indeed so much as might be sometimes wish'd, very often the lot of strong
and acute minds to possess largely of this virtue,) took his pen, and
address'd a Letter to one of the most active of their Committee-men (a man
of very bad character). In this, after stating that he took _Robert_ at
his Mother's request, he made free as well with the private character of
this man as with the views of the Committee. "This," says _George_, "was
very foolish; for it made things worse: but I felt too much to refrain."

What connects this episodical circumstance with the character of our
Author follows in his brother's words.

"_Robert_ naturally fond of Peace, and fearful for my personal safety,
begg'd to be suffer'd to retire from the storm."

"He came home; and Mr. AUSTIN kindly bade him take his house for his home
till he could return to me. And here, with his mind glowing with the fine
Descriptions of rural scenery which he found in THOMSON'S SEASONS, he
again retrac'd the very fields where first he began to think. Here, free
from the smoke,[Footnote: But one word is altered in this Description;
which reminds one of the
_Omitte mirari beatae
Fumum et opes_ Strepitumque Romae. L.]
the noise, the contention of the city, he imbibed that Love of rural
Simplicity and rural Innocence, which fitted him, in a great degree, to be
the writer of such a thing as the _Farmer's Boy_."

"Here he liv'd two Months:... at length, as the dispute in the trade
still remain'd undecided, Mr. DUDBRIDGE offer'd to take _Robert_
Apprentice, to secure him, at all events, from any consequences of the
Litigation."