3.

health, it will never mend; but I will complain lefs of it, when I find it incorrigible.

But for the news of my quitting Twitnam for Bath, enquire into my years, if they are past the bounds of dotage? Afk my eyes, if they can fee, and my noftrils, if they can fmell? to prefer rocks and dirt to flowery meads and filver Thames, and brimftone and fogs to rofes and fun-fhine. When I arrive at these fenfations, I may fettle at Bath, of which I never yet dreamt, further than to live out of the fulphurous pit, and at the edge of the fogs at Mr. Allen's, for a month or fo. I like the place fo little, that health itself should not draw me thither, though friendship has twice or thrice.

you

Having anfwered your questions, I defire to hear if have any commands; if the first be to come to you, it is probable I fhall before you can fend them fo round about as to Twitnam, for I have lived of late at Batterfea.

Adieu!

Your, etc.

LETTER XXXIII.

MR. LYTTELTON TO LORD BOLINGBROKE.

My Lord,

Argyle-ftreet, April 14, 1749.

AM prevented by unavoidable business from waiting on you this morning, as I intended to do, in order to talk with your Lordship upon the subject about

VOL. VII.

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which

which you fent Mr. Mallet to me, which I have thought much upon fince, and with no little uneasiness. Any public mark of your Lordship's esteem and partiality for me, as it would be the highest honour, fo would it be the greatest pleasure to me. But as I now live in the most intimate connections of friendship with many of the beft and nearest friends of the late Lord Oxford, and have even received obligations from some of his family, who would be extremely offended at a work which fo feverely reflects on his memory, being now published and addreffed to me; it is an honour, which, however flattering and agreeable it would be to me in other refpects, I am, on that account, compelled to decline. I muft, therefore, though with the utmost reluctance, beg of your Lordship, if you refolve to publifh it now, that you would leave out the part which relates to me. But I should much rather wifh, and, if I might prefume to judge for your Lordship, fhould think it more eligible for yourself, to defer the publication of it to a more proper time. That a very difagreeable use will be made of it, I am fure; and there is a great difference as to the confequences and effects of it in the world, between an imperfect copy of it stolen into print in a magazine, and the avowed and authorized publication, which will draw the attention of mankind.

But in this point your Lordship must think for yourself. `I only entreat you to forgive the neceffity which I am under of declining, in my fituation, what

in any other I fhould most ardently wish; and to believe me in all fituations, with the most perfect respect and most grateful sense of your favours to me, my Lord,

Your, etc.

P. S. I hope in a day or two to wait on your Lordship.

LETTER XXXIV.

I

LORD BOLINGBROKE TO MR. LYTTELTON.

Dear Sir,

Batterfea, April 15, 1749.

WOULD not answer your letter that came yesterday to my hands, till I could tell you, as I now can do, that every word will be left out of the papers which have given you fo much uneafinefs; and out of the introduction to them, that may even seem to have been addreffed to you. I have had my uneafiness too, that of being forced to reveal the turpitude of a man with whom I lived long in the intimacy of friendship, and that of being obliged by your commands to suppress any marks of my esteem and affection for you. I have obeyed you, and it was reafonable I should: but I cannot take your advice, nor think it eligible for me to defer the publication of these papers to a more proper time: they should not

have been made public at all, if I could have helped it. But fince they must be made fo, what time can be more proper for me to publish them than the prefent? I must either fuffer them to be fent abroad uncorrected, in fuch a manner as I would not have published them myself, and with every thing in them which you are so defirous to have left out; or I must do what I am doing, let them appear corrected and lefs unfit for the public eye. If any ufe disagreeable to others be made of this forced publication, I fhall be forry for it. As to its confequences and effects relative to myself, I am under no concern; for though age and infirmities prefs me hard, and I ftand almost alone in the world, yet I find vigour enough remaining to defend myself against any attack, with truth, reason, and the cause of this country on my fide. Thus I think for myself, and, I hope, not unreasonably.

As to you, I fhall continue to think as I have always thought, with true efteem and a fincere affection, in whatever fituation you are; and fhall profess myself as long as I live, dear Sir,

Your, etc.

་

LETTER XXXV.

LORD BOLINGBROKE TO MR. MALLET.

Dear Sir,

Batterfea, July 25, 1747.

SINCE I fent to enquire after your health, and that

of Mrs. Mallet, (of both which I hope to have a good account,) I cannot help mentioning to you, what I hear from many different quarters. They fay that Warburton talks very indecently of your humble fervant, and threatens him with the terrible things he fhall throw out in a Life he is writing of our friend Pope. I value neither the good nor the ill-will of the man; but if he has any regard for the man he flattéred living, and thinks himself obliged to flatter dead, he ought to let a certain proceeding die away in filence, as I endeavour it fhould. Whenever you have a day of leifure you will be extremely welcome to

Your, etc.