"Yours most sincerely,
"WM. HONE."
The foregoing letter may perhaps be considered too pharasaical; but when is added to it the following note by Mr. Hone, relating the afflictions which had overtaken him, and well nigh overwhelmed him, it cannot appear surprising that when he sought comfort and relief from where alone they are to be found, his heart overflowed with thankfulness and praise.
I find the subjoined notice to his readers in Hone's Table Book, vol. ii. p. 737.:—
"Note.
"Under severe affliction I cannot make up this sheet as I wish. This day week my second son was brought home with his skull fractured. To-day intelligence has arrived to me of the death of my eldest son.
"The necessity I have been under of submitting recently to a surgical operation on myself, with a long summer of sickness to every member of my family, and accumulated troubles of earlier origin, and of another nature, have prevented me too often from satisfying the wishes of readers, and the claims of correspondents. I crave that they will be pleased to receive this as a general apology, in lieu of particular notices, and in the stead of promises to effect what I can no longer hope to accomplish, and forbear to attempt.
"WM. HONE.
"December 12. 1827."
J. M. G.