by forwarding to us the votes of the houses, the king’s speech, and the magazines; or if you had any such thing as a little book called the Foreigner’s Guide through the city of London and the liberties of Westminster; or a letter to a Freeholder; or the Political Companion:  then ’twoulg be an infinite obligation if you would neatly band-box up a baby dressed after the newest Temple fashion now in use at both play-houses.  Alack-a-day!  We shall just arrive in the tempest of elections!

As our departure depends entirely upon the weather, we cannot tell you to a day when we shall say Dear West, how glad I am to see you! and all the many questions and answers that we shall give and take.  Would the day were come!  Do but figure to yourself the journey we are to pass through first!  But you can’t conceive Alps, Apennines, Italian inns, and postchaises.  I tremble at the thoughts.  They were just sufferable while new and unknown, and as we met them by the way in coming to Florence, Rome, and Naples; but they are passed, and the mountains remain!  Well, write to one in the interim; direct to me addressed to Monsieur Selwyn, chez Monsieur.Ilexandre, Rue St. Apolline, a Paris.  If Mr. Alexandre is not there, the street is, and I believe that will be sufficient.  Adieu, my dear child!  Yours ever.

(220) A line of the manuscript is here torn away.

(221) Charles the Sixth, Emperor of Germany, upon whose death, on the 9th of October, his eldest daughter, Maria-Theresa, in virtue of the Pragmatic Sanction, instantly succeeded to the whole Austrian inheritance.-E.

168 Letter 29 To The Rev. Joseph Spence. (222) Florence, Feb. 21, 1741, N. S.

Sir, Not having time last post, I begged Mr. Mann to thank you for the obliging paragraph for me in your letter to him.  But as I desire a nearer correspondence with you than by third hands, I assure you in my own proper person that I shall have great pleasure, on our meeting in England, to renew an acquaintance that ’I began with so much pleasure in Italy. (223) I Will not reckon you among my modern friends, but in the first article of virtu:  you have given me so many new lights into a science that but a warmth and freedom that will flow from my friendship, and which will not be contained within the circle of a severe awe.  As I shall always be attentive to give you any satisfaction that lies in my power, I take the first opportunity of sending you two little poems, both by a hand that I know you esteem the most; if you have not seen them, you will thank me for lilies of Mr. Pope:  if you have, why I did not know it.