Of my new fourth volume I printed six hundred; but as they can be had, I believe not a third part is sold.  This is a very plain lesson to me, that my editions sell for their curiosity, and not for any merit in them:  and so they would if I printed Mother Goose’s Tales, and but a few.  As my Anecdotes of Painting have been published at such distant periods, and in three divisions, complete sets will be seldom seen; so, If I am humbled as an author, I may be vain as a printer; and, when one has nothing else to be vain of, it is certainly very little worth while to be proud of that.

I will now trust you with a secret, but beg Mr. Gough may not know it, for he will print it directly.  Though I forgot Alma Mater, I have not forgotten my Alma Nutrices, wet or dry, I mean Eton and King’s.  I have laid aside for them, and left them in my will, as complete a set as I could, of all I have printed.  A few I did give them at first; but I have for neither a perfect set of the Anecdotes, I mean not the two first volumes.  I should be much obliged to you, if, without naming me, you could inform yourself if I did send to King’S those two first volumes—­I believe not. ’

I will now explain what I said above of Mr. Gough.  He has learnt, I suppose from my engravers, that I have had some views of Strawberry-hill engraved.  Slap-dash, down it went, and he has even specified each view in his second volume.  This curiosity is a little impertinent; but he has made me some amends by a new blunder, for he says they are engraved for a second edition of my Catalogue.  Now I have certainly printed but one edition, for which the prints are designed.  He says truly, that I printed but a few for use; consequently, I by no means wished the whole world should know it; but he is silly, and so I will say no more about him.  Dr. Lort called yesterday, and asked if I had any message for you; but I had written too lately.

Mr. Pennant has been, as I think I told you, in town:  by this time I conclude he is, as Lady Townley says of fifty pounds, all over the kingdom.  When Dr. Lort returns, I shall be very glad to read your transcript of Wolsey’s Letters; for, in your hand, I can read them.  I will not have them but by some very safe conveyance, and will return them with equal care.

I can have no objection to Robin Masters being wooden-head of the Antiquarian Society; but, I suppose, he is not dignified enough for them.  I should prefer the Judge too, because a coif makes him more like an old woman, and I reckon that Society the midwives of superannuated miscarriages.  I am grieved for the return of your headaches—­I doubt you write too much.  Yours most sincerely.

P. S. It will be civil to tell Dr. Farmer that I do not know whether I can obey his commands , but that I will if I can.  As to a distinguished place, I beg not to be preferred to much better authors; nay, the more conspicuous, the more likely to be stolen for the reasons I have given you, of there being few complete sets, and true collectors are mighty apt to steal.