My book is marvellously in fashion, to my great astonishment.  I did not expect so much truth and such notions of liberty would have made their fortune in this our day.  I am preparing an edition for publication, and then I must expect to be a little less civilly treated.  My Lord Chesterfield tells every body that he subscribes to all my opinions; but this mortifies me about as much as the rest flatter me I cannot, because it is my own case, forget how many foolish books he has diverted himself with commending The most extraordinary thing I have heard about mine is, that it being talked of at lord Arran’s table, Doctor King, the Dr. King of Oxford, said of the passage on my father; “It is very modest, very genteel, and VEry true.”  I asked my Lady Cardigan if she would forgive my making free with her grandmother;(887) she replied very sensibly, “I am sure she would not have hindered any body from writing against me; why should I be angry at any writing against her?”

The history promised you of Dr. Brown is this.  Sir Charles Williams had written an answer to his first silly volume of the Estimate,(888) chiefly before he came over, but finished while he was confined at Kensington.  Brown had lately lodged in the same house, not mad now, though he has been so formerly.  The landlady told Sir Charles, and offered to make affidavit that Dr. Brown was the most profane cursor and swearer that ever came into her house.  Before I proceed in my history, I will tell you another anecdote of this great performer:  one of his antipathies is the Opera, yet the only time I ever saw him was in last Passion-week singing the Romish Stabat mater with the Mingotti, behind a harpsichord at a great concert at my Lady Carlisle’s.  Well—­in a great apprehension of Sir Charles divulging the story of his swearing, Brown went to Dodsley in a most scurrilous and hectoring manner, threatening Dodsley if he should publish any thing personal against him; abusing Sir Charles for a coward and most abandoned man, and bidding Dodsley tell the latter that he had a cousin in the army who would call Sir Charles to account for any reflections on him, Brown.  Stay; this Christian message from a divine, who by the way has a chapter in his book against duelling, is not all:  Dodsley refused to carry any such message, unless in writing.  The Doctor, enough in his senses to know the consequences of this, refused; and at last a short verbal message, more decently worded, was agreed on.  To this Sir Charles made Dodsley write down this answer:  “that he could not but be surprised at Brown’s message, after that he Sir Charles, had, at Ranby’s desire, sent Brown a written assurance that he intended to say nothing personal of him—­nay, nor should yet, unless Brown’s impertinence made it necessary.”  This proper reply Dodsley sent:  Brown wrote back, that he should send an answer to Sir Charles himself; but bid Dodsley take notice, that printing the works of a supposed lunatic might be imputed to