And thus, methought, in realms above Some tribute of angelic love To brighter purity. Such thoughts be thine, my manly friend ! Reject unworthy fear : Some generous rival shall attend, And urge thy own career. But haste to Life! no glorious scope Here Indolence with baneful frost Shall nip the vernal bloom; Here Shame shall mourn o'er glory lost, And Vice await its doom. Haste, haste to Life! Thy heart be zeal, Discretion be thy tongue; Grow old in honour quick, but feel In friendship ever young. Dear Lonsdale,--The jolting of the Bury coach must palliate the roughness of the above. Think of what I say. But do not only think-act! act! Dum res, et ætas, et Sororum Fila trium patiuntur atra. If I am not at home (but I intend to be so at present) by 9 o'clock to-morrow night, say there will be no lectures on Tuesday. CHAPTER VI. LETTERS FROM HIS FATHER-POLITICAL ALLUSIONS -IMPRISONMENT OF SIR FRANCIS BURDETTPOLITICAL SQUIBS-LINES BY DENMAN EPITAPH FOR WINDHAM-FATHER'S DEATH. 1810. IN the spring of the following year some letters, addressed to Hodgson at Cambridge by his father, contain sensible criticisms of current literature and politics. Barwick: March 5, 1810. My dear Frank,-We had been for some time expecting to hear from you, and therefore your letter by yesterday's post was received with much pleasure. Mr. Coke I should hope has some small chance of getting Gladestry. But the Chancellor 1 I understand is notorious both for making promises and breaking them. 1 I do not think the Walcheren inquiry will 1 Lord Eldon. turn the ministry out. The expedition was set about too late, as indeed all our military schemes always are; but, considering the circumstances, as much was done as could be expected. The loss of so many men by sickness is the only thing to be regretted. Lord Chatham was not the fittest person to execute it; his subsequent conduct is not to be defended. So I give him up. The epigram' is excellent. I read the 'Monthly Review' some days ago, and immediately recognised your hand in two of the articles-the 'Persius'2 and the 'Chatterton.' They both are well done and do you credit. You will say I am growing fastidious, for I do not admire Dr. Ireland's learned book on Paganism, &c. At this time of day such stale objections ought not to be stirred. When Rome existed and was heathen they might be proper, but not so now. They have lost all their interest. The book, however, is a proof of the various research and consummate judgment of the writer. The Westminster boys when they heard it must have been amused if not edified ; 1 'The Earl of Chatham, with his sword drawn, 2 Stowes's Translation of Persius. LETTER FROM HIS FATHER. 127 by the lecturer. It was impossible for them to understand what he was about. I read it through with some attention, and admire very much the abstracts given from Austin and Cicero, and Varro, cum multis aliis et Græcis et Latinis. His observations on your note respecting Socrates1 came from Mosheim and a sermon of Barrows; and they were well founded; but his expression that Socrates did not teach a proper creation, is a very improper one. Any writer less affected would have said, Socrates did not teach a creation properly so called; but ohe, jam satis. My time has been much engaged 2 of late in pursuing a gang of villains who have long infested Leeds and this neighbourhood. Eleven are already in York Castle, where I purpose going on Monday to be present at their trials, and to give some of them a good word to the judge; who I hope will be my old friend and schoolfellow, Sir Simon Le Blanc; we have not met since we parted in the year 1766 at the Charter House. We all join in our love, and a wish to hear from you soon. Yours always, 1 Vide supra, p. 89. J. HODGSON, 2 Mr. Hodgson was a very active magistrate. From the same to the same. Barwick: March 28, 1810. My dear Son,—I have been for some days working myself up to a resolution to answer several letters of a much longer date than yours, but have taken you first, as a proof that you stand before all others in my thoughts and affection. Indeed you have put a question to me that rather required an earlier notice. Shall you go to Rugby this year, if the same office' is offered to you? Not if you are a loser by the honour. But I should think that might be remedied by a candid statement of the facts to your friend Dr. Wooll. The examiner ought to have a remuneration clear of all expenses. Then it would be an object worth seeking. This is my opinion; I leave you to judge if it is well founded. It has struck me that if Sir J. Cotterell could be prevailed on to apply to the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the living of Gladestry, the procrastinating Lord Eldon would be driven to a decision. I am sorry to be obliged to believe all the hard things you say of him; but he has certainly committed himself to such censure in too many instances. 1 That of Classical Examiner of the Upper Forms. |