any

not be fo humble as to think myself quite below their notice. For critics, as they are birds of prey, have ever a natural inclination to carrion: and though fuch poor writers as I are but beggars, no beggar is fo poor but he can keep a cur, and no author fo beggarly but he can keep a critic. I am far from thinking the attacks of such people either honour or difhonour even to me, much lefs to Mr. Dryden. I agree with you that whatever leffer Wits have risen fince his death, are but like stars appearing when the fun is fet, that twinkle only in his absence, and with the rays they have borrowed from him. Our wit (as you call it) is but reflection or imitation, therefore fcarce to be called ours. True Wit, I believe, may be defined a juftnefs of thought, and a facility of expreffion; or (in the midwife's phrase) a perfect conception, with an eafy delivery. However, this is far from a complete definition; pray help me to a better, as I doubt not you can.

I am, etc,

f This is no definition of wit at all, but of good writing in general. W. 8 Mr. Locke had given a better. But his Effay was not to our young poet's taste. He had met with it early; but he used to say, he had then no relish for it.

W.

I

LETTER II.

FROM MR. WYCHERLEY.

Jan. 25, 1704-5. HAVE been fo bufy of late in correcting and tranfcribing fome of my madrigals for a great man or two who defire to see them, that I have (with your pardon) omitted to return you an answer to your most ingenious letter: fo fcriblers to the public, like bankers to the public, are profuse in their voluntary loans to it, whilft they forget to pay their more private and particular, as more juft debts, to the best and nearest friends. However, I hope you, who have as much good-nature as good fenfe, (fince they generally are companions",) will have patience with a debtor who has an inclination to pay you his obligations, if he had wherewithal ready about him; and in the mean time fhould confider, when you have obliged me beyond my present power of returning the favour, that a debtor may be an honest man, if he but intends to be just when he is able, though late. But I fhould be less just to you, the more I thought

I could

Good-nature and good fenfe, it feems, generally are companions, yet under the different names of wit and humanity they seldom accompany each other. But they might keep company or not, juft as they pleased, for the Writer was gone in fearch of Witticisms.

W.

I could make a return to fo much profuseness of Wit and humanity together; which, though they feldom accompany each other in other men, are in you fo equally met, I know not in which you most abound. But so much for my opinion of you, which is, that your Wit and Ingenuity is equalled by nothing but your Judgment or Modefty, which (though it be to please myself) I must no more offend than I can do either right.

Therefore I will fay no more now of them, than that your good wit never forfeited your good judgment, but in your partiality to me and mine; fo that if it were poffible for a hardened fcribler to be vainer than he is, what you write of me would make me more conceited than what I fcrible myfelf: yet, I muft confefs, I ought to be more humbled by your praise than exalted, which commends my little fense with fo much more of yours, that I am difparaged and disheartened by your commendations; who give me an example of your wit in the first part of your letter, and a definition of it in the laft; to make writing well (that is, like you) more difficult to me than ever it was before. Thus the more great and just your example and definition of Wit are, the less I am capable to follow them. Then the best way of fhew. ing my Judgment, after having feen how you write, is to leave off writing; and the best way to shew my friendship to you, is to put an end to your trouble, and to conclude. Yours, etc,

LETTER III.

March 25, 1705.

WHEN I write to you, I foresee a long letter, and ought to beg your patience before-hand; for if it proves the longest, it will be of course the worst I have troubled you with. Yet to exprefs my gratitude at large for your obliging letter, is not more my duty than my intereft; as fome people will abundantly thank you for one piece of kindness, to put you in mind of beftowing another. The more favourable you are to me, the more diftinctly I fee my faults: Spots and blemishes, you know, are never fo plainly discovered as in the brightest funfhine. Thus I am mortified by thofe commendations which were defigned to encourage me: for praise to a young wit, is like rain to a tender flower *; if it be moderately bestowed, it chears and revives; but if too lavifhly, over-charges and depreffes him. Moft men in years, as they are generally difcouragers of youth, are like old trees, that, being paft bearing themfelves, will fuffer no young plants to flourish beneath them but, as if it were not enough to have outdone all your coevals in wit, you will excel them in good

* The perpetual attempt to be witty and brilliant; the accumulation of fimile upon fimile; the point, the antithefis, the cant of fatire, and feverity on authors, and critics, and women, are fufficiently difgufting in the Letters of this vain old man.

good-nature too. As for my green effays, if you find any pleasure in them, it must be such as a man naturally takes in obferving the firft fhoots and buddings of a tree which he has raised himself; and 'tis impoffible they fhould be esteemed any otherwise, than as we value fruits for being early, which nevertheless are the most infipid, and the worst of the year. In a word, I must blame you for treating me with so much compliment, which is at best but the smoke of friendship. I neither write nor converse with you, to gain your praise, but your affection. Be fo much my friend as to appear my enemy, and tell me my faults, if not as a young man, at least as an unexperienced Writer.

I am, &c.

LETTER IV.

FROM MR. WYCHERLEY.

March 29, 1705.

OUR letter of the twenty-fifth of March I have

YOUR

received, which was more welcome to me than any thing could be out of the country, though it were one's rent due that day; and I can find no fault with it, but that it charges me with want of fincerity, or juftice, for giving you your due; who should not let your modefty be fo unjust to your merit,

* His Paftorals, written at fixteen years of age.

P