much bravery and fe much folly can inhabit the fame breafts?

I could not but take a trip to London on the death of the Queen, mov'd by the common curiofity of mankind, who leave their own bufinefs to be looking upon other mens. I thank God, that, as for myfelf, I am below all the accidents of state changes by my circumstances; and above them by my philofophy. Common charity of man to man, and univerfal goodwill to all, are the points I have most at heart; and I ain fure, thofe are not to be broken for the fake of any governors, or government. I am willing to hope the best, and what I more wifh than my own or any particular man s advancement, is, that this turn may put an end entirely to the divifions of Whig and Tory; that the parties may love each other as well as I love them both, or at least hurt each other as little as I would either: and that our own people may live as quietly as we fhall certainly let theirs; that is to fay, that want of power itself in us may not be a fùrer prevention of harm, than want of will in them. I am fure, if all Whigs and all Tories had the fpirit of one Roman Catholic that I know, it would be well for all Roman Catholics; and if all Roman Catholics had always had that fpirit, it had been well for all others; and we had never been charged with fo wicked a fpirit as that of perfecution.

I agree with you in my fentiments of the ftate of

eur nation fince this change: I find myself juft in the fame fituation of mind you defcribe as your own, heartily wishing the good, that is, the quiet of my country, and hoping a total end of all the unhappy di

vifions of mankind by party-fpirit, which at beft is but the madness of many for the gain of a few.

LETTER II.

From Mr BLOUNT.

I am, &c.

T is with a great deal of pleafure I fee your letter,

health, and in the midst of diverfions: I think thofe two things neceffary to a man who has fuch undertakings in hand as Yours. All lovers of Homer are indebted to you for taking fo much pains about the fituation of his Hero's kingdoms; it will not only be of great afe with regard to his works, but to all that read any of the Greek hiftorians; who generally are ill underftood thro' the difference of the maps as to the places they treat of, which makes one think one author contradicts another. You are going to let us right; and 'tis an advantage every body will gladly fee you engrofs the glory of.

You can draw rules to be free and easy, from formal pedants; and teach men to be short and pertinent, from tedious commentators. However, I congratulate your happy deliverance from such authors, as you (with all your humanity) cannot with alive again to converse with. Critics will quarrel with you, if you dare to please without their leave; and Zealots will shrug up their shoulders at a man that pretends to get to Heaven out of their form, drefs and diet. I would no more make a judment of an author's genius from a damning

critic, than I would of a man's religion from an unfaving zealot.

I could take great delight in affording you the new glory of making a Barceloniad (if I may venture to coin fuch a word:) I fancy you would find a jufter parallel than it feems at first fight; for the Trojans too had a great mixture of folly with their bravery; and I am out of countenance for them when I read the wife refult of their council, where, after a warm debate between Antenor and Paris about restoring Helen, Priam fagely determines that they fhall go to fupper. And as for the Greeks, what can equal their fuperftition in facrificing an innocent lady?

Tantum Religio potuit, &c.

I have a good opinion of my politics, fince they' agree with a man who always thinks fo justly as you. I wish it were in our power to perfuade all the nation into as calm and steddy a difpofition of mind.

We have received the late melancholy news, with the ufual ceremony, of condoling in one breath for the lofs of a gracious Queen, and in another rejoicing for an illuftrious King. My views carry me no far-` ther, than to wish the peace and welfare of my country; and my morals and politics teach nie to leave all that to be adjusted by our reprefentatives above, and to divine providence. It is much at one to you and me, who fit at the helm, provided they will permit us to fail quietly in the great fhip. "Ambition is a vice that is timely mortify'd in us poor Papifts: we ought in recompence to cultivate as many virtues in ourfelves as we can, that we may

be truly great. Among my ambitions, that of being a fincere friend is one of the chief: yet I will confess, that I have a secret pleasure to have some of my defcendents know, that their Ancestor was great with Mr Pope.

LETTER III.

From Mr BLOUNT.

I am, &c.

Nov. 11. 1715.

IT

Tis an agreement of long date between you and me, that you should do with my letters just as you pleased, and answer them at your leifure; and that is as foon as I fhall think you ought. I have fo true a taste of the substantial part of your friendship, that I wave all ceremonials; and am fure to make you as many vifits as I can, and leave you to return them whenever you please, affuring you, they fhall, at all times, be heartily welcome to me.

The many alarms we have from your parts, have no effect upon the genius that reigns in our country, which is happily turn'd to preferve peace and quiet, among us. What a difmal fcene has there been opened in the North, what ruin have those unfortunate rah gentlemen drawn upon themfeves and their miserable followers, and perchance upon many others too, who, upon no account, would be their followers? However, it may look ungenerous to reproach people in diftrefs. I don't remember you and I ever used to trouble ourselves about politics; but when any matter happened to fall into our difcourfe, we us'd to condemn

all undertakings that tended towards difturbing the peace and quiet of our country, as contrary to the notions we had of morality and religion, which oblige us on no pretence whatfoever to violate the laws of charity.

How many lives have there been loft

in hot blood, and how many more are there like to be taken off in cold? If the broils of the nation affect you, come down to me, and tho' we are farmers, you know Eumeus made his fiiends welcome. You shall here worship the Echo at your cafe; indeed we are forced to do fo, because we can't hear the first report, and therefore are obliged to listen to the fecond; which for fecurity's fake, I do not always believe neither.

'Tis a great many years fince I fell in love with the character of Pomponius Atticus: I long'd to imitate him a little, and have contrived hitherto, to be, like him, engaged in no party, but to be a faithful friend to fome in both: I find myself very well in this way hitherto, and live in a certain peace of mind by it, which, I am perfuaded, brings a man more content than all the perquifites of wild ambition. I with pleafure join with you in wifhing, nay I am not ashamed to fay, in praying for the welfare, temporal and eternal, of all mankind. How much more affectionately then shall I do fo for you, fince I am in a most particular manner, and with all fincerity,

Your, &c.