see, not infected with the mania. I have lived a 'Deist', what I shall
die I know not; however, come what may, 'ridens moriar'.

"Nothing detains me here but the publication, which will not be
complete till June. About 20 of the present pieces will be cut out,
and a number of new things added. Amongst them a complete Episode of
Nisus and Euryalus from Virgil, some Odes from Anacreon, and several
original Odes, the whole will cover 170 pages. My last production has
been a poem in imitation of Ossian, which I shall not publish, having
enough without it. Many of the present poems are enlarged and altered,
in short you will behold an 'Old friend with a new face.' Were I to
publish all I have written in Rhyme, I should fill a decent Quarto;
however, half is quite enough at present. You shall have 'all' when we
meet.

"I grow thin daily; since the commencement of my System I have lost 23
lbs. in my weight '(i.e.)' 1 st. and 9 lbs. When I began I weighed 14
st. 6 lbs., and on Tuesday I found myself reduced to 12 st. 11 lb.
What sayest thou, Ned? do you not envy? I shall still proceed till I
arrive at 12 st. and then stop, at least if I am not too fat, but
shall always live temperately and take much exercise.

"If there is a possibility we shall meet in June. I shall be in Town,
before I proceed to Granta, and if the 'mountain will not come to
Mahomet, Mahomet will go to the mountain.' I don't mean, by comparing
you to the mountain, to insinuate anything on the Subject of your
Size. Xerxes, it is said, formed Mount Athos into the Shape of a
Woman; had he lived now, and taken a peep at Chatham, he would have
spared himself the trouble and made it unnecessary by finding a 'Hill'
ready cut to his wishes.