hear from you sometimes; for none are with
more sincerity than I am, my dear friend, your most faithful friend
and humble servant."

"Arbuthnot," Johnson says, "was a man of great comprehension,
skilful in his profession, versed in the sciences, acquainted with
ancient literature, and able to animate his mass of knowledge by a
bright and active imagination; a scholar with great brilliance of
wit; a wit who in the crowd of life, retained and discovered a noble
ardour of religious zeal."

Dugald Stewart has testified to Arbuthnot's ability in a department
of which he was particularly qualified to judge: "Let me add, that,
in the list of philosophical reformers, the authors of _Martinus
Scriblerus_ ought not to be overlooked. Their happy ridicule of the
scholastic logic and metaphysics is universally known; but few are
aware of the acuteness and sagacity displayed in their allusions to
some of the most vulnerable passages in Locke's Essay. In this part
of the work it is commonly understood that Arbuthnot had the
principal share."--See Preliminary Dissertation to _Encyclopaedia
Britannica_, note to p. 242, and also note B. B. B., p. 285.

136 TO MR. RICHARDSON.

"Twickenham, June 10, 1733.

"As I know you and I mutually desire to see one another, I hope that
this day our wishes would have met, and brought you hither. And this
for the very reason, which possibly might hinder you coming, that my
poor mother is dead. I thank God, her death was as easy as her life
was innocent; and as it cost her not a groan, or even a sigh, there
is yet upon her countenance such an expression of tranquillity, nay,
almost of pleasure, that it is even amiable to behold it. It would
afford the finest image of a saint expired that ever painter drew;
and it would be the greatest obligation which even that obliging art
could ever bestow on a friend, if you could come and sketch it for
me. I am sure, if there be no very precedent obstacle, you will
leave any common business to do this; and I hope to see you this
evening, or to-morrow morning as early, before this winter flower is
faded. I will defer her interment till to-morrow night. I know you
love me, or I could not have written this--I could not (at this time)
have written at all. Ad