Hayley-XXI-15

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My dear Eliza

I congratulate you on the salutary effect that you have so soon experienced from a few dips & hope a little perseverance in this reviving exercise will restore you to the Comfort of perfect Health. — I seize my pen at the early Hour of seven this Morning that I may dispatch my devoirs to you before I attend the beloved Painter in one of his little Excursions to the Nereids of Felpham – as the gentle Rhapson [Rhapsom?] has his Church to attend in the Character of Clerk He can only wait on his Bathing Machine at an early Hour we are therefore to set forth for the sea as soon as we taken [sic] a light & hasty Breakfast – but while the Kettle is travelling to the Table I must reply to some points in yr last kind Epistle

The Caro Pittore desires to be kindly

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remembered to you with many thanks for yr obliging Letter which He would have answered immediately had not writing a Letter to an accomplished Lady been ever an object of Terror to his too modest Imagination —

you wish for a more characteristick Account of the enchanting Cowper – I must tell you therefore He is at the age of sixty one a florid healthy Figure a little taller than Sargent with an interesting Countenance that expresses Intelligence & energy of Mind with Sweetness of Manners & a certain tender undescribable [sic] Mixture of Melancholy & chearfulness, Gravity & Sportive Humour which give an admirable & delightful Variety of attraction to his Character— We have had the great satisfaction of seeing his venerable Muse gain a little Accession of Strength every day in her injured Limbs —I continue to electrify

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her every Evening, & she now walks around the Hill with such comfortable use of her Legs as appears astonishing to us all after the deplorable debility to which we had seen them reduced.

Here is breakfast & the eager Pittore impatient for it – Accept therefore an abrupt Adieu with our united Benedictions – the dear Tom is well & going to take a plunge in the Sea with

yr
affectionate
H

Sunday Morn August 25

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To

M^rs Hayley
at the new assembly room
Park Gate

near Chester