of this fine child, or not? Whatever you determine, my fingers, pen, and ink are so frozen, that I cannot thank you more at large. You will forgive this and all other faults of, dear Sir, your, &c.

Madam,

You

LETTER LXXVI.

To Mrs. B.

1715.

OU have ask'd me news a hundred times at the firft 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 guess which of the two is that ftupid and infenfible creature, fo blind to the other's excellencies and charms.

This then shall 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 seem above Man, if he had not just now voided a ftone to prove him fubject to human infirmities. The utmost weight of affliction from minifterial power and popular hatred, were almost worth bearing, for the glory of fuch a dauntless conduct as he has fhewn under it.

You may foon have your wish, to enjoy the gallant fights of armies, incampments, standards waving over your brother's cornfields, and the pretty windings of the Thames ftained with the blood of men. Your barbarity, which I have heard fo long ex

claim'd against in town and country, may have its fill of deftruction. I would not add one circumstance usual in all descriptions of calamity, that of the many rapes committed or to be committed upon those 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 fome others, whom I have caufe to fear no fair means will prevail upon.

Those eyes that care not how much mischief is done, or how great flaughter committed, fo they have but a fine show; those very-female eyes will be infinitely delighted with the camp which is speedily to be form'd in Hyde-park. The tents are carried thither this morning, new regiments, new cloths, new furniture: the fight of so many gallant fellows, in all the pomp and glare of war yet undeform'd by battles, those scenes which England has for many years only beheld on stages, may poffibly invite your curiofity to this place.

By our latest accounts, the converfion of T. G. Efq; is reported in a manner fomewhat more particular: That upon the feizure of his Flanders-mares, he feem'd more than ordinarily difturb'd for fome hours, fent for his ghoftly father, and refolv'd to bear his lofs like a christian; 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 difappointment, but instantly 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 un-hors'd and un-charioted, cry out with the Pfalmift, "fome in chariots "and fome in horfes, but we will invocate the name of the Lord." I am, &c.

1

Madam,

T

LETTER LXXVII.

1715.

HE weather is too fine for any one that loves the country to leave it at this season; when every smile of the fun, like the smile of a coy lady, is as dear as it is uncommon: and I am so much in the taste of rural pleasures, I had rather see the fun than any thing he can fhew me, except your felf. I despise every fine thing in town, not excepting your new gown, till I fee you dress'd in it (which by the way I don't like the better for the red; the leaves I think are very pretty.) I am growing fit, I hope, for a better world, of which the light of the fun is but a fhadow: for I doubt not but God's works here, are what comes nearest to his works there; and that a true relish of the beauties of nature is the most easy preparation and gentleft tranfition to an enjoyment of thofe of heaven; as on the contrary a true town life of hurry, confufion, noise, flander, and diffenfion, is a fort of apprenticeship to hell and its furies. I'm endeavouring to put my mind into as quiet a fituation as I can, to be ready to receive that stroke which I believe is coming upon me, and have fully refign'd my felf to yield to it. The feparation of my foul and body is what I could think of with lefs pain; for I am very fure he that made it will take care of it, and in whatever ftate he pleases it shall be, that ftate must be right: But I cannot think without tears of being feparated from my friends, when their condition is fo doubtful, that they may want even fuch affistance as mine. Sure it is more merciful to take from us after death all memory of what we lov'd or purfu'd here: for else what a torment would it be to a spirit, ftill to love those creatures it is quite divided from? Unless we suppose, that in a more exalted life, all that we esteemed in this imperfect

state will affect us no more, than what we lov'd in our infancy

concerns us now.

This is an odd way of writing to a lady, and I'm fenfible would throw me under a great deal of ridicule, were you to show this letter among your acquaintance. But perhaps you may not your felf be quite a stranger to this way of thinking. I heartily wish your life may be fo long and fo happy, as never to let you think quite fo far as I am now led to do; but to think a little towards it, is what will make you the happier and the easier at all

times.

There are no pleasures or amusements that I don't wish you, and therefore 'tis no fmall grief to me that I shall for the future be less able to partake with you in them. But let Fortune do her worst, whatever she makes us lofe, as long as she never makes us lose our honesty and our independence; I defpife from my heart: whoever parts with the first, and I pity from my foul whoever quits the latter.

I am griev'd at Mr. G*'s condition in this last respect of dependence. He has Merit, Goodnature, and Integrity, three qualities that I fear are too often loft upon great men; or at least are not all three a match for that one which is oppos'd to them, Flattery. I wish it may not foon or late displace him from the favour. he now poffeffes, and feems to like. I am, &c.

Madam,

N°

LETTER LXXVIII.

Othing could have more of that melancholy which once used to please me, than my last day's journey; for after having pafs'd through my favourite woods in the foreft, with

me.

a thousand reveries of past pleasures, I rid over hanging hills, whose tops were edged with groves, and whofe feet water'd with winding rivers, liftning to the falls of cataracts below, and the murmuring of the winds above: The gloomy verdure of Stonor fucceeded to these; and then the shades of the evening overtook The moon rofe in the cleareft sky I ever faw, by whose folemn light I paced on flowly, without company, or any interruption to the range of my thoughts. About a mile before I reach'd Oxford, all the bells toll'd in different notes; the clocks of every college answer'd one another, and founded forth (fome in a deeper, some a softer tone) that it was eleven at night. All this was no ill preparation to the life I have led fince, among those old walls, venerable galleries, ftone portico's, ftudious walks, and solitary scenes of the University. I wanted nothing but a black gown and a falary, to be as meer a bookworm as any there. I conform'd my self to the college hours, was roll'd up in books, lay in one of the most ancient, dusky parts of the University, and was as dead to the world as any hermit of the desart. If any thing was alive or awake in me, it was a little vanity; fuch as even those good men us'd to entertain, when the monks of their own order extoll'd their piety and abstraction. For I found my felf receiv'd with a fort of refpect, which this idle part of mankind, the learned, pay to their own species; who are as confiderable here, as the bufy, the gay, and the ambitious are in your world.

Indeed I was treated in fuch a manner, that I could not but fometimes ask my felf in my mind, what college I was founder of, or what library I had built? Methinks I do very ill to return to the world again, to leave the only place where I make a figure, and from feeing my felf feated with dignity on the most confpicuous fhelves of a library, put my felf into the abject pofture of lying at a lady's feet in St. James's fquare.