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To MR. H. DUNNICLIFFE, ROYAL ARTILLERY BARRACKS,

DEAR HENRY,

WOOLWICH.

Royal Exchange, December 14, 1813.

A FEW days since I wrote out your account, and sent it to Mr. Richard Oakley, in order that he should prepare a proper discharge from you to me, and that I should pay you the balance of savings my care has produced for you.

It is not long since I sent you £20, which, with your usual correctness, you never acknowledged to have received. I was, when you made the request, given to understand, that it was to discharge your debts: you now write for £80!! When Mr. Oakley has prepared the discharge, you must come to town, in order that every thing between us may be finally settled: until this is done, I make no farther advances.

I observe you give me a hint, that I ought to address you as Lieutenant Dunnicliffe: perhaps I have hurt your pride in not doing it; but you must allow me to be the better judge of what I deem, and know, to be the proper mode of speaking, or writing, to a subaltern. However, I will cease to offend you any more.

When I pay you your money, it will be right for you to consider with whom you intend to lodge it. I have no further observations or instructions to offer; but very sincerely wish you well.

B. O.

TO RICHARD MILES, Esq. SOUTHAMPTON.

MY DEAR SIR,

Royal Exchange, December 14, 1813.

As the prices of the funds are regulated by political events, and certainly hinge materially upon the continuance of the war, or a close approximation to peace; and as both these events are beyond my comprehension or force of discernment to know, I cannot hazard an opinion for your governance. Should the war be continued, even in the prosecution of another campaign, I am inclined to think there would be a depression in the funds, arising from the circumstance of the great pecuniary resources which this country would have to furnish, not only for itself, but for those who are assisting us in the glorious struggle to crush the power of France. But, my good sir, as you say you have no wish to leave the world, notwithstanding it is a bad one, and you are sensible you must some time or other leave it; let me recommend you to have your mind as free from anxiety as possible, in order that you may the better enjoy those comforts which fortune and your own assiduity have put into your power, than to hazard the relish of those comforts by any chance which may endanger them.

I am sorry to find you have been so unwell: you are at a delightful place, and, with Mrs. Miles's watchful attention to you, I hope there will be no recurrence of your late attack. I beg my best remembrances to your fire-side,

And remain, my dear Sir,

Yours very truly,

B. O.

To CAPTAIN BUTCHER, VERDUN.

DEAR JACK,

Tavistock Place, January 2, 1814.

YOUR letter, brought by Captain Brice, reached me through the twopenny post. I did not know who the bearer of it was, until, by conjecture, seeing his arrival mentioned in the public papers, I wrote to ascertain the fact, and received from him a very satisfactory account of your health, and also of the indulgences afforded you by the commandant of Verdun, whom Captain Brice, as well as Mr. Grant, spoke of in terms of high respect. The latter gentleman dined with me, and gave a very satisfying report, both of your health and comforts.

We have very severe cold weather, with the most dense fog I ever remember. Your sister and the children have bad colds, and I have the rheumatism: these are little afflictions of course, which, when the severity of the weather subsides, will follow in their turn.

I have an agreeable party at my house, on alternate Sundays, composed of literary men and artists, among whom are to be found some of great intelligence and talent. This is a most delightful way of passing an evening; it has no ceremony about it: they begin to assemble about eight, take sandwiches about ten, and generally disperse at eleven.

I have it in contemplation to get up Cato for the next season, with Othello, and Measure for Measure. I am so strongly urged for a repetition of my theatricals, that I do it more for the amusement of my friends than from any eager desire of my own. I confess a partiality

for it, and do "agnize a prompt alacrity" for mental delights in preference to the noisy, unmeaning, and insignificant comforts of a drawing-room, or the hateful attractions of the card-table.

You must know I have lately become a Free Mason; and having good interest and the benefit of good instruction, have arrived at distinction, and had lately the honour to appear in procession (taking place of many older Masons) with His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, upon a late grand occasion and ceremony "the Union of the Ancient and Modern Masons," over whom His Royal Highness presides as Grand Master.

Your friends inquire after you with a lively interest and friendship but, be assured, none can feel that interest and friendship more than

Your Friend and Brother,

B. O.

To SAMUEL WHITBREAD, Esq. M. P.

AND ONE OF THE COMMITTEE OF DRURY LANE THEATRE.

SIR,

Tavistock Place, January 12, 1814.

YOUR political conduct is too well known to receive any lustre from my simple approval of it: it is engraven in the hearts of your countrymen, who, like yourself, are attached to British freedom, and who are admirers of manly eloquence.

Stepping out of the path of your political career, and turning your attention to a no less national pursuit, you have, with a magic hand, restored the fallen fortunes of old Drury. It is to you this enlightened metropolis owes the re-erection of, perhaps, the most splendid

theatre this, or any other country can boast. It also owes much to you, for the arduous attention you have given to its interests: but, if I may presume to remark, not to its best interests. It was, no doubt, considered, by yourself and the committee, when you framed the regulations of the theatre, prudent not to have a too great influx of renters: but a reference to your books will show that few, very few, have availed themselves of the right of admission. But even supposing that every proprietor of five shares were to exercise that right, permit me to ask, how the interest of the theatre is likely to be injured? Is it not a stimulus to persons possessing admissions to solicit the company of a friend, and also likely that thus their friend may ask another, thereby forming a party who otherwise may not have thought of it; and would not this be a benefit to the proprietary? I maintain it would. 'Instead, therefore, of shackling the concern by the exclusion of renters, open it the more rescind that objectionable clause which confines the admission for life, and encourage new adventurers: let there be a free transfer of shares, with the admission going with them: do away the vexatious enjoinment of making renters sign their names; rest, as usual, upon the liberal acceptance of a renter's word, and you will soon find a bountiful remuneration for the boon.

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I have one observation to make, (and I am sure the majority of subscribers coincide with me in opinion), that, when the subscription was opened, no person set down his name but under the conviction that the admission was to be transferred for the season. We all know that investments of property in theatrical concerns requires a stimulus like this; and I am satisfied, that

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