to be a Doctor till this inftant. I ventur'd to preferibe fome Fruit (which I happen'd to have in the Coach) which being forbidden her by her Doctors, fhe had the more inclination to. In short, I tempted, and the eat; nor was I more like the Devil than fhe like Eve. Having the good fuccefs of the 'forefaid Gentleman before my eyes; I put on the Gallantry of the old Serpent, and in fpite of my evil Form accofted her with all the Gaiety I was mafter of; which had fo good effect, that in lefs than an hour the grew pleafant, her colour return'd, and the was pleas'd to fay my prefcription had wrought an immediate cure: In a word, I had the pleafanteft journey imaginable.vat Thus far (methinks) my Letter has fomething of the air of a Romance, tho' it be true. But I hope you will look on what follows as the greatest of truths, That I think my felf extreamly oblig'd by you in all points, efpecially for your kind and ho nourable Information and Advice in a matter of the utmoft concern to me, which I fhall ever acknowledge as the highest proof at once of your friendship, juftice, and fincerity. At the fame time be affur'd, that Gentleman we spoke of, fhall never by any alteration in me discover my knowledge of his Miftake; the hearty forgiving of which is the only kind of Return I can poffibly make make him for fo many favours. And I may derive this pleafure at leaft from it, that whereas I muft otherwife have been a little uneafy to know my incapacity of returning to his Obligations; I may now, by bearing his Frailty, exercife my Grati rude and Friendship more than Himself either is, or perhaps ever will be fenfible of. Ille meos, primus qui me fibi junxit, Amores Abftulit; ille habeat fecum, fervetque Sepul chro! But in one thing, I must confefs you have your felf oblig'd me more than any man, which is, that you have shew'd me many of my Faults, to which as you are the more an implacable Enemy, by fo much the more you are a kind Friend to me. I cou'd be proud, in revenge, to find a few flips in your verfes, which I read in London, and fince in the Country with more application and pleasure: the thoughts are very just, and you are fure not to let them fuffer by the Verfification. If you wou'd oblige me with the truft of any thing of yours, I fhou'd be glad to execute any com→ miffions you would give me concerning them. I am here fo perfectly at leifure, that nothing wou'd be fo agreeable an entertainment tertainment to me; but if will not af ford me that, do not deny me at least the fatisfaction of your Letters as long as we are abfent, if you wou'd not have him very unhappy who is very fincerely Your, &c. Having a vacant space here, I will fill it with a fhort Ode on Solitude, which I found yesterday by great accident, and which I find by the date was written when I was not twelve years old; that you may perceive how long I have continu'd in my paffion for a rural life, and in the fame employments of it. Happy the man, whofe wish and care Content to breathe his native air, In his own ground: Whofe herds with milk, whofe fields with bread, Whofe flocks fupply-him with attire, Whofe trees in fummer yield him shade, In winter, fire. Bleft Bleft, who can unconcern'dly find Quiet by day, Sound fleep by night; Study and Eafe, Thus, let me live unfeen, unknown, Tell where I lie. August 19, 1709. FI were to write to you as often as I think of you, my Letters wou'd be as bad as a Rent-charge; but tho' the one be but too little for your Good-nature, the other wou'd be too much for your Quiet, which is one bleffing Good-nature shou'd indifpenfably receive from mankind, in return for those many it gives. I have been inform'd of late, how much I am indebted to that quality of yours, in fpeaking well of me in my abfence; the only thing by which you you prove your felf no Wit or Critic: Tho' indeed I have often thought, that a friend will fhow juft as much indulgence (and no more) to my faults when I am abfent, as he does severity to 'em when I am prefent. To be very frank with you, Sir, I muft own, that where I receiv'd fo much Civility at first, I cou'd hardly have expected fo much Sincerity afterwards. But now I have only to wifh, that the laft were but equal to the firft, and that as you have omitted nothing to oblige me, fo you wou'd omit nothing to improve me. I caus'd an acquaintance of mine to enquire twice of your welfare, by whom I have been inform'd, that you have left your fpeculative Angle in the Widow's Coffee-houfe, and bidding adieu for fome time to all the Rehearsals, Reviews, Gazettes, &c. have march'd off into Lincolnfire. Thus I find you vary your life in the fcene at leaft, tho' not in the Action; for tho' Life for the most part, like an old Play, be ftill the fame, yet now and then a new Scene may make it more entertaining. As for my felf, I would not have my life a very regular Play, let it be a good merry Farce, a G-d's name, and a fig for the critical Unities! Yet (on the other fide)I wou'd as foon write like Durfey, as live like Te; whofe beaftly, yet vart merry I |