*

IV. A FRAGMENT.

* will be published in a few days: I expect some fame from it, and possibly some professional advantage. I shall be at Oxford on the 8th or 9th of next month for the sessions, but will write to you before, and set you the example of scribbling what comes into my head: such writing is amusing to me, and may not be unpleasing or unimproving to you. In regard to your own affairs, I am glad that your sister has offered her house to your mother, and think that it does her and her husband honour. Mr. P2 expects to return from his western tour by the Reading races; if so, I may possibly make a visit to my friends at Midgham, although I am partly engaged to the bishop of St Asaph near Winchester, and partly to Lord and Lady Althorp at Burton camp, at both which places M. Poyntz also will be. This I shall settle before my return from the circuit. The other morning I had much conversation about you with an amiable lady, who asked me, "if you had left town"; I said, "for a time", but that I "hoped, "at some future time, you might make a part of my family”: she said, "she supposed you were gone to "take possession of your father's estate and to marry I answered "Would to God it were so, but "I feared you were not yet so fortunate; that I should "be one of the first to rejoice at your happiness, as I "had a real value for you". By the way, if you want franks to Midgham, I can get you a bushel. Write to me without franks, but with frankness, if you will allow me to pun.-I see no reason why you should not read my poems in that upon Chess, I meant myself by Daphnis, and you will see that I was an early lover, as

the poem was written at sixteen. In truth I have never ceased being in love from that age to more than the double of it, but some of my flames are married, others (more lamented) dead, and others surrounded with invincible obstacles ;-but I do not despair of gaining a friend of my bosom, while I am young enough to enjoy such a blessing. I paid the woman at Oxford a trifle (I forget what) on your account: this we will settle. Do you want any thing that you may have left here; or any thing that I can send from London? You say nothing of your mother's health or your own, which, I trust, is fully established. Mine is firmer than it has been for some time: I know that I study too much, but I cannot refrain. Moderate study, moderate exercise, moderate pleasure, moderate food, are the surest ingredients of health and happiness. That you may enjoy both is the sincere wish of your faithful friend

W. JONES.

V.-EXTRACT.

27 Sept.

I too have received a letter from Exeter dated the 17th in which I was made. happy by hearing that my friend Mr. P. was out of danger; how I should have lamented the loss of so worthy a man, to whom I have so long and so sincerely been attached! I shall write to Exeter to-day or to-morrow. You need not expect

that I shall often tell you of your faults in the plural, because I have only discovered one, and am persuaded that one will wholly vanish. I am sorry you entertain any idea of being discouraged in your learning by future masters: you are so much superior in knowledge to most masters in the fine world, that you would soon despise them; and I earnestly hope you will not hastily

enter into so precarious and humiliating a station: in all events do what you think most conducive to your happiness.

VI.-EXTRACTS.

Madera 2 May 1783.

We landed yesterday, my dear Arthur, and shall reembark on the fifth for St Jago; but, as my time here is precious, I will waste none of it in useless thanks for your affectionate letter dated 12 April, nor in as useless professions of my affection for you, which I trust you believe to be sincere and constant. I will therefore only say that your friend is very happy, and that he had a passage rather pleasant than otherwise, of which you shall hear the particulars, when we meet. Now for business, and here I will be very concise. I enclose a letter to the Chairmen of the company, which you will Wait also upon

with my best

him, and he

deliver in person, as it relates to you. Mr. Sulivan Prince's Street Bedford Row, compliments: I have already written to will assist you. Call upon Gen!. Cailland in Geo. Str. Hanover Square, and on M. Orme in Harley Street: they will, I dare say, assist you with their advice. On the whole bring us whatever you think likely to be useful to us in Bengal, and God grant you and your chere moitiè a good voyage: you will come immediately to my house, and I trust you will be satisfied with your situation, and convinced that I shall think my happiness increased by promoting yours. In the mean time study Blackstone diligently, and desire your friend Rolfe to teach you a little practice. God Almighty preserve you and permit you to live long a virtuous and happy

man esteemed by all your friends, though by none more truly than yours ever W. JONES.

Call here upon Mr. Murray the Consul, who will give you a short note from me.

SHAKESPEARE-CORRECTION OF MALONE & REED.

To the Editor of The Bristol Memorialist. SIR,

FROM the second number of your publication, I have derived a literary gratification, which you will perceive in the concluding part of the following attempt to rectify an obscure passage in the 21st volume of Reed's edition of Shakespeare.

Vol. XXI.

p. 362.

Act v. Sc. 1. S

OF THESE SHORES.

Pericles. I pray you, turn your eyes again upon me.—
You are like something that-What country woman?

Here of these shores?

Marina.

No, nor of any shores:

Yet I was mortally brought forth, and am

No other than I appear.

.

This is the text, as it now stands; and we are informed by the late Mr. Malone, that "it is an ingenious amendment, by the patron of every literary undertaking, his friend, the Earl of Charlemont."-I am ready to admit that as an alteration or an amendment, it is a very ingenious one, and have no doubt but his Lordship is

well entitled to all that is here said of him; but the first quarto, and all the other copies, read as follows

Pericles. "I do thinke so, pray you turu your eyes upon me, Your like something that, what Country women heare of these shewes. Marina. "No, nor of any shewes"-&c.

Pericles is beginning to recollect the resemblance of his wife Thaisa in the features of his daughter. The idea vanishes; he then asks what countrey?-He pauses again, and then again asks, or replies to his own question, Women of these Shewes? Marina immediately answers, "No, nor of any Shewes."-The Shewes are the Triumphs of Neptune, at that moment celebrating ; and she must very naturally appear, together with the young lady, her companion, one of the persons employed in the pageants; she therefore very properly declares, No-they are not women of any Shewes.

And thus the reading, in which the quarto and all the other copies agree, may perhaps be defended. But his Lordship's alteration is so ingenious, one can scarcely wish it to be rejected, more especially since it produces better sense than the old copies-but unfortunately we have to alter the word shewes twice, into shores, and women into woman; which is altogether incompatible with what may properly be called the mechanical part of verbal criticism. Besides, we know that the word shoes, for shewes or showes, was in use at the time, on similar occasions. Thus, in the lines addressed to Queen Elizabeth, in the second number of the Bristol Memorialist, a pageant is thus alluded to:

Asid they set thear townishe trashe,
And works of gredy gayen;

And torned their toils to sports and mirth,
And warlike pastimes playn,