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[page 4]

Satirical Petulance of such a character than to treat it with serious Anger -

I think you perfectly right however in vindicating your own Genius from the charge of shining with borrowed rays, & on this account I most earnestly recommend it to you never to let any associate Whatever insert a Line in your Poetry – remember your Friend Lady M. W. Montague^s reply to Pope, when He proposed some corrections in her Verses! – No! Said she Pope: no touching! for then whatever is good for any thing will pass for yours & the rest for Mine"

I am yet to thank you for some Enchanting Verses, which want nothing but a better Subject — your remarks on the Critique on Jephson^s Play are perfectly just - I wish I had seen you & Boothby rehearsing—I hope it will lead to your writing a Tragedy in Concert — I have still a thousand things to say to you, but neither Eyes nor Time for I am unable to scribble except in short scraps & am still very far from having finished my Notes — adieu write soon

& believe me ever yrs - H