book in your hand, all day-Yes - but why with a book? Had liked Virgil best in his youth.1 1805. July 17. Set out at eleven with Courtney 2 and a brace of Weymouth trout. Arrived at three. Were met by Mr. Fox in the garden. He wore a white hat, a light colored coat, and nankeen gaiters. Gnats very numerous · Cold summer. Meant to resume his history in a fortnight. Hitherto much occupied in letter-writing. In a letter-writing mood wrote to Dr. Bardsley of Manchester on his pamphlet against bull-baiting. Not against it himself; thought the outcry against the common people unjust, while their betters hunted and fished. Was decidedly in favor of boxing. Was very indulgent to works of taste. Had written to Roscoe concerning proper names disapproved altogether of his practice. 66 Virgil is 1 Lord Holland possesses his school Virgil full of praises, and can now account for his having often said always our first favorite." S. R. 2 Vide supra, p. 31. 3 Samuel Argent Bardsley, M. D. on the Use and Abuse of Popular Sports and Exercises. - Mem. Manch. Soc. vol. 1. His instance of Louis, in the introduction, particularly against him.1 Hume his quotations at full length from other writers — sometimes altered in the language for no purposeas in the case of a passage from Burnet, whose language certainly required no alteration. The practice of quoting gave great variety to his style. Homer - Iliad and Odyssey - Knight2 was coming to read his arguments why they were written by different people Was inclined to say he would not believe it. Would not say he would rather have written the Odyssey - but knows he would rather read it. 1 Roscoe, in his preface to his Life of Leo X., published shortly before the date of this conversation, had justified the practice he had adopted of designating the scholars of Italy by their national appellations; and of his spelling the name of the King of France as Louis XII. (the name he himself recognized,) and not Lewis XII. which latter spelling Roscoe admitted to be the English mode. — Pref. to Leo X. 1st edit. It appears by Roscoe's later editions that he was not induced by Mr. Fox's criticism to alter his practice. 2 Richard Payne Knight; he afterwards published an edition of Homer, with notes containing arguments to the effect here mentioned by Mr. Fox; he was a near relative of Mr. Rogers. Believed it to be the first tale in the world. That everlasting combat in the Iliad he never could get over. Mrs. Barbauld's Life of Richardson admirable always wished she had written more, and not misspent her time in writing books for children, now multiplied beyond all bounds though hers were the best. Two or three chapters of Paley1 on Public Worship capital in thought and language. Paley a great temporizer. Had just read Gray's two odes 2. excellent but with some faults. Liked particularly the first two stanzas in the Bard - and that in the other ode, “In climes beyond the Solar road" 3 This the best of all. 1 See Book V. Chapters 4, 5, &c. of Paley's Moral Philosophy, where the subject of Public Worship is discussed. See also supra, p. 41. ? From what follows, it appears Mr. Fox must have intended by "Gray's two odes," The Bard and The Ode on the Progress of Poesy; though he mentions other odes of Gray shortly below. 8 "In climes beyond the solar road, Where shaggy forms o'er ice-built mountains roam, To cheer the shivering native's dull abode. Had read Euripides with great delight.1 Shakspeare after all affected him most. I like the three Henrys (in answer to some objection of mine); the character of Henry always excellently kept up. Liked Pope, but thought him much inferior to Dryden. Fitzpatrick was a great Popist, and would not hear of the Rape of the Lock as his best. Perhaps his Homer should be mentioned as his great work after all. Bolingbroke Idid not like him. It was the fashion to say surgeons were always right. Had heard no nightingales here this spring but many thrushes. "And oft beneath the od'rous shade Of Chili's boundless forests laid, She deigns to hear the savage youth repeat In loose numbers wildly sweet Their feather-cinctured chiefs, and dusky loves. Her track, where'er the Goddess roves, Glory pursue, and generous Shame, Th' unconquerable Mind, and Freedom's holy flame." Progress of Poesy, II. 2. 1 Mr. Fox, in his correspondence edited by Lord John Russell, III. 178, remarks that of all poets Euripides appeared to him the most useful for a public speaker. The only foundation for toleration is a degree of skepticism; and without it there can be none. For if a man believes in the saving of souls, he must soon think about the means; and if, by cutting off one generation, he can save many future ones from Hell-fire, it is his duty to do it. Never heard Burke say he was no Christian; but had no reason to think he was one - certainly no papist. Hume's best volumes the first volume (quarto) of the Stuarts, and the last of the Tudors: Elizabeth, James the First, and Charles the First. Charles the Second's reign, and the Revolution, very briefly and negligently hurried over. The earlier history well enough written; but not so well. 1 Virgil's "O fortunatos, &c." 1 the most beautiful 10 fortunatos nimiùm, sua si bona norint, At secura quies, et nescia fallere vita, Dives opum variarum; at latis otia fundis, |