life has been at variance with propriety, not to
say decency; my circumstances are become involved; my friends are
dead or estranged, and my existence a dreary void. In Matthews I
have lost my 'guide, philosopher, and friend;' in Wingfield a
friend only, but one whom I could have wished to have preceded in
his long journey.

"Matthews was indeed an extraordinary man; it has not entered into
the heart of a stranger to conceive such a man: there was the stamp
of immortality in all he said or did;--and now what is he? When we
see such men pass away and be no more--men, who seem created to
display what the Creator _could make_ his creatures, gathered into
corruption, before the maturity of minds that might have been the
pride of posterity, what are we to conclude? For my own part, I am
bewildered. To me he was much, to Hobhouse every thing.--My poor
Hobhouse doted on Matthews. For me, I did not love quite so much as
I honoured him; I was indeed so sensible of his infinite
superiority, that though I did not envy, I stood in awe of it. He,
Hobhouse, Davies, and myself, formed a coterie of our own at
Cambridge and elsewhere. Davies is a wit and man of the world, and
feels as much as such a character can do; but not as Hobhouse has
been affected. Davies, who is not a scribbler, has always beaten us
all in the war of words, and by his colloquial powers at once
delighted and kept us in order. H. and myself always had the worst
of it with the other two; and even M. yielded to the dashing
vivacity of S.D. But I am talking to you of men, or boys, as if you
cared about such beings.

"I expect mine agent down on the 14th to proceed to Lancashire,
where I hear from all quarters that I have a very valuable property
in coals, &c. I then intend to accept an invitation to Cambridge in
October, and shall, perhaps, run up to town. I have four
invitations--to Wales, Dorset, Cambridge, and Chester; but I must
be a man of business. I am quite alone, as these long letters sadly
testify. I perceive, by referring to your letter, that the Ode is
from the author; make my thanks acceptable to him. His muse is
worthy a nobler theme. You will write as usual, I hope. I wish you
good evening, and am," &c.

* * * * *

LETTER 67. TO MR. MURRAY.