I was going to see, it deceived me, and made such impression on my mind, that, thinking on it as I came home in my chariot, and seeing a woman steadfastly at work in a window in Pall Mall, it made me start to see her move. Adieu! Yours ever, H. WALPOLE. Henry Kirke White to his Brother Neville. DEAR BROTHER, Nottingham, September, 1799. IN consequence of your repeated solicitations, I now sit down to write to you, although I never received an answer to the last letter which I wrote, nearly six months ago; but as I never heard you mention it in any of my mother's letters, I am induced to think it has miscarried, or been mislaid in your office. It is now nearly four months since I entered into Mr. Coldham's office, and it is with pleasure I can assure you, that I never yet found any thing disagreeable, but, on the contrary, every thing I do seems a pleasure to me, and for a very obvious reason; it is a business which I like, a business which I chose before all others; and I have two goodtempered, easy masters, but who will, nevertheless, see that their business is done in a neat and proper The study of the law is well known to be a dry, difficult task, and requires a comprehensive, good understanding, and I hope you will allow me (without charging me with egotism) to have a tolerable one; and I trust, with perseverance, and a very large law library to refer to, I manner. shall be able to accomplish the study of so much of the laws of England, and our system of jurisprudence, in less than five years, as to enable me to be a country attorney, and then, as I shall have two more years to serve, I hope I shall attain so much knowledge in all parts of the law, as to enable me, with a little study at the inns of court, to hold an argument, on the nice points in the law, with the best attorney in the kingdom. A man that understands the law is sure to have business; and in case I have no thoughts, in case, that is, that I do not aspire to hold the honorable place of a barrister, I shall feel sure of gaining a genteel livelihood at the business to which I am articled. I attend at the office at eight in the morning, and leave at eight in the evening; then attend my Latin until nine; which, you may be sure, is pretty close confinement. Mr. Coldham is clerk to the commercial commissioners, which has occasioned us a deal of extraordinary work. I worked all Sunday, and until twelve o'clock on Saturday night, when they were hurried to give in the certificates to the bank. We had also a very troublesome cause the last assizes, -the corporation versus Gee,-which we (the attorneys for the corporation) lost. It was really a very fatiguing day, (I mean the day on which it was tried.) I never got any thing to eat, from five in the afternoon the preceding day, until twelve the next night, when the trial ended. HENRY KIRKE WHITE. You are inclined to flatter me, when you compare my application with yours; in truth, I am not half so assiduous as you, and I am conscious I waste a deal of time unwittingly. But, in reading, I am upon the continual search for improvement: I thirst after knowledge, and, though my disposition is naturally idle, I conquer it when reading an useful book. The plan which I pursued, in order to subdue my disinclination for dry books, was this to begin attentively to peruse it, and continue thus one hour every day: the book insensibly, by this means, becomes pleasing to you: and, even when reading Blackstone's Commentaries, which are very dry, I lay down the book with regret. With regard to the Monthly Preceptor, I certainly shall be agreeable to your taking it in, as my only objection was the extreme impatience which I feel to see whether my essays have been successful; but this may be obviated by your speedy perusal, and not neglecting to forward it. But you must have the goodness not to begin till August, as my bookseller can not stop it this month. * * * * * I had a ticket given me, to the boxes, on Monday night, for the benefit of Campbell, from Drury Lane, and there was such a riot as never was experienced here before. He is a democrat, and the soldiers planned a riot in conjunction with the mob. We heard the shouting of the rabble in the street before the play was over: the moment the curtain dropt, an officer went into the front box, and gave the word of command: immediately about sixty troopers started up, and six trumpeters in the pit played God save the King.' The noise was astonishing. The officers in the boxes then drew their swords; and, at another signal, the privates in the pit drew their bludgeons, which they had hitherto concealed, and attacked all, indiscriminately, that had not an uniform: the officers did the same with their swords, and the house was one continued scene of confusion: one pistol was fired, and the ladies were fainting in the lobby. The outer doors were shut, to keep out the mob, and the people jumped on the stage as a last resource. One of these noble officers, seeing one man stand in the pit with his hat on, jumped over the division, and cut him with his sword, which the man instantly wrenched from him, and broke, while the officer sneaked back in disgrace. They then formed a troop, and, having emptied the play-house, they scoured the streets with their swords, and returned home victorious. The players are, in consequence, dismissed; and we have information in our office against the officers. * * HENRY KIRKE WHITE. Henry Kirke White to his Brother Neville. DEAR NEVILLE, I cannot divine what, in an epistolary correspondence, can have such charms (with people who write only common-place occurrences) as to detach a man from his usual affairs, and make him waste time and paper on what cannot be of the least real benefit to his correspondent. Amongst relatives, certainly, there is always an incitement: we al ways feel an anxiety for their welfare. But I have no friend so dear to me, as to cause me to take the trouble of reading his letters, if they only contained an account of his health, and the mere nothings of the day; indeed, such an one would be unworthy of friendship. What then is requisite to make one's correspondence valuable? I answer, sound sense. Nothing more is requisite: as to the style, one may very readily excuse its faults, if repaid by the sentiments. You have better natural abilities than many youth, but it is with regret I see that you will not give yourself the trouble of writing a good letter. There is hardly any species of composition (in my opinion), easier than the epistolary ; but, my friend, you never found any art, however trivial, that did not require some application at first. For, if an artist, instead of endeavouring to surmount the difficulties which presented themselves, were to rest contented with mediocrity, how could he possibly ever arrive at excellence? Thus it is with you: instead of that indefatigable perseverance which, in other cases, is a leading trait in your character, I hear you say, 'Ah, my poor brains were never formed for letter-writing-I shall never write a good letter,'—or some such phrases; and thus, by despairing of ever arriving at excellence, you render yourself hardly tolerable. You may, perhaps, think this art beneath your notice, or unworthy of your pains: if so, you are assuredly mistaken; for there is hardly any thing which would contribute more to the advancement of a young man, or which is more engaging. You read, I believe, a good deal; nothing could be more acceptable to me, or more improving to you, than making a part of your letters to consist |