BATH,February 26,1761.

MY DEAR FRIEND:I am very glad to hear that your election is finally settled,and to say the truth,not sorry that Mr.----has been compelled to do,'de mauvaise grace',that which he might have done at first in a friendly and handsome manner.However,take no notice of what is passed,and live with him as you used to do before;for,in the intercourse of the world,it is often necessary to seem ignorant of what one knows,and to have forgotten what one remembers.

I have just now finished Coleman's play,and like it very well;it is well conducted,and the characters are well preserved.I own,I expected from the author more dialogue wit;but,as I know that he is a most scrupulous classic,I believe he did not dare to put in half so much wit as he could have done,because Terence had not a single grain;and it would have been 'crimen laesae antiquitatis'.God bless you!