of Homer is the humbleft slave he has, that is to say, his first Minister; let him receive the honours he gives me, but receive them with fear and trembling; let him be proud of the approbation of his abfolute Lord, I appeal to the people, as my rightful judges and masters; and if they are not inclined to condemn me, I fear no arbitrary high-flying proceeding from the small Court-faction at Button's. But after all I have said of this great man, there is no rupture between us. We are each of us fo civil and obliging, that neither thinks he is obliged: and I, for my part, treat with him, as we do with the Grand Monarch; who has too many great qualities not to be refpected, though we know he watches any occafion to oppress us.

When I talk of Homer, I must not forget the early present you made me of Monfieur de la Motte's book: and I can't conclude this letter without telling you a melancholy piece of news, which affects our very entrails, L is dead, and foupes are no more! You fee I write in the old familiar way.

"the minifter, but to the friend "."

"This is not to

However, it is

fome mark of uncommon regard to the minister that

I steal an expreffion from a Secretary of State.

I am, etc.

P Alluding to St. John's Letter to Prior published in the Report of the Secret Committee.

W.

LETTER XXVII.

TO MR. CONGREVE.

January 16, 1714-15.

M

ETHINKS when I write to you, I am making a confeffion; I have got (I can't tell how) fuch a custom of throwing myself out upon paper without referve. You were not mistaken in what you judged of my temper of mind when I writ laft. My faults will not be hid from you, and perhaps it is no difpraise to me that they will not: the cleannefs and purity of one's mind is never better proved, than in discovering its own fault at first view; as when a stream fhews the dirt at its bottom, it fhews also the transparency of the water.

My fpleen was not occafioned, however, by any thing an abusive angry critic could write of me. I take very kindly your heroic manner of congratulation upon this fcandal; for I think nothing more honourable than to be involved in the fame fate with all the great and the good that ever lived; that is, to be envied and cenfured by bad writers.

You do more than answer my expectations of you, in declaring how well you take my freedom, in fometimes neglecting, as I do, to reply to your letters fo foon as I ought. Those who have a right tafte of the fubftantial part of friendship, can wave the ceremonial: a friend is the only one that will bear the omiffion;

omiffion; and one may find who is not fo by the very trial of it.

As to any anxiety I have concerning the fate of my Homer, the care is over with me: the world must be the judge, and I fhall be the first to consent to the justice of its judgment, whatever it be. I am not fo arrant an author as even to defire, that if I am in the wrong, all mankind should be fo.

I am mightily pleased with a faying of Monfieur Tourreil; "when a man writes he ought to animate "himself with the thoughts of pleafing all the world: "but he is to renounce that defire or hope, the very moment the book goes out of his hands."

I write this from Binfield, whither I came yesterday, having paffed a few days in my way with my Lord Bolingbroke; I go to London in three days time, and will not fail to pay a visit to Mr. M, whom I faw not long fince at my Lord Hallifax's. I hoped from thence he had fome hopes of advantage from the present administration: for few people (I think) but I, pay respects to great men without any prospects. I am in the fairest way in the world of being not worth a groat, being born both a Papift and a Poet. This puts me in mind of re-acknowledging your continue endeavours to enrich me. But, I can tell you, 'tis to no purpose, for without the Opes, aquum mi animum ipfe parabo.

LETTER XXVIII.

TO MR. CONGREVE.

March 19, 1714-15.

THE

HE Farce of the What-d'ye-call-it has occafioned many different fpeculations in the town. Some looked upon it as a mere jeft upon the Tragic poets, others as a fatire upon the late War. Mr. Cromwell hearing none of the words, and feeing the action to be tragical, was much astonished to find the audience laugh; and fays the Prince and Princefs muft doubtlefs be under no less amazement on the fame account. Several templars and others of the more vociferous kind of critics, went with a refolution to hifs, and confeffed they were forced to laugh fo much, that they forgot the defign they came with. The Court in general has in a very particular manner come into the jest, and the three first nights (notwithstanding two of them were court-nights) were distinguished by very full audiences of the first Quality. The common people of the pit and gallery received it at first with great gravity and fedateness, some few with tears; but after the third day they also took the hint, and have ever fince been very loud in their claps. There are ftill some fober men who cannot be of the general opinion; but the laughers are fo much the majority, that one

or

a Written by Mr. Gay.

W.

or two critics feem determined to undeceive the town at their proper coft, by writing grave differtations against it to encourage them in which laudable defign, it is refolved a Preface shall be prefixed to the Farce, in vindication of the nature and dignity of this new way of writing.

Yesterday Mr. Steele's affair was decided: I am forry I can be of no other opinion than yours *, as to his whole carriage and writings of late. But certainly he has not only been punished by others, but fuffered much even from his own party in the point of character, nor (I believe) received any amends in that of interest, as yet, whatever may be his profpects for the future.

This Gentleman, among a thousand others, is a great inftance of the fate of all who are carried away by party-fpirit, of any fide. I wish all violence may fucceed as ill but am really amazed that so much of that four and pernicious quality fhould be joined with fo much natural good humour as, I think, Mr. Steele is poffeffed of.

I am, etc.

* Hence it appears that Congreve was candid and moderate in his political opinions.