“P.S.  Lord Carlisle, on receiving my poems, sent, before he opened the book, a tolerably handsome letter:—­I have not heard from him since.  His opinions I neither know nor care about:  if he is the least insolent, I shall enrol him with Butler[74] and the other worthies.  He is in Yorkshire, poor man! and very ill!  He said he had not had time to read the contents, but thought it necessary to acknowledge the receipt of the volume immediately.  Perhaps the Earl ’bears no brother near the throne,’—­if so, I will make his sceptre totter in his hands.—­Adieu!”

LETTER 16.

TO MISS ——.

“August 2. 1807.

“London begins to disgorge its contents—­town is empty—­consequently I can scribble at leisure, as occupations are less numerous.  In a fortnight I shall depart to fulfil a country engagement; but expect two epistles from you previous to that period.  Ridge does not proceed rapidly in Notts—­very possible.  In town things wear a more promising aspect, and a man whose works are praised by reviewers, admired by duchesses, and sold by every bookseller of the metropolis, does not dedicate much consideration to rustic readers.  I have now a review before me, entitled ‘Literary Recreations,’ where my hardship is applauded far beyond my deserts.  I know nothing of the critic, but think him a very discerning gentleman, and myself a devilish clever fellow.  His critique pleases me particularly, because it is of great length, and a proper quantum of censure is administered, just to give an agreeable relish to the praise.  You know I hate insipid, unqualified, common-place compliment.  If you would wish to see it, order the 13th Number of ‘Literary Recreations’ for the last month.  I assure you I have not the most distant idea of the writer of the article—­it is printed in a periodical publication—­and though I have written a paper (a review of Wordsworth),[75] which appears in the same work, I am ignorant of every other person concerned in it—­even the editor, whose name I have not heard.  My cousin, Lord Alexander Gordon, who resided in the same hotel, told me his mother, her Grace of Gordon, requested he would introduce my Poetical Lordship to her Highness, as she had bought my volume, admired it exceedingly, in common with the rest of the fashionable world, and wished to claim her relationship with the author.  I was unluckily engaged on an excursion for some days afterwards, and as the Duchess was on the eve of departing for Scotland, I have postponed my introduction till the winter, when I shall favour the lady, whose taste I shall not dispute, with my most sublime and edifying conversation.  She is now in the Highlands, and Alexander took his departure, a few days ago, for the same blessed seat of ’dark rolling winds.’