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This letter is part of the correspondence calendar of the complete correspondence of Thomas Gray. The calendar contains detailed bibliographic records for all known original, copied, or published letters written by or to the poet as well as the full-text, where available. Each record is accompanied by digitised images of the manuscript, where available, or digitised images of the first printed edition.
I write, having nothing essential to say, merely because you are ill, & have but too much time
to read me. I plead no merit in my sympathy, because I have the same enemy, & am daily expecting her attacks, the more violent
perhaps for having been now for some years suspended. talk not of round windows, nor of dying in
them: our distemper (remember) is the means of health & long life,
now this latter is only the name of another distemper, of wch I know enough already to say, when the
gout pinches me, 'tis well, it is nothing worse. I do not understand, why (with your temperance) you are treated
so severely; but suspect, it is owing to a little indolence & want of motion between the fits, as I have lately heard you complain
of a tenderness in your feet, that would not let you walk as usual. Man is a creature made to be jumbled, & no matter whether he
goes on his head or heels, move or be moved he must. I am convinced, I owe my late & present ease to the little expeditions I
always make in summer. the smartness of the pain you undergo, is an undoubted sign of strength & youth,
& the sooner it will be over. I know, this is poor comfort: but I flatter myself, that in some few days you will be at ease, &
will have the good nature to tell me so.
I have neither seen Tyson, nor Cole of late, but will take care they shall know, what you say. the latter lives at Milton near the Ely road. for myself I shall hardly be in Town before the end of November.