forming a moving picture in their visible radiations: and when you have a mind to light it up, it affords you a very different fcene; it is finished with fhells interfperfed with pieces of looking-glafs in angular forms; and in the cieling is a star of the fame material, at which, when a lamp (of an orbicular figure of thin alabafter) is hung in the middle, a thousand pointed rays glitter, and are reflected over the place. There are connected to this grotto by a narrower paffage two porches, one towards the river of smooth ftones full of light, and open; the other toward the Garden fhadow'd with trees, rough with fhells, flints, The bottom is paved with fimple pebble, as is also the adjoining walk up the wildernefs to the temple, in the natural tafte, agreeing not ill with the little dripping murmur, and the aquatic idea of the whole place. It wants nothing to complete it but a good statue with an infcription, like that beatiful antique one which you know I am fo fond of, and iron-ore. Hujus Nympha loci, facri cuftodia fontis, Dormio, dum blanda fentio murmur aquæ. Nymph of the grot, these facred springs I keep, You'll think I have been very poetical in this defcription, but it is pretty near the truth. I wish you were here to bear teftimony how little it owes to Art, either the place itself, or the image I give of it. I am, &c. LETTER XV. Sept. 13. 1725. I Should be ashamed to own the receipt of a very kind letter from you two whole months from the date of this; if I were not more afhamed to tell. alye, or to make an excufe, which is worse than a lye (for being built upon fome probable circumftance, it makes ufe of a degree of truth to falfify. with, and is a lye guarded.) Your letter has been in my pocket in conftant wearing, till that, and the pocket, and the fuit are worn out; by which means I have read it forty times, and I find by fo doing that I have not enough confidered and reflected upon many others you have obliged me with; for true frienship, as they fay of good writing, will bear reviewing a thousand times, and ftill difcover new beauties. I have had a fever, a fhort one, but a violent: I am now well; fo it fhall take up no more of this paper. I begin now to expect you in town to make the winter to come more tolerable to us both. The fummer is a kind of heaven, when we wander in a paradifaical scene among groves and gardens; but at this season, we are like our poor first parents, turned out of that agreeable though folitary life, and forced to look about for more people to help to bear our labours, to get into warmer houses, and live together in cities. I hope you are long fince perfectly reftor'd, and rifen from your gout, happy in the delights of a contented family, fmiling at ftorms, laughing at greatnefs, merry over a chriftmas-fire, and exercising all the functions of an old Patriarch in charity and hofpitality. I will not tell Mrs B* what I think she is doing; for I conclude it is her opinion, that he only ought to know it for whom it is done; and fhe will allow herself to be far enough advanced above a fine lady, not to defire to fhine before men. Your daughters perhaps may have some other thoughts, which even their mother muft excufe them for, because she is a mother. I will not however fuppose those thoughts get the better of their devotions, but rather excite them and assist the warmth of them ; while their prayer may be, that they may raise up and breed as irreproachable a young family as their parents have done. In a word, I fancy you all well, eafy and happy, just as I wish you; and next to that, I wish you all with me. Next to God, is a good man: next in dignity, and next in value. Minuifti eum paulo minus ab angelis. If therefore I wish well to the good and the deferving, and defire they only should be my companions and correfpondents, I muft very foon and very much think of you. I want your company, and your example. Pray make hafte to town, fo as not again to leave us: difcharge the load of earth that lies on you, like one of the mountains under which, the poets fay, the giants (the men of the earth) are whelmed: leave earth, to the fons of the earth, your conversation is in heaven. Which that it may be accomplished in us all, is the prayer of him who maketh this short Sermon; value (to you) threepence. Adieu. Mr Blount died in London the following Year 1726. LETTERS TO AND FROM The Hon. ROBERT DIGBY, From the Year 1717 to 1724. I LETTER I. To the Hon. ROBERT DIGBY. * June 2. 1717. Had pleas'd myfelf fooner in writing to you, but that I have been your fucceffor in a fit of sickness, and am not yet fo much recovered, but that I have thoughts of uling your phyficians. They are as grave perfons as any of the faculty, and (like the ancients) carry their own medicaments about with them. But indeed the moderns are fuch lovers of raillery, that nothing is grave enough to escape them. Let them laugh, but people will ftill have their opinions: as they think our doctors affes to them, we'll think them affes to our Doctors. I am glad you are fo much in a better ftate of health, as to allow me to jest about it. My concern, when I heard of your danger, was fo very ferious, that |