Scripto | Page Revision | Transcription

[page 2]

her power – I resign the pleasure of her society during the winter for the sake of her very tender constitution, which cannot support the keen air of my favourite Hill at that season. — Indeed we should be a couple very ill-matched, if our souls were not in much better harmony than our Nerves, for hers cannot endure Cold, & mine (at least my optic ones) are no less injured by Heat – so much so, that I am forced to give up all places of public Entertainment, & to avoid even the fashionable hot rooms of London,

But we have mutual Indulgence for our respective Infirmities, & maintain our affection for each other in spite of the Elements —— I am passionately fond of my Hermitage in the very depth of winter, tho I dare not use my Eyes by Candle light, but I have luckily got a marvellous old woman, who resembles Euryclea in the Odyssey – who lived with my mother before I was born, & now feeds her grown baby with literary pap — She has fortunately as great a passion for Books as her Master, & actually read to me the 2 last volumes of Gibbon before Eliza returned from Bath in the spring. — Apropos of that genuine Roman Eagle I have just received a letter from Him at Brighthelmstone, promising to spend a few days here the beginning of September. – as He is a much better Critic than I am, & also knew Lady Miller, I shall be happy to shew