I To MR. HENRY DAVIS, Bookfeller in London. RESPECTED SIR, Abergavenny, Aug. 4• HAVE received your esteemed favour of the 13th ultimo, whereby it appeareth, that you have perufed those fame letters, the which were delivered unto you by my friend the Reverend Mr. Hugo Bhen; and I am pleased to find you think they may be printed with a good profpect of fuccefs; in as much as the objections you mention, I humbly conceive, are fuch as may be redargued, if not entirely removed.-And, firft, in the first place, as touching what prosecutions may arise from printing the private correfpondence of perfons ftill living, give me leave, with all due fubmiffion, to observe, that the letters in question were not written and fent under the feal of fecrefy; that they have no tendency to the mala fama or prejudice of any perfon whatsoever; but rather to the information and edification of mankind: So that it becometh a fort of duty to promulgate them in ufum publicum. Befides, I have confulted Mr. Davy Higgins, an eminent attorney of this place, who, after due infpection and confideration, declareth, that he doth not think the faid letters contain any matter which will be held actionable in the eye of the law. Finally, if you and I should come to a right understanding, I do declare in verbo facerdotis, that, in case of any fuch profecution, I will take the whole upon my own fhoulders, even quoad fine and imprisonment, though I must confefs I fhould not care to undergo flagellation: Tam ad turpitudinem, quam ad amaritudinem poena fpectans.---Secondly, concerning the perfonal refentment of Mr. Juftice Lifmahago, I may fay non flocci facio---I would not willingly vilipend any Chriftian, if peradventure he deferveth that epithet: Albeit I am much surprised that more care is not taken to exclude from the commiffion all fuch vagrant foreigners as may be juftly fufpected of difaffection to our happy conftitution in church and state.---God forbid that I fhould be fo uncharitable, as to affirm pofitively that the faid Lifmahago is no better than a Jefuit in difguife; but this Vol. VI. [iv] As I exhibited marks of bodily fear more ways than one, to the conviction of the bystanders, I bound him over; my action lay, and I recovered. As for flagellation, you have nothing to fear, and nothing to hope on that head--There has been but one printer flogged at the cart-tail these thirty years, that was Charles Wation; and he assured me it was no more than a flea-bite. C S has been threatened feveral times by the House of L-; but it came to nothing. If an information should be moved for, and granted against you, as the editor of thefe letters, I hope you will have honefty and wit enough to appear and take your trial---If you fhould be sentenced to the pillory, your fortune is made---As times go, that's a sure ftep to honour and preferment. I shall think myself happy if I can lend you a lift; and am, very fincerely, Yours, London, Aug. 10. HENRY DAVIS. Please my kind service to your neighbour, my coufin Madoc.---I have fent an almanack and court-kalendar, directed for him at Mr. Sutton's, bookfeller in Gloucefter, carriage paid, which he will please to accept as a fmall token of my regard. My wife, who is very fond of toafted cheese, prefents her compliments to him, and begs to know if there's any of that kind which he was fo good as to fend us laft Christmas, to be fold in London. H. D. THE pills are good for nothing I might as well swallow fnow-balls to cool my reins-I have told you over and over, how hard I am to move; and, at this time of day, I ought to know fomething of my own conftitution. Why will you be so positive? Prithee send me another prefcription I am as lame, and as much tortured in all my limbs, as if I was broke upon the wheel: Indeed, I am equally diftreffed in mind and body-As if I had not plagues enough of my own, those children of my fifter are left me for a perpetual fource of vexation-What bufinefs have people to get children to plague their neighbours? A ridiculous incident that happened yesterday to my niece Liddy, has difordered me in fuch a manner, that I expect to be laid up with another fit of the gout -Perhaps I may explain myself in my next. I fhall fet out to-morrow morning for the Hot Well at Bristol, where I am afraid I fhall ftay longer than I could wish. On the receipt of this, fend Williams thither with my saddle-horse and the demi-pique. Tell Barns to thresh out the two old ricks, and fend the corn to market, and fell it off to the poor at a fhilling a bufhel under market price. Vol. VI. A -I have received a fnivelling letter from Griffin, offering to make a public fubmiffion, and pay cofts. I want none of his fubmiffions; neither will I pocket any of his money-The fellow is a bad neighbour, and I defire to have nothing to do with him: But as he is purfe-proud, he fhall pay for his infolence: Let him give five pounds to the poor of the parish, and I'll withdraw my action; and in the mean time you may tell Prig to ftop proceedings. -Let Morgan's widow have the Alderney cow, and forty fhillings to clothe her children: But don't fay a fyllable of the matter to any living foul-I'll make her pay when she is able. I defire you will lock up all my drawers, and keep the keys till meeting; and be fure you take the iron cheft with my papers into your own cuftody-Forgive all this trouble from, WHEN this cums to hand, be sure to pack up in the The |