have attended to thefe, you will never after breathe the balmy evening, or enjoy the fragrance of the rofe, without having your imagination lifted to their author; the Snow-drop will be eloquent in the cause of its maker, and the warblers from the fpray attune his praise.

A greater degree of acquaintance with the works of nature than what may be drawn from these authors, I confider as ufelefs to the fair, and the female who talks in pompous terms of attraction and repulfion, or who decides between the opinions of different philofophers, is, perhaps, lefs to be admired than one who should be unacquainted with the fimpleft laws of nature.

When I come next to R- I expect a very pleasing detail of what you approve: by that means your taste will be difcovered, which at prefent I fancy to be sufficiently delicate.

You will then be convinced of the value of my prefent, and thank me more than if I had decked you with the brilliants of the east, fince you have drawn from it the greatest ornaments of the mind, and virtue, the diamond which should ever be hung upon the heart.

I am, &c.

FROM DR. JOHNSON TO MISS SUSAN

THRALE.

Dearest Mifs Sufy,

WHEN you favoured me with your letter, you feemed to be in want of materials to fill it, having met with no

great adventures, either of peril or delight, nor done or fuffered any thing out of the common course of life.

When you have lived longer, and confidered more, you will find the common course of life very fertile of observation and reflection. Upon the common courje of life, muft our thoughts and our converfation be generally employed. Our general courfe of life muft denomi nate us wife or foolish; happy or miferable: if it is well regulated, we pafs on profperoufly and fmoothly; if it is neglected, we live in embarraffinent, perplexity, and uneafinefs.

Your time, my love, paffes I fuppofe in devotion, reading, work, and company. Of your devotions, of which I earnestly entreat you to be very punctual, you may not perhaps think it proper to give me an account; and of work, unless I understood it better, it will be of no great use to say much; but books and company will always fupply you with materials for your letters to me, as I fhall always be pleased to hear what you are reading, and with what you are pleased; and shall take great delight in knowing what impreffion new modes or new characters make upon you, and to obferve with what attention you diftinguish the tempers, difpofitions, and abilities of your companions.

A letter may always be made out of the books of the morning, or the talk of the evening; and any letters from you my deareft, will be always welcome to

Your, &c.

S. JOHNSON.

MRS. ROWE TO THE COUNTESS OF

HERTFORD,

Madam,

WHEN I begin a friendship 'tis for immortality. This confeffion, I own, is enough to put you in fome terror that you are never like to drop my converfation in this world, nor the next; but I hope I fhall improve in the realms of light, and get a new set of thoughts to entertain you with at your arrival there, which for the public intereft I wish may be long after I'm fleeping in the duft: But perhaps mine will be the first joyful spirit that will welcome you to the immaterial coasts, and entertain you with one of the fofteft fongs of paradise at your arrival.-Mr. Rollie would think this all gay chimeras and gay visions, but how much more so are all the charming fcenes on earth?

As the fantaftic images of night,

Before the opening morning take their flight ;
So vanish all the hopes of men; their pride,
And vain defigns the laughing skies deride.

fhall remem

You'll think, madam, I'm refolved you ber your latter end, whoever forgets it. I suppose you will expect the next picture I fend you will be time, with a fcythe and an hour-glafs; but really these

me

mementos of mortality are neceffary to people like you in the height of greatnefs, and the full bloom of youth and beauty. If I go on you'll think me in the height of the vapours, and the perfection of the fpleen, but in all the variety of my temper,

I am your ladyfhip's most humble fervant,
ELIZ. ROWE,

FROM ONE YOUNG LADY TO ANOTHER.

Yet a few years, or days, perhaps,
Or moments, pass in filent lapfe,

And time to me fhall be no more;

No more the fun these eyes fhall view,
Earth o'er thefe limbs her duft shall strew,
And life's fantaflic dream be o'er.

KING OF PRUSSIA.

A young lady, who I have the pleasure of being intimately acquainted with, has been fo obliging as to favour me with the following copy of a letter from another young lady, with whom she is united in the ftrictest band of friendship.

You know, Mira, I have often preffed Siderio to give me a view of the fecret room you and I have obferved him to retire to fo conftantly, evening and morning, during our refidence laft fummer at Clin'don-house. I am now returned again to the fame de

lightful spot, on a vifit of a month to Siderio's fifter; ⚫ and ever fince my arrival, I have been plaguing him with the old requeft. He always refifted my impor· tunity, and put me off with fome trifling excufe, till • last night. He had been talking to me on several grave fubjects: I,'in my ufual manner, rallied him on a gravity fo unbecoming his years and rank in life; but he, with the perfuafive eloquence he is so much mafter of, attempted to convince me, that a ferious air is much more becoming than the thoughtlefs flippant one of a modern fine gentleman. After talking fome time, he brought me to a fubject he knows I think very little of Death. He talked upon the fubject with all the gravity of a philofopher, and then taking my hand between both his, he preffed it with that graceful freedom you know is fo natural to him;

and looking on me, faid, "The lovely Afphelia "knows very well fhe one day muk die : yet how little "the thinks of that period which will put an end to all "those perfonal charms fhe now poffeffes? The time "will come, when those bright eyes, which now sparklę "with fo engaging a radiance that they captivate every beholder, will lofe their fplendor in the gloomy regions of the dead; that lovely face, and engaging perfon, which now can scarcely be matched for "beauty, will one day be a prey to death; corruption "shall destroy their charms, and moulder them into

duft. Why then fhould Afphelia give all her at"tention to this corruptible part, and neglect fo much "that incorruptible part, her foul, which is doomed to