Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

author are a paraphrase on Pfal. xxiii. On Leffius, Epitaph on Mr. Afhton, Wishes to his fuppofed miftrefs, and the Dies Ira.

LETTER XXVII.

December 30, 1710.

I

RESUME my old liberty of throwing out myself upon paper to you, and making what thoughts float uppermoft in my head, the fubject of a letter. They are at present upon laughter, which (for aught I know) may be the cause you might sometimes think me too remiss a friend, when I was most intirely fo: for I am never fo inclined to mirth as when I am most pleased and most easy, which is in the company of a friend like yourself.

As the fooling and toying with a mistress is a proof of fondness, not disrespect, so is raillery with a friend. I know there are prudes in friendship, who expect distance, awe, and adoration; but I know you are

not

Pope has taken many expreffions and lines from this author, who, having been a convert to popery, we may imagine was recommended to our author in his younger years. It is in his Eloisa to Abelard that many expreffions and thoughts of Crashaw chiefly occur; particularly his defcription of a religious houfe, from Barclay; the fituation of the Paraclete; and alfo line 347, from the complaint of Alexias, the forfaken wife of Elexis, though much heightened and improved. Cowley wrote a poem on Crafhaw's death, whom he highly celebrates. He died of a -fever at Loretto, being newly chosen canon of that church.

[merged small][ocr errors]

not of them; and I for my part am no idol-worshipper, though a Papift. If I were to addrefs Jupiter himself in a heathen way, I fancy I fhould be apt to take hold of his knee in a familiar manner, if not of his beard like Dionyfius; I was just going to fay, of his buttons; but I think Jupiter wore none (however I won't be positive to so nice a critic as you, but his robe might be fubnected with a Fibula). I know fome philofophers define laughter, A recommending ourfelves to our own favour, by comparison with the weaknefs of another: but I am fure I very rarely laugh with that view, nor do I believe children have any fuch confideration in their heads, when they exprefs their pleasure this way: I laugh full as innocently as they, for the most part, and as fillily. There is a difference too betwixt laughing about a thing, and laughing at a thing: one may find the inferior man (to make a kind of cafuiftical diftinction) provoked to folly at the fight or obfervation of fome circumstances of a thing, when the thing itself appears folemn and august to the fuperior man, that is, our judgment and reafon. Let an Ambaffador speak the best fenfe in the world, and deport himself in the most graceful manner before a Prince, yet if the tail of his shirt happen (as I have known it happen to a very wife man) to hang out behind, more people shall laugh at that than attend to the other; till they recollect themfelves, and then they will not have a jot the lefs refpect for the minister. I'must confefs the iniquity of my coun

tenance

tenance before you; several muscles of my face fometimes take an impertinent liberty with my judgment, but then my judgment foon rifes, and fets all right again about my mouth: and I find I value no man fo much, as him in whose sight I have been playing the fool. I cannot be fub perfona before a man I love; and not to laugh with honesty, when nature prompts, or folly (which is more a fecond nature than any thing I know) is but a knavish hypocritical way of making a mask of one's own face. To conclude, those that are my friends I laugh with, and those that are not I laugh at; fo am merry in company, and if ever I am wife, it is all by myself. You take just another course, and to those that are not your friends, are very civil; and to those that are, very endearing and complaifant: thus when you and I meet, there will be the Rifus & Blanditia united together in converfation, as they commonly are in verfe. But without laughter on the one fide, or compliment on the other, I affure you I am, with real esteem,

Your, etc.

MR.

LETTER XXVIII.

FROM MR. CROMWELL.

October 16, 1711.

R. Wycherley vifited me at Bath in my sickness, and expreffed much affection to me: hearing from me how welcome his letters would be, he pre

fently writ to you; in which I inferted my fcrall, and

"

after, a fecond. He went to Gloucester in his way to Salop, but was disappointed of a boat, and fo returned to the Bath; then he fhewed me your answer to his letters, in which you spoke of my good-nature, but, I fear, you found me very froward at Reading; yet you allow for my illness. I could not poffibly be in the fame houfe with Mr. Wycherley, though I fought it earnestly; nor come up to town with him, he being engaged with others; but, whenever we met, we talked of you. He praises your "Poem, and even outvies me in kind expreffions of you. As if he had not wrote two letters to you, he was for writing every poft; I put him in mind he had already. Forgive me this wrong; I know not whether my talking so much of your great humanity and tendernefs to me, and love to him; or whether the return of his natural difpofition to you, was the cause; but certainly you are now highly in his favour: now he will

[blocks in formation]

will come this winter to your houfe, and I must go with him; but first he will invite you speedily to town. I arrived on Saturday last much wearied, yet; had wrote fooner, but was told by Mr. Gay (who has writ a pretty poem to Lintot, and who gives you his fervice) that you was gone from home. Lewis fhewed me your letter, which fet me right, and your next letter is impatiently expected from me. Mr. Wycherley came to town on Sunday last, and kindly surprized me with a vifit on Monday morning. We dined and drank together; and I faying, To our loves, he replied, 'Tis Mr. Pope's health. He said he would go to Mr. Thorold's and leave a letter for you. Though I cannot answer for the event of all this, in respect of him; yet I can affure you, that, when you please to come, you will be most desirable to me, as always by inclination, fo now by duty, who fhall ever be

Your, etc.

LETTER XXIX.

November 12, 1711..

I

RECEIVED the entertainment of your letter the day after I had fent you one of mine, and I am but this morning returned hither. The news you tell me of the many difficulties you found in your return from Bath, gives me fuch a kind of pleasure as we ufually

[blocks in formation]
« ZurückWeiter »