The Duke of Richmond and Lord Lyttelton agree with you, that I have not disculpated Richard of the murder of Henry vi.  I own to you, it is the crime of which in my own mind I believe him most guiltless.  Had I thought he committed it, I should never have taken the trouble to apologize-for the rest.  I am not at all positive or obstinate on your other objections, nor know exactly what I believe on many points of this story.  And I am so sincere, that, except a few notes hereafter, I shall leave the matter to be settled or discussed by others.  As you have written much too little, I have written a great deal too much, and think only of finishing the two or three other things I have begun—­and of those, nothing but the last volume of Painters is designed for the present public.  What has one to do when turned fifty, but really think of finishing?(1007)

I am much obliged and flattered by Mr. Mason’s approbation, and particularly by having had almost the same thought with him.  I said, “People need not be angry at my excusing Richard; I have not diminished their fund of hatred, I have only transferred it from Richard to Henry.”  Well, but I have found you close with Mason—­No doubt, cry Prating I, something will come out.(1008)- -Oh! no—­leave us, both of you, to Annabellas and Epistles to Ferney,(1009) that give Voltaire an account of his own tragedies, to +Macarony fables that are more unintelligible than Pilpay’s are in the original, to Mr. Thornton’s hurdy-gurdy poetry’(1010) and to Mr. ***** who has imitated himself worse than any fop in a magazine would have done.  In truth, if you should abandon us, I could not wonder—­When Garrick’s prologues and epilogues, his own Cymons and farces, and the comedies of the fools that pay court to him, are the delight of the age, it does not deserve any thing better.  Pray read the new account of Corsica.  What relates to Paoli will amuse you much.  There is a deal about the island and its divisions that one does not care a straw for.  The author, Boswell,(1011) is a strange being, and, like Cambridge, has a rage of knowing any body that ever was talked of.  He forced himself upon me at Paris in spite of my teeth and my doors, and I see has given a foolish account of all he could pick up from me about King Theodore.  He then took an antipathy to me on Rousseau’s account, abused me in the newspapers, and exhorted Rousseau to do so too:  but as he came to see me no more, I forgave all the rest.  I see he now is a little sick of Rousseau himself; but I hope it will not cure him of his anger to me.  However, his book will I am sure entertain you.(1012)

I will add but a word or two more.  I am criticised for the expression tinker up in the preface.  Is this one of those that you object to?  I own I think such a low expression, placed to ridicule an absurd instance of wise folly, very forcible.  Replace it with an elevated word or phrase, and to my conception it becomes as flat as possible.