In the evil habit of answering familiar letters without having them before me, I forgot to notice your question respecting the nitrous oxyde; which however I should not have done had the thing been as hopeful as you supposed it to be.

What I said was simply this, that the excitement produced by the inhalation was not followed by any consequent debility or exhaustion; on the contrary that it appeared to quicken all the senses during the remainder of the day. – One case occurred in which the gas seemed to produce a good effect upon a palsied patient.

A fellow in the institu who had lost the use of his hands (a taylor by trade) was so far cured, – that he was turned out of the house for picking xx pockets. -

The difficulty in finding 200 subscribers

arises from this, my dear Grosvenor, – that our friends are never so ready to bestir themselves in our affairs, as our enemies. There are half a score persons in the world who would take some pains to serve me, – & there are half a hundred who would take a great deal more to injure me. The former would gladly do any thing for me which lay in their way: – the latter would go out of theirs to do any thing against me – . I do not say this complainingly, for no man was ever less disposed to be querulous; & perhaps no one hxx ever had more friends upon whose friendship he might justly pride himself. But it is the way of the world, – & the simple reason is, that enmity is a stronger feeling than good will

Sir Robert Inglis has sent me some names, Lord Sidmouth

& Bexley

are among them.

You have far too may engagements to make it in anyway looked for that you should call upon Edith. But if your horse happens to have you on his back at any time when you are in that part of the New Road to which Baker Street leads, & you should enquire for her at N^o 16 York Place, & find her at home, – she would be heartily glad to see you, & you would think your call well-bestowed by her introducing you to that very M^rs Gonne whom you do not know. For M^rs Gonne is familiar with your name, – & is, of all women whom I have ever known, the one whom all who know her have concurred in liking best. – Edith is taking lessons from Fielding.

I am reviewing Hayleys life

for the desire of lucre, – a motive which according to a writer in – the Ladys Magazine, induced me to compile the Book of the Church, – & is indeed, according to this well informed person, the leading principle of my literary life.

How thoroughly should I be revenged upon such miserable wretches as this, if it were possible for them to know wxx with what infinite contempt I regard them! Hayleys life will be easily abridged, – I shall treat him as a gentleman & a scholar ought to be treated without dissembling his faults as a writer, & introduce as much as may be needful of the literary history of his time, – that is of the time in which he flourished – for flourish once he did, & for some years was in a popular poet what one sphere of fancy what Spring is at this time in another.

Shall I tell you what books I have in reading at this time, – that you may see how many ingredients are required for garnishing a calf’s head. – A batch of volumes from Murray relating to the events of the last ten years in Spain: – <Bp. Parkers de Rebus sui Temporis,

-> Cardinal D’Ossats letters:

– the Memoirs of the 3^rd Duke de Bourbon:

– Whitakers Pierce Ploughman:

the Mirror for Magistrates,

– the collection of State Poems:

– Tiraboschi,

– & the Nibelungen in its original old German, & its modern German version,

the one helping me to understand the other. – Some of them I read after supper – some while taking my daily walk, – the rest in odds & ends of time, laying down the pen when it does not flow freely, & taking up a book for five or ten minutes by way of breathing myself.

I am much concerned at what you say of Elmsley. He said in a letter to me some two months ago that his digestive powers were out of order, & that if they continued so he should forego his intended journey into France, rather than be out of the way of medical advice. – So you have fallen in with Bigge,

– he is a great person in Northumberland. – Did I tell you that young Levett

& his wife met me, on my late travels, in Hampshire? He has no children & having a good income with his wife (about 700 £ a year I was told) had resigned a living of about the same amount from a very honourable motive. It had been given him by Lord somebody

– a College friend: – that Lord, after leading an exemplary domestic life till he was nearer 50 than 40 – chose to plant a mistress near his own abode in so scandalous a manner, that Levett found it necessary for his own feelings to withdraw from the neighbourhood, & break off in this manner all connection with a man whom he could not reclaim & who had forfeited all claim to his esteem. – We met very cordially, & on both sides there would be a good disposition to meet again.