For my own part I have been a thousand times fatisfied, that our minds are yet more distinct and appropriate than our perfons, and that no man ever refembled his neighbour fo much in the former as the latter. Something renders each being original; and though we are all of one fpecies, were the diffimilarities of each individual to be laid open in a candid history of his peculiar fenfations, they would be perhaps numerous enough for every mortal to exclaim" Although "I am of the fame kind, and resemble you,

neighbour, in some things, I differ from you "fo effentially in others, that I am myself alone; "nor do I deny that you may lay claim to like “original traits."

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myself. In pleasure, especially if it be sudden, I hardly know what to do with myself-a letter which describes the health or wealth of an absent friend, the conciliation of an enemy, or of any thing like conciliation of the latter, the view of a happy countenance, the found of a happy voice, the fmiling face of general nature in the fpring, diffufing general felicity on animal as well as human life, the fight or even the relation of a generous action, the foft remembrance of kindnefs received in years long paft, the recollection even of places where I have feen or converfed with thofe, whom though, perhaps, I may con verse with and fee no more, perhaps I may all these, and ten thoufand times ten thousand other things, work themfelves fo ftrongly into the frame of my heart and foul, that I am for a confiderable time bleffed beyond talking, and am as restlefs and filent, as if I were fpeechlefs from diftrefs. As the pleafurable idea takes poffeffion of me, I am driven about in a manner, and with a rapidity, that a spectator ignorant of my habits, would fet me down as an unhappy fellow, vainly trying to run away from his mifery. I cannot fit in my chair, nor keep out of it. I even turn from the object, if it be near, from which I derive my felicity. But I turn away frequently with a heart fo full of tender gratitude, that even when the

object

object is inanimate, (a fine expanfe of water of of wood, or a small rivulet, or a little path way near, or along which I have wandered, or to which I owe an agreeable image for my mufe, or for my friend) thofe tears which come from the fpring of pleasure gush to my eyes. It is It is certainly great happinefs, but I can neither tell, nor at the moment write about it:

Mine is the harveft dancing in the gale,

Sort Whatever crowns the hill, or fmiles along the vale. noibellous 594 sq gnof

Yet till the first impreffions are fomewhat fubfided, I could not put into the fheaf of our corref pondence a fingle wheat-ear.

How different is the influence of pleasure on many whom I have had the delight to fee happy! how has their felicity poured itself forth in expreffion! How has it made thofe fpeak, who, in lefs fortunate hours, were fo profoundly filent, that

In grief alone it is, that I am loquacious and yét tranquil. I remain for fome hours fixed, as if ftatue-ftruck, to the fpot where the misfortune fell upon me; but if a friend appears, on that fofteft pillow for an aching heart I lean for comfort, and explain

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explain my feelings without referve. 2 If no refource of this kind is at hand, I can, even while the anguish is upon my mind, force it, or rather fhall I fay indulge it, the only mode of communication which abfence allows :

Heav'n firft taught letters for fome wretch's aid." ! ཟླ Or I derive confolement from the Muse, and have proved, in a thousand inftances, that "flowing "numbers" are very fuitable "with a bleeding "heart." If I have ever had the power of interefting the affections of my reader, in describing any imagined forrow, it has always been when I felt the puncture of fome actual diftrefs. And if I have at any time had the happiness to fatisfy others by any ftrain or ftory which painted fancied, or real felicity, it has been the production of fubfequent memory rather than of immediate fenfation. I am made happy: the inftant effect does what it will with me, and for fome hours it keeps me in perpetual motion. I think and feel volumes; but I could no more ufe a pen than the gander or goofe, on whofe wing it once grew. As the matter fettles a little, I am equal to converse or correspondence: the fitness for which I first gather from perceiving within me the power of talking to myself. With the return of my folloquies, return also my colloquial abilities; and after a few discoveries

discoveries or thinkings aloud, I open upon every perfon I meet, chat with every cottager, enter almost every hut; and though I am not fo vIOL lently happy as I was, am, perhaps, more comfortable; to others I certainly am; for during my whirligig, outrageous ftage, a cottager would be frightened at me, and a hut fcarce hold me. Yes, my friend, it is then that I must

"Have ample room and verge enough."

But what am I about? Much of this you know, and have humoured me both when the fit has been on and off. Into what length of felfish delineation has the introduction of a little melancholy fong betrayed me? Yet may it not have thrown fome general light on fome commonly received opinions? and were it only a particular portrait of my own way of feeling, furely I may be indulged in a few pages facred to a friend," who will pardon my egotifm, and smile on my peculiarities.

Poffibly they are not the peculiarities of any other man, and therefore can expect to find favour only in the eyes of a friend; unless every other man would remember, that they too have peculiarities of fome fort, and perhaps not many fo

pleafant