Wits have rifen fince his death, are but like ftars apr pearing when the fun is fet, that twinkle only in his abfence, and with the rays they have borrowed from him. Our wit (as you call it) is but reflection or imitation, therefore scarce to be called ours. True Wit, I believe, may be defined a juftness of thought, and a facility of expreffion; or (in the midwives phrase) a perfect conception, with an eafy delivery*, However, this is far from a complete definition; pray help me to a better †, as I doubt not, you can. I am, &c.

I

LETTER II.

From Mr. WYCHERLEY,

Jan. 25, 1704-5. Have been fo bufy of late in correcting and transcribing some of my madrigals for a great man or two who defired to fee them, that I have (with your pardon) omitted to return you an answer to your moft ingenious letter: fo fcriblers to the public, like bankers to the public, are profufe in their voluntary loans to it, whilft they forget to pay their more private and particular, as more just debts, to their best and nearest friends. However, I hope, you who have as much good-nature as good fenfe (fince they generally are companions ‡) will have

*This is no definition of wit at all, but of good writing in general,

+ Mr. Locke had given a better. But his Effay was not our young poet's tafte. He had met with it early; but he used to fay, he had then no relish for it.

Good nature and good fenfe, it seems, generally are companions, yet under the different names of wit and humanity they feldom accompany each other. But they might keep company or not, juft as they pleafed, for the au thor was gone in fearch of Witticifms,

B 2

patience

patience with a debtor who has an inclination to pay you his obligations, if he had wherewithal ready about him; and in the mean time fhould confider, when you have obliged me beyond my prefent power of returning the favour, that a debtor may be an honest man, if he but intends to be just when he is able, tho' late. But I fhould be less just to you, the more I thought I could make a return to fo much profuseness of Wit and Humanity together; which tho' they feldom accompany each other in other men, are in you fo equally met, I know not in which you most abound. But fo much for my opinion of you, which is, that your Wit and Ingenuity is equalled by nothing but your Judgment, or Modefty, which (tho' it be to please myself) I must no more offend, than I can do either right.

Therefore I will fay no more now of them, than that your good wit never forfeited your good judgment, but in your partiality to me and mine; fo that if it were poffible for a hardened fcribler to be vainer than he is, what you write of me would make me more conceited than what I fcrible myself: yet, I must confefs, I ought to be more humbled by your praise than exalted, which commends my little fenfe with so much more of yours, that I am disparaged and difheartened by your commendations; who give me an example of your wit in the first part of your lettor and a definition of it in the laft; to make writing well (that is, like you) more difficult to me than ever it was before. Thus the more great and juft your example and definition of wit are, the lefs I am capable to follow them. Then the best way of fhewing my judgment, after having seen how you write, is to leave off writing; and the best way to fhew my friendship to you, is to put an end to your trouble, and to conclude

Yours, &c.

LET.

LETTER III.

March 25, 1705.

HEN I write to you, I foresee a long letter, and ought to beg your patience before-hand; for if it proves the longeft, it will be of course the worst I have troubled you with. Yet to express my gratitude at large for your obliging letter, is not more my duty than my intereft; as fome people will abundantly thank you for one piece of kindness, to put you in mind of bestowing another. The more favourable you are to me, the more diftinctly I fee my faults: Spots aud blemishes, you know, are never fo plainly discovered as in the brightest sunshine. Thus I am mortified by those commendations which were defigned to encourage me: for praise to a young wit, is like rain to a tender flower; if it be moderately beftowed, it chears and revives; but if too lavishly, overcharges and depreffes him. Moft men in years, as they are generally discouragers of youth, are like old trees, that, being paffed bearing themfelves, will fuffer no young plants to flourish beneath them: but, as if it were not enough to have out-done all your coevals in wit, you will excel them in good-nature too. As for my green effays, if you find any pleasure in them, it must be such as a man naturally takes in obferving the first shoots and buddings of a tree which he has raised himself: and 'is impoffible they fhould be esteemed any otherwise, than as we value fruits for being early, which nevertheless are the most infipid, and the worst of the year. In a word, I must blame you for treating me with fo much compliment, which is at best but the fmoke of friendhip. I neither write, nor converse with you, to

*

* His Paftorals, written at fixteen years of B 3

gain your praise, but your affection. Be fo much my friend as to appear my enemy, and tell me my faults, if not as a young Man, at least as an unexperienced Writer.

I am, &c.

LETTER IV.

From Mr. WYCHERLEY.

March 29, 1705:

OUR letter of the twenty-fifth of March I have received, which was more welcome to me than any thing could be out of the country, tho' it were one's rent due that day; and I can find no fault with it, but that it charges me with want of fincerity, or juftice, for giving you your due; who fhould not let your modefty be fo unjust to your merit, as to reject what is due to it, and call that compliment, which is fo fhort of your defert, that it is rather degrading than exalting you. But if compliment be the smoke only of friendship (as you fay) however, you must allow there is no smoke but there is fome fire; and as the facrifice of incense offered to the Gods would not have been half so sweet to others, if it had not been for its fmoke; fo friendfhip, like love, cannot be without some incense, to perfume the name it would praise and immortalize. But fince you fay you do not write to me to gain my praise, but my affection, pray how is it poffible to have the one without the other? we muft admire before we love. You affirm, you would have me fo much your friend as to appear your enemy, and find out your faults rather than your perfections; but (my friend) that would be fo hard to do, that I, who love no difficulties, can't be perfuaded to it. Besides,

the

the vanity of a fcribler is fuch, that he will never part with his own judgment to gratify another's; especially when he must take pains to do it: and tho' I am proud to be of your opinion, when you talk of any thing or man but yourself, I cannot fuffer you to murder your fame with your own hand, without oppofing you; especially when you fay your laft letter is the worst (fince the longeft) you have favoured me with; which I therefore think the best, as the longeft life (if a good one) is the best; as it yields the more variety, and is the more exemplary; as a chearful fummer's day, tho' longer than a dull one in the winter, is less tedious and more entertaining. Therefore let but your friendship be like your letter, as lafting as it is agreeable, and it can never be tedious, but more acceptable and obliging

to

Your, &c.

I

LETTER V.

From Mr. WYCHERLEY.

April 7, 1705. Have received yours of the fifth, wherein your modefty refuses the juft praises I give you, by which you lay claim to more, as a bishop gains his bifhopric by faying he will not epifcopate, but I muft confefs, whilft I displease you by commending you, I please myfelf; juft as incenfe is fweeter to the offerer than the deity to whom 'tis offered, by his being so much above it: For indeed every man partakes of the praise he gives, when it is so justly given.

As to my enquiry after your intrigues with the Mufes, you may allow me to make it, fince no old