LETTERXLVIII.TO MR. M——.
August 25, 1777.
Jack-asses.
MY gall has been plentifully stirred—by the barbarity of a set of gentry, whoevery morningoffend my feelings—in their cruel parade through Charles Street, to and from market:—they vend potatoes in the day—and thieve in the night season.—A tall lazy villian was bestriding his poor beast (although loaded with two panniers of potatoes at the same time), and another of his companionswas good-naturedly employed in whipping the poor sinking animal—that the gentleman-rider might enjoy the two-fold pleasure of blasphemy and cruelty:—this is a too common evil—and, for the honor of rationality, calls loudly for redress.—I do believe it might be in some measure amended—either by a hint in the papers, of the utility of impressing such vagrants for the king’s service—or by laying a heavy tax upon the poor Jack-asses.—I prefer the former, both for thy sake and mine:—and, as I am convinced we feel instinctively the injuries of ourfellow creatures; I do insist upon your exercising your talents in behalf of the honest sufferers.—I ever had a kind of sympathetic (call it what you please) for that animal—and do I not love you?—Before Sterne had wrote them into respect, I had a friendship for them—and many a civil greeting have I given them at casual meetings:—what has ever (with me) stamped a kind of uncommon value and dignity upon the long-ear’d kind of the species, is that our Blessed Saviour, in his day of worldly triumph, chose to use that in preference to the restof his own blessed creation—“meek and lowly, riding upon an ass.” I am convinced that the general inhumanity of mankind proceeds—first, from the cursed false principle of common education;—and, secondly, from a total indifference (if not disbelief) of the Christian faith;—a heart and mind impressed with a firm belief of the Christian tenets, must of course exercise itself in a constant uniform general philanthropy:—such a being carries his heaven in his breast!—and such be thou! therefore write me a bitter Philippick against the misusers of Jack-asses;—it shall honor a column in the Morning Post—and I will bray—bray my thanks to you:—thou shalt figure away the champion of poor friendless asses here—and hereafter shalt not be ashamed in the great day of retribution.
Mrs. Sancho would send you some tamarinds.—I know not her reasons;—as I hate contentions, I contradicted not—but shrewdly suspect she thinks you want cooling.—Do you hear, Sir? send me some more good news about your head.—Your letters will not be the less welcome for talkingabout J—— M——; but pray do not let vanity so master your judgement—to fancy yourself upon a footing with George for well looking:—if you were indeed a proof-sheet—you was marred in the taking-off—for George (ask the girls) is certainly the fairest impression.
I had an order from Mr. H—— on Thursday night to see him do Falstaff;—I put some money to it, and took Mary and Betsy with me:—it was Betty’s first affair—and she enjoyed it in truth—H——’s Falstaff is entirely original—and I think as great as his Shylock;—he kept the house in a continual roar of laughter:—in some things he falls short of Quin—in many I think him equal.—When I saw Quin play, he was at the height of his art, with thirty years judgement to guide him. H——, in seven years more, will be all that better—and confessedly the first man on the English stage, or I am much mistaken.
I am reading a little pamphlet, which I much like: it favours an opinion which I have long indulged—which is the improbability of eternal Damnation—a thought whichalmost petrifies one—and, in my opinion, derogatory to the fullness, glory, and benefit of the blessed expiation of the Son of the Most High God—who died for the sins of all—all—Jew, Turk, Infidel, and Heretic;—fair—sallow—brown—tawney—black—and you—and I—and every son and daughter of Adam.—You must find eyes to read this book—head and heart—with a quickness of conception thou enjoyest—with many—many advantages—which have the love—and envy almost of yours,
I. SANCHO.
Respects in folio to Mrs. H——.