Hayley-XII-16

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Thursday May 24
1782

Pardon me, my dear Sister, for not thanking you more expeditiously for your last delightful Pacquet, so richly stored with various Entertainment!– Indeed I am perfectly assured that you will pardon me, when I tell you \in/ how anxious a scene I have been lately engaged – The prevalence of the small-Pox all around us obliged me at last to resolve on that measure which I thought of with so much sollicitude, [sic] while under your hospitable roof - I accordingly inoculated six of my dependents in my own House about a Fortnight ago, 2 Women, 3 little Girls, & Alphonso – I thank Heaven I can now give you the pleasure of knowing that they are all in a very prosperous Way, but many alarming circumstances arose to harrass me, & particularly some appearances of Contraction & Spasm in the bowels of the poor little Alphonso, which we could only

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relieve by Opiates – I think the Earth can afford no spectacle so affecting as the sufferings of children - Heaven preserve all we love from such Sights! I have fortunately saved Eliza both from the Pain, to which this scene would have exposed her, & from all sollicitude about it, for she is yet a Stranger to the business & I propose to myself infinite delight in surprizing her on Sunday next, (when I am to meet her in Surry [sic]) with the glad Tidings of my recovered Patients –

Much as my little Hospital has engaged my attention, I have not been free from sollicitude concerning the Health of my dear Sister — your lethargic Complaint gives me great uneasiness (perhaps more \than/ the nature of it may justly excite) from the accidental Circumstance of my having seen my excellent

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Mother fall a Victim to a horrid distemper of that Kind - Tho I trust that yr Malady is very different in some essential points, I cannot help being alarmed about you, & I must conjure you to fight against so insidious a disorder by every possible mode of resistance—if you are precluded by yr unlucky accidents from using the natural exercise of walking, or riding on Horseback, you may find great benefit from artificial substitutes for these Quickeners of Circulation, particularly the constant use of The Flesh Brush & sometimes the Cold-Bath. – I most seriously entreat you to use the former with unremitted application, for I verily believe it is, what I once heard a very sensible Physician call it, the best article in the Materia Medica

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Having given you this affectionate & I believe good advice concerning yr Person, let me add to this hasty Scrawl a few Words on yr Poetry - In that I can discover no sickly Symptoms — your prologue is spirited & vigorous & yr Squib on the Fast a delightful Jeu d'Esprit – I am not a little entertained also by Boothby's Fragments & yr Ladyship^s Supplement - but how can you lament that yr witty Friend is so much engaged & amused by a Toy a Flower or a Kiss, you ought rather to rejoice at the Facility with which He seizes that coy Fugitive Pleasure

For happy He! in Flora'^s Bower
When smiling on a favourite Flower,
Happy ! when from some glittering Toy!
He draws th' electric spark of joy!
Most Happy! When He from a kiss
Extracts the Quintessence of Bliss—

Pray tell Him I wish all possible success to this & his Chemical Pursuits — adio - I scribble in extreme Haste as \I am/ preparing for my departure I expect the dear Longinus & Meyers here tomorrow & Sunday we all decamp together – Farewell & believe me

ever yr affectionate WH

[vertical text by side of verse]

Why on thy brow do frowns descend
That glittering trifles please thy Friend
Be rather glad his senses seize
Coy Pleasure with such sprightly Ease

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I envy you the pleasure you have had in comforting yr wounded Traveller - I perceive it made you happy in spite of your own cruel accident which I sincerely lament — Indeed the great Secret of Happiness consists in cherishing & calling forth all the kind affections of our Nature, & suppressing all such as are of a malevolent cast – The chief reason I apprehend why angels are happier than devils must be because the former are so much more benevolent – a beautiful Woman is sometimes very diabolical, & a kind one, however plain, is almost always angelic - I do not mean in those Moments, when the transient illusions of Sense \may/ convert the dunnest [?] Fiend into a cœlestial Creature.

appropros of cœlestial Creatures you are perfectly right concerning your Epitaph on Lady M. & Sr John is I had almost said a Blockhead for the request He has made to you. How few People have a just Idea of the proper Tones for different kinds of Composition! – once more adieu — write soon & direct to me at Longinus'^s – for He will forward yr Letter – I shall remain in Surry at different Houses about 3 weeks —& I shall be much vexed if I miss Giovanni as I fear I shall —God bless you – remember me kindly to yr Father & be sure in spirit [illeg] to reach Eartham this Summer

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Miss Seward
Litchfield

[illeg]

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I rejoice with you on the reviving Glory of our beloved Old England – I now survey the Ocean from our Hill with Pride & pleasure & dream at night of boarding the Ville-d-Paris — What a glorious Victory!–