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you know your works of fupererogation, transfer'd upon an humble, acknowledging finner, may faveeven him having good works enough of your own befides, to enfure yours, and their immortality.

And now for the pains you have taken to recommend my Dulness, by making it more methodical, I give you a thousand thanks; fince true and natural dulness is shown more by its pretence to form and method, as the fprightlinefs of wit by its defpifing both. I thank you a thousand times for your repeated invitations to come to Binfield: You will find, it will be as hard for you to get quit of my mercenary kindness to you, as it would for me to deferve, or return yours; however it fhall be the endeavour of my future life, as it will be to demonftrate myself

Your, &c.

LETTER XV.

Nov. 29, 1707.

THE

HE compliments you make me, in regard of any inconfiderable fervice I could do you, are very unkind, and do but tell me in other words, that my friend has fo mean an opinion of me, as to think I expect acknowledgments for trifles: which upon my faith I fhall equally take amifs, whether made to myself, or to any other. For God's fake

(my dear friend) think better of me, and believe I defire no fort of favour so much, as that of ferving you more confiderably than I have been yet able to do.

I fhall proceed in this manner with fome others of your pieces; but fince you defire I would not deface your copy for the future, and only mark the repetitions; I muft, as foon as I've mark'd thefe, transcribe what is left on another paper; and in that, blot, alter, and add all I can devise, for their improvement. For you are fenfible, the omiffion of Repetitions is but one, and the easiest part, of yours and my defign; there remaining befides to rectify the Method, to connect the Matter, and to mend the Expreffion and Verfification. I will go next upon the poems of Solitude, on the Public, and on the mixt Life; the bill of Fare; the praises of Avarice, and fome

others.

I must take notice of what you fay, of " my pains to make your dulnefs methodical;" and of your hint," that the fprightlinefs of wit defpifes me"thod." This is true enough, if by wit you mean no more than fancy or conceit; but in the better notion of wit, confider'd, as propriety, furely method is not only neceflary for perfpicuity and harmony of parts, but gives beauty even to the minute and particular thoughts, which receive an additional advantage from thofe which precede or follow in their, due place. You remember a fimile Mr. Dryden us'd in converfation, of feathers in the crowns of the

2

wild Indians, which they not only chufe for the beauty of their colours, but place them in fuch a manner as to reflect a luftre on each other. I will not disguise any of my fentiments from you: to methodise in your cafe, is full as necessary as to strike out; otherwise you had better destroy the whole frame, and reduce them into fingle thoughts in profe, like Rochefoucalt, as I have more than once hinted to you.

LETTER XVI.

From Mr. WYCHERLEY.

Feb. 28, 1707-8.

I'

Have had yours of the 23d of this inftant, for

which I give you many thanks, fince I find by it, that even absence (the usual bane of love or friendship) cannot leffen yours, no more than mine. As to your hearing of my being ill, I am glad, and forry for the report: in the firft place, glad that it was not true; and in the next, forry that it fhou'd give you any difturbance, or concern more than ordinary for me; for which, as well as your concern for my future well-being or life, I think myself moft eternally oblig'd to you: affuring, your concern for either will make me more careful of both. Yet for your fake I love this life fo well, that I fhall the lefs

think of the other; but 'tis in your power to cenfure my happiness in one and the other, both by your fociety, and good example, fo not only contribute to my felicity here, but hereafter.

Now as to your excufe for the plainness of your style, I muft needs tell you, that friendship is much more acceptable to a true friend than wit, which is generally falfe reafoning; and a friend's reprimand often fhews more friendship than his compliment : nay love, which is more than friendship is often feen by our friend's correction of our follies or crimes. Upon this teft of your friendship I intend to put you when I return to London, and thence to you at Binfield, which, I hope, will be within a

month.

Next to the news of your good health, I am pleas'd with the good news of your going to print fome of your Poems, and proud to be known by them to the public for your friend; who intend (perhaps the fame way) to be revenged of you for your kindness; by taking your name in vain in fome of my future madrigals: yet fo as to let the world know, my love or esteem for you are no more poetic than my talent in fcribling. But of all the arts of fiction, I defire you to believe I want that of feigning friendship, and that I am fincerely

Your, &c.

LETTER XVII.

From Mr. WY CHERLEY.

May 13, 1708.

I'

Have received yours of the first of May. Your

Paftoral mufe outshines in her modest and natural drefs all Apollo's court-ladies, in their more artful, labour'd, and coftly finery. Therefore I am glad to find by your letter you defign your country-beauty of a mufe fhall appear at court and in public: to outfhine all the farded, lewd, confident, affected Town-dowdies, who aim at being honour'd only to their shame: but her artful innocence (on the contrary) will gain more honour as she becomes publick; and, in fpite of cuftom, will bring modesty again into fashion, or at least make her fifter rivals of this age blush for spite, if not for shame. As for my ftale, antiquated, poetical pufs, whom you would keep in countenance by saying she has once been tolerable, and wou'd yet pass mufter by a little licking over; it is true that (like moft vain antiquated jades which have once been paffable) fhe yet affects youthfulness in her age, and wou'd ftill gain a few admirers (who the more fhe feeks or labours for their liking, are but more her contemners.) Nevertheless she is refolv'd henceforth to be fo cautious as to appear very little more in the world, except it be as an Attendant on your Muse, or as a foil, not a

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