e asked! He wants me to read the MS. (if he obtains it),
which I shall do with pleasure; but I should be very cautious in
venturing an opinion on her whose Cecilia Dr. Johnson
superintended.[36] If he lends it to me, I shall put it into the
hands of Rogers and M * * e, who are truly men of taste. I have filled
the sheet, and beg your pardon; I will not do it again. I shall,
perhaps, write again, but if not, believe, silent or scribbling,
that I am, my dearest William, ever," &c.

[Footnote 35: The brother of his late friend, Charles Skinner Matthews.]

[Footnote 36: Lord Byron is here mistaken. Dr. Johnson never saw Cecilia
till it was in print. A day or two before publication, the young
authoress, as I understand, sent three copies to the three persons who
had the best claim to them,--her father, Mrs. Thrale, and Dr.
Johnson.--_Second edition_.]

* * * * *

LETTER 79. TO MR. HODGSON.

"London, Dec. 8. 1811.

"I sent you a sad Tale of Three Friars the other day, and now take
a dose in another style. I wrote it a day or two ago, on hearing a
song of former days.

"Away, away, ye notes of woe[37], &c. &c.

"I have gotten a book by Sir W. Drummond, (printed, but not
published,) entitled Oedipus Judaicus, in which he attempts to
prove the greater part of the Old Testament an allegory,
particularly Genesis and Joshua. He professes himself a theist in
the preface, and handles the literal interpretation very roughly. I
wish you could see it. Mr. W * * has lent it me, and I confess, to
me it is worth fifty Watsons.

"You and Harness must fix on the time for your visit to Newstead; I
can command mine at your wish, unless any thing particular occurs
in the interim. Bland dines with me on Tuesday to meet Moore.
Coleridge has attacked the 'Pleasures of Hope,' and all other
pleasures whatsoever. Mr. Rogers was present, and heard himself
indirectly _rowed_ by the lecturer. We are going in a party to hear
the new Art of Poetry by this reformed schismatic; and were I one
of these poetical luminaries, or of sufficient consequence to be
noticed by the man of lectures, I should not hear him without an
answer. For you know, 'an' a man will be beaten with brains, he
shall never keep a clean doublet.' C * * will be desperately
annoyed. I never s