in Whiston's shop, you will there find the French copy which I mentioned to you of King John's Magna Charta, which was published from the records of France, and is, I believe, only there to be found. The want of this French copy seems to me the cause that the Latin of Magna Charta in King Charles the First's time was shamefully misinterpreted as to the article now before us; and has, I doubt, been misunderstood ever since. They could make nothing of sending upon, and going upon, super eum mittimus, and, therefore, concluded, that the words in carcere must be understood, which was your wise Lord Coke's interpretation, but was, in fact, very absurd; for the word imprisonetur had been used before: and yet, for want of the French copy, that interpretation passed, and has been looked upon as law ever since. The article, as you see it compared in the three languages in my letter, plainly refers to the unjust practice common in those days, for the king, as soon as he was offended, to enter with armed force upon the lands of the offenders, take their cattle, destroy their corn, &c.; sometimes take possession of their castles, seize their lands, force them to fly, put them in prison, or keep them attending near his own person as prisoners at large: all which circumstances are described by the different words of art. 39; and the king promises that he will neither go himself, nor send any, to proceed in such illegal ways; but will punish offenders no other way, than by judgment of their peers, if barons, or by legal process, if only freemen, that is, landholders. The French words nous n'irons, ny n'enveyrons, make the sense very plain; for want of which the disputants in King Charles the First's time went to work to find out what was the legal way of committing a man to prison; whereas the words legem terræ had as much to do with every other circumstance mentioned in the article, as with that of imprisoning. I know King John's and King Henry's charters differ, though Mat. Paris says they were the same; but they both differ essentially in this and other articles from the English translation, and from what historians give for the meaning." "Grand merci, mon cher ami, de votre lettre, la mienne ne la méritoit pas ; ce paquet doit renfermer une lettre pour Mlle. B. — Je vous envoye en même tems un catéchisme, que nous fîmes votre père et moi, il y a bien des années; il renferme l'essentiel d'un livre appellé Some particular Instructions concerning the Christian Covenant.' C'est ན་ un livre que vous avez, je crois, ou que vous devriez avoir, pour le faire lire à Frank; s'il n'est pas capable d'entendre tout ce qu'il contient, il retiendroit du moins ce qu'il entendroit; et cela lui aideroit à entendre le catéchisme. ensuite, qui ne renferme que les mêmes vérités rendues. par questions et réponses. Je n'ai que cette copie unique du catéchisme, et je ne voudrois pas le perdre pour cent. guinées; mais si le jeune homme écrit lisiblement, vous pouvez le lui faire copier, sans lui laisser connoître que c'est lui qu'on veut instruire; et comme il ne peut peut-être lire couramment cet écrit, vous pouvez lui en lire quelque chose tous les soirs, et le lui expliquer, ce qui le mettra en état de le lire et de l'entendre, et de vous en faire une copie, si vous avez envie d'en avoir une. J'ai été souvent fâchée de ne pouvoir trouver dans un seul livre ce qu'on devroit sçavoir au sujet de la sainte Eucharistie; on a presque toujours traité cette matière en controverse; le livre de Mr. Bowyer a ce défaut ; celui de Mr. Nelson est superficiel, et il s'attache si particulièrement à corriger la negligence de ceux qui s'éloignent de la sainte table, qu'ils semblent sans dessein affoiblir les sentimens de respect qui doivent nous y accompagner. The Whole Duty of Man' est touchant sur cet article, et ce qu'il dit est excellent; mais il suppose des personnes déja instruites; il convient cependant à tout lè monde, et on ne peut trop la relire. Est-ce donc d'aujourd'hui que vous trouvez de l'élégance dans les lettres de votre père? je ne parle pas des miennes, elles n'ont de mérite que leur simplicité, mais j'ai toujours regardé les siennes comme des chefs d'œuvre. Oui, la Vanité a fait son profit des succès de la Charité ; je le disois à une dame : je vous montre le chemin du Paradis par l'Aumône, et je m'en vais au diable par la Vanité. Ne vous enviez pas de votre pauvre ami G-, il n'est que ce que sont tous ceux de son état. Le vôtre a aussi ses inconveniens, et c'est ce qui fait que je souhaite passionnement de vous voir marrié ; sans cela je vous vois tout fait pour devenir Old Bachelor avant le tems. Sçavez-vous bien que cet espèce d'animal ne se trouve guère en France, et qu'on n'a point d'expression qui en rend precisément l'idée: il s'y trouve vieilles filles, mais un vieux garçon est simplement un homme qui ne s'est pas marrié. Adieu, mon enfant. Je suis du plus tendre de mon cœur votre affectionnée mère et amie." "Ce 30 Janr. 1774." "DEAR JACK, "Kelston, Sept. 17th, 1776. "I was greatly obliged by your letter, for indeed I was very impatient to have some account of poor Mrs. Brett, whose affliction must be very great; for my own part, though so far removed from my old friend, I considered him in the light one does family jewels, which, though one can make no use of them when one is old, are a treasure at hand in case of distress. Such would he, I dare say, have been to me; I know not any one that in every respect could supply his place. He had good sense, good humour, integrity, and capacity for business beyond most men; and a kind of universal knowledge that made him useful to every body: I do not wonder, therefore, that he is so universally lamented. What are, in fact, your great heroes, great philosophers, &c. to a man who, in private life, devotes his whole time and thoughts to the performance of his duty towards God, and his neighbour? The scene of action may seem inconsiderable, but could every parish in England be sure of such a man as Mr. Brett, what a change would soon appear in this island! What an increase of happiness to all ranks of people! If you wanted a spur to do what is right, I think you would now have it, for, I dare say, you are so much beloved by the two young men, that your advice and example will go a great way towards settling them in a virtuous course for life. Your friend Cobb's behaviour gives me great pleasure; but I wanted not that to have a good opinion of him." "I send this letter, my dear friend, to be disgraced, for as much a philosopher as you are, it is impossible you can look at any thing but your pretty present: you will trace the kind thoughts that accompanied every stitch, you will see her gentle mind in the soft colour of the ground, her elegant taste in the mixture of the colours, her neatness and attention to propriety in the whole of the performance; and, in some sort, her humility in laying down the pencil for the needle, when she can handle the one as well as the other. If you see any of the L.s, tell them Dawson rides triumphant, but rather wants confidence. La fortune, comme les dames, méprise les nigauds. The way to succeed in most things is to suppose one shall do so; and then application, vigilance, and industry will almost always succeed. Why do you say, it may seem vain to show - Mr. R.'s letter? Un peu de simplicité, s'il vous plait; c'est une si belle vertu, qu'elle vous enseigne à dire et à faire tout ce qui peut faire plaisir, sans penser à ce que l'on dira, à ce que l'on peut penser de vous: on pense toujours bien de ce qu'on aime, et un esprit droit prend toujours les choses du bon côté. Ne privez donc pas vos amis des plaisirs qu'ils ont droits d'attendre de vous: c'est faire tort à l'amitié que de croire qu'elle puisse manquer de confiance et d'indulgence. Voilà un petit faisceau de maximes impromptues faites en votre profit. Adieu, cher ami. Je suis à vous de tout mon cœur." "Bath, ce 24 Sept. 1777." In the year 1770, Mr. Bowdler was seized with a fever and ulcerated sore throat, under which he lay for some days dangerously ill. In the following year he was again attacked with a fever, in consequence of the improper use of a cold bath; and not very long after, suffered severely by an accident in driving an one-horse chaise. These circumstances, which are only evils common to man, would not be mentioned, but for the sake of adding, that from that time he enjoyed, if not uninterrupted health, yet an entire freedom from severe complaints, and, as he often observed with great thankfulness, never kept his bed for a single day. Yet from habitual indigestion, he had much of the valetudinarian about him, and frequently suffered great inconvenience; but his constitution was sound, his frame remarkably strong, and that |