Tuesday Night March 12
My Dear Brother
I have just receiv’d your kind
Letter with the {^^{Twenty pound}} note enclos’d, which will be
quite sufficient for me at present, and when M^r
C. Smyth receives your Money I can if you please
take the rest of him.
Nothing has given me more pleasure a long time
than to hear of your intention of going out again
and the reasons you give for it are very just, for
Retirement is not calculated for your time of
life, and by entering into the cheerful scenes
and Social Circles of the World you may lay up
an agreeable Fund for the Recollection when Repose
becomes more suitable; I am sure no one has
Friends more sincerely attach’d to them than you
have, nor is there any one who can give or
receive more pleasure by entering into social life,
so I hope you will soon be prevail’d upon to quit
your Hermitage: I heartily wish Charles success
in regard to his Deafness, When do you think
of going to Town? I hope it will be before the
Wodhull’s leave it, which they do some time in
May, and they will I am sure be sincerely glad
to see you. I think you will like to take one
Farewell look at Garrick before he entirely quits
the stage which he will do this {^^{after this}} Season.

[f.15v]

I had not heard of M^rs Webster’s Death, M^rs
Fallet is I believe a proper Object of Charity,
there was a Statue of Bankruptcy taken out
against her last year. (She was in Partnership with
her Son who is Dead.) and there was a Collection
made amongst her Friends for her relief, she
is very poor and has known better days, which
makes her an object of Pity, but as you observe
it is very inconvenient to convey the Money to
such a distance, should you think it right to fix
upon her I could send it to her by M^r Smyth’s
means, she has been long known to our Family,
the other two names you mention I have no
recollection of. Tho’ they may perhaps be equally deserving
M^r and M^rs Smyth of Linford desir’d that when
I wrote I would return their thanks for your
obliging remembrance of their Rugby Boys.
M^r C. Smyth of this Town is in a prodigious
way of Business to which he is intirely devoted
and is making an immense Fortune.
My Aunts and Sukey are all very well, tho’
they complain of the late scorching Weather,
they always desire their Comp^ts and best Wishes
to you when I write.
I have not seen Robert’s Verses on the Tyranny
of Custom, but hope I shall; at his request I wrote
some for last Thursday, the subject was
: Genius, when in its most flourishing state?

[f.16]

I mention’d the present Era as more favourable
to Genius than the Augustan Age, or that of
Louis the fourteenth, and imputed it to M<sup>rs,/sup>
Millar the Priestress of Apollo, she was in that
Character at her own Ball.
I am glad you lik’d my lines upon Envy, they
were very hastily written;
have you read Lady Luxborough’s Letters?
you may see a Criticism upon them by an
acquaintance of yours, in the St James
Chronicle of Jan: 20th sign’d Clara Luid. nunc
I rejoyce in Robert’s happiness as much as
you can do, he is in a situation quite suited
to him, he seems vastly fond of his two lit[damaged]
Girls, they are both beautiful indeed,
and now at an age very engaging.
I am always glad when the Planets
are propitious to your Epistolary designs,
I hope they will not often prove unfavourable
to your kind intentions in that way for it
gives me a real satisfaction to hear from you.
Colonel Twisleron is order’d to America, and his
Wife if almost breaking her Heart about it.
I beg my Love to Charles, and am my Dr Brother
Your affectt & Faithfull Sister
B. Johnson

[f.16v]

George Wm Johnson Esqr
Wytham Hill
Stamford
Lincolnshire</sup>

Tuesday Night March 12
My Dear Brother
I have just received your kind
Letter with the {^^{Twenty pound}} note enclosed, which will be
quite sufficient for me at present, and when M^r
C. Smyth receives your Money I can if you please
take the rest of him.
Nothing has given me more pleasure a long time
than to hear of your intention of going out again
and the reasons you give for it are very just, for
Retirement is not calculated for your time of
life, and by entering into the cheerful scenes
and Social Circles of the World you may lay up
an agreeable Fund for the Recollection when Repose
becomes more suitable; I am sure no one has
Friends more sincerely attached to them than you
have, nor is there any one who can give or
receive more pleasure by entering into social life,
so I hope you will soon be prevailed upon to quit
your Hermitage: I heartily wish Charles success
in regard to his Deafness, When do you think
of going to Town? I hope it will be before the
Wodhull’s leave it, which they do some time in
May, and they will I am sure be sincerely glad
to see you. I think you will like to take one
Farewell look at Garrick before he entirely quits
the stage which he will do this {^^{after this}} Season.

[f.15v]

I had not heard of M^rs Webster’s Death, M^rs
Fallet is I believe a proper Object of Charity,
there was a Statue of Bankruptcy taken out
against her last year. (She was in Partnership with
her Son who is Dead.) and there was a Collection
made amongst her Friends for her relief, she
is very poor and has known better days, which
makes her an object of Pity, but as you observe
it is very inconvenient to convey the Money to
such a distance, should you think it right to fix
upon her I could send it to her by M^r Smyth’s
means, she has been long known to our Family,
the other two names you mention I have no
recollection of. Though they may perhaps be equally deserving
M^r and M^rs Smyth of Linford desired that when
I wrote I would return their thanks for your
obliging remembrance of their Rugby Boys.
M^r C. Smyth of this Town is in a prodigious
way of Business to which he is entirely devoted
and is making an immense Fortune.
My Aunts and Sukey are all very well, though
they complain of the late scorching Weather,
they always desire their Comp^ts and best Wishes
to you when I write.
I have not seen Robert’s Verses on the Tyranny
of Custom, but hope I shall; at his request I wrote
some for last Thursday, the subject was
: Genius, when in its most flourishing state?

[f.16]

I mentioned the present Era as more favourable
to Genius than the Augustan Age, or that of
Louis the fourteenth, and imputed it to M<sup>rs,/sup>
Millar the Priestress of Apollo, she was in that
Character at her own Ball.
I am glad you liked my lines upon Envy, they
were very hastily written;
have you read Lady Luxborough’s Letters?
you may see a Criticism upon them by an
acquaintance of yours, in the St James
Chronicle of Jan: 20th signed Clara Luid. nunc
I rejoice in Robert’s happiness as much as
you can do, he is in a situation quite suited
to him, he seems vastly fond of his two lit[damaged]
Girls, they are both beautiful indeed,
and now at an age very engaging.
I am always glad when the Planets
are propitious to your Epistolary designs,
I hope they will not often prove unfavourable
to your kind intentions in that way for it
gives me a real satisfaction to hear from you.
Colonel Twisleron is ordered to America, and his
Wife if almost breaking her Heart about it.
I beg my Love to Charles, and am my Dr Brother
Your affectt & Faithfull Sister
B. Johnson

[f.16v]

George Wm Johnson Esqr
Wytham Hill
Stamford
Lincolnshire</sup>