As to the fuccefs which, you fay, my part has met with, it is to be attributed to what you was pleas'd to say of me to the world; which you do well to call your prophecy, fince whatever is faid in my favour, must be a prediction of things that are not yet; you, like a true Godfather, engage on my part for much more than ever I can perform. My paftoral Mufe, like other country girls, is but put out of countenance, by what you courtiers fay to her; yet I hope you would not deceive me too far, as knowing that a young fcribler's vanity needs no recruits from abroad: for nature, like an indulgent mother, kindly takes care to supply her fons with as much of their own, as is neceffary for their fatisfaction. 1 If my verses should meet with a few flying commendations, Virgil has taught me, that a young author has not too much reafon to be pleas'd with them, when he confiders that the natural coffequence of praise is envy and calumny.

-Si ultra placitum laudarit, baccare frontem
Cingite, ne vati noceat mala lingua futuro.

When once a man has appear'd as a poet, he may give up his pretenfions to all the rich and thriving arts: those who have once made their court to those miftreffes without portions, the Mufes, are never like to fet up for fortunes. But for my part, I fhall be fatisfy'd if I can lofe my time agreeably this way, without lofing my reputation: as for gaining

any, I am as indifferent in the matter as Falstaffé was, and may fay of fame as he did of honour, “If "C it comes, it comes unlook'd for; and there's an "end on't." can be content with a bare faving game, without being thought an eminent hand, (with which title Jacob has graciously dignify'd his adventurers and voluntiers in poetry.) Jacob creates poets, as Kings fometimes do knights, not for their honour, but for their money. Certainly he ought to be esteem'd a worker of miracles, who is grown rich by poetry. ཚོ་BJ

What Authors lofe, their Bookfellers have won,yheid So Pimps grow rich, while Gallants are undone, visit

TH

22d of May. I take your charitable hint to me very kindly, wherein you do like a true friend, and a true chriftian, and I shall endeavour to follow your advice, as well as your example.-As for your wishing to fee your friend an Hermit with you, I cannot be faid to leave the world, fince I fhall enjoy

in

in your converfation all that I can defire of it; nay, can learn more from you alone, than from my long experience of the great, or little vulgar inviting 987

As to the fuccefs of your poems in the late mifcellany, which I told you of in my laft; upon my word I made you no compliment, for you may be affur'd that all fort of readers like them, except they are writers too; but for them (I must needs fay) the more they like them, they ought to be the lefs pleas'd with 'em: fo that you do not come off with a bare faving game (as you call it) but have gain'd fo much credit at firft, that you must needs fupport it to the laft: fince. you fet up with so great a stock of good fenfe, judgment, and wit, that your judg ment enfures all that your wit ventures at. The falt of your wit has been enough to give a relifh to the whole infipid hotch-potch it is mingled with; and you will make Jacob's Ladder raife you to immortality, by which others are turn'd off fhamefully to their damnation (for poetic thieves as they are) who think to be fav'd by others good works, how faulty foever their own are: but the coffee-houfe wits, or rather anti-wits the critics, prove their judgments by approving your wit; and even the news-mongers and poets will own, you have more invention than they; nay, the detractors or the envious, who never speak well of any body (not even of those they think well of in their abfence) yet will give you even in your abfence their good word; and the cri

D 4

tics

tics only hate you, for being forced to speak well of you whether they will or no: All this is true upon the word of

Your, &c.

MY

LETTER

XXI.

From Mr. WY CHERLEY.jult kopcaps

Aug. 11, 1709.

Y letters, fo much inferior to yours, can only make up their scarcity of sense by their number of lines; which is like the Spaniards paying a debt of gold with a load of brass money. But to be a plain-dealer, I must tell you, I will revenge the raillery of your letters by printing them (as Dennis did mine) without your knowledge too, which wou'd be a revenge upon your judgment for the raillery of your wit; for fome dull rogues (that is the most in the world) might be fuch fools as to think what you have faid of me was in earneft: It is not the first time, your great wits have gain'd reputation by their paradoxical or ironical praises; your forefathers have done it, Erafmus and others. For all mankind who know me must confefs, he must be no ordinary genius, or little friend, who can find out any thing to commend in me feriously; who have given no fign of my judgment but my opinion of yours, nor mark of my wit, but my leaving off writing to the

public now you are beginning to fhew the world what you can do by yours: whofe wit is as fpiritual as your judgment infallible: in whofe judgment I have an implicit faith, and shall always subscribe to it to fave my works, in this world, from the flames and damnation.-Pray, prefent my most humble fervice to Sir William Trumbull; for whom and whose judgment I have so profound a respect, that his example had almoft made me marry, more than my Nephew's ill carriage to me; having once refolv'd to have revenged myself upon him by my marriage, but now am refolv'd to make my revenge greater upon him by His marriage.

LETTER XXII.

From Mr. WYCHERLEY.

April 1, 1710.

Have had yours of the 30th of the last month,

I which is kinders than 1 defire it fhould be, ince

it tells me you cou'd be better pleas'd to be fick again in Town in my company, than to be well in the Country without it; and that you are more impatient to be depriv'd of happiness than of health. Yet, my dear friend, fet raillery or compliment afide, I can bear your abfence (which procures your health and ease) better than I can your company when you are in pain: for I cannot fee you fo without being fo

too.