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thought talked beft, may speak upon the beft fubject. The shrines and reliques you tell me of, no way engage my curiofity; I had ten times rather go on pilgrimage to see one fuch face as yours, than both St. John Baptift's heads. I wish (fince you are grown fo covetous of golden things) you had not only all the fine ftatues you talk of, but even the golden image which Nebuchadnezzar fet up, provided you were to travel no farther than you could carry it.

The court of Vienna is very edifying. The ladies with respect to their husbands, seem to underftand that text literally, that commands to bear one another's burdens: but, I fancy, many a man there is like Ifachar, an afs between two burdens. I fhall look upon you no more as a Chriftian, when you pafs from that charitable court to the land of jealoufy. I expect to hear an exact account how, and at what places, you leave one of the thirty-nine articles after another, as you approach to the lands of infidelity. Pray how far are you got already? amidft the pomp of a high mass, and the ravishing trills of a Sunday opera, what did you think of the doctrine and difcipline of the church of England?

Had you from your heart a reverence for Sternhold and Hopkins? How did your Chriftian virtues hold out in fo long a voyage? you have it seems (without paffing the bounds of Christendom) out-travelled the fin of fornication: in a little time you'll look upon fome others with more patience, than the ladies here are capable of. I reckon, you'll time it fe

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well as to make your religion laft to the verge of Christendom, that you may discharge your Chaplain (as humanity requires) in a place where he may find fome business.

I doubt not but I fhall be told (when I come to follow you through thofe countries) in how pretty a manner you accomodated yourself to the customs of the true Muflemen. They will tell me at what town you practised to fit on the Sopha, at what village you learned to fold a Turbant, where you was bathed and anointed, and where you parted with your black full-bottom. How happy muft it be før a gay young woman, to live in a country where it is a part of religious worship to be giddy-headed? I fhall hear at Belgrade how the good Bashaw received you with tears of joy, how he was charmed with your agreeable manner of pronouncing the words Allab and Muhamed; and how earnestly you joined with him in exhorting your friend to embrace that religion. But I think his objection was a just one, that it was attended with fome circumstances under which he could not properly reprefent his Britannic Majefty.

Laftly, I shall hear how, the first night you lay at Pera, you had a vision of Mahomet's Paradise ; and happily awaked without a foul, from which bleffed moment the beautiful body was left at full liberty to perform all the agreeable functions it was made for.

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I fee I have done in this letter as I often have done in your company, talk'd myself into a good humour, when I begun in an ill one; the pleasure of addreffing to you makes me run on,' and 'tis in your own power to fhorten this letter as much as you please, by giving over when you please; fo I'll make it no longer by apologies.

LETTER XI.

ÓU have asked me news a hundred times at

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the first word you spoke to me, which fome would interpret as if you expected nothing better from my lips and truly 'tis not a fign two lovers are together, when they can be fo impertinent as to enquire what the world does? All I mean by this is, that either you or I are not in love with the other : I leave you to guefs which of the two is that stupid and infenfible creature, fo blind to the other's excellencies and charms?

This then fhall be a letter of News; and fure, if you did not think me the humbleft creature in the world, you could never imagine a Poet could dwindle, to a brother of Dawks and Dyer, from a rival of Tate and Brady.

The Earl of Oxford has behaved fo bravely, that in this act at least he might feem above man, if he had not just now voided a stone to prove him fubject to human infirmities. The utmoft weight of affic

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tion from minifterial power and popular hatred, were almost worth bearing, for the glory of such a dauntless conduct as he has fhewn under it.

You may foon have your wifh, to enjoy the gallant fights of armies, incampments, standards wa. ving over your brother's corn-fields, and the pretty windings of the Thames ftained with the blood of men. Your barbarity, which I have heard fo long exclaim'd against in town and country, may have its fill of deftruction. I would not add one circumftance usual in all defcriptions of calamity, that of the many rapes committed, or to be committed upon thofe unfortunate women that delight in war. But God forgive me-in this martial age, if I could, I would buy a regiment for your fake and Mrs. P―'s and fome others, whom, I have caufe to fear, no fair means will prevail upon.

Thofe eyes, that care not how much mifchief is done, or how great flaughter committed, fo they have but a fine fhow; thofe very female eyes will be infinitely delighted with the camp which is fpeedily to be formed in Hyde park. The tents are carried thither this morning, new regiments with new cloaths and furniture (far exceeding the late cloth and linen defigned by his Grace for the foldiery.) The fight of fo many gallant fellows, with all the pomp and glare of war yet undeform'd by battles, thofe fcenes which England has for many years only beheld on ftages, may poffibly invite your curiofity to this place.

By our latest account from Duke-street Weftminfter, the converfion of T. G. Efq; is reported in a manner somewhat more particular. That upon the feizure of his Flanders mares, he seemed more than ordinarily disturbed for fome hours, fent for his ghoftly father, and refolved to bear his lofs like a Chriftian; till about the hours of seven or eight the coaches and horfes of feveral of the Nobility paffing by his window towards Hyde-park, he could no longer endure the disappointment, but inftantly went out, took the oath of Abjuration, and recover'd his dear horfes, which carry'd him in triumph to the Ring. The poor diftreffed Roman Catholicks, now unhors'd and uncharioted, cry out with the Pfalmift, Some in Chariots and some on horfes, but we will invocate the name of the Lord.

I am, &c.

LETTER XII.

HE weather is too fine for any one that loves

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the country to leave it at this feafon; when every smile of the fun, like the fmile of a coy lady, is as dear as it is uncommon: and I am so much in the tafte of rural pleasures, I had rather fee the fun than any thing he can fhew me, except yourself. I defpife every fine thing in town, not excepting your new gown, till I see you drefs'd in it, (which by the way I don't like the better for the red; the

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