that excellent institution, Christ Hospital; of the former of which he may be said to have been the founder, though Charles got the honour of it.

We shall extract a few more short

ever, before we take leave of Pepys.

passages, how

In his answer

to the following letter, we grieve to say that we have caught him tripping; but the Montagus, however proud he had once been of the relationship, and in spite of what the earl had done for him on his entrance into life, were lavish of their own means, and had become rather awkward neighbours. Lord Sandwich gambled, and was otherwise careless and expensive.

"LORD HINCHINGBROKE TO MR. PEPYS.

"SIR, "December 9, 1667. “There being a letter of exchange come, of about 250l. 8s. payable to the Spanish ambassador within four or five days, my father having writ very earnestly (from Spain, where he was English ambassador) that it may be punctually paid, and Mr. Moore having not any way to procure it, makes me take the liberty of troubling you, to desire your assistance in it. If you can with any convenience do it, you will do a great kindness to my father and me, who am, dear cousin, your most affectionate cousin and humble servant,

"HINCHINGBROKE.”

"MR. PEPYS TO LORD HINCHINGBROKE.

“MY LORD,

"My condition is such, and hath been ever since the credit of the king's assignments was broke by the failure of the bankers, that I have not been able these six months to raise a farthing for answering my most urgent occasions.

"I am heartily afflicted for this difficulty that is upon your lordship; and if upon my endeavours with the bankers I can procure any money, I will not fail to give your lordship it; being very desirous of the preservation of my lordship's credit, as well as for all his other concernments. Your lordship's obedient servant, "S. PEPYS."

Now, though Pepys might not have been able to "raise a farthing" within these "six months" after any of the customary modes, he, not two months before, had raised nearly fourteen hundred pounds in gold out of the ground; to-wit, dug up so much which he had buried during his "fright" about public affairs and the Dutch. Lord Hinchingbroke's letter, however, is endorsed by Pepys, "Dec. 19, 1667.607. this day lent my lord of Sandwich" (he pretended to be all that while getting it of the bankers), and next year he lends the noble earl six hundred pounds. These little prudent stratagems did not hinder him from being really generous. He might have died rich, but was not so; and he was liberal of his aid to many during his life.

*

*

MR. JAMES HOUBLON TO PEPYS.

"Lawyers have laboured to perplex titles (to estates) as much as some interested divines have our religion; so that our title to heaven is made out to be as difficult a matter as that we have to our lands."

PEPYS (IN THE COUNTRY) TO MR. HEWER IN TOWN. ** * "There is also in the same drawer a collection of my lord of Rochester's poems, written before his penitence, in a style I thought unfit to mix with my other books. However,

pray let it remain there; for, as he is past writing' any more so bad in one sense, so I despair of any man surviving him to write so good in another!"

"SIR ROBERT SOUTHWELL TO PEPYS.

at least an

"I am here among my children innocent scene of life—and I endeavour to explain to them the difference between right and wrong. My next care is to contrive for the health which I lost by sitting many years at the sack-bottle; so that to keep myself in idleness and in motion is a great part of my discipline."

DR. ROBERT WOOD TO PEPYS RESPECTING THE BUILDING OF

SHIPS.

* * "I reckon that naval excels land architecture, in the same proportion as a living moving animal a dull plant! Palaces themselves are only like better sorts of trees, which, how beautiful or stately soever, remain but as prisoners, chained during life to the spot they stand on; whereas the very spirits that inform and move ships are of the highest degree of animals, viz. rational creatures; I mean seamen.'

SIR JOHN WYBORNE TO PEPYS, FROM BOMBAY.

* "Sir, I have sent you a very grave walking-cane, which I beg you to accept, having nothing else I could venture to send."

PEPYS TO SIR ANTHONY DEANE.

"I am alive, too, I thank God! and as serious, I fancy, as you can be, and not less alone. Yet, I thank God, too! I have not within me one of those melancholy misgivings that you seem haunted with. The worse the world uses me, the better, I think, I am bound to use myself."

With this most reasonable opinion we close our accounts with the amusing sage of the Admiralty.

Many official patriots have, doubtless, existed since his time, and thousands, nay, millions of respectable men of all sorts gone to their long account, more or less grave in public, and frail to their consciences; but when shall we meet with such another as he was; pleased, like a child, with his new coach, and candid about his hat? Who will own, as he did, that, having made a present by way of douceur, he is glad, considering no harm is done, of having it back? Who will acknowledge his superstitions, his 'frights," his ignorances, his not liking to be seen in public with men out of favour? or who so honestly divide his thoughts about the public good, and even his relations of the most tragical events, with mentions of a new coat from the tailor, and fond records of the beauty-spots on his wife's face?

66

LIFE AND LETTERS

OF

MADAME DE SÉVIGNÉ.*

Singular and fortunate reputation of Madume de Sévigné.— Unsatisfactory biographies of her.-Her parentage, education, and early life.-Description of her person and manners. —United with the Marquis de Sévigné.—His' frivolities and death.-Unsuccessful love made to her by her cousin Bussy Rabutin, who revenges himself by calumny.-Character and conduct of Bussy.-His correspondence with his cousin.— His account of the effect produced upon her by her dancing with the king.-The young widow's mode of life.—Her visits at court, and observations of public occurrences.-Her life in the country.— List and characters of her associates.— Account of the Marquis her son, and of her correspondence with her daughter, Madame de Grignan.-Surviving descendants of the family.-Specimens of Madame de Sévigné's letters.—Expected marriage of Lauzan with Mademoiselle. -Strange ways of Pomenars, and of Du Plessis.—Story of

* From the Edinburgh Review. "Madame de Sévigné and her Contemporaries." 2 vols. 8vo. London, 1842.