained some proficiency--even eminence--in science4 ,footnote #aaa3 ,secretary to the ,society of ,arts4 ,footnote #aab3 ,an old ,suffolk family4 ,captain ,plampin1 mentioned in the ,french travels1 is noticed in the new ,dictionary of ,national ,biography4 ,footnote #aac3 ,m4 ,lazowski's broken ,english is given as we find it4 ,footnote #aad3 ,catalonia4 ,footnote #aae3 ,it has been found impossible to include this letter from want of space4 ,footnote #aaf3 ,a sort of plough for sowing grain in drills4 ,footnote #aag3 ,a chance or passing boat4 ,footnote #aah3 ,as ,arthur ,young's letters1 with trifling excisions1 are incorporated into the famous travels1 ,i do not give them here4 ,his anxiety about ,bobbin is ever apparent4 #8,give ,bobbin a kiss for me4 ,god send her well1' he writes to his eldest daughter ,mary2 and1 in another letter1 #8,remember me to your mother1 and tell ,bobbin ,i never forget her4' #8,the ,robin1' or ,bobbin1 was now five years old4 ,footnote #aai3 ,statist1 political and agricultural writer2 born #aged1 died #ahce4 ,sat in ,parliament for several constituencies1 and took an active part in political and scientific movements2 was also a voluminous writer4 ,footnote #abj3 ,the ,prince and ,princess de ,polignac1 after receiving countless honours1 privileges1 and substantial favours from ,louis ,,xvi4 and the ,queen1 were among the first to desert them4 ,the present head of this ancient house married a daughter of ,mr4 ,singer1 inventor of the sewing-machine4 ----- ,,chapter ,,viii ,,travel ,,and ,,international ,,friendships1 #aghh-hi-ij ,the ,wool ,bill--,sheridan's speech--,count ,berchtold--,experiments--,second ,french journey--,potato-fed sheep--,cost of housekeeping--,chicory--,burnt in effigy--,correspondence--,third ,french journey--,with ,italian agriculturists--,bishop ,watson and ,mr4 ,luther--,correspondence--,literary work--,illness--,the state of ,france4 ,early in the spring ,i was deputed by the wool growers of ,suffolk to support a petition against the ,wool ,bill#aba which at that time made much noise in the agricultural world2 and in which ,i united with ,sir ,joseph ,banks1#abb who was deputed by the county of ,lincoln for the same purpose4 ,i was most strenuous in the cause4 ,by this ,bill the growers of wool were laid under most insufferable restraints by its patrons the manufacturers1 under the false pretence which had upon so many occasions been listened to by the ,legislature1 that immense quantities of wool were smuggled to ,france2 on the gross fallacy of which they made good use1 in taking those measures which answered their only design1 that of sinking the price4 ,i applied to many of the leading members of both ,houses of ,parliament1 but to very little effect4 ,those who deputed me were very desirous that ,i should see ,mr4 ,fox on the subject2 and ,sir ,peter ,burrell1 who was also greatly hostile to the ,bill1 and acted at that time as ,lord ,great ,chamberlain of ,england at the trial of ,mr4 ,hastings1 recommended me to take an opportunity of the managers for the ,commons1 waiting at that trial to desire to speak with ,mr4 ,fox in the manager's box2 and with this view gave me a pass ticket for the whole trial1 by means of which ,i could be at the bar ready to serve such an opportunity when it offered4 ,these tickets were sold at twenty guineas each2 and this afforded me many opportunities of much entertainment4 ,i accordingly saw ,mr4 ,fox1 and found him by no means inclined to patronise any opposition to the ,bill4 ,all that could be done was to make him a master of certain important facts of which he was ignorant1 and which did seem to have some little weight with him4 ,it may here be observed that as ,i was walking one day in ,fleet ,street with my pass ticket and a #bjl4 note in my pocket book1 ,i was hustled unskilfully by a knot of rascals1 who picked the book out of my pocket1 but ,i missing it instantly1 luckily observed it on the pavement near my foot1 and seized on it immediately1 and the rascals went off at once4 ,by means of this ticket ,i was present when ,mr4 ,sheridan made the speech that rendered his eloquence so celebrated4#abc ,i was examined at the ,bar of the ,houses of ,lords and ,commons1 and published two pamphlets on the subject of the ,wool ,bill4 ,but notwithstanding all the opposition that was made to the measure1 after moderating some of the most hostile clauses the ,bill passed2 but the manufacturers experienced so determined and vigorous an opposition that they would hardly engage again in any similar attack upon the landed interest4 ,in the course of this business ,i experienced a strange instance of roguery in an ,ipswich attorney named ,kirby4 ,this man was appointed secretary and receiver of the ,suffolk subscriptions for supporting the expense of opposing the ,bill4 ,he paid the reckoning twice at the #8,crown and ,anchor' when a few persons dined there2 and after that1 under various pretences1 when money was to be paid2 and on a moderate computation put more than #ajjl4 into his own pocket4 ,i was unwilling to believe it1 but upon his death a few years after it was found that he was one of the greatest knaves the devil ever created4 ,my deputation by the county of ,suffolk to represent it1 in opposing the ,bill at the bar of the two ,houses of ,parliament1 in the same manner as ,sir ,joseph ,banks1 a highly eminent character for influence and affluence1 was deputed by the county of ,lincoln1 did me much honour1 and shows that a prophet may sometimes be esteemed1 even in his own country4 ,the reader who is desirous of becoming acquainted with this portion of the history of wool in ,england may consult my ,question of ,wool--my speech that might have been spoken--my ,reasons against the ,bill1 and various other papers by myself1 inserted in the #8,annals4' ,the opposition certainly would have been successful if ,mr4 ,pitt had not found what so many ministers have experienced before--that the trading interest at large is a hundred times more active than the landed interest2 for very few counties exerted themselves on this occasion4 ,had half of them acted like ,suffolk the ,bill would have been inevitably lost1 and had ,i not been a resident in ,suffolk that county would have slept with the rest4 ,it may not be amiss to observe that a pamphlet was published1 entitled a #8,letter to ,arthur ,young1 ,esq41 on the ,wool ,bill1 by ,thomas ,day1#abd ,esq41' from which the following is an extract3-- #8,if we are delivered from the present danger1 ,i know no one who has so great a claim to the public gratitude as yourself4 ,as soon as the storm began to gather1 your active eye remarked the curling of the waters and the blackening of the horizon1 while all our other ,palinuruses were quietly slumbering around4 ,distinguished1 therefore1 as you long have been for literary talents1 you have now added a nobler wreath1 and a sublimer praise to all you merited before4' ,mr4 ,day in this letter calls my opposition to the ,bill #8,a noble stand in defence of the common liberties4' #8,april #bb4--;,i was examined on the ,wool ,bill in the ,house of ,commons4 ,it was a most hard-fought battle between the manufacturers and the landed interest2 the ,bill laid heavy shackles on every movement of wool near the sea coast1 and was opposed with great resolution1 both by ,sir ,joseph ,banks and myself4 #8,we opposed it both in the ,commons and the ,lords1 both being examined at the ,bar of the two ,houses2 the manufacturers on this occasion were so hotly opposed that ,sir ,joseph thought they would be quiet in future4 ,i was of a different opinion1 being convinced that they never would omit any opportunity of imposing their shackle on that insensible1 torpid1 and stupid body 8the landlords of ,britain40' ,about this time ,count ,leopold ,berchtold#abe visited me at ,bradfield4 ,but part of the time which he spent in ,suffolk 7,i being absent7 was at the #8,angel' at ,bury1 where he lived an extraordinary life of retirement and economy4 ,he daily went out1 and employed the whole day in writing and reading4 ,such temperance has scarcely been known4 ,he drank neither wine nor beer1 and would dine upon a potato or an egg4 ,he told the landlord of that inn that he could not live in the manner of other travellers1 but that he might charge what he pleased for his apartments4 ,he was a most extraordinary personage4 ,his father had a considerable estate in ,bohemia1 and one reason for the son's travelling over a great part of the world was the extreme disgust he took at the measures of the ,emperor ,joseph ,,ii41 which were oppressive and ruinous to the nobility c41 constantly changing his ill-formed political schemes4 ,he had lived in the principal countries of ,europe long enough to become a master of their languages1 in every one of which he printed a work which he conceived might be useful to the inhabitants4 ,when at ,bradfield he was working hard to learn ,arabic1 as he proposed passing from ,england to ,morocco1 thence to ,egypt and ,arabia4 ,this journey afterwards he executed1 and returned home to ,bohemia through the greatest part of the ,turkish ,empire2 and1 after escaping a thousand dangers1 as he was going to ,vienna was murdered by banditti4 ,he was very tall and graceful in his person1 of a handsome1 expressive countenance1 and as elegant as if he had passed his whole life in a ,court4 ,though invested with the ,order of ,st4 ,stephano by the ,grand ,duke of ,tuscany1 ,leopold1 he never wore it in ,england1 as his father being alive made it necessary for him to live economically4 ,his conversation was intelligent and pleasing1 his knowledge almost universal4 ,he travelled much on foot2 and once through ,france or ,germany--,i forget which--when he was beset by three or four robbers2 but he assumed so much firmness in his manner1 with so resolute and determined an air1 and with so threatening an attitude of defence1 that1 after a pause1 the robbers retired1 thinking it best to let him alone4 ,he had a sabre or some other weapon1 and said that they might have had the worst of it if they had made the attack1 as he had before been set on in the same way more than once4 ,his first business in every country was to study unremittingly till he had perfectly learnt the language1 as without this he considered men and women but as cows and sheep4 ,he then applied himself with singular assiduity to understand those branches of human industry or political economy for which the country was most celebrated1 and for this purpose applied to those who were most able to satisfy his inquiries4 ,he was introduced to me by ,anthony ,souga1 the ,imperial ,consul at ,london1 who gave him the highest possible character4 ,when he had registered these inquiries and printed a book in the language1 he left the country for some other4 ,the grand object of ,ct4 ,b4's investigations and inquiries seemed to be not so much the good of the countries he visited1 as to possess himself of a great mass of that sort of knowledge which might be most useful in adding to the welfare and happiness of the inhabitants of that estate to which he was born1 and which was a very extensive property4 ,he spent some time with me in ,suffolk gleaning agricultural information1 intending to apply it to the farmers and peasants of his paternal estate and of his own favourite ,bohemia1 from which he often lamented that he was driven by the folly and tyranny of ,joseph ,,ii4 ,it was with great concern that ,i heard of his very unfortunate and untimely death about ten years after leaving ,england4 ,he was about thirty-six years of age when in ,suffolk1 was possessed of various and uncommon powers1 built mentally and bodily on a great scale1 talked ,english like a native1 walked like a giant1 and was of all the multitude of foreigners who frequented my house the most persevering and the most intelligent4 ,this year ,i made some experiments on the distemper in wheat called the smut1 which were amongst the most satisfactory and decisive that ,i ever found1 and in which ,i corrected some errors of ,mr4 de ,tillet1#abf and proved1 too clearly to be doubted1 the proximate cause and prevention of that disease4 ,it is almost intolerable1 after experiments so decisive1 that so many men1 through ignorance of what ,i had done1 should for a long time have been bewildering themselves upon the same subject1 and continuing to do so to the present day1 publishing1 too1 the greatest errors4 ,these experiments are inserted in the #8,annals4' ,this year ,i set out on my second journey to ,france in the month of ,july4 ,i made this alone1 my cloak-bag behind me2 and ,i did not travel thus an#abg hundred miles before my mare fell blind4 ,i have heard and read much of the pleasure of travelling2 how it may be with posting--avant-couriers preparing apartments and repasts--,i know not4 ,let those who enjoy such comfort pity me1 who made #c1gjj miles on a blind mare6 and brought her 7humanity would not allow me to sell her7 safe back to ,bradfield4 ,i claim but one merit--that of practising in the midst of all this folly the severest economy in travelling4 ,in the winter ,mr4 ,macro took a seat in my postchaise on a farming tour across ,essex and into ,sussex1 where we spent a day or two with ,lord ,sheffield4 ,in this tour ,i learned that ,general ,murray had #d1jjj ,south ,down sheep1 and that he fed them with potatoes4 ,this was sufficient4 ,to come into the country on the search for sheep and potato intelligence1 and not to see such a man1 would not be to make a very wise figure when we returned home4 ,but ,i had not the honour to be known to the ,general4 ,no matter2 #d1jjj sheep fed on potatoes were an object before which form must give way4 ,i wrote a card1 stating our pursuit1 and wishes to have it gratified1 desiring leave to view his flock4 ,those who know the ,general's liberality and passion for agriculture will not want to be told what the answer was4 ,we spent five days in his house1 and found it the residence of hospitality and good sense4 ,mrs4 ,murray had resided nine years in the island of ,majorca1 being the daughter of the ,english consul4 ,she gave me many particulars relating to that island1 and1 among others1 that the climate was by far the finest she had ever experienced4 ,she never was for a single hour either too hot or too cold1 nor ever saw a fog2 but the people were unpleasant1 ignorant and bigoted4 ,i was always very regular in keeping accounts1 but do not often mention them in this detail2 ,i may1 however1 just observe that ,i seemed to have been no bad economist1 as the total expense of house1 garden1 stable1 servants1 and keeping a postchaise with not a little company1 cost in four months #igl4 #bs4 #c;d41 or at the rate of #bial4 #fs4 #i;d4 per annum2 how it was done ,i forget4 ,if such an expense be compared with the present times#abh it will show the enormous difference1 arising principally from the desperate increase of taxation1 which has crippled so many classes of the kingdom2 but ,i had a large farm in my hands4 ,on being at ,london1 some time after1 ,i went to ,esher and spent a day with ,mr4 ,ducket1 examining his farm with great attention2 he dined with me at the #8,tun1' and ,i had a very interesting conversation with him to a late hour1 upon all the points of his husbandry4 ,in this year ,i first introduced the cultivation of ,cichorium ,intybus#abi at ,bradfield1 and registered it in the #8,annals of ,agriculture2' it was at first upon a small scale1 but sufficient to convince me of the vast importance of the plant4 ,i brought the seed from ,lyons in ,france1 and gradually extended the culture till ,i had above one hundred acres of it2 the utter stupidity of the farming world was never more apparent than in their neglect of this plant1 so repeatedly recommended in the #8,annals4' ,the ,duke of ,bedford kept ten large sheep per acre on a field of it4 ,the following letters were among others received this year3-- ,from ,b4 ,h4 ,latrobe1 ,esq41 on my being burnt in effigy at ,norwich by the manufacturers 7in re ,wool ,bill71 a very lively letter4 #8,stamp ,office1 ,somerset ,place3 ,may #bb1 #aghh4 #8,dear ,sir1--,we have been waiting for your arrival in town patiently for the week past1 and ,i am afraid we must now make up our minds to wait patiently a great deal longer1 as the passing of the ,wool ,bill has not been able to bring you to town4 ,by the word ,we ,i mean my brother1 our friend the lord of slaves1#acj myself1 and ,i dare say it includes fifty other people whom ,i have not the honour of knowing4 ,we have been three days past laying our heads together to find out some method of doing you honour in effigy in order to make up to you in some measure the disgrace you have undergone 7as is creditably reported about town7 of being burnt in effigy by the wool manufacturers at ,bury4 ,my brother is for procuring your effigy1 and after having crowned it with a wreath composed of turnip roots1 cabbage leaves1 potato-apples1 wheat-ears1 oats1 straws1 c41 and tied with a band of wool1 thinks it ought to be placed upon its pedestal 7being the volume of ,virgil's 8,georgics07 to be worshipped by the real patriots2 ,mr4 ,huthhausen thinks a plain ribbon a sufficient honour for a man whose ideas can admit of the belief of slavery in ,silesia2 and1 as for myself1 ,i am of opinion that a man whose life has been devoted without fee or reward to the service of the public has so great a reward arising from the consciousness of having done good1 and so just a claim to honour1 that ,i shall not trouble my head about methods to increase it4 ,but ,i must beg your pardon for this lady-like chat1 though your having been burnt in effigy is enough to make any pen run wild4444 ,i could wish that a favour ,i have to beg of you were not inconvenient4' ,the writer requests that some remarks of his own on the book named above may be inserted in the #8,annals4' ,from ,edmund ,burke1 ,esq41 on an application ,i made to him relative to the ,wool ,bill4 ,unfortunately no copy can be found of this letter4 ,sir ,joseph ,banks gives me joy of being burned in effigy at ,norwich 7,bury87 on account of my opposition to the ,wool ,bill3-- #8,soho ,square3 ,may #ac1 #aghh4 #8,dear ,sir1--,with this you will receive the 8,instructions given to the ,council against the ,wool ,bill40#aca #8,i have corrected the whole1 but ,i fear you will find it miserably deficient in point of composition1 but as ,i am not ambitious on that head ,i mean to be satisfied if ,i am intelligible4 #8,i give you joy sincerely at having arrived at the glory of being burned in effigy2 nothing is so conclusive a proof of your possessing the best of the argument4 ,no one was ever burned if he was wrong--the business in that case is to expose his blunders--but when argument is precluded firebrands are ready substitutes4 #8,believe me1 dear ,sir1 #8,yours faithfully1 #8,j4 ,,banks4' #aghi4--;,i had yet work to do in ,france2 the survey of that kingdom was not completed in the journeys of the two preceding years4 ,i did not hesitate therefore1 but as soon as business at home would permit me to be absent ,i set out on my third expedition1 ,june #b1 and went to ,paris in the diligence4 ,as the carrying specimens of remarkable soils and of manufactures1 wool1 c4 was so inconvenient1 ,i made this journey in a chaise4 ,through the kindness of the ,duchess d',estissac 7de ,rochefoucauld7 ,i was most agreeably received at the ,htel de la ,rochefoucauld1 and as the ,states ,general were assembling ,i went thither to the ,duke's apartment1 where ,i met many persons of note1 such as the ,duke of ,orleans1 the ,abb ,sieys1 ,rabaut ,st4 tienne1#acb c4 and was present at an interesting debate in the ,national ,assembly4 ,i spent some time at ,paris1 which ,i quitted on my third journey on ,june #bh4 ,i felt much regret on taking leave of my excellent friend ,monsieur ,lazowski1 whose anxiety for the fate of his country#acc made me respect his character as much as ,i had reason to love it for the thousand attentions ,i was in the daily habit of receiving from him4 ,my kind protectress the ,duchess d',estissac had the goodness to make me promise that ,i would again return to her hospitable hotel when ,i had finished the journey4 ,at ,toulon ,i sold my horse and chaise1 as ,i had been informed that ,i could not thus travel with safety in ,italy4 ,i embarked at ,toulon to save one or two stages1 which gave me an opportunity of viewing the fine harbours of that port4 ,on leaving ,nice ,i went by a vetturino to ,turin1 and was fortunate in making the acquaintance of some of the gentlemen that accompanied me4 ,at that capital ,i was introduced to various lovers of the plough1 and received much valuable information4 ,from this place ,i went to ,milan1 where through the kind attentions of the ,abate#acd ,amorette1 a true lover of agriculture and a friend of its professors1 ,i was introduced to a variety of persons who afforded me much intelligence and accompanied me to the seat of the ,count di ,castiglioni1 sixteen miles north of the city1 with whom ,i passed sufficient time to give me an opportunity of remarking the country life of an ,italian nobleman of high consideration4 ,from ,milan ,i went to ,lodi through one of the finest scenes of irrigation in the world4 ,at the latter place ,i assisted in the whole operation of making a ,lodesan1 called ,parmesan cheese in ,england1 and thereby learnt a few circumstances in that manufacture1 which ,i afterwards applied with success in making cheese in ,suffolk4 ,at ,lodi ,i attended the opera1 where the ,archduke and ,archduchess with the most splendid company were present1 and it gave me particular pleasure to find such a house so filled in a little town quite dependent on cows1 butter and cheese4 ,at ,bergamo ,i was electrified by the fine eyes of an ,italian fair1 and just as ,i was making a nearer approach1 impeded in it by the sudden appearance of her husband4 ,at ,verona ,i viewed its celebrated amphitheatre and gained some agricultural intelligence1 then on to ,vicenza and ,padua1 where ,i stayed some days1 having introductions to several professors1 then by the canal to ,venice1 where ,i employed several days in viewing that singular place and numberless curiosities to be found in it4 ,it fully answered my expectations4 ,at ,bologna ,i was so fortunate as to meet ,mr4 ,taylor1 of ,bifrons1 in ,kent1 with his very agreeable family4 ,by him ,i was introduced to such of the nobility of the place as had a taste for farming1 which1 with some excursions in the vicinity1 enabled me to understand the agriculture of the district4 ,thence ,i travelled to ,florence1 where my time was divided between agriculture and the ,tribuna1 that is1 between ,farmers and ,venuses4 ,i was here introduced to many celebrated characters and to others able to give me valuable agricultural information4 ,at home we had a very pleasant party1 and abroad our eyes were feasted with all that ,art or ,science could produce4 ,quitting ,turin on the return journey ,i joined company with ,mr4 ,grundy1 a considerable merchant1 from ,birmingham4 ,we crossed over ,mont ,cenis on our route to ,lyons4#ace ,during the winter of this year ,i met ,dr4 ,watson several times at my friend ,symonds'1 and shall here copy a private note ,i made on that celebrated character4 ,i was well acquainted with him for some years before he was made a ,bishop as well as long after4 ,nor is it strange that ,i should be assiduous in cultivating a connection with a man of such extraordinary powers1 who had a most peculiar felicity in bringing all the stores of a richly furnished mind to bear as occasion required in conversation4 ,his memory was wonderfully retentive1 and he had the art of speaking upon subjects with which he was not well acquainted without betraying any ignorance4 ,he had a clear1 logical head1 great promptness of application1 and the utmost fluency of expression1 but sometimes with an affectation of enunciation in a delicate manner which did not at all become the native sturdiness of his disposition4 ,he had a mathematical calculating head1 which enabled him readily to apply scientific researches to the ordinary purposes of life4 ,his style was always uncommonly perspicuous4 ,the ,king once said to him1 #8,i know not how it is1 my ,lord1 but when ,i read any of your publications ,i am never for one moment at a loss for your meaning1 whereas in reading the works of other very able men their want of clearness often makes me doubtful4' #8,sir1' replied the ,bishop1 #8we are very assiduous at ,cambridge to study ,euclid and ,locke4' ,almost from being made a ,bishop he became a disgusted man1 because he never could procure a translation1 and it was supposed that the ,queen was influenced against him by ,bishop ,porteus1 who had not so high an opinion of him as many others4 ,he was once speaking to ,porteus in praise of ,locke's #8,reasonableness of ,christianity1' and said in the course of conversation1 #8,i presume1 my ,lord1 you are of the same opinion4' ,but ,porteus1 who had not been able to get in a word for some time1 with a firmness not perhaps common with him when conversing with such a man as ,watson1 said1 #8,indeed1 my ,lord1 ,i am quite of a different opinion'--then left the room abruptly4 ,watson disapproved of his daughter learning ,latin1 but was very assiduous to procure her translations of the ,classics4 ,upon coming to the ,university1 or not long after1 he found himself very deficient in ,classical learning1 and applied to recover lost time with indefatigable attention4 ,he was tutor to ,mr4 ,luther1 of ,essex1 at ,cambridge1 and was useful to him in the great contested election for that county4 ,soon after1 ,luther1 as was supposed from motives of economy1 went to ,france1 and1 in his absence1 some malignant reports were spread to his disadvantage4 ,watson saw the great importance of trampling upon them immediately2 not trusting to any correspondence1 he went to ,paris1 and represented to him the necessity of instantly returning and showing himself in every company that was possible4 ,luther felt the propriety of the advice1 and directly returned with the ,doctor1 whose conduct upon this and many other occasions made such an impression on his mind that he left him a good estate in the very heart of the ,earl of ,egremont's at ,petworth1 so that part of it joined not only the park1 but the garden4 ,to purchase this estate was a very great object to ,lord ,e41 and the ,bishop1 not liking to ask too high a price in the years' purchase for the land1 made a valuation of a great quantity of young timber on what would be the future value of the trees1 and by this means contrived to have a very great price for the estate4 ,it was too great an object to ,lord ,e4 to be refused2 but the ,bishop did not escape without censure4 ,count ,leopold ,berchtold published this year his #8,hints to ,patriotic ,travellers1' which in a very handsome manner he dedicated to me4 ,my correspondence was somewhat numerous4 ,i could give a long list1 but shall only mention the following3-- ,from ,count ,bukaty1 ,polish ,ambassador1 invitation from the ,king of ,poland4#acf #8,holles ,street3 ,may #bg1 #aghi4 #8,sir1--,i acquit myself of my old debt of gratitude which ,i owe you in returning my sincere thanks for all the kindness which my nephew has experienced from you and your family during his residence at ,bradfield ,hall4 ,i left him in ,poland to spread your name and superior merit1 which is already so well known and justly admired all over ,europe4 ,your well-deserved fame reaching his ,majesty the ,king of ,poland1 and his brother1 the ,prince ,primate1 makes them wish to see you once in that country1 whose natural riches consisting in agriculture might be essentially improved by your transcendent knowledge therein4 ,it was already their intention to establish there a ,society of ,agriculture1 had it not been for the present political circumstances1 which necessarily take up all their time and attention4 ,i would be exceedingly happy1 ,sir1 when you will be present in ,town in order to have some conversation with you on the subject4 ,in the meantime1 ,i take the liberty to ask your favour in informing me where ,i could get the machine for separating corn from chaff1 whereof the drawing was brought to ,poland by my nephew8 #8,i have the honour to be1 with the greatest respect1 #8,sir1 your most obedient1 c41 #8,f4 ,,bukaty1 #8,envoy ,extraordinary of ,poland4' ,from ,dr4 ,burney #8,chelsea ,college3 ,oct4 #bj1 #aghi4 #8,my dear ,friend1--,i have begged a corner of this sheet from your daughter ,bessy to congratulate you on your safe arrival on ,classic ground after the perils and dangers of ,gothic ground4 ,how insipid will the history of the present times in this last country render all other history6 ,and what weight will it not give to what has been long called the history of ,fabulous times6 ,the ,poissardes are but the ,amazons of the present day1 and the leaders at the attack of the ,bastille the ,hercules and ,theseus4 ,the fetching the ,king1 ,queen1 and ,royal ,family from ,versailles1 and the total demolition of the ancient government of the ,kingdom1 have no type in history or fable1 ancient or modern4 ,the nobles and clergy indiscriminately stripped of their honours and property1 not to give it to others of the same rank and class1 but to the mob1 who are helping themselves to whatever they like1 and destroying whom and what is not honoured with their approbation in a more successful and effectual way than our ,wat ,tyler or ,jack ,straw ever intended1 and which would have astonished even ,j4 ,j4 ,rousseau had he been living1 in spite of his ideas of an galit de condition4 ,but whether a totally levelling scheme can be rendered permanent in a great ,empire or no1 time1 not experience1 can show4 ,i used to think la loi des plus forts only existed among savages1 and that in ,society there were tall minds as well as tall bodies1 but none such have as yet appeared in ,france4 ,but let us talk of ,italy1 where ,i found no want of tall minds1 even in these degenerate days4 ,i am glad you seem to like the farming of the ,milanese4 ,i was particularly struck with it all through ,lombardy1 and think you will find even among the peasantry shrewdness1 industry1 and ingenuity4 ,in all the great cities ,i found philosophers1 mathematicians1 and scholars1 as well as musicians2 these last1 indeed1 make more noise in the world1 and1 being travellers1 spread their own fame into remote countries1 while the drone and scientific part of a nation are seldom heard of out of the walls of their colleges or towns till after their decease4 ,indeed1 almost all those ,i knew personally nineteen years ago in ,italy are now no more6 ,padre ,boccaria at ,turin1 ,padre ,boscovich at ,milan1 and ,padre ,sacchi4 ,this last1 ,i believe1 is still living4 ,but ,count ,firmian is dead1 to whom ,i and every ,english traveller was much obliged by his hospitality and kindness4 ,you probably owe the same obligation to his successor1 with whose name even ,i am unacquainted4 ,if you go to ,padua you will probably stop at ,verona1 where there are always men of learning and science4 ,but you must not judge of the present state of musick in any part of ,italy unless you remain there during the ,carnival4 ,at other times 7except at the great fairs7 the principal theatres are shut1 and the others supplied with such riff-raff as our ,sadler's ,wells during summer4 ,if ,guadagni had been living1 you would have him at ,padua1 and if ,i had not engaged him to the ,pantheon1 ,pachierotti1 whom we expect here in a few days4 ,pray go to the church of ,sant' ,antonio on a festival2 there ,tartini used to lead and ,guadagni sing4 ,if ,padre ,valetti is living1 the ,maestro di ,capella1 pray present my compliments to him and enquire after the sequel of his ,treatise4 ,i have as yet only seen the first part4 ,i likewise beg to be remembered to ,signor ,marsili1 the ,professor of ,botany1 and ,padre ,columbo1 the ,professor of ,mathematics3 the first was some time in ,england and speaks our language2 the second was the great friend of ,tartini1 and left in possession of all his manuscript papers4 ,enquire what is become of them1 and try to get intelligence of the disposal of ,padre ,martini's papers1 books1 and sequel of his #8,history of ,musick' at ,bologna4 ,enquire likewise when you meet with intelligent musical people what are the defects of the newest and best of the great ,italian theatres4 ,no plan is1 ,i believe1 as yet adopted for rebuilding ours4 ,le ,texier has a model made with many conveniences and more magnificence than our former theatre could boast1 but whether it will be adopted1 or whether it is to be wished that a ,frenchman should ever have the management of an ,italian opera1 ,i know not4 ,however partial he or his countrymen may seem to ,german and ,italian musick1 ,i know by long observation that they are totally ignorant of1 and enemies to1 good singing1 without which what are the two or three acts of an opera but intermezzi or act tunes to the ballets8 ,i perceive1 however1 that1 amidst all the horrors of ,paris1 they suffer ,italian operas to be performed in ,italian and by ,italians1 which were never allowed before1 except at ,versailles2 but these are only burlettas2 serious operas so performed might have some effect on the national taste in singing4 ,but les ,dames des ,halles1 their excellencies ,mesdames les ,poissardes1 furnish them with 8other fish to fry0 at present2 so ,i shall say no more of ,france1 but that ,i pity most sincerely every honest man who has the misfortune to be resident in that distracted kingdom4 #8,god bless you1 my dear ,sir1 and give you health and spirits to enjoy your rational and useful enquiries4 #8,,charles ,,burney4' ,the following extracts from ,arthur ,young's letters home1 and letter to his darling ,bobbin1 then aged five1 are worth giving4 ,with very slight excisions all letters to his daughter ,mary are incorporated in the #8,french ,travels4' #8,lyons1 ,dec4 #bh1 #aghi4--,symonds says ,arthur has set off very well at ,cambridge1 which ,i am very glad to hear4 ,god send him understanding enough to know the value of these four years there1 which are either lost absolutely or applied to the amelioration of all his life after4 ,french and ,italian or ,german after four years at ,cambridge may qualify it for anything4' ,from another letter to the same3-- #8,i found here your ,mother's two letters1 of which ,i can hardly make head or tail2 according to custom they are so cross written and so crammed and topsy-turvy1 that1 like the oracles of old1 they may be made to speak whatever is in the reader's head1 alley croaker 7sic7 or 8,paradise ,lost0 are all one4' ,from a third letter1 dated ,florence1 ,november #ah1 #aghi3-- #8,i received here a letter from you1 and two from your ,mother2 yours is dated ,october #ag1 one of hers the #cjth1 the other no date1 and not a word of ,bobbin in it4 ,what a way of writing1 and this to a man #a1djj miles from home4 ,i am greatly concerned for ,mr4 ,arbuthnot1 though his silence made him dead to us from the time he went to ,ireland4 ,i never knew a family which was the centre of every mild and agreeable virtue so shattered into nothing by a man's failure4 ,i have long and often regretted that period4444 ,i took #ajjl4 with me1 and it lasts exactly six months1 buying books included4444 ,good night4 ,thank ,god1 ,bobbin is well2 give her a kiss4' ,to his youngest ,daughter1 ,martha 7,bobbin7 #8,moulins3 ,august #g1 #aghi4 #8,my dear ,bobbin1--,i fully expected to have heard from ,mary here1 and to have known how my dear little girl does1 but ,i was much disappointed and found no letter from ,england4 #8,i think it high time to enquire of you how you pass your time--what you do--how ,mr4 ,mag 7the pony7 does1 and the four kittens2 ,i hope you have taken care of them and remembered your ,papa wants cats4 ,do the flowers grow well in your garden8 ,are you a better gardener than you used to be8 ,the ,marq4 de ,guerchy's little girls have a little house on a little hill1 and on one side a little flower garden1 and on the other side a little kitchen garden1 which they manage themselves and keep very clean from weeds--,bobbin would like much to see it4 #8,i have passed through perils and dangers1 for a part of the country is infested by #hjj plunderers in arms1 yet have burnt in only one district near ,mcon twelve chateaus2 but ,i am now passed the worst and hope to escape at last with whole bones4 ,i have a passport1 and am carried to the ,bourgeois guard at all the towns4 #8,pray1 my little girl1 take care1 and keep clear from weeds the row of grass ,i sowed in the round garden1 on right hand about ten yards long1 but don't take up anything like grass4 ,and if the two willows which ,i brought last year #a1jjj miles from ,france are alive yet1 give them some water2 one is by the hole1 and the other by ,arthur's garden--,i made little mounds around them4 ,you do not know1 my little ,bobbin1 how much ,i long to have a walk with you at ,bradfield4 ,it is a sad thing ,i have no letter here2 ,i shall have none till ,clermont4 ,i desire a particular account of my farm to be sent here4 #8,i have been ill from heat and fatigue1 and had a sore throat1 but by care and an antiseptic diet ,i am now1 thank ,god1 quite well4 #8,what do you think of the ,french at such a moment as this with a free press8 yet in this capital of a great province there is not 7publickly7 one newspaper to be seen2 at a coffee house1 where twenty tables for company1 not one4 ,what blessed ignorance4 ,the ,paris m---- have done the whole1 and are the only enlightened part of the ,k----4 #8,adieu1 my dear ,b4 #8,i am1 yours affectionately1 #8,a4 ,y4' ,in a note ,a4 ,y4 writes3 #8,i found ,madame la ,comtesse de ,guerchy a very pleasant1 agreeable woman1 and among other trifles which occurred at their house was an expedition into the kitchen to teach me to make an omelette1 the operation attending which occasioned no little merriment both in the kitchen and parlour4 ,i succeeded pretty well4'#acg #agij4--;,all this summer ,i was employed in preparing my ,french ,travels for the press4 ,in ,october ,i had a violent fever1 which brought me to the brink of the grave4 ,i made a minute of that illness in the following words3 #8,from almost the bed of death1 it pleased the ,divine ,goodness to raise me up1 and ,i remember it was in perfect hardness of heart and free from all true or grateful feelings4 ,i was in a state of blindness and insensibility1 on which ,i reflect with horror and amazement4'#ach ,i cannot speak of the ingratitude of my heart to ,god at this period but in the strongest terms1 as it amounted to a degree of insensibility quite unaccountable4 ,i fear that not one thought of ,god ever occurred to me at that time1 and ,i doubt whether it was so1 while one evening ,i had resumed the habit of prayer1 that is1 of those formal prayers which an unconverted person may repeat without any real devotion2 and yet during my delirium the physician afterwards told me that ,i one day broke forth into one of the most eloquent and sublime prayers he ever heard1 to his utter astonishment4 ,illustration ,illustration ,illustration3 ,transcription ,during my recovery ,i wrote that melancholy review of my past life1 which is printed in the #8,annals4' ----- ,footnote #aba3 ,a ,bill prohibiting the exportation of wool passed the ,house of ,commons1 ,may #ae1 #aghh4 ,footnote #abb3 ,president of the ,royal ,society1 and supporter of the cause of agriculture and science2 died #ahaj4 ,footnote #abc3 #8,then came the ,oude case1 that lasted no less than twenty-one days1 and ended by a speech from ,sheridan on which great labour and pains had been bestowed4 ,this speech had been looked forward to as rivalling the great ,begum speech of the same orator' 7,knight74 ,is not ,a4 ,y4 here thinking of the great ,begum speech of an earlier session8 ,footnote #abd3 ,the author of ,sandford and ,merton died #aghi from the kick of a colt1 which he had refused to have broken in on account of the cruelty usually involved in the process4 ,footnote #abe3 ,died #ahji4 ,one of the most active members of the ,royal ,humane ,society2 fell a victim to his devotion in attending the sick and wounded ,austrian soldiers on the field of ,wagram4 ,footnote #abf3 ,see vol4 x4 of the ,annals of ,agriculture4 ,footnote #abg3 ,sic4 ,footnote #abh3 ,written about #ahaf4 ,footnote #abi3 ,wild chicory or succory1 used by the ,french as a winter salad1 and in the adulteration of coffee4 ,footnote #acj3 ,refers 7see below7 to a work by ,baron ,huthhausen on the servitude of the ,silesian peasantry4 ,footnote #aca3 ,for this article see ,annals of ,agriculture1 vol4 ix4 p4 #dgi4 ,footnote #acb3 ,son of a ,protestant pastor of ,nmes1 member of the ,constituent ,assembly2 guillotined #aghd4 ,see ,letters of ,helen ,maria ,williams4 ,footnote #acc3 ,his country by adoption2 ,lazowski was a ,pole4 ,footnote #acd3 ,abbot4 ,footnote #ace3 #8,january #cj1 #agij4 ,to ,bradfield1 and here terminate1 ,i hope1 my travels4'--,travels in ,france1 ,bohn's ,library4 ,footnote #acf3 ,this letter is interesting as written by the last representative of that unhappy country in ,england4 ,we read in ,knight's ,history of ,england1 vol4 v41 that1 on the reassembling of ,parliament after the partition of ,poland no allusion whatever was made in the ,house of ,commons to that event4 ,the final partition treaty was signed in #agie by ,russia1 ,prussia1 and ,austria4 ,footnote #acg3 ,the passage occurs in the small memorandum-book from which ,i have occasionally quoted particulars of yearly expenses1 c4 ,footnote #ach3 ,vol4 xv4 #agia1 ,my ,own ,memoirs4 ----- ,,chapter ,,ix ,,patriotic ,,proposals--#agia-ib ,illness--,correspondence with ,washington--,the ,king's gift of a ram--,anecdotes--,revising ,,mss4--,patriotic proposals--,death of the ,earl of ,orford--,agricultural schemes--,correspondence4 ,the year opened with a continuation of that severe illness which had confined me for some months4 ,the following notes are from a journal ,i kept at that time3-- ,this year my daughter ,elizabeth married the ,rev4 ,samuel ,hoole1 son of the celebrated ,john ,hoole1 translator of ,tasso and ,ariosto4 ,he is a very sensible1 moral man of strict integrity1 and always behaved to my daughter with much tenderness4 ,this same year my correspondence#aci opened with ,general ,washington4 ,having been applied to to procure some implements for his husbandry1 ,i wrote to him offering to procure any article in that line which he might have occasion for1 and accordingly afterwards sent him many1 amongst others the plan of a barn1 which he executed1 and is represented by a plate in the #8,annals of ,agriculture4' ,this year his ,majesty had the goodness to make me a present of a ,spanish ,merino ram1 a portrait of which ,i inserted in the #8,annals4' ,how many millions of men are there that would smile if ,i were to mention the ,sovereign of a great ,empire giving a ram to a farmer as an event that merited the attention of mankind6 ,the world is full of those who consider military glory as the proper object of the ambition of monarchs2 who measure regal merit by the millions that are slaughtered2 by the public robbery and plunder that are dignified by the titles of dignity and conquest1 and who look down on every exertion of peace and tranquillity as unbecoming those who aim at the epithet great1 and unworthy the aim of men that are born the masters of the globe4 ,my ideas are cast in a very different mould1 and ,i believe the period is advancing with accelerated pace that shall exhibit characters in a light totally new1 and shall rather brand than exalt the virtues hitherto admired2 that shall place in full blaze of meridian lustre actions lost on the mass of mankind2 that shall pay more homage to the memory of a ,prince that gave a ram to a farmer than for wielding the sceptre obeyed alike on the ,ganges and on the ,thames4 ,i shall presume to offer but one other general observation4 ,when we see his ,majesty practising husbandry with that warmth that marks a favourite pursuit1 and taking such steps to diffuse a foreign breed of sheep well calculated to improve those of his kingdoms2 when we see the ,royal pursuits take such a direction1 we may safely conclude that the public measures which1 in certain instances1 have been so hostile to the agriculture of this country1 have nothing in common with the opinions of our gracious ,sovereign2 such measures are the work of men1 who never felt for husbandry2 who never practised it2 who never loved it2 it is not such men that give rams to farmers4 ,october #ba4--;,a letter to-day from ,general ,washington--,gracious6 from the representative of the ,majesty of ,america1 all written with his own hand4 ,also one from the ,marquis de la ,fayette desiring my assistance to get him a bailiff that understands ,english ornamental gardening2 for both he gives fifty louis#adj a year--this is a ,french idea to unite what never was united1 and1 when gained1 reward it with wages little better than a common labourer4 ,october #bd4--;,dined yesterday at ,sir ,thomas ,gage's to meet the ,miss ,fergus's and ,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,onslow4 ,this ,dr4 was the youngest son of the late ,general ,onslow1 brother of my godfather1 the ,speaker1 in whose family my dear mother was for many years upon the most intimate footing of private friendship4 ,when a boy ,i was frequently at his house1 and well remember having this ,arthur1 a child1 on my knee4 ,mrs4 ,onslow mentioned how much she had heard ,mr4 ,boswell talk of my works4 ,i fancy ,boswell1 from some things ,i heard of him1 and it seems confirmed by various passages in his #8,life of ,johnson1' has a sort of rage for knowing all sorts of public men1 good1 bad1 and indifferent1 all one if a man renders himself known he likes to be acquainted with him4 ,mrs4 ,onslow reported to me the following conversation which took place at the ,prince's table3-- ,the ,prince of ,wales1 with a large company dining with him1 said1 #8,the three greatest coxcombs in ,england are in this room4 ,here is my friend ,hanger1#ada the ,duke of ,queensberry must come in for the second2' he made a pause1 enough for the company to stare for the third1 and added1 #8for the third1 it is certainly myself4' ,when ,sir ,w4 ,courtenay asked ,lord ,bute for a peerage1 he carried his pedigree with him4 ,lord ,bute examined and pretended to be a good judge of those things4 ,he told ,mr4 ,symonds that nothing could be clearer or more unquestionable than his descent lineally from ,louis le ,gros of ,france1 the relationship with the ,house of ,bourbon which occasions the mourning of a day in the ,court of ,france for the death of a ,courtenay4#adb ,lord ,bute told him his demand of a barony was too modest1 and that he should be a ,viscount1 which he was accordingly4 ,october #bf4--;,in preparing my ,travels in ,france for the press1 ,i experience strongly the importance of an author's having composed so much more than he means to print as to be able to strike out largely4 ,my agreement with ,richardson was to have six shillings a volume for all sold of one guinea quarto volumes1 but when ,rackham's compositor came to cast off the ,,ms4 he found enough for two large quarto volumes1 since which discovery ,i had to strike out just half of what ,i had written2 and the advantage will be very great to the work4 ,i read the books as they are wanted for the press again and again1 reducing the quantity every time till ,i get it tolerably to my mind1 but yet not to the amount of half4 ,the work is certainly improved by this means1 and ,i am strongly of opinion if nine-tenths of other writers were to do the same thing their performances would be so much the better2 for one reads very few quartos that would not be improved by reducing to octavo volumes4 ,november #bc4--;,i was five days last week at the ,duke of ,grafton's1 ,admiral1 ,mrs41 and two ,miss ,pigots were there--she ,mrs4 ,p4 is sister to the ,duchess1 the ,admiral is a very worthy man--,mr4 ,stonehewer there also1 and old ,vary4 ,i spent two days in taking the level of the ,duke's river for four miles1 in order to see how much land he might water1 and the improvement his estate is capable of is very great indeed4 ,the character of this ,duke is original2 he is uncommonly sensible1 there is no stuff in him2 he is cold1 silent1 reserved1 and even at times sullen1 and he is removed from all that ease and suavity which render people agreeable2 yet there is such a solid understanding1 and so much learning and knowledge on certain topics1 that one must value him in spite of our feelings4 ,very little of the conversation interesting enough to be worth recording4 ,i was also at a new club which ,ruggles#adc has instituted at ,melford1 which might have been an agreeable thing had there been half a dozen only4 ,the following are among the letters preserved this year3-- ,from ,dr4 ,burney1 congratulations1 pleasant anecdotes1 and an account of a large auction of books1 c43-- #8,chelsea ,college3 ,jan4 #g1 #agia4 #8,my dear ,arthur1--,the precipice on which you have so long been scrambling for life seems to be more dangerous than any one of those which ,i had to encounter from ,sarzana to ,genoa or ,genoa to ,final4 ,in the first of these scrambles during three days and three nights on a mule without bridle 7except that of ,jack ,ketch7 or saddle1 ,i had a torrent called the ,magra roaring in my ears at a perpendicular distance of eight hundred or a thousand feet1 and1 in the second1 the ,mediterranean1 during a storm which no vessel could weather4 ,in the darkest night ,i ever saw1 with the artificial lights of our lanterns extinguished by the violence of the wind1 at every twenty or thirty yards the pedino 7a man on foot to guide the mule7 cried out1 8,alla montagna6 alla montagna1 ,signore60 which was an admonition to alight and crawl on all fours over broken roads on the ridge of a precipice4 #8,now let me play the pedino's part to your worship1 and admonish you to be very careful how you travel in the perilous way to health which you have still to pass1 after your escape from the great precipice2 for which escape1 as an ,italian would say1 8io me ne congratulo non meno con me medesimo che con voi40 #8,but besides congratulating you on your amendment1 ,i have for some time wished to tell you that in the ,paitoni catalogue of ,italian books now selling by auction at ,robson's room1 there are many on ,natural ,history and ,agriculture4 ,now as you have dipped into ,italian literature and farming1 it struck me on seeing the catalogue that there may be several works that you would wish to purchase1 particularly as the ,italian books of ,science have hitherto sold at this auction for almost nothing4 ,i purchased nearly fifty volumes of poetry and miscellanies1 and my bill did not amount to five pounds4 ,the books are in exceeding good condition1 and most of them such as have never appeared before in the ,osburn1 ,payne1 or ,robson catalogues4 ,i am inclined to think that this sale will enrich future catalogues in our country for many years to come4 ,indeed ,i was so tired of eternally meeting with the same book over and over again that ,i had no longer patience to read them4 #8,if you see any you wish ,i will get them purchased1 but as neither your ,bibliomania nor mine has ever raged to such a degree as to wish to buy in at any price1 it will be necessary to say that we mean not to vie with those who being more curious in books than authors procure them at any price to look at and not to read4 ,a rich acquaintance of mine1 and a customer of old ,tom ,payne1 has often bought books in languages of which he knew not a single word1 merely because they were beautifully bound or very scarce4' ,from another letter3-- #8,i have not time nor space to lengthen my letter1 or ,i should tell you of a long conversation ,i had last ,sunday at ,lady ,lucan's blue-stocking conversazione with ,lord ,macartney about you4 ,he has just come from ,ireland and wanted to know whether you were recovered--whether you come to ,london this winter1 as he wished to communicate some memorandums he made in perusing your 8,irish ,tour0 while he was in ,ireland4 ,he is a charming man1 to my mind4 #8,poor ,fanny#add has been very ill indeed1 and we have been in expectation of her coming to nurse1 but she will risk the dying at her ,majesty's feet to show her zeal before she can be spared1 ,i suppose4 #8,i have had the great ,haydn here1 and think him as good a creature as great ,musician4 ,as to operas1 the ,pantheon advertises to open as a theatre2 it is the most elegant in ,europe1 ,pacchierotti says1 but it has great enemies4 ,the ,haymarket folks have not yet obtained a licence1 at which they affect surprise1 though they were told so before their building was a foot high4 ,old ,mingotti is come over with her scholar ,madame ,lobo1 the intended first woman of the ,haymarket4 ,it will be a busy and memorable season in the history of tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee quarrels4 #8,adieu6 #8,believe me1 #8,yours very affectionately1 #8,,charles ,,burney4' #8,chelsea ,college3 ,sept4 #ba1 #agia4 #8,my dear ,friend1--,i am quite ashamed of not answering your kind and hearty letter of invitation sooner4 ,but a listless and irresolute disposition has made my mind for some time past as flimsy as a dish-clout1 and ,i must confess that ,i have invariably left undone those things which ,i ought to have done--8for there was no health in me10 indeed1 not enough to enable me 8to do many things which ,i ought not to have done40 ,original sin and depravity just enabled me to read when ,i should have written1 and to lie in bed when ,i should have got up1 c4 ,i wished to commit other guess crimes than those1 to have rambled over a great part of the kingdom and revelled with distant friends4 ,but prudence1 in the shape of rheumatism1 and in many other hideous shapes1 prevented me4 ,yet1 in spite of all these admonitions1 ,i had a month's mind to accept of your hospitable offer4 ,but we have guests at our apartments now1 my two aged sisters1 and1 when they depart1 winter will begin to show his sour face and chain me to my chimney corner till after ,christmas1 when ,i shall be unfettered1 merely to be dragged into the hurry and din of ,london1 which are every year more and more insupportable4 ,i have long ceased to like the country1 except in long days and fine weather1 and1 in winter1 prefer ,london with all its horrors and fatigues to rural amusements4 ,indeed1 autumn with all its golden glow and variegated charms for landscape painters is to me a constant memento mori1 with its withered leaves tumbling about my ears2 and all my most severe attacks of rheumatism have been during the equinoctial winds and rains2 so that ,i am afraid of trusting myself far from home at this season of the year1 as one can be sick and cross nowhere so comfortably as at home4 #8,having scribbled my apology1 ,i must now hasten to congratulate you and ,mrs4 ,young on the marriage of our dear and worthy girl ,bessy4#ade ,the match1 indeed1 is not splendid for either in point of circumstances2 but they are quite as likely to scramble happily through life1 with good hearts and wishes limited to their means1 as the richest peers and peeresses in the land1 who generally outlive their income1 be it what it will1 and have mortifications incident to pride and disappointed ambition which little folk know nothing about4 ,they 7,i mean our young couple7 have my hearty benediction and good wishes4 ,a man without family attachments is an awkward and insulated being1 but a woman without a mate is still more insignificant and helpless2 and1 having become adventurers in the matrimonial lottery1 ,i sincerely hope they will gain a prize in the fortuitous distribution of such happiness as reasonable mortals have a right to expect4 #8,i dare not venture on ,french politics4 ,what a marvellous period in the history of that nation6 ,i think the clergy and many worthy people of the lower class of nobility have been cruelly used1 and that the mob is at present too powerful and insolent4 ,too much has been promised them1 and nothing short of an agrarian law will satisfy them4 ,the word tax1 taille1 impost1 are carefully avoided in the ,national ,chart4 ,but they must be levied under some denomination or other1 and1 ,i fancy1 8contribution0 will be as detestable a term in ,france1 ere long1 as 8free-gift0 was in ,england during the last century4 ,i wish the worthy people of ,france may enjoy the rational liberty which seems now in their power1 but ,i question whether the inhabitants of that kingdom in general will deserve the ample liberty which is offered them1 or know how to use it4 ,i think them so fickle and frivolous that ,i should not be surprised if in a few years they were as tired of their new ,government as the ,english at the death of ,oliver ,cromwell4 ,in the meantime what has happened in ,america and ,france will shake every sovereignty upon earth4 ,the ,french ,guards laying down their arms when ordered to fire on the mob will make mobs formidable things in every country1 for whenever a similar defection happens a revolution must be the consequence4 #8,i am sorry not to be able to give your friend1 ,mr4 ,capel ,lofft1 an account of any ,lyre in modern times having been in use that has been constructed1 strung1 and tuned on the principles of the antients4 ,innumerable volumes have been written on their division of the scale and genera4 ,kircher1 indeed1 calls a ,vielle a hurdy-gurdy1 ,lyra mendicorum4 ,and a ,viol da ,gamba1 with additional strings and new tuning1 was in the last century called a ,lyra-,viol4 ,mace1#adf ,playford1#adg ,simpson1#adh ,i believe1 and others describe this instrument4 ,but though many modern instruments have had the honour of being called ,lyres1 yet none of them resemble the antient in their form or in the manner of playing them4 ,the ,mandoline is the only modern instrument played with anything like a plectrum4 ,vicenzio ,galileo1 the father of ,galileo1 in his tract1 8,della ,musica antica e moderna10 published at ,florence #afjb1 speaks much of the similarity of the antient ,lyre and ,cythara1 but gives more proof from antient authors of their difference than identity4 ,he tells us1 however1 that 8the modern ,harp1 which is nothing but the antient ,cythara with many strings1 was brought into ,italy from ,ireland40 ,now the ,irish harp is a single instrument of few strings1 partly brass and partly steel1 and of such small compass as to admit no bass1 being confined to mere melody4 ,carolan1 the celebrated modern ,irish ,bard1 played only the treble part of tunes4 ,and it seems to me as if this simple instrument resembled the antient ,lyre and ,cythara more than any other modern instrument with which ,i am acquainted4 ,pray tell ,mr4 ,lofft that ,i have examined ,bonanni's description of all the musical instruments that are known1 with engravings of them all1 but found nothing satisfactory about a modern ,lyre4 ,this book was published at ,rome #agbb4 ,i have likewise looked into ,ceruti's new edition with corrections1 #aggf1 without success4 #8,i am1 my dear friend1 #8,yours affectionately1 #8,,charles ,,burney4' ,from ,dr4 ,john ,symonds on the political state of the country--an account of a conference between ,mr4 ,pitt and the ,duke of ,grafton3-- #8,bates' ,hotel1 ,adelphi3 ,april #ai1 #agia4 #8,my dear ,young1--,hope you will not expect to hear me talking on ,agriculture2 of that you will have a sufficient taste from seeing the wonderful knowledge exhibited by all the ,house of ,commons in the ,corn ,bill4 ,you will look for something on politics1 though the newspapers themselves sufficiently show the straits to which ,mr4 ,pitt is driven2 for his majority is such as will ruin any ,minister if a war be unpopular2 and had the ,american war been so at first1 it is not probable that ,lord ,north would have dared to pursue it1 though he was so strongly supported in ,parliament4 #8,the truth is1 some of ,mr4 ,pitt's bosom friends absolutely refuse to vote with him on this occasion4 ,among these are ,wilberforce and ,banks4 ,the ,duke of ,grafton desired his son-in-law1 ,mr4 ,smith1 to tell ,mr4 ,pitt he wished to have some conversation with him2 ,mr4 ,pitt very politely came and staid half-an-hour1 and the ,duke used every argument he could think of to convince him1 both of the impolicy and injustice of the war1 that the augmentation of taxes coming upon the neck of the cessed ones1 and malt tax1 which made a great noise1 would occasion universal discontent1 if not worse effects2 that we ought to lay no stress upon the promises of a ,turkish ,ministry and advantages in the ,turkey trade1 which must chiefly accrue to ,france from her situation1 and other causes2 that what we could do in the ,baltic was merely to burn a few villages and distress individuals1 as the ,russian fleet would lie securely among rocks1 that ,russia appeared to act with moderation in desiring to retain ,ockzakow only2 and that to plunge this nation into a vast expense1 merely to serve the ,king of ,prussia's views1 when we could obtain no benefit from it1 would expose the ,ministry to very great censure1 more especially as we entered into it as volunteers1 not being obliged to it by the terms of the ,treaty4 ,other things which his ,grace said ,i omit1 as every argument has been used in the ,house of ,commons4 ,the conference ended as conferences of this sort generally do--each of them kept to his opinion4 #8,you observe probably in the papers1 that on ,baker's motion1 ,pole ,carew moved the previous question and contended 8that the interests of all are closely connected even in respect to things not stipulated by treaty40 ,this judicious doctrine was first advanced by the ,chancellor1 and ,mr4 ,pitt defended in his speech on ,baker's motion4 ,according to this doctrine1 there is no difference between defensive and offensive treaties2 all the writer's de jure gentium should be burnt1 and1 indeed1 most of the ,european treaties also2 and it is certain that under such circumstances ,england ought never to make an alliance on the ,continent unless a ,continental war were actually broken out2 otherwise she could not foresee the consequences to which she would be exposed4 #8,charles ,fox said in his speech on ,baker's motion 8that ,mr4 ,pitt dared not to enter into the war1 and that he kept a majority together at present by his assurance that there would not be one40 #8,this is1 perhaps1 the case2 but however it may be1 it is certain that ,faukner1 ,clerk of the ,council1 is sent to ,berlin1 and most persons think with a view of showing the ,king of ,prussia the impossibility of persuading this country to enter into a ,russian war4 ,had ,mr4 ,pitt felt the pulse of the ,parliament and people before he delivered the ,king's message1 he would have saved his credit1 though he might have been blamed2 but he has now run into the horns of a dilemma1 as the logicians call it4 ,if he prosecute the war1 he will infallibly be ex-,minister1 and bad consequences are to be apprehended in a country oppressed by taxes and heated by political pamphlets2 if he give it #8up1 he will lose all his influence in the eyes of ,europe1 and teach foreign ,courts that no confidence is to be placed in an ,english ,minister4 ,his friends lament very much this last circumstance4 #8,adieu6 ,,john ,,symonds4' ,a circumstance in the exploits of my public career which made1 perhaps1 a more general impression than any other event of my life1 was the proposal in #agib for arming the property of the ,kingdom in a sort of horse militia4 ,my first suggestion of this idea was in ,may 7of that year74 ,should any have claimed it1 or should any hereafter form such a claim1 it ought in truth and strict candour to be absolutely rejected4 ,the proposal was more formally made in ,august of the same year in the #8,annals1' vol4 xviii4 p4 #die1 under the title of ,french events4#adi ,in the end of #agib and the beginning of #agic these papers were collected and much enlarged in a pamphlet entitled1 #8,the ,example of ,france1' c4 which ran speedily through four numerous editions1 and excited a very general attention4 ,the author was publicly thanked in resolutions of associated assemblies1 and my great plea of a horse militia produced almost immediately three volunteer corps of cavalry1 which multiplied rapidly through the ,kingdom4 ,it is not known that any persons or any bodies of men ever laid claim to a priority in this idea2 accordingly my health was the first toast given for being the origin of those corps1 which1 when assembled1 had this opportunity of publicly declaring their opinion4 ,the scheme took with astonishing celerity1 and became the parent of a measure of a very different complexion1 which was putting arms into the hands of thousands without property1 and upon whose allegiance and constitutional principle but little reliance could be placed4 ,government received demands for arms to the amount of above #gjj1jjj men4 ,the ,ministers were alarmed1 and saw too late the consequence of their own blindness and incapacity4 ,they refused their consent1 in many cases without properly discriminating between men with and without property1 and felt themselves in so awkward a position that it is no wonder their conduct continued void of any steady adherence to the principle of the original proposition4 ,had my plan not only been adopted but carried into execution1 strictly upon the principles ,i had explained1 we might from that moment to the present have had a horse militia1 absolutely under the command of ,government1 numbering from #ajj1jjj to #bjj1jjj men1 which might1 by progressive improvements1 have been matured into a force efficient for every purpose4 ,it is very seldom that so private an individual can by a happy thought become the origin of a system which1 had my principles been steadily adhered to1 would have been attended with inconceivable benefit1 and none of those evils1 real or imaginary1 afterwards attributed to volunteers in general4 ,the pamphlet rendered the author exceedingly popular among all the friends of government and order1 and as unpopular among the whole race of reformers and ,jacobins4 ,i was not content with the mere theoretical idea1 but in my own person put it into practice1 and enrolled myself in the ranks of a corps raised at my recommendation1 in the vicinity of ,bury ,st4 ,edmunds1 and commanded by the present ,marquis of ,cornwallis1 then ,lord ,broome1 having with this intention learnt the sword exercise at ,london of a sergeant1 who was eminently skilled in it4 ,my example was followed by gentlemen of fortune1 several of whom were also in the ranks and refused to be officers4 ,this was a part of the plan of particular importance1 for had gentlemen accepted only the situation of officers1 the spirit of entering the corps among yeomen1 farmers c4 would have been much cooler2 but when they saw their landlords1 and men of high consideration in the neighbourhood1 in the same situation1 their vanity was flattered1 and they enrolled themselves with great readiness1 and the great object of property of such importance in case of revolutionary disturbance was thus secured4 ,some years afterwards1 being at the ,duke of ,bedford's at ,woburn1 ,i sat at dinner by a gentleman of great property1 captain of a troop of yeomanry1 who told me that whenever his troop met he always drank my health after the ,king's1 for being the undisputed origin of all the yeomanry corps in the kingdom1 possibly arising from extracts from my writings on the subject having been much circulated in the newspapers4 ,this year my valuable and very sincere friend1 the ,earl of ,orford1 died4 ,the public papers that have announced the death of this noble lord have recorded the ancestry from which he was descended1 the heirs of his honours1 and the inheritors of his wealth1 and have dwelt upon the titles that are extinct or devolved1 together with all the posts and employments that are vacant4 ,to me be the melancholy duty of noting what is of much more moment than the descent of a peerage or the transfer of an estate--the loss of an animated improver2 of one who gave importance to cultivation by a thorough knowledge of political economy1 and bent all his endeavours towards making mankind happy by seconding the pursuits of the farmer and the enquiries of the experimentalist4 ,i leave the lieutenancy of a county1 the rangership of a park1 and the honours of the bedchamber to those in whose eyes such baubles are respectable4 ,i would rather dwell on the merit of the first importer of ,southdown sheep into ,norfolk2 on the merit of sending to the most distant regions for breeds of animals1 represented as useful1 not indeed always with success1 but never without liberality in the motive2 on the patron and friend of the common farmer1 not the lord of a little circle of tenants1 but the general and diffusive encourager of every species of agricultural improvement4 ,nor did he associate with the useful men because he was not qualified for the company of higher classes1 for his mind was fraught with a great extent of knowledge2 it was decorated by no trivial stores of classical learning1 which exercised and set off the powers of a brilliant imagination1 and thus qualified1 alike for a ,court or an ,academy of ,science1 he felt no degradation in attending to ,,the ,,plough4 ,by the death of this noble personage the #8,annals' have lost a valuable correspondent1 and their editor a warm friend4 ,notwithstanding the immense list of ,peers1 seven or eight only have become correspondents in this work4 ,the insects of a drawing-room1 the patrons of faro1 the luminaries of ,newmarket1 are spared2 while the hand of death deprives the farmer of a friend1 ,norfolk of a protector1 and ,england of a real patriot4 ,lord ,loughborough was the ,judge at the ,summer ,assizes this year at ,bury1 and ,i being on the ,grand ,jury1 he sent a note to inform me that he was alone at his lodgings1 and desired me to come and chat with him4 ,this ,i did1 of course1 and in our conversation he mentioned that there was an estate of #d1djj acres of land in ,yorkshire on the moors1 in the vicinity of ,paitley ,bridge1 to be sold for #d1jjjl41 that it was chiefly freehold1 and enclosed with a ring fence1 also that there was a neat shooting-box on it built by the ,duke of ,devonshire1 who hired the grouse4 ,i assured his ,lordship that he must be mistaken1 for it was impossible that such a tract of land under several circumstances which he named could be on sale for half an hour without being purchased4 ,he answered that nobody would buy it1 as the land was all moor or peat1 and covered with ling1 but that some neighbouring farmers gave1 he believed1 #ajjl4 per annum for the whole as a walk for mountain sheep4 ,i told him that it seemed so extraordinary to me that ,i would go immediately to view it4 ,he said the proper persons to apply to to view it were ,sir ,cecil ,wray1 ,dr4 ,kilvington1 and another gentleman4 ,i accordingly went immediately to ,yorkshire1 and1 taking up my quarters at ,paitley ,bridge1 enquired till ,i found a person who knew the whole estate perfectly well1 and engaged him early the next morning in order to make the tour of the whole property4 ,it appeared to me to be wonderfully improvable1 and that very considerable tracts to the amount of some hundred acres were palpably capable of irrigation and improvement1 evidently applicable from the case of a small watercourse for conducting the water to an old smelting mill1 but long neglected4 ,this course had overflowed and converted the ling1 over about fifteen acres1 to grass4 ,i asked my conductor what this grass would let for with a small cottage and stable for cows2 he said1 #8,certainly fifteen shillings an acre4' ,it was sufficiently evident that improvements might be wrought at a very small expense1 and that building was remarkably cheap1 from every material except timber being found on the spot1 and lime at a small distance4 ,there was a small farm in cultivation to produce oats1 and the appearance not unfavourable4 ,as ,i knew that a land surveyor well acquainted with all this country resided at ,leeds1 ,i determined to go thither to bring him over to view1 and give his opinion as to the value of the property4 ,this ,i did1 brought him over in a postchaise1 and rode with him over the principal part of the estate4 ,his opinion confirmed my own1 nor must ,i forget to mention that this estate was to be purchased without money as it was offered on its own security in mortgage4 ,in the enclosure of this immense waste1 called forest1 there were two allotments purchased by the proprietors1 one of #a1fch acres1 and another of #a1aac1 in all #b1gea acres1 which were a copyhold tenure1 at a small fine certain4 ,in addition to which they hired1 at the same time1 on a long lease1 #a1fad acres more1 being an allotment to the ,king1 at a rent of #ejl4 in money1 and #ejl4 to be laid out on improvements4 ,the whole1 situated half-way between ,knaresboro' and ,skipton1 ,i found walled in2 three farm-houses built1 with barns and offices of various sorts1 and lands annexed1 and partly subdivided1 to the amount of about #djj acres2 the remaining #d1jjj in one vast waste4 ,these farms produced the rent of #ddl4 #es4 ,the game was let at #cjl4 with the use of a handsome shooting-box1 sufficient for the residence of a small family4 ,peat dug from the bogs produced from #fl4 to #hl4 a year2 and the great waste was let at #ajjl4 a year1 which1 for #d1jjj acres1 is at the rate of sixpence per acre4 ,the annual rental was therefore about #ahal4 per annum4 ,from these circumstances it appeared clear to me that the purchase could not well be an unfavourable speculation4 #b1gej acres 7throwing the leasehold entirely out of the question7 for #d1djjl4 is exactly #cbl4 an acre fee simple for land that paid a mere trifle in poor rates and land tax1#aej and tithe free2 it did not seem therefore to be necessary that the produce should amount to three shillings1 for if the rent was reckoned only at one shilling it was but thirty-two years' purchase4 ,i determined1 therefore1 to make it1 and concluded the transaction as soon as possible4 ,my plan was1 to let my farm in ,suffolk1 of about #cjj acres1 and transfer the capital1 with some additions1 to the gradual improvement of this large tract2 and1 in doing this1 ,i should have begun with one farm on the ,southern extremity1 near the turnpike road1 of three or four hundred acres1 let separately for #bjl4 a year1 but all a waste1 and1 in addition to this1 have run a watering canal from one of the streams1 till from #ajj to #bjj acres were below the level1 walling such tract in4 ,thus prepared1 ,i found myself at last in a situation to realise the speculations ,i had so long been busy in--when a new scene of a very different kind opened upon me--but of that hereafter4 ,the following are the letters of this year reserved4 ,from ,j4 ,symonds1 ,esq41 an account of the ,duke of ,grafton's illness3-- #8,euston3 ,jan4 #cj1 #agib4 #8,so you tell me that ,i know not how to stay at home6 but this is a visit of pure friendship1 for the duke likes very well to chat with me1 though he is so nervous as hardly to bear with strangers4 ,yesterday ,lord ,clermont1 who is very intimate with him1 came hither1 but he was too much for the duke1 and had he not gone away this morning1 the duchess would have hinted it gently to him4 ,what would you do with such nerves8 #8,last night1 instead of reading a sermon or charge1 ,i read to the whole company 7by the duke's desire7 your essays on the place of corn and capital employed in the ,french husbandry1 with which he had been so pleased4 ,lord ,clermont1 who has lived much in ,france1 and though a man of pleasure1 had inquired much into the state of that country1 was not more delighted than surprised with them4 8,well1 then10 said the duke1 8as you like them so much and intend to buy the book1 recommend it as much as possible to your friends in the great world40 ,this he engaged to do4 ,his ,lordship gave a pressing invitation for you and ,i to pass two or three days with him2 he fixed upon the month of ,may1 which will suit me1 and1 ,i hope1 you4 #8,as an inducement ,i was to tell you that he has marled four hundred and fifty acres with a hundred and twenty loads an acre--this is an object4 #8,j ,,symonds4' ,j4 ,w4 ,coke1 ,esq41 ,m4,p41 proposing some laws for the benefit of the poor in their present distress3-- #8,holkham3 ,oct4 #bc1 #agib4 #8,dear ,sir1--,i have no better motive to urge for addressing myself to you upon the subject of this letter than that ,i know of no man so well qualified as yourself to give me the information ,i stand in need of1 should my plan be thought practicable and useful by you1 otherwise ,i should take shame to myself to intrude for a moment on your time1 which ,i esteem so precious1 as it is always most usefully employed in the most laudable pursuits4 #8,having turned my thoughts much of late to the most probable causes of the discontent among the lower classes of people in this country1 ,i find that the high price of provisions1 especially of bread1 has been invariably the motive assigned by them whenever they have assembled in a tumultuous manner4 ,and this is not surprising1 as the existence of a poor man's family must depend upon that last-mentioned necessary article1 most truly his staff of life4 ,it is surely1 then1 the interest1 as well as the duty1 of the landed proprietors to endeavour by every means that can be devised that the poor may never suffer in this respect4 ,now1 it has occurred to me that perhaps a ,bill might be framed to fix an assize on flour according to the average price of wheat4 #8,that millers should be obliged to grind for all persons at a certain sum per bushel instead of toll2 persons being at liberty to inspect their corn whilst grinding1 and that allowance should be made to millers for any alleged deficiency in grinding4 ,all complaints to be heard in a summary way before a ,justice of the ,peace1 and the complaint to be made within six days4 ,the average price of wheat to be taken from the nearest market at the discretion of the ,justice4 ,penal clauses should also be enacted against millers adulterating wheat and mixing water with the meal to increase its weight4 #8,these loose hints ,i submit to your superior judgment and better information2 but1 from my own observation1 ,i do suspect the poor suffer greatly from the shameful practices and combinations of the millers1 which ,i should be proud to check by bringing a ,bill into ,parliament as one of the representatives of the great arable county1 should you approve the idea and would have the goodness to lend me your assistance in framing the ,bill4 #8,i must also mention another cruel grievance to the poor1 that there is no legal restraint on shopkeepers in villages respecting their weights and measures4 #8,could no means be devised to protect the buyer from the artifices of the seller without injury to the latter in their honest gains8 ,why might not magistrates have the power of punishing for short weights and measures1 complaint to be made within six days8 #8,i remain1 dear ,sir4 #8,yours very sincerely1 #8,j4 ,w4 ,,coke4' ,from ,dr4 ,burney on my #8,travels' and his own engagements3-- #8,chelsea ,college3 ,july #ag1 #agib4 #8,my dear ,friend1--,your very kind and hearty invitation to ,bradfield came at a time when ,i was utterly unable to answer it4 ,i was just emerged from the sick room into daily hurry and business1 for which ,i was but little fit1 and am still detained here by an unusual number of engagements for this time of year1 the end of which ,i am not able to see4 ,if my patients had walked off as early as ,i wished them1 or if1 like other doctors1 ,i could have them put to their long home by a dash of my pen1 ,i really believe ,i should not have been able to resist the lure you threw out2 but now1 if ,i am able to travel1 or fit for any house but my own1 ,i have two positive engagements on my hands of long standing3 the first to ,mickleham1 to my daughter1 ,phillips1 where ,i promised1 as soon as ,i could pronounce myself a convalescent1 to go and complete my cure2 the other is to ,crewe ,hall1 in ,cheshire1 whither ,i have been going more than twice seven years2 and at which place ,i was so sure of arriving last ,august1 that my correspondents1 at my request1 addressed their letters to me there4 ,this year the claims upon me and ,fanny have been so powerfully renewed by ,mrs4 ,crewe that nothing but increased indisposition can resist them4 ,she has promised to carry us down by slow journeys1 and1 if it should be necessary for me to go to ,buxton for my confounded rheumatism 7which1 though less painful1 still deprives me of all use of my left paw71 she will even accompany me thither4 ,my poor wife is also in sad health1 and we are neither of us fit for anything but to con ailments with those who are as old and infirm as ourselves4 ,but we send you a splinter#aea from us1 before we were quite broke up and unfit for service4 ,it is not sufficient to improve your fire of a wet day1 but may perhaps be of some little use in the way of kindling4 #8,i thank you heartily for your very interesting book of 8,travels40 ,it is in public perusal of an evening1 and has fastened on us4 ,the parts of ,france which you have traversed were to me almost unknown4 ,i never saw the ,loire or the ,garonne4 ,no one can accuse you of drowsiness1 like old ,homer and such folks2 you are always awake1 and keep your readers so4 ,we are now in the midst of that most astonishing of all events1 the ,french ,revolution1 and like your narrative extremely4 ,though an enemy to the old tyranny1 you neither reason about the rights of man like ,wat ,tyler or even ,tom ,payne4 ,you saw coming on all the evils which anarchy has occasioned4 ,you have long seen the futility of theory without practice among ,french agriculturists1 and the political philosophers who think themselves wiser than the experiences of all antiquity1 and not content with anything already done1 must needs set about inventing an entire new government1 and you see what a fine mess they have made of it4 #8,yours ever1 #8,,charles ,,burney4' ,from ,miss ,burney1 afterwards ,mdme4 d',arblay1 writing on some traits of my character1 c43-- #8,chelsea ,college3 ,july #ag1 #agib4 #8,nay1 if you talk of your difficulties in fabricating an epistle to me1 please to consider how much greater are mine in attempting to answer it4 ,you6 a country farmer1 the acknowledged head of 8the only art worth cultivating10 as you tell us1--the contemner of every other pursuit1 the scorner of all old customs1 the defier of all musty authorities1 the derider of all fogrum superiors1--in one word a ,jacobin4 ,you afraid8 and of whom8 a ,chelsea pensioner8 ,one who1 maimed in the royal service1 ignobly forbears1 spurning royal reparation8 ,one who1 though flying a court1 degenerately refrains from hating or even reviling kings1 queens1 and princesses8 ,one who presumes to wish as well to manufactures for her outside1 as to agriculture for her inside8 ,one who has the ignorance to reverence commerce1 and who cannot think of a single objection to the ,wool ,bill8 ,one1 in short1 and to say all that is abominable at once1 one who in theory is an aristocrat1 and in practice a ci-devant courtier8 #8,and shall a creature of this description1 the willing advocate of every opinion1 every feeling you excommunicate from 8your business and bosom10 dare to write to you8 ,impossible6 #8,whether ,i shall come and see you all or not is another matter4 ,if ,i can ,i will4 #8,p4,s4 ,will ,honeycomb says if you would know anything of a lady's meaning 7always providing she has any7 when she writes to you1 look at her postscript4 ,now pray1 dear sir1 how came you ever to imagine what you are pleased to blazon to the world with all the confidence of self-belief1 that you think farming the only thing worth manly attention8 ,you1 who1 if taste rather than circumstance had been your guide1 might have found wreaths and flowers almost any way you had turned1 as fragrant as those of ,ceres4' ,my reply3-- #8,you1 8the willing advocate of every feeling ,i excommunicate from my bosom10 knew you had thrown so bitter a potion into your letter that you could not 7kind creature67 help a little sweetening in the postscript2 but must there in your sweets be some alloy8 ,could you not conclude without falling foul of poor ,ceres8 #8,your letter1 or rather your profession of faith1 is one of the worst political creeds ,i remember to have read2 you see no merit but beneath a diadem4 ,in government a professed aristocrat1 in political economy a monopolist1 who commends manufactures1 not as a market for the farmer1 but for the much nobler purpose of contributing to adorn your outside2 and who can attain not one better idea of the immortal plough than that of giving some sustenance to your inside4 ,but1 by the way1 is not that inside of yours an equivoque8 ,do you mean your real or your metaphorical inside1 your ribs or your feelings8 ,if you allude to your brains1 they are by your own account a wool-gathering4 ,do you mean your heart1 and that the philosophical contemplation of so pure an engine as the plough is the sustenance of your best emotions8 ,how will that agree with the panegyrist of a court and the satirist of a farm8 ,or is it that this inside of yours is a mere bread and cheese cupboard1 which1 certes1 the plough can furnish8 ,or is it a magic lanthorn full of gay delusions1 lighted by tallow from the belly of a sheep8 ,till you have settled these doubts1 ,i know not which you prefer1 manufactures for improving your complection1 or agriculture for farming your heart4 ,nor must you wonder at such questions arising while you use terms that leave one in doubt whether you mean your head or your tail4 ,i know something of the one2 the other is a metaphor4 ,though there is high treason against the plough in almost every line of your letter1 yet the words ,if ,i can ,i will are not in the spirit that contains the ,eleusinian mysteries2 they bring balm to my wounded feelings4' ----- ,footnote #aci3 ,these letters were sold by ,sotheby1 ,wilkinson ,co41 ,london1 ,december #ahif4 ,footnote #adj3 ,louis d'or at this time worth #bd francs4--,littr4 ,footnote #ada3 ,the well-known ,colonel ,george ,hanger1 afterwards fourth ,lord ,coleraine4 #8,he served in the ,army during the ,american ,war1 and was afterwards a distinguished character in high society4 ,wrote his ,life1 ,adventures1 and ,opinions4'--,annual ,register1 #ahbd4 ,footnote #adb3 ,see on this subject ,gibbon's ,rome1 vol4 xi4 ch4 lxi4 ,footnote #adc3 ,th4 ,ruggles1 author of a ,history of the ,poor1 reprinted afterwards from the ,annals of ,agriculture4 ,many passages were omitted1 in accordance with the wishes of ,pitt4--,lowndes4 ,footnote #add3 ,dr4 ,burney's daughter1 ,madame d',arblay4 ,footnote #ade3 ,arthur ,young's daughter ,elizabeth1 the first wife of ,rev4 ,samuel ,hoole4 ,footnote #adf3 ,th4 ,mace1 author of ,music's ,monument4 ,footnote #adg3 ,t4 ,playford1 author of ,music's ,delight1 c41 #affh1 #afgf4 ,footnote #adh3 ,c4 ,simpson1 author of ,the ,division ,viol1 #afhg4 ,footnote #adi3 ,see the ,travels in ,france1 ,bohn's ,library1 p4 #cce et seq41 for the views therein set forth4 ,footnote #aej3 ,all the public charges on #d1jjj acres amounted only to #adl4 ,footnote #aea3 ,his daughter ,sarah1 the writer of several ingenious and interesting works4--,a4 ,y4 ----- ,,chapter ,x ,,the ,,board ,,of ,,agriculture1 #agic ,the ,board of ,agriculture--,secretaryship--,residence in ,london--,twenty-five dinners a month--,the ,king's bull--,the ,marquis de ,castries--#8,the ,example of ,france'--,encomiums thereof--,correspondence4 ,the most remarkable event of this year was the establishment of the ,board of ,agriculture4#aeb ,i found that ,mr4 ,pitt had determined that ,i should be secretary1 and ,mr4 ,le ,blanc1 of ,caversham1 informed me that this new board was established with a view of rewarding me for my #8,example of ,france4' ,in a conversation with ,lord ,loughborough on the attendance required1 he remarked1 #8,you may do what suits yourself best1 ,i conceive1 for we all consider ourselves so much obliged to you that you cannot be rewarded in a manner too agreeably4' ,if the appointment of secretary be considered1 as it has been by many1 a reward for what ,i had effected1 it was not a magnificent one2 the salary1 #djjl4 per annum1 would have been desirable had it left me more time in ,suffolk1 but when ,i found a very strict attendance attached to it1 with no house to assemble in except ,sir ,john ,sinclair's1 and in a room common to the clerks and all comers1 ,i was much disposed to throw it up and go back in disgust to my farm2 but the advice of others and the apprehension of family reproaches kept me to the annoyance of a situation not ameliorated till ,sir ,john was turned out of the ,presidentship by ,mr4 ,pitt1 and the ,board procured a house for itself4 ,my letter to ,mr4 ,pitt1 asking for the secretaryship of the new ,board of ,agriculture3-- #8,bradfield ,hall3 ,may #bj1 #agic4 #8,sir1--,i am informed by ,lord ,sheffield and ,sir ,john ,sinclair that the establishment of a ,board of ,agriculture is determined4 #8,it has been the employment of the last thirty years of my life to make myself as much a master of the practice and the political encouragement of agriculture as my talents would allow4 ,i have examined every part of the kingdom1 and have farming correspondents in all the counties4 #8,it is impossible ,i should know what is your intention in relation to the office of the secretary2 but the same wisdom that established the ,board will1 without doubt1 give such an appointment to that office as may fill it in a manner the best adapted to the business4 #8,should ,i be happy enough to appear in your eyes qualified for such a post1 and you would have the goodness to name me to it1 it might lessen the anxieties of a life that has been passed in the service of the national agriculture2 and ,i should feel with unvarying gratitude the obligation of the favour4 #8,i have the honour to be1 sir1 with the greatest respect1 #8,your most humble and obedient servant1 #8,,arthur ,,young4' ,my reply to ,george ,rose1 ,esq41 on his communicating to me ,mr4 ,pitt's approbation of my appointment3-- #8,bradfield ,hall3 ,may #cj1 #agic4 #8,sir1--,it is with pleasure that ,i acknowledge the receipt of your letter1 as it shows that1 whatever may be the result of the present business1 my exertions have met with the approbation of ,government1 whose public-spirited and laudable views ,i have long been solicitous to second4 #8,the salary you mention is1 ,i confess1 less than ,i imagined would be assigned to the office1 but its being adequate or not depends entirely on the circumstances of attendance1 duty1 residence1 c4 ,if these be arranged on a footing any way liberal1 the sum is equal to my desires2 and ,i shall in that case accept the office with pleasure4 ,if1 on the contrary1 these points be so fixed as to overturn my present pursuits in life1 they would render a larger salary less valuable to me than the sum you mention4 #8,from the nature of the ,board1 intended to consist1 as ,i understand1 of members of the two ,houses1 with the objects in view1 ,i take it for granted that the points above mentioned may1 without the least impediment to the business1 be easily arranged4 #8,trusting in this entirely to ,mr4 ,pitt and yourself1 ,i beg your good offices that1 if ,i should have improperly expressed my meaning1 you will do me the justice to rely on the integrity of my views1 and not imagine me eager in making a bargain for profit with a great and liberal benefactor4 #8,i have the honour to remain c4 #8,,arthur ,,young4' ,what a change in the destination of a man's life6 ,instead of becoming the solitary lord of four thousand acres1 in the keen atmosphere of lofty rocks1 and mountain torrents1 with a little creation rising gradually around me1 making the black desert smile with cultivation1 and grouse give way to industrious population1 active and energetic1 though remote and tranquil1 and1 every instant of my existence1 making two blades of grass to grow where not one was found before--behold me at a desk in the smoke1 the fog1 the din of ,whitehall4 #8,society has charms'--true2 and so has solitude to a mind employed4 ,but the die is cast1 and my steps may still be said1 metaphorically1 to be in the furrow4 ,my pleasures are of another sort2 ,i see daily a noble activity of zeal in the service of the national husbandry in the ,president--of that happy effort of royal patriotism1 commendable and exemplary2 and ,i see in so many great and distinguished characters such a disinterested attention to the public good1 and such liberality of spirit in promoting it1 that the view is cheering1 whether in a capital or a desert4 ,the two situations were incompatible with each other4 ,i therefore advertised the estate for sale2 and nothing proves to me how very ill understood waste lands are in this kingdom than the advertisement being repeated near a twelvemonth before ,i could sell it with much less profit than ,i had reason to expect4 ,so large a contiguous tract1 in many respects so eligible for improvement1 ,i thought would have been a favourite object with numbers2 as to the ignorance of those who viewed and rejected it1 ,i can only pity them4 ,the attention ,i received from individuals was1 however1 very flattering1 for ,i find1 by an old memorandum book1 that ,i dined out from twenty-five to thirty days in the month1 and had1 in that time1 forty invitations from people of the highest rank and consequence4 ,here ,i copy a memorandum made at the time3 ,august #ba1 #8,i feel an advancement of a certain kind since the publication of my ,travels1 well calculated to add agreeably to a new sphere in life by means of this new ,board2 but how it will turn out is not easy to conjecture1 and my 8,example of ,france3 a ,warning to ,great ,britain0#aec is applauded in a manner of which ,i had not the slightest conception4 ,the ,ministry commend it most highly1 and express themselves in a way truly gratifying to my feelings4 ,the last time ,i was in town1 the ,chancellor dwelt on the idea of how much they were all obliged to me1 and treated me as a man that must be gratified when ,i was explaining my wish to reside but little in ,london4 ,and ,rose's report from ,mr4 ,pitt was equal2 his own expression was that ,i had beat all rivalship and produced the most useful work printed on the occasion1 c4 ,thus ,i come with all the advantages ,i could wish--and ,i could see in every eye and hear from every tongue of numbers to whom ,sir ,john ,banks introduced me on the ,terrace at ,windsor that ,i was considered as one to whom the nation was obliged4 ,the ,king spoke to me1 but not so graciously as some years before2 and this brought to my mind a visit which ,mr4 ,majendie and his brother1 the ,canon of ,windsor1 paid me at ,bradfield1 when the latter asked me in a very significant manner whether ,i had not said something against the ,king's bull1 as it was commonly reported that ,i had fallen foul of his ,majesty's dairy2 so ,i suppose the man who showed me the cattle reported to the ,king every word ,i had said of them1 and possibly with additions4 ,who is it that says one should be careful in a court not to offend even a dog8 ,however1 ,sir ,j4 ,sinclair reported to me some days afterwards that his ,majesty had expressed to him great satisfaction at my appointment to the secretaryship of the ,board4' ,about this time ,i met ,sir ,john ,macpherson1 from ,bengal1 but now from ,italy4 ,he came by the ,rhine2 had a conversation with the ,king of ,prussia on my #8,travels1' which his ,majesty was reading1 and commended greatly4 ,he saw also the ,marshal de ,castries1#aed who was likewise reading them1 and praised me in the highest terms4 ,sir ,john ,macpherson told him that he had found my accounts of ,lombardy so uncommonly just and accurate that he intended seeing the author as soon as he arrived in ,england4 #8,tell him1 then1' said the marshal1 #8that ,i did not know ,france till ,i read his admirable work1 which astonishes me for its truth1 and extent and justness of observation2' and the next day he wrote to him pointing out an error of mine in the passage relating to his opening the ,french ,west ,indies to foreign navigation4 ,no man can speak in higher terms of a book than ,sir ,john does of this4 ,he says it is the best that ever was published4 ,it is something whimsical that the ladies should tell me it is as entertaining as a romance1 and that statesmen should praise it for its information4 ,faith6 ,i had need be flattered to be kept in good humour--losing my time doing nothing in ,london in ,august4 ,september #i4--;,dined at ,pinherring's1 the ,american ambassador2 he is a gentleman-like man2 but for his company1 though this was a great entertainment1 there was such a motley group as would be difficult to find2 they were so indelicate as to call for a war with ,england4 ,i preserved the following among letters of this year3-- ,from the ,countess of ,bristol #8,january #d1 #agic4 #8,dear ,sir1--,in spite of a bad cold1 which makes me very heavy and ill qualified to write to un homme d'esprit1 ,i must say a word or two in answer to your letter1 and also assure you that the one you enclosed for ,lord ,bristol was forwarded by the same post to his agent in town4 #8,do ,i recollect reading your ,travels8 ,yes1 certainly1 and the great pleasure and instruction ,i received from them2 but the approbation1 ,i assure you1 came from a better quarter1 or ,i should not have presumed on its being worth your acceptance4 ,however that may be1 ,i am much pleased with the effect1 and fairly confess that ,i did wish to set your pen a-going1 because you had experience and facts to write upon1 and that ,i knew your warm colouring would suit the picture--in short1 ,i saw you were a convert4 ,i wished you to make others1 and if ,i have been the least instrumental by awakening the spark in you1 ,i shall feel that ,i am not wholly useless to the community where providence has placed me4 ,i think everybody with talents is called upon1 particularly at this time1 to use them for the good of their once happy country1 and ,i know of no one better qualified than yourself to employ your eloquence usefully4 #8,the pamphlet you mention1 of an earnest address to farmers1 was brought to me amongst others1 and ,i immediately said it was yours--but pray rescue it from its mangled state and print it again as it was written4 ,i flatter myself that you intend to send me the 8,example of ,france3 ,a ,warning to ,britain10 for which1 ,i assure you1 ,i am very impatient4 #8,i write from ,lord ,abercorn's1 and wish ,i could hear anything1 but upon every subject there is at this moment an awful pause4 ,it is hoped that the ,alien ,bill may be passed to-morrow1 it is so much wanted1 and that the wretched state of the ,french armies and their dissentions at home may make it unnecessary for us to declare war4 ,three ,prussian officers of rank have been arrested for treasonable correspondence with ,dumouriez1 which1 they say1 is to explain the ,duke of ,brunswick's retreat2 and now it is supposed that ,custine's army cannot escape him4 #8,i saw two gentlemen who were in ,paris a fortnight ago1 and who told me that the treasury would hold out very little longer1 that bread was scarce1 commerce destroyed1 and the people either in fury or despair1 the whole town affording a melancholy scene of poverty1 distrust and disorder--houses shut up1 public buildings destroyed1 churches turned into warehouses1 c4 c4 #8,for want of better materials ,i send you a print which ,i think is not a bad one1 considering the double part ,mr4 ,fox has acted4 ,i thank you for enquiring after my daughters4 ,lady ,erne is not yet returned from ,hampshire1 ,lady ,elizabeth is with the ,duchess of ,devonshire at ,florence1 and ,lady ,louisa is here1 and desires her compliments4 #8,i am1 sincerely yours1 #8,e4 ,,bristol4' ,from the same #8,bruton ,street3 ,march #bj1 #agic4 #8,dear ,sir1--,i have just seen in the ,true ,briton of this morning that the thanks of the association at the 8,crown and ,anchor0 were voted to you for your last publication1 which1 ,i assure you1 gives me great pleasure2 at the same time it reminds me that ,i have too long deferred mine1 but which ,i now beg you will accept4 ,i like it very much1 and think it is admirably well written1 and calculated to inform the ignorant and deluded of their real danger4 ,i should have told you so long ago1 but waited to hear the opinions of those from which ,i thought you would receive more satisfaction2 and ,i can now assure you that your pamphlet is much liked by ,lord ,orford and several others of good judgment4 ,and ,i think you may1 without flattery1 consider yourself as one of the means which has rescued this glorious country from the destruction which was preparing for it4 #8,there are great events impending just now4 ,i pray ,god to direct them for our good4 #8,i am1 dear sir1 #8,your sincere humble servant1 #8,e4 ,,bristol4' ,from ,lord ,bristol 7,bishop of ,derry71 objections to my proposal for selling all lambs at ,harrington ,fair4 #8,ratisbon3 ,jan4 #ag1 #agic4 #8,my dear ,arthur1--,why will you make me a request with which ,i cannot in prudence comply8 ,and why must ,i say ,no to a man whom ,i wish only to answer with ,yes8 ,you are as great a quack in farming as ,i once was in politics1 and therefore1 knowing the force of the term1 ,i must be on my guard against you4 #8,no reform1 dear ,arthur1 at this time of day4 ,ipswich has an old prescriptive right to our lambs--we have sold them well at that market2 buyers are accustomed to it2 have their connections there of every kind2 may very possibly not come to ,horningheath for many years4 ,let the buyers advertise that they wish to change the market1 and ,i1 though a great heretic against most establishments1 will be none against them4 ,adieu6 magnanimous ,arthur4 ,reserve your prowess for a greater object than distressing poor ,ipswich by bereaving it of its ancient patrimony4 #8,we have a sheep fair here1 too1 at ,ratisbon1 but of old horned rams1 and not of young ,suffolk lambs4 #8,yours cordially1 #8,,bristol4' ,from ,thomas ,law1 ,esq41 who resided long in ,bengal1 on the application of the ,corn ,laws4 #8,weymouth ,street3 ,jan4 #e1 #agic4 #8,sir1--,i have fortunately obtained the perusal of your 8,travels10 and the sentiments conveyed therein so totally coincide with my observations of eighteen years upon the extensive continent of ,asia1 that1 upon your arrival in town1 ,i shall be happy to convey to you any information in my power respecting the agriculture of ,bengal1 ,behar1 and ,benares4 #8,when a member of a grain committee during a drought1 ,i pursued your system1 which coincides with that of ,adam ,smith1 viz43 ,all our object was to prevent impediments to the free transport of corn1 being convinced that it would be removed from an abundant province to one which was less productive1 and1 like water1 find its level1 and that the interest of merchants would convey it from cheap places to dear ones1 and thus promote the general good4 ,i could impart to you many fatal instances of the intervention of powers by fixing the price and by forcing corn to market4 #8,i can show you the thanks of a resident who presided in the capital of an extensive district threatened with a famine1 and who wrote to me asking my opinion upon the following propositions3 ,first1 8,shall ,i raise subscriptions to supply the poor with rice at this crisis80 ,answer1 8,you will thereby not only encourage a concourse to your city of persons whose expectations will be deceived1 as their numbers will exceed the amount of your gratuities1 and you will thereby destroy many2 but you will enhance the price in the city40 ,secondly1 8,shall ,i compel the granaries to be opened1 and fix a moderate price80 ,answer1 8,by no means4 ,you will thereby deter the merchants from bringing grain to market1 and will thereby starve your inhabitants4 ,your power can only extend to a certain limit1 and within that the merchant will not enter4 ,if supplies are coming to you1 those who have grain for sale will have advice of it1 and hurry their grain to market2 but if you compel them1 you will stop all imports by such forcible interference4 ,have you calculated at what price the merchant buys at a distance1 at what expense he brings it1 c48 ,in short1 you have the choice of the alternative--whether for a day or two you will submit to want1 and then be relieved by the exertions of those who always hasten to a good market2 or whether you will gain popularity for a day or two by a compulsory expenditure of the quantity within your grasp1 and then fall a martyr to an exasperated starving people40 ,he adopted the first1 and thanked me in the strongest terms4 #8,about that time1 when ,government intended to purchase grain to supply certain places1 ,i protested against it1 because those places would entirely rely upon ,government management2 for no merchant would convey to places where ,government by a sudden import might overflow the market--if ,london were to be supplied with every want by a contract or monopoly1 the effect is easily foreseen4 #8,in respect to a fixed land tax1 ,i can show you some very satisfactory papers upon the subject2 as ,i had to contend against some very able advocates for periodical equalisation1 and at length have obtained a fixed land tax for ever4 ,in ,asia we have metayers1 as in ,france2 we have surveyors of the crop4 ,in short1 to a gentleman of your philosophic and agricultural turn ,i may prove a welcome referee4 ,to the many pertinent questions you will put1 you will1 no doubt1 find many deficient replies1 for ,i am conscious of having omitted much4 ,unluckily ,i had never seen your able productions1 and had too often to find the truth by the experience of error4 #8,many serious evils may be prevented if a person of your influence could have conveyed to ,asia your sentiments upon taxation1 the corn1 trade1 c41 for the perusal of the several servants entrusted with the charge of vast districts with numerous industrious subjects4 ,if ,necker committed such palpable mistakes after so much experience1 must not young men in the company's service be subject to fatal errors where the instruction of books is not always to be attained1 or the advice of the well-informed1 as in ,europe8 #8,i remain1 with respect1 sir1 #8,your most obedient humble servant1 #8,,thomas ,,law4' ,from the ,right ,hon4 ,edmund ,burke1 highly praising the #8,example of ,france'3-- ,mr4 ,burke thanks ,mr4 ,young for his most able1 useful and reasonable pamphlet4 ,he has not seen anything written in this controversy which stands better bottomed upon practical principle1 or is more likely to produce an effect on the popular mind4 ,it is1 indeed1 incomparably well done4 ,we are all very much obliged to ,mr4 ,young1 and think the ,committee ought to circulate his book4 #8,duke ,street1 ,st4 ,james's3 ,march #e1 #agic4' ,from ,dr4 ,burney1 on my #8,example of ,france1' c43-- #8,chelsea ,college3 ,may #ab1 #agic4 #8,my dear ,friend1--,i cannot let ,mrs4 ,young return without sending you my best thanks for the second edition of your excellent pamphlet4 ,indeed1 if ,i were singular in approbation of it1 you might think me a cleverer fellow than ,i shall seem among the crowd of your admirers4 ,what is a single name in a list fifty yards long8 ,and if ,i were to tell you what numbers of first-rate judges have spoke well of your performance1 ,i should want more room than ,mr4 ,sheridan's friends at ,glasgow4 ,i shall only just specify those who would be at the head of a complete list1 if ,i had time to make one3 ,mr4 ,burke1 ,lord ,orford1 who1 on my asking him if he had seen your pamphlet1 pointed to it1 8,there it is2 ,i read nothing else20 ,mrs4 ,montagu the same2 a large party of bluestockings at ,lady ,hesketh's all agreed that your book and ,hannah ,more's 8,chip0#aee were the best on the subject4 ,when ,i made ,mrs4 ,crewe read the first edition1 she wrote me word that she had perused it with great attention1 and that she found it contained stubborn facts1 to each of which she should say with the grave-digger1 8,answer me that and unyoke40 ,last week1 in a note she sent me from ,hampstead1 she says3 ,mr4 ,arthur ,young's pamphlet makes a great noise1 and1 ,i think1 ,i never knew any book take more2 it is reprinted1 you know1 with additions4 ,in the communication of the latter information she got the start of me2 the second edition could not have been out three days but you are meditating a third4 ,i like your additions to the second much1 particularly what concerns the reform of ,parliament4 #8,i wish you could overhaul ,grey's speech as well as ,charles ,fox's on that subject1 and in an appendix expose the weakness and inconsistence of both4 ,only observe how both confess that there was danger to our constitution 8from opinions favourable to the principles and measures of ,france10 after so stubbornly and pertinaciously denying in ,parliament the existence of any such danger2 challenging ,government to prove it1 and saying that 8the ,proclamation1 call of ,parliament1 ,alien and ,traitorous ,correspondence ,bills1 were mere ,ministerial juggles0 to increase influence1 diminish liberty1 and encourage excess of loyalty4 8,but10 says ,mr4 ,g4 8that danger must now be much lessened1 as all approbation of those principles1 or imitation of that example1 is now improbable1 totally discredited1 and removed from all political speculation and practice40 ,what1 then1 is all the defence of ,france and ,frenchmen by the ,opposition8 ,and why is every measure condemned in ,parliament that tends to put an end to their anarchy and ambition8 ,why is war against them so censured8 ,why is it always called the war of kings and despots8 ,why is the ,minister so importuned to make peace with regicides and assassins1 determined to force1 if possible1 every nation upon earth to adopt their measures8 ,mr4 ,grey repeats in his speech1 8,all dread of the example is completely removed1 and that none could suppose him1 or any other party in this country1 favourable to that example40 ,what is this but open falsehood8 ,mr4 ,fox allows that 8there was a party whose wild theories certainly aimed at an impracticable perfection1 that could only have been pursued by means subversive of every part of our constitution40 ,yet there never was any danger6 ,mr4 ,g4 says1 in express terms1 8that his motion extended to an alteration in the present government of the country40 ,but he had no specific plan ready of his own1 or that he chose to father4 ,but as all the petitions he and ,mr4 ,sheridan brought in for a reform demanded nothing less than universal suffrage1 and as these gentlemen either drew up or approved the contents of these petitions1 we may easily judge what was the general plan of our ,jacobins1 if they could have had the tinkering of the constitution4 #8,grey seems to me a silly fellow1 with a greater wish than abilities to do mischief4 ,charles ,fox's speech is more a panegyric on the constitution than on his friend's motion4 ,when every man is left to himself to reform an old constitution or make a new one1 no two will be found of a mind on the subject4 ,sherry's speech was nothing to the purpose4 ,there was no attempt of the phalanx which ,i so much dreaded1 as the doubling our tiers tat4 ,thank ,god1 their great gun has flashed in the pan6 ,the mountain has laboured in vain4 ,you know ,i hope that the gang in ,parliament1 like ,egalit's creatures in the 8,convention10 is called the ,mountain4 ,and it has been called by a punster of the party ,mount ,sigh-on4 ,i fear the war will be long and bloody2 and how it will end who can tell8 ,nothing but a vigorous prosecution of the war can save the whole civilised globe from destruction4 ,after disdaining in the ,house the principles which they had suggested and encouraged out of it1 ,i should not wonder if the ,scotch and ,english petitioners for reform on the basis of universal suffrage should mob and ,september their friends the demagogues whenever they can catch them4 ,i don't love mischief1 but ,i do cordially wish something of that kind were to happen4 #8,adieu4 #8,ever yours sincerely1 #8,,charles ,,burney4' ,from ,dr4 ,symonds1 high encomiums of my #8,example1' c4 #8,prince of ,wales ,coffee ,house3 ,april #h1 #agic4 #8,traveller ,coxe#aef desired me to tell you how charmed he was with your pamphlet2 nay1 he had begun to write five or six lines to you1 but thought afterwards it was taking too great a liberty4 ,one thing1 however1 he wishes you to expunge in your next edition1 viz43 a reflection on ,sunday schools as not being founded on truth4 ,you must not be surprised at this1 for he is a zealous patron of them1 and has explained the ,catechism in print for that purpose4 ,wherever ,i go ,i hear your 8,example of ,france0 spoken of in the highest terms as to the matter4 #8,everyone agrees that no political writer whatever has set the representation of property in so clear and just a light4 ,bishop ,douglas1 who has written many good pamphlets1 and is therefore the best judge1 makes no scruple to declare frequently that you deserve from ,government a most ample reward2 but we both wish1 as well as others1 for your sake1 that the second edition may be printed more correctly4 #8,you should come to town and be presented1 or1 at least1 take an opportunity to walk on the ,terrace at ,windsor1 where you would not fail of being marked out4 ,bishop ,watson's appendix has rendered him rectus in curia4 ,a few days ago he was at ,court1 talking with ,lord ,dartmouth1 who mentioned the word philosophy1 which the ,king overhearing1 came to the bishop1 and said1 8,i have read the best sort of philosophy1 my lord1 in your sermon and appendix1 which has wonderfully pleased me40 ,the bishop1 of course1 made his bow1 and then the ,king went on1 8,you write so concisely and so forcibly1 that everyone must be convinced by your arguments20 on which the bishop replied1 8,i like1 ,sir1 to step forward in a moment of danger40 ,the ,king rejoined1 8,you have shown a good spirit1 and it could not be done in a better manner40 ,should the last volume of ,clarendon's ,letters come in your way1 ,i would advise you to read the famous one from ,sir ,john ,colepeper to ,secretary ,nicholas2 which is always esteemed as a wonderful instance of political sagacity1 as it foretold that the ,restoration would be accomplished by ,monk6 ,but ,i think there is another part of this letter which shows equal sagacity1 viz43 his desiring that ,charles would not send over any foreign troops into ,england1 as this measure would not fail of uniting the ,english against him2 whereas1 if they were left to themselves1 he would always have a strong party1 and must sooner or later be restored4 ,i am fully convinced of the truth of this reasoning2 and of what use is history unless it be considered as a school for modern politicians8 #8,why did you not let me know whether your second edition had gone to the press or not8 ,before ,i left ,cambridge ,i saw a gentleman who told me that ,sir ,william ,scott had mentioned in a letter to one of his friends there that it was by far the most convincing and best pamphlet that had been published4 #8,all ,i could wish is that you had not stigmatised all reformers with the name of enemies to the state2 or1 at least1 you intimated it4 ,i was always myself an enemy to reform in ,parliament1 and continue to be so2 yet ,i know some warm advocates for it1 who mean as well to the benefit of this country as you can possibly do4 #8,dr4 ,hardy and ,sir ,henry ,moncrief 7a ,scotch clergyman7 are come to solicit a ,bill for the enlarging of the stipends of the ,scotch clergy4 ,they do not apprehend much difficulty in carrying it through the ,houses1 though the addition must be supplied out of the tithes in the hands of lay proprietors4 ,hardy is ,professor of ,ecclesiastical ,history at ,edinburgh--a most sensible man1 with great liberality of mind4 ,sir ,henry is a polished man1 and likewise a man of business4 ,i hope to see them both at ,st4 ,edmund's ,hill1 and you must meet them4 ,you should get ,hardy's pamphlet1 the 8,patriot10 published in ,scotland on the present emergency2 there are in it many excellent things4 #8,you seem in your letter to be still apprehensive of some plots and insurrections4 #8,plot6 ,plots6 was the catch-word in ,king ,charles ,,ii4's time4 ,sir ,h4 ,moncrief and ,dr4 ,hardy laughed at ,dundas's account of the political riots in ,scotland4 ,they absolutely denied the existence of them--considered them as political2 and when you read ,hardy's pamphlet1 you will see that he would not have failed setting them forth if they had deserved any consideration4 #8,adieu6 ,i should not have come to ,london had it not been on account of my ecclesiastical foundling4 #8,,john ,,symonds4' ,from ,dr4 ,symonds #8,september #a1 #agic4 #8,my dear ,sir1--,i do not wonder that you smiled at the affected secrecy of ,macpherson concerning the ,censomento4 ,the book to which he alludes cannot be the 8,bilancio dello stato10 c41 which was written to please ,count ,firmian4 ,i knew well the gentleman who wrote it and gave it to me1 as ,i often met him at dinner at the count's4 #8,sometimes he was too decisive4 ,one day he said at the count's table that the ,bresciano contained #hjj1jjj inhabitants now4 ,as ,count ,f4 knew that ,i had just come from ,brescia1 and had not lost my time there1 he asked me what number there was2 on which ,i told him that there were #cgf1jjj according to a census taken a few years before4 ,the count smiled1 and looked very attentively on ,carpani 7for that was the author's name71 who never liked me so well after that day1 nor had ,count ,firmian so high an opinion of him4 ,you possibly may not know the history of ,sir ,john ,macpherson4 ,he offered the ,duke of ,grafton1 when he was at the head of the ,treasury1 a vast collection of jewels1 by order of the ,nabob of ,arcot1 which the duke absolutely refused1 and ,bradshaw1 his secretary1 also4 ,sir ,john1 thinking that the nabob would not believe that he had offered the present1 published for his own vindication the answers of the duke and ,bradshaw1 for which he was turned out of the company's service1 as he was pursuing an interest then opposite to its interests4 #8,scotch influence not long after restored him4 ,you will find the letters in ,lind's appendix to the defence of ,lord ,pigot4 ,you are now1 of course1 so much of a politician as not to be surprised 7shall ,i say disgusted87 at ,macpherson's conduct4 ,the opinion of the ,king of ,prussia as to your book ,i value not a straw2 but that of the ,marshal de ,castries certainly carries with it great weight4 #8,he is one of the few who adhered to ,necker from gratitude1 when the latter was turned out of his post about ten years ago2 and ,i heard a very good character of the marchal when ,i was last in ,france4 ,st4 ,paul1 as you and the duke are pleased to call him1 is finished1 and the preface is on the stocks4#aeg #8,why do you wish ,clarke had commented on the ,epistle to the ,romans8 ,locke and ,taylor have done it admirably2 and easy as you may think the ,gospels are1 they have been rendered much more so by ,clarke4 #8,what do you mean by saying that the ,gospels want no explanation8 ,st4 ,john is extremely difficult in some parts1 notwithstanding ,clarke's paraphrase2 and ,i think1 with ,markland1 that he is as yet very far from being perfectly understood4 ,adieu6 #8,i remain1 #8,ever your sincere friend1 #8,,john ,,symonds4' ----- ,footnote #aeb3 ,by ,act of ,parliament1 #agic4 ,footnote #aec3 ,this recantation of ,arthur ,young's former democratic utterances was published in ,june #agic4 ,footnote #aed3 ,marquis de ,castries and ,marchal of ,france4 ,joined the migrs on the ,revolution1 and served in ,cond's army4 ,footnote #aee3 ,village ,politics1 by ,will ,chip1 #agic2 price #b;d4 ,footnote #aef3 ,william ,coxe1 #agdg-ahbh1 author of ,travels into ,poland1 ,russia1 ,sweden1 and ,denmark1 c4 c4 ,footnote #aeg3 ,evidently an allusion to some work of the writer4 ----- ,,chapter ,,xi ,,the ,,secretaryship1 #agid-ie-if ,the ,secretaryship and its drawbacks--,social compensations--,illness and death of ,elizabeth ,hoole--,letters of ,jeremy ,bentham and others--,a visit to ,burke--,home travels--,enclosures4 ,the ,board of ,agriculture1 meeting in ,february1 arranged the ,president's plan for the attendance of their officers4 ,by these laws all the officers of the ,board were bound to attend1 with no other exception than the months of ,august1 ,september and ,october1 with one month at ,christmas and three weeks at ,easter4 ,these laws1 ready cut and dried when the ,board met1 were adopted with no other alterations than such as the ,president himself had made in them1 previously to their being presented at the meeting4 ,lord ,hawke had examined the rules and orders of many societies1 and found that in all letters communications were addressed to the ,secretaries1 and answers given by them4 ,sir ,john ,sinclair struck this out1 and directed all such communications to be to the ,president 7himself71 and for him also to sign all letters4 ,this at once converted the ,secretary into nothing more than a first clerk4 ,i saw not at first the tendency of the alterations2 but ,i soon felt their effect4 ,all letters were dictated by the ,secretary and written in a book2 this book was altered and corrected at the will of the ,president1 and such alterations made as in respect of agriculture were absurd enough2 the whole done in such a manner as not to be very pleasing4 ,in addition to this1 ,sir ,john ,sinclair gave the ,board the use of his house1 which ensured another circumstance hostile to my feelings4 ,there was only one room for transacting the business1 by the ,secretary1 under-,secretary1 two clerks1 to which ,sir ,j4 after added the constant attendance of an attorney1 for assisting in the business of a general ,enclosing ,act1 about which the ,president busied himself some years in vain4 ,as ,i was determined to pass all the vacations at my farm in ,suffolk1 six journeys of myself and servants became necessary1 and caused a considerable expense4 ,i also was compelled to hire lodgings at the expense of two or two guineas and a half per week1 and when ,i experienced the full career#aeh of all these circumstances1 ,i deliberated repeatedly and carefully with myself1 whether it would not be cheaper to me to throw up the employment4 ,long after1 upon review of the whole1 ,i was amazed that ,i had not done it1 more especially as my plan for settling on the moors in ,yorkshire was offered to my choice4 ,i was infinitely disgusted with the inconsiderate manner in which ,sir ,john ,sinclair appointed the persons who drew up the original reports1 men being employed who scarcely knew the right end of a plough2 and the ,president one day desired ,i would accompany him with one of these men1 a half-pay officer out of employment1 to call on ,lord ,moira to request his assistance in the ,leicestershire ,report1 when this person told his ,lordship that he was out of employment and should like a summer's excursion4 ,to do him justice1 he did not know anything of the matter4 ,still1 however1 he was appointed1 and amused himself with his excursion to ,leicester4 ,but the most curious circumstance of effrontery was1 that the greater number of the reporters were appointed1 and actually travelled upon the business before the first meeting of the ,board took place1 under the most preposterous of all ideas--that of surveying the whole ,kingdom and printing the ,reports in a single year2 by which manuvre ,sir ,john thought he should establish a great reputation for himself4 ,consequently by his sole authority1 who could not possibly know whether the members of the ,board would approve or not such a plan4 ,i was a capital idiot not to absent myself sufficiently to bring the matter to a question1 and leave them to turn me out if they pleased4 ,mr4 ,pitt would probably have interfered and effected the object ,i wanted1 and1 if not1 would have provided for me in a better way4 ,however1 ,i made use of the opportunities that offered to frequent the company of those that were agreeable to me2 for a part of the time was pretty regularly passed at the conversaziones of ,mrs4 ,matthew ,montagu and the ,countess of ,bristol1 where ,i met an assemblage of persons remarkable for every characteristic of the bas-bleu mixed with great numbers of the highest rank4 ,i was also at many similar parties upon a smaller scale at ,mr4 ,charles ,coles'1 the intimate friend of ,soame ,jenyns1 and to whom he left the property of his works4 ,the petits soupers at ,mrs4 ,matthew ,montagu's1 and to which she asked a selection of eight or nine persons1 were very pleasant1 the conversations interesting1 and this select number more agreeable than ,i ever found full rooms4 ,on my first coming to town in the spring of #agid1 ,i enquired of several members of the ,board whether there was not a farmers' club in ,london1 and was surprised that there never had been any institution of the kind4 ,i determined to endeavour at establishing one1 and spoke to the ,duke of ,bedford and the ,earls of ,egremont and ,winchilsea1 who much approved the idea1 and applying also to a few more1 ,i directed cards to be sent them from the ,thatched ,house ,tavern1#aei in order to establish a club4 ,this meeting was fully attended1 and a book being called for1 the club was instituted1 and several rules entered1 and the meetings appointed once a fortnight during the sittings of ,parliament4 ,this club became very fashionable1 and applications to be elected were very numerous1 from the members of both ,houses of ,parliament2 and it subsists to this day1 but has for some time been very ill attended4 ,this was occasioned by too free an election of all who offered4 ,while the club was limited to fifty members it was well attended1 but afterwards such numbers were received1 and with so much facility1 as greatly to injure the establishment4 ,i have one remark to make upon clubs2 the life and soul of them is limitation to a selected few1 and to blackball the great mass of applicants1 selecting merely such as will form a very valuable addition to the society1 which probably may not amount to more than one in twenty4 ,the annual subscription was two guineas3 one to the house1 one to form a fund at the disposition of the club4 ,the latter gradually accumulated till it amounted to #gjjl4 or #hjjl4 ,both ,sir ,john ,sinclair and ,i were strenuous that this might be applied to some useful purpose1 and with difficulty we got an appropriation of fifty guineas as a reward for the best plough that could be produced2 but the money assigned to advertisements being much too small1 the offer was unknown1 and no plough produced4 ,a member once proposed that the #hjjl4 might be given to charitable institutions2 but this was negatived in an instant1 and the sum is still left 7#ahab7 unemployed in the funds4 ,while the club flourished the members who most generally attended were the ,dukes of ,bedford1 ,buccleugh1 ,montrose1 the ,earls of ,egremont1 ,winchester and ,darnley1 the ,lords of ,wentworth1 ,somerville1 de ,dunstanville1 ,sheffield1 c4 c4 ,i often dined at ,charles ,coles'1 where ,i met repeatedly ,jacob ,bryant1#afj ,mrs4 ,montagu1 ,mrs4 ,york1 ,mrs4 ,garrick1 ,hannah ,more1 ,mrs4 ,orde and ,soame ,jenyns4 ,the conversation at these parties on the publications of the day1 anecdotes of the time1 with the conduct of many of the great men of the age1 was usually very interesting4 ,alas6 alas6 how few of these persons are now left4 ,i was very eager in listening to every word that fell from ,hannah ,more1 though not nearly so much so as ,i should have been many years after4 ,i had an incessant round of dinners and many evening parties1 and generally with people of the highest rank and consequence1 but ,i was not pleased1 being discontented with my employment1 and disgusted with the frivolous business of the ,board1 which seemed to me engaged in nothing that could possibly produce the least credit with the public4 ,after five months' residence at ,london1 ,i went to the ,duke of ,bedford's at ,woburn on my way to ,bradfield1 spending some days very agreeably in company that could not fail of being interesting4 ,this year my second daughter ,elizabeth1 who1 as ,i have mentioned before1 was married to the ,rev4 ,john ,hoole1 died of consumption4 ,she was of a most amiable1 gentle temper1 and in a resigned frame of mind1 which gave me much satisfaction4 ,the last visit ,i paid her at ,abinger1 in ,surrey1 she was very weak1 yet not suspected to be so near her end4 ,but at the last parting with me1 she did it in so feeling and affectionate a manner as seemed to imply that she thought she should see me no more4 ,it made me1 for a time1 extremely melancholy1 which was shaken off with great difficulty4 ,i took a tour into ,hampshire1 where ,i passed several days with ,mr4 ,poulett at ,sombourne1 taking an account of the agriculture of that district1 the result of which examination was printed as an appendix to the original ,hampshire ,report4 ,on the meeting of the ,board in #agic1 ,sir ,john ,sinclair had particularly requested me to draw up a ,report for the ,county of ,suffolk1 to effect which ,i took several journeys into different parts of the county at some expense1 and formed the ,report which was printed in #agid4 ,i never executed any work more commended in ,suffolk than this4 ,i had no remuneration4 ,letters received this year3-- ,from ,jeremy ,bentham1 ,esq41 enquiries into the landed property of ,great ,britain and into the rental and value of houses3-- #8,hendon1 ,middlesex3 ,sept4 #agid4 #8,dear ,sir1--,permit my ignorance to draw upon your science on an occasion that happens just now to be a very material one to me4 ,i have a sort of floating recollection of a calculation1 so circumstanced1 either in point of authority or argument1 as to carry weight with it1 in which the total value of the landed property in this country 7,scotland1 ,i believe1 included7 was reckoned at a thousand millions1 and that of the movable property at either a thousand millions or twelve hundred millions4 ,public debt did not come1 ,i think1 at least1 it ought not to come1 into the account2 it being only so much owned by one part of the proprietors of the two thousand or the two thousand two hundred millions to another4 #8,upon searching your book on ,france1 which was the source from whence ,i thought ,i had taken the idea1 ,i can find no calculation of the value of the movable property1 nor even of the immovable in an explicit form2 on the contrary1 in the instance of the immovable1 ,i find suppositions with which any such estimate appears to be incompatible4 ,the land tax at four shillings1 ,i find1 you suppose1 were it to be equal all over the country1 would be equivalent to as much as three shillings1 on which supposition the rental 7the tax of four shillings producing no more than two thousand millions7 would amount to no more than #ac1jjj1jjjl4 nor consequently the value1 at so many years' purchase1 say twenty-eight1 to more than three hundred and sixty-four millions2 or at thirty1 to three hundred and ninety millions2 to which1 in order to complete the calculation of the landed property of ,great ,britain1 that of ,scotland would have to be added4 #8,the population of the three kingdoms you reckon in two places at eleven millions2 but in another place at fifteen4 ,is the latter a slip of the pen8 or1 in the two former places1 was only two kingdoms 7,england and ,scotland7 in your view1 though three are mentioned8 ,a circumstance that seems to favour the latter supposition is1 that the population of ,ireland is well known 7if ,i do not much misrecollect7 from recent and authentic sources to be a little more than four millions2 and as ,scotland turns out to contain a million and a half1 this would leave nine and a half millions for ,england1 which1 ,i should suppose1 would quadrate in round numbers with ,mr4 ,howlett's calculations1 to which we refer2 a book which1 from forgetfulness1 ,i have never made myself master of1 and to which1 being in the country1 ,i have no speedy means of recurring4 #8,now what ,i wish for is as follows3 7#a7 a calculation 7or1 ,i should rather say1 the result7 of the value of the landed property of ,great ,britain reckoned at so many years' purchase1 two prices--a peace price and a war price--could they be respectively of sufficient permanence to be ascertained1 would be of use4 #87#b7 ,a calculation of the value of the personal1 i4e4 immovable property of ,great ,britain4 #87#c7 ,the amount of the population of ,great ,britain4 #8,what ,i am a petitioner for is the benefit of your judgment and authority upon the three several subjects2 by reference1 if there be any other person's calculation that you are satisfied with2 otherwise from your own notes2 and1 in either case1 a word or two just to indicate the sources from which they are taken would be an additional help and satisfaction4 #8,the occasion of the trouble ,i am attempting to give you ,i expressly forbear mentioning2 not only for want of space and time1 but more particularly that it may be impossible1 and might1 upon occasion1 be known to be impossible1 that the response of the ,oracle should have received any bias from the consideration of the purpose for which it was consulted4 #8,i am1 dear sir1 with never failing esteem and regard1 #8,yours ever1 #8,,jeremy ,,bentham4' #8,q4,i4,p43 ,sept4 #cj1 #agid4 #8,dear ,sir1--,a thousand thanks for your kind letter--sorry you should fancy you have been bathing#afa for health--hope it was not true--only idleness--we can't afford to have you otherwise than well4 #8,must prefer#afb you once more1 8,rental of ,england twenty-four millions40 ,good6 but houses1 such as those in town1 and others that have a separate rent1 are included8 ,i suppose not2 since for them you would have given a separate and different price in number of years' purchase4 #8,in one of your tours you guess this article at five millions4 ,do you abide by that guess8 ,i think the number must have increased since then considerably2 that was1 ,i believe1 about twenty years ago4 ,london and the environs must since then have increased1 ,i should think1 at least a quarter of a million4 ,how many years' purchase would you reckon houses at1 upon an average1 old and young together8 ,shall we say sixteen8 ,i should think1 at the outside4 #8,i am1 dear ,sir1 #8,your much obliged1 #8,,jeremy ,,bentham4 #8,a4 ,young1 ,esq4' ,the two following letters are from ,mrs4 ,hoole1 ,dr4 ,burney's favourite1 ,miss ,bessy1 to her father3-- ,to ,arthur ,young1 ,esq4 #8,sidmouth3 ,feb4 #bb1 #agid4 #8,dear ,sir1--,we came hither from ,lynn near three weeks since1 as ,mr4 ,hoole informed you4 ,we are in very warm and comfortable lodgings1 and the woman of the house is very attentive and obliging4 ,the air of this place is very mild and very moist1 but they tell us the healthiest of any upon the coast4 ,mr4 ,hoole has been on to ,exmouth1 which1 upon the whole1 he does not like so well4 ,we do not find that ,devonshire is cheaper the further you go1 but the contrary1 at least on the coast4 #8,with regard to myself1 ,i do not find ,i am any better for this journey1 indeed ,i have had more fever and cough since ,i came here than ever ,i had4 ,i am at present better1 but ,i know that is owing to a very strict regimen which ,i have lately taken to4 ,the weather has been very unfavourable1 for though it has not been cold we have had almost constantly either rain or wind4 ,we have been absent from home near nine weeks1 and ,mr4 ,h4 must very soon return to his curacy2 he will either take me with him or leave me here1 and we wish very much to know what you advise1 considering all circumstances4 #8,this place is certainly warmer than ,surrey1 but we have heard here1 as at ,lynn1 that it sometimes proves unfavourable in consumptive cases4 ,i do not think ,abinger at all in fault2 ,i have been well or better there than anywhere4 ,but ,i am not unwilling to be left here1 if it should still be thought advisable4 ,will you have the goodness to write as soon as you can1 as we shall not determine till we hear8 ,mr4 ,hoole has had but one letter from you about a month ago4 ,this ,i mention lest you should have sent any which may have miscarried4 #8,believe me1 dear ,sir1 #8,your affectionate ,daughter1 #8,,elizabeth ,,hoole4 #8,perhaps you may like to know something of the price of provisions3 ,meat #d;d4 per lb42 poultry is reasonable2 chickens from #bs4 to #bs4 #f;d4 a couple2 milk #b;d4 a quart2 butter #aj;d4 per lb4' ,postscript from ,mr4 ,hoole #8,i fear this journey will be of no avail4 ,i do not think our dear ,bessy is in any immediate danger1 but ,i much fear this cruel disease is gradually preying on her strength4 #8,s4 ,h4' #8,sidmouth3 ,march #ah1 #agid4 #8,my dear ,sir1--,i was very sorry to find from your letter that what ,i had written had made you uneasy2 ,i am certain you think me worse than ,i am2 indeed it is very foolish to write my symptoms to my friends1 as they give way perhaps1 or some of them1 in a short time1 as is my case4 ,i am now quite free from pain1 and can sleep on one side as well as the other2 ,i think the last blister was of use4 ,i have been twice in the warm bath since ,mr4 ,hoole went4 ,my cough must have its course4 #8,i had a very kind letter from ,agnes yesterday2 she offers1 if she can get permission1 to come and stay with me until ,mr4 ,hoole returns1 and adds1 if she cannot1 ,mrs4 ,forbes says she is at liberty1 and would willingly come2 but ,i would not bring them down upon any account1 as ,i am more comfortably settled than anybody would suppose1 and ,i am sure ,mr4 ,hoole will be back in a short time4 #8,sidmouth is certainly very mild2 we have had no cold winds1 but this clear weather suits me better than that warm moist weather we had in ,february4 ,but ,i cannot walk by the seaside2 there is always wind1 and it seems colder than anywhere else4 #8,i would not blame ,mrs4 ,f4 in the least2 ,i might have been the same or worse anywhere2 if anything in the air disagreed with me1 it was the moisture4 ,we have no post from hence1 either ,monday or ,tuesday4 ,i wrote to ,mr4 ,hoole last ,sunday1 or would have answered yours sooner4 ,the quickness1 or rather rapidity1 with which our letters arrive from town1 seems surprising--a letter put in one night we have the next4 ,it is not the custom indeed to deliver them at night1 as the post comes in so late as nine1 but if you send they will give you them4 ,at ,lynn1 which is about the same distance from town1 they deliver them at six in the evening1 but we have here a cross-post to send for them nine miles4 #8,i beg you will not think me worse than ,i am1 and believe me1 #8,your affectionate ,daughter1 #8,,elizabeth ,,hoole4' ,from ,j4 ,symonds1 ,esq4 #8,cambridge3 ,march #bg1 #agie4 #8,my dear ,sir1--,i am to thank you for two letters1 which should not have lain unanswered if a retirement like mine would have furnished me with any materials4 ,however1 ,i must take notice of your way of arguing4 ,you say 8the people in ,france are starved1 and assignats are destroyed10 with significant dashes4 ,you told me just the same in #agic and #agid1 and venture it once more4 ,assuredly you seem to reason like the old wizard ,tiresias in ,horace1 8,quicquid dicam aut erit aut non40 ,whether your predictions be verified or not1 you assume1 like ,tiresias1 to speak the truth4 #8,i always thought with you1 that ,mr4 ,pitt would receive no real benefit from his new friends2 but ,i have heard the ,duke of ,grafton say that he would not have entered on the war if he had not been able to detach some from the ,opposition4 ,if this be so1 there is great reason to lament that he could detach them4 #8,we have received here the ,bishop of ,llandaff's speech on the ,duke of ,bedford's motion1 published by ,debrett4 ,it amazed me to find that the ,bishop of ,durham ventured to speak after him4 ,a gentleman who heard them both says that ,watson's was rich1 clouted cream1 and ,barrington's thin1 meagre1 blue skim milk1 frothed up with an egg1 but with so weak a froth that it rose only to fall instantly4 ,we are told that after schines was banished1 in consequence of ,demosthenes' speech de coron1 one of schines' friends carried to him in his banishment a copy of ,demosthenes' speech2 on which the former said1 8,but what if you had heard it80 #8,two fellows of this college1 who heard ,watson1 bear the same ample testimony to the excellent manner in which he delivered it4 #8,you tell me 8that our situation is prosperous beyond all example20 ,i should think so too if it were unnecessary to multiply loans4 ,the complaints of the dearness of the necessaries of life seem to pervade the whole island1 and ,i fear they must still be dearer4 ,if we be forced to persist in this war 7and how are we to get out of it1 it is difficult to see7 the middle class of the people1 of which you and ,i form a part1 must be driven down to the lower4 ,they hold it is a principle not to tax the lower1 but to tax luxuries1 so that the middle class will be forced to abandon everything but necessaries1 and then the upper class must pay all4 ,this1 to use your words1 8must render us prosperous beyond all example40 ,i rather accede to ,charles ,coles' declaration in his last letter to me3 8,alas6 our glory is gone to decay40 ,a day or two ago ,i was looking into the famous pamphlet of my old friend1 ,israel ,mauduit1#afc on the ,german war1 in which ,i stumbled on the following sentence1 very applicable to our entering into this just war to save the ,dutch3 8,is ,britain to make itself the general knight errant of ,europe1 to rescue oppressed ,states1 and exhaust itself in order to save men in spite of themselves1 who will not do anything towards their own deliverance80 ,adieu6 #8,yours sincerely1 #8,j4 ,,symonds4' #agif4--;,in the spring of this year ,i waited on ,mr4 ,pitt1 by his appointment1 in order to answer some enquiries of his relative to the propriety of any regulations by ,parliament of the price of labour4 ,i answered all his enquiries1 and could not but admire the wonderful quickness of his apprehension of all those collateral difficulties which ,i started1 and of which he seemed in a moment to comprehend the full extent4 ,i found him hostile to the idea4 ,march4--,among various dinners was at ,mr4 ,burke's and at ,mrs4 ,barrington's parties4 ,in ,may dinners at ,duke of ,bedford's1 ,duke of ,buccleugh's1 and ,mr4 ,jenkinson and ,lady ,louisa's2 her manner is not the most agreeable1 but she has ease and elegance4 ,i have long known her at ,ickworth4 ,may #a4--;,for some time past the following advertisement has appeared in many of the ,london papers3 #8,speedily will be published a letter from the ,bight ,hon4 ,edmund ,burke to ,arthur ,young1 ,esq41 ,secretary to the ,board of ,agriculture1 on some projects talked of in ,parliament1 for regulating the price of labour4' ,the appearance of this advertisement induced ,sir ,john ,sinclair to write to ,mr4 ,burke to propose to him that he should undertake to draw up for the ,board the chapter of a general ,report which was intended to treat on the subject of labour and provisions4 ,the question in the ,house of ,commons was decided before the publication could appear1 and it was supposed that ,mr4 ,burke had1 in consequence1 abandoned the intention of publishing his ideas4 ,but ,sir ,john1 not having received any answer1 or1 at least1 any that was satisfactory to him1 requested me to take his chariot and go to ,gregory's1 in order that ,i might discover whether that celebrated character continued his intention of throwing his thoughts upon paper4 ,i reached ,mr4 ,burke's before breakfast1 and had every reason to be pleased with my reception4 #8,why1 ,mr4 ,young1 it is many years since ,i saw you1 and1 to the best of my recollection1 you have not suffered the smallest change2 you look as young as you did sixteen years ago4 ,you must be very strong2 you have no belly2 your form shows lightness2 you have an elastic mind4' ,i wished to myself that ,i could have returned anything like the compliment1 but ,i was shocked to see him so broken1 so low1 and with such expressions of melancholy4 ,i almost thought that ,i was come to see the greatest genius of the age in ruin4 ,and ,i had every reason to think1 from all that passed on this visit1 that the powers of his mind had suffered considerably4 ,he introduced me to his brother1 ,mr4 ,w4 ,burke1 to ,mrs4 ,b41 and to the ,count de la ,tour du ,pin1 an emigrant philosopher and naturalist4 ,after breakfast he took me a sauntering walk for five hours over his farm1 and to a cottage where a scrap of land had been stolen from the waste4 ,i was glad to find his farm in good order1 and doubly so to hear him remark that it was his only amusement1 except the attention which he paid to a school in the vicinity for sixty children of noble emigrants4 ,his conversation was remarkably desultory1 a broken mixture of agricultural observations1 ,french madness1 price of provisions1 the death of his son1 the absurdity of regulating labour1 the mischief of our ,poor-laws1 and the difficulty of cottagers keeping cows4 ,an argumentative discussion of any opinion seemed to distress him1 and ,i1 therefore1 avoided it4 ,and his discourse was so scattered and interrupted by varying ideas1 that ,i could bring away but few of his remarks that were clearly defined4 ,speaking on public affairs he said that he never looked at a newspaper2 #8but if anything happens to occur which they think will please me1 ,i am told of it4' ,i observed there was strength of mind in this resolution4 #8,oh1 no6' he replied1 #8it is mere weakness of mind4' ,it appeared evident that he would not publish upon the subject which brought me to ,gregory's2 but he declared himself to be absolutely inimical to any regulation whatever by law2 that all such interference was not only unnecessary but would be mischievous4 ,he observed that the supposed scarcity was extremely ill understood1 and that the consumption of the people was a clear proof of it2 this1 in his neighbourhood1 was not lessened in the material articles of bread1 meat1 and beer1 which he learnt by a very careful examination of many bakers1 butchers1 and excisemen2 nor had the poor been distressed further than what resulted immediately from that improvidence which was occasioned by the ,poor-laws4 ,mr4 ,burke had not read ,lord ,sheffield's ,memoirs of ,gibbon4 ,on my observing that ,mr4 ,gibbon declares himself of the same opinion with him on the ,french ,revolution1 he said that ,gibbon was an old friend of his1 and he knew well that before he 7,mr4 ,g47 died1 that he heartily repented of the anti-religious part of his work for contributing to free mankind from all restraint on their vices and profligacy1 and thereby aiding so much the spirit which produced the horrors that blackened the most detestable of all revolutions4 ,upon my mentioning ,monsieur de ,mounier and ,lally ,tollendal1 he exclaimed1 #8,i wish they were both hanged6' ,he seemed to bear hard upon the ,duke de ,liancourt1 and to allude indistinctly to some report of my having opened an hospitable door to that nobleman1 and having received a bad return4 ,i defended the duke1 and had not the conversation been interrupted ,i should have discovered what he meant by the remark4 ,the same observation has met my ear on other occasions1 but was never explained4 ,mrs4 ,crewe arrived just before dinner1 and though she exerted herself with that brilliancy of imagination which renders her conversation so interesting1 it was not sufficient to raise the drooping spirits of ,mr4 ,burke2 it hurt me to see the languid manner in which he lounged rather than sat at table1 his dress entirely neglected1 and his manner quite dejected2 yet he tried once or twice to rally1 and once even to pun4 ,mrs4 ,crewe1 observing that ,thelwel was to stand for ,norwich1 said it would be horrid for ,mr4 ,wyndham to be turned out by such a man4 #8,aye1' he replied1 #8that would not tell well4' ,she laughed at him in the style of condemning a bad pun4 ,somebody said it was a fair one1 he said it was neither very bad nor good4 ,he gave more attention to her account of ,charles ,fox than to any other part of her conversation4 ,she spoke slightingly of him1 and gave us some account of his life at ,mrs4 ,armstead's4 ,she says he lives very little in the world1 or in any general society1 for years past2 that his pleasure is to be at the head of a little society of ten or twelve toad eaters1 and seems to contract his mind to such a situation4 ,the conversation would have become more interesting had not ,mrs4 ,crewe been so full of a plan for ,ladies' ,subscriptions for the ,emigrants1 and consulting him so much on the means of securing the money from the fangs of the ,bishop of ,st4 ,pol de ,lon1 whose part1 however1 ,mr4 ,burke took steadily4 ,this business was so discussed as to preclude much other conversation4 ,mr4 ,burke has been at ,gregory's twenty-nine years2 and ,i was pleased to remark that he lived on the same moderate plan of life which ,i witnessed here five-and-twenty years ago4 ,mem4 #8,to search for that visit4'#afd ,my visit on the whole was interesting4 ,i am glad once more to have seen and conversed with the man who ,i hold to possess the greatest and most brilliant parts of any person of the age in which he lived4 ,whose conversation has often fascinated me2 whose eloquence has charmed2 whose writings have delighted and instructed the world2 and whose name will without question descend to the latest posterity4 ,but to behold so great a genius so depressed with melancholy1 stooping with infirmity of body1 feeling the anguish of a lacerated mind1 and sinking to the grave under accumulated misery2 to see all this in a character ,i venerate1 and apparently without resource or comfort1 wounded every feeling of my soul1 and ,i left him the next day almost as low-spirited as himself4 ,in ,may the ,duke of ,buccleugh carried me to see ,mr4 ,secretary ,dundas's farm at ,wimbledon1 where ,i was to give my opinion of the mode of draining it4 ,i found his people throwing money away like fools4 ,they know nothing of the matter4 ,this duke is another determined farmer1 and seems to like conversing on no other subject4 ,this year ,i undertook a journey through the western counties1 through ,devon into ,cornwall1 returning by ,somersetshire1 and published the register of it in the #8,annals of ,agriculture4' ,i happened to be at ,exeter at the time of the quarter sessions1 and dined with thirty magistrates1 ,mr4 ,leigh1 clerk of the ,house of ,commons1 being chairman4 ,i did not know him personally1 and joined more warmly in a conversation on the ,enclosure ,bill1#afe than ,i should have done had ,i known that ,i was speaking to a person so much interested against it4 ,mr4 ,leigh was very decided in his opposition to the measure1 asserting that there was no protection for property in any other mode of proceeding1 which had been so long the established custom4 ,i very eagerly refuted this observation till some gentleman present spoke to ,mr4 ,leigh1 alluding to his official character4 ,this was one proof of what ,i had often heard1 that the officers of the two ,houses of ,parliament were of all others the most determined opposers of that measure4 ,the reason is obvious2 they have very considerable fees on the passing of every private ,act1#aff and the clerks of the ,house have a further benefit which might not be compensated in any equivalent that might be given them2 because they solicit many of the bills4 ,still1 as there is so plain a precedent which has existed for many years in the case of the ,speaker of the ,house1 who has #f1jjjl4 per annum instead of all fees1 it seems no difficult matter to give an equal equivalent to the clerks for all their profits1 including what they might make as solicitors4 ----- ,footnote #aeh3 ,career1 general course of action or procedure4--,webster4 ,footnote #aei3 ,this appears to have been the place lately known as the ,thatched ,house ,club1 ,st4 ,james's ,street1 ,piccadilly4 ,footnote #afj3 #agae-ahjd4 ,author of numerous works on speculative history1 in one of which he denied the existence of ,troy4 ,footnote #afa3 ,probably an allusion to ,a4 ,y4's habit of air baths4 ,footnote #afb3 ,prefer1 to set forth1 propose4--,webster4 ,footnote #afc3 ,israel ,mauduit1 son of a ,dissenting minister2 at first the same1 afterwards merchant2 published ,considerations on the ,german ,war1 #agfj1 c4 c4 ,see ,chalmers' ,biog4 ,dict4 ,footnote #afd3 ,no note is to be found among papers concerning this visit4 ,footnote #afe3 ,enclosure ,bill4 #8,at the ,revolution of #afhh more than half the kingdom was believed to consist of moorland1 forest1 and fen1 and vast commons and wastes covered the greater part of ,england north of the ,humber4 ,but the numerous ,enclosure ,bills which began with the reign of ,george ,,ii41 and especially marked that of his successor1 changed the whole face of the country4 ,ten thousand square miles of untilled land have been 8 had been added1 under their operation1 to the area of cultivation4'--,green's ,history of the ,english ,people4 ,footnote #aff3 ,abolished 7saving the rights of the then holders of office7 in #ahab4 #eb ,geo4 ,,iii4 c4 xi4 ----- ,,chapter ,,xii ,,illness ,,and ,,death ,,of ,,bobbin1 #agig ,illness of ,bobbin--,letters of ,bobbin and her father's replies--,dress minutes at the opera--,hoping against hope--,bobbin's death--,seeking for consolation--,retrospection--,beginning of diary--,correspondence4 ,this year1 so fatal to every worldly hope1 which overturned every prospect ,i had in life1 and changed me almost as much as a new creation1 opened in the common manner by my going to ,london to attend the meeting of the ,board of ,agriculture4 ,i brought my dear angelic child#afg with me1 who went to school in ,january1 in good health but never in good spirits1 for she abhorred school4 ,oh6 what infatuation ever to send her to one4 ,in the country she had health1 spirits1 and strength1 as if there were not enough with what she might have learned at home1 instead of going to that region of constraint and death1 ,camden ,house4 ,the rules for health are detestable1 no air but in a measured1 formal walk1 and all running and quick motion prohibited4 ,preposterous6 ,she slept with a girl who could hear only with one ear1 and so ever laid on one side2 and my dear child could do no otherwise afterwards without pain2 because the vile beds are so small that they must both lie the same way4 ,the school discipline of all sorts1 the food1 c4 c41 all contributed4 ,she never had a bellyful at breakfast4 ,detestable this at the expense of #hjl4 a year4 ,oh6 how ,i regret ever putting her there1 or to any other1 for they are all theatres of knavery1 illiberality1 and infamy4#afh ,upon her being ill in ,march ,i took her to my lodgings in ,jermyn ,street1 where ,dr4 ,turton attended her till ,april #ab1 when ,i carried her to ,bradfield4 ,he certainly mistook her case entirely1 not believing in a consumption1 and by physic brought her so low that she declined hourly2 he stuffed her with medicine at a time when sending her at once to ,bristol or even to ,bradfield she went little more than skin and bone1 with prescriptions for more physicking under a stupid fellow at ,bury1 who purged her till she was a spectre4 ,on ,june #ac she went to ,smiths' 7,bradfield neighbours71 and there complained #8that such a young girl as ,i who came for air and exercise should be thus crammed with physic4' ,poor thing6 her instinct told her it was wrong1 but she submitted4 ,illustration3 ,,bobbin' 7,,martha ,,young74 ,from a miniature by ,plymer4 ,from ,bobbin to her ,father #8,my dear ,papa1--,i received your letter this morning4 ,thank you for it4 ,my strength is much the same as when ,i saw you2 my appetite is getting better a good deal4 ,mr4 ,smith saw me yesterday1 and said it was a running pulse1 but that he thought me better4 ,i think if anything ,i am better than when ,i saw you4 ,thank you for the wine1 which ,i have not yet received1 but suppose it is at ,bury4 ,as for the bad news1 ,i am tired of it4 ,i want1 and should very much like1 a nice writing-box to hold pens1 ink1 paper1 all my letters1 c41 in short everything exact2 this is just the thing for a birthday present4 ,as for sweet things1 ,i do not wish for them particularly2 any little thing that you think wholesome ,i should be glad of4 ,the weather is as yet so bad that ,i cannot stir out4 ,remember me to the party1 and thank ,mr4 ,kedington for waking me at six o'clock on the ,monday morning4 #8,believe me1 dear ,papa1 #8,your dutiful ,daughter1 #8,m4 ,,young4' ,his ,reply #8,my dear ,bobbin1--,i am much obliged to you for the description you gave me of your health1 but ,i beg you will repeat it directly1 and do not forget appetite1 pulse1 sleep1 pains1 swelled legs1 fever1 exercise on change of weather1 thirst1 c41 for ,i am extremely anxious to know how you go on4 ,i have looked at a great many writing-boxes1 but find none yet under #al4 #es4 and #al4 #aas4 #f;d41 but ,i hear there are good ones to be had at #aes4 ,the moment ,i can find one ,i will buy and send it packed full of seals1 or something else4 #8,politics are melancholy1 for the fleet is satisfied1 the army is not1 and the same spirit there would be dreadful4 ,to-day1 it is said1 the ,duke of ,york has declared the intention of raising the pay of ,infantry1 which is wise1 but it may not be done to satisfy them1 and in a moment they might be masters of the ,tower1 ,bank1 ,parliament1 c42 however1 let us hope that measures will be taken to prepare for the worst4 ,the ,french will make no peace with us1 but bring all their force to the coast and ruin us1 if they can1 by invasion expense4 #8,i cannot read half your mother's letter2 but enough to see that she is very angry1 for ,i know not what4 ,i am not paid1 and have nothing to send4 #8,dear ,bobbin1 #8,yours affectionately1 #8,a4 ,y4' ,bobbin to her ,father #8,my dear ,papa1--,i received your letter this morning1 for which ,i thank you4 ,my appetite is a great deal better1 pulse rather too quick1 sleep very well1 no pains1 no swelled legs1 no fever4 ,we have had ,sunday1 ,monday1 and yesterday fine1 and only those since you went4 ,i walked in the ,stone ,walk4 ,pray send my writing-box as soon as you can1 and1 as you see by this1 ,i want writing paper to write to you and ,griffiths2 ,i hope you will put some into it4 ,i think one under a guinea will not be of any use to me4 ,i saw ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,o4 ,oakes#afi in ,bury yesterday1 they have made but a short stay in town4 ,i am much obliged to you for the wine and porter1 which ,i have received safe4 ,remember me to the party1 write soon1 and believe me1 dear papa1 #8,your dutiful ,daughter1 #8,m4 ,,young4 #8,n4,b4--,by the time ,mr4 ,kedington comes his strawberries will be ripe2 ask him if he would give me a few if ,i send for them4 ,pray remember a patent lock1 so it will be a guinea besides that4' ,reply #8,i was very glad to receive my dear ,bobbin's letter1 for it gives the best account ,i have yet received of your health4 ,as you wish a guinea box you shall have one1 though ,i can very ill afford it at present4 ,as to your mother's ideas of my being paid1 nothing can be said to it1 if she knows better than ,i do4 ,her intelligence that ,i have sold the ,exchequer annuity is like all the rest2 if it is of longer duration than ,i supposed1 so much the better for those who have bought it of me1 and the worse for me4 #8,lady ,hawkesbury1 ,lady ,hervey and ,lady ,erne#agj have given the ,macklins and me some opera tickets several times--last night for the benefit of the sailors' widows and orphans1 under ,lord ,jarvis2 but sailors are not in fashion2 the pit was not more than two-thirds full4 ,they go out of town on ,sunday or ,monday4 ,the weather has been very hot4 ,yesterday ,i could scarcely get from the ,board home1 for coaches and crowds along all the streets near ,st4 ,james's1 c4 ,the ,king is low-spirited at the thought of parting from his daughter4 ,the ,duchy of ,wurtemburg is in the very jaws of ,france1 and the prospect not favourable4 ,every person that comes from ,france asserts the same1 that their whole force will be brought against this country4 ,i have been sent for1 and had an interview with a cabinet minister on arming the landed interest2 but ,i fear nothing will be done effectually1 though they seemed determined that something shall4 ,don't mention this out of the family4 ,i will put paper in your box1 changing the lock will take some time1 but you shall have it1 ,i hope1 on ,monday4 ,continue to write me4 ,tell your ,m4 mother ,i have no money2 therefore1 why worry me8 ,she might as well ask blood from a post4 #8,dear ,bobbin1 #8,yours affectionately1 #8,a4 ,y4' ,from ,bobbin to her ,father #8,my dear ,papa1--,i received your letter this morning and am extremely obliged to you for your attention about the writing-box1 but if it be not purchased1 ,i have seen one at ,rackham's which suits me exactly in every respect1 therefore1 if you will send a patent lock1 ,i can have it put on4 ,the price of ,rackham's is a guinea1 but if you have bought it ,i shall like it as well4 ,my chief complaints are weakness1 and a very bad cough1 nothing else that ,i mind4 ,i dare say you were entertained at the opera4 #8,i have just got six of the most beautiful little rabbits you ever saw1 they skip about so prettily1 you can't think1 and ,i shall have some more in a few weeks4 ,having had so much physic ,i am right down tired of it4 ,i take it still twice a day2 my appetite is better4 ,what can you mind politics so for8 ,i don't think about them4 ,well1 good bye1 and believe me1 dear papa1 #8,your dutiful ,daughter1 #8,m4 ,,young4 #8,saturday4' ,his ,reply #8,monday4 #8,my dear ,bobbin1--,i received your letter this morning1 and am sorry it did not come in time to stop my buying this box1 which is twenty-five shillings besides carriage2 but ,i hope you will like it2 the lock is good and not common4 ,i cannot afford a patent one1 which is fifteen shillings alone4 #8,i am sorry to hear you have a bad cough and are weak4 ,god send this fine weather may make you well soon4 ,continue to let me know how you do1 particularly your cough4 ,you do not say if you are upon the whole better1 nor whether you have got on horseback yet1 which ,i must have you do1 at all events1 or you will not get well at all4 ,be more particular--what physic do you take8 #8,you are right not to trouble yourself about politics4 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,m4 went out of town this morning4 #8,the ,directory of ,france has ordered all my works on ,agriculture to be translated in twenty volumes1 and their friends here would guillotine the author4 ,the 8,travels0 sell greatly there in ,french1 the third edition coming4 #8,adieu4 #8,yours affectionately4 #8,i have just time to send this writing-box4 ,i intended it by coach1 but as ,i am sure the seals would be ground all to powder1 ,i think it best by waggon1 which will explain the reason of your not having it so soon as ,i hoped and promised1 and ,i think you would be vexed to have your collection spoiled4 ,it goes by ,bury waggon4 ,your pincushion box won't come in it4' ,note from ,a4 ,y4 to ,bonnet 7,farm ,bailiff7 #8,miss ,patty is to ride out in the chaise or whisky1 or on double horse1 whenever ,bonnet is not obliged to be absent from the farm4 ,if he is at market when the days are long and ,miss ,patty rises early1 she can have a ride before breakfast4 #8,bonnet to pay ,miss ,patty a shilling a week4' ,to ,bobbin from her ,father #8,my dear ,bobbin1--,i know your understanding1 and therefore shall not write to you1 young as you are1 as a child4 ,mrs4 ,oakes writes me from ,smith that ,dr4 ,t4 ordered you physic which you have not taken1 at the same time that he does not at all like your case4 ,now this is a very serious business for your health1 and consequently it makes me very uneasy4 ,you are extremely weak by your own account1 and steel is to strengthen4 ,i gave it with my own hand to my father for a year1 and with great effect2 why you should doubt the efficacy of anything prescribed by so great a physician is more than ,i can understand2 as to ill tastes1 it is beneath common sense to listen to anything of the sort4 #8,but1 my dear ,bobbin1 you ought to bring some circumstances to your recollection2 the expense ,i have been at is more than ,i can afford1 and ,i am now paying your school the same as if present4 ,it is surely incumbent on you to consider1 that when a father is doing everything upon earth for your good1 yet you ought from feelings of gratitude and generosity to do all you can for yourself4 ,i ask nothing but what another would positively insist on1 and would order violent means of securing obedience2 ,i1 on the contrary1 rely on your own feelings and your good sense1 and so relying1 ,i do beg that you will take everything ordered without murmur or hesitation1 for ,i assure you it is with astonishment ,i hear that you have omitted this some time4 ,call your understanding to your aid1 and ask yourself what you can think must be my surprise at hearing that while all around you are anxious for your health1 that you alone will be careless of it4 ,it is a much worse thing than ill health1 for ,i had rather hear you were worse in body than that you had a malady in your heart or head4 ,think seriously of such conduct1 and ,i am confident it will cease1 for ,i know your disposition1 and that makes me the more surprised1 for knowing your good temper so well as ,i do it is perfectly astonishing4 ,i am sure ,i shall hear1 and it will be with great pleasure1 that you are acting worthy of yourself2 and having so much patience in your illness1 you will show it in this1 as in so many other things4 7,the first cheap lobsters ,i shall send you three by mail1 the weather being hot47 ,i think you are not strong enough to ride a dicky alone4 ,surely double-horse would be better1 but if you have tried you must be able to judge4 ,pray continue to write me constantly1 for you must know how anxious ,i am to hear exactly your case4 #8,god bless you1 my dear girl4 ,i talk of your physician and your physic1 but ,god forbid you trusted to either without asking ,his blessing regularly4 ,you tell me that you always say your prayers2 you cannot deceive ,god1 and ,i hope you have a reliance on ,his blessing1 which you cannot have if you do not ask it1 and gain the habit of asking it4' ,from ,bobbin to her ,father #8,my dear ,papa1--,i received your letter yesterday4 ,thank you for your advice2 ,i had taken the steel and draughts long before ,i received it1 besides which ,i take some more stuff#aga 444 and ask him the doctor likewise how long the steel1 c41 must be taken before you feel any effect from it1 for one might take physic for ever without receiving any benefit4 ,let not my giving you my opinion make you think that ,i do not take mine regularly2 ,i assure you ,i do4 ,my dear papa1 how can you imagine that ,i should ever neglect my prayers8 ,no6 believe me1 ,i know my duty too well for that4 ,i believe once1 the last time ,i was at the cottage1 when ,i was too weak to say them out of bed1 ,i then said them when ,betty brought the asses' milk4 ,one morning ,i fell asleep and forgot them2 ,i thought of it at night1 and told her to remind me of them1 which she did--this she can tell you4 ,i thank you for some fine cod and lobsters1 which came very fresh and good4 #8,i am much the same as when ,i wrote last1 my cough very troublesome still4 ,i called on ,mrs4 ,belgrave1 she was gone to town4 ,adieu1 my dear papa4 ,believe me #8,your dutiful and affectionate ,daughter1 #8,m4 ,,young4' ,his ,reply #8,saturday4 #8,my dearest ,bobbin1--,the moment your letter came ,i went to ,dr4 ,turton1 but he was1 as ,i feared he would be1 out4 ,however1 ,i shall call on him this evening and send you his answer by to-morrow night's mail1 if he is not gone to ,kent1 which ,i hope he will not be4 ,if so1 ,i cannot see him till ,tuesday1 as ,i shall be ,sunday and ,monday at the ,duke of ,bedford's4444 ,i am of opinion you should leave off steel till you have my answer4444 ,it is to give you strength4444 ,you are a very good girl for having taken it1 and equally for saying your prayers4 ,always preserve the habit of doing so4 ,god protect and bless you6 #8,two #fd's and fifteen merchantmen have left the mutineers under a heavy fine1 and it is expected the rest will do the same very soon1 and then ,admiral ,parker and ,co4 will swing4 ,great expectations of a peace4 ,tell ,mary1 ,st4 ,paul's would come to ,b4 as soon as ,dr4 ,t41 but her thought was a good one4 #8,write me again soon4 #8,yours very affectionately1 #8,a4 ,y4' ,to ,bobbin from her ,father #8,jermyn ,street3 ,friday4 #8,my dear ,bobbin1--,as ,i desired you to write to me twice a week ,i expected a letter yesterday1 but hope when ,i go by and by to the ,board that ,i shall find one from you1 for ,i am very anxious to hear how you do1 and what ,dr4 ,turton has ordered ,smith to do for you4 ,i had a very disagreeable journey to town1 and did not sleep a minute1 but1 thank ,god1 did not take cold2 went to bed next night at nine o'clock and recovered the fatigue4 ,the ,macklins and ,kedington were in a good deal of rain4 ,they have been at two plays2 ,i go to none4 ,k4 lives with us1 and ,i am to charge him what he costs4 ,they will go somewhere every night4 ,i order everything just as usual before ,i go to the ,board1 and though ,i am to pay no more than my common expenses when alone1 yet1 as ,i necessarily live much better1 ,i think it but fair to be quite economical1 and we have a great deal of pleasant laugh at my pinching them1 and not permitting their being extravagant4 ,i allow no scrap of a supper which they make a rout about1 for they come hungry as hounds from the play1 and drink porter when they can get it2 the wine ,i lock up1 and have been twice in bed when they return4 ,if you saw them devour at breakfast you would laugh2 ,k41 who is to be with the ,oakes' when they come 7we have hired ,merlin's for them71 threatens that he will give us nothing but potatoes4 #8,the news you see4 ,it is said that there will be mutinies in the army as soon as the camps are formed2 if so1 and no immense army of property to awe them1 the very worst of consequences may be expected4 ,ireland is in a dreadful state of alarm and apprehension--in a word1 everything wears a threatening appearance1 and nothing but the greatest wisdom and prudence can save us4 #8,i hope you have got rid of your lameness1 and use your legs much more than you did when ,i was with you4 ,pray1 my dear ,bobbin1 exert yourself1 and take much air and exercise on the ,stone ,walk1 which will do in all weathers except rain4 ,i have not seen anybody yet except ,lord ,egremont4 #8,tell ,arthur to write to the ,lewes bookseller that the ,board buys two hundred copies and finds the plates1 that is the copper1 so that it must be to him not a hazardous speculation4 ,adieu1 my dear girl4 #8,yours affectionately1 #8,a4 ,y4' ,bobbin's ,reply #8,my dear ,papa1--,i received your letter this morning4 ,i am sorry you had not a pleasant journey4 ,every day since you went we have had nothing but rain all day 7most part of the night7 long1 so ,i have not been able to stir out1 only in the chaise4 ,i am much the same as when ,i saw you1 but hope that when we have fine weather ,i shall get better4 ,my leg is a great deal better4 ,mr4 ,smith advises porter1 the beer is so new4444 ,if you like to send a quarter cask my mother will pay the carriage2 she has no opinion of ,bury porter4 ,if you send it by the ,diss waggon let me know when it comes2 if you don't like this1 order ,bonnet to get me some at ,bury4 ,what terrible news you write me in your letter4 ,i really have nothing more to tell you2 write soon1 and believe me #8,your dutiful ,daughter1 #8,m4 ,,young4 #8,n4,b4--,papa1 you said you would send me some red wine1 as there is none drank here2 he speaks very much against my drinking so much water without red wine in it1 because my ankles swell so much4' ,the following were memoranda noted at the time3-- ,the #aath of ,june ,i went to the ,duke of ,bedford's sheep-shearing1 and got back 7to ,london7 on the #afth4 ,the next day ,i had a letter that terrified me so much that on the #aith ,i set off for ,suffolk1 and went directly to ,troston ,hall 7the seat of ,capel ,lofft1 ,esq471 where the dear dear child had been carried some days before for change of air4 ,good ,god6 what a situation ,i found her in1 worse than ,i had conceived possible in so short a time1 so helpless and immovable as to be carried from a chair to her bed1 evidently in one of those cruel consumptive cases which flatter by some favourable symptoms1 yet with fatal ones that almost deprive hope4 ,good ,heaven6 what have ,i to look forward to if ,i lose my child8 ,for her own sake ,i know not what to hope2 the world is so full of wickedness and misery1 and she must be so innocent and free from crimes1 that her lot hereafter1 ,i hope and have confidence in the mercies of ,god1 will be blessed4 ,ought ,i then1 but from selfishness1 to wish her here8 ,yet a fond father's feelings will be predominant4 ,oh1 save her1 save her1 is my prayer to ,god ,almighty6 ,dr4 ,wollaston1 the eminent physician at ,bury1 has been consulted2 he gives little hopes1 but advises a milk and vegetable diet1 and said that sea air and a humid mild climate would be good4 ,i next wrote to ,dr4 ,thornton1 who recommended an egg and meat diet2 and ,mr4 ,martyn1 in a letter1 desired me to try the inhaling of ether2 in fact1 all has been done that the urgency of the case required1 but1 alas6 she is past the assistance of all human power4 ,after remaining a week at ,troston ,i wrote into ,lincolnshire for a house at ,boston1 with a view to be near the sea1 in case she should be able to support a short voyage2 and the air of that low place is reckoned preferable to the keen air of ,bradfield4 ,we travelled with slow and short journeys on ,july #e to ,bradon--still more exhausted2 on the #fth to ,wisbeach--no alteration yet from the change of air2 on the #gth only to ,long ,sutton--worse1 greatly fatigued1 and a very bad night4 ,oh6 the lacerated feelings of my wounded heart6 ,to see the child of my tenderest affection in such a state6 growing hourly weaker and more emaciated1 during the last week being even unable to stand4 ,it is beyond my power to describe what is struggling within me6 ,my sorrow has softened me and wrings my very heart strings6 ,how hard does it appear submissively to bow to that text--#8,he that loveth son or daughter more than ,me is not worthy of ,me4' ,i have but one consolation1 which prevents my utter depression and despair4 ,i trust in the goodness of her ,almighty ,creator and in the merits of her blessed ,redeemer1 that ,they will1 in the mercy of omnipotence1 pardon what slight offences she may have been guilty of1 and receive her into that heavenly mansion which ,i humbly hope her innocence may expect4 ,i pray fervently for ,their mercy1 and only wish that ,i was worthy of being heard4 ,may my future life be such as to make an hereafter the great view1 aim1 and end of my remaining life6 ,the #hth we reached ,spalding1 too much fatigued to go on1 thinking that an air so different from what she had left might have given some ease4 ,vain hope6 ,no effort of the kind appears4 ,the #aath we arrived at ,boston1 and she bore the journey well4 ,alas6 it was her final stage in this world6 ,the next day she was still worse1 but even now gave one of those traits which displayed her delicacy1 for upon finding that her mother was detaining ,dr4 ,wilson with questions1 she reminded her of it by saying1 #8,mamma1 you forget there are other ladies wanting the doctor4' ,on the #acth the crisis of her sufferings was approaching2 she whispered to me as ,i sat by her bedside1 #8,i hope you pray for me4' ,at about eleven o'clock she asked her sister ,mary to read a prayer as usual1 and attended with apparent fervour1 putting her hands together in the attitude of devotion4 ,my poor dear child breathed her last at twelve minutes past one o'clock on ,friday morning1 the #adth4 ,i was on my knees at her bedside in great agony of mind4 ,she looked at me and said1 #8,pray for me4' ,i assured her that ,i did4 ,she replied1 #8,do it now1 papa1' on which ,i poured forth aloud ejaculations to the ,almighty1 that ,he would have compassion and heal the affliction of my child4 ,she clasped her hands together in the attitude of praying1 and when ,i had done said1 #8,amen'--her last words4 ,thank ,god of ,his infinite mercy she expired without a groan1 or her face being the least agitated2 her inspirations were gradually changed from being very distressing1 till they became lost in gentleness1 and at the last she went off like a bird4 ,thus fled one of the sweetest tempers and1 for her years1 one of the best understandings that ,i ever met with4 ,she was a companion for mature years1 for there was in her none of the childish stuff of most girls4 ,and there fled the first hope of my life1 the child on whom ,i wished to rest in the affliction of my age1 should ,i reach such a period4 ,but the ,almighty's will be done1 and may ,i turn the event to the benefit of my soul1 and in such a manner as to trust through the mediation of my ,redeemer to become worthy to join her in a better world4 ,her disposition was most affectionate1 gentle1 and humane2 to her inferiors1 full of humility1 and always ready to perform acts of beneficence1 thus attaching the poor by her charity1 whilst she was equally courted by those above her for that fascination of manners possessing the attraction of the loadstone4 ,her countenance in health beamed with animation1 and her dimpled cheeks smiled with the beauty of a ,hebe4 ,dear interesting creature6 ,endowed1 too1 with a sensibility that shrunk from the gaze1 her appearance in society produced here the sentence breaks off4 ,what a scene have ,i described for a fond father to witness6 ,on the #aeth the ,rev4 ,s4 ,partridge and his wife came to give us what comfort they could1 and took us in a most kind and friendly manner to their house4 ,i determined that her remains should be carried to ,bradfield1 having a warm hope of being animated to a more fervent devotion by the idea of her ashes being deposited in our own village church4 ,to the departed spirit it is less than nothing--to me it may do good1 and ,i have need of working out my salvation with fear and trembling4 ,i feel that a wretched and depressed state of mind leads me to more ,christian thoughts and more favourable to religious impressions than prosperity1 or ease1 or happiness1 as it is called1 and therefore hope ,i am justified in doing it2 and if my family think the same1 they also will derive benefit4 ,after a day passed in deep sorrow1 ,mr4 ,partridge read one of his sermons on the intermediate state of departed souls1 and which ,i afterwards found was one of ,jortin's4#agb ,from many passages of ,scripture it was made clear that they are conscious1 and if good in this life1 happy4 ,on ,monday1 the #agth1 ,i arrived at ,bradfield1 where every object is full of the dear deceased4 ,on going into the library the window looks into the little garden in which ,i have so many times seen her happy4 ,o gracious and merciful ,god6 pardon me for allowing any earthly object thus to engross my feelings and overpower my whole soul6 ,but what were they not on seeing and weeping over the roses1 variegated sage1 and other plants she had set there and cultivated with her dear hands4 ,but every room1 every spot is full of her1 and it sinks my very heart to see them4 ,tuesday evening1 the #ahth1 her remains arrived1 and at midnight her brother read the service over her in a most impressive manner4 ,i buried her in my pew1 fixing the coffin so that when ,i kneel it will be between her head and her dear heart4 ,this ,i did as a means of preserving the grief ,i feel1 and hope to feel while breath is in my body4 ,it turns all my views to an hereafter1 and fills my mind with earnest wishes1 that when the great ,author of my existence may please to take me ,i may join my child in a better world4 ,o merciful ,saviour1 that took on ,thee our nature and feelings1 grant me ,thy ,holy ,spirit to confirm and strengthen these sentiments2 to repent of all my sins and errors1 and enable me for the rest of my days to look steadily towards that better world where1 ,i trust1 the innocence of my child1 united with her piety1 have given her a place4 ,sure1 sure1 ,i shall pray with a more fervent and sincere devotion over the remains of her whom ,i so much wish1 when it pleases ,heaven1 that ,i may join4 ,this was my motive4 ,the #aith ,i went into a little chamber which ,i had neatly fitted up about three years ago4 ,my dear child had decorated it with some drawings and placed her books on the shelves1 and left it in that order and regularity which followed all her actions4 ,i burst into tears while viewing it1 and felt such a depression at my heart that ,i thought ,i should have sunk on the floor4 ,it shall never be altered1 but everything continued as she left it4 #bjth4--,again looked at her garden1 and a new one she had marked out and planted under a weeping willow4 ,no day arrives but some new object is presented to move all the springs of affection and regret2 and what day can pass in which these melancholy feelings will not predominate8 ,in the meantime ,i read the ,scriptures1 and ,jortin and other sermons1 with an attention ,i never paid before2 and may ,god of ,his mercy confirm this disposition1 and enable me thus to turn this heavy misfortune to the benefit of my soul4 ,dispositions which company1 travelling1 and other pursuits would have tended to banish1 ,i wish to cherish2 a melancholy has produced in me a more earnest desire to be reconciled to ,god than any other event of my life1 and proves that of all the medicines of the soul1 sorrow is perhaps the most powerful4 ,business1 pleasure1 and the world1 tend only to stifle this seriousness of thought1 and to prevent the mind from looking into itself and examining the foundation of all its future hopes4 ,for these three days ,i have continued perusing no books but the ,new ,testament and sermons1 of which ,i have read many4 #bast4--,hoed part of my dear child's garden under the window1 and carried her bonnet and cap to her chamber4 ,they produced many tears1 for ,i yet continue weak as a babe4 ,read the whole ,gospel of ,st4 ,john1 two sermons of ,tillotson on the state of the blessed1 and two of ,dr4 ,horne's on the purification of the mind by troubles and the government of the thoughts4 ,i had before in this week read all the ,epistles1 the ,hebrews1 and the ,acts of the ,apostles1 and also ,bryant's #8,authenticity of the ,scriptures4' ,such studies are my only consolation4 ,i give full attention1 and hope for the blessing of ,god's ,holy ,spirit1 that ,i may not let it be vain1 or ever suffer the world to wipe out this taste for the things that concern another world4 ,i attempt the regulation of my thoughts1 and to contemplate the goodness and mercy of the ,deity2 but my misery for the irreparable loss ,i have suffered yet weighs me down4 #bbnd4--,hoed the rest of her garden4 ,symonds and ,carter spent the day at the ,hall4 ,i wish they had not come together1 ,i wanted conversation with them separately on the question ,i had read a good deal of1 the sleep of the soul after death till the resurrection4 ,symonds will not admit that we can draw any satisfactory conclusion for or against it1 but ,carter allows ,dr4 ,jortin's reasoning in his sermon on that subject4 ,in the evening ,i read what ,dr4 ,h4 ,more#agc says upon the subject1 who is strenuously against it4 ,a state of insensibility is a dreadful idea1 and ,i find consolation in the conviction that my dear girl is now happy4 #bcrd4--,sunday2 passed it1 ,i hope1 like a ,christian4 ,at church sitting over the remains of my child6 ,oh6 what a train of feelings absorbed my soul4 ,in the evening read ,st4 ,luke's ,gospel and took a most heart-sinking melancholy walk4 ,i cannot yet bring my mind to sufficient tranquillity to throw into one little memoir these and other particulars4 ,examined the willows she planted on the island4 ,oh6 that they were thriving oaks that promised a longer duration1 but they may last as long as anybody that will care for the planter4 ,continue to read ,scripture1 and some of ,secker's#agd and ,ogden's#age sermons1 and again began #8,bryant on ,christianity4' ,i pray to ,god with all the fervency ,i feel to give me the grace of ,his ,holy ,spirit1 that ,i may turn this loss to the benefit of my soul4 ,dr4 ,jortin1 in his seventeenth sermon1 most truly says1 #8,it is adversity which seizes upon the future as prosperity dwells upon the present4' ,on the #beth ,i read ,littleton's#agf #8,conversion and ,apostleship of ,st4 ,paul4' ,i had brought down from ,london a new political pamphlet of ,howlett's on a subject that was once interesting1 but ,i can attend to nothing except inquiries which in some degree connect with that habit of mind which flows from my recent loss4 ,mrs4 ---- called to persuade me into company for regaining cheerfulness4 ,alas6 it will come1 ,i fear1 much too soon1 and what is it good for8 ,sorrow is the best physician to heal a soul that has been too careless in its duty to ,god4 ,will the world1 and pleasure1 and society contribute like grief to secure me a probability of joining in another world the spirit of her ,i mourn8 #bfth4--,i read part of ,dr4 ,clarke's#agg #8,demonstration of the ,being and ,attributes of ,god1' as much as ,i could understand without too intense an application1 and then part of #8,butler's ,analogy4' ,prayed to the ,almighty in the middle of the day4 ,the morning is the proper time1 but when we are tired and sleepy1 the evening ,i think an improper period to offer either thanksgiving or petitions to the ,divine goodness4 ,why1 oh6 why must we have misfortune and sorrow to make us sensible of our duty to our heavenly ,father and our ,saviour and ,redeemer8 ,how difficult to instil a right attention into young people4 ,i am1 however1 thankful that my dear child was naturally serious and1 ,i believe1 well disposed in this respect2 with what joy ,i now read the following passage in a letter ,i received from her while she was ill at ,bradfield before ,i came down3 #8,my dear papa1 how can you imagine that ,i should ever neglect my prayers8 ,no6 believe me1 ,i know my duty too well for that4' ,what now would be the idea of any improvement or accomplishment compared with the least trait like this8 #bgth4--,called for a few minutes on some neighbours4 ,they all want me to dine with them1 but such society to a mind diseased yields no food for reflection1 and is1 therefore1 not fit for me4 ,i could associate with nobody with comfort1 but those whose religious acquirements could tend to strengthen my present habits4 ,i continue to read ,butler1 also two sermons by ,conybeare#agh on angels2 looked at the miniature which my wife has of the dear girl1 a most striking likeness by ,plymer2#agi wept over it with feelings easier imagined than described4 ,i will have a copy of it2 'twill serve1 at least1 as a melancholy remembrance1 and1 ,i hope1 recall my mind should it ever wander from the lamented original4 #bhth4--,finished ,butler's #8,analogy4' ,it does not quite answer the idea ,i had formed of him1 though a powerful work2 but he demands a second perusal1 but does not even then promise to be perfectly clear4 ,read also ,mr4 ,locke's #8,reasonableness of ,christianity1' which is a luminous convincing work1 and must have done great good4 ,watered dear ,bobbin's garden and read over her letters4 ,she had1 for her early years1 a most uncommon understanding and a penetration into character wonderful for the age of fourteen4 ,on reviewing her last illness ,i am filled with nothing but the most poignant regret and self-condemnation for putting so much reliance in the medical tribe1 for she had the personal attendance or correspondence of five physicians and none agreed4 ,i did for the best and spared nothing1 but had she been a pauper in a village she would1 ,i verily think1 have been alive and hearty4 ,such are the blessings of money2 it has cost me #ajjl4 to destroy my child1 for ,i do not think one shilling was bestowed which did not in one way or other do mischief4 ,whilst ,i was in much anxiety about my child's health ,i bought ,mr4 ,wilberforce on ,christianity4#ahj ,i read it coldly at first1 but advanced with more attention4 ,it brought me to a better sense of my dangerous state2 but ,i was much involved in hesitation and doubt1 and was very far from understanding the doctrinal part of the book4 ,this was well1 for it induced me to read it again and again1 and it made so much impression upon me that ,i scarcely knew how to lay it aside4 ,it excited a very insufficient degree of repentance1 and a still more insufficient view of my interest in the ,great ,physician of souls4 ,it is rather singular that a trifling circumstance at this time first brought me acquainted with ,mr4 ,wilberforce1 whose book ,i had been again perusing for the fourth time with increased pleasure1 and to whom ,i had more than once thought of writing for his opinion on the intermediate state and original sin4 ,on arriving at ,boston1 what was my surprise on receiving a letter from him relative to ,parkinson's subscription to some book on agriculture1 and apologising for the application to a stranger4 ,i seized the pen with eagerness to reply1 writing largely about his own book1 praising it greatly1 and telling him of my wish to apply to him4 ,should this 7,i thought7 be productive of a connection that might confirm my pious resolution1 ,i might1 perhaps1 be justified in attributing it to the interposition of ,god4 ,i hope that the thought is not presumptuous4 ,is it the spirit of my sweet girl that is thus friendly to me8 ,how pleasing an idea6 ,july #bi4--;,having excused myself from dining out with the ,balgraves1 a note from her this morning4 ,but it will not do4 ,company and the world will only draw off my mind from those religious contemplations and that course of reading which is favourable to prayer1 repentance1 and reformation4 ,i wish not to lessen my grief or banish my feelings of that sorrow which turns my heart at present to seek ,god4 ,i dread it will come but too soon2 and were it not for this apprehension ,i should go on my journey to ,lincolnshire for the ,board directly1 but ,i wish to confirm these feelings and earnestly pray for the ,divine grace to preserve them to the extirpation from my heart of love for the world or any of its follies4 ,note added by ,a4 ,y4 in #ahag4 ,throughout many of the succeeding notes1 several expressions occur not all consistent with true evangelical religion2 but ,i would not afterwards alter them1 because ,i wished to ascertain1 on the re-perusal of these papers1 what was at the moment of my affliction the state of my mind and of my faith2 and when ,i consider what were the books which ,i read and admired1 ,i cannot be surprised at any such remarks falling from my pen4 ,i have often reflected on the great mercy and goodness of ,god in not permitting my religious opinions to be permanently injured by some of the works which it will be found ,i so eagerly perused at a period when ,i could not have one moment's conversation with any truly pious character4 ,two circumstances probably contributed to this effect3 first1 the incessant attention which ,i gave to reading the ,new ,testament2 and secondly1 my ardent study of ,mr4 ,wilberforce's #8,practical ,christianity1' though without thoroughly understanding it4 ,the solitary life ,i condemned myself to1 or1 to speak with more propriety1 which alone ,i relished1 while reading sixteen or seventeen hours a day1 and in which ,i consequently rather devoured books than read them1 was1 ,i think1 very advantageous1 and possibly more so in the final result than if my authors had been more truly sound4 ,i have since perused many works which1 had they fallen into my hands at that time1 would probably have made me quit my retirement and rush into the society of men who would have conducted me1 in my then state of mind1 to the utmost lengths of enthusiasm4 ,the writers ,i consulted were well calculated to lay a certain solidity of foundation in the great leading truths of ,christianity1 which formed a basis whereon it was easy afterwards to raise a more evangelical edifice4 ,in all this business ,i cannot but admire the goodness of the ,almighty in protecting me from many evils to which ,i might easily have been led by my troubled feelings4 ,diary continued4 ,read ,dr4 ,isaac ,barrow's sermon on submission to the ,divine will4 ,he seems a powerful writer1 but his language is debased by expressions void of all dignity4 ,read a good deal in ,barrow on the pre-existence of human souls4 ,very singular2 the texts on which he builds support him very faintly1 yet there is a degree of probability in the system consonant to reason4 #cjth4--,prayed to ,god over the remains of my dear child1 and the circumstance fills my mind with that melancholy that is not unsuitable to religious feelings4 ,i do not wonder at the custom of the primitive ,christians praying at the tombs of the departed1 it is an obvious and natural prejudice4 ,finished ,barrow1 and wrote to my friend ,mr4 ,cole to desire he would apply to his neighbour1 the learned ,bryant1 to know his opinion of that question4 ,began ,dr4 ,more on the #8,immortality of the ,soul4' ,capel ,lofft spent the day with us2 his conversation is ready on any subject1 and mine led to serious ones1 which he seems to like4 ,we had much that was metaphysical on the soul 7pre-existence71 a future state1 c4 ,he is of opinion that heaven is not so very different from our ideas of what this world might be1 as are commonly entertained2 and rightly observes1 that if death1 evil1 anxiety1 and disease1 with corporeal passions1 were banished1 this earth would be a heaven2 and that the knowledge of one another hereafter is not at all inconsistent with our ,saviour's expression1 #8in ,my ,father's house are many mansions4' #cast4--,read ,littleton's sermon on the necessity of well husbanding our time4 ,it is excellent1 he has thoughts and modes of expanding his observations that are beyond the common run4 ,laid aside ,dr4 ,more on the #8,immortality of the ,soul2' he gets so high in the region of fancy1 and is so full of jargon and supposition1 under the formula of demonstrations1 that ,i am disgusted with his farrago2 and there is so much on witches1 apparitions1 c41 as to be mere rubbish4 ,read ,sherlock's sixth sermon on the #8,immortality of the ,soul1' which is an admirable one4 ,i see plainly from what ,i feel upon occasion of the severe1 dreadfully severe misfortune that ,i have met with1 that under great afflictions there can be no real consolation but in religion4 ,i have mused and meditated much on what philosophy1 as it is called1 could afford in such an exigency1 but the amount would be no more than the employment of the mind1 and preventing its dwelling without interruption on the loss sustained1 the comfort to be drawn from it would be weak and vain2 but the ,gospel offers considerations which bear immediately on the source of the evil2 affords matter of consolation in the certainty of another life1 and in those promises which meet the yearnings of the distempered soul2 diffuses a calm and quiet resignation to the ,divine will1 under the pleasing hope of seeing those again in the next world whom we have loved tenderly in this4 ,to me it seems that when this wish is founded on a virtuous object here as that of a parent and a child1 the very hope is an argument in its favour1 because it is perfectly consistent with infinite benevolence to grant it--and the desire must be universal in every human mind4 ,august #a4--,read about half of ,sherlock on #8,immortality1' but my patience was then quite exhausted2 the verbiage is such that it sickens one1 though ,i approve the doctrine entirely and agree with him in everything4 ,what a loss6 that excellent books for matter should be so written1 or rather spun into such endless circumlocutions that time is wasted for want of compression4 ,read three or four sermons of ,littleton--clear1 lucid1 and impressive4 ,at night a ,dane came1 recommended by ,sir ,j4 ,sinclair4 ,unfortunate to all my feelings4 ,i refuse dining with all my friends1 and to be tormented with a trifler who can speak neither ,french nor ,english4 ,my mind is in a state that cannot bear interruption4 ,i love to mope alone1 and reflect on my misery4 ,august #b4--;,began ,scott's#aha #8,christian ,life1' but ,smythies having sent me the sixth volume of ,bishop ,newton's#ahb works1 containing a dissertation on the #8,intermediate ,state1' ,i read it with equal eagerness and satisfaction4 ,it exceeds on that subject all ,i have yet met with4 ,he is of opinion1 in which all agree1 that good spirits will know each other2 and probably1 from the parable of ,lazarus1 have some knowledge of what passes on earth4 ,but that is of little consequence in comparison with the most consoling and comfortable idea contained in the first opinion4 ,and what a call is it to strive with earnestness and ardour to arrive at a situation that will recompense us in so great a degree for every evil and sorrow we can meet with in this world4 ,can ,i then hope1 by dedicating the rest of my life here to ,god1 to join my dear child hereafter1 my mother1 my other daughter1 and my sister2 and should it so please the ,almighty in ,his mercy1 my father and brother8 ,of the females ,i can have little doubt1 or rather none4 ,i know too little of the lives of the others to venture to pronounce4 ,read also ,bishop ,newton's dissertation on the ,resurrection1 general judgment1 and final state of man4 ,they are all excellent1 and ,i rather devoured than read them4 ,these books ,i must buy to read again with more attention4 #crd4--,the ,dane is gone1 and therefore ,i am left to my favourite contemplations4 ,newton's dissertations are consoling1 for they leave me no doubts about that hideous doctrine1 the sleep of the soul1 which1 however it might have been suited for the dead1 is dreadful to those they leave behind4 ,for the rest of my life to know that my dear child is in a state of conscious existence1 and consequently happy1 is the first of comforts2 but to feel the enlivening warmth and light of the sun1 thinking that she felt nothing1 but slept in the cold grave1 would have almost sunk me into it4 ,no6 she lives1 and as there is reason to believe1 the departed spirits have some knowledge of what passes here4 ,what a call is it to conduct myself so as to give no pain to her6 ,let me imagine myself for ever seen by the spirits of my mother and my child4 ,let me have a keen feeling of the pain any unworthy action or impure thought would give to them1 and of the pleasure they would reap from seeing the reverse2 that ,i was so living as gave them a hope of my joining them hereafter4 ,let me1 if possible1 entertain this persuasion till ,i am convinced of it4 ,i cannot have the thought without being the better man4 ,oh6 guard me against relapsing into evil negligence1 the two certain fruits of pleasure and prosperity4 ,what are the friendships of the world6 ,what consolation1 what comfort6 ,when most wanted it is sure to fail4 ,one has business1 another pleasure2 one1 a family1 another a husband1 all have something to render them broken reeds to such as are in want2 and whether the boon be comfort or money1 they prove the same to the touchstone4 ,who have been my friends8 ,symonds and ,carter are good men1 but ,i have seen them of late only once4 ,who must ,i name but ,ogden1 ,sherlock1 ,jortin1 ,bishop ,newton1 ,butler1 ,locke1 and ,clarke8 ,these have told me how to make a friend not like to fail in the time of need1 my ,god and my ,saviour4 ,may ,i strengthen and confirm that friendship and turn it to be a habit of my life6 ,and thou1 most gentle spirit of my departed child1 if it is allowed thee to look down on earth1 be my guardian angel and lead me to everlasting life1 to join thee to part no more6 #dth4--,read three of ,bishop ,sherlock's sermons and one of ,dr4 ,clarke's1 also some passages in his #8,demonstration of the ,truth of ,revealed ,religion4' #eth4--,read a very good sermon of ,bishop ,sherlock on ,redemption1 the third in fourth volume4 ,bishop ,butler on human ignorance1 excellent4 ,this subject1 in the books ,i have yet read1 has not been sufficiently treated1 it might be made to refute all the infidels1 and draw mankind to a more religious life4 ,my dear girl's books are come1 her unfinished work1 her letters1 c4 ,melancholy employment to unpack and arrange them in her room4 ,if any difference ,i think of her with more1 rather than with less regret2 yet ,i hope and trust1 not without resignation to the ,almighty will of the great and good ,being whose providence has deprived me of her4 ,i think ,i feel that this deep regret1 this calm sorrow will last my life1 and that no events can happen that will ever banish her from my mind4 ,ranby called and ,i conversed with him about her till tears would1 had ,i continued it1 stopped my speaking4 ,i hate and pity those who avoid talking to the afflicted upon the subject which causes their affliction1 it argues a little trifling mind in one party or the other4 ,read ,bishop ,sherlock's #8,dissertation respecting the ,sense of the ,ancients on the ,fall of ,man1' which seems to me 7who am1 however1 no judge7 a very clear and satisfactory work4 ,he appears to have a singular talent in reconciling seeming difficulties in knotty texts of ,scripture1 and opens every subject with great clearness and an acute spirit of discrimination4 ,i suppose there must be some commonplace book of divinity1 but ,i know not whose2 a collection of luminous passages from such an immensity of writings as there are on this most important of all subjects would be very useful2 yet every man should make his own1 selecting such topics and observations as come home to his own case and bosom4 ,were ,i not going now a most uninteresting journey1 ,i would do this for myself4 ,this tour hangs on my mind2 nothing would suit my feelings so well as to stay here in my present melancholy gloom1 reading divinity1 and endeavouring so steadily to fix my mind on eternity and the hope of joining my dear child1 as to work a change in my habits1 my life1 my conversation1 and pursuits2 and to do all that human frailty will permit to reconcile myself to the ,almighty4 ,these thoughts1 however1 ,i shall try to preserve in spite of a journey4 ,i will take the ,new ,testament and ,wilberforce with me1 and read a portion every day1 and spend the ,sundays in a manner ,i have never done yet in travelling4 ,august #g4--,to ,ely4 ,called for a moment on ,carter1 who thinks so highly of ,bishop ,newton that he intends to buy his works4 ,at ,ely quite alone1 and no resource but in my own melancholy ideas4 ,my first thought was to send to a ,mr4 ,hall1 who has hired ,tattersall's farm1 or ,mr4 ,metcalfe1 a minor canon1 who has written in the #8,annals of ,agriculture'--but ,i rejected the scheme and kept to solitude4 ,as soon as ,i finished dinner ,i began ,mr4 ,wilberforce for the fourth time1 reading with renewed attention4 ,i hear many objections to him1 of his being a ,presbyterian engrafted on a ,methodist1 but it is arrant nonsense4 ,my mind goes with him in every word4 ,view the ,minster and ,trinity chapel1 and venerate the piety of former ages that raised such noble edifices in honour of ,god the ,almighty giver and governor of all things4 ,i once thought such buildings the efforts of superstition1 perhaps folly6 ,how different are my present sentiments6 for what can be more rational than to raise temples of a character that shall impress some idea1 however weak1 of the sublimity of that infinite ,being who made and pervades all that exists1 except ,his own great creative self6 #hth4--,rise at five1 write to my friends ,dr4 ,valpy and ,c4 ,cole4 ,to ,peterborough4 ,much time for reflection1 and it is singular that even while ,i am depressed with deep melancholy at the loss ,i have sustained1 yet unholy ideas and imaginations will intrude4 ,is this the devil and his powers of darkness which buffet and beset us8 ,is not depravity and sin so inherent in our natures that we are ever liable to these wanderings which so disgrace our nature at better moments8 ,but the conclusion1 whatever it be owing to1 is clear1 that the government of the thoughts is an essential part of our duty1 as ,johnson has well explained in an admirable #8,rambler4' ,such thoughts1 unresisted1 seize and take possession of the mind1 and they cannot do that without leading to action and all the guilt that may follow4 ,repel the first germinating principle of the idea1 and the difficulty is not great2 but indulge the pleasing dream and the heart is vitiated1 for the imagination is impure4 ,the remainder of the diary1 in the same strain1 is much too long for insertion4 ,here are a few closing sentences4 ,september #b in ,yorkshire4--,to what is it that ,i shall return8 ,my child no more6 ,to what at ,london8 ,solitary in my lodgings1 where am ,i to send for her whose cheerfulness gilded every scene1 and little pleasing ways lent such a charm to render her presence such a comfort to me8 ,all gone--gone for ever6 ,of that description of feelings what remains8 ,a blank6--a desert6444 ,cried over the hair of my sweet departed ,bobbin6 ,never more in this world to see thee again6 ,october #ae4--;,i have torn my heart to pieces with looking at my dear child's hair6 ,melancholy remains1 but how precious when their owner is no more6 ,i am to see her no more in this world4 ,gone for ever6 ,london1 ,november #ac4--,this day se'nnight ,i came to town with ,mrs4 ,y4 and ,mary4 ,i knew it would be a very uncomfortable plan2 but to do as ,i would be done by made it proper4 ,november #bf4--;,i have been a week at ,petworth1 an interesting1 splendid1 gay and cheerful week1 and1 as too often the case1 a vain1 frivolous1 and impious one4 ,sir ,john ,sinclair would have me on the ,sunday go to ,goodwood4 ,never a serious word1 never a soul to church from that house to thank ,god for the numerous blessings showered down upon it1 and the means of good which #fj1jjjl4 a year confers4 ,yet ,lord ,egremont does all that could be wished as far as humanity1 charity1 and doing moral benefits can--but no religion4 ,in the chapel1 no worship1 no hats off but my own--dreadful example to a great family and to his children and to #b1ejj people in the town4 ,i talked to ,arthur1 and strongly recommended to him to attend constantly and to keep himself clear from such a want of piety4 ,he disapproves of it much2 and ,i pray to ,god that yet he may not be corrupted by such evil examples1 but imbibe a dislike to such want of gratitude4 ,i watched for opportunities of serious remark1 but none of effect offered except one observation on ,lady ,webster's infidelity in religion1 when ,i threw in a word or two4 ,the very virtues of such people do mischief by recommending their irreligious example4 ,the following letters are selected from those received this year3-- ,from ,dr4 ,burney #8,chelsea ,college3 ,march #af1 #agig4 #8,my dear ,sir1--,you have applied to a very incompetent person for political consolation in addressing me1 an old notorious alarmist who has long seen evils approaching even worse than those which have already arrived4 ,i wish anything had happened to convince me that my mental eyes had been as short-sighted as those in my head4 ,but1 alas6 things are going on everywhere from bad to worse4 ,my foolish countrymen1 nay1 worse1 the wicked and incurable democrats who inhabit the same island1 so far from being cured by the savage cruelties and universal misery brought about in ,france by the ,revolution and the treatment of other countries which she has conquered and even fraternised with1 still long for a revolution here1 without even wishing to avert any of the evils which have happened elsewhere1 from the diabolical character and principles of her inhabitants6 ,i have seen that a wish to break the ,bank has long been formed1 and ,i even have been advised to get all the cash ,i could for my notes if ,i had any2 and the person who advised this measure1 who had never been at the ,bank before in his life1 and was forced to inquire his way thither1 had been bullying the harassed clerks to give him cash for a forty-pound note1 for no other purpose than to lock it up4 ,seven millions of guineas were issued for notes in one week6 ,of this sum #cjj1jjjl41 it is said1 were for notes presented by the ,english ,santerre4 ,a banker from ,norwich had collected notes to the amount of #djj1jjjl41 with which he came post to ,london in the same seraphic hope of breaking the ,bank2 but unluckily for his benevolent plan1 the further issuing of cash had been stopped the night before his arrival4 ,the favourite ,jacobin plan at present is to make this nation and all ,europe believe that we are really in a state of bankruptcy1 and that the notes now in circulation will be soon of as little value as ,french assignats1 reporting every day that they are at a very considerable discount1 which ,god forbid should ever happen4 ,for my own part1 ,i would starve myself to death sooner than buy1 even food1 by the parting with a bank note for a farthing less value than it has hitherto had4 ,but the poor ,duke of ,bedford1 ,mr4 ,cooke1 the dissenting manufacturers1 c41 are so distressed for want of cash to pay their workmen1 that they are obliged to dismiss them4 ,and this1 to be sure1 is not done with an intention of throwing all the blame upon ,government and making furious rebels of all the persons discharged4 ,everything is seen and represented in the blackest colours--the ,french always right and the ,administration wrong4 ,for if opposition should ever be obliged to allow the present ministry to be right1 why change it8 ,and down they must pull every person and thing above them1 even if1 like ,samson1 they are crushed in the ruins1 which ,i have not the least doubt will be the case if ever the revolution they seem so determined to bring about should happen4 #8,the ballot has fallen upon me to furnish a man and a horse to the ,provisional ,cavalry1#ahc which has occasioned me much trouble and vexation4 ,the expense1 had it been double1 ,i would have paid with alacrity1 for the defence of everything dear to honest men1 during such a war and with such enemies2 but the business of recruiting1 clothing1 accoutring1 c41 is so new to men of peace1 that they know not how to go to work4 ,three substitutes that ,i had engaged have disappointed me1 and the horse ,i have purchased ,i am not sure will pass muster4 ,had ,government levied a tax of five or ten guineas upon each horse that was kept for pleasure1 either in or out of harness1 and done the business of raising a certain number of cavalry themselves1 it would have been better done1 and ladies and superannuated gentlemen 7like my worship7 would have escaped infinite plague and vexation4 #8,i am exceedingly sorry that your dear and charming little daughter is not well4 #8,i am1 with sincere regard1 #8,my dear ,sir1 #8,your affectionate ,friend1 #8,,charles ,,burney4' ,from ,edmund ,burke1 ,esq41 alluding to the projects in ,parliament before named for regulating the price of labour4 #8,bath3 ,may #bc1 #agig4 #8,dear ,sir1--,i am on the point of leaving ,bath1 having no further hope of benefit from these waters2 and as soon as ,i get home 7if ,i should live to get home7 should ,i find the papers transmitted me by your ,board ,i shall send them faithfully to you2 though1 to say the truth1 ,i do not think them of very great importance4 #8,my constant opinion was1 and is1 that all matters relative to labour ought to be left to the conversations of the parties4 ,that the great danger is in ,government intermeddling too much4 ,what ,i should have taken the liberty of addressing to you1 had ,i possessed strength to go through it1 would be to illustrate or enforce that principle4 #8,i am extremely sorry that any one in the ,house of ,commons should be found so ignorant and unadvised as to wish to revive the senseless1 barbarous1 and1 in fact1 wicked regulations made against free trade in matters of provision which the good sense of late ,parliaments had removed4 ,i am the more concerned at the measure1 as ,i was myself the person who moved the repeal of the absurd code of statutes against the most useful of all trades1 under the invidious names of forestalling and regrating4 ,but1 however1 ,i console myself on this point by considering that it is not the only breach by which barbarism is entering upon us4 ,it is1 indeed1 but a poor consolation1 and one taken merely from the balance of misfortunes4 #8,you have titles enough of your own to pass your name to posterity1 and ,i am pleased that you have got spirit enough to hope that there will be such a thing as a civilised posterity to attend to things of this kind4 #8,i have the honour to be1 #8,with very high respect and esteem1 #8,your most obedient1 humble servant1 #8,,edmund ,,burke4' ,mr4 ,burke died ,july #g note by ,a4 ,y44 ,from ,john ,symonds1 ,esq41 on public affairs1 very gloomy1 with much condemnation of ,mr4 ,pitt4 #8,st4 ,edmund's ,hill3 ,june #h1 #agig4 #8,at the time1 my dear sir1 that ,i received your letter ,i was travelling over ,italy1 in order to figure in your 8,annals of ,agriculture20 but the state of that country has been so much boulevers1 that my head has been turned in reflecting upon it1 as is most probably the case with the greater part of its inhabitants4 #8,you ask me what plan ,i could propose to save the country4 ,arm1 undoubtedly1 as you say2 but how to do it most effectually ,i pretend not to determine4 ,you justly reprobate volunteering infantry4 #8,charles ,cole tells me you have something in the press upon this subject4 ,to fill the army or navy with defenders or volunteers1 is the way to pave the way to our ruin4 ,but ,i should begin with proposing a scheme which would probably be heard with disdain1 and which has been rejected by the ,king3 recall ,lord ,camden2 appoint ,lord ,moira1 ,lord ,lieutenant1 with full powers to emancipate the ,roman ,catholics4 ,he is much respected in ,ireland as well as in ,england1 for the opinion formed of him from his civil and military knowledge and moral character4 ,i have heard ,lord ,bishop ,douglas1 who is no mean estimator of mankind1 often say1 that he wished he could see ,lord ,moira one of the ,secretaries of ,state4 #8,were the ,catholics satisfied1 ,ireland might bid defiance to the ,french1 and1 perhaps1 some regular infantry might thence be sent to ,england1 which1 the ,duke of ,grafton said lately in the ,house of ,lords1 was much wanted here4 ,but it is in vain to speak or write about ,ireland4 ,we govern there by a faction--the ,beresfords1 ,fitzgibbons1 and ,fosters--whose emoluments1 including their relations and dependents1 fall not short of #ajj1jjjl4 per annum2 some think much more4 ,now the ,polignacs under the old government had not more than #ej1jjjl4 per annum1 including a bishopric4 ,this the ,duchess of ,liancourt one day made out to me upon paper1 yet she was willing enough to exaggerate the profits of that family2 especially as the old duchess just before had been cast in a lawsuit with one of them4 #8,your idea of applying to ,bonaparte pleases me much4 ,he would probably do more towards effecting a peace than a hundred ,malmesburys and ,st4 ,helens4 ,it will be curious to see what terms ,pitt will propose4 ,there seems to be no doubt but that the ,french will insist on having all the places taken from them2 and probably a restitution of twelve or fourteen ships of the line1 and perhaps a sum of money by way of indemnification1 for this word was always in the mouth of our ,premier4 ,after this1 an ample recompense to the ,dutch and ,spaniards1 whose interests the ,french will consider as their own4 ,a fine peace indeed1 after so many absurd and haughty declarations of our ministry6 ,a peace there must be or an insurrection1 if considerable taxes be proposed to continue the war4 ,not that these would be of any avail2 for were the ,french merely to line their coasts from ,ostend to ,calais with troops1 and do nothing else1 their point would be carried4 ,at the very time that a separate peace was made by the ,emperor with the ,french1 ,mr4 ,pitt1 in the ,house of ,commons1 called him 8our great and good ally40 ,it was but two days after that the news came of his defection1 which every thinking man naturally expected4 #8,mr4 ,p4 seems determined to do dirty jobs to the last2 whilst our enemies are almost at our gates1 the subscribers to the loyalty loan must forsooth be rewarded because many of them are his ,parliamentary friends4 ,should you hear your knight open himself on this subject1 remind him that a million or a million and a half are wanted to pay the arrears of the ,civil ,list2 that professors1 whose stipends are fixed by ,acts of ,parliament1 are in danger of losing the profits of a couple of years from an abominable clause in ,burke's ,bill4 ,remind him of a remarkable circumstance in ,sully's memoirs4 ,when ,henry ,,iv4 was in great distress for money it was proposed to him to decline paying any stipends to the professors in the ,university of ,paris4 8,no10 said he1 with an honest indignation1 8,i will never consent to that2 retrench the expense of my table instead of touching their emoluments40 ,such an answer1 and such conduct in conformity to it1 reflected peculiar honour on a prince who had never been trained up in the study of polite letters #8,carnot#ahd cannot be too much commended for ordering your agricultural works to be translated and published4 ,it was giving his countrymen a mass of knowledge1 founded on experiment not to be procured in their own writers4 ,he showed very good sense in sacrificing party prejudices4 ,would ,pitt have acted thus in his situation8 #8,i have not read ,wilberforce's 8,practical ,view of ,christianity10 nor am ,i indeed much solicitous about it1 for my faith is not built upon establishments but on the ,new ,testament1 which ,i have considered with as much attention as most of our divines4 ,w4 is a strict ,calvinist1 and is therefore orthodox1 for he is supported by our ,articles of ,religion4 ,i who think that the ,articles on this head are not founded on ,scripture1 am a heretic1 as ,i take you to be also4 ,it is very observable that the young theologians of ,geneva are at this day instructed much more in ,ostervald's#ahe ,catechism than in ,calvin's books4 ,the death of that worthy man and excellent master of ,italian1 ,isola1 is an exceedingly great loss to me1 for he has managed all my little concerns at ,cambridge for twenty years4 ,he can have left nothing for his family but his good example4 ,so respected was he by every one1 that when a long illness and his wife's death prevented him from making his usual earnings1 and he was unavoidably loaded with heavy debts1 they not only raised for him #ahjl4 by private subscriptions in the ,colleges1 but in the following year the ,university gave him #ajjl4 out of the public chest4 ,i shall be very careful in recommending his successor1 for ,isola always told me that most of the ,italians in ,england were rascals1 and he therefore had no communication with them when they came to ,cambridge4 ,i allowed him twenty guineas a year1 as few learn ,italian4 ,the profits from teaching it are hardly sufficient to maintain one who has a family2 for parents in general are so foolish as not to require of their sons the learning of that language1 though their intention is to send them into ,italy4 #8,adieu6 ,you will repent provoking me to write4 #8,j4 ,,symonds4' ,from ,jeremy ,bentham1 ,esq41 on the poor1 c4 #8,queen ,square1 ,westminster3 ,sept4 #h1 #agig4 #8,dear ,sir1--,it was but the other day that ,i became master of a complete series of your 8,annals of ,agriculture20 accept my confession and record my penitence4 ,having on my return from my long peregrination on the ,continent lent to a friend--who had lent to another friend1 whom we neither of us could recollect--the twenty-five or thirty numbers which ,i had taken in before that period1 ,i postponed from time to time the completion of the series in hopes of recovering the commencement of it4 ,when at last shame and necessity got the better of procrastination1 what a treasure of information burst upon me4 ,no--so long as power without ------ and without ------ shall have left an annual guinea in my pocket 7blanks are better here than words7 not a number of the 8,annals0 shall ever be wanting to my shelves4 ,hold--don't take me for a ,jacobin now1 nor even for a croaker4 ,what ,i allude to is not any common burden1 such as you land-owners and land-holders grunt under1 but my own ten thousand pound tax--my privilegium--a thing as new to ,english language as it is to ,english practice--sole and peculiar fruit of the very particular notice with which ,i have been honoured by ------4 #8,this waits upon you with a proof of a blank pauper population table1 framed for the purpose of collecting an account of them in as many parishes as ,i can4 ,knowing so well your zeal for all zeal-worthy objects1 and mindful of your often experienced kindness1 ,i cannot on this occasion harbour a doubt of your assistance4 ,is it worth while to give the table the indiscriminate circulation of your ,annals8 ,at any rate your editorial ,majesty will1 ,i hope1 be pleased graciously to grant unto me your royal letters1 patent or close1 or both1 addressed to all1 and if need be1 singular1 your loving subjects my fellow correspondents2 charging and exhorting them1 each in his parish--and as many other parishes as may be--to fill my tables and send in their contributions4 #8,along with the table you will find a ,,ms4 paper1 exhibiting the importance of the information ,i am thus labouring to collect2 you will print it or suppress it as you think best4 ,i also send in ,,ms4 a table of cases calling for relief2 a general map of pauper land with all the roads to it4 ,few1 if any1 of the projects ,i have seen but what have appeared 7the arch-project not excepted7 to bear an exclusive--at least a predilective--reference to some of these cases1 overlooking or slighting the rest4 ,i send it in the state in which ,i propose printing it for my own book2 but1 in the meantime1 if it be worthy the honour of a place in the 8,annals10 it is altogether at your service4 ,this preparatory insertion will turn to the advantage of the work itself1 if any of your correspondents 7not forgetting their editor7 would have the goodness to contribute their remarks to the emendation of it4 ,you will not easily conceive--few heads1 at least1 but yours are qualified to conceive--the labour it has cost me to bring the two tables to this state4 ,as to the work at large1 it will occupy two independent1 though connected volumes4 ,pauper systems compared2 pauper management improved--the last the romance1 the ,utopia1 to which ,i had once occasion to allude4 ,romance8 ,how could it be anything less8 ,i mean to an author's partial eye4 ,in proportion as a thing is excellent1 when established1 is it anything but romance1 and theory1 and speculation1 till the touch of the seal or the sceptre has converted it into practice4 ,distress1 at least1 distress1 the very life and soul of romance1 cannot be denied to mine2 for in this short and close-packed specimen already you behold it in all its shapes4 ,magnanimous president6 accomplished secretary6 ye1 too1 have your romance4 ,heaven send you a happy catastrophe and a fettered land 8a happy deliverance40 ,patience6 patience6 ye too1 before you are comforted1 must bear to be tormented4 #8,apropos of presidents4 ,the high priest of ,ceres1 having divined or not divined my recent occupations1 has been pleased to send me a mandate in form1 summoning me to devote myself to this branch of his goddess's service1 that the fruit of my labours may be consecrated in her temple at ,whitehall2 so that whatever other requisites may fail me1 ,i shall be in no want of auspices4 #8,i fear you will say to yourself that the ,observations#ahf ,i have sent you are a sad farrago1 but your miscellany1 how superior soever to others in subject-matter and contents1 has this in common with them1 that half-formed ideas1 so they have but matter in them1 are not prohibited from presenting themselves4 ,it is part of the character of your correspondents to have more of substance about them than of form2 and of the many recommendations which join in drawing so much good company to your conversazione1 one1 nor that the least1 is the convenience of being admitted to it in boots4 ,mine 7you will say7 have hobnails in them2 for1 somehow or other1 the very idea of the person to whom ,i am addressing myself has insensibly betrayed me into that sort of playful confidence--that panchement1 as ,i think the ,french call it--which ,i have always felt in his company4 #8,believe me1 with the most serious respect1 #8,ever yours1 #8,,jeremy ,,bentham4' ----- ,footnote #afg3 ,now fourteen years old4 ,footnote #afh3 ,this passage has been crossed out with a pencil1 but is given as showing the rgime of young ladies' schools a hundred years ago4 ,in another note occurs the sentence1 #8,brought my dear little girl from ,camden ,house to ,london4' ,presumably ,camden ,town is meant1 at that time being less than suburban4 ,footnote #afi3 ,the county belle1 ,betsey ,plampin1 married some years before to ,mr4 ,orbell ,oakes4 ,footnote #agj3 ,lady ,mary ,hervey1 the beautiful daughter of the ,earl of ,bristol1 ,bishop of ,derry4 ,her portrait1 by ,gainsborough1 was on show at ,agnew's in #ahif4 ,footnote #aga3 ,some medical questions the child wishes put to her ,london doctor are here omitted4 ,footnote #agb3 ,john ,jortin1 ,d4,d41 born #afif1 died #aggj4 ,his numerous theological and historical works have been frequently reprinted4 ,footnote #agc3 ,henry ,more1 ,d4,d41 born #afad1 died #afhg4 ,in #afdj published ,psycho-,zoia2 or1 the ,life of the ,soul4 ,his philosophical and theological works have been reprinted4 ,footnote #agd3 ,th4 ,secker1 ,archbishop of ,canterbury1 born #afic1 died #agfh4 ,footnote #age3 ,samuel ,ogden1 ,d4,d41 born #agaf1 died #aggh4 ,footnote #agf3 ,adam ,littleton1 ,d4,d41 born #afbg1 died #afgd4 ,footnote #agg3 ,samuel ,clarke1 ,d4,d41 born #afge1 died #agbi4 ,the piece alluded to was the first ,boyle ,lecture4 ,of his works ,dr4 ,johnson remarked1 #8,i should recommend ,dr4 ,clarke's works were he orthodox4' ,footnote #agh3 ,john ,conybeare1 ,d4,d41 born #afia1 died #agee4 #8,a great champion of revelation4' ,footnote #agi3 ,plymer2 in ,redgrave's ,dictionary of ,artists written #8,plimer4' ,two brothers therein mentioned1 ,andrew and ,nathaniel1 both miniature painters and exhibitors at the ,r4,a42 born #agfc1 died #ahcg2 born #agfg1 died #ahbb4 ,footnote #ahj3 ,practical ,view of the ,prevailing ,system of ,professed ,christians in the ,higher and ,middle ,ranks in this ,country1 ,contrasted with ,real ,christianity4 ,published #agig1 and frequently reprinted4 ,footnote #aha3 ,th4 ,scott--the friend of ,cowper--born #agdg1 died #ahba1 chaplain to the ,lock ,hospital4 ,footnote #ahb3 ,th4 ,newton1 born #agjd1 died #aghb2 edited ,paradise ,lost4 ,footnote #ahc3 ,alluding to the movement suggested by ,a4 ,y41 and ultimately carried out1 of forming regiments of volunteer cavalry1 in view of the menacing attitude of ,france4 ,footnote #ahd3 ,carnot1 the #8organiser of victory1' grandfather of the late lamented ,president of the ,french ,republic4 ,almost alone of the ,senate1 ,carnot refused to sanction the coup d'tat of ,napoleon1 #agii4 ,footnote #ahe3 ,j4 ,f4 ,ostervald1 ,swiss ,protestant divine1 born #afhc1 died #agdg4 ,all his works have been translated into ,english4 ,footnote #ahf3 ,these #8,observations1' above referred to1 are inserted in vol4 xxix ,annals of ,agriculture4 ----- ,,chapter ,,xiii ,,diary ,,and ,,correspondence1 #agih1 #agii1 #ahjj ,assessed taxes--,society--,mr4 ,pitt and the ,board of ,agriculture--,a foolish joke--,dinners to poor children--,interview with the ,king--,royal farming--,correspondence--,bradfield--,i ncidents of home travel--,portrait of a great lady--,correspondence4 ,january #i1 #agih4--;,at ,petworth4 ,this is the way in which ,i keep a journal2 had ,i the abilities of ,johnson it might be an excuse1 but ,i am as idle as he without the talents that enabled him to think to good purpose4 ,london has passed away till the vacation without much to note1 yet always something2 for ,i met many at ,mrs4 ,m4 ,montagu's parties twice a week1 whose conversation was interesting4 ,very few dinners1 for the town was empty4 ,attended divine service at ,mr4 ,cecil's chapel1 and ought to have made memoranda4 ,the breakfast at ,wilberforce's with ,mr4 ,serjeant1 ,hawkins1 ,brown1 ,thornton1 c41 all members in committee on the assessed taxes4#ahg ,miss ,griffiths1 the friend and mother of my ever dear ,bobbin at school1 coming to board with ,mrs4 ,y42 these and many more articles all passed over1 and1 above all1 the reflections which thronged in my mind on the conclusion of that year which deprived me of my child and turned my heart so imperfectly to ,god ,almighty4 ,without that event how should ,i have been able to bear the stroke of the taxes1 my share of which will ,i fear be #ajjl4 ,had ,i been out of debt it would have been comparatively light1 but ,i am seized about some bills which yet remain1 and which1 if ,i pay1#ahh shall not be able to pay those taxes4 ,i have advertised my cottage and eighty acres of land to let1 but no chance of getting such a rent as ,i know ,i ought to have to make letting answer4 ,i have been here with ,lord ,egremont above a fortnight4 ,a good deal of rabble1 but some better4 ,lord ,spencer1 ,lord ,althorp1 ,lord ,dungarvan1 ,lord ,milton1 ,lord ,stair1 ,sir ,john ,shelley1 ,mr4 ,james ,feiryman1 c4 ,i shall stay the whole vacation4 ,february #ad4--;,another great gap1 in which time ,i was four days with the ,duke of ,bedford at ,woburn1 with a strange party1 for all in all ,i think the most strange ,i have been in for many years4 ,trevis1 the pseudo-,venetian ,jew1 who came long ago to ,england1 has ran through a great fortune1 reduced from #bjj1jjjl4to #a1bjjl4 a year1 having shined with most satanic light in the annals of gallantry2 ,lady ,stanhope1 ,lady ,cadogan1 and a hundred more4 ,strong parts1 wits1 originality 7name evidently omitted here7 and at seventy-one sings wonderfully2 ,lord ,lauderdale1 who is a very pleasant1 easy1 cheerful companion with knowledge1 and so more capable of doing mischief2 ,lord ,maynard1 ,johns the parson1 ,bob ,lee1 ,bligh1 c4 ,the duke has much good sense and clearness of head4 ,on my return to town1 ,lord ,carrington applied to me to get a drainer for ,mr4 ,pitt at ,holwood4 ,i told him none to be had but from a distance1 and at a considerable expense2 that perhaps it was an easy job1 and if so his own people could do it if the drains were marked out for them1 and ,i would go and look when nobody there4 ,next day he came again from ,pitt with thanks1 and desiring me to go when he was there4 ,i went1 and examined the land4 ,a hill wet from springs1 the cure obvious4 ,so ,i am to do it for him4 ,he and ,lord ,auckland and ,lord ,carrington walked round the place with me1 and then returned to a cold dinner1 where we debated the ,board of ,agriculture1 and ,pitt seemed pleased with my idea of ,government hiring the ,bishop of ,llandaff's house for the ,board1 and so getting rid of the difficulty of not being able to quit ,sir ,j4 ,sinclair's without sixteen members agreeing in the affirmative1 a stupid statute they made4 ,by the first reports of the ,board1 and a multitude of other expenses equally useless1 ,sir ,john ran the ,board so much in debt that it became a question of great difficulty how they should be enabled to carry on any business at all4 ,through a spirit of liberality in many individuals1 a subscription was set on foot1 and ten guineas apiece by members and honorary members1 which kept them for some time on their legs4 ,the revenue of the ,board went entirely to printers1 above eighty reports in quarto1 with broad margins1 having been given away to any who would accept them2 and they were in general so miserably executed1 that they brought the institution into contempt4 ,while ,sir ,john ,sinclair was engaged in this pursuit he thought of nothing but the establishment of his own character1 and imagined that his indefatigable exertions1 misplaced as they were1 gave him a claim to the attention of ,government1 and1 it is said1 induced him to ask a peerage4 ,but ,mr4 ,pitt not acceding to the proposition1 he next desired to be a ,privy ,councillor4 ,when this second gentle request failed1 he set hard to work to form a party of his own in the ,house of ,commons in opposition to ,government1 which by degrees completely estranged ,mr4 ,pitt from him2 and he was1 by the votes of the official members1 turned out of the chair4 ,lord ,carrington taking me to ,holwood1 we walked about the place for some time before ,mr4 ,pitt came down4 ,when he arrived1 ordering a luncheon1 he said he had desired ,lord ,c4 to bring me1 that he might understand what members of the ,board of ,agriculture were proper to fill the chair4 ,i named ,lord ,egremont4 #8,he has been applied to1' rejoined ,mr4 ,pitt1 #8and declined it4' ,i then mentioned ,lord ,winchilsea2 the same answer was returned4 ,i named one or two more1 but the minister seemed not to relish their appointment4 ,i next said ,lord ,somerville1 who was famous for the attention he had paid to some branches of husbandry4 ,mr4 ,pitt's reply was1 #8,he is not quite the thing1 but ,i doubt we must have him1' and the conversation concluded with an apparent determination that ,lord ,s4 should be the man4 ,he was accordingly elected2 and ,i1 the same day1 received the orders of the ,board instantly to look out for a house 7because ,sir ,john ,s4 being turned out would no longer volunteer his71 which ,i accordingly did1 and fixed upon one in ,sackville ,street1 into which the ,board immediately moved their property1 and appointed the secretary to reside in the house1 with an allowance of one hundred guineas a year for paying the porter1 keeping a maid in the house in summer1 and finding coals and candles4 ,april #h4--;,a long gap1 in which much has happened4 ,the election1 and ,sir ,j4 ,sinclair deposed4 ,the world gives its all to politics1 but it was not caused solely by that motive2 his management of the #c1jjjl4 a year was next to throwing it away1 and gradually created much disgust2 had his industry been under the direction of a better judgment he would have been an admirable president4 ,i have hired a house for him and myself in ,sackville ,street4 ,crag1 the clerk1 wants an apartment1 and ,i have befriended him with ,lord ,somerville1 the new president1 much against my own convenience1 for the house is not large enough2 but1 do as we would be done by1 must be a rule far more obeyed by me in future than formerly1 and it is more a convenience to him than an evil to me4 ,it would be easy for me to prevent it1 and time has been that ,i should have taken that part2 but ,god send me the power to follow better dictates4 ,i have been twice more at ,holwood4 ,i have written a new pamphlet1 a #8,letter to ,wilberforce4' ,i have worked hard at my ,lincoln report1 and the election1 with the business public and private concerning it1 has been on the whole such a worry1 that ,i long for a week or two of privacy and quiet1 to render my mind more tranquil2 it seems as if my whole life is to be lost in a bustle4 ,i am now going to ,petworth1 and within the week to ,bradfield2 there ,i hope to make a momentary retreat1 and have time for recollection4 ,i do not suffer anything to distract me on a ,sunday1 or ,i should be lost in this hurry1 and everything serious driven from my mind4 ,i have anxiety also about my new habitation on another account1 which is the doubt whether they will furnish it for me2 if they should not1 it will be a most heavy burthen of at least #bjjl41 and an unjust one1 elected as ,i am annually4 ,last ,sunday se'nnight a new scene of sorrow and vexation4 ,arthur sent me a foolish letter of his written to ,lloyd from ,dover1 by way of a stupid joke1 describing an ideal conversation with some of ,o',connor's jurymen1#ahi to frighten ,lloyd1 who sent it to ,lofft1 and he to ,walker1 to ,erskine1 c4 ,it was read in court at ,maidstone1 and ,lord ,egremont told me it had an immense effect1 exciting universal indignation4 ,the ,attorney-,general pledged himself to punish it4 ,the ,jacobin papers kindly assigned it to ,arthur ,young1 so all believed it to be me4 ,i had a letter contradicting sent to four papers1 and have been in incessant worry ever since1 writing for explanation1 employing ,gotobed and ,garrow1 and seeing ,lord ,egremont often on it4 ,i sent an express to the ,attorney-,general1 with a letter to him1 and another to ,o',connor's counsel4 ,all agree ,lofft to be a base villain1 pretending so much friendship for all the family1 and keeping the letter ten days in spite of ,lloyd demanding it1 and never asking any explanation or naming it to ,mrs4 ,y41 ,mary1 or ,a4 ,i have fretted about this affair and worried myself terribly1 and with reasons1 for it will be the utter ruin of my son4 ,possibly a fine of #ejjl4 and two years' imprisonment if he is not able to prove it to be a jest4 ,to avoid being punished as a rascal1 he must prove himself the greatest fool in ,christendom1 which he certainly is1 for the letter was unquestionably a humbug4 ,june #bcrd4--,i have had a roasting three weeks languishing for the country2 but1 however1 not discontented1 and bringing my mind with some success to submit cheerfully to everything ,i meet with4 ,arthur has been in ,kent and procured nine or ten affidavits of the jurymen2 those who refuse he never set eyes on till he made the application1 so he has cleared himself to me1 but whether it will do for the ,attorney-,general is another question4 ,it is a sad business1 and will be very expensive1 when ,i can ill afford it4 ,i have been four days at ,woburn with ,lord ,somerville--a very great meeting4 ,the duke desired me to preside at the lower end of the table2 he told me to keep ,stone from it4 ,i have been thrice at ,holwood and conversed with ,mr4 ,pitt every time1 but it is only on farming4 ,no wonder4 ,reading ,baxter's #8,serious ,call to a ,holy ,life1' which ,i have done with great pleasure1 and have begun it a second time4 ,i think it an admirable performance4 ,charity and a universal intention to please ,god in everything are recommended with great ability4 ,i have forgotten to add a word about my new habitation4 ,it is an admirable house1 and ,mrs4 ,young's only apprehension was the plan of ,cragg1 the first clerk1 having apartments in it2 but when it came to be debated1 ,lord ,carrington procured it entirely to me1 with an allowance of #ijl4 a year for a porter1 maid1 coals1 c4 ,upon the whole it is an arrangement which is equal in all to #ajjl4 a year to me1 and in comfort1 saving me the trouble of thrice a year seeking lodgings1 as good as a hundred more4 ,i am thankful to ,god for it1 and may ,he give me ,his grace not to apply to ill uses the favour of ,his providence4 ,july #adth666--,this day twelvemonth it pleased ,god to take to ,himself my ever dear and beloved child4 ,in the evening at the ,hall1 my wife and self1 children1 and ,miss ,griffith joined in prayer4 ,the remainder of the diary1 chiefly detailing morbid religious introspection1 is not of sufficient interest to include4 ,notes from ,memorandum-book ,march4--,a dinner for fifteen poor children1 #aas4 #aj;d4#aij ,another dinner for thirty-seven children1 #afs4 #f;d4 ,another dinner for forty-seven children1 #al4 #fs4 #f;d4 ,april4--,this month seven dinners to about forty-eight children each time4 ,may4--,four dinners to about forty-eight children each time4 ,this year ,i sold the copyright of my #8,travels' for #bej guineas4 ,april #agii4--;,in ,london4 ,i am alone1 therefore at peace4 ,i rise at four or five o'clock and go to bed at nine to ten ,p4,m4 ,i have no pleasures1 and wish for none1 saving that comfort which religion gives me2 and the sooner ,i make it my only pleasure the wiser ,i shall be4 ,i go to no amusements1 and read some ,scripture every day2 never lay aside my good books but for business4 ,i have dined out but little1 and wish for no more than ,i have4 ,i get into habits of reading and writing1 and don't like to quit them2 privacy1 and silence1 and retirement suit me1 and ,i am content4 ,new servants1 all2 and the cook1 a two-handed ,yahoo1 and cannot boil a potato4 ,no matter1 ,i am passed being troubled at such things1 but ,i like old servants1 and can't bear this change4 ,may #d of this year ,i went to the opera with ,mrs4 ,oakes2#aia and that amusement which had for so many years been my delight1 ,i met so coldly as to be almost asleep through much of the performance4 ,what a change had taken place in my mind6 ,this was the last public diversion at which ,i have been present4 ,i thank the ,father of mercies that ,i have yet retained my attention to religion1 that ,i have read few books but those of devotion1 that ,i live very retired without any regret1 that ,i rise at four or five o'clock1 and never omit my private devotions1 morn and eve1 and but rarely family prayer4 ,thank the ,almighty goodness ,i have almost weaned myself from the world4 ,june #d4--,the ,king's birthday4 ,i have been in ,kensington ,gardens to see the ,king review #h1jjj volunteers of ,london and ,westminster4 ,these corps owe their origin ,i may1 without presumption1 say to me1 and ,i should in a former part of my life have been full of mortification and envy at the gay and brilliant situation of others1 whilst ,i was a humble spectator lost in the crowd1 #8the mob' as ,i should once have called them2 but1 thank ,god1 ,i had no such ideas1 and am more free from sin of such thoughts than ,i am from that of entering this note of it4 ,my mind was much occupied in thinking of such multitudes of people of all ranks1 all ages1 from infancy to decrepitude1 gay1 lively1 and running at the tilt of pleasure1 followed by more splendid scenes of courts1 balls1 dinners and all1 all to be in a few years in their graves1 their souls in their eternal doom1 thoughtless as they may now be4 ,i work myself as often as ,i can1 and as much as ,i can1 into meditations on the utter vanity of all such scenes and thence to the inanity4 ,july #a4--,wrote ,mrs4 ,oakes an account of my visits to the ,king's farm4 ,i got ,sir ,j4 ,banks to ask his leave to see his farm4 ,he gave it readily1 and said he would order ,frost1 his bailiff1 to show me everything completely4 ,i wrote1 but my letter came1 by mistake of the post1 after ,i was there myself2 and as ,frost knew the ,king would like to see me1 he went when likely to meet him on his return from a review4 ,the ,queen1 ,prince of ,wales1 the ,princesses1 c41 were in two sociables1 and the ,king on horseback1 with his train of lords1 aides-de-camp1 c4 ,he inquired who ,i was1 and called me to him2 rode up to the ,queen1 c41 and introduced me4 ,the ,queen said it was long since ,i was at ,windsor1 c41 not recollecting me at first2 they passed on1 and then the ,king rode with me over his farm for two and a half hours1 talking farming1 asking questions without number1 and waiting for answers1 and reasoning upon points he differed in4 ,explained his system of crops1 his reasons1 with many observations2 enquired about the ,board1 the publications of it1 the #8,annals1' and asked if ,i continued to work on my #8,elements1' which ,i have been many years about2 recommended me to compress the sense of quotations in short paragraphs1 #8as there are many1 ,mr4 ,young1 who catch the sense of a short paragraph1 that lose the meaning of a long one2' said the work would be highly useful4 ,those who read the two letters of ,r4 ,r4 in the last #8,annals1' written by his ,majesty1 will see how clearly he expresses himself4 ,he enquired about my farm1 grasses1 sheep1 c42 he has himself only #afj lambs from #hjj ewes4 ,his strong land farm is in admirable order1 and the crops all clean and fine4 ,he was very desirous that ,i should see all1 and ordered ,frost to carry me to two or three other things next morning4 ,i found fault with his hogs4 ,he said ,i must not find fault with a present to him2 the ,queen was so kind as to give them from ,germany1 and while the intention was pleasing1 we must not examine the object too critically4 #8,the value of the intention1 ,mr4 ,young1 is greater than a better breed4' ,he told me he learned the principles of his farming from my books1 and found them very just4 ,quoted particularly the #8,rural ,economy3' ,cattle give manure1 and manure corn4 #8,well understood now1 sir1 but not so well before you wrote4' ,when ,i said anything that struck him he turned about to tell it to the nobles that followed4 ,he is the politest of men1 keeps his hat off till every one is covered4 ,an officer with a lady in a whisky drew in his horse as he saw the ,king crossing the road1 taking his hat off4 ,the ,king rode up to him1 uncovered1 and conversed a little1 and afterwards said1 #8,i think it is ,captain ,thorp1 of such a regiment4' ,what a memory6 ,enquired much about the ,duke of ,bedford's party at ,woburn1 c4 c4 ,i forgot three-fourths4 ,he was in high spirits1 and looks remarkably well4 ,my son this year married ,miss ,jane ,berry1 daughter of ,edward ,berry1 ,esq4 ,the connection arose from her being at school with my dear ,bobbin at ,campden ,house1 and afterwards visiting us at ,bradfield4 ,selected letters from those received this year3-- ,from ,count ,rumford on lime-kilns and cement for fire-places1 c4 #8,brompton ,row3 ,jan4 #h1 #agii4 #8,dear ,sir1--,on my return to town last evening from ,broadlands ,i found your letter4 ,i beg you will present my best compliments to ,lord ,egremont and assure his lordship that it would give me very great pleasure to visit ,petworth and see the various improvements he has1 and is1 introducing into the neighbourhood2 but my stay in ,england will be but short1 and1 as ,i have more to do in the meantime than it will be possible for me to execute without being very industrious1 ,i must devote all my time to those occupations in which ,i am engaged4 #8,i wish it were in my power to give you any satisfactory information respecting lime-kilns1 but ,i have not yet had leisure to complete the experiments ,i had projected1 and which are necessary in order to enable me to form decided opinions on that subject4 ,the kiln ,i had constructed at ,munich not being well built1 and being forced with too intense a fire before the masonry was properly dried1 cracked1 and burst open from top to bottom1 so that no just conclusions can be drawn from the imperfect experiments that were made with it4 #8,with regard to the best materials for withstanding the action of intense fire1 ,i believe common fire-bricks1 as they are called1 to be one of the best4 ,i am just now employing them in the construction of open chimney fire-places1 and they seem to answer perfectly well4 ,in laying them ,i have a cement of clay and brick dust instead of common mortar4 #8,one of the best kinds of cement for resisting the action of fire ,i ever met with was composed of equal parts of brick dust1 quick lime1 and iron filings1 mixed up with blood4 ,it unites itself firmly to metals as to bricks and stones of all kinds1 and even the most intense fire seems to have very little effect on it4 ,it may even be made to join metals to stones1 or even wood to metals4 ,our soap boilers in ,bavaria use it to join the wooden tops of their boilers to their copper bottoms1 which it does in so effectual a manner that they are very seldom found to leak4 ,it was from them ,i learnt the secret of the composition of this most useful cement4 ,i have no doubt but it would be found to answer very well for plastering the backs and covings of open chimney fire-places4 ,i wish you would make a trial4 ,if it should be found to answer it would be a most important discovery1 for in that case bricks would certainly be as good1 or even better1 than fire-stones for constructing fire-places4 #8,i am1 dear ,sir1 with unfeigned regard and esteem1 #8,yours most faithfully1 #8,,rumford4' ,from the ,duke of ,grafton #8,piccadilly3 #agii4 #8,dear ,sir1--,i had but just time to cast an eye on ,mr4 ,wilberforce's letter last night1 and seeing that the references are so many to texts of ,scripture1 ,i must desire you to leave it with me till ,i can have a good hour's leisure to give it that consideration which everything from him must deserve4 #8,i wish ,mr4 ,wilberforce#aib and myself were agreed upon all points as we are on the 7,i fear7 hopeless attempts to abolish totally the slave trade4 ,depend upon it that no one who knows that gentleman so little honours him more than myself2 nor do ,i impute any opinions or dogmas to him which ,i have not learnt from his writings4 ,i believe him to be an upright1 sincerely pious and beneficent character1 treading a road that leads to future happiness1 even should he be under great but involuntary errors4 ,will he say the same of any one of those whom he improperly calls ,socinians8 ,for1 though they honour the memory of ,socinus1 they do not follow his faith2 far from it1 for they acknowledge no masters on matters of religion but ,christ and ,his ,apostles4 #8,yours very faithfully1 #8,,grafton4' ,from ,dr4 ,burney#aic #8,dover3 ,sept4 #aa1 #agii4 #8,my dear ,sir1--,your letter arrived at ,quarley after ,i had left my friend ,mr4 ,cox1 and was returned to ,chelsea preparing for a journey into ,kent4 ,i have been here and hereabouts near three weeks in the thick of all the military bustle of this county4 ,my headquarters are at my friend ,mr4 ,crewe's house in this town1 the best it affords1 and is taken for three months4 ,mr4 ,crewe1 being colonel of the ,second ,royal ,cheshire ,militia1 is quartered at ,hythe1 but comes over frequently1 ,mrs4 and ,miss ,crewe being stationed here4 ,the ,duke of ,portland and ,lady ,mary ,bentinck came hither on a visit last ,thursday1 and remained inmates with us till yesterday morning4 ,being within eight or nine miles of the camp on ,barham ,downs and seven of ,walmer ,castle1 we have been there several times1 have dined twice at ,sir ,charles ,grey's1 the commander-in-chief at the camp1 and twice at ,walmer ,castle with ,mr4 ,pitt1 ,mr4 ,dundas1 and ,lady ,jane ,dundas1 who does the honours1 and is a most amiable1 sweet1 and charming woman4 ,mr4 ,ryder and ,lady ,susan have a small house just by the castle1 and ,mr4 ,canning is lodged within its walls4 ,the ,duke of ,york was there for several days before he embarked for ,holland4 ,we1 that is ,mrs4 and ,miss ,crewe1 with ,lady ,mary ,bentinck1 went in one coach1 and the ,duke of ,portland1 with your humble servant1 in another1 at five o'clock on ,sunday morning to see the third embarkation launched4 ,the wind was furiously adverse1 but it was done with wonderful dexterity1 quickness1 and cheerfulness1 without accident4 ,the ,duke of ,york and ,mr4 ,dundas were on the beach1 the ladies were all in tears2 the soldiers in high spirits1 and all fun and jollity4 ,we afterwards went to ,walmer ,castle to breakfast1 and as the ,duke of ,york was not to embark till the evening1 ,mr4 ,pitt invited ,mrs4 ,crewe and her party to stay and take an early scrambling dinner4 ,this was accepted1 and we remained in the castle while the cannon on its ramparts were fired on his ,royal ,highness entering the launch in sight of a fleet of at least two hundred sail of ships1 by which he was saluted2 and we saw the flash of every gun1 and heard the report which was brought to us by the raging east wind1 forte1 fortissimo4 ,it was a glorious sight6 ,god prosper the expedition1 and grant that those brave men who are gone so cheerfully to fight our battles and those of all ,europe1 may come home with honour and whole bones4 ,the ,duke of ,portland's youngest son1 ,lord ,charles ,bentinck1 sailed with the ,duke of ,york1 and young ,crewe sails to-day with the last embarkation1 being lieut4-colonel commandant of the ,ninth ,regiment of ,infantry4 ,the hymn to the ,emperor and ,souvarow's#aid march have been sung and played to all these great folks with good effect and applause4 ,lady ,susan ,ryder and ,miss ,crewe sing it admirably1 and ,i join in the chorus4 ,i have obliged all the ladies mentioned above1 including ,lady ,grey1 with copies of these compositions2 they are all musicians1 and are the personages in the world most deserving of such a favour1 and where the granting of it will be of most use4 #8,i congratulate you on the great events of this wonderful campaign1 not forgetting the acquisition of the ,dutch fleet1 which1 ,i am glad to find1 is ordered to ,england4 ,the ,duke of ,portland received a letter yesterday before he left ,dover from his son1 who is with ,marshal ,souvarow 7pronounced ,souvaroff71 of the battle of ,novi1 confirming all that the ,french have told us of the death of their ,general ,joubert1 of ,moreau's being unhorsed1 and all his staff killed1 wounded1 or prisoners4 ,it has cost the ,allies #e1jjj men4 ,however1 it seems to put an end to all other fighting and resistance by ,jacobin armies of ,italy4 #8,i intend returning in about ten days1 but have a visit of a few days to make on the road to ,sir ,william and ,lady ,fawcett1 at ,eltham4 #8,god bless you4 #8,my dear ,sir1 #8,,charles ,,burney4' #ahjj4 ,bradfield4--,i never come to this place without reaping all the pleasure which any place can give me now4 ,it is beautiful and healthy1 and is endeared to me by so many recollections1 melancholy ones now1 alas6 that ,i feel more here than anywhere else4 ,here have ,i lived from my infancy1 here my dear mother breathed her last1 here was all ,i knew of a sister1 and the church contains the remains of my father1 mother1 and ever beloved child6 ,here1 under my window1 her little garden--the shrubs and flowers she planted--the willow on the island1 her room1 her books1 her papers4 ,there have ,i prayed to the ,almighty that ,i might join her in the next world4 ,all that locality can give an interest to in this world is here--sweet ,bradfield1 to use an epithet of my dear mother fifty years ago at ,bath6--the scene also of many and great sins2 and of none perhaps greater than the black ingratitude of never thanking ,god with fervency for the blessing of such a spot till misery turned my heart to ,him1 and oh6 how cold my thanksgivings compared with what ,i ought to feel6 ,to me it has1 however1 often been a source of foolish uneasiness4 ,i have reflected on the increasing taxes and burthens on land and houses in this kingdom as the inevitable cause of ruin to all little estates2 they are gone or fast going in this country1 and what hope can ,i have that this should remain in the posterity of so poor a person as ,i am8 ,i have preserved it by a life of industry and singular success1 or it had gone long ago4 ,but such thoughts are wicked4 ,all is in the hands of the great ,preserver and ,disposer of all earthly as well as all other existence4 ,how few years are passed since ,i should have pushed on eagerly to ,woburn6 ,this time twelvemonth ,i dined with the duke on the ,sunday4 ,the party not very numerous1 but chiefly of rank2 the entertainment more splendid than usual there4 ,he expects me to-day1 but ,i have more pleasure in resting1 going twice to church and eating a morsel of cold lamb at a very humble inn1 than partaking of gaiety and dissipation at a great table which might as well be spread for a company of heathens as ,english lords and men of fashion4 ,in my way from ,royston to ,baldock1 passing a village ,i saw a couple of cottages which seemed very miserable4 ,alighted therefore and entered one4 ,the woman said she was very unhappy4 ,i enquired why8 ,her daughter was now dead in the house4 ,how old8 ,thirty-eight4 ,married to a glazier in ,london4 ,she had been down with her mother some time for health in a decline1 and died two days ago4 #8,i hope she died a good ,christian4' #8,i hope so1' replied the woman1 who seemed to feel very little4 ,and it is the blessing of ,god that they do not--they cannot afford to grieve like their betters4 ,it was odd that ,i should happen to stop and enter a cottage with a corpse in it1 but nothing interesting followed4 ,god forbid it should be for want of my sifting and enquiring more--but nothing led to it4 ,the husband was expected soon1 and the woman has a son1 a miller1 who keeps her1 a cow1 and she had a good pig feeding at the door4 ,she was1 however1 thankful for the trifle ,i gave her4 ,my adventures increase and have a strange similitude4 ,passing through ,millbrook1 near ,lord ,ossory's1 some cottages1 with corn in their gardens1 on the slopes of a narrow sandy vale1 caught my eye1 but speedily passing it was a second thought to stop the horse and walk down to them4 ,there are thirteen of them1 and all inhabited by owners4 ,a hemp weaver1 who lives in the first ,i entered1 gave me an account of them all1 and amongst the rest he named ,underwood's1 who had a large family1 and was sadly poor4 ,i went to it4 ,poor indeed6 the cottage almost tumbling down1 the wind blowing through it on every side4 ,on a bed1 which was hardly good enough for a hog1 was the woman very ill and moaning2 she had been lately brought to bed1 and her infant was dead in a cradle by the bedside4 ,what a spectacle6 ,she had four children living2 one1 a little girl1 was at home1 and putting together a few embers on the hearth4 ,my heart sank within me at the sight of so much misery1 and so dark1 cold1 tattered and wretched a room4 ,merciful ,god1 to take the little child to ,himself1 rather than leave it existing in such a place4 ,what a sight6 ,i entered another cottage1 which was lately built1 neat and cheerful1 the ,widow ,scarboro's2 she earns something by washing1 but her smoky chimney most uncomfortable4 ,no wonder1 with the old broad high fire-place4 ,in the depth of winter the door must be open4 ,i told her how to cure it1 but ,i wished to give her a ,rumford grate and see it fixed4 ,impossible6 and her evils are nothing to poor ,underwood's4 ,but how strange yesterday to find a dead woman in a house1 and to-day a dead child1 and in such an accidental manner1 as it seems1 to enter just these houses4 ,no chance2 the more ,i see1 the more ,i reflect1 the more ,i am convinced that the providence of the ,almighty directs everything1 but in a manner utterly incomprehensible to us2 and it is the more incomprehensible from our paying so very little attention to it4 ,if every one was to be careful to observe all such apparently accidental events1 they would have reason to acknowledge the hand of ,omnipotence4 ,in three days how has what the world calls chance conducted my steps6 ,these poor people know not by what tenure they hold their land2 they say they once belonged to the duke1 but that the duke has swopped them away to my lord 7,lord ,ossory74 ,how little do the great know what they swop and what they receive6 ,what would be a blessing poured into their hands if they knew how to use it4 ,what a field is here6 ,how very trifling the repairs to render these poor families warm and comfortable6 ,above their gardens on one side there is a waste fern tract now enclosed1 from which small additions might be given them1 yet would enable them to live from their ground at least much better than at present4 ,what have not great and rich people to answer1 for not examining into the situation of their poor neighbours8 ,to ,woburn ,abbey4 ,here is wealth and grandeur and worldly greatness2 but ,i am sick of it as soon as ,i enter these splendid walls4 ,i had rather be amongst the cottagers at ,millbrook had ,i but the means of aiding them4 ,i will see ,lord ,ossory1 and try to do something for them4 ,in these farming tours#aie of mine1 vain ideas will too often rise in my mind on the importance of my labour to the public good2 and were the improvement of agriculture alone to be considered1 ,i believe little doubt could be entertained4 ,but what is the tendency of all these improvements except to add to the wealth and prosperity of a country that is already under a most heavy responsibility to the ,almighty for innumerable temporal blessings2 repaid with the black ingratitude of irreligion1 and a general contempt of everything serious or sacred4 ,carriers' waggons and stage coaches are passing here every hour in open defiance of the laws of ,god and man2 and the ,sabbath is the sure day of labour for all travelling gentlemen4 ,what horses are they that rest1 that can by any means be made to work8 ,our fields are made to smile with cultivation for the profits of men thankless to ,heaven4 ,can such a country continue to be thus blessed8 ,i fear and dread some terrible reverse1 and have the only hope that the prayers of religious men1 ,methodists as they are called1 may be heard1 and avert the misfortunes we deserve4 ,it damps all vanity of public good attending such attempts as mine1 to think of the use that is made of great wealth4 ,affliction and poverty may do something in bringing nations1 like individuals1 to their senses2 but to increase the wealth that adds to our irreligion and ingratitude1 is of a very poor importance indeed1 and too questionable to permit one vain thought to be fairly founded4 ,july #g4--;,breakfasting at ,huntingdon from ,kimbolton1 after spending just a week with the duke and duchess4 ,it has been so pleasant and agreeable that ,i am unhinged on quitting them4 ,the duchess pleases me as much or more than any woman ,i have met these many years4 ,her character in every worldly respect is most amiable4 ,there is a native ease1 simplicity1 and navet of character in her which delights me2 and when ,i consider the life of the ,duchess of ,gordon1 her mother1 the great patroness of every dissipation1 ,i am amazed at this secluded young duchess1 who never goes to ,london1 loves a retired life1 and is quite contented on a fortune very moderate for the rank of her husband4 ,she gave me her whole history1 from going one summer for some weeks to drink goat's whey on the mountains many miles beyond ,gordon ,castle1 and running up and down the hills bare-footed1 driving down the goats and milking them2 and being delighted with the place and the life1 though no human being within many miles except the family and an old woman of the solitary house4 ,this was the case of all the girls2 she never went to school1 and laid in a fine stock of health1 and with it a sweetness of temper and simplicity of character which1 joined with an excellent understanding1 contributed so much to form her as she is at present1 calculated to be a blessing to her husband4 ,she loves him1 and behaves with a most exemplary and unexampled patience and mildness under his connection with ,mrs4 ----4 ,i like her greatly1#aif and wish ,i could add that she was religious4 ,she goes to church often1 she says1 and brings her four lovely children up to attend it2 but ,i see she has no sense or feeling of real religion1 which ,i spoke of repeatedly1 and earnestly recommended4 ,the next time they come to ,culford they both promised to come and see me1 and will do it ,i have no doubt4 ,the spectacle in this age of seeing a very plain table1 a plain unaffected way of living1 and everything about them modest and moderate in scale1 very little company1 and never at ,london1 yet all cheerfulness and content1 even under the above circumstance1 speaks a good heart and an amiable temper1 as much as such can be good with the ,almighty coming in for so poor a share of its attentions4 ,i do and will pray to ,god that ,he will give her ,his grace to change in this respect1 and then she will be a pattern for her sex4 ,july #g4--,to ,huntingdon1 ,st4 ,ives1 and ,holywell1 at the ,reverend ,mr4 ,hutchinson's1 who was long at ,kimbolton1 and had livings given to him by the late duke2 has four stout1 well-looking1 unmarried daughters1 that have been marriageable some years4 ,a common spectacle1 and everywhere from the same cause3 the fornication of men with the abandoned of the sex robs thousands of such virtuous and good girls of husbands4 ,the more ,i reflect1 the more ,i see the reason of ,god's wrath and denunciations against this vice in ,scripture1 however natural it is1 and however powerful the temptation4 ,the more the temptation the more the wickedness to throw so many into it1 by depriving those of husbands to whom ,god has given the right1 but of which the vice of man deprives them4 ,every man would have his wife1 and every woman her husband1 were it not for whores and whoremongers4 ,christianity is in everything consistent with reason1 morals1 and the religion of nature4 ,at ,st4 ,ives met a drunken beast1 a doctor of divinity1 is intoxicated every day2 drunk about the streets2 introduced himself to me1 and breathed like a puncheon of rum in my face4 ,sunday1 #bjth3 ,downham4--,i have had a busy week and gained a great variety of good intelligence2 but what is it all but vanity and vexation of spirit if examined with view of a superior nature6 ,however1 it is my undoubted duty to do my best1 and ,i must approve upon the whole of exerting as much industry for the ,board as ever ,i did upon my own account4 ,my employment is not only lawful1 but useful2 ,god grant me to render it as much so to the poor as circumstances will permit4 ,in this week ,i have been at ,wing's at ,thorney ,abbey4 ,a party of ladies here1 ,mrs4 ,ansel of ,ormsby in ,lincolnshire and two daughters4 ,they attacked me1 but with politeness1 on my rabbit article in the ,lincoln report4 ,i found from their conversation on ,wilberforce and ,h4 ,more that they are good ,christians1 so they might say anything2 but we parted very good friends4 ,at ,march3 ,reverend ,mr4 ,jobson and a vulgar steward1 a prating but a useful fellow1 ,wandby1 dined with me4 ,at ,downham3 ,lemon1 ,dashwood1 and a poor fen man ,talbot4 ,i have gone on well for the object of my journey2 would that ,i went on as well in the great journey to the next world6 ,at church twice2 ,mr4 ,dashwood in his sermon spoke very properly on a topic which ,i have often thought should be inveighed upon vigorously3 the great indecency of people sitting when they should kneel1 which is now everywhere so common2 but in the afternoon a better congregation and no sermon6 ,for a clergyman to have an audience collected ready to hear him and yet quit the church without preaching1 how very lukewarm he must be in care of souls who can bring himself without violence to such a conduct6 ,is this the way with ,methodists as they are called8 ,god forbid6 ,with a church thus filled as that of ,england is1 who can wonder at ,sectaries increasing8 ,all is poor work when men are not in earnest--when they are not as animated and eager in their sacred calling as others are in their business and shops4 ,a parson should always think3 what would ,st4 ,paul do on this occasion8 ,sunday1 ,august #c4--;,dined last ,tuesday with the ,grand ,jury at ,cambridge1 and in the afternoon ,lord ,hardwicke took me with him to ,wimpole4 ,on the ,thursday1 a great public day1 seventy-three at dinner1 turtle1 venison1 and everything that could be4 ,a ,lord ,lieutenant's gala which has not been these four years4 ,lady ,cotton1 ,sir ,wm4 ,rowley's sister1 there all the week1 and a ,miss ,coburn4 ,lady ,margaret ,fordyce has uncommon talents1 and reading and languages1 ,french1 ,italian and ,german1 but ,i mistake if she is not a bit of a fury when she has a mind4 ,i don't like her countenance4 ,lady ,h4 pleases me better4 ,lord ,h4 is very clever1 has very good parts and a clear head1 a man of business4 ,i was pleased to find that he went twice to church1 and read a long prayer at night to all the family1 taken from the ,liturgy4 ,i shall be here a week1 and have idled none of it away1 but beat the country well for enclosures4 ,i have not1 however1 broken my resolution of passing ,sunday alone without being misled1 for even in such a family ,i had a farming expedition to the next parish1 and conversation is never religious--,i hope ,i shall do it no more4 ,night4--,lord ,hardwicke had all the family together1 and read a long prayer taken from the ,liturgy1 from almost every part of it4 ,i am glad to find a great ,lord who is not ashamed of praying to ,god4 ,may there be many such6 #dth4--,i left ,wimpole1 and the #ith came to ,bradfield after a journey of eight weeks1 thanks to the ,almighty1 in health and safety4 ,there passed a week1 staying two ,sundays4 ,mrs4 ,y4 in great health1 and when that is the case in too much irritation--,god forgive her--life is a scene of worrying1 time trifled with1 a book never looked in1 quarrels and irritation never subsiding4 ,my daughter and daughter-in-law reading cart loads of novels4 ,while at ,bradfield ,i received from ,sir ,j4 ,banks1 confidentially1 many enquiries about the means of encouraging the culture of hemp2 they are therefore apprehensive of a war with ,russia4 ,at the time of the ,russian armament ,i was consulted on the same subject by ,lord ,liverpool1 but they do nothing except on the spur of the moment1 and then never effectually4 ,heaven avert more wars1 those scourges of humanity6 ,this first week of my second journey#aig ,i have laboured very hard in my enquiries1 and travelled many miles on bad roads1 not finishing the day till six in the evening1 and then dining and having much writing4 ,such a life ,i should earnestly wish to avoid if ,i had a home tolerably comfortable1 but mine is so far from that description in almost every respect that ,i submit the better to being ever in harness4 ,it is the will of ,god1 and my duty is to submit with cheerfulness4 ,october #fth3 ,hounslow4--,found near twenty letters at the post-office1 and1 among the rest1 two from ,parker of ,ripon1 attorney to ,sir ,cecil ,wray1 ,kilvington1 and ,allanson1 to inform he had orders to hold me to bail on my bond to them on buying ,knaresboro' ,forest1 as ,abbey of ,northampton has not paid one shilling rent or interest4 ,this is a fine affair2 it is true there is land security for the #d1jjjl4 of double the value1 but who am ,i to get to bail me8 ,i fear this is the hand of ,god working against me1 and that ,he means me chastisement4 ,the ,lord's will be done6 ,i shall pray earnestly to be spared1 but if it is ,his will1 be it done1 and may ,he grant me resignation1 patience1 and submission to ,his correction4 ,it comes heavy at the moment1 for ,i was much injured at ,enfield by coffee out of copper1 as ,i suppose1 with a violent purging colic and vomiting1 and left by it in a state of great debility of body2 this stroke of fresh anxiety cuts therefore4 ,may ,god be appeased and spare me the affliction4 ,last ,sunday ,i read much in ,hale's #8,contemplations3 ,moral and ,divine1' in which the ,providence of ,god is treated more to my mind than in any other book ,i have read4 ,i have derived on various occasions1 as well as the present1 much consolation from that most excellent work1 which ,i now earnestly recommend to my children1 and hope if they should ever read these words1 they will think of their father and follow his advice to make that great lawyer's book their constant companion4 ,on the close of this century it may not be improper to look back through the period of my own recollections in order to reflect on some eminent names that may be mentioned as forming the principal constellation of talents which have distinguished the period2 and the more readily because ,i have had the honour of conversing with most of them1 and being well known to several4 ,in minuting such a list ,i may name the following1 viz43 ,burke1 ,pitt1 ,fox1 ,johnson1 ,reynolds1 ,barry1 ,burney1 ,miss ,burney1 ,h4 ,more1 ,wilberforce1 ,soame4 ,the following are the selection of this year's letters3-- ,from ,jeremy ,bentham1 ,esq41 queries sent from the ,treasury to the ,board of ,agriculture #8,queen's ,square ,place1 ,westminster2 ,june #ad1 #ahjj4 #8,dear ,sir1--,underneath is a question1 which ,i have just been calling in ,sackville ,street to beg the favour of your answer to1 for my own information4 ,it is in contemplation to make the purport of it the subject of a reference to the ,board of ,agriculture from the ,treasury4 ,the occasion seemed to be of a nature particularly favourable to the enabling the public to avail itself of the services of the ,board1 and may perhaps have the effect of placing the utility of that ,institution in a new and additional point of view2 while the dignity of its members1 and the manner in which it is composed1 will give such a title to public confidence1 in respect of the grand point of superiority to all personal considerations1 as would in vain be looked for in any other quarter capable of being applied to for such a purpose4 ,in this light ,i have just been mentioning the matter to ,mr4 ,nepean1 who entered so thoroughly into it as to say he would himself propose it to the ,treasury to make such reference4 #8,on enquiring ,i had the mortification of learning that the ,board had adjourned to some day in ,november3 but would there be no such thing as the calling an extra meeting1 if not to the ,board at large1 of a ,committee for the purpose of receiving a reference from such a quarter1 and making a ,report8 ,if not1 possibly the opinion of the ,secretary might be accepted of as the only obtainable succedaneum to the opinion of the ,board2 for where else could any other equally competent opinion be obtained8 ,but howsoever the matter may stand with regard to the ,board and ,mr4 ,secretary1 ,i hope ,mr4 ,young will not refuse an old correspondent the favour of an answer for his own guidance1 and that as speedy as possible2 for it is for this answer that ,i wait to enable me to fill up a blank with figures1 the propriety of which is what is proposed as above to be made the subject of reference to the ,board4 ,if you are unable to guess my reason for interfering in the business1 so much the better1 but if you have your conjectures1 all ,i can do is to beg 7which ,i do with the utmost sincerity7 that you would forbear letting them find their way1 directly or indirectly1 to any person to whose lot it may fall to concur in making the ,report4 ,it was at ,mr4 ,nepean's express recommendation that ,i called in ,sackville ,street for the purpose of conversing with you in person3 but1 if your absence be not fatal to the business1 ,i shall be much better pleased with the opportunity of transacting it in this manner without any other communication than what will show itself in black and white4 ,i am not sure but the ,report from the ,board might be waited for without much inconvenience till their regular time of reassembling3 but till ,mr4 ,young's answer is obtained1 or is known to be unobtainable1 everything is at a stand4 ,and a business in which the public has an interest of no inconsiderable magnitude1 and for the conclusion of which all parties are impatient1 sleeps1 and1 in short1 if it does not come at farthest before this week is at an end1 the hopes entertained of an answer from a quarter thus respectable must be deserted4 ,but these matters are so perfectly ,a4,b4,c4 to ,mr4 ,young that ,i am sanguine enough to hope1 if not for a definitive solution1 at least for an answer with an approximation1 and announcing a definitive solution in a few days1 by return of post4 #8,i am1 dear ,sir1 with all respect1 #8,your faithful humble servant1 #8,jeremy ,bentham4 #8,now for my question--,a sum having been allotted in ,march1 #agic1 for the maintenance of a certain number of persons1 of the lowest rank of life1 in provisions1 clothing1 bedding1 washing1 firing1 and lighting1 how much1 if anything1 per cent4 ought to be the additional allowance made at present in consideration of the intervening rise of prices8 ,the calculation to be grounded not on the prices of a particularly bad year 7such as the present71 but on the probable average of a future term--say of twelve years4 #8,p4,s4--,relative to the ,annals--,i have got a titbit for your 8,dragon0 7the name ,dr4 ,hawksworth used to give his magazine71 some facts which to me are as new as they are interesting1 relative to the effect of the rise of prices on the wages of the self-maintaining labourers in agriculture1 and the mode of provision for the burthensome4 ,the author1 a very intelligent and respectable clergyman1 ,mr4 ,north1 ,rector of ,ashdon in ,essex4 ,they are contained in two or three letters3#aih the moral of them appears to lean to two practical results1 both of them ,i believe as alien to your notions as to mine1 viz4 rating wages and restricting the size of farms4 ,at the same time what they indicate is certainly a disease1 the mischief of which1 however1 would1 ,i am inclined to think1 be much exceeded by that of the least mischievous of the above two remedies4 ,but if capable of an answer1 they are1 at the same time1 highly deserving of one2 and this not only on account of the facts themselves1 but on account of the good sense as well as candour with which they are delivered4 #8,j4 ,b4' ,from ,j4 ,symonds1 ,esq41 to the ,speaker of the ,house of ,commons1 c4 #8,euston3 ,november #cj1 #ahjj4 #8,my dear ,sir1--,i came hither on ,friday and shall go home next ,saturday4 ,i hear there are three pamphlets lately published that command much attention--,lord ,sheffield's1#aii ,sir ,thomas ,sturton's1 and 8,candid ,enquiries10 etc4 ,when does your ,board intend to enter the lists8 ,the ,duke says it has shown him great politeness by the attention it has paid to a proposal of his4 ,if you have not got 8,islington on ,forestalling10 c4 you should buy it1 for several statutes1 absurd as they are1 you will find set forth clearly and methodically--,i should not properly say clearly 7but this is no fault of the editor71 for we do not know what statutes may be said to be declaratory of the common law1 or not4 ,did you not rejoice with me that ,sheridan animadverted on those judges who had thundered their anathemas against forestallers1 c48 ,i am persuaded that some of the riots owed their origin to the intemperate language so extra-judicially used4 ,i was sorry to see the turn which affairs took upon the ,report of the ,committee4 ,had ,pitt been silent about the ,jacobins1 and had your friend ,wilberforce abstained from abusing ,grey's connections and ,sir ,francis ,burdett's speech1 there would probably have been a great unanimity4 ,the more ,wilberforce endeavoured to exculpate himself1 the deeper he seemed to plunge4 ,he was well advised by ,sir ,f4 ,b41 who seldom harangues with any propriety1 8to think more1 and speak less40 #8,when ,i mentioned agricultural books ,i ought not to have appeared insensible to the pleasure ,i received from perusing the greater part of ,burke's pamphlet1 very lately published by ,dr4 ,lawrence4 ,you1 ,i find1 make there a distinguished figure in the foreground4 ,do you approve of what ,burke says about the distilleries8 #8,a few minutes before ,i came hither on ,friday a very melancholy event took place4 ,winterton1 the ,groom of the ,chambers1 had been seen walking by the side of the river near the mill1 not far from the house1 and was never heard of afterwards till his body was found in the river4 ,the ,coroner is expected to-day1 and he will probably instruct the jury to bring in their verdict1 8lunacy10 as some of the servants had observed in him marks of insanity a few days preceding4 #8,if you can spare five minutes from the service you pay to the ,board and to the public1 favour me with a few lines4 ,you live now more with politicians than with farmers4 #8,what will be the result of our breaking with the ,emperor of ,russia1 whose conduct ,mr4 ,pitt truly calls strange versatility and caprice8 #8,tell me a good deal1 for the ,duke has no regular correspondent in ,town now that ,stonehewer is here4 #8,i was with you at ,bradfield when ,buonaparte's first offers for a peace were published4 #8,you said you thought the ,ministry would pay attention to them1 and do you think that1 upon the whole1 we can make as good a peace as them1 the ,french having been almost driven out of ,italy8 #8,adieu4 #8,yours sincerely1 #8,j4 ,,symonds4' ----- ,footnote #ahg3 ,assessed taxes4 ,on ,december #d1 #agig1 ,mr4 ,pitt introduced a ,bill for trebling the amount of assessed taxes4 ,this was again debated in the ,house of ,commons in ,january #agih1 and finally passed4 ,see ,hansard's ,parliamentary ,history4 ,footnote #ahh3 ,in a memorandum-book of the preceding year occur the following entries3 #8,receipts1 #ijal42 debts1 ,dec4 #ca1 #ihfl4' ,debts seem to have been a burden throughout ,a4 ,y4's long life4 ,footnote #ahi3 ,a4 ,o',connor1 concerned with others in an address to the ,directory ,france2 tried for treason at ,maidstone1 #agih2 found not guilty4 ,see ,annual ,register1 #agih4 ,footnote #aij3 ,these dinners to poor children were given in memory of ,bobbin4 ,footnote #aia3 ,ne ,betsy ,plampin4 ,footnote #aib3 ,referring to a long letter from the great ,wilberforce on #8,original ,sin4' ,footnote #aic3 ,the ,letters of ,maria ,josepha ,holroyd give an amusing account of the events here described4 ,footnote #aid3 ,on ,november #d1 #agid1 ,souvarow took ,warsaw1 when #h1jjj soldiers and #ab1jjj men1 women1 and children were massacred in cold blood4 ,see ,l'histoire gnrale de ,lavisse et ,rambaud1 vol4 viii4 p4 #ceh4 ,it is to be hoped that ,dr4 ,burney was in ignorance of this4 ,footnote #aie3 ,note by ,a4 ,y4 at close of year's diary3 #8,in the summer1' in consequence of much conversation with ,lord ,carrington on the importance of enclosures1 ,i proposed to him that ,i should take a tour expressly for the purpose of ascertaining what the effect had really been in practice4 ,he approved of the idea1 and desired me to execute it2 and1 in regard to the expense1 ,i told him that if he would allow #ajjl41 ,i would expend it in travelling1 and report to him the country travelled and the enclosures examined1 and then he might extend or not the undertaking at his pleasure4 ,he approved the plan1 and ,i accordingly employed twenty weeks on the journey4' ,footnote #aif3 ,in the ,annals of ,agriculture1 vol4 xxxv4 p4 #dcb1 occurs the following3 #8,if a farming traveller comes to ,kimbolton1 and forgets its mistress1 may his sheep rot and crops blight6 ,a young duchess1 ever in the country1 loving it1 and free from a wish for ,london--a character that1 if ,i was to give my pen scope1 it would run wild on such a subject4' ,footnote #aig3 ,full accounts of these tours are given in the ,annals of ,agriculture4 ,footnote #aih3 ,these letters are inserted in the ,annals of ,agriculture1 vol4 xxxv4 p4 #dei4 ,footnote #aii3 ,lord ,sheffield published ,remarks on the ,deficiency of ,grain #agii-ahjj1 and ,observations on the ,exportation of ,wool from ,great ,britain to ,ireland4 #ahjj4 ----- ,,chapter ,,xiv ,,diary ,,continued1 #ahja-ahjc ,public affairs and prophecy--,the divining rod--,the appropriation of waste lands--,the word #8meanness' defined--,south's sermons--,projected theological compendia--,correspondence--,journalisin g to #8my friend'--,anecdote of ,dean ,milner and ,pitt--,death of the ,duke of ,bedford--,napoleon and ,protestantism4 ,march #bj4--;,it is in vain to complain of gaps2 if ,i had but attention enough to write only two lines every day ,i should have hope of going on4 ,i have been thinking more seriously of the ,journal1 and of converting it to use as a memento of the progress ,i make in the only business worth real attention--my salvation through the merits of the ,blessed ,saviour4 ,for this purpose ,i must fix on some hour of the day to be regular at it1 and1 if ,i hold my resolution1 it shall be immediately after my prayers in the morning1 being always up at #d ,a4,m4 and sometimes at #c ,a4,m4 ,i am then sure to be uninterrupted2 positively ,i will begin to-morrow morning4 #bast4--,dined yesterday with ,lord ,somerville4 ,i did not like the day4 ,duke of ,montrose1 ,duke of ,athol1 and ,lord ,rossmore sent excuses1 but the ,marquis of ,abercorn1 ,lord ,dalkeith1 ,lord ,villiers1 ,lord ,barrington1 ,mr4 ,mc,dougal1 ,mr4 ,baird1 and two ,scotch members were there1 the last but one a hard-headed1 sensible man4 ,much conversation1 particularly farming4 ,this morning ,sir ,a4 ,st4 ,john ,mildmay called to have my opinion of a ,bill he is now bringing into ,parliament to enable the clergy to give leases of their tithes beyond the term of their lives4 ,the ,archbishop has not negatived it1 but such a ,bill can no more pass than the abolition of tithes2 it is open to such frauds that perhaps it ought not to pass4 ,my chief misfortune in having little society with well-disposed minds3 ,i know few except ,wilberforce and ,cecil2 the latter ,i rarely see1 and ,w4 is so full of business that ,i might nearly as well be unknown to him4 ,i will urge him to form a ,society to meet once a week for conversation merely on religion4 #bbnd1 ,sunday4--,to be eager and alert in rising at #d ,a4,m4 for all my secular employments and sluggish on the ,lord's ,day1 when1 if ,i rise1 it must be to ,his worship1 seemed long ago a snare of ,satan1 which1 blessed be ,god1 ,i have resisted4 ,i was yesterday at the ,society for ,bettering the ,condition of the ,poor1 the ,bishop of ,durham in the chair2 it is an excellent institution1 and may call down the blessing of ,god--may that ,being grant them his grace to do good from right motives6 ,with the ,duke of ,bedford on the ,smithfield ,society1 and the whole day full of business1 which1 on the ,sabbath1 ,i banish as much as ,i can from my mind4 ,in the evening my son and daughter only at home1 and therefore ,i got an hour's religious conversation with them on the times and the ,prophecies4 ,i have been too negligent of improving such opportunities1 but the tremendous moment in which we live1 so lately having seen the country without ,king1 without minister1 with a famine1 and seven wars6 ,if it be not a moment to call people to a serious recollection1 nothing can ever do it4 ,so near the expiration of the #a1bfj years of ,daniel and ,st4 ,john2 the ,turkish ,empire on the point of destruction2 a strange and unthought-of establishment in ,egypt1 a country that is to have much to do in the return of the ,jews--ourselves in ,india1 they may have some unknown relation to that phial to be poured out on the ,euphrates to make way for the ,kings of the ,east--altogether combine strangely to give suspicion that we are on the eve of some great events which are to usher in the final consummation of all things1 and consequently the fall of the ten ,kings of ,europe4 ,the times are truly awful1 and demand such piety and resignation as no other period of modern history even approached to4 #bcrd4--,at the ,lock yesterday4 ,scott is now my favourite preacher1 and ,i have heard him ever since ,i came to ,town with great pleasure and attention in spite of a very bad manner4 ,his matter is most excellent4 ,received the ,sacrament4 #bdth4--,called yesterday on ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,montagu in their great house4 ,it is said he has just lost a coal pit that was worth #f1jjjl4 or #g1jjjl4 a year2 ,i had a card for her ,monday parties1 and not having been1 ,i apologised4 ,i must now and then go after ,easter4 ,but all company of the sort is flat to me4 ,i have just made up the annual account for #ahjj1 and the loss upon the year is #bbl42 this meeting a tax on paper which will cost #dhl4 a year is alarming4 ,i had entertained many vain hopes that the work after so many years' continuance would have stood its ground1 but ,i know not what to think4 ,now ,i must print only six instead of seven sheets1 and try so for another year4 ,if ,i lose then1 ,i must give up the work1 much as it will hurt me4 ,the #8,agricultural and ,commercial ,magazine' and the #8,farmers' ,magazine1' which approach more to the nature of newspapers1 and which have contained hardly one paper of real importance1 have been selling well2 such is the world1 its judgment and discernment6 #bhth4--,yesterday the ,board proceeded to ,hyde ,park in a body to see the experiments of ,captain ,hoar on the ,virgula divina4 ,he1 many years ago1 saw ,lady ,milbank's surprising faculty of discovering springs1 and trying1 found that he had it himself4 ,he is recommended to the ,board by ,mr4 ,lascelles1 member for ,yorkshire4 ,i found from the conductor of the waterworks at the reservoir then at work1 that the twig in ,mr4 ,hoar's hand when he crossed them turned up in a surprising manner4 ,he seemed1 in the opinion of ,sir ,joseph ,banks1 to fail once1 but in the four trials ,i watched1 and in which ,i know he could not be acquainted with the direction of the pipes1 he succeeded completely4 ,next ,tuesday another trial4 ,to-morrow will be published in the #8,annals' the first parts of my essay on applying waste lands to the better support of the poor4 ,i prepared it some time ago for the ,board1 as it was collected in my last summer's journey2 ,i read it to a committee--,lord ,carrington1 ,sir ,c4 ,willoughby and ,mr4 ,millington--who condemned it1 and1 after waiting a month1 ,lord ,c4 told me ,i might do what ,i pleased with it for myself1 but not print it as a work for the ,board2 so ,i altered the expressions which referred to the body1 and sent it to the #8,annals4' ,i prayed earnestly to ,god on and since the journey for ,his blessing on my endeavours to serve the poor1 and to influence the minds of people to accept it2 but for the wisest reasons certainly ,he has thought proper not to do this1 and for the same reasons probably it will be printed without effect4 ,i think it1 however1 my duty to ,him to do all ,i possibly can4 ,such events and circumstances ,i am well persuaded are entirely in ,his ,divine management1 and that we are mere instruments in ,his hands4 ,whether ,i print or not is a matter wholly unimportant1 but the use made of it is in the hands of the ,almighty alone4 ,i am well persuaded that this is the only possible means of saving the nation from the ruin fast coming on by the misery of the poor and the alarming ruin of rates4 ,god's will be done6 #bith4--,yesterday at the ,farmers' ,club4 ,i have little relish of these meetings1 unless given to farming conversation1 and this was nothing but wrangling about the disposition of money4 ,sunday before ,easter4--,company and talk1 eating and wine2 sitting up late are ill preparations for the ,sabbath4 #cast4--,the ,duke of ,bedford and ,lord ,winchilsea at the ,club2 filled up vacancies and settled the premiums4 ,the ,board greatly attended yesterday1 and adjourned for the holidays4 ,captain ,hoar is turned over to ,lord ,egremont1 of whom the ,bishop of ,durham said that he possessed of all the men almost that he ever knew the clearest head and most penetrating understanding4 ,i asked ,lord ,carrington to employ ,arthur while ,i am absent2 he said it was mean to make him a clerk--but everything is wrong that is proposed to this man1 even the things which1 let alone1 he would propose himself4 ,honest industry in a lawful employment cannot be mean1 especially in an employment that he likes4 ,this is one of the world's prejudices1 and rotten like all the rest4 ,april #d4--;,at ,bradfield4 ,the pleasure of coming into the country from such a place as ,london is great and pure4 ,the freshness and sweetness of the air1 the quiet and stillness1 the sunshine unclouded by smoke1 the singing of the birds1 the verdure of the fields1 the budding out of vegetation1 altogether is charming4 ,i have only an old woman who keeps the house in our absence1 and never was so attended before2 but no matter--,i am quiet1 peaceful1 and living economically1 and shall1 ,i hope1 be very well contented4 ,divine service was worse done than anything2 ,sharpe1 who is past everything1 preaches and reads worse than any human being2 this is lamentable4 ,that point is the glory of ,london2 one can find churches where our attention is commanded by instruction4 ,i never saw the wheat look better1 thanks to ,god6 ,my farm is the source of disquiet as well as pleasure--such bailiffs as ,i must keep execute everything badly1 except just what they have always been used to2 and with great expenses there are always many things sadly neglected4 ,with such absences as ,i am forced to1 this must be the case4 ,i have read ,barrow's sermons chiefly since ,i came down4 ,that on ,good ,friday excellent1 on ,whit ,sunday capital1 and on the prophecies of the ,messiah such as would convince an infidel1 were not infidelity true hardness of heart4 #eth4--,at the ,sacrament1 none but ,green and his wife1 and the clerk and his wife4 ,how much have the clergy to answer for6 ,reading ,barrow and ,south's sermons1 #8,the ,image of ,god in the ,creation1' which is full of wit4 ,barrow is a most powerful writer1 he pours out a torrent of matter1 a stream of mind1 as ,johnson said of ,burke2 an amazing flow of conception and of expression1 forcible and varied2 a rich command of language1 and such fertility that one of his sermons would make ten modern ones4 ,the life ,i am getting into here of walking and reading is such a contrast to that at ,london as to be a most pleasant change and recreation to my soul and body4 ,from ,january #bjth ,i had been so loaded with business of the requisitions from the ,committees of ,lords and ,commons1 and reading #cfj essays1 that ,i was employed every day from morn to dinner4 ,i rose at #d ,a4,m4 regularly1 sometimes sooner1 even at #c ,a4,m41 and neglected my #8,elements'#bjj entirely on this account4 ,all was for the ,board1 and not free from anxiety4 ,here ,i shall have a fortnight's refreshment and relaxation1 thanks to the ,almighty for it1 and that ,he blesses me with health to enjoy it4 #gth4--,yesterday at #b o'clock ,i walked to ,bury1 for ,i have neither horse nor chaise to go in or on4 ,dined with my friend#bja alone4 ,i had much talk1 and tried hard to impress her with good religious notions1 but ,i fear in vain2 she will not be converted but by misfortune and misery1 her easy prosperous situation will prevent it4 ,i can only pray for her4 ,i have made an experiment in living here not unimportant4 ,i drink no wine or beer1 only a pint or one-third of a bottle of cider at dinner4 ,i care not what ,i eat1 ,i have only one maid and no helps1 and could thus live for a trifle in a cottage4 ,in such times such trials may have their use beyond the ,christian propriety of self-denial2 but my collection of good books are a great comfort1 which1 if deprived of1 ,i should miss terribly4 ,i rise at #d ,a4,m41 walk up to my neck in the garden pond1 pray1 and then read till breakfast2 read1 walk1 and farm till dinner1 and so on till it is dark1 and no moment hangs heavily on my hands4 ,i reproach myself with indolence for not going among the cottagers1 but they come to me numerously1 and having descriptive lists ,i know enough to do more than ,i am able1 but ,i ought to go to their houses and examine their state well4 ,i have been reading ,watson's ,collection1#bjb and am forming a table of striking passages1 and think to have them copied for arranging with the many ,i have already written1 and may print it some time or other under some such title as this3 ,a course of reading on the origin1 truth1 and doctrines of the ,christian ,religion4 ,i know of no book of evidences that includes all2 by taking the most impressive passages on each subject from many books1 and disposing them in a lucid form1 ,i think ,i could produce a very useful work without presuming to compose any part of it myself4 ,may the ,lord afford me ,his ,spirit should ,i go on with the design1 but with my employment it would be a business requiring much time6 #ith4--,dined with ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,balgrave4 ,balgrave is a good-tempered ,suffolk parson1 neglects the duty of his church1 idle1 indolent1 drinks his bottle of port and reads his newspaper1 but what is called a respectable character1 no vices1 nor any imprudent follies4 #ajth4--,symonds dined with me and took a bed4 ,the ,duke of ,brunswick marching into ,hanover will1 he says1 be a keen revenge4 ,when he married our ,king's sister1 ,lord ,bute 7who told the whole to ,s4 while travelling with him in ,italy7 promised him the government of ,hanover as soon as it should be vacant1 with the ,king's knowledge4 ,the ,marquis of ,granby conveyed the assurance4 ,when the vacancy happened the ,prince of ,mecklenburg was talked of4 ,lord ,granby wrote to ,lord ,bute to remonstrate1 who went to the ,king and ,queen1 and urged the real necessity of adhering to the promise4 ,all in vain1 the ,queen prevailed1 and her brother1 not two degrees better than ----1 was appointed4 ,the ,duke of ,brunswick never forgave it1 and when invited to ,england rejected the idea with anger4 ,symonds saw him at ,venice and noted the asperity of some of his expressions4 #aath4--,reading ,sherlock's sermons4 ,in those on the truth of ,christianity1 and a defence of the mysteries of it1 ,i know none equal2 excellent indeed and clear1 persuasive1 and convincing2 but ,i have some doubts on the vitality of his faith4 ,in the third discourse of the second volume he says3 #8,here is a plain proof of what the work of the ,spirit is4 ,it brings proofs to the reason of man1 but does not bring the reason of man to the proofs4' ,i conceive just the contrary1 the proofs themselves are clear1 full1 and abounding with what ought to produce universal conviction1 but men1 for want of the ,spirit1 turn their back1 neglect1 or despise them4 ,it is the business of the ,spirit to take away the heart of stone1 and then the proofs are manifest3 the heart and reason of man are really brought to the proofs4 #abth1 ,sunday4--,the ground white with snow1 and the wind cutting4 ,i am up every morn at #d ,a4,m41 and walk to the garden pond2 habits will do anything4 ,i do not mind it at all1 and sometimes stand in the wind till dry2 it is1 however1 sharp work4 ,a nonsensical letter from ,lord ,carrington requiring me to go to the ,treasury for the #hjjl4 for the ,essays1 which is entirely the treasurer's business4 ,he is as unfeeling as a log2 this is a return for my being at work from #d ,a4,m4 in the morning for ten weeks4 ,i should once have been full of indignation and abhorrence2 thank ,god1 ,i am more calm4 ,i shall go on ,friday instead of the ,monday following4 ,but ,i wish he had let me alone4 ,i am vexed1 but the world is full of nothing but great miseries or teasing vexations1 the more the better2 they wean us from it effectually4 ,i have been here ten days and have not visited one poor family4 ,my heart reproaches me4 ,i have given as much as ,i apprehended ,i could afford1 but that is laziness4 ,the cold winds and sleet have kept me too much in the house4 ,it is easier to give than to be active in doing good4 ,i have four days more4 ,oh1 let me be stirring in doing good6 ,indolence is inexcusable4 ,if ,i thought ,i had but a little time to live1 with what energy would all this be done6 ,and how soon may ,i be trembling on a death bed6 ,have mercy on me1 ,o ,god1 and give me grace to serve ,thee with activity and vigour4 ,read the whole book of ,job4 ,i can read1 think1 speculate1 write1 and meditate1 but in doing good am negligent and slothful4 ,i have had a passing fit of melancholy from looking at my ever dear daughter's picture1 which ,i carry with me everywhere1 and never think of her but to bless ,god for having in some measure 7how imperfectly67 brought me to ,himself4 ,age coming on apace2 the world fading faster still2 horrible threatenings in the aspect of public affairs2 small hope of any comfort underived from religion4 ,how black and dreary would all my prospects be were it not for the consolation ,i draw from a most lively and never varying faith in the truth of ,christianity1 in the full assurance of immortality6 ,what would be my situation without this only balm of my existence8 ,domestic comfort a blank2 my friends dropping into the grave1 and the infirmities of age in near prospect4 ,gratitude and thanksgiving to my blessed ,saviour for affording me grace to believe2 and with it all the comfort that remains for me in this world4 ,my child6 ,my child6 ,oh1 may we meet in heaven6 #acth4--,the poor people of the neighbouring villages crowd here to my great distress4 ,i give all something1 and wish ,i could give more2 but ,i dread falling into the dark impropriety of giving too much1 of making what would seem and be a parade of charity or generosity with other people's money1 which is somewhat the case with a man who gives while he has debts unprovided for4 ,i truly know not what rightly to do in this case4 ,the evil just described is great1 and ought to be avoided1 but at the same time what ought ,i to think of myself who have been always ready to spend and run in debt for forty years together2 and then should take up so strictly as to do nothing for miserably poor people in such times as these8 ,surely on such an occasion we should be exerting every power to relieve them6 #bjth4--,friday to ,london4 ,saturday1 ,farmers' ,club4 ,an argument with ,lord ,egremont1 c41 on land for the poor2 everybody is against it4 ,what infatuation6 #bast4--,last night at ,mrs4 ,montagu's conversazione4 ,i had some talk with the ,bishop of ,durham1 who agrees with me on the poor2 with ,lady ,harcourt1 who wants restrictions on farmers2 with ,lord ,somers1 who told stories of supernatural movements of furniture in ,norfolk4#bjc ,i left it very early though invited for all ,march and ,april4 ,this is the first of my going4 ,london very disagreeable to me1 and has made me compare in my mind my present situation with a large income1 and that of living in a cottage in the country upon #ajjl4 a year1 without trouble or anxiety or business1 except to make my peace with ,god4 ,i liked my time alone with my old woman servant at ,bradfield much better than here4 ,i had nobody to wrangle and quarrel with me4 ,may #d4--,yesterday ,i was at church in the morning with ,mrs4 ,o4 ,oakes at the ,lock1 and heard ,scott1 and in the evening at the ,surrey ,chapel to hear ,rowland ,hill4 ,neither of them pleased1 though she admits ,scott's matter was excellent4 ,she was most struck with the extreme fervency of ,mr4 ,wilberforce's devotion1 who1 sitting in the reading desk for the convenience of hearing better1 she saw him clearly4 ,bought ,rowland ,hill's sermon on the ,sunday ,schools against the attack of ,bishop ,horsley1#bjd who is1 from all ,i hear of him1 such a bishop as ,suffolk parsons are clergymen4 ,scott thinks that evil spirits do work on our souls1 and to me it is remarkable that he says the imagination is their great field4 ,i have reason enough to believe him in the right4 ,these are enquiries in which we have no other clue to guide us but ,scripture1 and surely there we find proofs without end of the agency of evil spirits2 for my own part ,i have no doubt of it4 ,bradfield4--,as there was no church this morning1 ,i had eleven poor women from the village to talk to upon their neglect of church4 ,i read many passages on public worship and prayer out of ,dodd's ,commentary on the ,bible1 and explained1 preached1 and reasoned with them4 ,one made a defence1 and was inclined to prate4 ,i took it coolly1 and presently brought her to better reason4 ,i doubt they liked a sixpence apiece better than my sermon1 yet three of them cried4 ,how much more docile and teachable are the poor than the rich6 ,one might gradually do much with the poor1 but very little indeed with their betters4 ,god opens the hearts of the one1 and hardens those of the others as a punishment for their pride and ingratitude4 ,the ,duke of ,bedford has asked ,lord ,carrington to the sheep shearing4 ,lord ,egremont called1 he remarks that the ,chancellor1 ,lord ,rosslyn1 and ,lord ,grenville1 c4 c41 all have in the late debates gone out of the way to abuse the ,board of ,agriculture1 and remarks that keeping a ,board only to treat it in this manner is preposterous4 #gth4--,my publications are very well adapted to take off the edge of all worldly infatuated admiration or dependence on the things of time in comparison of those of eternity4 ,washington's ,letters have been advertised to the expense of #el4 or #fl41 and ,i do not believe that #ajj are sold1 and my enquiry into the cottage system for poor people will have no more effect on ,government or the ,legislature than if ,i had whistled #8,alley ,croker4' ,so much the better perhaps for the good of my soul4 #beth4--,mr4 ,hoole called and was let in4 ,he has heard at a great table 7he did not say where7 a very so-so account of ,lord ,carrington--fidgeting1 restless1 dissatisfied1 ambitious1 avaricious1 with a mere show of parts and knowledge4 ,he has made immensely by the loan2 and the richer he grows1 so much the worse4 ,the eldest girl said to ,mr4 ,h4 when he called3 #8,my papa used to have prayers in his family2 but none since he has been a peer4' ,what a motive for neglecting ,god6 ,also he is a dissenter and a democrat4 ,a ,unitarian he may be1 but certainly no democrat4 ,the ,lord show mercy to him1 and by interrupting his prosperity or lowering his health1 bring him to repentance6 #bfth4--,yesterday ,i dined with the ,duke of ,grafton1 and he asked me when the election of president and secretary of the ,board was1 for he heard there was an intention of turning ,lord ,carrington and me out4 ,he said his answer was1 as to ,lord ,c41 there were reasons which might account for that1 but what can ,mr4 ,y4 have done8 #8,oh1 he is careless1 and does nothing1' and so ,i dare say there are people to report and perhaps so think4 ,lord ,somerville in revenge1 ,i doubt not1 hates everything belonging to the ,board1 and wishes to come in and sweep everyone clear away1 in order to introduce creatures of his own1 and this1 uniting with ,gifford's scandals and slander about the ,board intending to pull down the club in the #8,porcupine' and #8,anti-,jacobin ,review1'#bje gains the attention of fools1 and mingled by the depravity of the world1 is circulated and believed4 ,but of all farces1 that of my doing nothing is the most precious4 ,what ,i have done through the whole session of the ,board surpasses credibility1 almost to myself1 and nothing but rising at #d ,a4,m4 in the morning could have enabled me to go through it4 ,the first spare half day ,i have ,i will make a list of all ,i have done1 and see if they will not acquit me to my own heart4 ,oh1 did ,i serve my ,god as well as ,i have served the ,board6 ,could ,i review my services to my ,redeemer as satisfactorily1 happy should ,i be6 #bgth4--,symonds and ,hoole dined with us1 and1 as the former will see the ,duke of ,grafton to-day1 ,i gave him a message card1 on one side of which is #8,some use in rising at #d ,a4,m41' and on the other as follows3 #8,from ,january #bj to ,may #bc are #ij days1 ,sundays and vacation excluded1 #ej ,boards and ,committees2 #cdj essays read1 and every one commented on4 ,report to the ,house of ,commons on ,potatoes4 ,report to the ,lords on ,grass ,lands4 ,enquiry into cottagers' land published1 but drawn up for the ,board4 ,memoir on ,salt1 from more than fifty authors4 ,ten new premises framed4 ,memoir on wastes1 paring1 burning1 and arable land4' ,if for such employment ,i am stigmatised for doing nothing1 it shows that in order to please1 it matters not what we do1 caprice will be the only judgment4 ,what conclusion is to be drawn from such cases8 ,serve ,god truly1 and as to man trouble not thyself about him2 let this be the golden rule1 and it will bring peace at the last4 #bhth4--,lord ,carrington fretting and worrying1 and upon the full fidget about the newspapers' abuse1 and the criticisms in the ,house of ,lords upon the publication of the ,board2 swearing that he will allow no nonsense to be published1 and this will be more absurd and pragmatical than ever4 ,oh6 ,mr4 ,pitt1 ,mr4 ,pitt1 that thou shouldest have formed such a ,board as this1 and then permit it to frame such a constitution as should render it absolutely dependent on the folly and caprice of a president6 ,what might it not have done had its laws been what they ought to have been6 ,dalton1 of ,yorkshire1 gave me a long account of his taking ,hyder ,ali when only the colonel of #ejj horse--a soldier of fortune4#bjf ,lord ,egremont came up from ,petworth1 where1 he tells me1 not a loaf for three days and a half1 and a mutiny among the volunteers4 #bith4--,dined yesterday at ,lord ,winchilsea's4 ,there were the ,duke of ,bedford1 ,lord ,egremont1 ,lord ,romney1 ,lord ,somerville1 ,mr4 ,calhoun1 ,mr4 ,northey1 ,mr4 ,conyers1 and myself3 much farming4 ,lord ,romney gave ,lord ,egremont a guinea1 to receive fifty when he produced a tench that weighed seven pounds4 ,yesterday the ,committee voted #ejl4 to my son for his labour in arranging c41 during thirteen weeks1 the ,reports from inclosed parishes to the ,house of ,commons4 ,i thanked them very awkwardly1 and talked of gratitude1 for it came on unexpectedly2 that readiness which is never at a loss ,i have not an atom of4 ,my heart always speaks at a sudden2 whereas in many cases the head is most wanted4 ,but the fault was on the right side1 it was more than ,i expected4 ,june #f4--;,charming weather for the country1 now in its full beauty1 and ,i am stoved up in this horrid place4 ,lord ,c4 talked of adjourning the ,board on ,tuesday1 which ,i hope much he will do4 ,the #aeth is the ,sheep ,show at ,woburn2 it will be the #bjth before it is possible for me to see ,bradfield1 and hardly then2 the longest day before a man gets into the country666 ,let them turn me out of my secretaryship and ,i shall not regret it1 but down all discontent2 it is ,god's will1 and my duty is to be thankful for all4 ,it is a comfort which exceeds all others1 that as age advances the end of life is viewed as a mere change of residence1 and the mental eye fixed on heaven1 with full confidence in the promises of ,god4 ,i would not give this conviction for the wealth of the ,indies1 for the empire of the world4 ,and what does one lose by religion8 ,i enjoy all such pleasures of life as are unattended by remorse1 just as much1 or more indeed1 far more1 than ,i did while ,i was a dissipated character4 ,reading1 composition1 serious conversation on any topic worth discussing1 the rural beauties of ,nature1 and the pleasures of agriculture1 friendship1 affection1 not love1 as it is called1 the whole of which ,i fear is founded in lust1 and proves nineteen times in twenty the tyrant of the breast1 and the fertile source of ten thousand miseries6 ,happy those in whom it terminates in a settled1 quiet1 tranquil friendship1 sufficient to satisfy without the wanderings of the heart that lead to so much misery4 ,i was here 7at ,bradfield7 three weeks at ,easter after a severe confinement to incessant business2 ,i am now again in the same deep retirement1 the life of a hermit1 after eight weeks of business and bustle4 ,i feel how vast the benefit is to have these periodical retirements from the world in silence and solitude4 ,had ,i gone directly from ,london on my tour1 plunging from one busy scene to another1 my mind would have had no time to cool1 none to settle into any calm and tranquil state for reflection1 which is unfavourable to the growth of religion1 of morals1 nay1 of talents to perform anything of consequence4 ,a round of business or dissipation thus unbroken is mischievous to the heart1 ties it to the world1 and unfits it for every effort of regeneration and repentance1 or of meditation and philosophy4 ,lord ,euston is going the tour of ,suffolk1 ordering returns to be made of all carts1 waggons1 horses1 mills1 and ovens2 a step preparatory in the expectation of an invasion4 ,but it is in everyone's mouth that with such a price of corn half the country would join an enemy4 ,i must freely confess ,i dread the result4 ,we have no hope but in the protection of the ,almighty1 who has hitherto so wonderfully protected us2 and what has been the gratitude shown to ,him8 ,most melancholy is the reflection4 ,our rulers are truly infatuated1 to have done nothing for the assistance of the poor1 but leave them to such trying times without even showing a disposition to take any steps that could be effective4 ,to do nothing to give relief1 when land for the poor does relieve them so beneficially wherever they have it1 is a cruel infatuation4 ,to see poor rates at their present enormous height and the poor in misery--yet where they have land1 to find rates #c;d4 or #d;d4 or #i;d4 in the 1 and the poor in a state of ease and comfort--one would think should speak feelingly and powerfully--but no such thing4 ,men are governed by their stupid prejudices1 and have too much pride to permit their eyes to be opened4 ,had an ,act passed last session that had the effect of thus assisting the poor1 instead of the pernicious system by rates1 and some progress were now making in every county to carry it into execution1 we should not hear such opinions advanced1 because they would be groundless2 the poor labourers1 seeing such steps taken for their comfort and to free them from the ineffective thraldom of parish rates1 would be patient and quiet4 ,at present they see nothing done or doing for them1 and have their hearts almost broken by penury--without resource--without hope4 ,in such a situation who would wonder to see men join an enemy in crowds8 ,heaven forbid that this infatuation of ,government be not providential1 and the means by which the ,deity may mean to punish the nation for and by its sins6 ,the trumpeter of the ,corps of ,yeomanry came to me with a written engagement to forfeit #es4 the first absence and #ajs4 #f;d4 every successive one if we do not meet the first ,friday of every month4 ,i was always exempted on account of my necessary absence2 however1 as they expect to be called into actual service1 ,i would not now retire when an invasion is expected1 so ,i signed2 but when the alarm is quite blown over--should that please the ,almighty--,i shall withdraw1 for ,i am too old and too weak1 and my pursuits too far off and too numerous to permit attendance4 ,september #g on tour1 at ,dunstable4--,breakfasted with ,mr4 ,parkyn1 and then went to meet a person who instructs people in plaiting straw1 and ,i bargained with him at #cjs4 a week for a girl to be instructed--a month will do2 that is #fl41 and the journey there and back1 about #dl41 so for #ajl4 ,i shall be able to introduce this most excellent fabric among our poor4 ,the children begin at four years old1 and by six earn #bs4 or #cs4 a week2 by seven #as4 a day2 and at eight and nine1 c41 #ajs4 or #abs4 a week4 ,this will be of immense use to them4 ,got to ,woburn by #b ,p4,m41 sat down and wrote for two hours and a half1 then dressed1 but did not dine till nearly #h ,p4,m4 ,the ,duke of ,manchester there with ,lord ,preston1 ,mr4 ,cartwright1 and ,edwards1 the bookseller1 who is putting the library to rights and showing how to make the catalogue4 ,i was surprised to learn from him that a man could not lay out in one year more than #e1jjjl4 judiciously in books2 that ,lord ,spencer has been fourteen years expending #be1jjjl41 and has the best library in ,england1 perhaps better than the ,king's4 ,he tells me the nation ,france bought ,l',hritier's#bjg library1 and gave it to the ,botanical ,garden4 ,miss ,knight1#bjh authoress of the continuation of #8,rasselas1' whom ,i met at ,kedington's1 lent ,dolmien's#bji #8,life at ,naples1' through ,lady ,hamilton's interest with the ,queen4 ,he wrote to her from prison4 ,did not get to bed till past #aa ,p4,m4 ,such hours and fasting from #i ,a4,m4 in morn to #h ,p4,m4 at night did not agree with me4 ,i waked at #d ,a4,m41 and having a lamp1 rose1 washed1 prayed1 and sat down by candlelight to my notes and finished them4 ,lord ,preston swears2 it hurts me to hear him4 ,i certainly ought to convert such people and reproach myself1 and confess the sin every day in my catalogue to ,god2 but ,i go on and do it not4 ,if ,i had wit ,i could laugh at it1 but ,i have no more wit than a pig4 ,the following are selected from this year's correspondence3 ,from ,t4 ,symonds1 ,esq41 describing ,trinity ,college ,establishment1 ,revenue1 c4 #8,cambridge3 ,march #bj1 #ahja4 #8,you desire me1 good friend1 to send you a long letter from this place1 but ,i could more easily find materials to write one to our friend ,charles ,cole1 from his being perfectly conversant with every one here1 and with almost everything4 ,you observe very right1 that landlords cannot come into a share of the wealth of their tenants but by a corn rent4 ,this ,i have insisted upon of late frequently at ,bury4 ,the present state of the ,university is an indisputable proof of it4 ,the pressure of the times is hardly felt by its members4 ,will you not think so1 when you hear that the revenue of this ,college amounted to nearly #af1jjjl4 last year1 and that the eight senior fellows received more than #cjjl4 each1 and the junior half of that sum8 ,they have been obliged to raise1 however1 the price of the commons 7as they are called7 from fifteen to eighteen pence4 ,but ,i sit down here every day for this sum to a dinner1 which gentlemen of a thousand a year cannot give often with prudence4 #8,the papers1 ,i presume1 have informed you of the trial of our plate stealers last week4 #8,the whole business was ill conducted4 ,the man who sold to the ,jew the medals of ,king's ,college for #gjl41 the plate of this for #cjjl41 and the plate of ,caius for #ejjl41 pleaded guilty1 and in consequence of a free pardon to appear against the ,jew1 who1 though acquitted at these ,assizes1 will probably be hanged at the next4 ,grimshaw1 the chimney sweeper1 is the only victim at present4 ,your friend ,simeon was not wanting in his visits to him4 ,he told an acquaintance of mine that he found ,grimshaw's conversation delightful2 that he had grace to die2 and that the sooner he was executed the better1 for fear this grace should evaporate4 ,should it ever be my lot to be condemned for execution1 ,i will immediately apply to you for consolation4 ,simeon could work no conviction in the ,jew2 this will not surprise you4 #8,i saw in the papers a list of the dancers at ,lady ,carrington's ball2 but1 to my astonishment1 did not discover your name4 ,the papers have raised ,lord ,c4 to the degree of ,viscount2#baj it would be too insulting for a man recently in business to step above the heads of our ancient ,barons4 ,i should have told you that we have here a young nobleman of unblemished character4 ,i mean ,lord ,henry ,petty1 whose knowledge and abilities are such1 both in writing and speaking in public1 as to lead me to imagine that he cannot fail to make a distinguished figure in ,parliament4 ,by the bye1 there seem to be some members of the ,house of ,commons who are jealous of your ,board4 #8,yours sincerely1 #8,j4 ,,symonds4' ,january #bd1 #ahjb4--;,a great gap2 but from coming to ,london in ,november to quitting it the following month ,i wrote journal letters paged to my friend4#baa ,through the ,christmas holidays a blank4 ,i have subscribed to the ,lock ,hospital #el4 #es41 and go every ,sunday4 ,wilberforce always there taking notes of ,scott's sermons4 ,in the great business of my salvation ,i go on slowly1 struggling hard1 however1 to advance1 by freeing my imagination from sensuality and my heart from coldness4 ,god give me grace to persist4 ,i lay great stress on trying by every means to impress in my mind a constant sense of ,god's presence4 ,march #h4--;,at ,wilberforce's last night till #aj o'clock1 and was not in bed till quarter past #aa ,p4,m4 ,though ,i was up before #d ,a4,m41 and had no sleep in the day1 or very little1 the consequence was that in the night just past ,i slept very soundly indeed1 and till #f ,a4,m4 ,dean ,milner#bab there1 and ,i had much conversation with him about ,w4 while he and ,mr4 ,w4 were out of the room4 ,he first made an impression on ,wilberforce's mind at ,scarborough2 he hinted on some person named being an enthusiast1 but ,milner 7though not religious then himself7 checked it with a firmness that made ,w4 think4 ,they afterwards travelled to ,nice1 and were there three months about the year #aghc or #aghd4 ,the ,duke of ,gloucester was then an infidel2 the conversation ,m4 had with him upon the journey had no other effect 7indeed that was the capital one7 but of making him serious in reading and considering the ,bible1 which he did with great industry and deep attention1 bringing to it a heart open to conviction2 his health was injured by application1 but his eternal soul was saved4 ,he afterwards broke off his intimacies with a social fashionable set1 and particularly from dinners which hurt his progress in ,divine impersonation4 ,he fairly and openly told his friends the reason4 ,pitt never joked or laughed at him--some did1 but he never2 all were sorry to lose him4 ,but he was in earnest1 and carried his determination into effect to give himself wholly to the care of his soul in the first place1 and next to perform his temporal duties by assiduity in business4 ,the ,dean remarked the great good his book is likely to do from this time to the end of the world4 ,many1 many may be saved by it4 ,he dictated an answer to some quotations from ,david which the ,duke of ,grafton gave me the other day in argument against original sin1 the righteousness named #a1jjj years before ,christ4 ,he replied as ,i had done on the spot to the ,duke1 that these men had the spirit1 and then were righteous before ,god in ,jesus ,christ who saved from the creation4 ,the ,duke of ,bedford's death6 ,how much ,i could write on that topic4 ,i met ,halifax at the ,duke of ,grafton's4 ,he died with what is called perfect courage1 collectedness1 and resolution that is perfectly hardened in insensibility4 ,a most tremendous1 awful1 horrible case6 ,but very difficult to separate affection for the amiable temper and useful life from a just condemnation of his utter want of religion and piety4 ,from the ,duke of ,bedford#bac in carrying out the plans of his late ,brother #8,woburn ,abbey3 ,march #bh1 #ahjb4 #8,sir1--,the sudden and fatal event which deprived me of one of the kindest of friends and most affectionate of brothers1 ,agriculture of one of its firmest props1 and ,society of one of its best and most useful members1 coming upon me too so soon after a former severe domestic calamity1 left my mind in such a state of sad dejection as to render me wholly incapable of writing to you on a subject deeply interesting to me1 because it occupied the last thoughts of my much lamented brother4 ,his zeal for that first and most interesting of pursuits1 ,agriculture1 did not forsake him even in the last moments of his life1 and on his death-bed1 with an earnestness of mind expressive of his character1 and with that anxious consideration for the interests of his country which occupied so many years of his well-spent life1 he strongly urged me to follow up those plans of national improvement which he had begun1 and from which he had formed the most sanguine hopes of success4 ,he referred me to ,mr4 ,cartwright and to you for explanations and details2 with ,mr4 ,c4 ,i have already had some conversation1 and hope soon to have the pleasure of seeing you4 ,i shall be in ,london in a day or two1 and if you will favour me with a line in ,arlington ,street1 to name the day and hour most convenient to you to call upon me1 you will much oblige me4 ,should you be absent from ,town ,i trust it will not be long before ,i have the satisfaction of seeing you at ,woburn4 #8,desirous as ,i am in every point of view to fulfil the last wishes of my departed brother1 ,i feel that my humble efforts must be at such a vast distance from the exertions of his well-regulated and superior mind1 that without the aid and advice of those most capable of assisting me1 ,i should utterly despair of attaining the objects now so near to my heart4 #8,i am1 ,sir1 #8,your faithful and obedient servant1 #8,,bedford4' ,my ,reply #8#cb ,sackville ,street3 ,march #ahjb4 #8,my ,lord1--,the melancholy event which has deprived your ,grace of a brother so beloved was a stroke that affected every feeling of my heart2 others more habituated to his merit on great occasions better knew than it was possible for me to do the powers of a mind that could fathom the most important subjects2 but to me1 sinking his great consequence in the country1 he was a kind1 most amiable1 and indulgent friend1 nor shall ,i ever cease to lament the loss of the best temper ,i ever met with2 good humour seemed to spring from a perennial source in his bosom4 ,pleasing and happy it is for his lamented memory that all ranks and classes of the people have vied in the expressions of grief for the loss of so able1 sincere1 and unquestionable a patriot4 ,it pleased him on several late occasions to converse with me on his plans of those establishments he meditated to connect with the employment of ,mr4 ,cartwright4 ,probably that gentleman has explained all or most of them to your ,grace4 ,i shall be most happy to repeat them1 and ,i am sure ,i need not add that veneration for the memory of one who commanded the regrets of a great nation1 as well as the respect ,i owe to your ,grace's character1 will induce me most willingly to give you the little assistance that is in my power to lessen the loss we have all suffered4 #8,i rejoice in hearing of your ,grace's determination to tread in those steps which proved so direct a path to a well-earned and most useful fame4 #8,from eleven o'clock to-day till four1 and from twelve till three on ,thursday1 ,i am engaged with the ,board1 but will wait on your ,grace at any other time you are pleased to appoint4 #8,i am1 my ,lord1 #8,most respectfully your ,grace's #8,much obliged and most humble servant1 #8,,arthur ,,young4' ,the ,board has been busy in voting testimonies to the memory of the ,duke of ,bedford1 a race who should express most strongly their veneration4 ,the ,bishop of ,llandaff brought a dedication for the volume now ready--a medal ordered and a bust4 ,these people are carnal and worldly1 except1 however1 ,mr4 ,wilberforce1 who much promoted it1 and spoke often in favour of it4 ,his example is authority1 or ,i should have considered the whole as a worldly-minded business1 and bad4 ,this ,duke1 with vast powers and immense influence1 set an example to a town and populous neighbourhood in the country1 and to a great circle of friends and dependents1 of an utter neglect1 if not contempt1 of religion3 all was worldly in his views2 all his motives tending that way1 and his example mischievous to religion and the souls of men4 ,all this praise and veneration is therefore very questionable1 and1 ,i think1 unlawful2 it is looking at objects and judging of things with the herd1 and therefore wrong2 we cannot go with them but to do mischief4 ,of what consequence is religion to the world if farming and beneficence and good temper1 and a life highly useful in a worldly view1 is to outweigh the evils of irreligion1 and so very bad an example in morals and want of piety8 ,i cannot approve of it1 much as ,i liked the man in all worldly respects4 ,dr4 ,pearson talking of experiments observed that contrary experiments to good ones are nothing4 #8,i can get evidence for or against anything3 for the existence of angels and devils1' c4 ,he is a great infidel1 one of the gang of philosophers of the ,royal ,society1 whose head1 ,sir ,j4 ,b41 is of the same mould1 and whose influence is all on the same side1 and does much mischief4 ,the great1 the wise1 and the learned in this town1 ,i fear1 are nineteen in twenty infidels4 ,shocking6 dreadful to think of66 ,dined at the ,duke of ,grafton's1 ,menil the ,nimrod and ,dr4 ,halifax there4 ,i never fail to combat his ,unitarianism1 but do no good2 yet his arguments are weak as water4 #bjth4--,at the ,farmers' ,club4 ,carried with some difficulty a premium of fifty guineas for the best plough2 several voted against it1 because impossible to decide which of several should be the best6 ,these folks can hardly know the right end of a plough4 #beth4--,dined at the ,bishop of ,durham's2 ,price1 the ,vice-,chamberlain1 there1 and ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,bernard4 ,i would have some serious talk1 and therefore asked the ,bishop if he had read ,overton's#bad book8 ,he had1 and highly approved it4 ,he met with it at ,york1 and asked the ,archbishop if he knew anything of the author1 and1 to his surprise1 found that he did not even know there was such a man1 and knew nothing of him4 ,the ,bishop promised to send me his two charges and letters to the ,deists4 ,he was lately in company with ,otto1#bae and made enquiries what that minister conceived would be the result of the present order of things in ,france relative to religion4 ,otto thought that it would end in the establishment of ,protestantism2#baf this is remarkable and not improbable4 ,the ,concordat will not be executed4 ,i questioned the ,bishop about ,paley3 #8,mr4 ,y41 ,i gave ,dr4 ,p4 a living of #a1ajjl4 a year for two great works1 the 8,hor ,paulin0 and 8,the ,evidences10 and so ,i told him3 8,but1 ,dr4 ,p41 as to your ,moral ,philosophy ,i disapprove of it1 and therefore do not mistake my motive0'66 ,he is engaged in a work now at press on natural religion by the ,bishop's recommendation4 #bgth4--,our third volume ,part ,i4 of the #8,communications' is out1 but ,i have yet heard nothing of the public opinion4 ,the mere printing this thin quarto has been the whole business of the ,board1 that is1 of the ,president1 from last ,november2 nothing else done of any sort or kind4 ,this is pitiable4 ,he corrected the proofs and made them dance up and down to ,wycombe1 and wait as if time was of no consequence1 and a whole ,session will pass with this for its only employment4 ,my #8,hertford' is ready for printing1 ,pitt's #8,leicester1' ,howlett's #8,essex1' and ,plymley's #8,salop1' and all at a stand2 not one proof of the second part of the #8,essays' at press in a fortnight1 and nothing else thought of4 ,he is as fit to be ,president of the ,board as ,grand ,llama of ,thibet2 such is the way that all public business is conducted4 ,if ,i saw as much of the ,treasury1 have no doubt but similar though not equal neglect would appear4 ,but what a table of cyphers to meet week after week and urge nothing to satisfy the public4 ,the whole of this flows from the most fastidious coxcombical pretension to purity of language3 the time is spent in making phrases1 as the ,french express it1 which ought to be employed in devising and executing plans of improvement and pushing on the county surveys4 ,lamentable6 ,a fine folly1 however1 has taken place2 the ,president and two other members went to see ,salisbury's botanical garden--there he agreed to hire six acres at rent and taxes #adl4 an acre for ,board experiments #a miles from ,hyde ,park ,corner4 ,i was not consulted1 and #fjl4 paid for a lease before ,i knew a word of the matter2 then ,i was ordered to view it1 which ,i did1 but no opinion asked4 ,next ,i was directed to draw up a plan of experiments1 which ,i did1 without corn1 for myriads of sparrows from nurseries would eat all up4 ,these were partly accepted and partly rejected1 and potatoes scouted because people are sick of the name of potatoes4 #8,suppose another famine1 my ,lord1 what will those persons then think who are now sick of potatoes8' ,it stands over for the ,board4 ,the whole idea is stark1 staring folly2 it will cost #bejl4 a year1 and the harvest well deserved ridicule4 ,april #aa4--,last ,wednesday1 ,lord ,carrington took me into his room and told me that his brother having the loan1 he had spoken to him to write me down for #ejjl42 and that the rise having been #d per cent4 he had directed it to be sold1 and it would produce me #bjjl4 clear of charges4 ,i thanked him much4 ,such a thing never entered my thoughts1 and consequently surprised me much4 ,it was very kind and considerate1 and ,i am certainly much obliged to him for it4 ,next evening he sent for me1 and gave me a draft on ,smith and ,payne1 #bbal4 #ags4 #f;d41 for the rise was #d per cent4 ,i was thankful to ,god for this1 and meditated much on it4 ,if ,god had not been willing it would not have entered his head1 and ,i find it comfortable to attribute everything to ,god1 as1 indeed1 everything ought certainly to be attributed1 and the more we trust entirely to ,him the better ,i am persuaded it is for us4 ,this is the first lottery for many years that ,i have been out of1 but meeting with a passage in some of ,scott's things against lotteries ,i would not put in1 or have anything to do with it4 ,if ,god pleases to give me money ,he has a thousand ways of doing it1 and in these reflections ,i have had hard work to guard my mind against the temptation to consider it in the light of a reward which would be vile where there is no merit1 no desert4 ,i offend too daily and hourly to deserve anything but wrath at ,his hands1 and this ,i cannot dwell on too much or too deeply4 ,but for two years past of ,his infinite goodness ,he has made all money matters very favourable to me1 and ,i thank ,him for an uninterrupted stream of ,his bounty without let or hindrance1 and this notwithstanding my sensual mind and many offences4 ,i cannot be too grateful for so much goodness1 and ,i pray ,him to give me grace to be kind and charitable to others while ,he is so good to me4 ,i think of these things with fear and trembling1 lest they should throw my mind and conduct into an improper train4 ,of late ,i have been ruminating on a short publication against the ,deists1 to consist merely of an attack on them to show the difficulties and absurdities of their system2 it will consist chiefly of extracts4 ,i have read ,bogue1#bag and ,fuller and ,berkeley's#bah #8,minute ,philosopher1' and ,leslie1#bai but none of them come up to my idea4 ,it should be unmixed with a defence of ,christianity1 which should come in by way of appendix4 ,i cannot get it out of my head1 and shall certainly attempt it2 the worst is ,i must read their works 7i4e4 of the ,deists1 c471 which is bad1 but ,i shall not do it without prayer to ,god to fortify me against their sophistries and delusions4 ,yesterday morning ,i hoped and expected to leave ,london1 but ,lord ,pelham1 ,secretary of ,state1 has sent us the returns of acres cropped last year from the clergy of the ,kingdom1 and so a ,committee to-day1 and to-morrow ,good ,friday2 for ,saturday ,i have taken places4 ,thus1 after twelve weeks in ,london1 ,i lose four days4 ,very unlucky1 and very disagreeable1 and for such nonsense as disgraces common sense4 ,he wrote a circular letter to all the clergy of the ,kingdom last ,june for this purpose1 and from #aj1jjj parishes received accounts from about a half4 ,precious ones1 to be sure6 ,a very probable matter that the farmers would give the number of acres sown with every sort of grain to the parsons2 such attempts degrade ,government in the eyes of the people4 ,what opinion can they have of men's abilities who expect thus to gain such facts8 ,i was in danger of returning to ,london without one entry in this ,journal1 but going up to wipe my dear ,bobbin's book has thrown my mind into a fit of melancholy that ,i know not how easily to get rid of2 yet will it go too soon8 ,i have been whitewashing the house1 cleaning about it1 and keeping all things in pretty good order to do justice to the place as well as ,i am able2 but my dear child's recollection brings forcibly to my heart the impression that it is the will of ,god ,i should have hardly any chance of this prosperity being kept in my family4 ,my son has no children1 nor likely to have any4 ,mary1 no chance of marrying1 so that my posterity ends with the next generation4 ,the will of ,god be done1 but human vanity and feelings will rise in the bosom1 and they cannot rise without these unpleasant ideas forcing themselves into my mind4 ,bradfield has been ours #bjj years1 and ,i should have liked that my name and family might here have continued4 ,but ,god has punished me for my sins2 ,i can have nothing at ,his hands that ,i do not deserve4 ,blessed be ,his holy ,name1 be it my endeavour to submit to ,his will with resignation and cheerfulness4 ,betsy and ,o4 dined with me on ,tuesday1 but the day so bad ,i could not show her the round garden1 which was got in very neat order4 ,i have had a letter from the ,duke of ,liancourt in which he speaks of coming to ,england4 ,i wrote to advise him against it1 for he would1 ,i fear1 be very ill received4 ,the ,duke of ,grafton read me a letter expressed in most indignant terms on the passage relative to him and his family in ,mons4 de ,liancourt's travels4#bbj ,the new ,duke of ,bedford writes to desire me1 in very kind terms1 to go to the ,woburn sheep-shearing2 asks it as a sort of favour4 ,i had some very fine days on coming down1 but of late the weather has been cold1 damp1 and melancholy1 but ,i never come without wishing to live here constantly4 ,i cannot help wishing it1 but ,i hope without discontent--that would be black ingratitude to ,god4 ,he fixes me where ,i am2 all1 all things ,i am well persuaded come from ,his ,almighty hand1 and therefore a cheerful submission is one great article of a religious life4 ,i brought down linen for the poor1 but the number that want1 and ,i cannot relieve1 is melancholy3 ,i think ,i have fixed straw work here1 for above twenty-five have learned1 and my splitting machines are all distributed4 ,some days since ,i sent off to ,dunstable the first product of their work1 and hope ,i shall have a good sale for the poor children4 ,june #a3 ,london4--,i keep this ,journal as ,i do everything else1 lest good purposes be turned aside by trifles and want of resolution4 ,this is the thanksgiving-day2 and last night was the ,union masquerade1 and the coaches are now 7#e ,a4,m4 in the morning7 rattling1 and one fool in some monkey dress has walked by my windows4 ,a letter from the ,duke of ,bedford asking me to go to ,woburn1 which ,i shall do1 and then ,i hope to ,holkham1 where ,mr4 ,coke will take me in his coach----and there ,i am on my ground for the survey of ,norfolk2 but it is not yet decided whether ,i am to do it4 ,it is a duty ,i owe to ,god to use the vacation in the best manner ,i can1 but ,i can ill afford to travel at my own expense1 determined as ,i am1 if possible1 to pay #gjjl4 of debts4 ,i should like to make a long journey in enquiries concerning the poor2 ,i know not what would be best1 and have prayed to ,god to guide me1 but ,i am utterly displeased with myself in my religious pursuits4 ,my mind is sensual1 and my progress slow2 may the mercy of the ,almighty be shed on me in grace to mend4 ,i have planned a new work1 #8,deism ,delineated1' and made some progress1 but do not please myself4 ,it must be done gradually as ,i read1 and my time is fully occupied with many pursuits4 ,post to ,chesterford1 and having received a letter from the present ,duke of ,bedford requesting me to meet ,lord ,somerville and ,mr4 ,coke at ,woburn in order to consult upon the best means of carrying the late ,duke's intentions into execution1 especially in relation to the sheep-shearing1 ,i set off accordingly1 and got to ,woburn at night1 where ,i found ,lord ,somerville and ,mr4 ,coke1 and we considered the matter as well as the late ,duke's proposals to breeders4 ,at the meeting the ,duke's attention was very pleasing1 for he had great solicitude to arrange everything down to the minutest trifles in exactly the same manner as his brother had done on former occasions4 ,before dinner1 the first day1 he came up to me and said1 #8,mr4 ,y41 ,i beg you will take your old seat1 and preside at one end of the table1 for which purpose ,i have ordered a servant to keep your chair4' ,everyone remarked the extreme attention of the duke that all the business of the meeting should be well conducted4 #abth4--,heartily tired of ,london1 and the scenes ,i have endured at home4 ,i left town1 and took ,betsy's new chaise1 which ,i had bought for her 7#agj guineas7 for ,chesterfield1 where her whole family were4 ,it was a hurrying day4 ,next morning1 ,sunday1 to church1 and in the afternoon1 contrary to many feelings1 to ,baldock4 ,no post-chaise to be had1 so went on in my whisky to ,shefford1 then post to ,woburn by particular desire of the ,duke of ,bedford1 to concert matters with ,lord ,somerville and ,mr4 ,coke for the shearing business4 ,it was #aa ,p4,m4 at night before ,i arrived2 nobody there except they and ,cartwright4 ,on the ,thursday1 with ,mr4 ,coke and ,mr4 ,talbot1 in ,coke's chaise to ,brandon1 and on ,friday morning to ,holkham4 ,farmed on ,saturday and too much on ,sunday1 so here have been two ,lord's days profaned4 ,how difficult it is to be in the world and preserve oneself uncontaminated by common practices6 ,at church1 however1 in the morning4 ,the sheep-shearing the four following days1 at which ,i had never been before4 ,he does it handsomely2 #bjj dined on plate4 ,the dinner better than at ,woburn1 ,i think from vicinity to the sea1 which gives plenty of fish4 ,at the ,holkham meeting1 had ,i entertained my former feelings of pride and discontent1 ,i should not have been too well pleased1 for ,mr4 ,c4 was personally civil and attentive2 and yet he took not the smallest public opportunity of mentioning me1 the ,board1 my report1 or anything about it1 though the occasion certainly called in reason for it4 ,once this would have mortified me1 but now ,i value such matters not a straw4 ,may ,god permit me to do my duty to ,him1 and as to what men think of me1 ,i regard it less than the idle wind4 ,i went to bed every night directly after coffee1 between #i and #aj ,p4,m41 and was up between #c and #d ,a4,m4 ,in ,london at ,mrs4 ,montagu's4--,sir ,sidney not there2 ,ryder1 the ,privy ,councillor1 and his brother and ,montagu1 had been at ,paris1 and we had little conversation except on ,bonaparte1 c4 ,they contended that every scrap of land is cultivated and much that was waste4 ,sir ,f4 combated the idea1 and urged reports of prefects1 speeches1 c41 as proving rents sunk1 price of land fallen1 produce as four to six1 population lessened1 and the price of labour risen1 c4 c4 ,the last no proof of decline4 ,ryder1 on corn1 observed that the same fact of wheat being dearer in peace than in war is found in the ,french prices annexed to ,arnold4#bba ,they would not be introduced to ,bonaparte4 ,fox had much conversation with him1 and he plainly urged the fact that ,wyndham was concerned in the infernal machine1 asserting that he had the proof4 ,sir ,f4 says that this proof was one ,george1 being much with ,w41 and afterwards going on the expedition to ,quiberon4 ,a party was taken amongst whose papers 7on the arrests for the infernal machine7 were letters on that conspiracy to or from ,george1 which combination was ,bonaparte's proof4 ,the ,government1 he says1 is the completest military despotism that ever was in the world4 ,at the theatre some ,frenchmen finding ,montagu was ,english1 spoke much of me2 and said they wanted of all things that ,i should come and examine ,france a second time under the new rgime4 ,dined with ,swirenove1 the ,russian chaplain of the embassy1 greatly employed by the nobility of that ,empire in agricultural commissions4 ,patterson1 bailiff to ,lord ,hardwicke1 is going to ,russia1 and left me to make a bargain for him1 which ,i did4 ,he is to have #ajj guineas first year1 and increasing #bj yearly till #bjj guineas2 #fj for his son-in-law1 and #bj for his daughter1 and #be for a ploughman4 ,count ,rostopchin1 at ,woronowo1 near ,moscow1 who has an immense estate1 is the man4 ,a ,russian count there1 ,benwakin1 ,i think1 he named whose peasants pay him #cj roubles a year2 but paper money so multiplied and at #ej per cent4 discount1 that all prices are greatly risen nominally4 ,the ,emperor's going to farm so largely has already had a great effect in turning the attention of the nobility to it4 ,my annuity yesterday remitted from ,ireland1 #gbl4#bbb ,thank ,god for that uninterrupted stream of ,his bounty which ,i have enjoyed of late years without let or hindrance1 and which my vile ingratitude returns so badly4 ,lord ,winchilsea called yesterday1 and sat an hour with me4 ,he is1 ,i believe1 one of the very best of the nobility1 and a really respectable moral character1 and benevolent to the poor4 ,august #bb3 ,bradfield4--,here is a blank of many weeks1 which shows once more how difficult it is to keep journal resolutions4 ,after a long tour in ,norfolk1 which would have afforded much pleasure had not business occupied all my time1 ,i met ,betsy and ,o4 at ,harleston1 on the #ith4 ,war much talked of4 ,the militia calling out4 ,these things1 whatever the event1 are certainly ,god's providences4 ,his will be done4 ,but when ,i consider the almost universal vice and iniquity of the kingdom1 the amazing protection and blessings which have been showered down on us1 and the vile ingratitude to ,god which pervades all ranks in an utter forgetfulness of ,him1 or contempt of ,his judgments1 ,i must own ,i tremble at the thought4 ,i have lived some time without making a will1 which has been very wrong4 ,i am under such complex settlements that ,i do not understand what power ,i have2 and ,gotobed's draft was so full of law jargon1 that ,i understand nothing of it4 ,i wait no longer1 but have made one plain and simple1 and such as ,i hope1 with the blessing of ,god1 will not nor can be misunderstood4 ,i have disposed of what ,i have to the best of my conscience1 that is1 if ,i was to die at ,christmas4 ,here is only #cjjl4 to be made up by sale of timber1 #8,annals1' c4 c41 but a farm auction would produce more than #ijjl41 and rents are always behind1 some over due4 ,i pray to ,god for better economy1 and much hope1 by a fresh and careful attention to my farm and #8,annals1' to bring things speedily to a better account4 ,i forgot #ajjl4 due to me from the ,board for ,norfolk ,report1 so that ,i evidently leave enough for all demands1 probably without cutting any timber4 ,i have never lived so well with ,mrs4 ,young as for five weeks past4 ,war6 ,to look into futurity is idle4 ,the event is in the ,lord's hand1 and will depend on the number and piety of true ,christians amongst us1 and not be governed by fleets and armies4 ,france is so unprepared at sea1 that no war ever opened in that respect with better prospects4 ,but this is the arm of flesh1 and may mark the vanity of all trust in such circumstances4 ,the following letter to ,a4 ,y4 may fitly close the chronicle of this year3 #8,drinkstone3 ,dec4 #h1 #ahjc4 #8,sir1--,a letter from ,lord ,euston to ,sir ,charles ,davers recommends that in case of invasion all horses and draft cattle that cannot be driven out of the reach of the enemy be shot2 and that all the axle-trees or wheels of all carriages likely to fall into the enemy's hands be broken1 the fullest assurance being given of complete indemnification1 provided no horses1 draft cattle1 or carriages of any description fall into their hands through negligence or want of proper exertion on the part of the owners4 #8,all other stock is to be left for the use of the troops1 unless there be evident danger it may fall into the invader's hands1 in which case the measures formerly determined upon must be resorted to4 #8,i am1 ,sir1 #8,your obedient humble servant1 #8,,joshua ,,grigby4' ----- ,footnote #bjj3 ,the ,elements of ,agriculture4 ,footnote #bja3 ,mrs4 ,oakes1 ne ,betsy ,plampin4 ,footnote #bjb3 ,a ,collection of ,theological ,tracts1 by the ,bishop of ,llandaff1 #f vols4 ,footnote #bjc3 ,this seems to have been an anticipation of table-turning4 ,footnote #bjd3 ,samuel ,horsley1 born #agcc1 died #ahjf1 ,bishop of ,st4 ,asaph's1 ,st4 ,david's1 and ,rochester2 celebrated for his controversy with ,dr4 ,priestley4 ,footnote #bje3 ,the ,anti-,jacobin1 or ,weekly ,examiner1 was started by ,canning1 ,j4 ,h4 ,frere1 and others2 the editor was ,w4 ,gifford4 ,it ran from ,november #bj1 #agig1 to ,july #i1 #agih4 ,footnote #bjf3 ,i print this as written1 but can find no allusion in works of reference to the circumstance mentioned4 ,footnote #bjg3 ,c4 de l',hritier1 born #agdf1 died #ahjj2 botanist1 and member of the ,acadmie des ,sciences4 ,footnote #bjh3 ,cornelia ,knight1 author of ,dinarbas1 a continuation of ,rasselas1 #agij1 and other works4 ,footnote #bji3 ,celebrated ,french geologist4 ,accompanied ,napoleon to ,egypt2 on his return was taken prisoner and confined at ,messina by the ,king of ,sicily2 on peace being made with ,naples was liberated4 ,footnote #baj3 ,robert ,smith1 son of a banker at ,nottingham2 ,m4,p4 for that town from #aggj to #agif2 supporter and friend of ,pitt2 raised to the ,irish peerage in #agif1 to the ,english peerage in #agig4 ,footnote #baa3 ,mrs4 ,orbell ,oakes1 the beautiful ,betty ,plampin of former flirtations1 is #8the friend' henceforth constantly alluded to4 ,footnote #bab3 ,isaac ,milner1 #agea-ahbj1 son of a poor weaver 7brother of the no less remarkable ,joseph ,milner71 ,dean of ,carlisle1 and ,professor of ,mathematics at ,cambridge4 ,footnote #bac3 ,john ,russell1 sixth ,duke1 #8the great ,duke of ,bedford1' who did so much for agriculture1 and in #ahcj rebuilt ,covent ,garden ,market at a cost of #dj1jjjl4 ,died #ahci4 ,footnote #bad3 ,j4 ,overton1 officer in the ,excise2 made telescopes1 and had a private press1 where he printed books1 mostly theological4 ,died #ahch4 ,see ,annual ,register for that year4 ,footnote #bae3 ,l4 ,w4 ,otto1 ,count of ,morlay1 was a ,german diplomatist in the ,french service1 and lived #ageb-ahag4 ,see ,didot1 ,biographie ,universelle4 ,footnote #baf3 ,this was not1 perhaps1 impossible4 ,see the following note from the ,daily ,news ,paris correspondent three or four years ago3 #8,an account of ,napoleon ,i4's visit to ,breda in #ahaj is now appearing1 for the first time1 in the ,dbats1 and is deeply interesting4 ,it will be seen that ,napoleon ,i4 at the zenith of his power was on the point of becoming a ,protestant4 #8,the ,emperor1 after receiving several ,deputies1 went up to the ,catholic ,vicar1 who had written a speech1 and proceeded to read it4 ,the ,emperor1 without replying1 asked where were the ,protestant ministers4 ,then ,m4 ,ten ,oever1 in his robes1 followed by the entire ,protestant clergy1 was presented by the ,prince de ,wagram1 and read an address4 ,the ,emperor remarked with satisfaction that the ,protestant ministers wore their robes4 ,then1 turning to the ,roman ,catholic clergy1 he asked1 8,how is it that you are not wearing your frocks8 ,what6 ,i come to a ,department ,holland had been annexed to ,france where the majority are ,catholics1 who were formerly oppressed1 and who have received more liberty from the ,king1 my brother1 and myself1 and your first act is to show me disrespect6 ,i have always found my ,protestants faithful subjects4 ,i have six thousand at ,paris and eight hundred thousand in my empire1 and ,i have no cause for complaint against a single one4 ,fools that you are6 ,if the ,concordat had not been accepted by the ,pope1 ,i should have turned ,protestant1 and thirty million ,frenchmen would have followed my example4 ,the italics are my own4 ,you have calumniated ,protestants1 representing them as men teaching principles contrary to the rights of sovereigns4 ,i have no better subjects4 ,they serve in my palace in ,paris4 ,it was not ,luther1 nor ,calvin1 but the ,german princes who declined to submit to your fanatical yoke4 ,the ,english were quite right to part company with you4 ,you would like to set up scaffolds and stakes1 but ,i will prevent you4 ,all authority comes from ,god40' ,footnote #bag3 ,d4 ,bogue1 ,d4,d41 ,on the ,divine ,authority of the ,new ,testament1 #ahja4 ,footnote #bah3 ,bishop of ,cloyne1 ,alciphron2 or1 the ,minute ,philosopher1 #agcb4 ,footnote #bai3 ,c4 ,leslie1 died #agbb1 author of ,the ,rehearsals3 ,tracts against the ,deists and ,socinians1 #d vols4 ,footnote #bbj3 ,voyage en ,amrique1 #b vols4 #ahjj4 ,it seems that the ,french migrs1 after being most hospitably treated in ,england1 showed little return in the way of graciousness4 ,see ,letters of ,maria ,josepha ,holroyd2 also the ,jerningham ,letters4 ,footnote #bba3 ,ambrose ,marie ,arnault1 ,french economist1 #agej-ahab4 ,see ,vapereau4 ,footnote #bbb3 ,see ,chap4 ,,iv4 #8,ireland1' for this curious bargain1 by which ,a4 ,y41 instead of a sum total of #gjjl41 in #aggf was to receive #gbl4 per annum6 ----- ,,chapter ,,xv ,,approaching ,,blindness #ahjd-ahjg ,a great preacher--,arthur ,young the younger goes to ,russia--,cowper's ,letters--,mrs4 ,young's illness--,dr4 ,symonds--,novel reading--,skinner's #8,state of ,peru'--,death of ,pitt--,burke's publishing accounts--,literary projects--,approaching blindness4 ,february #bd4--,the sins of a journal are like those of life1 much offence and a little repentance1 minutes applied and months neglected4 ,last night1 for the first time in my life1 ,i was at a religious conversazione4 ,mr4 ,fry has it once a fortnight4 ,mrs4 ,wilberforce and thirty more1 ,i suppose1 began with singing a hymn1 and then a prayer1 and ended in the same manner2 the subject discussed was ,providence4 ,scott1 ,macaulay1 and ,fry were the only speakers except myself1 who threw in a word or two in a bad manner and not in unison2 but ,i went without preparing the temper of my mind1 and it proved to me a mere temptation to sin1 as everything is sure to do when we trust in our own strength and do not pray for divine assistance4 ,i like the thing itself much1 and the recollection since it passed has produced in my mind a degree of humiliation which might not have been in it had ,i not gone there4 ,i wished to touch on the state of the ,king's health1 where the hand of ,god is so evident2 but they would attend only to little and private things1 and probably were right4 ,they made every possible event1 the most trivial1 providential4 ,scott is a predestinarian1 but impresses the necessity of attending to the means by which ,god acts as much as if the divine decrees were not universal4 ,the next subject is ,temptation4 ,may #bb4--,my dear friend#bbc at ,bradfield writes me in a most melancholy strain1 on the ill success of her husband's farming4 ,i doubt ,i shall lose largely by a scheme which was executed merely to keep him out of greater mischief4 ,the new ,bishop of ,bristol is in dress and manners much like what we call in ,suffolk a leather breeches parson4 ,somebody called on ,mrs4 ,pelham1 and found her lying on a sofa reading a novel1 rouged as much as any ,madame la ,marquise4 ,they thought she seemed to be too high flown to be asked to a sober party of whist4 ,what a gradation of evil amongst the worldly even in the respectable 7soi-disant7 class4 ,an application from ,phillips for another edition of the #8,farmer's ,calendar4' ,he printed #b1jjj of the fifth1 and #a1bjj sold in a month2 they will all be gone before it can be reprinted4 ,i had #ajjl4 for that edition1 #djl4 more for this six months after publication1 and in future #bel4 each succeeding one4 ,how grateful ,i ought to be1 but am not1 to ,god for a success which has smoothed many difficulties1 and enabled me much to lessen1 in assistance to other circumstances1 my debts4 ,the sale is an extraordinary one4 ,what would be with me the result of moral reflections and trust in human means1 in the power of a vile heart to cure its own iniquities8 ,i have a conviction amounting to sensation in its truth1 that everything but looking unto ,jesus is weaker than water--vain and frivolous4 ,this is the grand consideration1 result1 and object of religion in the soul1 all beside is wide of the mark and without power and efficacy4 ,oh1 my ,god1 my ,god6 write these truths in my soul1 impress them in my heart1 that by communion with ,thee ,i may by ,thy grace be purified1 washed1 and cleansed from every evil thought4 ,blessed be ,thy ,holy ,name for keeping me from acts of sin4 ,oh6 have mercy on my mind and take away every thought of it4 ,i shall have to experience another temptation1 and should be preparing for it4 ,i have little doubt but ,lord ,carrington will be again ,president of the ,board4 ,he likes not me1 and ,i shall be much more uncomfortable than ,i have been with ,lord ,sheffield2 but such changes1 if they happen1 will be from the ,lord1 for nothing is so idle as for a ,christian to suppose that anything takes place by chance4 ,i do not mean to leave town till the ,woburn meeting1 but ,i am restless1 and want to get away4 ,this is a common folly1 and ought carefully to be checked4 ,it is the spirit that wastes half a life1 ever looking to a future moment and never enjoying the present1 which is that alone that is truly our own4#bbd ,there is not a more valuable lesson than to learn how to apply every portion of time to use1 and not to suffer the expectation of1 or waiting for1 any future moment to make the intermediate ones tiresome or unpleasant4 ,it is wasting life and time that is never to return4 ,yesterday1 at #g ,p4,m41 ,i dined with ,mr4 ,anson--a farming party3 ,duke of ,bedford1 ,earl of ,galloway1 ,earl of ,albemarle1 ,lord ,somerville1 ,sir ,robert ,lowley1 ,sir ,john ,wrottesley1 ,mr4 ,coke1 ,mr4 ,motteaux1 ,mr4 ,child1 ,sir ,g4 ,pigot1 ,mr4 ,western1 ,mr4 ,wilbraham1 all ,m4,p4's or in high life4 ,nothing but a farming conversation makes the company of these people proper for me to have anything to do with2 and that it is not to be conceived how little they know on the subject1 considering it's a favourite pursuit4 ,such great fortunes and a life of luxury and bustle and motion are hostile to every kind of knowledge2 and the conversation abounds with information for those who watch for and have a memory to retain it1 yet it demands a good deal of knowledge previously digested and arranged to make a due use of it4 ,a splendid house1 one of the best in ,london2 magnificent furniture1 plate1 servants1 wines1 and everything1 equal to #cj1jjjl4 or #dj1jjjl4 a year1 but he has no such income4 ,i have--,i think ,i have--no envy of these doings4 ,such situations are so hostile to the religious principle that ought to animate the soul1 that ,i should think of them with fear and trembling4 ,i hate parties1 and my heart condemns me whenever ,i go to them1 in which not a word ever occurs to give ,god the glory due to ,his ,holy ,name1 which is sometimes profaned but never honoured1 where ,grace before and after meat is discarded4 ,and this is a sort of denial of ,christ which gives me no slight disquiet and remorse1 and ought entirely to banish me from all such company2 it works in me1 and ,i cordially hope it will soon produce that effect1 for the pleasure ,i receive is little and the offence to ,god ,i fear is much4 #8,come out from among them and touch not the unclean thing1' is applicable to more cases than ,i have applied it to4 ,i am determined to go only to ,woburn this year and not to ,holkham2 four days of noise and bustle are too much1 ,i will get away in three2 but a whole fortnight is horrible4 ,i will get to ,cambridge by ,saturday1 and ,i hope ,jane will meet me there to spend ,sunday1 and perhaps ,monday1 with ,simeon1 and make him promise to meet ,fry at ,bradfield4 ,yesterday and this day hurry1 bustle1 packing up1 paying bills1 and recollection on the stretch lest anything should be forgotten4 ,wrote to ,cordell1 the bookseller1 to settle with me for the ,irish ,tour4 ,it has been years out of print1 and the last settlement in #agie4 ,i have half the sale2 #aed were then left1 my half1 #cjl4 at least1 and it never came into my head before4 ,very careless indeed1 and in money to receive6 ,such busy days are unpleasant because both mind and body are fatigued4 #ahth at ,woburn4 ,came with ,lord ,sheffield yesterday4 ,i detest this profanation of the ,sabbath1 but he urged me so to accompany him that ,i yielded like a fool4 ,a great dinner1 ,lords ,albemarle1 ,ossory1 ,ludlow1 ,duke of ,manchester1 ,sir ,h4 ,fetherstone1 ,sir ,r4 ,pigot1 the ,wilbrahams1 c41 twenty in all4 ,several apartments newly furnished1 and many very expensive articles1 clocks1 c41 from ,paris to the amount of #b1jjjl4 ,much done to the greenhouse1 and everywhere a profusion of expense4 ,the late rains have given a fine verdure1 and the place in full beauty4 ,such a flow of worldly blessings as are seen in one of these very great residences makes me melancholy when ,i reflect on the immense temptation and dreadful responsibility that attaches4 ,what have not these people to answer for if they forget the ,giver in the profusion of ,his gifts8 and where am ,i to go to find a great house and establishment with a society and conversation that shows the ,gospel of our ,lord to be held in reverence and affection8 ,this poor ,duke of ,bedford1 whose nominal income is so enormous1 will1 ,i fear1 involve himself with the same imprudence4 ,cartwright has built him a steam engine 7#gjjl47 for threshing and grinding3 #ab per cent4 interest in the least to be calculated1 or #hdl41 and yet a one-horse mill1 price #ejl41 would thresh all the corn that will ever be brought to this yard4 ,an extravagant duchess1 ,paris toys1 a great farm1 little economy1 and immense debts1 will prove a canker in all the rosebuds of his garden of life4 ,the providence of the ,almighty governs all1 and will not permit an utter forgetfulness of ,him to produce even the temporal happiness which is alone sought for4 ,i am tired of the whole1 and long for the retirement and quiet of ,bradfield after so many weeks of ,london1 and this finishing of hurry and bustle4 ,i would not have another week of it for a hundred pounds4 ,what has a ,christian to do with such scenes8 ,how a person of fortune and the world can be one ,i know not4 ,they are never cool1 and have no time for reading or thought4 ,it is madness to continue in such a state1 but to travel #abj miles in order to enter a fresh scene of it1 and perhaps within earshot of such a profane beast and fool as that ,captain ,g4 ,i sat near last year--this would be insanity4 ,what a spectacle at ,woburn was that miserably swearing profligate1 ,major ,b41 of ,sussex1 at the age of eighty-one1 sticking to the last moment to worldly dissipation1 and utterly regardless of what is to become of him hereafter4 ,like ,lord ,lauderdale1 who declared that he feared nothing in this world nor in the next either6 ,these people call themselves ,deists2 ,i think they must be atheists1 or they are utterly in contradiction to themselves4 ,it is a sin1 and ought to be repented of1 to go into such company4 ,i feel myself here1 looking on the tranquil bosom of the ,ouse1 as having escaped from a multiplicity of temptations1 and that this is the first moment of my summer holidays1 quiet and alone4 ,this morning ,i had a letter from ,jane1 by which ,i find it is quite uncertain whether ,i shall meet her at ,cambridge4 ,she asks my directions1 but had she thought1 must have known that she could not receive an answer in time4 ,i hope to hear ,simeon#bbe twice on ,sunday1 and much wish that she may be there1 as ,i wrote before to request it2 and she says she should like it of all things4 #bdth3 ,cambridge4--,i dined here yesterday4 ,inquired for that great and good man1 ,simeon1 but he was not to be in town till the evening4 ,i walked behind ,trinity and ,john's1 c41 twice--a delightful day4 ,wrote and left a letter for him2 at nine he came1 and will certainly meet ,fry at ,bradfield4 ,thank ,god6 ,i shall hear him twice to-day and ,mr4 ,thomason once1 for ,i shall go thrice to ,trinity ,church4 ,i mentioned ,fry's calculation of three millions of ,christians2 but he very properly thought it very erroneous4 ,he thinks ,cambridge a fair average1 and in #aj1jjj people knows but of #aaj certainly vital ,christians--more than #aej can scarcely be from a seventy-fifth to a hundredth part therefore6 ,there are1 ,i am rejoiced to hear it1 many very pious young men in the colleges4 ,night4--,i have been at ,trinity ,church thrice to-day4 ,in the morning a very good sermon by ,simeon1 a decent one by ,thomason1 and in the evening to a crowded congregation a superlative discourse by ,simeon on the twelfth verse of chapter iv4 of the ,acts3 #8,there is no other name under heaven1' c4 ,vital1 evangelical1 powerful1 and impressive in his animated manner4 ,sunday1 ,july #h3 ,bradfield4--,this day se'nnight took the ,sacrament with ,jane at ,bury1 suddenly1 and therefore without any preparation1 and got there in the ,lessons4 ,the week has been vile and miserable4 ,fry cannot come1 but had a letter from ,simeon1 he will be here to-morrow6 ,o ,lord1 of ,thy mercy give a blessing to his presence1 that conversation and prayer with him may give a turn to my mind6 ,were it not for what ,i think a firm faith in the ,cross of my ,redeemer1 ,i should think that ,i was almost in the jaws of hell4 ,but if ,i perish it shall be looking at the brazen serpent4 ,fiery serpents innumerable bite2 let me turn instantly to the ,cross1 and there see and trust to the blood of sprinkling4 ,what should ,i have thought of this before my conversion8 ,is it true and saving faith now to think and feel it--or rather to know it in my understanding than feel it in my heart8 ,i am full of apprehensions1 and the only sign of spiritual life in me is some sense and feeling of my own iniquity and the plague of my carnal thoughts2 but if they were truly a load to me1 would not the ,lord ease me of the burden8 #ajth4--,yesterday1 ,simeon came4 ,his character singular4 ,his piety--his strong expressions--his fervency in prayer--a powerful mind6 #acth4--,simeon went this morning4 ,i have been horribly negligent in not writing down many of his conversations4 ,what he thinks of me ,i know not1 but he spoke to ,jane with great freedom and candour1 and as became a good ,christian4 ,his abilities are considerable1 his parts strong1 his ardour and animation uncommonly great4 ,his eloquence great1 and his manner impressive4 ,his prayers admirably adapted to the cases of all who heard him4 ,he came with a servant and two very fine horses1 on which he places a high value4 ,from his life and expenses must have a considerable income2 for his preferment is only expense1 and costs him more than he receives from it4 ,his fellowship is as good as #djj guineas a year to him4 ,he must have a very good private fortune1 from some circumstances1 as ,i judge1 which he dropped in conversation4 ,he went to ,cambridge from ,eton and became a ,christian on the third day1 now about twenty-five or twenty-six years ago4 ,during all which time he has never doubted of his future salvation4 ,he is remarkably cheerful and has much wit1 or something nearly allied to it4 ,i wrote to ,n4 ,h41 requesting his pulpit for ,sunday1 but he refused it2 and after church apologised1 saying it was not from himself1 but he was talked to4 ,oh6 for the dumb dogs of our clergy who will neither preach the ,gospel themselves nor let others do it4 ,i told him that my request was to him a safe one1 for ,i asked1 of course1 only for a regularly bred clergyman1 and who possessed preferment in the national church4 ,very unlucky6 ,symonds dined here1 and his conversation never does any good4 ,he explained his chance for salvation in the merits alone of ,jesus ,christ1 but denies original sin4 ,this seems a contradiction2 ,i would not think so for a thousand worlds6 ,how can he be sensible of what he wants in the blood of the ,saviour without knowing the utter depravity of his heart8 ,tuesday morning1 ,c4 ,coke1 of ,holkham1 ,allen1 and ,moore called on me to see the farm1 and would have me dine with them at ,moore's4 ,haunch of venison1 c4 ,mrs4 ,m4 young1 and in the worldly sphere very agreeable2 her dress horrid4 ,she contrives to force out her prominent bust in a manner that must take no small attention in dressing1 is very big with child1 and thinly clad2 such a figure is common in these times1 but the fashion is contrived purposely4 ,mr4 ,smirenove came last night to dinner1 and brought ,count ,rostopchin's snuff-box4 ,it is turned in his own oak1 lined with gold1 and has a tablet containing the representation of a building dedicated to me4 ,the inscription in ,russian1 ,a ,pupil to his ,master1 set round with sixty-six diamonds4 ,query--,should not all such toys be turned into money and given to the poor8 ,he was ,prime ,minister under ,paul1 and has #ej1jjjl4 ,english per annum4 ,on ,monday ,i breakfasted1 dined1 and slept at ,lord ,bristol's2 ,lady ,b4 and her sister1 ,miss ,upton1 sung ,italian airs till twelve o'clock at night4 ,they were many years ago a horrible temptation1 now they are a frivolous waste of time1 but ever a bad tendency on the heart4 ,pressed me greatly to stay2 but ,i was engaged next day to dinner at ,gooch's1 and yesterday ,i dined at ,betsy's4 ,all this visiting is very bad for my soul4 ,friday ,i dined again at ,lord ,bristol's1 by desire of the ,oakes1 as they expected meeting none they knew1 but there were several4 ,music in the evening1 slept there2 in the morning1 at ,bury1 met ,benjafield on justice business4 ,he wanted to commit a woman for being a lewd woman1 on the statute of ,king ,james1 by which it can only be for a year2 if this was executed1 all the prisons in the county would not hold them1 and the time is far too severe2 nor do ,i conceive that the case comes within it4 ,i declined1 and desired they might be heard on ,wednesday1 as appeared the week before4 ,i go on in repentance miserably1 my heart is cold1 and ,i am languid in devotion4 ,oh1 could ,i sufficiently hate and abhor myself66 ,november #b4--;,if ,i go ten yards from home it can be only into the world1 and therefore ,i never move but for mischief4 ,i have every post a packet of letters from ,lord ,sheffield1 filling the tables and for many hours employment every day4 ,there seems to be no great reason for apprehending any famine1 or even such a scarcity as before1 but the price must be too high for the poor1 without being half high enough for the farmer3 ,i mean of wheat1 the crop of which is full as bad as it has been for ten years past1 but there is a stock in hand which will keep it down4 ,december #cj4--;,i went to ,london on account of the ,smithfield ,club and there received the first ,bedford medal of the ,bath ,society for an essay on the ,nature and ,properties of ,manures1 there being four other candidates4 ,at ,london also ,i dined with ,m4 de ,novosilikoff1 a particular friend of the ,emperor ,alexander1 who is here on a political mission of great importance4 ,davidson1 who manages the ,emperor's farm1 and ,smirenove were present2 their plan at present is to have reports of their ,governments made upon the same system as ours1 of counties1 and ,mr4 de ,n4 talked much of the great advantage of my going4 ,i would not offer myself1 but said that the whole would depend on the sort of men employed4 ,since ,i came down ,i wrote to ,smirenove1 offering ,arthur 7by his own desire71 provided the sum granted for the purpose was adequate4 ,de ,n4 was out of town1 so no answer yet4 ,the attention ,i give to all these worldly matters1 though they do not sit at all close to my heart1 yet occupy too much of my time4 ,i do not give enough to the far greater interests of the eternal world2 and ,i have been for months past1 and am at present1 in a dead1 sinful state1 remote from the only ,god of hope and consolation4 ,his mercy to me is great1 for ,i have life and health4 ,i am not in hell2 but ,i find a horrible difficulty in coming to ,god1 and a deadness of heart which hurts my prayers and plunges me more and more in sin and offence4 ,o ,lord1 of ,thy mercy listen unto me4 ,oh6 look with compassion on my wretchedness4 #ahje4 ,jan4 #cj4--,the #aith ,i came to ,london2 the #bcrd breakfasted with ,mr4 ,novosilikoff1 and made my proposals of terms on which ,arthur would go to ,russia1 having before received a letter from ,smirenove announcing an entire approbation in ,mr4 ,n4 of my son for the expedition4 ,the terms were that he and his wife should go by land1 getting out hence the beginning of ,march1 in order to be at ,moscow the beginning of ,may2 that is1 if out a year he should have a thousand pounds1 and proportionably for a longer time1 and all his expenses paid to1 at1 and from ,russia4 ,he came into it readily1 and when the conversation was over1 ,mr4 ,davidson1 who was present1 said1 #8,well1 now it seems all settled1 and it only remains to know where ,mr4 ,y4 is to be supplied with money for his journey4' ,mr4 de ,n4 said ,mr4 ,smirenove would be directed to advance it4 ,reflecting afterwards on this conversation1 ,i thought that some admission of the terms in writing should be obtained1 as in case of deaths or revolutions they might be questioned2 ,i therefore wrote to ,mr4 de ,n41 recapitulating the terms on both sides and begging to know if ,i was correct4 ,no answer was returned2 but ,lord ,somerville1 calling on me two days after1 mentioned in conversation that be had recommended a ,mr4 ,green1 who had farmed in ,normandy1 and been seven years in a ,french prison1 of which he had published an account1 to ,mr4 de ,n4 to go to ,russia to survey a government1 hinting at the same time his knowledge that my son was in contemplation also4 ,he said that ,g4 had breakfasted with de ,n41 who was much pleased with him4 ,all this awakens suspicions in my mind that1 combined with the silence of ,mr4 de ,n41 make it apparently necessary to know how we really stand1 and ,i determined to write to ,smirenove requesting that he would speak to ,mr4 de ,n41 as any uncertainty was unpleasant1 while my son was actually arranging his farm1 c41 for his departure4 ,this ,i have now done1 and shall send it before breakfast1 for no answer is yet come4 ,i do not like the complexion of the business1 but think it likely that ,green speaking ,french1 which will save the necessity of ,jane going as an interpreter1 and perhaps his taking one or two hundreds instead of #a1jjjl41 may have induced de ,n4 to think again of the matter4 ,i have prayed earnestly to the ,lord that ,he would prevent the journey taking place if it would turn out in any way injurious to the state of their souls1 putting the matter entirely in ,his ,almighty hands1 and determining to rest assured that if it does not take place1 it will be the ,lord's will1 and that ,i should be thankful for ,his interference to prevent it4 ,the government of ,moscow which ,a4 was to have done is thirteen times as big as ,norfolk4 ,it would take two years to do it well without any doubt4 ,a4 is much disappointed1 for he liked the thoughts of the scheme much4 ,i threw out in conversation with ,n4 that if the business of the ,board would permit1 and they approved it1 ,i would go over in ,june1 and stay till ,november to assist in the work2 that ,i should ask only my expenses4 ,he seemed much to approve of this1 but it was mentioned only as a contingency4 ,here the matter rests4 ,i shall know soon what the event will be4 ,many things have had a very lowering aspect of late1 the #8,annals' with ,phillips are certainly at an end4 ,they do not answer with him1 and he has demurred at settling the account1 with #ajjl4 or more due to me4 ,this will be a loss of #ahjl4 a year4 ,my plan is to print four numbers a year on my own account1 for the sake of selling old stock2 by this ,i shall lose #djl4 more4 ,in ,ar4's 7,arthur's7 farm the rent will be sunk from last ,michaelmas #bjl4 a year1 and ,i am engaged to pay ,noxford #bjl4 a year more tithe4 ,this year the ,exchequer annuity of #aejl4 a year ceases4 ,on the whole here is full #djjl4 a year loss of income1 which will be very distressing if every expenditure be not pared down in a most economical manner4 ,may the ,lord's mercy give me grace to be steady and determined in this matter1 for it is a most important one4 ,i have very little to suffer personally in the reduction1 for the expenses do not run that way1 but comforts must be cheerfully lessened4 ,feb4 #c4--,no answer came from ,novosilikoff2 ,i wrote therefore to ,smirenove1 who replied last ,friday that ,n4 was gone to ,st4 ,petersburg1 that he had replied to my letter1 and was surprised that ,i had not received it2 that he approved of all the contents of mine1 and had left orders with him to supply money4 ,this ,i despatched to ,a41 who was become very uneasy and impatient4 ,so now the business seems concluded and the die cast1 but may the ,lord prevent it taking place if it is to be productive of evil to the eternal interests of either6 ,i pray for this1 may ,he hear my prayers4 ,i have little notion of comfort in anything that is undertaken without consulting ,god1 opening the business to ,him1 and begging ,his direction how to proceed4 ,i have had a letter from ,orbell's#bbf friend1 who agrees to my terms of letting ,ar4's farm1 so1 thank ,god1 that is settled4 #agth4--,many difficulties have occurred relative to a post-chaise for them4 ,brown has examined my old one and sent an estimate of the repairs1 #efl4 ,smirenove approved of it1 but his second advice is that it would not do4 ,he proposed one of his1 and letters backwards and forwards4 ,but yesterday ,i found one at ,holmes's in ,long ,acre1 built for a ,mr4 ,lock to go to ,malta1 which will do exactly1 and in which they may have bedding and sleep at full length2 a journeyman said the price was #ej guineas4 ,h4 not at home1 in the evening a letter1 and #gj guineas named4 ,i got up as always at #d ,a4,m41 and have been reading and praying4 ,fry last ,sunday alluded to an apostate from the truth1 and ,wilberforce asked him who it was1 saying that of course he would not answer if the question was improper4 ,it was ,townsend1#bbg of ,wiltshire1 the traveller in ,spain1 who began his career quite in the style of ,whitfield's energy and openness of declaring his principles in the fields or in barns1 c4 ,the ,lansdown folks told him they could never make him a bishop with such conduct or such principles2 upon which he dropped the whole1 giving out to his friends that he only suspended his conduct and meant to resume it at a better season4 ,that never came1 and he has continued an apostate from all religion1 and from having #bjj communicants at his church1 has now only two or three besides himself and his clerk4 ,this miserably constituted ,board of ,agriculture is ever in a dilemma when a new president is to be elected4 ,lord ,s4 will keep it no longer1 and he is in a difficulty to propose another4 ,he has written to the ,duke of ,bedford1 and ,i fear in a way that may make the duke suppose that ,government approves of it4 ,lord ,carrington ,i suspected intended to come in again1 but he assures me that he would not4 ,march #c4--;,i borrowed of ,mr4 ,wilberforce1 ,owen#bbh on #8,indwelling ,sin1' to which are annexed two other essays on ,temptation and the ,mortification of ,sin in ,believers4 ,the last work is incomparable1 chapter ix4 of it perhaps the most useful paper ever written4 ,i have made many extracts from all three4 ,the essay on ,mortification ,i meditate printing a new edition of1 being out of print1 to which ,i could add notes that might be useful4 ,the reading these treatises has had an effect on my mind which ,i hope1 with the blessing of the grace of ,god1 will produce a more serious attention to the state of my heart with ,god than reading any book has done since ,wilberforce's4 ,april #bj4--;,at ,bradfield4 ,yesterday returned from ,harwich4 ,arthur and ,jane went on board the #8,diana' packet1 ,capt4 ,stewart1 ,thursday1 the #ahth1 at #c o'clock1 and ,i have taken a long and melancholy farewell of them6 ,oh6 may ,almighty ,god give ,his blessing to the undertaking1 and that we may all meet again in health and happiness4 ,but when the fearful uncertainty of all earthly events is considered1 such partings ought to be more melancholy than they are4 ,she felt much1 and has a cordial affection for me4 ,the undertaking1 thus employed by a foreign sovereign to make a report of one of his provinces1 is the first thing of the kind that has occurred1 and will either give ,arthur a great reputation1 or sink that which he has gained4 ,it is a very difficult work1 however1 to produce a good book from a very ill-cultivated province1 and in the large experience of all our own reports we see that very few are well executed2 the object has either been ill understood or poorly done1 the surveyors deal in reflections instead of giving the experience of individuals1 yet the husbandry of a county is made up of nothing else but private exertions4 ,they do not half travel over the districts1 and do not take notes of the practice of one hundredth part of those persons that might be applied to4 ,arthur goes with every possible advantage except languages1 ,i hope he will exert them4 ,bradfield is very melancholy without them4 ,jane was always cheerful1 always affectionate and kind to me1 ever pleased with my presence1 and never parted from me but with regret4 ,the loss of such a friend with much conversation and an excellent understanding nothing human can make amends for4 ,it is a loss that ought to turn all my attention and all my heart to that better world where parting1 sorrow1 and death will find no place4 #bdth4--,last night ,i slept at ,bury1 at the ,oakes'1 having walked there in the morning and dined with them4 ,it raised my low spirits a little--but badly--for such company is mere dissipation4 ,on ,monday morning1 hankering after some sort of dissipation to divert my melancholy1 ,i fortunately recollected that ,jane had left ,cowper's ,letters1 and that ,i had not read the third volume4 ,i got it1 and beginning knew not how to lay the book out of my hand1 and before night read the volume through4 ,there is an uncommon charm in his sentiments and his style2 something that interests the heart wonderfully4 ,the religious passages are peculiarly valuable1 and a few struck me very much4 ,on the ,sabbath he is extremely just4 ,on turning the mind from creation's beauties to creation's ,author1 the observation is fine2 his remarks on the life of dissipation at ,brighton1 beautiful2 on religion1 page #ajf1 on local attachments1 on familiar communion with ,god1 on natural music1 terminated by a most sublime passage--#8,there is somewhere in infinite space a world that does not roll within the precincts of mercy2 and as it is reasonable and even scriptural to suppose that there is music in heaven1 in those dismal regions perhaps the reverse of it is found4 ,tones so dismal as to make woe itself more insupportable1 and to acuminate even despair6' ,what a striking thought6 ,but how many are there that will believe in neither hell nor devil1 and what must their belief and feelings be who1 closing their ears here1 open them to the sounds of such a world as that6 ,how many passages do we meet with in great authors which seem sufficient to strike a reader's mind to conviction and conversion2 yet read by thousands1 perhaps admired1 without the smallest effect on the heart4 #beth4--,a ,mr4 ,cole called here to ask about passports for ,russia4 ,he has hired #cj1jjj acres in the province of ,minsk1 which he is to have with #cjj boors1 paying half the profits as rent4 ,he was advised not to take a grant of land1 as it would cause a difficulty after it to quit ,russia4 ,i must caution ,arthur about this1 for he may entangle himself without being aware of it4 ,in the melancholy1 solitary moments ,i pass here1 ,i have been thinking of the many blessings the ,almighty has been graciously pleased to shower down upon me4 ,first1 ,he gives me great health1 at sixty-four1 as good as at any time for twenty years past1 and much better than forty years ago4 ,secondly1 ,he has been pleased to leave me two children4 ,oh1 that ,he would call them to feel truly ,his faith1 fear1 and love6 ,thirdly1 ,he has granted me an ample income very far beyond what ,i had1 upon entering the world1 the smallest reason to expect4 ,i have many doubts of money ever being a blessing1 but that is owing to the receiver and not to the giver1 it certainly is that which might be made by grace a very considerable one4 ,fourthly1 ,he has given me the power of being greatly useful to my country2 it would be foolish not to reckon that which ,i know beyond the possibility of vanity deceiving me4 ,fifthly1 ,he has given me a paternal estate and residence which ,i greatly love and never wish to change4 ,i could go on and reckon many other things1 but these are sufficient to call for a heartfelt and deeply abiding gratitude4 ,i ought to be able to add1 that ,i am miserable for want of feeling this as ,i should do2 in truth ,i am in this respect a brute beast devoid of everything that marks the ,christian and the penitent4 ,o ,lord1 of ,thy mercy soften this obdurate heart by the grace of ,jesus ,christ6 ,fill it with contrition for offences4 ,purify and renew it1 bring it in holy faith to the foot of the ,cross1 and make it feel its iniquities1 till it be changed and impressed with ,thy holy image4 #bfth4--,i read the concluding entry of yesterday1 and it struck me that ,i had not thanked ,god for the friends ,he had given me1 and this made me muse for a while4 ,had ,i wrote before ,i became serious1 how warmly should ,i have thanked ,him on this score6 ,how it is with others ,i know not1 but with me religion has cooled1 checked1 or annihilated those feelings2 real friendship cannot be felt by a ,christian but to a ,christian4 ,what surprises me much more is that ,i do not feel any very striking advantage from the society of ,christians4 ,this ,i attribute as a fault in myself1 and dare say it is for want of more grace and prayer4 ,i love their company1 and1 some hankerings apart1 desire no other4 ,i hope with ,god's blessing to improve in this respect--hitherto solitude has been my best friend4 ,here there are none to be acquainted with but a very few poor people who are never at their ease with me2 and at ,london those ,i know are too much engaged to see many more than for a moment4 ,going to bed at nine o'clock prevents the society ,i might otherwise have there if it were followed up4 #bhth4--,symonds slept here the night before last and dined twice1 which obliged me to postpone more business than ,i otherwise should have done4 ,he told me one anecdote ,i had not heard before4 ,in ,lord ,bute's administration1 as his lordship told him himself1 the ,king settled with him to give the ,royal ,society #ejjl4 a year for ever1 which was accordingly communicated1 and to ,lord ,bute's amazement refused4 ,on enquiry he found that the motive was an apprehension that he should become too popular if it was accepted6 ,was ever such folly heard of8 ,another anecdote of ,symonds4 ,he dined last year at ,sir ,c4 ,bunbury's1 where he met the rich ,mr4 ,mills1 the brandy merchant1 who bought ,mure's estate1 and who said he found my #8,annals' there1 which were good for nothing4 #8,what1 nothing good in them8' said ,s4 #8,no1 nothing at all4' #8,that is unfortunate with so many correspondents4 ,but if the 8,annals0 are bad1 have you read ,mr4 ,y4's travels8' #8,yes1 and very poor stuff they are4' #8,that is still more unfortunate1 for ,i know that the ,marshal de ,castries and the late ,king of ,prussia spoke in the highest possible terms of them1 and books in ,french by respectable writers have been dedicated to ,mr4 ,y4 in consequence of that publication4' #8,i can see nothing in them4' ,the next day he wrote ,symonds a letter with many apologies1 as he understood that he had been talking to a gentleman who had contributed much to the #8,annals4' ,so much for my rich neighbour4 ,letters from ,london1 and ,i am very sorry to find that my poor wife is much worse4 ,nothing but bad news4 ,sir ,j4 ,banks writes me that ,sir ,j4 ,sinclair is to resume the chair of the ,board under promises of good behaviour4 ,my wife's miserable state is a much worse business4 ,may #bb4--;,i am entirely alone and not without melancholy4 ,worldly people have a thousand resources1 as ,i had once1 but every atom of them leads to mischief1 and ,i am a thousand times better without them4 ,lord ,carrington the other day1 speaking to ,sir ,c4 ,willoughby about his son going to school1 said1 #8,oh1 send him to a great one1 which will give him a manly character fit for the world1 make him a man of the world4' ,so it is with these people2 ,jesus ,christ tells us to hate the world1 and that what is in high estimation amongst men is abomination in the eyes of ,god2 but worldly men declare1 and think1 and feel1 and act1 directly hostile to ,scripture2 they urge one another and impress as respectable everything that ,god abhors4 ,words cannot express a character more in contradiction to the ,christian than that which is meant by a man of the world4 #bcrd4--,i was awake at #b ,a4,m4 and laid without sleep till #c ,a4,m4 ,my thoughts were not edifying1 so ,i jumped out of bed1 and having prayed to the ,father of mercies1 ,i began with business4 ,but the train of thought ,i had been in came again and interrupted me2 it was upon the event of what would befall me as secretary to the ,board4 ,i have many reasons for thinking that several of the members do not like me1 and should anything happen that gave them any handle1 would be glad to get rid of me4 ,this was not the case when ,i was one of themselves1 but they know that ,i associate with religious people1 go to the ,lock 7a very black mark71 and read the ,bible1 and now and then words drop which ,i understand4 ,should ,sir ,j4 ,sinclair become president or ,lord ,carrington1 they might make it very unpleasant to me4 ,sir ,john is as poor as a church mouse1 and would like well to have his lodging here4 ,should my family lessen1 it would be quite unbearable1 and if the idea was started1 ,i must resist it1 the question would probably be lost1 and then ,i should resign2 this would fix me in repose at ,bradfield1 and ,i should be to the full as happy as at present1 but my family would not1 and then--all this is very wild4 ,i will have done with it for so much as ,i am persuaded that everything is in the hands of ,god2 nothing can be greater folly than pretending thus to look forward1 it is equally useless and uncomfortable4 ,june #c4--,since the last entry ,i have had letters from ,jane and ,arthur at ,berlin1 where they seemed to have stayed a week4 ,they had been received with great politeness and attention by the ,princess of ,holstein1 ,prince ,baratinsky's mother2 had dined with her1 and she carried them to her villa2 they had dined also with the ,english and ,russian ,ambassadors1 and been at ,charlottenburg with ,sir ,g4 ,rumbold4 ,i begin to be a little restless to get into the country4 #aeth4--,bradfield4 ,i got here the #fth1 earlier than ever before or since the institution of the ,board1 which is a great blessing4 ,i have managed to escape both ,woburn and ,holkham4 ,i have missed ,jane terribly1 but ,i have endeavoured to turn it to a religious account4 ,poorly and weakly1 but still better than not at all4 ,the weather has been bad1 which has caused my taking less exercise than is good for me1 but blessed be ,god1 my health is excellent4 ,i have stuck close to my great work the #8,elements1' and have gone through my own ,norfolk report and the fourth volume of the ,board #8,communications4' ,what an immense labour has it been1 and for how many years to collect and arrange materials4 ,i could not have conceived how much it is necessary to do before ,i can fairly say1 ,now all is before me and in order1 ready to compare and draw conclusions4 ,i mean it to contain everything good that has ever been printed4 ,till all that is collected and before me1 how can ,i know what is already done1 and what wants to be added8 ,but the labour1 when continued year after year1 is what ,i never dreamt of when ,i began4 ,i have worked hard at the first division--,soils1 and brought it into some form2 and it is a specimen of how much attention every division will demand4 ,i have also began the second1 on ,vegetation4 ,i fear making the work too voluminous1 and that by-and-by ,i must curtail greatly4 ,success is pleasant1 and ,i should fear that if it exceeded two large quartos4 ,since ,i have been here ,i have read a little work of ,flavel's1#bbi #8,a ,saint indeed1' which is truly admirable2 some passages in ,marshall#bcj on #8,sanctification1' and very many of ,cowper's letters1 all the religious ones4 #ahth4--,cowper is invaluable to a country gentleman that would enjoy his residence without the world's assistance4 ,reading his letters has made me more attentive to every beauty of this place1 of which ,i was always so fond2 there is something very amiable in the manner in which he converts every flower1 tree1 and twig to enjoyment1 and ,i walk out better prepared for this pleasure from the perusal of that most agreeable writer4 ,there is but one danger from which1 poor man1 his poverty secured him1 and that is the mind insensibly running into speculation of improvement4 ,i have made many here1 and the taste is very insatiable2 this may without a guard lead to too much expense4 ,but ,i endeavour to correct the wanderings of imagination1 and to dwell on the beauties of every single tree1 shrub1 and spot1 and to be content with them all as they are4 ,the laburnum in the back lawn is more beautiful than ,i ever saw it1 so entirely covered with rich clusters of its golden flowers1 that ,i can admire it for an hour together4 ,this enjoyment1 however1 is very poor and fading if we do not1 with ,cowper1 tum our minds habitually to the great and beneficent ,author of all these beauties4 ,this sentiment is impressive and durable1 and leads the mind to the richest contemplations4 ,if for such a race the earth is thus clothed1 what must heaven be8 ,a reading habit is a great blessing4 ,i am sure ,i find it so1 for though ,i have risen at #c ,a4,m4 since ,i have been here1 and not once been in bed at four1 still ,i am not tired at night4 ,a walk is a refreshment to be had in the country in a moment1 but at ,london half a mile of street thronged and noisy1 and then only a crowded park1 with sights to wound or to tempt4 ,i do not like snow1 but a deep one and blustering wind here is preferable to calm sunshine in the streets of ,london4 ,but much as ,i like ,bradfield even alone1 ,i must leave it and get quickly into ,essex4 ,i could write the ,report from materials before me1 and from a long knowledge of the county1 and produce a valuable work1 but that would not be honest4 ,i shall take their money1 and will therefore travel as much in it1 and give as much attention to it1 as if ,i had no materials at all to work upon4 ,august #ab4--,letters from ,jane and ,arthur at ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,they give sad accounts of the treatment the ,english have received there if most specific agreements be not made beforehand for everything4 ,i wish cordially they were well home again1 and so do they1 ,i believe4 ,october #bj4--;,at ,rayleigh4 ,to keep a journal in this manner is nonsense1 and worse than nonsense2 besides1 ,i have time to do better1 and therefore ought to do it4 ,three nights past ,i slept at the ,earl of ,st4 ,vincent's1 who1 being a great character1 forces a note4 ,i had much inclination to have called on him1 as ,i heard of ,sir ,t4 ,leonard that he farmed1 but ,i thought it would be a forward step1 and so passed on to the ,squire of the parish1 ,towers4 ,he was in with the gout1 but his sons told me that they had lately dined in company of ,lord ,st4 ,v41 who mentioned my being in the country1 and that he expected to see me4 ,whence this expectation came ,i have no conception4 ,he received me politely1 pleasantly1 and cordially2 kept me all day to dinner and to sleep1 and desired me if ever ,i came near him again to be sure to make his house my headquarters4 ,he showed me every acre1 cow1 ox1 and pig1 and talked sensibly enough on farming1 as far as he knew of it4 ,when he returned he told me he did not dine till #f ,p4,m41 and as he should be out again1 ,i should have a fire in ,lady ,st4 ,v4's dressing room1 and a pen and ink1 and that ,i was my own master4 ,montague ,burgoyne coming1 he sent him up to me4 ,at and after dinner much political conversation1 for ,burgoyne is a desperate politician4 ,it was plain that ,lord ,st4 ,vincent thought himself very ill used by opposition as well as by ,mr4 ,pitt2 he seemed to think that they made a great cry about him while it served their own purpose1 but that when this would not answer1 they cared little for him and forgot him1 but he praised ,lord ,sidmouth greatly4 ,burgoyne1 who wanted ,fox in when ,lord ,sidmouth accepted1 told ,lord ,st4 ,v4 the only sin he ever committed was joining that lord1 as he could not have made an administration without him4 ,he said it was impossible to resist1 the state of the country was such that his conscience would have condemned him2 it was greatly to his personal injury1 for he was1 as commander of the ,channel fleet1 in the receipt of a good #be1jjjl4 a year1 which he gave up for a miserably paid ,cabinet place then of only #c1jjjl4 ,that the ,king urged him to keep the command with the ,admiralty1 and ,lord ,sidmouth agreed to it1 but he would not do it1 it would have been wrong4 ,the ,king urged the precedent of ,lord ,howe1 who kept both1 and why should not he8 ,but he was firm4 ,he hates all religions1 called ,lord ,barham an old canting hypocrite--all of them--and #8little ,wilber-force too6' ,i said something against that1 but not half enough4 ,he remarked that the old hypocrite would soon1 very soon1 be removed4 ,i hope in this he will find himself mistaken4 ,he swears pretty much1 not quite as sailors do1 but he says grace before and after dinner2 is not this hypocrisy8 ,he has great spirits1 a good understanding1 and is very pleasant4 ,december #i4--,my old friend ,symonds being dangerously and in all probability fatally ill1 ,i went yesterday to see him4 ,i was there four hours4 ,he dozed much1 but when awake had the perfect use of his faculties1 though not quite speech enough or recollection to explain himself as when well2 my dear ,jane took him to be a real ,christian1 though not without thinking he had bad notions on certain points4 ,i ever doubted it1 and thought ,i saw much in him of sound1 good doctrine1 but great deficiencies4 ,he utterly disbelieved original sin1 which appeared always to me a fatal sign4 ,he talked to me of ,naples1 ,bonaparte1 c41 said he had something particular to say to me1 upon which ,b4 left the room4 ,it was to tell me that ,cocksedge would not give #djl4 for a very well done map and survey of the ,eldo estate1 and that therefore he should take care that he should have nothing done to accommodate him1 no part of the furniture should be his1 c4 ,this will be talked of1 and therefore mention the motive4 ,what stuff to occupy the attention of a dying man6 ,i took four or five opportunities1 or rather made them1 to turn his mind to ,christ1 but they passed1 and he was silent1 not one religious or serious word came out of his mouth1 nothing of the kind seemed to be in his mind4 ,he was in general quite easy and composed1 and slept perfectly free from any apparent disturbance4 ,awful is such insensibility4 #ajth4--,i was with him again yesterday1 and through such a day of rain that ,i hope ,i shall not take cold4 ,he was just the same1 mentioned ,casburn's account of the ,blue ,coat ,hospital1 and being washed four times a day2 talked of the water gods1 smiled1 and joked4 ,i could not endure the moment passing without another attempt to turn his mind to more serious impressions4 ,i asked ,c4 if he had had any prayers said to and for him4 ,no1 he had not mentioned it1 but two nights before he had prayed shortly for himself4 ,i told him that there ought to be prayers in the room1 and that ,c4 could read them4 ,he said1 #8,yes1 he could1' and for the family also6 ,it made no impression1 and soon after closing his eyes as if for sleep1 said1 #8,your servant1 ,i only keep you1' so ,i left him4 ,i have fears that it is a sort of judicial blindness and insensibility of his state to have his senses and make no better use of them1 ,i am much shocked4 #aath4--,yesterday there again1 but he was getting up to have his bed made1 and ,white1 the physician1 thought ,i had better not go up4 ,january #aj1 #ahjf4--,peggy ,metcalfe lent me #8,marie ,menzikoff' as a true history1 and ,i1 like a fool1 read much of it1 after finding it a mere romance4 ,i have not looked at anything of the novel kind for many years1 but this ,french thing seized my attention and hurried me on4 ,i wish she had been further before putting it in my hands4 ,it has unhinged me1 and broken my attention to better things1 which shows strongly how pernicious this sort of reading is1 and what a powerful temptation to vice such productions are sure to prove4 ,oh6 the number of miserables that novels have sent to perdition6 #afth4--,i have been looking over ,dr4 ,johnson's #8,prayers and ,meditations1' and1 upon the whole1 the feeling they have impressed is that of pity2 he seemed by one passage to think his complaints nearly allied to madness1 and often speaks of his morbid melancholy2 his sloth seems to have been dreadful4 ,what a contrast to the life of ,john ,wesley6 ,his religion seems to have been against the very grain of his soul1 and all the tendencies of his mind to have arisen from his understanding only1 and never to have been truly in his heart4 ,company1 and engagements1 and indolence keep him from church from ,january to ,march2 he scarcely ever got to it in time for the service1 and he aimed in resolutions only at taking the ,sacrament thrice in the year2 he does not name a book 7the ,scriptures excepted7 that was likely to give a right turn to his devotion4 ,to study religion and to read the ,scriptures was a matter for resolution1 like rising early1 but he does not seem to have been carried to the employment by the comfort1 hope1 joy1 and consolation to be derived from them1 they were never his pleasure4 ',tis well his mind was morbid1 for he seems to me 7from this work7 never to have been really converted4 ,fasting1 penance1 and a gloomy superstition banished from his soul the felicities of piety founded in faith4 ,but ,i must look it over again with more care4 ,yesterday morning ,i went to ,flempton and called on ,carter2 with him ,i had some very proper conversation4 ,he is far from the truly evangelical state1 and his mind fully occupied with being satisfied with the opinions and conduct of the regular clergy in general2 he has no affection1 no regard for truly evangelical ones1 a readiness to sneer at them1 and with all a laxity in doctrines1 a comprehensive candour1 which gives me but an ill opinion of his doctrines4 ,he is a very worthy respectable man in all worldly points4 ,my neighbour ,gooch called yesterday4 ,he has taken the curacy of ,wattisfield of ,plampin1 who has evaded the curate's law4 ,gooch gave me twenty cases at least of rectors who decidedly cheat and impose on their curates by most unworthy evasions2 but if a farmer cheats them of a turnip in tithe1 they pronounce them all the rogues to be imagined4 ,most lamentable is this for those who should be the ministers of ,christ's gospel4 ,but in no country that ,i have heard of is there such a set of clergy as in this neighbourhood4 ,dreadful6 ,i have been sketching out an essay on the defence of the kingdom in case of invasion1 and yesterday added to it4 ,the regularity with which ,i have made entries in my journal since ,i determined to write one line in it1 shows the infinite importance of method and regularity in every pursuit and business of life4 ,what is regularly undertaken will be regularly executed1 but desultory endeavours at fits and starts perform nothing4 #bbnd4--,yesterday ,i went up into my dear ,bobbin's room1 in which ,i had not been for a year or more4 ,i wiped the mould off her books1 c41 with a heavy heart1 and prayed to ,god that ,i might join her spirit in heaven4 ,it made me very melancholy6 ,she has been dead nine years1 would therefore have been two-and-twenty had it pleased ,god to spare her4 ,but what a world is this for a girl of that age6 #bcrd4--,to-day ,i pack up and prepare1 and to-morrow1 with ,god's permission1 to ,london4 ,may ,he protect me from all dangers6 ,mr4 ,pitt dead6 ,this has struck a damp into my soul that ,i cannot shake off4 #bfth4--,arrived safely1 thanks to the ,lord4 ,yesterday ,i unpacked and set all my things in order4 ,mrs4 ,y4 better than ,i expected1 but ,i cannot perceive that warmth of gratitude to ,god which ,i hoped to find4 ,i know not what to make of her state of soul6 ,pitt's death made a considerable sensation1 and ,i wonder not at it4 ,the providence of the ,almighty has taken the two men perhaps the most necessary to our worldly prosperity in order to show us that it is on ,him only we should depend1 and to convince us that vain is the arm of flesh4 ,may ,he protect us6 ,providence is better to depend on than a hundred ,nelsons and ,pitts if we consider them in any light except that of means in the hand of ,him who governs the fate of nations4 ,ministry not arranged4 ,it is said that ,fox is as much plagued with the apprehensions of some of his own people as with those of the ,grenvilles4 ,grey ,first ,lord of ,admiralty6 ,is it possible8 ,what a scheme6 ,could not sleep longer for three nights past than half-past two or three2 evil imaginations were generating4 ,plunged out of bed1 but as ,i cannot get to bed before ten 7at ,lady ,egremont's last night but one1 and ,de ,bees' last night7 it makes me heavy4 ,de ,bees says that all foreigners agree as to the folly of our expeditions2 that to the ,mediterranean should have been in greater force to ,venice1 which would have preserved that city1 and enabled the ,archduke ,charles to have stood his ground4 ,it is obvious1 if driven from the ,continent1 ,venice at least would have been saved4 ,february #b4--;,i have seen ,smirenove1 he thinks his ,emperor will have a great army on the ,danube early in the spring1 for preparations are active2 they think1 or have intelligence1 that ,bonaparte has ceded to ,austria much more than ,servia1 probably large provinces1 to cut ,russia off from contact with the ,turks4 ,he has ,trieste1 and now his dominions embrace both shores of the ,adriatic and join the ,turkish ,empire4 ,this must be productive of great events1 and ,i cannot but look forward to the destruction of that ,empire which seems clearly advancing1 and we all know how very important an epoch that will be towards the winding up of all things4 #hth4--,mary dined with ,lord ,coventry1 and met ,mrs4 ,lyggon and ,mrs4 ,nesbit1 and heard that ,d4 ,moira will take nothing4 ,he wanted to be ,prime ,minister1 and the ,king would rather have had him4 ,the ,queen of ,wurtemburg has written a letter to our ,queen and to ,lady ,harrington in praise of the politeness and goodness of ,bonaparte4 ,de ,bees in the evening2 ,fox was in powder1 which made everyone stare4 #adth4--,read much in ,skinner's #8,state of ,peru1'#bca which has some curious things in it4 ,i work every morning on my #8,elements1' but though ,i have been near thirty years reading and making extracts for this work 7but with long intermissions71 yet now ,i am arranging the chapters and sections ,i find numberless gaps to supply as ,i advance4 #aeth4--,dined with the ,duke of ,grafton against my will1 for ,i think it wrong to go to the house of a ,unitarian1 or have anything to do with them2 the only defence of its lawfulness even that ,i know of is ,st4 ,paul's supposition of his converts being invited to a feast1 and if you are disposed to go1 c41 then do so4 ,in the evening ,walker1 an engraver1 who has been twenty years at ,st4 ,petersburg1 and who brought letters from ,jane some time ago1 called4 ,he gives but a bad account of ,russia1 and it is from every authority a very bad country to live in1 in every respect that should make a country desirable1 except the people being good tempered and very ingenious4 ,england6 ,england6 thou art the first of countries6 ,oh6 that thou wert grateful to ,heaven for the multitude of thy blessings4 #bjth4--,lord ,carrington half an hour1 then ,vancouver1#bcb who has seen ,vansittart#bcc on his tour scheme1 and who did not seem to approve of it at all1 but desired him to have an interview at ,tyrrwhitt's with ,dr4 ,beke to hear his opinion1 whom he esteems much1 the greatest political arithmetician of the time4 ,this is accordingly to take place4 ,vansittart told him the whole income of the public is #bjj1jjj1jjj sterling4 ,v4 replied that it was three times as much4 ,at night ,i went to the ,lock and heard a most excellent sermon by ,fry on ,luke xi4 #ba1 #bb4 #bbnd4--,it was so fine a day that ,i took a walk to ,kensington ,gardens ,gate4 ,the ,marquis of ,hertford chatted with me for some time as he walked his horse1 and wants a drainer for his estate in ,ireland4 ,i saw ,marshall#bcd also1 and ,i never see and converse with him1 but ,i think ,i see the haughty1 proud1 ill-tempered1 snarling1 disgusted character which he manifested in his connection with ,sir ,john ,sinclair4 ,a thousand pities that so extremely able a man1 for of his talents there can be no question1 should not have more amenity and mildness4 ,government1 however1 should have promoted him without any doubt2 and it is a blot in their scutcheon that they have not done it4 ,the funeral of ,mr4 ,pitt4 ,i think him a very great national loss1 and did not go near any part of the business4 ,pomp and pageantry of all sorts do not accord with my feelings4 ,a pamphlet published to prepare us for peace1 #8,the ,relative ,situation of ,france and ,england1' said to be by ,wraxall4#bce ,i dread a peace politically1 but as a ,christian all is directed by ,him who cannot err4 #beth4--,i have of late been uneasy lest ,dodsley1 the bookseller1 should have lost much money by my #8,experimental ,agriculture1' and called on ,becket to know what became of him1 and who he left4 ,there ,i found that ,nicoll was one of his executors1 and now the only one left4 ,i went to him and desired some information4 ,on examining the list of his books he found there was but one single copy1 and that consequently to suppose he lost by the work would be idle4 #8,i can tell you what he gave you for the copy1 for here is one of the greatest of curiosities4' ,this was ,dodsley's book for authors' receipts2 in that he showed me ,william ,burke's receipt for #fl4 #fs4 on account of ,edmund ,burke1 for the copy of the #8,vindication of ,natural ,society4' ,that book1 said ,nicoll1 was so much admired in ,france by d',alembert1 ,diderot1 c4 c41 that it made them mad1 and really produced the ,revolution4 #8,and now' 7he added7 #8,i have shown you what ,burke had for kindling the ,revolution1 let me also show you what he had for putting it out1' and then he pointed out his 7,burke's7 own receipt for #a1jjjl4 for the profits of his famous volume4 ,the other writings1 c41 one other of his later pamphlets1 were sold together for #cjjl4 ,he seems1 however1 to have left it to ,dodsley1 and when the things were sold1 to have taken what ,d4 said was fair4 ,melmoth had a great deal of money of him1 for his translations1 c4 ,at night letters to us all4 ,three came from ,jane and ,arthur4 ,a sad account of the interpreter provided for him1 who is an ignorant puppy of a nobleman who is too lazy to do anything4 ,of all the ,governments ,i have heard of1 it seems to be the most stupid1 the most ignorant1 and the most profligate3 the fact1 ,i dare say1 is that the army alone is attended to4 ,they had the news of the battle of ,austerlitz1 with a loss as they supposed of #dj1jjj ,russians4 ,not a family at ,moscow but must have lost a relation1 yet a grand ball that night1 and nothing but gaiety and festivity4 ,they have no feeling4 ,the governor took ,jane into a window and told her that he was informed she disapproved of all her husband's farming ideas as much as anyone could do1 and ridiculed all his schemes4 ,upon explanation it came from ,marshall ,romanzoff1 who had it from a ,german baron that had been at ,bradfield1 who1 admiring the number of experiments1 ,mrs4 ,y4 told him that she detested them all1 and that ,i had ruined myself by them4 ,a true report ,i will answer for1 for this was her conduct through life4 ,lamentable it was that no enemy ever did me the mischief that ,i received from the wife of my bosom by the grossest falsehoods and the blackest malignity2 of just such anecdotes of her conversation ,i have had instances from every part of the world4 ,but do such things rise from the dust8 ,oh6 no1 they come from ,god1 and were far less than what ,i merited at ,his hands4 ,i had such as ,i deserved1 or much better4 #bgth4--,i was up at four o'clock and kept the fast till #h4cj at night2 and as ,i have a strong stomach that will bear it pretty well1 ,i determined to take no snuff1 of which ,i every day take much1 and am almost uncomfortable if at any time ,i forget my box4 ,this was more a fast with me than abstaining from food2 but whether it was not done in a right spirit1 or that ,i had thought about it too much1 ,i know not1 but ,i was dead1 and sleepy1 and sluggish in body and soul all day except at the evening sermon4 ,unluckily the night before the fast long letters from ,russia1 and an account that ,arthur had been warned much as if he would be murdered1 so determinately hostile to the object are all the ,russian nobility4 ,march #a4--,yesterday was a most worrying moment1 full of labour and anxiety4 ,in the morning to ,smirenove1 to read him my letter to ,novosilikoff4 ,he advised me to call on ,count ,strogonoff1 who is here on a political mission1 and who treated with ,arthur at ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,accordingly1 as soon as ,i returned1 ,i wrote to request he would name a time for my waiting on him1 which he did1 and fixed ,sunday1 #aj4cj4 ,oh1 how the world values that day6 ,then to copy fair my letter to ,novosilikoff and inclose it to ,arthur in his2 this1 with two hundred other things1 kept me till dinner on the table to the chin in anxiety1 for if ,i did not trust in the goodness and mercy of ,god's providence1 ,i should be fearfully apprehensive of my son's personal safety1 the hints he has had are alarming4 ,their general conviction at ,moscow1 that he is come with full powers or intentions to emancipate the boors1 have made them all hostile to the plan4 ,march #ag4--,yesterday morning1 at #d ,a4,m41 ,i came down to pray according to custom1 and it pleased ,god that ,i should pray with more than usual fervency4 ,i then meditated a little and fell asleep4 ,i awaked with a certain sweetness of frame that ,i noticed at the time1 and a transitory idea crossed my mind that ,god had heard my prayers1 and that what ,i felt might possibly be ,his grace1 or an effusion in some small degree of the ,holy ,spirit in my soul4 ,it struck me also that ,i should know if it was by the current of my thoughts and imaginations2 for any proof of the ,spirit unattended by good effects would be a mere fanatical idea4 ,i took the blessed ,sacrament1 and in the evening ,fry preached on the means of ascertaining whether a man has the ,spirit or not--a very excellent sermon1 and one well adapted to urge and assist self-examination4 ,the day closed1 and ,i was not sensible of giving way to any loose and wild imaginations4 #bcrd4--,thanks to the ever blessed ,god1 ,i think that ,i spent last week in a more satisfactory frame of heart and mind than any for an age past--more upon the watch against sin--more in contemplation of the greatness and goodness of ,god2 vile thoughts have intruded1 but ,i dismissed them by struggling1 and my prayers have been more fervent4 ,april #ai4--;,i have only to-day and to-morrow in the country4 ,solitude agrees best with my soul4 ,i read all day1 and only divinity1 temptations are distant4 ,wesley could not bear the country1 from the hurry and bustle of his perpetual labours having given him habits quite contrary to it4 ,june #c4--;,i was up again this morning at #c ,a4,m41 and by it escaped falling into evil imaginations4 ,this is an evil ,i thus fight against and struggle to avoid4 ,i think the ,lord will hear my prayers and free me from this buffeting of ,satan1 this thorn in the flesh1 which is a horrible disquiet to me4 #dth4--,i found the devil at work with me this morning1 and jumped out of bed at twenty minutes before #c ,a4,m41 dressed1 and came down to prayers4 ,paying debts formerly with me had but little effect from the necessary contraction of new ones2 but at present ,i have abstained steadily from all1 so that though ,i want shirts1 c41 and have only one coat1 and that much worn1 yet ,i order nothing1 that ,i may endeavour effectively to get quite free as soon as possible4 #agth4--,a letter from ,arthur1 he has had a week's fever1 and went back to ,moscow1 which recovered him4 ,it was caused by want of sleep1 owing to bugs1 lice1 fleas1 c41 fatigue and vile food4 ,they are horrid savages1 and five centuries behind us in all but vice1 wickedness1 and extravagance4 ,the interpreter behaves much better1 which is comfortable4 #ahth4--,the last ,board for the season sat yesterday and adjourned till ,november4 ,mr4 ,coke was here1 pressed me to go to ,holkham2 but ,i have long determined against it2 there is not one feature which could carry a ,christian there for pleasure1 but a thousand to repel him1 and this is so much the case with all public meetings that they are odious4 ,the ,norfolk farmers are rich and profligate2 of course oaths and profanations salute the ear at every turn2 and gentlemen and the great1 when without ladies1 are too apt to be as bad as the mob1 and many of them much worse4 ,i am never in such company1 but the repugnance of my soul to it is so great1 that much as ,i love agriculture ,i can renounce it with more pleasure than ,i can partake of it thus contaminated4 ,i shall get to ,bradfield as soon as possible1 ,i hope on ,saturday1 and having much to do there1 ,god send that employment may keep me out of all temptation4 ,july #ac4--;,every ,sunday ,i hear sixteen or eighteen children read the ,scripture and say their ,catechism1 and ,i pay for the schooling of all that will learn4 ,they are sadly careless and inattentive1 but still they come on4 ,if it pleases ,god to turn it to account by their reading the ,scriptures it will be well4 ,the rest of the day ,i pass in reading2 the spirit of visiting in the country among servants prevents much that might be done1 but still ,i am not satisfied1 and must find the means of doing more in the instruction of the parish poor4 #adth4--,i have been reading over my #8,inquiry into the ,propriety of applying ,wastes to the better ,maintenance of the ,poor4' ,i had almost forgotten it1 but of all the essays and papers ,i have produced1 none ,i think so pardonable as this1 so convincing by facts1 and so satisfactory to any candid reader4 ,thank ,god ,i wrote it1 for though it never had the smallest effect except in exciting opposition and ridicule1 it will1 ,i trust1 remain a proof of what ought to have been done2 and had it been executed1 would have diffused more comfort among the poor than any proposition that ever was made4 ,february #ba1 #ahjg4--,to think of keeping a journal regularly is all in vain2 the gaps in mine are terrible4 ,march #i4--,mrs4 ,wilberforce lent me ,crichton's #8,diary of ,blackadder1'#bcf and gave me ,dr4 ,owen on the #acjth ,psalm4 ,i have read much of the former and find it a reproach to my whole soul1 life1 and conversation4 ,what a ,christian was there6 and what a wretch am ,i8 #ajth4--,i am very much struck with #8,blackadder's ,diary' and letters to his wife1 so much so that ,i have prayed earnestly to ,god to enable me by ,his grace to have the same constant trust and reliance in ,his mercy and goodness that this excellent ,christian had4 #abth4--,the ,marquis ,saloo1 from ,sicily1 gave me many accounts of ,bolsamo1 and how much he referred in his lectures to his master1 ,arthur ,young4 ,if there be glory in this sort of fame1 oh6 my ,father1 let me have done with glorying save in the ,cross of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,i have been glorying in foreign and domestic fame for forty years in true fleshly vanity4 ,i have been seven weeks in ,london1 and1 blessed be the ,lord1 ,i have had only four or five invitations to dinner and accepted but two4 ,there has been a great kick up in the ,ministry4 ,tyrrwhitt1 from ,carleton ,house1 called here1 and tells me that ,lord ,sidmouth and his friends were actually out1 but the ,foxites made it up with the ,king1 pacified him1 and they were immediately restored2 but ,lord ,howick and the rest are to give their opinion in the ,house of ,commons1 and the obnoxious clause to be left out4 ,the ,king is ready to turn many out the moment there is strength enough to carry on business without them4 ,called at ,lord ,egremont's2 that detestable atheistical profligate kinsman ---- was with him4 ,lord ,e4 loud in the commendation of the ,dactylis glomerata2#bcg it succeeds so greatly with him on cold1 strong1 wet lands that oxen fatten where they could never be kept before1 and it grows all winter4 ,i was the first man in ,england that had five acres of this grass4 ,i believe they had a root of it twenty years ago2 ,i had much1 and recommended it greatly4 ,a letter from ,tyrrwhitt1 ,carleton ,house1 to inform me that ,vansittart and ,lord ,grenville approve my plan1 which ,i proposed to ,t4 ,it is this3 ,the ,baltic and co4 country around it being shut up or eaten up1 and #djj1jjj men in our grainery granary1 should we this year have a short crop of wheat or a bad harvest1 or a mildew1 the supply being cut off1 the price would rise beyond all experience2 therefore ,i propose that the ,government should supply money to enable the ,board to give great premium for the culture of potatoes for the use of cattle and horses2 without this object an alarm might spread and more mischief than good accrue4 ,t4 writes me they approve the idea1 and will advance the ,board #b1jjjl41 but ,i will have this explained2 it must not be to lend #b1jjjl4 but to give it4 ,march #bf4--;,i am very sure that ,i do not give to poor ,christians so much as ,i ought to do1 but ,i am in doubt whether ,i do not give more than ,i ought to do to others4 ,here is a ,german1 ,behrens1 once a merchant in good circumstances1 whom ,sir ,john received papers from and sent to me4 ,he translated a paper for the ,board1 and made known such poverty that ,i promised him a pair of boots2 but writing to him on the translation1 ,i took occasion to enquire what religion he was of2 he was educated a ,lutheran1 but ,i see plainly he has none4 ,he shall have the boots1 but ,i shall give him nothing else4 ,i can do nothing for ,christians if ,i give to all others that apply4 ,april #f4--;,at ,bradfield4 ,there is a poor fellow in the gaol condemned to die next ,wednesday for forging or uttering bank notes4 ,i heard some bad accounts of him1 and as ,i came from ,bury early in the morning1 yesterday called to see him4 ,i found that he had been attended by the minister1 ,mr4 ,hastead1 and also by a ,methodist1 recommended by a brother of his4 ,i had a good deal of conversation with him1 and prayed with him4 ,he was very ignorant1 and had no feeling of religion till he was condemned1 but has since been instructed and spoke properly enough1 lamenting his want of faith at times1 and at others being full of faith4 ,i gave him the best instruction ,i could1 and urged little more than 7which is his only possible hope7 faith in the ,lord ,jesus4 ,he prayed aloud for some minutes1 and more to the purpose than ,i should have expected4 ,he thanked me much for coming1 and as he begged me to come again ,i promised1 and accordingly this morning went on purpose4 ,it comforted him much4 ,i prayed earnestly and fervently for him1 and his amens and ejaculations seemed to come quite from his heart4 ,i left him tranquil1 and1 blessed be a merciful ,god1 ,i think he may without presumption hope strongly for pardon at the throne of mercy4 ,i am planting lands1 and forming an experiment on the application of vegetable substances as manure4 #bith4--,london4 ,at eight o'clock at night ,i received the following note from ,sir ,john ,sinclair4 ,i hurried away to the place named in the cover1 ,great ,shire ,lane1 where ,i found ,sir ,john2 and ,dr4 ,garthshore on the same errand as myself4 ,we signed a bail bond4 #8,my dear ,sir1--,a most extraordinary circumstance has happened to me4 ,a rascally saddler1 whom ,i employed at ,edinburgh to furnish accoutrements to my regiment of ,invincibles1 brought me in so exorbitant an amount1 that ,i refused to pay it2 and instead of bringing an action against me at ,edinburgh1 he has arrested me for #gejl4 ,so many of my friends are out of town1 that ,i must trouble you to give bail for my appearance4 #8,sincerely yours1 #8,,john ,,sinclair4 #8,tuesday4' ,sir ,john's regiment has been disbanded nine or ten years1 and consequently this rascally saddler has been at least so long kept out of his money4 ,what can these people think of themselves6 ,to live quietly while thus depriving tradesmen of their right for such a number of years6 ,may #af4--,this is the first fine day that has occurred since ,i left town2 the lilacs are coming fast into blossom1 and the fresh verdure of the grass and trees is highly pleasing4 ,august #bi4--;,as the time approaches to go this ,oxford journey1 ,i dislike it more and more1 and wish ,i had firmly rejected it4 ,i am not in a situation at all comfortable here1 and have only one maid--no man or boy--and only the carpenter to put my horse in the whisky2 but with a little exertion all this could be arranged4 ,mrs4 ,y4 going to the sea for seven weeks1 and therefore seven weeks' peace here if ,i stayed4 ,i am in a regular habitual application to my #8,elements1' and have made a good progress in them1 so that if ,i kept here ,i should have gone through many meetings of the ,board2 and then if it pleased the ,lord to take me1 they would at least be in a state to be serviceable to mankind1 and the great collection ,i have made in divinity would gradually be brought into order4 ,all around here is a region dead in iniquity and sins1 as far as ladies and gentlemen are concerned4 ,amongst the ,sectaries there is ,christianity1 and nowhere else1 which is a horrible thing to think of4 ,the clergy are1 if possible1 more dead than any others2 many of them very profligate1 many thoroughly worldly minded1 but some of very respectable moral characters1 but without a spark of vital religion4 ,i associate only with ,mrs4 ,o4 ,oakes4 ,having written till ,i am tired1 ,i go once or twice a week to relax with the mild green 7sic7 of her soul1 because ,i can be free and do as ,i like1 and ,i try hard to make her a ,christian1 but hitherto in vain4 ,if evil ideas at any time plague me1 then ,i keep away1 and1 thanks to ,god1 ,i have of late had an unusual command over my imagination1 which for years plagued me terribly4 ,prayer is my refuge4 ,november #bc4--,the #agth1 #ahth1 and #aith at ,euston1 and ,i had much conversation with the duke1 in which ,i earnestly endeavoured to impress on his mind the fact1 that by his tenets he placed himself entirely under the covenant of works1 and that he must be tried for them1 and that ,i would not be in such a situation for ten thousand worlds4 ,he was mild and more patient than ,i expected4 ,he lent me1 and ,i read it there1 ,priestley's ,life1 by himself4 ,he asked me what ,i thought of it8 ,my reply was that through the whole it was the recital of a man perfectly well satisfied with himself1 not the confessions of a sinner lamenting what has been wrong in him4 ,he seems to have had no feeling of the sort2 as if1 when tried by the test of his own merit1 it would be a great injustice in ,god not to be satisfied with him1 and that ,i had no conception of any man having it in his power to review or detail his life with any religious aspect without much self-condemnation1 and beseeching ,god to try him in any way rather than by an appeal to his life or his own merit1 but 7if he be really a ,christian7 by the merits only of the blood of his ,redeemer4 ,he said it was my view of things1 and not that of the doctor1 whom he believed was undoubtedly a very good man4 ,the conversation continued1 but we were as far as the poles asunder4 ,the duke has drawn up memoirs of his life1 and he and ,lady ,augusta read to me that part which concerned his own administration1 which is very satisfactory1 as it consists much of original letters4 ,he appears to much more advantage in it than ,i conceived he would have done1 and it was certainly a wise step to leave such a memorial in justification of himself4 ,lord ,templeton there one day4 ,they seem to me to grow more and more economical1 and to descend to minute attentions which are below their rank and fortune4 ,i do not feel comfortable1 though he always receives me well1 and desires me to come again4 ,it is long since ,i was there before1 and will be long before ,i go again2 such visits1 however1 have very little of dissipation in them1 and so much the better4 ,the less we like them the safer they are4 ,note1 probably by ,mary1 ,arthur ,young's only surviving daughter3 #8#ahjg4 ,it was upon this journey into ,oxfordshire that ,mr4 ,y4 first perceived the approach of that dimness of sight which afterwards terminated in its total eclipse4 ,his first suspicion arose from looking at the planet ,jupiter1 and perceiving what appeared to him to be two very small stars near him1 at which he was much surprised1 as he knew that the satellites were invisible to the naked eye1 and nobody saw these stars but himself4 ,this multiplication of bright objects increased the following year1 till at last one lamp appeared to him to be five4 ,objects became by degrees more and more confused1 and at last totally disappeared4' 7,total blindness appears to have resulted from the failure of an operation for cataract1 as will be seen later on47 ----- ,footnote #bbc3 ,mrs4 ,oakes4 ,footnote #bbd3 ,this recalls ,goethe's line1 #8,der ,augenblick ist ,ewigkeit4' ,footnote #bbe3 ,ch4 ,simeon1 #agei-ahcf1 an eminent divine of the ,evangelical school4 ,his works1 consisting of #b1ecf sermons1 c41 were published in twenty-one volumes in #ahcb4 ,footnote #bbf3 ,orbell ,oakes1 husband of #8my friend1' the beautiful ,betsy4 ,footnote #bbg3 ,j4 ,townsend1 #agdj-ahaf1 ,english divine1 and author of ,a ,journey through ,spain1 #bnd edit4 #agib4 ,footnote #bbh3 ,john ,owen1 ,d4,d41 #afaf-afhc1 the great ,nonconformist divine who accompanied ,cromwell to ,scotland4 ,in #ahag ,a4 ,y4 published ,oweniana 7or selections from his works74 ,footnote #bbi3 ,john ,flavel1 ,nonconformist divine1 #afbg-affb1 author of numerous works4 ,footnote #bcj3 ,by ,walter ,marshall1 #afib2 frequently reprinted4 ,footnote #bca3 ,joseph ,skinner1 ,present ,state of ,peru1 #ahje4 ,footnote #bcb3 #8,there is now with us a ,mr4 ,van ,couver1 of ,vancouver's ,island1 who would entertain you very much4 ,he is making an agricultural tour in ,sussex4'--,letters of ,maria ,josepha ,holroyd1 p4 #cbf4 ,footnote #bcc3 ,nicholas ,vansittart1 ,lord ,bexley1 sometime ,governor of ,bengal of great financial reputation4 ,footnote #bcd3 ,w4 ,marshall1 #aggh-ahag1 a voluminous writer on agriculture1 ,minutes of ,agriculture1 c4 c4 ,footnote #bce3 ,evidently alluding to ,sir ,nathaniel ,wraxall1 a voluminous writer in ,france1 whose works are now forgotten4 ,footnote #bcf3 ,j4 ,blackadder1 lieut4-colonel1 afterwards minister1 died in prison #afhe4 ,footnote #bcg3 #8,cock's foot grass1 considered valuable as a pasture grass in light soils4'--,loudon4 ----- ,,chapter ,,xvi ,,last ,,years1 #ahjh-ahbj ,gradual loss of sight--,illness and death of ,mrs4 ,oakes--,daily routine--,a disappointment--,riots--,death of ,mrs4 ,young--,anecdotes of ,napoleon--,a story of the ,terror--,national distress--,close of diary--,the end4 ,in ,february ,i was obliged to take a reader as my sight was failing fast4 ,february #bg4--;,for some months past ,i have had the comfort of seeing my debts drawing to such a conclusion that ,i might consider myself as free2 and ,i have certainly thought too much of it1 and rested too much satisfaction in it1 and not sufficiently been thankful to ,god for so great a blessing4 ,if ,i am so ungrateful as not to thank ,god sufficiently for blessings1 how can ,i expect to avoid misfortunes8 ,my eyes6 ,my eyes6 ,is not ,his hand upon me here1 too1 for the same reason8 ,what has been my gratitude to ,him for their preservation during sixty-seven years8 and what uses have ,i made of them8 ,april #d4--;,how employment can be carried further than with me ,i am at a loss to conceive4 ,notwithstanding the state of my eyes ,i am generally up at #d ,a4,m41 though ,i do not call ,st4 ,croix his reader before five4 ,last ,tuesday ,i read the first lecture that was1 ,i believe1 ever read on agriculture in ,england1 my subject #8,tillage at the ,board1' ,the room was well filled1 and several of much ability and more of rank2 but the day was a bad one1 which kept others away4 ,i found that they were well satisfied4 ,so many years in the habit of incessant employment has made any idleness irksome to me4 ,but my eyes force me to have time for contemplation2 and ,i pray to ,god to enable me to fill it as a ,christian ought to do whose conversation is in heaven2 but my mind will run out too much on worldly objects1 and sometimes on sinful ones4 ,how much in all things do ,i want washing in the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness6 ,may #ac4--,much of my time has of late been lost by people calling on the malt business4#bch ,i am tired of sugar and malt before the question comes into the ,house of ,commons1 which will not be till ,monday4 ,i sent another letter to ,cobbett last ,monday1 but he did not insert it4 ,i care little about it1 and ,i wish that ,i cared less1 for these questions only connect one more nearly with the world than a ,christian ought to be connected with it4 ,however1 it is in my vocation1 and my conscience is not at all wounded by the part ,i take1 for ,i am well persuaded that the consequences of this measure will be mischievous and tend to scarcity1 which is so greatly to be guarded against for a thousand reasons4 ,sir ,john ,sinclair spoke once against it in the ,house1 and he tells me that ,percival looked as black and indignant at him as if he had been talking treason4 ,july #be3 ,bradfield4--,i am tired of the thoughts of such a journal2 had ,i kept it of late it would have been employed on my departing sight4 ,i can see to write a little1 but can read scarcely anything4 ,praised be the mercy of ,god that enables me to pay a reader2 ,st4 ,croix is with me4 ,and ,i have been hard at work on my #8,elements' to get those papers into such order as to want as little as possible my own sight in the future progress of completing them4 ,whenever it may be the will of ,god to make me quite blind1 oh6 may ,i receive ,his dispensation with the submission of a ,christian6 #ahji4 ,may #af4--;,april twelvemonth ,i read my own lectures by means of ,baker's great hand and black ink2 but last month ,mr4 ,cragg read the two1 and one new one for me1 for ,i am unable to do it2 yet ,i can write a little1 but cannot read when written4 ,the ,lord's will be done1 and may ,he sanctify the affliction and turn all my attention to ,himself4 ,mrs4 ,oakes arrived at ,bury last ,sunday fortnight2 and on ,sunday se'nnight she broke a blood-vessel and brought up two spoonfuls1 and on ,saturday evening last had another smaller attack4 ,my own fear and opinion is that it will end fatally4 ,her fatigue coming from ,bath and ,bristol1 and at ,london1 contrary to advice1 has caused it4 ,i have prayed most earnestly for her4 ,oh6 may the ,lord of all mercy hear and grant my petitions4 ,my thoughts are all employed on the state of her soul4 ,the long intimacy and friendship ,i have had for her1 and the kindness and attention ,i have ever received from her1 now lacerate the heart with wounds that sink deep2 and my conscience reproaches me that ,i have not done all that ,i might have done to turn her heart more to ,god4 ,may #ah4--;,i am very1 very unhappy1 and cannot think of her without wretchedness4 ,in every worldly respect what a loss will she be to me6 ,a placid1 sweet temper1 with a good understanding2 that ever recd4 received me with kindness1 and attention1 and preference1 with whom ,i was at my ease1 and where ,i could be at any time2 a resource in blindness fast coming on that would have been great4 ,the hope has fled and a sad and dreary vacancy1 which freezes me1 is in its place4 ,may #ai4--;,good news though not of better health4 ,hastead has been with her1 to be sure1 by desire1 which shows an attention to her soul4 ,poor thing6 she has been bled twice more1 and the blood as highly inflamed as ever2 bleeding gives relief to her lungs4 ,the ,duke of ,bedford and ,mr4 ,coke have written desiring me to go to ,woburn and ,holkham2 but all great meetings1 and anything like festivity1 have for some years become so insipid and disagreeable that ,i shall have done with them wholly4 ,they1 like so many other things1 are links of that worldly harness which it is high time for me to throw down for ever4 ,june #a4--,read the #8,edinburgh ,review' on #8,clebs in ,search of a ,wife1' by ,sydney ,smith4 ,wretched stuff2 false and frivolous1 reasoning on cards1 assemblies1 plays1#bci c4 ,june #c4--,yesterday1 as the #8,edinburgh ,review' was read to me1 ,i was much struck with a reference to ,necker on the finances1 saying that #g1jjj pedigrees of the nobility in the archives of the old ,government were destroyed in the ,revolution4 ,it occurred at once to me that this was the exact number of names of men slain in ,revelations4 ,it is in the eleventh chapter3 #8,the tenth part of the city fell in a great earthquake1 and #g1jjj1 c4' ,the commentators all seem to have reckoned ,france as the tenth part of the city2 but of the names of men they knew not what to make1 but #g1jjj pedigrees answer to a wonderful degree1 and the coincidence of numbers is truly amazing4 ,june #f4--,yesterday's letter bad4 ,poor thing1 she has been bled eight ounces1 and much inflamed2 had been out twice1 and ,i suppose took cold4 ,she wrote herself1 and there are some comfortable expressions relative to the state of her mind with regard to religion4 ,i have little hope of her recovery4 ,july #d4--;,betsy continues just the same1 whether better or worse1 the cough does not go1 and therefore ,i conclude the case bad4 ,but1 thanks to ,god1 her mind1 ,i hope1 goes on2 she has the ,testament read to her by all the four children4 ,july #f4--;,i work at the #8,elements' every day1 and find every time they are read to me something to cancel1 something to add1 and much to reconsider and correct4 ,july #h4--,the gradual declension of my sight in viewing the scenery of this place1 but especially in knowing faces1 makes me surprised that ,i can manage to write2 ,i cannot read in the least degree1 or know anything of the views in ,lord ,valentia's ,travels4#bdj ,it is a very great deprivation1 but much better than feeling the torture of very painful distempers1 so that ,i am very thankful to ,god for the less affliction4 ,it was1 ,i doubt not1 very necessary for me to have some heavy one1 and what ,i am likely to suffer is comparatively a mercy to what might have been the dispensation of the ,almighty4 ,mrs4 ,o4 the same1 and the weather as unfavourable to her2 ,i drank tea there on ,thursday4 ,july #ai4--;,drank tea with her last night4 ,she was bled in the morning1 and going to have a blister4 ,all her symptoms worse1 ,i suppose she has caught cold4 ,august #d4--;,i have been so provoked1 my dear ,jane1#bda with so many of my letters miscarrying that ,i am determined to begin a book to use some safe opportunity of conveying it to you1 for ,i know nothing so provoking as to write twenty letters for one or two that arrive safe4 ,in your last you made many enquiries into what ,i was doing8 ,how ,i passed my time1 c4 c4 ,a very short account will answer this4 ,i rise from four to five in the morning1 pray to ,god for half an hour1 more or less1 according as ,he affords me the spirit to do it4 ,at half-past five ,i call ,mr4 ,st4 ,croix1 who comes to me at six1 and reads a chapter in ,scott's ,bible with notes4 ,i then dictate such letters as want to be written1 after which we sit down to my #8,elements of ,agriculture1' which have been more than thirty years in hand1 and at which ,i have worked for two years past with much assiduity1 wishing to finish it before my sight is quite gone4 ,at half-past eight the servant brings me the water to shave2 from nine to ten we breakfast1 and sit down again to work for two or three hours1 as it may happen1 as ,i take the opportunity of sunshine for a brisk walk of an hour1 very often backwards and forwards on the gravel between yours and the round garden4 ,i wish much to have my thoughts during that hour employed upon death and the other world1 but my weakness and want of resolution are lamentable1 so that ,i sometimes think on every subject except that which ,i intend should occupy me4 ,we then sit down to work again1 till the boy and his dicky arrive with the letters and newspapers4 ,when they are read we work again1 but usually catch half an hour for another walk before dinner4 ,when alone we dine at four1 and always at that hour in the height of summer1 but if any person be in the house1 as it prevents an evening work1 five is the dinner hour4 ,what is read afterwards is usually some book not immediately connected with work4 ,at eight we drink tea and go to bed at ten1 but the ,sunday is an exception2 you know there is service but once a day4 ,at the church hour1 whether morning or afternoon 7when no service71 about thirty children from ,bradfield1 ,stanningfield1 and ,cuckfield come to read in the ,testament and repeat their ,catechism1 and undergo some examination from ,mrs4 ,trimmer's #8,teacher's ,assistant4' ,whatever is well done receives a mark against the name2 the girl or boy that has fewest marks receives nothing1 the next a halfpenny1 next a penny1 and so on1 all which does not amount to more than two or three shillings4 ,i cannot boast much of their progress1 though ,i pay for most of them as constant scholars4 ,in the evening1 between six and seven o'clock1 forms are set in the hall to receive all that please to come to hear a sermon read1 and the numbers who attend amount from twenty to sixty or seventy1 according to weather and other circumstances4 ,such1 my dear ,jane1 is the tenor of my life both in summer and winter while ,i am in the country4 ,december #a4bdb--;,here is a pretty breach in the continuance of this book letter1 but you are not to fail to remember that during this period ,i have sent off two letters to you1 not short ones1 which1 from ,smirenove's account of the conveyance1 ,i hope may get to you safe4 ,i have also received two short ones from you1 and another from ,arthur at ,odessa1 describing the severity of the winter1 and an escape he had of being burnt in a ,tartar combustion of old grass1 but1 most provokingly1 saying not one word of his own intentions1 or a syllable of what he is about4 ,this is very mortifying to me1 for what are frost and fire to me compared with his own plans and views8 ,nor does he say a word about coming to ,england2 and the idea of the possibility of your coming in autumn is now all past by1 and ,i am precluded from the possibility of seeing you till next summer1 by which time ,i shall have no eyes to see you4 ,april #i1 #ahaj4bdc--,the discovery lately made by your letter of the enormous expense of postage must limit my correspondence to private hands1 and will not permit the communication of anything but topics the most immediately interesting to your future motions4 ,my notes of the riots1 therefore1 are preserved for your eye by copying a letter to ,mrs4 ,oakes3-- #8,i know not what reports may have reached you relative to the state of ,london1 nor what newspapers you read1 but ,i have been witness to such a scene as ,i hope1 through the blessing of ,god1 will not occur again4 ,on ,friday night the mob was extremely agitated in ,piccadilly1 especially near ,sir ,francis ,burdett's1 and they took the unaccountable whim of forcing everyone to illuminate4 ,i lighted up as other people did1 and when ,i went to bed left orders with the servant who sat up to be sure to keep the candles burning till daylight1 instead of which1 when others put out their candles1 ours were extinguished also4 ,at two o'clock the mob returned and broke many windows1 and ours among the rest4 ,the servant ran into my room and waked me out of my sleep to tell me the windows were smashing4 ,we hurried the candles out again1 and1 upon examination1 found the alarm exceeded the damage1 for only three panes were broken4 ,all ,saturday passed in a very quiet manner1 and in the evening the illumination was more general1 but troops pouring into ,london from all quarters1 we hoped to be secure without violence4 ,the mob1 however1 were so determined1 that by twelve o'clock we heard platoons firing in ,piccadilly1 and a few in other directions more remote1 the ,riot ,act having been read4 ,a person who saw much1 and clearly1 told me that orders being received by the commanding officer to fire with ball1 about fifty cavalry fired twice over the heads of the people1 that the whizzing of the balls might inform them what they had to expect2 still1 however1 they were audacious1 insomuch that the officer was forced to fire on them4 ,in five minutes all ,piccadilly was cleared4 ,we afterwards heard a little more distant firing1 and a party of horse scoured up ,sackville ,street1 firing in a scattered manner at the flying mob2 but1 from the reports of the pieces1 ,i believe with powder only4 ,the reports relative to the mischief done are extremely vague and not to be depended on4 ,some say that one trooper was killed1 others three or four2 what was the loss suffered by the mob is1 ,i believe1 quite unknown1 but certainly it was very inconsiderable4 ,during ,sunday the agitation of the streets threatened a bad night1 but ,government had brought in so many troops1 that had we known it we need not have been alarmed4 ,a train of artillery in the park1 horses attached and matches lighted1 two pieces of artillery in ,berkeley ,square1 two others in ,soho ,square1 and many more about the town1 and doubtless many others of which ,i knew nothing1 all ready at a moment's warning1 with parties of troops scouring the streets1 showed such a state of preparation as effectually awed the mob1 notwithstanding the efforts of ,sir ,f4 ,burdett to inflame them4 ,he was at his house ready to resist the ,speaker's warrant for commitment1 and had the audacity to write to the sheriff to bring the posse comitatus to assist him in so doing1 printing the letter in the ,sunday's newspaper4 ,they say he is still at his house1 and that he will not be seized before the ,house meets this day4 ,it really is a tremendous moment1 for if they do not carry it with a high hand1 as a means of prevention1 we shall have an organised mob and great mischief will follow4 ,it is expected that the gallery of the ,house will to-day be cleared by acclamation and a ,bill brought in to suspend the ,habeas ,corpus ,act1 and the rascally authors1 printers1 and publishers of those inflammatory papers which have done so much mischief seized and imprisoned2 but whether the ,ministry1 with such a violent opposition1 will have resolution enough for this will depend on the influence the ,marquis of ,wellesley has among his colleagues in the ,cabinet4 ,i am much inclined to expect that good will result by drawing close to the ,ministry all the honest men in both ,houses1 with all others that might be wavering2 for it is a question now whether we are to be governed by ,parliament or the mob4 ,many circumstances1 however1 are unfortunate1 and not the least1 that though the public revenue amounts to #fb1jjj1jjjl41 yet the expenses of the year will rise to above #hj1jjj1jjjl41 and must be made good by means that will occasion the necessity of having additional taxes4 ,this will cause a yell for peace--and such a peace as must be ruinous if made4 ,we have also one adversary armed at all points1 and whose depth of policy is such as ought ever to create alarm and the exertions of all the talents the country possesses to oppose him4' ,may #c1 #ahaa4--;,i do not think that for the last twenty years of my life my general health has been better than at the moment when discontent1 ,i fear1 with the will of ,god1 induced me to oppose that will4 ,in the most mild and merciful manner ,he had nearly deprived me of sight without my feeling the smallest pain4 ,heavy as this dreadful deprivation is and must remain to me1 ,i feel1 in proportion to my convalescence1 that even blindness itself may be a temptation2 as a dispensation from ,god1 it must have been meant as a calamity1 and a calamity to be deeply felt4 ,is there not danger then that a mind which has been accustomed to look upon the favourable side of objects1 should gradually so accustom itself to its new situation as to deprive it in a good measure of the misery which might be the direct intention of the ,almighty8 ,the capacity of continuing the attention formerly given to old objects by means of the eyes of others1 may leave the mind almost as full of the world as when by sight ,i could enjoy its visible objects2 this is a circumstance which ought undoubtedly to be guarded against1 that is1 prayed against4 ,for a man of seventy to be struck blind and to continue worldly-minded1 with his head and heart full of objects which1 though not of sight1 command attention1 is to tempt ,god to send some deeper affliction in order to bring his heart home to its true centre4 ,this is a subject which merits great attention1 and may the ,lord of ,his mercy enable me to consider it as ,i ought to do6 ,may #h4--,twelve o'clock at noon my dear friend ,mrs4 ,oakes breathed her last1 after a long severe illness1 and many and great sufferings4 ,thanks to ,god she was attentive throughout this sad period1 as ,i am well informed1 to the state of her soul with ,god4 ,thus is terminated in this world a very intimate friendship of twenty-six years1 with a temper so mild and cheerful1 with manners so gentle and persuasive1 that had it pleased the ,almighty to have spared her1 she would have been the source of great comfort to me in my melancholy state4 ,may #af1 #ahab4--;,at this time a new oculist appeared in town1 a desideratum much wanted4 ,the highest accounts were universally circulated of his skill and success1 and the most unequivocal good effects attended his new attempts at removing cataract4 ,i was unwilling to go to him1 cherished no hope of my own case1 and considered this calamity as the appointment of ,providence1 concerning which ,i had but one wish--that of submitting to it with the most unaffected resignation4 ,but the persuasions of my friends1 more sanguine than myself1 and the high reputation of ,mr4 ,adams at length prevailed1 and a day was appointed finally to decide my state--to give some expectation of recovery or to destroy all hope4 ,the feelings of the mind may be subdued1 but they cannot be destroyed4 ,from the reluctance ,i showed to name the day even after resolving to go1 the dread of hearing my doom1 and the natural desire to enjoy a little longer the precious glimmering of hope1 may be inferred4 ,at length the long-wished-for dreaded morning came4 ,the sun shone brightly as ,i walked to the house2 ,i felt its warmth1 and the thought that perhaps his light may still1 ere long1 #8revisit these sad eyes1' lent new interest to his cheering beams4 ,the man who has never had his mind enlivened and his senses cheered by contemplating the scenes of nature or the employment of his fellow creatures1 would feel much less at the thought of learning whether this would ever be his fate or not1 than he who1 once having felt in every variety the extent of the blessing1 loses it1 learns by experience the sadness of the contrast1 and goes with a throbbing heart to enquire if any hope exists of again enjoying that power he would gladly forfeit all his possessions to recover4 ,i was shown into a room1 where ,i waited a few minutes 7they were painful ones71 and ,mr4 ,adams appeared4 #8,i wish1 sir1 to be informed what is the state of my eyes1' looking very attentively at him4 #8,you have not1 sir1 undergone an extraction for cataract8'#bdd #8,that you must decide4' #8,why1 yes1 and ,i fear unsuccessfully4' #8,is there any hope of recovery8' ,mr4 ,adams started1 and looked down with evident marks of bitter disappointment the first instant he saw me4 #8,i grieve1 sir1 to say that the eye itself is destroyed1 the cornea gone1 and there has been such an excessive discharge of the vitreous humour1 that the coats are collapsed4' #8,no chance1 then1 of course8' #8,i fear1 sir1 none2' then1 after a pause1 #8,i believe ,i am addressing ,mr4 ,a4 ,young8' ,i bowed4 #8,i have heard your case differently reported2 it was the subject of much conversation1 and excited unenviable interest last spring when it happened1 and ,i had hoped that it would have been possible to relieve you1 but ,i now see the contrary4' #8,i am much obliged to you1 sir1 good morning1' ,i replied1 and came away4 ,mr4 ,adams was a young man1 his aspect was pleasing and intelligent1 and there was a sorrowful look when ,i departed that well became the sad occasion4 ,there were two things worth repeating on that morning1 one was his liberality in clearing his brother professor from the character of carelesness1 which he endeavoured to do4 ,i complained that ,i was sure ,i could not have been well prepared4 ,but ,mr4 ,adams replied that preparation was not necessary for extraction1 that people of the worst habits had been treated in that way with no preparation and complete success2 that the fault was not of the operator1 but of the operation1 which must always be liable to failure4 ,mr4 ,adams' own method of removing cataract was not this ill-fated scheme of extraction4 ,the second remark is this4 ,it had become much the custom to use hot water for the eyes when weak or inflamed4 ,the author of this memoir had been afflicted with a transient indisposition of them1 and on application to ,phipps1 hot water had been recommended and used for a twelvemonth without effect4 ,mr4 ,adams1 on being questioned with regard to the expedience of its continuance1 decidedly answered1 that by increasing the relaxation1 hot water would only augment the disease2 prescribed the frequent use of the citrine ointment#bde 7to be had at any druggist's7 and cold water constantly4 ,on the way home1 ,i was for a few moments depressed4 #8,how happy1' ,i cried1 #8are those beings who can see2 no one can tell the misery of blindness1 the dark gloom over that mind never cheered by the light of the sun1 especially now with me1 who am certain never to see again4 ,if it were not for religion1 ,i should wish to be the poor man who is to be hanged next ,monday2 but1 thank ,god1 ,i can consider the whole affair as ,his appointment1 intended not for a curse but a blessing1 and can reconcile my mind to it completely as ,his will4 ,you will see1' ,i added after a pause presumably addressing ,mr4 ,adams1 smiling1 #8,i shall be as cheerful and happy as ever1' and so ,i was4 #ahad4--,this year ,i paid much attention to the #8,elements4' ,my son came from ,russia4 #ahae4--;,arthur1 ,jane1 and myself went post to ,london the last day of ,january1 ,mary remained at ,bradfield with ,mrs4 ,young1 who was unable to move4 ,about this time #8,baxteriana'#bdf was published4 ,through the following spring ,i was1 at various times1 too apt to fall into reflections which tended1 more than they ought to have done1 to discontent2 but in thirteen weeks to the present day ,i have not once entered the doors of any other person than those of ,mr4 ,wilberforce1 and ,i have not dined once with him1 having been only at breakfast for the pleasure of hearing his ,exposition and ,prayer2 for the conversation at and after breakfast has been entirely desultory1 and not once on any religious question4 ,and as to any ,christian calling on me1 ,john ,babbington1 from ,peterborough1 once breakfasted here1 and is1 ,i believe1 never in town without calling4 ,mrs4 ,strachey1 who was in town a month1 was so kind as to call three or four times2 ,mrs4 ,john ,wayland twice1 and here1 ,i think1 except ,miss ,francis1#bdg dining once a week1 is the whole amount of my communication with those whose conversation would please me4 ,it would be natural to suppose that a poor old blind man who1 through the blessing of ,god1 retains his health and strength might have received something more of friendly attention than this1 but such discontent should be banished1 for let me not a single moment forget the great mercies of ,god to me2 and while many are on beds of torment from dreadful diseases1 ,i am free from bodily pain4 ,these are points that should give a perpetual spring of gratitude in my bosom1 and if the neglect which ,i have been apt to think of too much turns my attention more to the ,lord ,jesus1 it is a benefit and not a misfortune4 ,let me only take care to be looking unto ,jesus1 and then ,i shall esteem1 in the manner it deserves1 all that the world can do for me4 ,monday1 ,march #f1 most execrable riots began in ,london1 on account of the ,corn ,bill1 then in the ,house of ,commons1 attended with circumstances proving decisively the abominable effects 7sufficiently proved before7 of printing in all the newspapers those violent and mischievous speeches which are made as much to the ,gallery as to the ,house1 and can be intended for nothing else but to inflame the people1 which they have done to a degree of desperation4 ,petitions from a multitude of cities and towns pour in to the ,houses every day they meet1 and1 in fact1 the prayer of them all is to beg that they1 the petitioners1 may be starved1 which would probably be the result of granting their desire4 #fjj1jjj qrs4 of ,french wheat of an excellent quality have been poured into our markets to meet a crop generally mildewed2 this has reduced the price on an average of the kingdom to #eis4 per quarter1 and that average taken in so preposterous a way that the real price fairly ascertained would not amount to #ejs42 #ijs4 per qr4 quarter would not pay the farmer in so bad a year4 ,if importation was to be continued1 at least half the farmers in ,england would be ruined1 and wheat consequently must rise in a year or two to scarcity1 and if importation should be prevented1 by many probable events to famine4 ,country labourers throughout the kingdom are in the greatest distress1 as ,i know from many correspondents4 ,for want of employment they go to the parish1 but these poor families never petition1 even when starving1 and a ,legislature which attended not to their interest would deserve the abuse now vomited forth by towns4 ,from thirty to forty houses at ,london have had their windows broken1 many their doors forced1 and everything in them destroyed2 and after much mischief1 with general anxiety and apprehension1 the military were called forth2 but it was the last day of the week before their numbers were sufficient to secure any tolerable tranquillity4 ,monday1 ,march #ac4--;,i breakfasted with ,mr4 ,wilberforce3 a file of soldiers in his house1 because his servants had been violently threatened that it should be speedily attacked4 ,the bawler bearing#bdh last week1 in the ,house1 read a denunciation in a petition from ,carlisle against the ,board of ,agriculture1 which made it necessary for me to hire a bedchamber elsewhere1 as blindness would not permit an escape by the roof of the house4 ,i wrote to ,mr4 ,vansittart1 transcribing a resolution of the ,committee of #aggd1 proposing to lay the millers under an assize4 ,the ,bill for that purpose passed the ,commons1 but was lost in the ,lords4 ,in ,mr4 ,vansittart's answer to me1 he mentioned the difficulties in the way1 but observed that as ,mr4 ,franklin ,lewis had taken up the business of bread and flour in the ,house1 he would mention to him what ,i proposed4 ,from ,lord ,sidmouth's speech it seems they intend to remove the assize of bread1 which will leave in case of scarcity the bakers without protection in case of riots1 and also leave the millers in full possession of their rascality4 ,at ,mr4 ,wilberforce's ,i met ,miss ,francis and ,mr4 ,legh ,richmond1 who read to us1 with ,lord ,calthorpe and ,general ,macaulay1 a most interesting letter from a ,russian ,princess1 describing her conversion to vital ,christianity by ,mr4 ,pinkerton instructing her children1 and her translating into ,russian the #8,dairyman's ,daughter1' and thanking ,mr4 ,richmond for his other tracts sent her for the same purpose4 ,her ,english extremely good1 and real ,christianity1 with expressions of the deepest humility1 breathing in every line4 ,this was an eventful year1 for my poor wife breathed her last after a long illness1 and it gives me great comfort to be informed that she showed great marks of resignation and piety4 ,my daughter was with her to the last4 ,may #ab4--;,a few days ago1 writing to ,miss ,francis1 ,i used the expression1 #8,if a ,christian was to call on me it should be entered in a pocket-book with a mark of exclamation4' ,mr4 ,wilberforce saw this note1 and yesterday morning ,mr4 ,pakenham called on me1 and introduced himself by saying that he came for some conversation with me1 by desire of ,mr4 ,w4 ,he was quite unknown to me1 but ,i found that he was the grandson of that ,lord ,longford with whom ,i was in ,ireland in #aggf1 forty years ago1 which lord was in the ,navy2 and the present gentleman is also in that employment1 about twenty-six or twenty-seven years of age2 his father living and an admiral4 ,i soon found that he was a firmly established ,christian1 ready to converse on the good subject1 which he did with good sense and no inconsiderable energy4 ,he is in mourning for ,general ,pakenham1 and the ,duchess of ,wellington is his first cousin4 ,mentioning ,miss ,francis1 he said he met her twice at ,mr4 ,wilberforce's1 and speaking in commendation of her1 ,i told him that she was to dine with me at five o'clock1 and that it would give me much pleasure if he would meet her2 this he readily complied with1 and came accordingly4 ,i have not had so much religious conversation for an age past2 and had not ,dr4 ,halliday from ,moscow called between seven and eight1 expecting to see my son1 this conversation would have been uninterrupted4 ,i wish he had come on some other day4 ,remarking that ,i had some apprehension of the ensuing war1 because we should be1 in fact1 fighting for the restoration of the ,pope1 the ,jesuits1 and the ,inquisition1 ,mr4 ,p4 replied1 that ,lord ,liverpool had informed ,mr4 ,wilberforce that ,bonaparte was reconciled to the ,pope1 pretending to be a most dutiful son of the ,church4 ,it seems agreed by all that the first victory gained on either side will have most decisive consequences4 ,i hope ,i shall hear more of this young man1 whose determined avowal of his religious principles pleases me much4 ,may #ae4--;,breakfasted at ,mr4 ,wilberforce's4 ,general ,macaulay there2 he told me that in his late tour in ,france1 travelling from ,lyons to ,geneva1 he met with a ,monsieur ,michaud1 who1 speaking much of his farm and offering to show it1 the general accompanied him to view it1 and found everything in the highest state of management1 and so much superior to all the rest of the country1 that he enquired into the origin of such great superiority4 ,the answer was1 #8,my cultivation is entirely that of ,monsieur ,arthur ,young1 whose recommendations ,i have carried into practice with the success you see4' ,much conversation about ,bonaparte2 the general is well persuaded that the allies will be entirely successful1 as ,b4 is1 and must be1 very badly provided to resist them1 and that the first campaign will carry them to ,paris4 ,may #ag4--,last night1 being at ,west ,street ,chapel1 ,mr4 ,gurney1 after the sermon1 came into the pew1 when ,i told him he had not performed his promise1 by calling1 on which he came home with me1 and gave us a long account of his life and conversion1 beginning at four years old with a magpie which his father found in a nest1 in a haunted wood1 where he went at night in search of a reputed ghost1 and which proved to be only a white pony4 ,this magpie was1 by a strange series of little events1 his introduction to ,drummond1 the banker1 and to procuring himself a school and college education1 a knowledge of several of the nobility1 and eventually1 through ,lord ,exeter1 the appointment to the ,rectory of ,st4 ,clement ,danes2 and all this from having been no more than a poor country labourer's son1 and one of twenty-two children4 ,the detail was very interesting1 from being not only well told1 but1 from the providence of ,god1 clearly marked in many little circumstances1 and attended by what to him were great events4 ,these were so remarkable as to induce him to make many memoranda1 and to think at times that they ought to be published1 but on this point he does not seem to be at all determined4 ,i urged it strongly as a sort of duty4 ,he is uncommonly lively and animated in conversation1 and contrived to talk with little interruption1 from drinking tea and smoking several pipes1 till twelve o'clock at night4 ,i much hope that we shall see him often4 #ahaf4--,this was a very barren year1 for the memoranda made are uncommonly few1 but among them is the preparation for the publication of #8,oweniana4'#bdi ,the extraction from my religious papers of those published under the titles of #8,baxteriana' and #8,oweniana' has greatly diminished the mass1 but the remainder is considerable1 and increases every year4 ,february4--,last ,tuesday se'nnight ,sir ,john ,seabright1 coming up to me1 said3 #8,mr4 ,young1 the ,archdukes of ,austria desire to be introduced to you1' and the ,archduke ,john1 who ,seabright said was the farmer1 began a conversation on agriculture which1 as many persons were around1 was very short4 ,some days afterwards ,mr4 ,ackerman1 of the ,strand1 called to inform me that his ,imperial ,highness ,archduke ,john desired to have more conversation with me1 and in three or four days he called and made many enquiries into those points upon which1 ,i suppose1 he had most doubts1 contrasting many circumstances with the system of ,austrian peasants1 who1 by his account1 are in general the proprietors of their little farms even to the amount of as little as three or four acres4 ,in the conversation ,i took occasion to mention my son being in the ,crimea1 and intending to return to ,england by ,vienna4 ,in a most obliging manner he desired me to write to him to tell him to be sure not to pass ,vienna without making himself known to him 7the ,archduke71 as he would show him everything worth attending to in agriculture4 ,the conversation was in ,french1 for he speaks no ,english4 ,it is a pity that he will go away without seeing anything of ,norfolk or ,suffolk4 ,sir ,j4 ,sinclair just come from ,paris4 ,he saw ,sylvestre#bej there1 the secretary to the ,royal ,society of ,agriculture1 who told him that agriculture saved his life in the ,revolution4 ,he was in prison and brought to trial1 and told that his life should be saved if he could show that he had ever done anything really useful to the ,republic4 ,he replied that he had unquestionably done good1 for ,arthur ,young's #8,travels through ,france' contained much highly important information1 and in order to spread it through the ,republic in a cheap form1 #8,i published a useful abridgement1' he said1 #8which has been much read1 and has had important effects4 ,i was pardoned and set at liberty1' and then1 turning to ,sir ,john1 he said1 #8,tell your friend1 ,mr4 ,young1 that he was thus the means of saving my life4' ,february #ag4--,the ,board met for the first time last ,tuesday1 but had no business whatever before them4 ,i suggested the propriety of sending a circular letter throughout the kingdom1 in order to ascertain by facts the real state of the farming world4 ,they approved the proposal1 observing that not a moment should be lost1 and ,i retired in order to draw out a letter with ,queries4 ,this they examined and altered to their mind2 it was immediately despatched to the printer1 and all the rest of the week has been employed in drawing out lists of persons from the reports1 to whom these letters have been addressed1 post paid1 to the amount of #abl41 and many yet to despatch on ,monday4 ,the replies have just begun to come in2 by two valuable ones from ,maxwell1 near ,peterborough1 and from ,page1 of ,cobham1 the probability is that much important information will be gained1 and a basis laid for a very interesting publication1 but ,i greatly question whether they will permit any public use to be made of the information1 and ,i suspect that it will disclose so lamentable a state of distress1 that it may prove somewhat dangerous1 or1 at least1 questionable to make it public4 ,what are we to think of the infatuation of ,government in laying on a property tax at such a moment1 rather than borrow a few millions to avoid the necessity1 one of the great evils resulting from our ,government being in all money matters little better than a ,committee of the ,bank8 ,answers to the circular letter of the ,board1 which was despatched throughout the kingdom the first week in ,february1 flowed in rapidly till about ,april #aj1 and they describe such a state of agricultural misery and ruin as to be almost inconceivable to those who do not connect such a defect with the utter want of circulating medium2 the ruin of the country banks1 and the great want of confidence in those that remain1 with an issue of ,bank of ,england notes utterly insufficient to fill up the vacuity thus occasioned1 has made the want of money so great as to cripple every species of demand4 ,it is difficult to pronounce what the consequence of the present ruined state of agriculture will prove1 but ,i must confess that ,i dread a scarcity1 which must have dreadful effects1 coming at a period when such multitudes are almost starving for want of employment1 even with such cheap bread4 ,what must be their situation should it be dear8 ,to my astonishment1 ,government seems utterly insensible of the danger1 and has not taken one single step to prevent it1 or to meet it should it come4 ,march4--,lord ,winchilsea1 who ,i have not seen for some time1 called on me yesterday and mentioned his having been long absent in ,france1 ,spain1 c4 ,he was at ,marseilles when ,bonaparte landed from ,elba1 in ,provence2 every circumstance was previously arranged4 ,messina1 at ,marseilles1 kept everything quiet on his left1 and the garrison8 at ,grenoble was prepared to receive him2 of all this there was no doubt4 ,uncertain of what might be the event in ,france1 his lordship embarked instantly for ,barcelona2 from thence he crossed ,spain to ,lisbon1 and throughout the whole of his ,spanish journey he did not pass through a town that was not in a state of ruin and desolation4 ,he everywhere enquired the cause1 and was always told #8that the ,french had done all the mischief1' with many expressions of cordial detestation4 ,he would not have conceived a country to be in a more wretched and deplorable state4 ,april #bd4--,miss ,way and ,miss ,neve1 daughter of the late ,sir ,richard ,neve1 both high ,calvinists and constant hearers of ,mr4 ,wilkinson1 called on me the other day in order to converse on religion4 ,they appear to me to be perfectly sincere1 but seem wedded to the high ,calvinistic notions of that preacher4 ,miss ,way lent me two manuscript sermons of his full of predestination1 and the impossibility of falling from grace2 her sister took them in shorthand4 ,this day ,miss ,neve called on me again1 bringing with her a ,miss ,johnson1 another ,calvinistic lady1 who1 being in ,italy with some relations1 went to ,elba to see ,bonaparte1 and had much conversation with him4 ,he had told somebody1 who told the ,johnsons1 that he wanted to see my #8,travels in ,france1' which he had often thought of reading1 but came to ,elba without them4 ,mr4 ,johnson had these #8,travels1' and took them with him to ,elba and presented them to the ,emperor1 who expressed much pleasure at receiving them1 and ,mr4 ,johnson afterwards heard that he had read them eagerly and with much approbation4 ,his countenance indicates a steadfast1 resolute1 determined mind1 and he is known to abhor all doubtful and hesitating answers that do not come immediately to the point in question4 ,in the very short interview that took place he was standing with his hands in his breeches pockets clinking the money in them2 but she observed that his nails as well as his teeth were dirty4 ,he enquired1 when they were in ,provence1 and especially on the coast1 whether there were troops at ,antibes or at ,nice4 ,this conversation took place on the ,thursday1 and he left the island on the ,sunday following4 ,he asked her name1 and on the reply of ,helen1 #8,oh6 ,i am to be sent to ,st4 ,helena1#bea this is ominous of my voyage4' ,the interview was very short with him1 but with the ,bertrands the conversation was rather longer4 ,i have finished reading the first volume of #8,gibbon's ,miscellaneous ,works1' published by ,lord ,sheffield4 ,of mere worldly production1 it is the most interesting that ,i have read for many years1 more especially ,gibbon's own memoirs of himself4 ,i have been acquainted with ,lord ,sheffield above forty years1 and more than once met ,gibbon at his house2 and1 if ,i remember rightly1 the first time ,i was at ,sheffield ,place1 which1 ,i think1 was in #aggj1 being invited by him on my advertising the intentions of the ,eastern tour4 ,mr4 ,foster and ,lady ,elizabeth his wife1 daughter of the ,earl of ,bristol1 were there4 ,i thought her a most fascinating woman--an opinion many times afterwards confirmed by often meeting her at ,ickworth4 ,i was not therefore surprised to find such advantageous mention made of her by ,gibbon1 but1 alas6 the whole volume has not one word of ,christianity in it1 though many which mark the infidelity of the whole gang4 ,lord ,sheffield never had a grain of religion1 and his intimate connections with ,gibbon would alone account for it4 ,of course he took no pains to instil it into his family1 and if ,mrs4 ,clinton and ,lady ,stanley have any1 they are not indebted for it to their father or to his friend4 ,a great number of persons of high rank1 extraordinary talents1 and great celebrity thus passing in review1 and all of them 7,burke alone excepted7 without the least suspicion of religion attaching to their characters1 yield a melancholy impression on the mind of a ,christian4 ,nineteen in twenty of the persons mentioned are gone to their eternal state1 and of what account is it at present whether they were celebrated authors1 splendid orators1 great ministers1 or successful generals or admirals8 ,whatever might be their worldly greatness how little are they to be compared at present to the case of a poor ,christian whose employment was sweeping the streets6 ,without doubt the propriety of such observations depends entirely on ,christianity being true2 but what a dreadful situation is that man in whose safety is attached solely to the falsehood of that religion4 ,the reflection makes my blood almost run cold1 and old and blind as ,i am1 and scarcely exchanging in six weeks a single word with more than one or two persons out of my family1 ,i feel a comfort and consolation1 and ,i will add a measure of happiness1 not one atom of which would be found in my bosom if ,i were not most perfectly convinced of the absolute truth and importance of that blessed religion which forms the sole enjoyment of my life4 ,june4--,lord ,winchilsea called here and chatted with me upon cottagers' land for cows1 which he is well persuaded1 and most justly1 is the only remedy for the evil of poor rates4 #ahag4--,the death of the ,princess ,charlotte this year created the greatest sensation ever known4 #ahah4--,on coming to ,london in ,february1 five-and-twenty claims for the premium on the summary of the state of the poor1 the causes of their distress1 and the means of remedying it1 were received1 and it afforded me continued employment for many weeks in reading and giving a character of them4 ,much the greater part of the authors who drew up these memoirs were of the same opinion as to the cause of the national distress1 attributing it to the peace having thrown a vast number of men out of employment who were in the ,army or ,navy1 or working in the manufactures immediately supported by military demands2 and this evil concurring with a general stagnation from the failure of a multitude of country banks1 had materially affected the industry of the whole kingdom4 ,the remedies proposed were various1 and many of them visionary2 the most rational advised the issuing of ,exchequer ,bills in payment of various sorts of public works1 such as canals1 roads1 harbours1 fisheries1 and many other employments4 ,such suggestions had been proposed to ,government1 but unfortunately the ministers in ,england have very rarely indeed listened to any such propositions4 ,my friend ,mr4 ,attwood1 of ,birmingham1 in a work publicly addressed to me1 wrote upon the subject with great ability1 and most justly remarked upon dismissing at once both the ,army and the ,navy1 and turning such numbers loose upon the public when it was perfectly well known that they could not find employment was highly mischievous4 ,this ought to have been done slowly and gradually1 as the expense would have been an evil far less deplorable than that which was insured by a contrary conduct4 ,it was the beginning of #ahah before the kingdom was decidedly found to be in a reviving state1 and in the mean time the infinite number of offences against the peace and property of the people arose to an alarming height in every part of the kingdom4 ,the first week in ,january ,i received half a year's rents1 and it was a great comfort to me to find that the tenants continued their regular payments without running the least in arrears1 and this at a time when complaints on the non-payment of rents were very general over the greater part of the kingdom4 ,i attributed this effect1 which was very general around ,bury and through all ,suffolk1 to the stability and flourishing state of our country banks1 whose paper passed readily current1 and formed a perfect contrast to the deficiencies and distress so generally felt in various other countries2 nor can anything be more lamentable than for gentlemen of small estates finding their tenants running in arrears of rent4 ,this was much experienced in the counties of ,cambridge1 ,huntingdon1 and part of ,bedford4 ,sir ,george ,leeds informed me that he had farms in the former counties abandoned and lying absolutely waste4 ,illustration3 ,,arthur ,,young',s ,,tomb ,,at ,,bradfield4 ,here ends the diary4 ,arthur ,young died in ,sackville ,street on ,april #bj1 #ahbj1 and was buried at ,bradfield4 ,the following letter from ,mary ,young to her brother in ,russia gives some details about his last years4 ,the letter 7undated7 apparently belongs to #ahah3 #8,my father talks of going to ,bradfield in ,june with ,miss ,francis and ,mr4 ,st4 ,croix4 ,he is fearful lest ,miss ,francis 7who is a granddaughter of ,dr4 ,burney1 and a daughter of ,mrs4 ,broom by her first husband7 will join the ,wilberforces at ,brighton1 and leave him4 ,when at ,bradfield she sleeps over the servants' hall1 with a packthread tied round her wrist1 and placed through the keyhole1 which he pulls at four or five times1 till he awakens her1 when she gets up and accompanies him in a two hours' walk on the turnpike road to some cottage or other1 and they take milk at some farmhouse2 and she distributes tracts 7religious ones71 and questions the people about their principles1 and reads to them and catechises them4 ,they return at half-past six1 as that is the hour ,mr4 ,st4 ,croix gets up 7his secretary71 who finds it quite enough to read and write two hours and a half before breakfast4 ,after breakfast they all three adjourn to the library till one1 when ,mr4 ,st4 ,croix takes his walk for an hour2 she and my father read1 or write1 or walk till three4 ,before she went to ,bradfield1 ,mr4 ,st4 ,croix had but one hour4 ,she has a table and great chair filled with books in all languages1 as she reads in every language every day to keep them up--,greek1 ,latin1 ,italian1 ,hebrew1 ,arabic1 ,german1 ,spanish1 ,french1 ,dutch1 c4 c4 c4 #8,my father puts children to school at ,cuckfield1 ,stanningfield1 and ,bradfield4 ,every morning1 summer or winter1 she inspects and teaches at these schools4 ,every ,sunday they all meet in the hall and read1 and are catechised2 and every ,sunday night a hundred meet1 when ,st4 ,croix reads a sermon and a chapter1 and my father explains for an hour1 after which a prayer dismisses them6 ,last summer they went to church at ,acton or ,ampton every ,sunday1 each church ten miles out and ten home1 besides teaching the schools and the meeting at night in the hall4 #8,he has taken out a licence for the hall1 as there is an assembly of people which would have been otherwise liable to an information4 #8,adieu1 my dear ,arthur4 ,are we ever to meet any more8 #8,yours affectionately1 #8,m4 ,y4' ,the following is added by ,mr4 ,st4 ,croix3-- #8,mr4 ,young's benevolent exertions for the poor in his own and the adjoining parishes1 and constant plan for welfare and relief of their necessities1 was very beautiful1 and ,i believe and fear very uncommon4 ,to women this attention is natural4 #8,h4 ,more truly says1 8,charity is the employment of a female2 the care of the poor is her profession20 but to see this extend to the other sex1 to witness the same solicitude for the distresses of the ignorant1 unextinguished by business or by ingratitude1 in a man of such activity of genius as ,mr4 ,y41 was indeed an impressive sight4 ,at one time he established spinning matches2 a cap was the prize1 and several young girls contended for it1 the best spinner being victorious4 ,this occasioned industry and emulation1 certainly2 but even this was not without its attendant evil1 and ,mr4 ,y4 finally abandoned it1 from the dread of encouraging vanity1 and appropriated the money to winter feasts4 #8,in this cold1 unproductive season1 there were amongst the poor constant endeavours and constant failure at repletion4 ,every ,sunday after church a set of poor people1 chiefly children1 were invited1 and a plentiful dinner provided for them1 ,mr4 ,y4 waiting on them and carving himself4 #8,but this he was at last obliged to relinquish4 ,the ,sunday cooking was certainly a grand objection2 and some neighbouring ladies who had 7charity7 schools remonstrated at the absence of the children1 who were crazy if they were not allowed to forsake everything in order to attend ,mr4 ,y4's dinners4 ,but another scheme1 more extensive and more useful1 succeeded this--namely1 the introduction of straw-plaiting among the young cottagers4' ,,index ,illustration ,abercorn1 ,marquis of1 #cdg ,aldworth1 ,richard1 #gb ,allen1 ,alderman 7father-in-law of ,arthur ,young71 #cb -- --7son of the above71 #fj -- ,mrs41 #cf1 #ch ,althorp1 ,lord1 #cac ,amorette1 ,abate1 #agf ,anson1 ,mr41 #cid ,arblay1 ,madame d'1 #bc note #ab1 #cb note #bi1 #fa note #eb1 #ajj note #gd1 #ace note #ii1 #aif1 #bad1 #baf ,arbuthnot1 ,mr4 7son of ,viscount ,arbuthnot71 #ff1 #ib1 #ig1 #ih1 #abd ,armstead1 ,mrs41 #bfj ,ashby1 ,rev4 ,george1 #ajd and note #gi1 #aad1 #abi ,aspin1 ,miss1 #ae ,attwood1 ,mr41 #dga ,auckland1 ,lord1 #cad ,augusta of ,saxe ,gotha 7,princess of ,wales71 #af ,b41 ,countess of1 #bi ,baker1 ,whyman1 #hh1 #aaa ,bakewell1 ,robert1 #ace and note #aja ,balgrave1 ,rev4 --1 #cee ,banks1 ,sir ,joseph1 #aej1 #aea1 #afc1 #afe1 #afg1 #agd1 #bja1 #bbd1 #cba1 #cci1 #cej ,baroude1 ,a4 ,f41 #dfd note ,barrington1 ,dr4 7,bishop of ,durham71 #bed1 #cdh1 #ceb1 #ceh1 #cgf ,barry1 ,james 7painter71 #aae-aah ,bayley1 ,butterworth1 #ei ,bedford1 fifth ,duke of1 #agb1 #bjf1 #bdd1 #bde1 #bdf1 #bed1 #bef1 #bgc1 #bgf1 #cja1 #cac1 #cah1 #ccj1 #cea1 #cfj1 #cfc1 #cgb1 #cgd1 #cge ,bedford1 sixth ,duke of1 #cgb1 #cgc note1 #cgd1 #chc1 #chd1 #cif1 #ddd ,bentham1 ,jeremy1 #bdg1 #bdi1 #cjh1 #cda ,bentinck1 ,lady ,mary1 #cbg -- ,lord ,charles1 #cbh ,berchtold1 ,count ,leopold1 #afg and note1 #afh-agj1 #ahj ,bernard1 ,mr41 #cgf ,berry1 ,edward1 #cbc -- ,miss ,jane4 ,see ,young1 ,mrs4 ,arthur1 daughter-in-law of ,arthur ,young ,bolton1 ,m4,p41 ,cornelius1 #ge1 #hj ,boswell1 #aia ,boulainvilliers1 ,comte de1 #cb and note #cj ,boyd1 ,hugh1 #ib-ig ,bristol 7,bishop of ,derry71 ,earl of1 #aja1 #ajb1 #ajc-aje1 #aac1 #abh-aca1 #bbh -- ,countess of1 #bbe1 #bbg1 #bdc ,brudenell1 ,mr41 #ah ,brunswick1 ,duke of1 #cee1 #cef ,bryant1 ,jacob1 #bde and note1 #bia ,buccleugh1 ,duke of1 #bde1 #bef1 #bfa ,bukaty1 ,m41 #aei1 #ahj and note ,bulkeley1 ,lady ,frances1 #eb ,bunbury1 ,sir ,c41 #dab ,burdett1 ,sir ,francis1 #cde1 #ddi1 #dea ,burgoyne1 ,montague1 #dah1 #dai ,burke1 ,edmund1 #fg1 #ic1 #agd1 #bcb1 #bef-bfa1 #cjb1 #cde1 #dbh -- ,w41 #beg1 #dbh ,burney1 ,dr4 ,charles1 #bc and note #ab1 #ea1 #fe1 #ib1 #ajj1 #aja1 #aae1 #add1 #aha1 #aid1 #aif1 #aig1 #bad1 #bcb1 #bej1 #bii1 #cbf -- ,fanny4 ,see ,arblay1 ,madame d' ,burney1 ,hester1 #ea1 #ajj note #gd --,sarah1 #bae and note ,burrell1 ,sir ,peter1 #afd ,burton1 ,colonel 7afterwards ,lord ,cunningham71 #fg1 #fh ,bute1 ,lord1 #aib1 #cee1 #dab ,cadell 7the publisher71 #cie ,cadogan1 ,lady1 #cac ,caldwell1 ,sir ,james1 #fi1 #gj1 #ge ,camden1 ,lord1 #cjd ,canham1 the elder1 ,bartholomew1 #b ,canning1 ,mr41 #cbg1 #cfb note ,carew1 ,pole1 #bjb ,carnot1 ,m41 #cjg and note ,carrington1 ,lord1 #cad1 #cae1 #cai1 #ccc note1 #cea1 #cef1 #cfj1 #cfa1 #cfc1 #cgj1 #cgi1 #cic1 #djg1 #dac ,cartier1 ,m41 #aeg ,cartwright1 ,dr41 #cfg1 #cgc1 #cgd1 #cif ,castiglioni1 ,count di1 #agf ,castries1 ,marshal de1 #bdj ,catherine1 ,empress1 #abd ,charlemont1 ,earl of1 #ge ,chester1 ,bishop of1 #ig1 #ih ,chesterfield1 ,lord1 #cc1 #cd1 #di ,chevalier1 ,rev4 ,m41 #ad ,cibber1 ,mrs41 #ae ,clermont1 ,lord1 #baa ,clive1 ,lord1 #di ,cobbett1 ,william1 #ddb ,cocks1 ,sir ,charles 7afterwards ,lord ,somers71 #eb ,coke1 ,j4 ,w41 #bab1 #chd1 #che1 #chf1 #djj1 #dcb1 #ddd ,cole1 ,charles1 #bdc1 #bde1 #bee1 #bij1 #big1 #cjd1 #cfh ,colhoun1 ,mr41 #cfc ,collier1 ,joseph and ,mary1 #bg and note #ae ,cornwallis1 ,archbishop1 #aci -- ,marquis of1 #bje ,cotton1 ,lady1 #cch ,coulter1 ,rev4 ,mr4 7,master of ,lavenham ,school71 #g1 #h1 #bc ,courtenay1 ,sir ,w41 #aib ,cousmaker1 ,john1 #ajc -- ,john de1 #c1 #abf -- ,miss1 #ajb1 #ajc -- -- ,anne ,lucretia de4 ,see ,young1 ,mrs4 7mother of ,arthur ,young7 ,coventry1 ,lady1 #bj ,cowper's #8,letters1' quoted1 #daj ,coxe1 ,archdeacon1 #bcf ,crewe1 ,mrs41 #bad1 #bcc1 #bei1 #bfj1 #cbg -- ,mr41 #cbf ,crosse1 ,lady1 #ag ,cullum1 ,sir ,john1 #ajd and note #gh1 #aad1 #acd ,cumberland1 ,duke of1 #d1 #f1 #af note #aj ,danby1 ,mr41 #ej1 #ee1 #gf ,darnley1 ,earl of1 #bde ,dartmouth1 ,lord1 #bcf ,day1 ,thomas 7author of #8,sandford and ,merton'71 #aff and note ,derry1 ,bishop of4 ,see ,bristol1 ,earl of ,doddington1 ,george ,bubb1 #ab1 #afa ,dolmein 7geologist71 #cfh and note #bji ,douglas1 ,bishop1 #bcf1 #cjd ,dryden 7quoted71 #ce ,ducket1 ,mr41 #agb ,dundas1 ,lady ,jane1 #cbg -- ,mr41 #bfa1 #cbg ,dundonald1 ,lord1 #afj ,dunstanville1 ,lord de1 #bde ,durham1 ,bishop of4 ,see ,barrington1 ,dr4 ,edward ,augustus1 ,prince4 ,see ,york1 ,duke of ,egremont1 ,lord1 #aaa1 #agi1 #bdd1 #bde1 #bge1 #bii1 #cac1 #cae1 #cag1 #cbd1 #ceb1 #ceh1 #cfj1 #cfc1 #dcd ,elizabeth1 ,princess 7daughter of ,george ,,ii471 #af ,ellerton1 ,mr41 #ej ,erne1 ,lady1 #bfg ,estissac1 ,duchess d'1 #age ,euston1 ,lord1 #cfe ,fawcett1 ,sir ,william1 #cbi ,fielding1 ,sir ,john1 #fi ,fife1 ,lord1 #aab ,folkes1 ,sir ,martin1 #b1 #aa ,folkestone1 ,lord1 #ei note #di ,forbes1 ,mrs41 #beb1 #bec ,fordyce1 ,lady ,margaret1 #cch -- ,sir ,william1 #adg ,forster1 ,lord 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,wilberforce1 ,william1 #bja1 #bhg and note #ahj1 #bhh1 #bhi1 #big1 #cjg1 #cbe and note1 #cbf1 #cde1 #cdh1 #cei1 #cga1 #cge1 #djg1 #ded note1 #deg1 #dei ,wilkes1 ,john1 #aj ,willes1 ,mr4 ,justice1 #eb ,willoughby1 ,sir ,c41 #cea1 #dac ,winchester1 ,earl of1 #bde ,winchilsea1 ,earl of1 #bdd1 #cae1 #cea1 #cfc1 #chh1 #dff1 #dgj ,windham1 ,william1 #afa ,wollaston1 ,dr41 #bgg ,wurtemburg1 ,queen of1 #dbe ,wyndham1 ,m4,p41 ,mr41 #bei ,yeldham1 ,john1 #dg ,york1 ,duke of1 #af1 #bff1 #cbg ,york1 ,mrs41 #bde ,young1 ,rev4 ,dr4 7father of ,arthur ,young1 writer of the ,autobiography71 #b-f1 #h1 #i1 #aj1 #ac1 #ad1 #bd -- ,mrs4 7mother of ,arthur ,young71 #c1 #bb1 #bd1 #bh1 #ef1 #eg1 #fa1 #gg1 #ha1 #abf -- ,arthur 7son of ,arthur ,young71 #ea1 #aci1 #adc1 #bii1 #cag1 #cah1 #cbc1 #ceb1 #cfc1 #chb1 #djb1 #djc1 #djf1 #djh1 #dae1 #dah1 #dbh1 #dbi1 #dcb1 #ddh1 #def1 #deg1 #dfd -- -- 7last descendant of ,arthur ,young71 #abg note #id -- ,mrs4 ,arthur 7wife of ,arthur ,young71 #cb and note #bi1 #df1 #ha1 #adb1 #adf1 #cai1 #cci1 #chi1 #dac1 #dbd1 #dbi1 #dch1 #deg1 #dfj -- -- -- 7daughter-in-law of ,arthur ,young71 #cbc1 #cig1 #cih1 #cii1 #djd1 #dji1 #dae1 #dbi1 #ddf1 #ddh1 #deg -- ,bartholomew 7grandfather of ,arthur ,young71 #b -- ,elizabeth 7#8,bessy'7 7second daughter of ,arthur ,young71 #ea1 #adf1 #aha1 #ahi4 ,see also ,hoole1 ,mrs4 -- ,elizabeth ,mary 7#8,elisa ,maria'7 7sister of ,arthur ,young71 #a1 #ae1 #ai1 #bj4 ,see also ,tomlinson1 ,mrs4 -- ,rev4 ,dr4 ,john 7brother of ,arthur ,young71 #b1 #i1 #eg1 #ajg1 #abg1 #acb1 #ach-adc -- ,martha ,ann 7#8,bobbin'7 7youngest daughter of ,arthur ,young71 #aaj and note #hc1 #aeh1 #aei note #aah1 #ahd1 #ahe1 #bfc-bhd1 #bhf1 #bhg1 #bij1 #bid1 #bie1 #bih1 #cbc1 #chb1 #dbc -- ,mary 7eldest daughter of ,arthur ,young71 #dc1 #ahd1 #chb1 #dbe1 #ddj1 #ded note #bdd1 #deg1 #dgb ,,printed ,,by ,,spottiswoode ,,and ,,co41 ,,new-,,street ,,square ,,london ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,transcriber's ,note ,in the ,table of ,contents1 the page for ,chapter ,i was missing and has been supplied4 ,the page given for ,chapter ,,iii was #8#d' and has been replaced by the correct page #dd4 ,the ,index has frequent references to footnotes1 mentioning the page and number on those pages4 ,since all footnotes have been renumbered sequentially1 for uniqueness1 across the text1 the ,index references have been modified to reflect the new numbers4 ,on p4 #bbc1 ,young includes a memorandum from ,august #ba1 opening with a quotation mark which is never closed4 ,judging from the tone of the memorandum1 it is likely that it closes at the end of a long paragraph on p4 #bbd 7see below74 ,errors deemed most likely to be the printer's have been corrected1 and are noted here4 ,the references are to the page and line in the original4 #cb4bc ,i shall make the tea ,added4 #eh4ac were the numbers ascertained4' ,removed4 #ahg4cj quoted particulars of yearly expenses ,restored4 #baa4aa #8,last night1 instead of reading ,inserted4 #bac4ac on the poli_/lace of corn and capital ,probable4 employed #bbd4bb secretaryship of the ,board4' ,added4 #bhd4bf dwells upon the present4' ,added4 #cjf the study of polite letters4 ,added4 #cae4bg the same answer was returned ,restored4 #cha4af ,i have taken places4 ,added4 #cic4ca #8,der ,augenblick ist ,ewigkeit4' ,added4 #dei4ab general anxiety and apprehension ,inserted4 ,transcription of ,manuscript ,letter after p4 #ahh ,the following is a transcription of a letter from ,arthur ,young to his wife ,mary4 ,there are several place names that resist transcription in indicated with bracketed dashes4 ,no #hb ,besanon ,july #bg4 #hi ,dear ,mary ,i expected a ,lr here1 but was disappointed ,how comes yt3 ,i hope not to be so at ,dijon4 ,i think ,i wrote you fro ,strasbourg3 the day after at yt place #bj1jjj mob pillaged the ,hotel d4 ,ville a house #c times as big as the ,angel almost tore it in pieces3 ,it was well furnished1 but all turn'd out of windows in sight of #f ,regim4ts who could not or w'd not do anything to save it4 ,from yt time to this moment all has been riot in every place ,i have been at4 ,i spent a day at ,schelestad with the ,ct4 de la ,rochefoucauld who was very civil obliging but on ye qui vive for populace who are every where in motion ,at one place ,i was near being knocked on the head for want of a ,tiers etat ,cockade2 and at another saved by self being an englishn4 by explaining how ye ,tiers etat pd no taxes but the ,seigneurs all in ,england2 proposing to them to do the same in ,france1 they relished this1 and believed yt ,i was not a ,seigneur1 but an honest fellow4 ,in this country worse worse--they are burning and plundering chateaus1 hunt down the ,seigneurs like wild beasts--some have been shot1 others hanged1 and hundreds driven out of the ,country ruined4 ,you see by ye papers ,i suppose that the ,king is at ,versailles bereft of ,guards power1 family all but claps and huzzas3 the ,queen shut up at ,st ,cyr2 the ,count d',artois gone to ,spain it is said but first to --------2 and all the ,queen's friends fled the ,kingdom to escape halters4 ,never was such a revolution known or heard off4 ,the towns are every where arming the tiers etat1 so it will very soon be too late for the nobility to stir in their defence4 ,pray tell ,hyde to take ,care that the acre in ,grav ,p4field yt is to be inclosed be well dunged sowed with cabbage seed ,i ordered fro ---- thro ,bess--witht fail by the #bjth4 august in fine order4 ,write me how the ,cabbages are1 fro a little bed in ---- past ,round garden2 ,how does ,cooper go on8 ,i desire that ,arthur may lose no time at home1 but take ,mr ,symonds directions when to go to ,c4 ,i have not had a ,lr from him of #aa months2 ,i suppose because ,i expressly desired one once a fortnight3 ,but nothing surprizes me that come fro him2 ,eton has ,i hope has done so much for his head that it leaves nothing for his heart--,god send it may prove so2 yt ,i have not impoverished myself for nothing4 ,give my dear ,bobbin a ,kiss for me tell her ,i shall write her a ,lr next4 ,adieu ,yr affectt ,,ay ,remr me to yr ,mother ,say nothing to ,arth4 abt writing2 ,i had much rather have no ,lr than such as those hints bring3 observe this3 ,miss ,young ,bradfield ,hall ,bury ,suffolk ,angleterre