you the particulars of the plan; it is, therefore, still on this basis I tender you the Work-but under every cheering hope, your Lordship will find nothing in the Book to resist the Writer's claims, or to make you shrink from your own-a subject to which the Public will think I have by no means done full justice in this simple expression of them.

For my own part, I never could see clearly on what reasoning the maxim was founded that, no Evil is to be spoken of the Dead, any more than on what solid ground it could be argued that no Good is to be written of the Living; though I enter perfectly into the feeling which makes an ill report of either, one of the hardest duties imposed on a generous disposition. "A Book," says an Author I have had occasion to quote in the body of this Work

་་

"which endeavours to eternize the memory

of truly great and noble Benefactors, to whom Works of consummate excellence, and acts of piety, charity, or public spirit, have deservedly given superior distinction in the age in which they lived," might have said, or are living-" is a RECORD OF VIRTUE."

he

Accept then, my Lord, this preliminary Volume of English Gleanings,-receive it, I beseech you, as you will find I have all along requested the Friend to whom the materials which principally compose it, were originally sent, -as a FAMILY PICTURE taken from the life, and shewn

immediately after the first sitting the outline sketched, the general figure exhibited, with here a particular lineament of boldness and strength, and there a trait of more softness its harmonious proportions lightly touched, and an imperfect and rapid, but warm grouping of

the whole And do not, I entreat you,

let it be the subject of one moment's regret, that, as in the original, so in the copy, I thus casually mention a Nobleman as a first figure, which must inevitably stand extremely forward in the Piece, by whomsoever it may be painted.

CONTENTS.

ARRANGEM

LETTER I.

ANGEMENT of correspondence with the BARON

DE B.-Difficulties of Gleaning ENGLAND explain-
ed, and adjusted-a preliminary compact

PAGE

LETTER II.

Historical retrospect of the Island-Comparison, con-

trasts, and illustrations the dominion of the Druids

the several pictures-General modern character-Cli-

mate, and geographical division of the country...

10

LETTER III.

Of the proposed plan of excursion - Impediments-
BROMLEY, in Kent-a poetical landscape taken there,
in pencil-Sickness-Convalescence-Villa of Major

-

JOHN SCOTT-Grave of HAWKESWORTH -SUM-
MER-TRIBUTE TO NATURE-Village of LEE-
Monument of Lord DACHE-Conduct of his widow

Reflections on posthumous attachment Modern
etiquettes superseding the feelings of Nature— In-
stanced by proxy-nurses and proxy-mourners-
Epitaph on the late Countess of KERRY, by her hus-
band Remarks

-

PÁGÉ

29

LETTER IV.

We," in England, "fly by night "-Sweep of an
hundred miles into NORFOLK, betwixt afternoon tea
and morning breakfast The Author's explanations
as to нis mode of travel-England's pre-eminence

Luxuries-HORSES-CARRIAGES

These compared with their contrasts in

other countries-

and formerly in our own- -EPPING-

FOREST AUDLEY-END Earl of EGREMONT

-

Observations on the establishment of MAIL

COACHES the history of that institution-Gar-

-

ENGLISH INNS-their contrasts abroad-Dr. Johnson's

idea of an English tavern-The Gleaner's opinion-