gedy, comedy, nor farce, nor one nor all of thefe; every actor is much better known by his having the fame face, than by keeping the fame character: for we change our minds as often as they can their parts, and who was yesterday Cæfar, is this day Sir John Daw. So that one might afk the fame queftion of a modern life, that Rich did of a modern play; Pray do me the favour, Sir, to inform me; is this your Tragedy or your Comedy?"

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I have dwelt the longer upon this, because I perfuade myself it might be useful, at a time when we have no theatre, to divert ourselves at this great one. Here is a glorious ftanding comedy of Fools, at which every man is heartily merry, and thinks himfelf an unconcerned fpectator. This (to our fingular comfort) neither my Lord Chamberlain, nor the Queen herself can ever shut up or filence.-' While that of Drury (alas!) lies defolate, in the profoundest peace and the melancholy profpect of the nymphs. yet lingering about its beloved avenues, appears no lefs moving than that of the Trojan dames lamenting over their ruined Ilium! What can they hope, difpoffeffed of their ancient feats, but to ferve as captives to the infulting victors of the Hay-market? The afflicted fubjects of France do not, in our Postman, fo grievously deplore the obftinacy of their arbitrary monarch, as these perishing people of Drury the obdurate

1 What follows, to the end of this Letter, is omitted in the Author's own Edit. W.

durate heart of that Pharaoh, Rich, who, like him, difdains all propofals of peace* and accommodation. Several libels have been secretly affixed to the great gates of his imperial palace in Bridges-ftreet; and a memorial, representing the diftreffes of these perfons, has been accidentally dropt (as we are credibly informed by a perfon of quality) out of his firft minister the chief box-keeper's pocket, at a late conference of the faid perfon of quality, and others, on the part of the Confederates, and his Theatrical Majesty on his own part. Of this you may expect a copy as foon as it fhall be tranfmitted to us from a good hand. As for the late Congrefs, it is here reported, that it has not been wholly ineffectual; but this wants confirmation; yet we cannot but hope the concurring prayers and tears of fo many wretched ladies may induce this haughty prince to reafon.

* A full account of thefe Theatrical fquabbles may be seen in Cibber's entertaining Life, and in Davies's Dramatic Mifcellanies.

LETTER X.

Oct. 19, 1709.

I

MAY truly fay I am more obliged to you this fummer than to any of my acquaintance, for had it not been for the two kind letters you fent me, I had been perfectly oblitufque meorum, oblivifcendus & illis. The only companions I had were those Muses, of whom Tully says, Adolescentiam alunt, fenectutem oblectant, fecundas res ornant, adverfis perfugium ac folatium præbent, delectant domi, non impediunt foris, pernoctant nobifcum, peregrinantur, rufticantur: which indeed is as much as ever I expected from them: for the Muses, if you take them as companions, are very pleasant and agreeable, but whoever fhould be forced to live or depend upon them, would find himself in a very bad condition. That Quiet, which Cowley calls the Companion of Obfcurity, was not wanting to me, unless it was interrupted by those fears you fo juftly guess I had for our friend's welfare. 'Tis extremely kind in you to tell me the news you heard of him, and you have delivered me from more anxiety than he imagines me capable of on his account, as I am convinced by his long filence. However, the love of fome things rewards itself, as of virtue, and of Mr. Wycherley. I am furprised at the dan◄ ger you tell me he has been in, and must agree with

you,

you, that our nation would have loft in him as much wit and probity, as would have remained (for ought

I know) in the reft of it. My concern for his friendship will excuse me (fince I know you honour him fo much, and fince you know I love him above all men) if I vent part of my uneasiness to you, and tell you, that there has not been wanting one, to infinuate malicious untruths of me to Mr. Wycherley, which, I fear, may have had some effect upon him. If so, he will have a greater punishment for his credulity than I could with him, in that fellow's acquaintance. The lofs of a faithful creature is fomething, though of ever fo contemptible a one; and if I were to change my dog for fuch a man as the aforefaid, I should think my dog undervalued; who follows me about as constantly here in the country, as I was used to do Mr. Wycherley in the town.

Now I talk of my dog, that I may not treat of a worfe fubject, which my fpleen tempts me to, I will give you fome account of him; a thing not wholly unprecedented, fince Montaigne (to whom I am but a dog in comparison) has done the fame thing of his cat. Dic mihi quid melius defidiofus agam? You are to know then, that as 'tis likenefs begets affection, fo my favourite dog is a little one, a lean one, and none of the finest shaped. He is not much a spaniel in his fawning, but has (what might be worth any man's while to imitate him in) a dumb furly fort of kindnefs, that rather fhews itself when he thinks me ill-ufed

H 4

ill-used by others, than when we walk quietly and peaceably by ourselves. If it be the chief point of friendship to comply with a friend's motions and inclinations, he poffeffes this in an eminent degree; he lies down when I fit, and walks when I walk, which is more than many good friends can pretend to, witness our walk a year ago in St. James's Park.Hiftories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends, but I will not insist upon many of them, because it is poffible fome may be almost as fabulous as thofe of Pylades and Orestes, etc. I will only fay for the honour of dogs, that the two moft ancient and esteemable books, facred and prophane, extant, (viz. the Scripture and Homer,) have fhewn a particular regard to these animals. That of Toby is the more remarkable, because there feemed no manner of reason to take notice of the dog, befides the great humanity of the author. Homer's account of Ulyffes's dog Argus is the most pathetic imaginable, all the circumstances confidered, and an excellent proof of the old bard's good-nature. Ulyffes had left him at Ithaca when he embarked for Troy, and found him at his return after twenty years; (which by the way is not unnatural, as fome critics have faid, fince I remember the dam of my dog was twenty-two years old when she died: may the omen of longevity prove fortunate to her fucceffors). You fhall have it in verse :

ARGUS.