, and wish to ask you, as the best
judge, of the best time for him to publish the work he has
composed. I need not say, that I have his success much at heart;
not only because he is my friend, but something much better--a man
of great talent, of which he is less sensible than I believe any
even of his enemies. If you can so far oblige me as to step down,
do so; and if you are otherwise occupied, say nothing about it. I
shall find you at home in the course of next week.

"P.S. I see Sotheby's Tragedies advertised. The Death of Darnley is
a famous subject--one of the best, I should think, for the drama.
Pray let me have a copy when ready.

"Mrs. Leigh was very much pleased with her books, and desired me to
thank you; she means, I believe, to write to you her
acknowledgments."

* * * * *

LETTER 174. TO MR. MOORE.

"2. Albany, April 9. 1814.

"Viscount Althorp is about to be married, and I have gotten his
spacious bachelor apartments in Albany, to which you will, I hope,
address a speedy answer to this mine epistle.

"I am but just returned to town, from which you may infer that I
have been out of it; and I have been boxing, for exercise, with
Jackson for this last month daily. I have also been drinking, and,
on one occasion, with three other friends at the Cocoa Tree, from
six till four, yea, unto five in the matin. We clareted and
champagned till two--then supped, and finished with a kind of
regency punch composed of madeira, brandy, and _green_ tea, no
_real_ water being admitted therein. There was a night for you!
without once quitting the table, except to ambulate home, which I
did alone, and in utter contempt of a hackney-coach and my own
_vis_, both of which were deemed necessary for our conveyance. And
so,--I am very well, and they say it will hurt my constitution.

"I have also, more or less, been breaking a few of the favourite
commandments; but I mean to pull up and marry, if any one will have
me. In the mean time, the other day I nearly killed myself with a
collar of brawn, which I swallowed for supper, and _in_digested for
I don't know how long: but that is by the by. All this gourmandise
was in honour of Lent; for I am forbidden meat all the rest of the
year, but it is strictly enjoined me dur