offer in regard to the house at Richmond, not only in giving me leave to use it occasionally but even as long as I live, provided I will give it to you, but as I have no such thought at present I can only thank you for your kindness. Tho I am much older than you I hope I am not yet arrived to dotage as you seem to think I am, voluntarily to put myself in the situation of receiving the favour of living in my own house instead of conferring the favour of letting you live in it.
I am your most affectionate Brother,
J. REYNOLDS. I have enclosed a Bank Bill of ten Pounds x .
��FROM JAMES BOSWELL TO SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS 2 .
Edinburgh, 6 February, 1784.
MY DEAR SIR, brought me good accounts of you, and Mr. Temple 4 sent me very pleasing intelligence concerning the fair Palmeria 5 . But a line or two from yourself is the next thing to seeing you.
from him within these six weeks, written with his usual acuteness
find vigour of mind. But he complained sadly of the state of
[jjRs health; and I have been informed since, that he is worse.
tyi intend to be in London next month, chiefly to attend upon him
/with respectful affection. But in the mean time, it will be a great
(favour done me, if you who know him so well, will be kind
isnough to let me know particularly how he is 7 .
1 ' In a rough draft of one of her 2 From the original in the posses- letters she adverts to the income sion of Lady Colomb. allowed her by her brother, as suffi- 3 Ante, ii. 195 ; Life, v. 24. cient to keep her within the sphere 4 The grandfather of the Arch- of gentility, " without pecuniary bishop of Canterbury. Life, i. 436. schemes to raise it higher."' He 5 Probably Sir Joshua's niece Mary left her ^2,500 in the Funds for Palmer, life ; to his niece Mrs. Gwatkin he 6 Ib. iv. 248. left four times as much absolutely, 7 Johnson wrote to Boswell on while Miss Palmer inherited nearly Feb. n: ' I hear of many enquiries ,100,000. Taylor's Reynolds, i. 92 ; which your kindness has disposed ii. 635. you to make after me.' Ib. iv. 259.
I hope
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