e
statues which will be erected to my immortal honour.

I am thinking that my mind is too delicate, and my feelings too fine for
the rough bustle of life; I am therefore thinking that I shall steal
silently and unperceived through the world; that I shall pass the winter
in London, much in the same way that the Spectator describes himself to
have done; and in summer, shall live sometimes here at home; sometimes
in such a pleasing retirement as Mrs. Row beautifully paints in her
letters moral and entertaining.[45] I like that book much. I read it
when I was very young, and I am persuaded, that it contributed to
improve my tender imagination. I am thinking that I shall feel my frame
too delicate for the British Climate. I am thinking that I shall go and
live in one of the most pleasant provincial towns in the South of
France, where I shall be blest with constant felicity. This is a scheme
to which I could give vast praise, were I near the beginning of my
letter; but as that is very far from being the case, I must reserve it
for a future epistle.

[Footnote 45: "Letters, Moral and Entertaining, in Prose and Verse," by
Elizabeth Rowe.--ED.]

I am glad to find you are so anxious to hear about the Cub at Newmarket,
Love me, love my Cub. However, I can tell you nothing about him. Dodsley
has not yet sent me a copy.

Derrick,[46] a London author, whom you have heard me mention, has sent
me his versifications of the battle of Lora, and some of the Erse
fragments. If you want to see them, let me have some franks.

[Footnote 46: "Pray, Sir," said Mr. Morgann to Johnson, "whether do you
reckon Derrick or Smart the best poet?" Johnson at once felt himself
roused; and answered, "Sir, there is no settling the point of precedency
between a louse and a flea." Boswell's "Life of Johnson." Date of March
30th, 1783.--ED.]

I shall be at Dumfries soon, where I hope to see my friend Johnston. We
will talk much of old Scotch history, and the memory of former years
will warm our hearts. We will also talk of Captain Andrew, with whom we
have passed many a pleasant hour. Johnston is a very worthy fellow: I
may safely say so; for I have lived in intimacy with him more years than
the Egyptian famine lasted.

And now, O most renowned of Captains! having fairly written myself out
of pen, ink, and paper, I conclude with my usual epithet, of

Your affectionate friend,

JAMES BOSWELL.

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LETTER XXIX