lutter of his
pulse, and looked for the last time upon the face that for fifteen
years had never been turned upon me but with respect or benignity.
Farewell. May God, that delighteth in mercy, have had mercy on thee!
I had constantly prayed for him some time before his death. The
decease of him, from whose friendship I had obtained many
opportunities of amusement, and to whom I turned my thoughts as to a
refuge from misfortunes, has left me heavy. But my business is with
myself."

On the same paper is a note: "My first knowledge of Thrale was in
1765. I enjoyed his favours for almost a fourth part of my life."

On the 20th March, 1782, he wrote thus to Langton:

"Of my life, from the time we parted, the history is mournful. The
spring of last year deprived me of Thrale, a man whose eye for
fifteen years had scarcely been turned upon me but with respect or
tenderness; for such another friend, the general course of human
things will not suffer man to hope. I passed the summer at Streatham,
but there was no Thrale; and having idled away the summer with a
weakly body and neglected mind, I made a journey to Staffordshire on
the edge of winter. The season was dreary, I was sickly, and found
the friends sickly whom I went to see."

There is ample evidence that he neither felt nor suspected any
diminution of kindness or regard, and continued, till their final
departure from Streatham, to treat it as his home.

In November she writes, "Do not forget Streatham and its inhabitants,
who are all much yours;" and he replies:

"Birmingham, Dec. 8th, 1781.

"DEAR MADAM,--I am come to this place on my way to London and to
Streatham. I hope to be in London on Tuesday or Wednesday, and
Streatham on Thursday, by your kind conveyance. I shall have nothing
to relate either wonderful or delightful. But remember that you sent
me away, and turned me out into the world, and you must take the
chance of finding me better or worse. This you may know at present,
that my affection for you is not diminished, and my expectation from
you is increased. Do not neglect me, nor relinquish me. Nobody will
ever love you better or honour you more."

"Feb. 16th, 1782.

"DEAREST LADY,--I am better, but not yet well; but hope springs
eternal. As soon as I can think myself not troublesome, you may be
sure of seeing me, _for such a place to visit nobody ever had_.
Dearest Madam, do not think me worse than I am; be sure, at least,
that whatever happens