Hayley-XXI-7

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Sunday Morn

My dear Eliza

The Fairy & I are much obliged to you for your kind & chearful Letters - He is highly pleased with the billet doux from his little dulcinea, & at this Moment Engaged in replying to it as his Titiana wishes, in French —

You have probably been surprized, as I was, in hearing this Week of our old acquaintance Zelma, whose existence I had almost forgotten — the first Intelligence I received concerning her starting up after a sleep of some years, came from my young divine, who breakfasting at a Coffee-House, read accidentally in the papers that this little opera, which I had sold you know long ago to the Manager for the sake of devoting such a Monument

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as I wished to the Memory of our beloved Meyers, who imported & took so kind an interest in Zelma from a friendly wish of rendering her a Benefactress to Me. Clarke says all the papers speak of the Performance as too long — and as the Manager retained the 3 acts, tho He exhibits it as an afterpiece, I think it must have rather a heavy Effect after any play of the usual length –

Romney however tells me in a kind Letter, that He saw it on Wednesday night – that it went off without the least Interruption, & with considerable Applause – this is all the news I have heard of it - Long happens to be at Bath & all my other London Correspondents out of Town – Such are the advantages

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of being a quiet contented Hermit that a poor dramatic Poet in his Cell may be damned illeg in [written over the crossing-out] a distant Theatre, unconscious of his Fate; for I was not at all aware, that I had any thing to fear or hope from a London Audience, when I received these unexpected Tidings, & I still feel perfectly philosophical on the Subject.

The Circumstance you mention of our poetical Brother Darwin surprizes me not a little, & the sincere delight I take in his poetry, would induce me to believe, that his Bookseller judges ill to delay the publication, did not the vigilant Spirit of literary Merchants for a strong argument in favor of their discretion —–

Your political Authors, that you wish to speak of, will I

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think amuse you – the political Lady is a phenomenon - with a large portion I think of sound sense & a little dash of Absurdity –

I have just got your polite Friend Sir Brookes new publication who does not treat Payne I think with his usual politeness He censures both the aristocratical Senator & the democratical Plebeian with great Spirit & in general perhaps with equal Justice but with an acrimonious Severity on the Person & condition of the latter that appears to me a little inconsistent with his accustomed Good Nature & his ardent Attachment to Freedom What He says of Rousseau is worthy of Himself & of that exquisite Writer, whose Friendship He had the Happiness of enjoying —

My paper is full before I was aware of it – so accept an abrupt but Sincere Benediction both from the great & little Hermit

& believe me Ever yr affectionate H