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LETTER CIII.

Twitenham, June 24. 1740.

T is true that I am a very unpunctual correspondent, tho' no unpunctual agent or friend; and that in the commerce of words, I am both poor and lazy. Civility and Compliment generally are the goods that letter-writers exchange, which, with honeft men, feems a kind of illicit trade, by having been, for the most part, carried on, and carried furtheft by designing men. I am therefore reduced to plain inquiries, how my friend does, and what he does? and to repetitions, which I am afraid to tire him with, how much I love him. Your two kind letters gave me real fatisfaction, in hearing you were fafe and well; and in fhewing me you took kindly my unaffected endeavours to prove my esteem for you, and delight in your converfation. Indeed my languid ftate of health, and frequent deficiency of fpirits, together with a number of diffipations, et aliena negotia centum, all confpire to throw a faintnefs and cool appearance over my conduct to those I beft love; which I perpetually feel, and grieve at: But in earnest, no man is more deeply touched with merit in general, or with particular merit towards me, in any one. You ought therefore in both views to hold yourfelf what you are to me in my opinion and affection; fo high in each, that I may perhaps feldom attempt to tell it you. The greatest

Justice, and favour too that you can do me, is to take it for granted.

Do not therefore commend my talents, but instruct me by your own. I am not really learned enough to be a judge in works of the nature and depth of yours. But I travel thro' your book as thro' an amazing scene of ancient Egypt or Greece; ftruck with veneration and wonder; but at every step wanting an inftructor o tell me all I wish to know. Such you prove to me in the walks of antiquity; and fuch you will prove to all mankind: but with this addi tional character, more than any other fearcher into antiquities, that of a genius equal to your pains, and of a tafte equal to your learning.

I am obliged greatly to you, for what you have projected at Cambridge, in relation to my Effay * ; but more for the motive which did originally, and does confequentially in a manner, animate all your goodness to me, the opinion you entertain of my honeft intention in that piece, and your zeal to demonftrate me no irreligious man. I was very fincere with you in what I told you of my own opinion of my own character as a poet†, and, I think I I may confcien. tiously fay, I fhall die in it. I have nothing to add, but that I hope fometimes to hear you are well, as you certainly fhall now and then hear the best I can tell you of myself.

* Mr Pope defired the editor to procure a good tranflation of the Effay on Man, into Latin profe.

+ See his Life,

I

LETTER CIV.

Oct. 27. 1740.

Am grown fo bad a correfpondent, partly thro' the weakness of my eyes, which has much increafed of late, and partly thro' other difagreeable accidents (almost peculiar to me) that my oldest as well as best friends are reasonable enough to excufe me. I know you are of the number who deferve all the teftimonies of any fort, which I can give you of elteem and friendship; and I confide in you, as a man of candour enough, to know it cannot be otherwise, if I am an honeft one. So I will fay no more on this head, but proceed to thank you for your conftant memory of whatever may be ferviceable or reputable to me. The translation * you are a much better judge of than I, not only because you understand my work better than I do myself, but as your continued fami liarity with the learned languages, makes you infinitely' more a master of them. I would only recommend that the Tranflator's attention to Tully's Latinity may not preclude his ufage of fome Terms which may be more precife in modern philosophy than such as he could ferve himself of, especially in matters metaphyfical. I think this fpecimen clofe enough, and clear alfo, as far as the claffical phrafes allow; from which yet I would rather he fometimes deviated, than VOL. VI. Ddd

Of his Efay on Man into latin profe.

fuffered the fenfe to be either dubious or clouded too much. You know my mind perfectly as to the intent of fuch a verfion, and I would have it accompanied with your own remarks tranflated, fuch only I mean as are general, or explanatory of thofe paffages, which are concife to any degree of obfcurity, or which demand perhaps too minute an attention in the reader.

I have been unable to make the Journey I defigned to Oxford, and Lord Bathurst's, where I hoped to have made you of the party. I am going to Bath for near two months. Yet pray let nothing hinder me fometimes from hearing you are well. I have had that contentment from time to time from Mr G.

Scriblerus will or will not be published, according to the event of some other papers coming, or not coming out, which it will be my utmost endeavour to hindert. I will not give you the pain of acquainting you what they are. Your fimile of B. and his nephew, would make an excellent epigram. But all Satire is become fo ineffectual (when the last step that Virtue can stand upon, Shame, is taken away) that Epigram must expect to do nothing even in its own little province, and upon its own little fubjects. Adieu. Believe I with you nearer us; the only power I wish is that of attaching, and at the same time fupporting, fuch congenial bodies as you are to, dear Sir,

* The Memoirs of Scriblerus.

Your, &c.

The letters publish'd by Dr Swift.

I

LETTER CV.

Bath, Feb. 4. 1740-1.

head. My vexations I but I must just mention They have printed in

F I had not been made by many accidents fo fick of letter-writing, as to be almost afraid of the fhadow of my own pen, you would be the perfon I fhould ofteneft pour myself out to: indeed for a good reafon, for you have given me the strongest proofs of understanding, and accepting, my meaning in the best manner; and of the candour of your heart, as well as the clearness of your would not trouble you with, the two greatest I now have. Ireland, my letters to Dr Swift, and (which is the ftrangest circumftance) by his own confent and direction, without acquainting me till it was done. The other is one that will continue with me till fome profperous event to your fervice shall bring us nearer to each other. I am not content with those glympfes of you, which a short fpring-vifit affords;, and from which you carry nothing away with you but my fighs and wishes, without any real benefit.

I am heartily glad of the advancement of your fem cond Volume; and particularly of the Digreffions, for they are so much more of you; and I can trust your judgment enough to depend upon their being pertinent. You will, I queftion not, verify the good proverb, that the furtheft way about, is the nearest way

* Of the Div. Leg.