I saw lately, in a review, some extracts from a new poem, called the "Village Curate;" send it me. I want likewise a cheap copy of _The World_. Mr. Armstrong, the young poet, who does me the honour to mention me so kindly in his works, please give him my best thanks for the copy of his book.[111]--I shall write him, my first leisure hour. I like his poetry much, but I think his style in prose quite astonishing. Your book came safe, and I am going to trouble you with farther commissions. I call it troubling you, because I want only books; the cheapest way, the best; so you may have to hunt for them in the evening auctions. I want Smollett's Works, for the sake of his incomparable humour. I have already _Roderick Random_ and _Humphrey Clinker_; --_Peregrine Pickle_, _Launcelot Greaves_, and _Ferdinand_, _Count Fathom_, I still want; but, as I said, the veriest ordinary copies will serve me. I am nice only in the appearance of my poets. I forget the price of Cowper's _Poems_, but, I believe, I must have them. I saw the other day, proposals for a publication, entitled _Banks's New and Complete Christian Family Bible_, printed for C. Cooke, Paternoster Row, London. He promises at least to give in the work, I think it is three hundred and odd engravings, to which he has put the names of the first artists in London. You will know the character of the performance, as some numbers of it are published, and if it is really what it pretends to be, set me down as a subscriber, and send me the published numbers. Let me hear from you, your first leisure minute, and trust me, you shall in future have no reason to complain of my silence. The dazzling perplexity of novelty will dissipate, and leave me to pursue my course in the quiet path of methodical routine. R. B. [Footnote 111: John Armstrong, student in the University of Edinburgh, who had recently published a volume of Juvenile Poems.] * * * * * CXLVIIL.--To MR. W. NICOL. ELLISLAND, _Feb. 9th, 1790._