scription of which to myself I will take care he shall leave out; and either return the rest of your verses to him or not, as you shall like best.

I am obliged to you, Sir, for expressing a much higher opinion of me than I know I deserve: the freedom with which you write is yet what obliges and pleases me more; and it is with sincerity that I say, I would rather be thought by every ingenious man in the world, his servant, than his rival.

I am, etc.

LETTER XXXI.

TO THE REV. MR. PITT,

RECTOR OF PIMPERNE, NEAR BLANDFORD, DORSETSHIRE.

Twitenham, Aug. 2, 1728.

I AM here, my dear Rector, in as delightful a situation for the world about me, and books, and conversation, as mortal man can wish to be. I can think of nothing at present that could add to it, except the hearing that you are very well, and entirely free from your old enemy the gout. I should not know how to leave this place, had not I the hopes of waiting upon you in a few weeks; but first I can assure you, I have a world of drudgery to go through. I had almost forgot one particular: when I was with our old friend, Mr. Pescod, the other day, he confirmed me in a thought I had, that the verses on an Old Beauty (she, you know," who blooms in the

winter of her days like Glastenbury Thorn") were written by you at New College. If they are yours, as I am very much persuaded they are, I beg you would be so good as to send me a copy of them in your answer; which I beg may be as soon as possible, because, as you may easily imagine, I don't love to be many days without hearing from you. I desire this copy the rather, because I have been asked for it since I have been in town, and have none but a very incorrect copy at present. If you have any commands here, I beg you would favour me with them, as your most affectionate friend and servant, Jo. SPENCE.

SIR,

I take this opportunity of assuring you, you have, at the place from whence this letter is dated, a friend and servant,

A. POPE.

N. B. In a letter from Mr. Spence to Mr. Pitt, dated New College, November 12, 1728, are the folowing words, containing Mr. Pope's opinion of Pitt's Virgil.

"Before this I gave you Mr. Pope's real sentiment on your first book; I dare say it was his real sentiment, because, as I told you, I took care to ask him the question before I had mentioned my being acquainted with you; and it was literally what I told you."

LETTER XXXII.

MR. POPE'S OPINION OF BATH.

TO MR. RICHARDSON, QUEEN'S SQUARE,

DEAR SIR,

November 21.

EVERY thing was welcome to me in your kind let ter, except the occasion of it, the confinement you are under. I am glad you count the days when I do not see you: but it was but half an one that I was in town upon business with Dr. Mead, and returned to render an account of it.

I shall in the course of the winter probably be an evening visitant to you, if you sit at home, though I hope it will not be by compulsion or lameness. We may take a cup of sack together, and chatter like two parrots, which are at least more reputable and manlike animals than the grasshoppers, to which Homer likens old men.

I am glad you sleep better. I sleep in company, and wake at night, which is vexatious : if

you

did so,

As to my

you, at your age, would make verses. health, it will never mend; but I will complain less of it, when I find it incorrigible.

But for the news of my quitting Twitnam for Bath, enquire into my years, if they are past the bounds of dotage? Ask my eyes, if they can see, and my nostrils if they can smell? to prefer rocks and dirt to flowery meads and silver Thames, and brimstone and frogs to roses and sun-shine. When I arrive at these sensations, I may settle at Bath, of which I

never yet dreamt, further than to live out of the sulphurous pit, and at the edge of the frogs at Mr. Allen's, for a month or so. I like the place so little, that health itself should not draw me thither, though friendship has twice or thrice.

Having answered your questions, I desire to hear if you have any commands; if the first be to come to you, it is probable I shall before you can send them so round about as to Twitnam, for I have lived of late at Battersea. Adieu!

Your, etc.

LETTER XXXIII.

MR. LYTTLETON TO LORD BOLINGBROKE.

MY LORD,

Argyle-street, April 14, 1746.

I AM prevented by unavoidable business from waiting on you this morning, as I intended to do, in order to talk with your Lordship upon the subject about which you sent Mr. Mallet to me, which I have thought much upon since, and with no little uneasiness. Any public mark of your Lordship's esteem and partiality for me, as it would be the highest honour, so would it be the greatest pleasure to me. But as I now live in the most intimate connections of friendship with many of the best and nearest friends of the late Lord Oxford, and have even received obligations from some of his family, who would be extremely offended at a work which so severely reflects on his memory, being now published

and addressed to me; it is an honour, which, however flattering and agreeable it would be to me in other respects, I am, on that account, compelled to decline. I must therefore, though with the utmost reluctance, beg of your Lordship, if you resolve to publish it now, that you would leave out the part which relates to me. But I should much rather wish, and, if I might presume to judge for your Lordship, should think it more eligible for yourself, to defer the publication of it to a more proper time. That a very disagreeable use will be made of it, I am sure; and there is a great difference as to the consequences and effects of it in the world, between an imperfect copy of it stolen into print in a magazine, and the avowed and authorized publication, which will draw the attention of mankind.

But in this point your Lordship must think for yourself. I only entreat you to forgive the necessity which I am under of declining, in my situation, what in any other I should most ardently wish; and to believe me in all situations, with the most perfect respect and most grateful sense of your favours to me, my Lord,

Your, etc.

P. S. I hope in a day or two to wait on your Lordship.