LETTER III,

To the fame.

Nov. 14, 1716.

F I had not done my utmost to lead my life fo

tell you I reckoned your absence no fmall one; but I hope you have alfo had many good and pleasant reafons to forget your friends on this fide the world. If a wifh could transport me to you and your prefent companions, I could do the fame. Dr. Swift, I believe, is a very good landlord, and a chearful hoft at his own table: I fuppofe he has perfectly learnt himself, what he has taught fo many others, rupta non infanire lagena: elfe he would not make a proper hoft for your humble fervant, who (you know) tho' he drinks a glass as feldom as any man, contrives to break one as often. But 'tis a confolation to me, that I can do this, and many other enormities, under my own roof.

But that you and I are upon equal terms, in all friendly laziness, and have taken an inviolable oath to each other, always to do what we will; I fhould reproach you for fo long a filence. The beft amends you can make for faying nothing to me, is by faying all the good you can of me, which is, that I heartily love and efteem the Dean and Dr. Parnelle.

Gay is yours and theirs. His fpirit is awakened very much in the caufe of the Dean, which has broke forth in a courageous couplet or two upon Sir Richard Blackmore: He has printed it with his name to it, and bravely affigns no other reason, than that the faid Sir Richard has abufed Dr. Swift. I have alfo fuffered in the like caufe, and fhall fuffer more: unless Parnelle fends me his Zoilus and Bookworm (which the Bishop of Clogher, I hear, greatly extols)

it will be fhortly, concurrere Bellum atque Virum-I love you all, as much as I defpife most wits in this dull country. Ireland has turned the tables upon England; and if I have no poetical friend in my own nation, I'll be as proud as Scipio, and fay (fince I am reduced to skin and bone) Ingrata patria, ne offa quidem habeas.

LETTER IV.

To the fame.

Nov. 29, 1716.

THA

HAT you have not heard from me of late, ascribe not to the usual laziness of your correfpondent, but to a ramble to Oxford, where your name is mentioned with honour, even in a land flowing with Tories. I had the good fortune there to be often in the converfation of Doctor Clarke: He entertain'd me with feveral drawings, and particularly with the original defigns of Inigo Jones's Whitehall. I there faw and reverenced fome of your first pieces; which future painters are to look upon as we Poets do on the Culex of Virgil and Batrachom. of Homer.

Having named this latter piece, give me leave to afk what is become of Dr. Parnelle and his Frogs * ? Ob'itufque meorum, oblivifcendus et illis, might be Horace's wifh, but will never be mine while I have fuch meorums as Dr. Parnelle and Dr Swift. I hope the Spring will reftore you to us, and with you all the beauties and colours of nature. Not but I congratulate you on the pleasure you must take in being

*He tranflated the Batrachom. of Homer, which is printed amongst his Poems.

Q4

admir'd

admir'd in your own country, which so seldom happens to Prophets and Poets: but in this you have the advantage of Poets; you are master of an art that muft profper and grow rich, as long as people love, or are proud of themselves, or their own persons. However, you have stay'd long enough, methinks, to have painted all the numberless Hiftories of old Ogygia. If you have begun to be hiftorical, I recommend to your hand the ftory which every pious Irishman ought to begin with, that of St. Patrick; to the end you may be obliged (as Dr. P. was, when he tranflated the Batrachomuomachia) to come into England, to copy the Frogs, and fuch other vermin as were never seen in that land fince the time of that Confeffor.

I long to fee you a History painter. You have already done enough for the private, do something for the public; and be not confined, like the reft, to draw only fuch filly ftories as our own faces tell of us. The Ancients too expect you fhould do them right; thofe Statues from which you learned your beautiful and noble Ideas, demand it as a piece of gratitude from you, to make them truly known to all nations, in the account you intend to write of their Characters. I hope you think more warmly than ever of that defign.

As to your enquiry about your house, when I come within the walls, they put me in mind of thofe of Carthage, where your friend, like the wandring Trojan,

animum Pictura pafcit inani.

For the fpacious manfion, like a Turkish Caravanferah, entertains the vagabonds with only bare lodging. I rule the family very ill, keep bad hours, and lend out your pictures about the town. See what it is to have a poet in your house! Frank indeed does all he can in fuch a circumftance; for, confidering

he

he has a wild beaft in it, he conftantly keeps the door chain'd: Every time it is open'd, the links rattle, the rufty hinges roar. The house seems fo fenfible that you are its fupport, that it is ready to drop in your abfence; but I ftill truft myself under its roof, as depending that Providence will preserve so many Raphael's, Titian's, and Guido's, as are lodged in your Cabinet. Surely the fins of one Poet can hardly be fo heavy, as to bring an old house over the heads of fo many painters. In a word, your house is falling; but what of that? I am only a lodger *.

LETTER V.

The Hon. Mr. CRAGGS to Mr. PoP E.

LA

Paris, Sept. 2, 1716.

AST poft brought me the favour of your letter of the roth Aug. O. S. It would be taking too much upon me to decide, that it was a witty one; I never pretend to more judgment than to know what pleases me, and can affure you, it was a very agreeable one. The proof I can give you of my fincerity in this opinion, is, that I hope and defire you would not stop at this, but continue more of them.

I am in a place where pleasure is continually flowing. The Princes fet the example, and the fubjects follow at a distance. The Ladies are of all parties †, by which means the converfation of the men is very much foftened and fashioned from those blunt difputes on Politics, and rough jefts, we are fo guilty of; while the freedom of the women takes away all

Alluding to the ftory of the Irishman.

ti. e. In all companies.

formality

formality and constraint. I must own, at the fame time, these Beauties are a little too artificial for my taste: you have seen a French picture, the Original is more painted, and fuch a cruft of powder and effence in their hair, that you can fee no difference between black and red. By difufing Stays and indulging themselves at table, they run out of all shape; but as to that, they may give a good reason, they prefer Conveniency to Parade, and are, by this means, as ready, as they are generally willing, to be charitable.

I am furpriz'd to find I have wrote fo much scandal; I fancy I am either fetting up for a wit, or imagine I must write in this ftyle to a wit; I hope you'll prove a good-natur'd one, and not only let me hear from you fometimes, but forgive the small encouragement you meet with. I won't trouble myself to finish finely; a true compliment is better than a good one, and I can affure you without any, that I am very fincerely,

Sir, Yours, &c,

I

SIR,

LETTER VI.

To Mr. FENTON.

May 5.

Had not omitted answering yours of the 18th of laft month, but out of a defire to give you fome certain and fatisfactory account, which way, and at what time, you might take your journey. I am now commiffioned to tell you, that Mr. Craggs will expect you on the rifing of the Parliament, which will be as foon as he can receive you in the manner he would receive a man de belles Lettres, that is, in tranquillity and full leisure. I dare fay your way of life (which,