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am telling the worst that can come of you; for as to vice, you are fafe; but folly is many an honeft man's, nay every good-humour'd man's lot: nay, it is the seasoning of life; and fools (in one fenfe) are the falt of the earth: a little is excellent, tho' indeed a whole mouthful is juftly call'd the Devil.

So much for your diverfions next winter, and for mine. I envy you much more at prefent, than I fhall then; for if there be on earth an image of paradife, it is fuch perfect Union and Society as you all poffefs. I would have my innocent envies and wishes of your ftate known to you all; which is far better than making you compliments, for it is inward approbation and efteem. My Lord Digby has in me a fincere fervant, or would have, were there any occafion for me to manifest it.

LETTER XVII.

Decemb. 28, 1724.

T is now the season to wish you a good end of

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one year, and a happy beginning of another : but both these you know how to make yourself, by only continuing fuch a life as you have been long accustomed to lead. As for good works, they are things I dare not name, either to those that do them, or to those that do them not; the first are too modeft, and the latter too felfifh, to bear the mention of what are become either too old fashion'd, or too private, to conftitute any part of the vanity or reputation of the present age. However, it were to be wish'd people would now and then look upon good works as they do upon old wardrobes, merely in cafe any of them should by chance come into fashion again; as ancient fardingales revive in modern hoop'd petticoats, (which may be properly compared

compared to charities, as they cover a multitude of fins.)

They tell me that at Coleshill certain antiquated charities, and obfolete devotions are yet fubfifting: that a thing call'd Chriftian chearfulness (not incompatible with Christmas-pyes and plumb-broth) whereof frequent is the mention in old sermons and almanacks, is really kept alive and in practice: that feeding the hungry, and giving alms to the poor, do yet make a part of good house-keeping, in a latitude not more remote from London than fourscore miles: and lastly, that prayers and roast-beef actually make fome people as happy, as a whore and a bottle. But here in town, I affure you, men, women, and children have done with these things. Charity not only begins, but ends, at home. Inftead of the four cardinal virtues, now reign four courtly ones: we have cunning for prudence, rapine for juftice, time-ferving for fortitude, and luxury for temperance. Whatever you may fancy where you live in a ftate of ignorance, and fee nothing but quiet, religion, and good-humour, the cafe is just as I tell you where people understand the world, and know how to live with credit and glory.

I wish that Heaven would open the eyes of men, and make them fenfible which of thefe is right; whether, upon a due conviction, we are to quit faction, and gaming, and high-feeding, and all manner of luxury, and take to your country way? or you to leave prayers, and almfgiving, and reading, and exercise, and come into our measures? I wish (I say) that this matter were as clear to all men, as it is to

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LETTER XVIII.

DEAR SIR,

April 21, 1726.

you,

tho' I

Have a great inclination to write to cannot by writing, any more than I could by words, exprefs what part I bear in your fufferings. Nature and Efteem in you are join'd to aggravate your affliction: the latter I have in a degree equal even to yours, and a tye of friendship approaches near to the tenderness of nature: yet, God knows, no man living is lefs fit to comfort you, as no man is more deeply fenfible than myself of the greatness of the lofs. That very virtue, which fecures his prefent ftate from all the forrows incident to ours, does but aggrandize our fenfation of its being remov'd from our fight, from our affection, and from our imitation; for the friendship and fociety of good Men does not only make us happier, but it makes us better. Their death does but complete their felicity before our own, who probably are not yet arrived to that degree of perfection which merits an immediate reward. That your dear brother and my dear friend was fo, I take his very removal to be a proof; Providence would certainly lend virtuous men to a world that so much wants them, as long as in its juftice to them it could spare them to us. May my foul be with those who have meant well, and have acted well to that meaning! and, I doubt not, if this prayer be granted, I shall be with him. Let us preferve his memory in the way he would beft like, by recollecting what his behaviour would have been, in every incident of our lives to come, and doing in each juft as we think he would

Mr. Digby died in the year 1726, and is buried in the church of Sherburne in Dorsetshire, with an Epitaph written by the Author.

P.

have

have done; fo we shall have him always before our eyes, and in our minds, and (what is more) in our lives and manners. I hope when we shall meet him next, we shall be more of a piece with him, and confequently not to be evermore separated from him. I will add but one word that relates to what remains of yourself and me, fince fo valued a part of us is gone; it is to beg you to accept, as yours by inheritance, of the vacancy he has left in a heart, which (while he could fill it with fuch hopes, wishes, and affections for him as fuited a mortal creature) was truly and warmly his; and fhall (I affure you in the fincerity of forrow for my own lofs) be faithfully at fervice while I continue to love his memory, your that is, while I continue to be myself.

LETTERS

LETTERS

TO AND FROM

Dr. ATTERBURY, Bishop of ROCHESTER.

From the Year 1716 to 1723.

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LETTER I.

The Bishop of ROCHESTER to Mr. POPE.

Decemb. 1716.

Return your Preface, which I have read twice

with pleasure. The modefty and good fenfe there is in it, muft pleafe every one that reads. it: And fince there is nothing that can offend, I fee not why you should balance a moment about printing it always provided, that there is nothing faid there which you may have occafion to unfay hereafter of which you yourself are the beft and the only judge. This is my fincere opinion, which I give, because you afk it and which I would not give, tho' afk'd, but to a man I value as much as I do you; being fenfible how improper it is, on many

*The General Preface to Mr. Pope's Poems, firft printed 1717, the year after the date of this letter. P.

accounts,

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