in my catalogue at four pounds fifteen fhillings"; Pilkington's Dictionary of Painters, at even guineas, usually fold at three; Francis's Horace, two pounds eleven fhillings, and many others in the fame manner. At Sir George Colebrook's fale, the octavo edition of the Tatler fold for two guineas and a half. At a fale a few weeks fince, Rapin's Hiftory, in folio, the two first volumes only (instead of five) fold for upwards of five pounds! I charge for the fame from ten fillings and fixpence to one pound ten fillings. I fell great numbers of books to pawnbrokers, who fell them out of their windows at much higher prices, the purchasers believing that they are buying bargains, and that fuch articles have been pawned; and it is not only books which pawnbrokers purchase, but various other matters, and they always purchase the worst kind of every article they fell. I will even add, that many fhops which are called pawnbrokers, never take in any pawns, yet can live by felling things which are fuppofed to be kept over time. 03 I went I went on profperoufly until fome time in September, 1775, when I was fuddenly taken ill of a dreadful fever; and eight or ten days after, my wife was feized with the fame diforder. "Human hopes, now mounting high, "On the fwelling furge of joy; "Sinking to the depths below." WEST'S Pinder. At that time I only kept a boy to help in my shop, fo that I fear, while I lay ill, my wife had too much care and anxiety on her mind. I have been told that, before the was confined to her bed, fhe walked about in a delirious ftate; in which he did not long continue, but contrary to all expectation died, in a fit of enthusiastic rant, on the ninth of November, furrounded with feveral metho'diftical preachers. "Invidious death! how dost thou rend in funder "Whom love has knit and fympathy made one? "A tie fo ftubborn.". BLAIR'S Grave. She was in reality one of the best of women; and although for about four years the was ill the greatest part of the time, which involved involved me in the very depth of poverty and diftrefs, yet I never once repented having married her. still bufy meddling memory, "In barbarous fucceffion, mufters up "The past endearments of our fofter hours, "Tenacious of his theme." BLAIR'S Grave. 'Tis true fhe was enthufiaftical to an extreme, and of course very fuperftitious and vifionary, but as I was very far gone myself, I did not think that a fault in her. "Go, take thy feat, the heav'nly choirs among, "But leave thy virtues to the world below." Orlando Furiofo. Indeed fhe much exceeded me, and most others that ever fell under my obfervation, as fhe in reality totally neglected and difre garded every kind of pleasure whatever, but those of a spiritual (or vifionary) nature. Methinks I here fee you fmile: but I affure you she made no exception; but was a complete devotee, and what is more remarkable, without pride or ill-nature. "Intentions fo pure, and fuch meekness of spirit, "Muft of course, and of right, Heaven's kingdom inherit." SIMKIN. I am, dear Friend, yours. LETTER XXII. "I've ftrange news to give you! but when you receive it, "I'll digrefs for a moment to lay it before ye." DEAR SIR, A Friend of mine, of whofe veracity I entertain the highest opinion, has favoured me with an account of a lady, who has to the full as much, indeed more of the fpirit, but without the good-nature of Nancy Lackington. The fact is as follows: "'Tis true 'tis pity: and pity 'tis its true." Mr. R-t, a genteel tradefman with whom I am acquainted, having loft his fecond wife early in 1790, courted and married one of the holy fifters a few months afterwards. They had lived together about fix months, when Mr. R―t, one Sunday, being a fober religious man, took down Doddridge's Lectures, and began to read them to his wife and family. But this holy fifter found fault with her huf band' band for reading fuch learned rational difcourses, which favoured too much of human reafon and vain philosophy, and wished he would read fomething more fpiritual and edi fying. He attempted to convince her that Dr. Doddridge was not only a good rational divine, but to the full as fpiritual as any divine ought to be; and that to be more fpiritual he must be lefs rational, and of course become fanatical and vifionary. But thefe obfervations of the hufband fo difpleafed his fpiritual wife, that the retired to bed, and left her husband to read Doddridge's Lectures as long as he chofe to his children by a former wife. The next morning, while Mr. R-t was out on business, this holy fifter, without faying one fyllable to any perfon, packed up all her clothes, crammed them into a hackney coach, and away fhe went. Mr. R-t, poor foul! on coming home, difcovered his immenfe lofs, and in an almoft frantic ftate, spent the first fortnight in fruitless attempts to difcover her retreat. "Three |