grow old fools.  Their age gives them authority, and nobody contradicts them.  In the world, one cannot help perceiving one is out of fashion.  Women play at cards with women of their own standing, and censure others between the deals, and thence conclude themselves Gamaliels.  I who see many young men with better parts than myself, submit with a good grace, or retreat hither to my castle, where I am satisfied with what I have done, and am always in good humour.  But I like to have one or two old friends with me.  I do not much invite the juvenile, who think my castle and me of equal antiquity:  for no wonder, if they supposed George I. lived in the time of the crusades.

Adieu! my good Sir, and pray let Burnham Wood and Dunsinane be good neighbours.  Yours ever.

(110) Sir John Fenn, who edited the “Original Letters, written during the Reigns of Henry VI., Edward iv., Richard iii., and Henry ViI., by various Persons of rank and consequence, digested in a Chronological order — with Notes historical and explanatory;” which were published in four volumes, quarto, between the years 1787-1789.  The letters are principally by members of the Paston family and others, who were of great consequence in Norfolk at the time Sir John who was a native of Norwich, died in 1794.  A fifth volume was published in 1823.- E.

(111) Alluding to his not having answered a letter from Mr. Cole for nearly a twelvemonth.

Letter 68 To The Rev. Mr. Cole.  Strawberry Hill, June 21, 1774. (page 93)

Your illness, dear Sir, is the worst excuse you could make me; and the worse, as you may be well in a night, if you will, by taking six grains of James’s Powder.  He cannot cure death; but he can most complaints that are not mortal or chronical.  He could cure you so soon of colds, that he would cure you of another distemper, to which I doubt you are a little subject, the fear of them.  I hope you were certain, that illness is a legal plea for missing induction, or you will have nursed a cough and hoarseness with too much tenderness, as they certainly could bear a journey.  Never see my face again, if you are not rector of Burnham.  How can you be so bigoted to Milton?  I should have thought the very name would have prejudiced you against the place, as the name is all that could approach towards reconciling me to the fens.  I shall be very glad to see you here, whenever you have resolution enough to quit your cell.  But since Burnham and the neighbourhood of Windsor and Eton have no charms for you, can I expect that Strawberry Hill should have any?  Methinks, that when one grows old, one’s contemporary friends should be our best amusement:  for younger people are soon tired of us, and our old stories:  but I have found the contrary in some of mine.  For your part, you care for conversing with none but the dead:  for I reckon the unborn, for whom you are writing, as much dead, as those from whom you collect. .