bed, it seems to have turned up life, and I am beginning to crawl across my room, and once, indeed, have been before my own door in the street. When pleasure fascinates the mental sight, Religion hails the drear, the untried night, No. CLVI. To MRS. R*****, Who had desired him to go to the Birth-Day Assembly on that day, to shew his loyalty. 4th June, 1796. I AM in such miserable health as to be uttterly incapable of shewing my loyalty in any way. Rackt as I am with rheumatisms, I meet every face with a greeting, like that of Balak to Balaam-"Come curse me Jacob; and come defy me Israel!" So say I-Come curse me that east wind; and come defy me the north! Would you have me, in such circumstances, copy you out a love song? I may perhaps see you on Saturday, but I will not be at the ball.- Why should I? “Man delights not me, nor woman either!" Can you supply me with the song, Let us all be unhappy together-do if you can, and oblige le pauvre miserable, R. B. VOL. II. H H No. Brow, Sea-bathing quarters, 7th July, 1796. MY DEAR CUNNINGHAM, I RECEIVED yours here this moment, and am indeed highly flattered with the approbation of the literary circle you mention; a literary circle inferior to none in the two kingdoms. Alas! my friend, I fear the voice of the bard will soon be heard among you no more! For these eight or ten months I have been ailing, sometimes bed-fast and sometimes not; but these last three months, I have been tortured with an excruciating rheumatism, which has reduced me to nearly the last stage. You actually would not know me if you saw me.Pale, emaciated, and so feeble as occasionally to to need help from my chair-my spirits fled! fled! but I can no more on the subject-only the medical folks tell me that my last and only chance is bathing, and country quarters, and riding. The deuce of the matter is this; when an exciseman is off duty, his salary is reduced to 351. instead of 50l.—What way, in the name of thrift, shall I maintain myself, and keep a horse in country quarters-with a wife and five children at home, on 351.? I mention this, be-. cause I had intended to beg your utmost interest, and that of all the friends you can muster, to move our Commissioners of Excise to grant me the full salary-I dare say you know them all personally. If they do not grant it me, I must lay my account with an exit truly en poëte, if I die not of disease, I must perish with hunger. I have sent you one of the songs; the other my memory does not serve me with, and I have no copy here; but I shall be at home soon, when I will send it you.-Apropos to being at home, Mrs. Burns threatens in a week or two to add one more to my paternal charge, which, if of the right gender, I intend shall be introduced to the world by the respectable designation of Alexander Cunningham Burns. My last was James Glencairn, so you can have no objection to the company of nobility. Farewell. No. No. CLVIII. To MRS. BURNS. MY DEAREST LOVE, Brow, Thursday. I DELAYED Writing until I could tell you what effect sea-bathing was likely to produce. It would be injustice to deny that it has eased my pains, and, I think, has strengthened me; but my appetite is still extremely bad. No flesh nor fish can I swallow; porridge and milk are the only thing I can taste. I am very happy to hear, by Miss Jess Lewars, that you are all well. My very best and kindest compliments to her, and to all the children. I will see you on Sunday. Your affectionate husband, |