died January 16； 1826。 This is not because they could not find so
many as three hundred and sixty…five events of considerable interest
since the creation of the world； but because they well know we would
rather hear of something less interesting。 We care most about what
concerns us either very closely； or so little that practically we
have nothing whatever to do with it。
I once asked a young Italian； who professed to have a considerable
knowledge of English literature； which of all our poems pleased him
best。 He replied without a moment's hesitation：…
〃Hey diddle diddle； the cat and the fiddle；
The cow jumped over the moon；
The little dog laughed to see such sport；
And the dish ran away with the spoon。〃
He said this was better than anything in Italian。 They had Dante
and Tasso； and ever so many more great poets； but they had nothing
comparable to 〃Hey diddle diddle；〃 nor had he been able to conceive
how any one could have written it。 Did I know the author's name；
and had we given him a statue？ On this I told him of the young lady
of Harrow who would go to church in a barrow； and plied him with
whatever rhyming nonsense I could call to mind； but it was no use；
all of these things had an element of reality that robbed them of
half their charm； whereas 〃Hey diddle diddle〃 had nothing in it that
could conceivably concern him。
So again it is with the things that gall us most。 What is it that
rises up against us at odd times and smites us in the face again and
again for years after it has happened？ That we spent all the best
years of our life in learning what we have found to be a swindle；
and to have been known to be a swindle by those who took money for
misleading us？ That those on whom we most leaned most betrayed us？
That we have only come to feel our strength when there is little
strength left of any kind to feel？ These things will hardly much
disturb a man of ordinary good temper。 But that he should have said
this or that little unkind and wanton saying； that he should have
gone away from this or that hotel and given a shilling too little to
the waiter； that his clothes were shabby at such or such a garden…
partythese things gall us as a corn will sometimes do； though the
loss of a limb way not be seriously felt。
I have been reminded lately of these considerations with more than
common force by reading the very voluminous correspondence left by
my grandfather； Dr。 Butler； of Shrewsbury； whose memoirs I am
engaged in writing。 I have found a large number of interesting
letters on subjects of serious import； but must confess that it is
to the hardly less numerous lighter letters that I have been most
attracted； nor do I feel sure that my eminent namesake did not share
my predilection。 Among other letters in my possession I have one
bundle that has been kept apart； and has evidently no connection
with Dr。 Butler's own life。 I cannot use these letters； therefore；
for my book； but over and above the charm of their inspired
spelling； I find them of such an extremely trivial nature that I
incline to hope the reader may derive as much amusement from them as
I have done myself； and venture to give them the publicity here
which I must refuse them in my book。 The dates and signatures have；
with the exception of Mrs。 Newton's； been carefully erased； but I
have collected that they were written by the two servants of a
single lady who resided at no great distance from London； to two
nieces of the said lady who lived in London itself。 The aunt never
writes； but always gets one of the servants to do so for her。 She
appears either as 〃your aunt〃 or as 〃She〃； her name is not given；
but she is evidently looked upon with a good deal of awe by all who
had to do with her。
The letters almost all of them relate to visits either of the aunt
to London； or of the nieces to the aunt's home； which； from
occasional allusions to hopping； I gather to have been in Kent；
Sussex； or Surrey。 I have arranged them to the best of my power；
and take the following to be the earliest。 It has no signature； but
is not in the handwriting of the servant who styles herself
Elizabeth； or Mrs。 Newton。 It runs：…
〃MADAM；Your Aunt Wishes me to inform you she will be glad if you
will let hir know if you think of coming To hir House thiss month or
Next as she cannot have you in September on a kount of the Hoping If
you ar coming she thinkes she had batter Go to London on the Day you
com to hir House the says you shall have everry Thing raddy for you
at hir House and Mrs。 Newton to meet you and stay with you till She
returnes a gann。
〃if you arnot Coming thiss Summer She will be in London before thiss
Month is out and will Sleep on the Sofy As She willnot be in London
more thann two nits。 and She Says she willnot truble you on anny a
kount as She Will returne the Same Day before She will plage you
anny more。 but She thanks you for asking hir to London。 but She says
She cannot leve the house at prassant She sayhir Survants ar to do
for you as she cannot lodge yours nor she willnot have thim in at
the house anny more to brake and destroy hir thinks and beslive hir
and make up Lies by hir and Skandel as your too did She says she
mens to pay fore 2 Nits and one day； She says the Pepelwill let hir
have it if you ask thim to let hir： you Will be so good as to let
hir know sun： wish She is to do； as She says She dos not care anny
thing a bout it。 which way tiss she is batter than She was and
desirs hir Love to bouth bouth。
〃Your aunt wises to know how the silk Clocks ar madup ＇how the silk
cloaks are made up＇ with a Cape or a wood as she is a goin to have
one madeup to rideout in in hir littel shas ＇chaise＇。
〃Charles is a butty and so good。
〃Mr & Mrs Newton ar quite wall & desires to be remembered to you。〃
I can throw no light on the meaning of the verb to 〃beslive。〃 Each
letter in the MS。 is so admirably formed that there can be no
question about the word being as I have given it。 Nor have I been
able to discover what is referred to by the words 〃Charles is a
butty and so good。〃 We shall presently meet with a Charles who
〃flies in the Fier；〃 but that Charles appears to have been in
London； whereas this one is evidently in Kent； or wherever the aunt
lived。
The next letter is from Mrs。 Newton
〃DER Miss ； I Receve your Letter your Aunt is vary Ill and
Lowspireted I Donte think your Aunt wood Git up all Day if My Sister
Wasnot to Persage her We all Think hir lif is two monopolous。 you
Wish to know Who Was Liveing With your Aunt。 that is My Sister and
Willianand Carilineas Cock and Old Poll Pepper is Come to Stay
With her a Littel Wile and I hoped ＇hopped＇ for Your Aunt； and Harry
has Worked for your Aunt all the Summer。 Your Aunt and Harry Whent
to the Wells Races and Spent a very Pleasant Day your Aunt has Lost
Old Fanney Sow She Died about a Week a Go Harry he Wanted your Aunt
to have her killed and send her to London and Shee Wold Fech her 11
pounds the Farmers have Lost a Greet Deal of Cattel such as Hogs and
Cows What theay call the Plage I Whent to your Aunt as you Wish Mee
to Do But She Told Mee She Did not wont aney Boddy She Told Mee She
Should Like to Come up to see you But She Cant Come know for she is
Boddyley ill and Harry Donte Work there know But he Go up there Once
in Two or Three Day Harry Offered is self to Go up to Live With your
Aunt But She Made him know Ancer。 I hay Been up to your Aunt at
Work for 5 Weeks Hopping and Ragluting Your Aunt Donte Eat nor Drink
But vary Littel indeed。
〃I am Happy to Say We are Both Quite Well and I am Glad no hear you
are Both Quite Well
〃MRS NEWTON。〃
This seems to have made the nieces propose to pay a visit to their
aunt； perhaps to try and relieve the monopoly of her existence and
cheer her up a little。 In their letter； doubtless； the dog motive
is introduced that is so finely developed presently by Mrs。 Newton。
I should like to have been able to give the theme as enounced by the
nieces themselves； but their letters are not before me。 Mrs。 Newton
writes：…
〃MY DEAR GIRLS；Your Aunt receiv your Letter your Aunt will Be vary
glad to see you as it quite a greeable if it tis to you and Shee is
Quite Willing to Eair the beds and the Rooms if you Like to Trust to
hir and the Servantes； if not I may Go up there as you Wish。 My
Sister Sleeps in the Best Room as she allways Did and the Coock in
the garret and you Can have the Rooms the same as you allways Did as
your Aunt Donte set in the Parlour She Continlery Sets in the
Ciching。 your Aunt says she Cannot Part from the dog know hows and
She Says he will not hurt you for he is Like a Child and I can
safeley say My Self he wonte hurt you as She Cannot Sleep in the
Room With out him as he allWay Sleep in the Same Room as She Dose。
your Aunt is agreeable to Git in What Coles and Wood you Wish for I
am know happy to say your Aunt is in as Good health as ever She Was
and She is happy to hear you are Both Well your Aunt Wishes for
Ancer By Return of Post。〃
The nieces replied that their aunt must choose between the dog and
them； and Mrs。 Newton sends a second letter which brings her