’IsupposeyoureceivedtheIdlers，andIintendthatyoushallsoonreceiveShakspeare，thatyoumayexplainhisworkstotheladiesofItaly，andtellthemthestoryoftheeditor，amongtheotherstrangenarrativeswithwhichyourlongresidenceinthisunknownregionhassuppliedyou。
’Asyouhavenowbeenlongaway，Isupposeyourcuriositymaypantforsomenewsofyouroldfriends。MissWilliamsandIlivemuchaswedid。MissCotterelstillcontinuestoclingtoMrs。Porter，andCharlotteisnowbigofthefourthchild。Mr。Reynoldsgetssixthousandsayear。Levetislatelymarried，notwithoutmuchsuspicionthathehasbeenwretchedlycheatedinhismatch。Mr。
Chambersisgonethisday，forthefirsttime，thecircuitwiththeJudges。Mr。Richardsonisdeadofanapoplexy，andhisseconddaughterhasmarriedamerchant。
’Myvanity，ormykindness，makesmeflattermyself，thatyouwouldratherhearofmethanofthosewhomIhavementioned；butofmyselfIhaveverylittlewhichIcaretotell。LastwinterIwentdowntomynativetown，whereIfoundthestreetsmuchnarrowerandshorterthanIthoughtIhadleftthem，inhabitedbyanewraceofpeople，towhomIwasverylittleknown。Myplay-fellowsweregrownold，andforcedmetosuspectthatIwasnolongeryoung。Myonlyremainingfriendhaschangedhisprinciples，andwasbecomethetoolofthepredominantfaction。Mydaughter-in-law，fromwhomIexpectedmost，andwhomImetwithsincerebenevolence，haslostthebeautyandgaietyofyouth，withouthavinggainedmuchofthewisdomofage。Iwanderedaboutforfivedays，andtookthefirstconvenientopportunityofreturningtoaplace，where，ifthereisnotmuchhappiness，thereis，atleast，suchadiversityofgoodandevil，thatslightvexationsdonotfixupontheheart……
’Mayyou，myBaretti，beveryhappyatMilan，orsomeotherplacenearerto，Sir，yourmostaffectionatehumbleservant，’SAM。JOHNSON。’