THIS WEEK'S BOOKS
MR. FRANCIS BICKLEY'S An English Letter Book (Guy Chap. man) is drawn from the papers of the Royal Historical Manu-
scripts Commission, and most of the letters are little known. It is an excellent book for casual reading—the selections are so
varied that everyone is bound to find something to delight him. There is the Queen of Bohemia writing to Sir Harry Vane, for example, and beginning her letter, " Honest Harry . . . . " There is John Russell writing to Lady Frances Rich to confess his love : " I cannot sleep but with a great deal of disturbance,
I have not the same advantage of air as other men, I do not so much breathe as sigh." And there is Lady Frances Rich writing back as wickedly and cruelly as can be : " I am very sorry you have entertained an affection which proves so troublesome to you and hope you will not wonder if I take care to preserve myself from the passion which has done you so much mischief." It is half relieving, half alarming to learn that the courtship ended in marriage. There is Viscount Irwin writing to his wife in the most irresponsible spelling :—
" My prety Dear penny, I wonder whate deversion you can find at Baraby among my old ants who are as mannolcolly as the Devill ; hier is no news in tonne but of a woman house husband was hangd the other day. She begde the body of the sherriffe and put him in a coifing aftur he was cut donne and caried him about this tonne to several taverns and perticulerly to Lockets wher she cald for a pint siacke and drunk to him and kis_him and pried her Hary was hangd and what a sad thing it was to have her dear Hary hangd and great dela of such stuff, and the justes of peace was forst to take the body from her and bary it."
His son could do better than that even as a schoolboy : " I am very wery well,"' he writes, " and think Eaton very easy scholl. I am shure one cannot offend without they be meare rakes indeed." * * * *
Previous page
