She is now printing Johnson's Letters
in 2 vols. octavo, with some of her own; but if they are not ready
before the recess they will not be published till next winter. Poor
Sir John Hawkins, I am told, is pulled all to pieces in the Review."
Sir John was treated according to his deserts, and did not escape
whipping. One of the severest castigations was inflicted by Porson.
Before mentioning her next publication, I will show from "Thraliana"
her state of mind when about to start for England, and her
impressions of things and people on her return:
"1786.--It has always been my maxim never to influence the
inclination of another: Mr. Thrale, in consequence, lived with me
seventeen and a half years, during which time I tried but twice to
persuade him to _do_ anything, and but once, and that in vain, to let
anything alone. Even my daughters, as soon as they could reason, were
always allowed, and even encouraged, by me to reason their own way,
and not suffer their respect or affection for me to mislead their
judgment. Let us keep the mind clear if we can from prejudices, or
truth will never be found at all.[1] The worst part of this
disinterested scheme is, that other people are not of my mind, and if
I resolve not to use my lawful influence to make my children love me,
the lookers-on will soon use their unlawful influence to make them
hate me: if I scrupulously avoid persuading my husband to become a
Lutheran or be of the English church, the Romanists will be diligent
to teach him all the narrowness and bitterness of their own unfeeling
sect, and soon persuade him that it is not delicacy but weakness
makes me desist from the combat.
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