n February, 1746. Near
this time, I suppose a letter, that is without date of time or place, to
have been written to his brother. As it informs us of some particulars
relating to Collins, of whom it is to be wished that more were known, I
am tempted to transcribe it.

Dear Tom,--You will wonder to see my name in an advertisement next
week, so I thought I would apprize you of it. The case was this.
Collins met me in Surrey, at Guildford races, when I wrote out for him
my Odes, and he likewise communicated some of his to me: and being
both in very high spirits, we took courage, resolved to join our
forces, and to publish them immediately. I flatter myself, that I
shall lose no honour by this publication, because I believe these
Odes, as they now stand, are infinitely the best things I ever wrote.
You will see a very pretty one of Collins's, on the Death of Colonel
Ross before Tournay. It is addressed to a lady who was Ross's intimate
acquaintance, and who, by the way, is Miss Bett Goddard. Collins is
not to publish the Odes unless he gets ten guineas for them.

I returned from Milford last night, where I left Collins with my
mother and sister, and he sets out to-day for London. I must now tell
you, that I have sent him your imitation of Horace's Blandusian
Fountain, to be printed amongst ours, and which you shall own or not
as you think proper. I would not have done this without your consent,
but because I think it very poetically and correctly done, and will
get you honour.

* * * * *

You will let me know what the Oxford critics say. Adieu, dear Tom.

I am your most affectionate brother,

J. WARTON.

On this Dr. Wooll founds a conjecture, that Warton published a volume
of poems conjointly with his brother and Collins; but adds, that after a
diligent search he had not been able to discover it. I think it more
likely that the design was abandoned. However this may be, it is certain
that he himself published a volume of Odes in 1746, of which, as I learn
from a note to the present Bishop of Killaloe's verses to his memory, a
second edition appeared in the following year. To complete his recovery
from the small-pox, which he had taken at Chelsea, he went, in May 1746,
to Chobham; and then, after officiating for a few months at Chawton and
Droxford, returned to his first curacy of Basingstoke. In the next year
he was presented by the Duke of B