Hayley-XXI-20

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Eartham
Sunday
Nov 4 1792

My dear Eliza

Accept our best Thanks for your lovely pacquet – your Irish Riddle is one of the happiest poetical Riddles I ever saw – an interesting Subject very delicately treated in Elegant Verse – Tho I agree with you & the Muse of Litchfield in yr general dislike to Riddles, I cannot fail to applaud this pleasant Specimen of Irish Vivacity ---

Poor Giovanni – I grieve to hear you say He is expected to return an Invalide from the Sea Side I fear his Constitution is wearing out apace, & \that/ the poor Muse will have the bitter Affliction of seeing

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Him sink visibly into a State of nervous debility far worse than death.
Yet let us hope this gentle Son of Harmony may revive, as you say another dear Invalide dear to the Arts, I mean our Friend Wright, is greatly restored –
I rejoice to hear his Pencil has been Active, not only as I am confident it has produced admirable Works, but as its Activity is a pleasing Assurance of his more Comfortable Health --- I doubt not but He will look with friendly pleasure on yr Fairy --- the dear little original I have lately surveyed both with pain & delight for since I wrote to you He has suffered a good deal from a Cold in the

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Head & Face (which did not thank Heaven affect his hearing) but seemed to me at last to settle in his Teeth, & it was eligible to submit to the severe Operation of having one of the strongest in his Jaw pulled out -
I was afraid his tender little Frame would hardly allow Him to exhibit so much courage as I wished Him for his Credit to exert on this trying Occasion – but to my infinite delight He behaved like a little Hero – suffered the horrific [or terrific?] Instrument to be put three times into his Mouth without shedding a Tear or using any kind of Gesture unworthy of a Man – our Friend Guy (who was the operator) was almost as much delighted with the Urchins [sic] Heroism as I was, & I never experienced a more singular Mixture of Anguish & delight – He is now perfectly well & not a little pleased with the merited praise He has received --- Accept our united Love with every kind wish

& believe me

Ever yr affectionate H

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To

M^rs Hayley

Derby