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hinders the constant agreement of people who live together, but merely vanity; a secret insisting upon what they think their dignity of merit, and an inward expectation of such an over measure of deference and regard, as answers to their own extravagant false scale; and which nobody can pay, because none but themselves can tell, exactly, to what pitch it amounts. I am, &c.

LETTER IV.

FROM MR. JERVAS.

August 20, 1714.

I HAVE a particular to tell you at this time, which pleases me so much, that you must expect a more than ordinary alacrity in every turn. You know I could keep you in suspense for twenty lines, but I will tell you directly, that Mr. Addison and I have had a conversation that it would have been worth your while to have been placed behind the wainscot, or behind some half-length picture, to have heard. He assured me, that he would make use not only of his interest, but of his art, to do you some service; he did not mean his art of poetry, but his art at court; and he is sensible that nothing can have a better air for himself than moving in your favour, especially since insinuations were spread, that he did not care you should prosper too much as a poet. He protests that it shall not be his fault, if there is not the best intel

ligence in the world, and the most hearty friendship, &c. He owns, he was afraid Dr. Swift might have carried you too far among the enemy, during the heat of the animosity; but now all is safe, and you are escaped, even in his opinion. I promised in your name, like a good godfather, not that you should renounce the devil and all his works, but that you would be delighted to find him your friend, merely for his own sake; therefore prepare yourself for some civilities.

I have done Homer's head,* shadowed and heightened carefully; and I inclose the outline of the same size, that you may determine whether you would have it so large, or reduced to make room for feuillage or laurel round the oval, or about the square of the busto? perhaps there is something more solemn in the image itself, if I can get it well performed.

If I have been instrumental in bringing you and Mr. Addison together with all sincerity, I value myself upon it as an acceptable piece of service to such a one as I know you to be. Your, &c.t

*The head prefixed to the first edition of Pope's translation of the Iliad.

+ Sufficient justice does not seem to be done to Jervas, all whose letters evince the man of sense, kindness, benevolence, and sincerity.

Bowles.

I

LETTER V.

TO MR. JERVAS.

August 27, 1714.

AM just arrived from Oxford, very well diverted and entertained there. Every one is much concerned for the Queen's death. No panegyrics ready yet for the King.

I admire your whig-principles of resistance exceedingly, in the spirit of the Barcelonians: I join in your wish for them. Mr. Addison's verses on Liberty, in his Letter from Italy, would be a good form of prayer in my opinion, O Liberty! thou Goddess heavenly bright! &c.

What you mention of the friendly office you endeavoured to do betwixt Mr. Addison and me, deserves acknowledgments on my part. You thoroughly know my regard to his character, and my propensity to testify it by all ways in my power. You as thoroughly know the scandalous meanness of that proceeding which was used by Philips, to make a man I so highly value, suspect my dispositions towards him. But as, after all, Mr. Addison must be the judge in what regards himself, and has seemed to be no very just one to me; so I must own to you, I expect nothing but civility from him, how much soever I wish for his friendship. As for any offices of real kindness or service which it is in his power to do me, I should be ashamed to receive them from any man who had no better

opinion of my morals, than to think me a partyman: nor of my temper, than to believe me capable of maligning, or envying another's reputation as a poet. So I leave it to time to convince him as to both, to shew him the shallow depths of those half-witted creatures who mis-informed him, and to prove that I am incapable of endeavouring to lessen a person whom I would be proud to imitate, and therefore ashamed to flatter. In a word, Mr. Addison is sure of my respect at all times, and of my real friendship, whenever he shall think fit to know me for what I am.

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For all that passed betwixt Dr. Swift and me, you know the whole (without reserve) of our correspondence. The engagements I had to him, were such as the actual services he had done me in relation to the subscription for Homer, obliged me to. I must have leave to be grateful to him, and to any one who serves me, let him be never so obnoxious to any party: nor did the Tory-party ever put me to the hardship of asking this leave, which is the greatest obligation I owe to it; and I expect no greater from the Whig-party than the same liberty.-A curse on the word party, which I have been forced to use so often in this period! I wish the present reign* may put an end to the distinction, that there may be no other for the future than that of honest and knave, fool and man

* Unfortunately it did not put an end to party-distinctions; but, by proscribing the Tories, heightened and continued the animosity of both parties.

Warton.

of sense these two sorts must always be enemies; but for the rest, may all people do as you and I, believe what they please, and be friends.

LETTER VI.

TO MR. JERVAS.

I am, &c.

(1715.)

I

BEG you to let me know if you have any thoughts of your Devonshire journey this summer. If

you have, I will stay for you, and let Mr. Fortescue and Gay travel together. This resolution must be made with some haste, because they go next week, and I shall want time to prepare. I thought Mrs. Cecil had receipts* before. The names of Lady Ranelagh and Lady Cavendish were inserted long since in the list.

You may tell Mr. Rollinson, that Gay was not sure he should go to Lord Bolingbroke's when he came hither; or help him to some excuse; for his neglect was scandalous, and has given him much vexation of spirit.

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I should have been glad to have had the report of the Committee, and have since writ to Lintot for it. If the Whigs now say that B. is the hero of my preface, the Tories said (you may remember) three years ago, that Cato was the hero of my poetry. It looks generous enough to be always

* Receipts for subscriptions to the Iliad.

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