recommend you to steal apples, as she did, or ramble about quite naked; (that was very indecent, and she might well be ashamed of it); but, on the contrary, wear a modest dress, and by all means do nothing that you are forbidden to do.

Now Lucy, I think, is a good girl: she drinks water, which is our natural beverage; and although in many instances, in dry weather, like the present, the rivers may be very low, yet there can be no apprehension of a scarcity, which is a comfortable reflection for those who are content to make use of it, as in no instance, that I can remember, has there been any want of this most wholesome and refreshing liquid.

I would not impose any particular restraint upon Richard. Poor fellow! it is holiday time, and boys think it very hard if they cannot eat and drink what they like, wear out their clothes, and spend their money —it is not to be expected of them: they know nothing about the difficulty of getting money; and, what is more, they do not care about it.

I do not like that black hole, Elizabeth. I have seen it, and it is a frightful place. I do not like the man in the red coat; and fearing he may take you up, if he should find you begging, I send you, for your security against the danger you are exposed to, ten pounds, with this injunction, that you do not give any part of it to the red-coat man, unless you like it.

With this caution, I remain, as I have done for fiveand-twenty years,

Your Friend and Father,

B. O.

To MISS CHRISTIANA OAKLEY.

MY DEAR CHRISTIANA,

Royal Exchange, August SO, 1822.

I HAVE just opened and read your short letter; and it is with some regret I say, it will not be in my power to accept yours and Mary's invitation, to meet Mr. Vaughan and his interesting family, on Sunday next. I expect letters from Nottingham to-morrow, which will require attention; and I cannot, with due regard to my friends there, be absent on any

account.

I believe Mr. Williams is also prevented from going down; and as it is arranged for your leaving on Monday, I shall have an equivalent in the pleasure of seeing you in town, where you will resume your office of butler, and relieve me from the irksome task of being a wine carrier.

-

I hope you have a proper sense of gratitude for the favours you have received from Mr. and Mrs. Vaughan. If you have this feeling, I invest you with full powers to make all the acknowledgment you can and ought to do, for their kindness. Tell them you know how to make as good coffee and tea as any one in my establishment that you have the perfect command of my cellar-that if you cannot drink a bottle, you know how to crack one-and that you can talk as fast as any of your sisters. You may also add, that I have a great partiality for old friends, and can sometimes, in the presence of young ones, be familiar that when young girls are talking about idle and giddy things, I am bold enough to interrupt them, and tell them their time may be better occupied. All these

things I can do, and promise to do, and most assuredly will do, whenever I think I ought to do them.

Will you execute a commission for me? You know I love pretty girls: your mamma was a pretty girl when I married her; and whenever I see a pretty girl, I can fancy that I should like to salute her. What think you of Miss Vaughan, is she not a pretty girl? Would there be any harm in it? I think not. Then give her a kiss for me, and when you come to town I will repay you.

I have had a miraculous escape to-day from prison! You will ask me how I got into one? My friend, Mr. Flower, laid hold of Richard's arm and mine, and conducted us to Coldbath-Fields this morning, where we saw between six and seven hundred naughty men, women, and children; most of whom, knowing right from wrong, have shown a predilection for the latter in place of the former: but it is right they should be punished for so doing. I mention this to give little girls warning: for it happened while I was there, that a grown-up girl was whipped. I was shocked at it, and I will be whipped if I like to think of it. Now when you have gotten rid of the impression this recital has occasioned, thanked Mary for her affection and tenderness, packed up your things, and taken your place in the stage from Worthing to London, you may come home to

Your Father,

B. O.

TO MISS ELIZABETH OAKLEY, LEAMINGTON.

MY DEAR ELIZABETH,

Tavistock Place, August 30, 1822.

It is now six o'clock, and I am just as lazy

as you are at the same hour in the morning, not liking

to stir; so I have my writing-desk set before me, on the table, in my dining-room.

On the roll which this is folded on, I have sent three distinct impressions of Leamington, Kenilworth, and Warwick, from the drawings I made; to be delivered in the following form; viz.

One set to Mr. Court, with my best regards for carefully locking you up every night in his house.

One set for Mr. Abbott, for his familiar and communicative instructions to me upon farming. And

One set to Mr. Copps, of the Royal Hotel, for his readiness and co-operation with me, in seeing justice done to the poor captive Irishman. I have also a set for you, and for

Lucy Lamb;

Tell her I am

Her loving father:

And when she's come

To her dear home

I'll give to her another.

I should not have said so much about this idle girl, nor have strained my muse, but that I know her to be fond of the higher walk of poetry: therefore whenever I touch the string I am sure to soar to the sublime. Now much depends upon the manner in reading it; and in order to give all the point it deserves, I would advise you to study it well before you attempt to read it. Be sure you do it" with proper accent and discretion;" so may grace and mercy, at your most need, help you." Tell Horsley he is a good fellow; and say to Mrs. Horsley and Miss Keep, they are no better than they should be.

66

Your truly affectionate

B. O.

To THOMAS HADLEY, Esq. GORDON HOUSE,

LEAMINGTON.

MY DEAR SIR,

Tavistock Place, September 2, 1822.

WHEN it was communicated to Cato, that his son (Marcus I believe) fell gloriously defending his post, he said, "I am satisfied-my boy hath done his duty." When you tell me my daughters received you as they ought, they have done their duty, and I am satisfied.

What

Well, I do believe the world turns round. changes! what vicissitudes! "If there's a Power above us, (and that there is, all nature cries aloud through all her works"), then I can easily believe in your transition from Cader Idris to Gordon House, one of those miraculous flights which our revolving planet makes easy to our comprehension. You at Gordon House, and your son in the Bay of Biscay! "O let the heavens give him defence against the elements," letting go safely by "his stoutly timbered bark."

So you are going to have a sale of your pictures. If your discrimination meet its due reward, I shall be glad, and yourself gratified, as you have every reason to expect.

I am exceedingly glad to find you have met a lover of the arts in my friend Horsley. That congeniality of sentiment which, in a few hours, must make you intimately acquainted with each other, I can easily anticipate; and the more you know of each other, the stronger will that intimacy be riveted. Horsley "is a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again," except I look on Hadley.