that celebrated spectre; nor did Quixote himfelf exhibit fo woeful a countenance. If ever, therefore, I could boaft of an action purely difinterested, and which had unalloyed compaffion for its bafis, it was the giving five times more than he was worth, that is to fay, five guineas, for this old horfe; intending only, at the time, that he should pass the refidue of his days in peaceful indolence, broke in upon by the infirmities of life, and die a natural death. To this end I obtained him the run of a friend's park, where I confidered him as a refpectable veteran retired on a penfion. In this verdant hofpital he remained, unfought, unfeen, a whole year; at the end of which, being invited to pafs the Christmas with the noble and generous owners of the park aforefaid, I paid a vifit alfo to my penfioner, who had grown fo much beyond himself on their unmeafured bounty, that he seemed to be renovated. Do not wonder that I fcarce knew him in his improvements, for he appeared not to know himself. The poor fellow's very character was inverted ; the alteration reached from head to heel: he neighed, fnorted, kicked, and frolicked, about the pafture, on my first attempt to ftop him, with the airs of a filly-foal. I reminded him that he ought to deport more humbly, confidering the melan choly choly fituation, from which he was but recently delivered; yet so far from paying any attention, he turned from my morality with another fnort of difdain, toffed up his faucy head, and threw up his heels, wholly forgetting, like other ingrates, his former condition. Like them too he appeared to confider the world now made for him; and, therefore, betwixt jeft and earneft, I was refolved once more to fhew him he was made for the world. The very next day I caused him to be taken from his green recefs, and performed the tour of the environs on his back. More airily, more pleafantly, I could not have been carried, nor, towards the end of the ride, more foberly. The fpirit which he fhewed in the paftures was but as the levities of a hearty and happy old age in the plenitude of uncurbed leisure; like the gaiety of a veteran, who, finding himself in health, might take it into his head to finish in a country dance; but these are fallies for a moment. Ah! my friend, how many poor ftarving wretches, worn down by their cruel tafk-masters, goaded like this horse by the "whips and fpurs of the time," and driven out of one hard fervice to another, might, like him, be rescued, in the extremity, at small expence, and by the hand of bounty be pro tected VOL. I. F tected from farther rigours! even till they were renewed for a ferviceable, instead of a diseased, old age! How many half-famished, hard-ridden creatures of the human race, I fay, might, in like manner, be replenished. Reject not this long story-this epifode-this heroi-comepic if you please but I cannot allow you to call it a digreffion. You will admit it to be in point when you are given to understand, that on this very horfe, thus reftored by a little indulgence, I have measured a thousand miles, and find my affociate in fufficient heart to measure a thoufand more. On the four-andtwentieth year of his age we fallied forth; and if the mafter had in courfe of his travels made as few trips, as few falfe fteps, as the fervant, he might be a match for the fafeft goer on the road of life. Should this correfpondence reach the professional critics, think you that I fhould "fcape calumny" for taking up fo much of their time about an old horfe? And why should I not pay an old, faithful, companion, to whom I owe much health, much happiness, this grateful effufion. If the Rofinante of Cervantes had more wit, the cat of Montaigne more wifdom, and the afs of Yorick more fentiment, none of them could be better qualified, as I before told you, you, for a deliberate traveller. He was in fhort; nay he is, being at this very minute at feed before me-the horfe in the world for a Gleaner. A month's clofe connexion and converfe, with each other; before I fet out on this tour, in little experimental excurfions, gave him fuch an infight into my habits, that we perfectly understood one another by the time we fet out on our northern expedition. He follows me when I wish to be a foot, waits for me, at a gate or hedge, (without tying) when I imagine there is any thing Glean-worthy, out of the main road; and when, as is my cuftom, I fit down to make minutes of my obfervations, or luxuriate on the fcenery around me, although he has never difcovered any remarkable relish for thefe fort of banquets, he contents himself with picking a dinner from the grafs on the road fide, or, if this agrément is wanting, he takes a comfortable nap as he ftands, and leaves me to my reflections: after which, though often roufed fuddenly, he wakes in the sweetest temper in the world, and is perhaps the only companion a traveller of my difpofition could go a long journey with, and not be extremely complained of:, I have fometimes fet out at early dawn with the intention of travelling, even in my fauntering way, at leaft twenty miles, but the beauty of the day, the abundance of the objects, and a frame of mind to enjoy them, has with difficulty permitted me to reach the first village, town, of cottage for I ftop any where, and am at home every where. Where is the man or woman who would find this fupportable? Where is even the beaft who would not think it a little troublefome? I never, however, faw my poor old fellow even look as if he had lefs patience or philosophy than myfelf. And fhall not fuch a horfe, for once in my life, be made the chief fubject of a letter? How many worse topics have filled folios? Forgive me, my friend. I would not build a palace for him were I as rich as Caligula, but I would, under your aufpices, dedicate to him this part of my prefent epiftle, affuring you, if in my correl pondence, you find any fpirit, novelty, fport, or information, as you flatter me you do, the meek pliability of this aged thing had his fhare in producing it. As to the critics, thould I come under their lafh for the trefpafs, I fhall only beg them, as they value their own hobbyhorfes, and love to praise them, to boast how well they carry, and how much fafer and better they go through this dirty world than their neighbours, to bear, this once, with the hiftory of mine. But I promifed you another cottage adventure, |