ing what is at prefent no more than the fineft wood in England.

The objects that attract this part of the world, are of a quite different nature. Women of quality are all turn'd followers of the camp in Hyde-park this year, whither all the town refort to magnificent entertainments given by the officers, &c., The Scythian Ladies that dwelt in the waggons of war, were not more closely attached to the luggage. The matrons, like those of Sparta, attend their fons to the field, to be the witneffes of their glorious deeds; and the maidens with all their charms difplay'd, provoke the spirit of the Soldiers: Tea and Coffee fupply the place of Lacedemonian black broth. This Camp feems crown'd with perpetual victory, for every fun that rifes in the thunder of cannon, fets in the mufic of violins. Nothing is yet wanting but the constant prefence of the Princess, to represent the Mater Exercitus.

At Twickenham the world goes otherwife. There are certain old people who take up all my time, and will hardly allow me to keep any other company. They were introduced here by a man of their own fort, who has made me perfectly rude to all contemporaries, and won't fo much as fuffer me to look upon them. The perfon I complain of is the Bishop of Rochester.

Yet

Yet he allows me (from fomething he has heard of your character and that of your family, as if you were of the old fect of moralifts) to write three or four fides of paper to you, and to tell you (what these fort of people never tell but with truth and religious fincerity) that I am, and ever will be,

Your, &c.

LETTER XIII.

HE fame reason that hinder'd your writing, hinder'd mine, the pleasing expectation to see you in town. Indeed fince the willing confinement I have lain under here with my mother (whom it is natural and reasonable I should rejoice with, as well as grieve) I could the better bear your absence from London, for I could hardly have feen you there, and it would not have been quite reasonable to have drawn you to a fick room hither from the firft embraces of your friends. My mother is now (I thank God) wonderfully recovered, tho' not fo much as yet to venture out of her chamber, but enough to enjoy a few particular friends, when they have the good nature to look upon her. I may recommend to you the room we fit in, upon one (and that a favourite) account, VOL. VIII.

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that

that it is the very warmeft in the house; we and our fires will equally fmile upon your face. There is a Perfian proverb that fays (I think "The converfation of a friend very prettily)

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brightens the eyes." This I take to be a fplendor ftill more agreeable than the fires you fo delightfully defcribe.

That you may long enjoy your own fire-fide in the metaphorical sense, that is, all those of your family who make it pleafing to fit and fpend whole wintry months together (a far more rational delight, and better felt by an honeft heart, than all the glaring entertainments, numerous lights, and falfe fplendors, of an Affembly of empty heads, aking hearts, and falfe faces.) This is my fincere wish to you and yours.

You fay you propofe much pleasure in feeing fome few faces about town of my acquaintance. I guess you mean Mrs. Howard's and Mrs. Blount's. And I affure you, you ought to take as much pleasure in their hearts, if they are what they fometimes exprefs with regard to you.

Believe dear Sir, to you all, a very me, ful fervant.

faith

LETTER

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LETTER XIV.

From Mr. DIGBY.

Sherburne, Aug. 14, 1723.

Can't return from fo agrecable an entertainment as yours in the country, without acknowledging it. I thank you heartily for the new agreeable idea of life you there gave me; it will remain long with me, for it is very strongly impreffed upon my imagination. I repeat the memory of it often, and fhall value that faculty of the mind now more than ever, for the power it gives me of being entertained in your villa, when absent from it. As As you are poffeffed of all the pleasures of the country, and, as I think, of a right mind, what can I wish you but health to enjoy them? This I fo heartily do, that I should be even glad to hear your good old mother might lofe all her present pleasures in her unwearied care of you, by your better health convincing them it is unneceffary.

I am troubled and shall be so till I hear you have receiv'd this letter: for you gave me the greatest pleasure imaginable in yours, and I am impatient to acknowledge it. If I any ways deferve that friendly warmth and affection with which

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which you write, it is, that I have a heart full of love and esteem for you: fo truly, that I fhould lofe the greatest pleasure of my life if I loft your good opinion. It rejoices me very much to be reckoned by you in the class of honeft men; for tho' I am not troubled overmuch about the opinion moft may have of me, yet, Iown, it would grieve me not to be thought well of, by you and fome few others. I will not doubt my own ftrength, yet I have this further fecurity to maintain my integrity, that I cannot part with that, without forfeiting your efteem with it.

Perpetual diforder and ill health have for fome years fo disguised me, that, I fometimes fear I do not to my best friends enough appear what I really am. Sickness is a great oppreffor; it does great injury to a zealous heart, ftifling its warmth, and not fuffering it to break out in action. But, I hope, I fhall not make this complaint much longer. I have other hopes that please me too, tho' not fo well grounded; these are, that you may yet make a journey westward with Lord Bathurft; but of the probability of this I do not venture to reason, because I would not part with the pleasure of that belief. I grieves me to think how far I am removed from you, and from that excellent Lord, whom I love! Indeed I remember him, as one

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