To the Right Honourable the Lady Delves. Madam,—When I think of your goodness, it gives me encouragement to put my play under your grand protection; and if you can find anything in it worthy of your Praise, I am sure the _super-naturals_ will like it. I do not flatter when I say your taste is universal, great as an Empress, sweet and refined as Lady _Malpas_, sublime as Lady _Mary Cowper_, learned and complete as Lady _Conway_, distinguished and clear as Mrs. _Madan_, gay, good, and innocent as Lady _Bland_. I have often thought you were a compound of the world’s favourites—that all meet and rejoice together in one: the taste of a _Montague_, _Wharton_, or Meredith, Stanhope, Sneid, or Byrom; the integrity and hospitality of _Leigh_ of _Lime_, the wit and fire of _Bunbury_, the sense of an Egerton, fervent to serve as _Beresford_ or _Mildmay_, beloved like _Gower_. If you was his rival, you’d weaken the strength of that most powerful subject. I hope your eternal unisons in heaven will always sing to keep up the harmony in your soul, that is musical as Mrs. Leigh, and never ceases to delight; raises us in raptures like _Amante Shosa_, _Lord Essex_, or the sun. If every pore in every body in Cheshire was a mouth they would all cry out aloud, _God save the Lady Delves!_ That illuminates the minds of mortals, inspires with Musick and Poetry especially. Your most humble servant, LORD FLAME. The prologue was written by Mr. Amos Meredith, of Henbury, near Macclesfield, and, at the urgent request of its author, Byrom was induced to write the epilogue. Johnson’s subsequent career was marked by many whims and oddities, and even death was not permitted to terminate his eccentricity, his very grave being made to commemorate it for the amusement or pity of future generations. As we have previously stated, he is buried in a small plantation of firs near the road, and a short distance from the New Hall, in accordance with a request he had made to the owner in his life-time. His remains are covered by a plain brick tomb, now much dilapidated, on the uppermost slab of which is the following inscription:— [Illustration]