Colley Cibber to Samuel Richardson, 30 March 1748 [comments in detail, with page references, on passages in latest instalment of Clarissa, before remarking]: 'I have got through 210 pages [of volume 3] with a continual resolution to give every occasional beauty its laudable remark; but they grow too thick and strong upon me, to give me that agreeable leisure. I read a course of full five hours and a half, without drawing bit (as the jockeys call it); in which time my attention has got the better of my approbation, which all the while longed to tell you how I liked it [goes on to comment further in detail, apparently breaking off and resuming letter to read, and report on, successive passages of text]'.