cendus & illis. The only companions I had were thofe Muses, of whom Tully says, Adolefcentiam alunt, fenectutem oblectant, fecundas res_ornant, adverfis perfugium ac folatium præbent, delectant domi, non impediunt foris, pernoctant nobiscum, peregrinantur, rusticantur: which is indeed as much as ever I expected from them: For the Mufes, if you take them as companions, are very pleasant and agreeable; but whoever fhould be forced to live or depend upon 'em, would find himself in a very bad condition. That Quiet, which Cowley calls the Companion of Obfcurity, was not wanting to me, unless it was interrupted by thofe fears you fo juftly guess I had for our friend's welfare. 'Tis extremely kind in you to tell me the news you heard of him, and you have deliver'd me from more anxiety than he imagines me capable of on his account, as I am convinced by his long filence. However, the love of fome things rewards itself, as of virtue, and of Mr. Wycherley. I am furprized at the danger, you tell me, he has been in, and muft agree with you, that our nation would have loft in him, as much wit and probity, as would have remain'd (for ought I know) in the reft of it. My concern for his friendship will excufe me (fince I know you honour him so much, and fince you know I love him above all men) if I vent a part of my uneafinefs to you, and tell you, that there has not been wanting one, to infinuate malicious untruths of me to Mr. Wycherley, which, I fear, may have had fome effect upon him. If so, he will have

a greater punishment for his credulity than I could wish him, in that fellow's acquaintance. The lofs of a faithful creature is something, though of ever fo contemptible an one; and if I were to change my dog for fuch a man as the aforefaid, I fhould think my dog undervalued: (who follows me about as conftantly here in the country, as I was used to do Mr. Wycherley in the town.)

Now I talk of my dog, that I may not treat of a worfe fubject, which my fpleen tempts me to, I will give you fome account of him; a thing not wholly unprecedented, fince Montaigne (to whom I am but a dog in comparison) has done the fame thing of his Cat. Dic mihi quid melius defidiofus agam? You are to know then, that as 'tis likenefs begets affection, fo my favourite dog is a little one, a lean one, and none of the fineft fhap'd. He is not much a fpaniel in his fawning, but has (what might be worth any man's while to imitate him in) a dumb furly fort of kindness, that rather fhews itself when he thinks me ill us'd by others, than when we walk quietly and peaceably by ourselves. If it be the chief point of friendship to comply with a friend's motions and inclinations, he poffeffes this in an eminent degree; he lies down when I fit, and walks when I walk, which is more than many good friends can pretend to, witness our walk a year ago in St. James's Park. Hiftories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends, but I will not infift upon many of them, because it is poffible

some may be almost as fabulous as thofe of Pylades and Oreftes, &c. I will only fay for the honour of dogs, that the two most antient and esteemable books, facred and prophane, extant (viz. the Scripture and Homer) have fhewn a particular regard to these animals.

That of Toby is the more remarkable, because there feem'd no manner of reason to take notice of the dog, befides the great humanity of the author. Homer's account of Ulyffes's dog Argus is the most pathetic imaginable, all the circumftances confider'd, and an excellent proof of the old bard's good-nature. Ulyffes had left him at Ithaca when he embarked for Troy, and found him at his return after twenty years (which by the way is not unnatural, as fome critics have faid, fince I remember the dam of my dog was twenty-two years old when the dy'd: May the omen of longevity prove fortunate to her fucceffors.) You fhall have it in verfe.

ARGU S.

When wife Ulyffes, from his native coaft
Long kept by wars, and long by tempefts toft,'
Arriv'd at last, poor, old, difguis'd, alone,
To all his friends, and ev'n his Queen unknown;
Chang'd as he was, with age, and toils, and cares,
Furrow'd his rev'rend face, and white his hairs,
In his own palace forc'd to ask his bread,
Scorn'd by thofe flaves his former bounty fed,

Forgot of all his own domestic crew;

The faithful dog alone his rightful mafter knew;
Unfed, unhous'd, neglected, on the clay,
Like an old fervant now cafhier'd, he lay;
Touch'd with refentment of ungrateful man,
And longing to behold his antient Lord again.
Him when he faw-he rose, and crawl'd to meet,
('Twas all he cou'd) and fawn'd, and kiss'd his feet,
Seiz'd with dumb joy-then falling by his fide,
Own'd his returning Lord, look'd up, and dy'd!

Plutarch relating how the Athenians were obliged to abandon Athens in the time of Themiftocles, fteps back again out of the way of his hiftory, purely to defcribe the lamentable cries and howlings of the poor dogs they left behind. He makes mention of one, that follow'd his mafter acrofs the fea to Salamis where he dy'd, and was honoured with a tomb by the Athenians, who gave the name of the Dog's Grave to that part of the island were he was buried This refpect to a dog in the moft polite people of the world, is very obfervable. A modern inftance of gratitude to a dog (tho' we have but few fuch) is, that the chief order of Denmark (now injuriously call'd the order of the Elephant) was inftituted in memory of the fidelity of a dog, nam'd Wild-brat, to one of their Kings who had been deferted by his fubjects he gave his order this motto, or to this effet (which fill remains) Wild-brat was faithful, Sir William Trumbull has told me a story * which Sir Philip Warwick tell: this fory in his memoirs.

he heard from one that was prefent: King Charles I. being with fome of his court during his troubles, a difcourfe arose what fort of dogs deferv'd pre-eminence, and it being on all hands agreed to belong either to the spaniel or grey-hound, the King gave his opinion on the part of the grey-hound, because (faid he) it has all the Good-nature of the other without the fawning. A good piece of fatire upon his courtiers, with which I will conclude my difcourfe of dogs. Call me a cynic, or what you please, in revenge for all this impertinence, I will be contented; provided you will but believe me, when I fay a bold word for a Chriftian, that of all dogs, you will find none more faithful than

Your, &c.

I

LETTER XI.

April 10, 1710.

Had written to you fooner, but that I made fome

fcruple of fending profane things to you in holy week. Befides, our family would have been scandaliz'd to fee me write, who take it for granted I write nothing but ungodly verfes. I affure you, I am look'd upon in the neighbourhood for a very well-difpos'd perfon; no great Hunter indeed, but a great admirer of the noble fport, and only unhappy in my want of conftitution for that, and Drinking. They all fay, 'tis pity I am fo fickly, and I think 'tis

A