me, in the trouble you take for me, in putting my Rhimes in tune, fince good founds fet off often ill fense, as the Italian fongs, whofe good airs, with the worst words or meaning, make the best mufic; fo by your tuning my Welch-harp, my rough fenfe may be the less offenfive to the nicer ears of those critics, who deal more in found than fenfe. Pray then take pity at once both of my readers and me, in shortning my barren abundance, and increafing their patience by it, as well as the obligations I have to you: and fince no madrigaller can entertain the head, unless he pleafes the ear; and fince the crouded Operas have left the best Comedies with the least audiences, 'tis a fign found can prevail over sense; therefore soften my words, and ftrengthen my fense, and

April 15, 1710.

Receiv'd

I your moft extreme kind letter but just now.

;

It found me over those papers you mention, which have been my employment ever fince Eafter-monday: I hope before Michaelmas to have discharg'd my task which, upon the word of a friend, is the moft pleafing one I could be put upon. Since you are so near going into Shropshire (whether I fhall not care to write of this matter for fear of the miscarriage of any letters) I must defire your leave to give you a plain and fincere account of what I have found from a more ferious application to them. Upon comparifon with the former volume, I find much more repeated than I till now imagin'd, as well as in the prefent volume, which, if (as you told me lat) you would have me dash over with

a line, will deface the whole copy extremely, and to a degree that (I fear) may difplease you. I have every where mark'd in the margins the page and line, both in this and the other part. But if you order me not to cross the lines, or would any way elfe limit my commiffion, you will oblige me by doing it in your next letter; for I am at once equally fearful of sparing you, and of offending you by too impudent a correction, Hitherto however I have cross'd 'em fo as to be legible, because bade me. When I think all the re petitions are ftruck out in a copy, I fometimes find more upon dipping in the first volume, and the number increases fo much, that I believe more fhortning will be requifite than you may be willing to bear with, unless you are in good earneft refolv'd to have no thought repeated. Pray, forgive this freedom, which as I muft be fincere in this case, so I could not but take; and let me know if I am to go on at this rate, or if you would prefcribe any other method.

you

I am very glad you continue your refolution of feeing me in my Hermitage this fummer; the fooner you return, the fooner I fhall be happy, which indeed my want of any company that is entertaining or efteemable, together with frequent infirmities and pains, hinder me from being in your abfence. 'Tis (I am fure) a real truth, that my sickness cannot make me quite weary of myself when I have you with me; and I fhall want no company but yours, when you are here.

You fee how freely and with how little care I talk rather than write to you: this is one of the many advantages of friendship, that one can say to one's friend the things that stand in need of pardon, and at the fame time be fure of it. Indeed I do not know whether or no the letters of friends are the worfe for being fit for none elfe to read. 'Tis an argument of the

that I

truft repofed in a friend's good nature, when one writes fuch things to him as require a good portion of it. I have experienced yours so often and fo long, can now no more doubt of the greatness of it, hope you do of the greatness of my affection, or fincty with which

than I

of the

I am, etc.

OU

LETTER XXV.

From Mr. WY CHERLEY.

April 27, 1710. You give me an account in your letter of the trouble you have undergone for me, in comparing my papers you took down with you, with the old printed volume, and with one another, of that bundle you have in your hands; amongst which (you fay) you find numerous Repetitions of the fame thoughts and fubjects; all which, I muft confefs, my want of memory has prevented me from imagining, as well as made me capable of committing fince, of all figures, that of Tautology is the last I would use, or leaft forgive myself for. But feeing is believing; wherefore I will take fome pains to examine and compare thofe papers in your hands with one another, as well as with the former printed copies, or books of my damn'd Mifcellanies; all which (as bad a memory as have) with a little more pains and care I think I can remedy. Therefore would not have you give yourself more trouble about them, which may prevent the pleasure you have, and may give the world in writing upon new fubjects of your own, whereby you will much better entertain yourself and others. Now as to your remarks upon the whole volume of my papers; all that I defire of you is to mark in the margin

(without defacing the copy at all) either any repetition. of words, matter, or sense, or any thoughts, or words too much repeated; which if you will be fo kind as to do for me, you will fupply my want of Memory with your good one, and my deficiencies of fense with the infallibility of yours; which if you do, you will moft infinitely oblige me, who almost repent the trouble I have given you, fince fo much. Now as to what you call freedom with me, (which you defire me to forgive) you may be affur'd I would not forgive you unless you did use it; for I am fo far from thinking your plainnefs an offence to me, that I think it a charity and an obligation; which I fhall always acknowledge, with all fort of gratitude to you for it; who am, etc.

All the news I have to fend you is, that poor Mr. Betterton is going to make his Exit from the stage of this world, the Gout being gotten up into his head, and (as the Phyficians fay) will certainly carry him off fuddenly.

LETTER XXVI.

May 10, 1710.

I Am forry you perfift to take ill my not accepting your invitation, and to find (if I mistake not) your exception not unmixt with fome fufpicion. Be certain I shall most carefully obferve your requeft, not to cross over, or deface the copy of your papers for the future, and only to mark in the margin the Repetitions. But as this can fervé no further than to get rid of those repetitions, and no way rectify the Method, nor connect the Matter, nor improve the Poetry in expreffion or numbers, without further blotting, adding, and altering; fo it really is my opinion and defire, that you

fhould take your papers out of my hands into your own, and that no alterations may be made but when both of us are prefent; when you may be fatisfied with every blot, as well as every addition, and nothing be put upon the papers but what you shall give your own fanction and affent to, at the same time.

Do not be fo unjuft, as to imagine from hence that I would decline any part of this task; on the contrary you know, I have been at the pains of transcribing fome pieces, at once to comply with your defire of not defacing the copy, and yet to lose no time in proceeding upon the correction. I will go on the fame way, if you pleafe; tho' truly it is (as I have often told you) my fincere opinion, that the greater part would make a much better figure as Single Maxims and Reflections in profe, after the manner of your favourite Rochefoucault, than in verfe*: And this, when nothing more is done but marking the repetitions in the margin, will be an easy task to proceed upon, notwithstanding the bad Memory you complain of. I am unfeignedly, dear Sir, Your, e:c.

A. POPE.

Mr. Wycherley lived five years after, to December, 1715, but Ittle progrefs was made in this defign, thro' his old age, and the increafe of his infirmities. However, fome of the verfes, which had been touch'd by Mr. P. with cccvIII of thefe Maxims in Profe, were found among his papers, which having the misfortune to fall into the hands of a Mercenary, were published in 1728, in octavo, under the title of The Pofthumous Works of William Wycherley, Efq;