faid you were weary of me, would pretend to be deaf, and think (according to another proverb) that you tore my cloaths to keep me from going. I never will believe one word you fay of my Lord Duke, unless I fee three or four lines in his own hand at the bottom of yours. I have a concern in the whole family, and Mr. Gay must give me a particular account of every branch, for I am not ashamed of you though you be Duke and Duchess, though I have been of others who are, etc. and I do not doubt but even your own fervants love you, even down to your poftilions; and when I come to Aimsbury, before I fee your Grace I will have an hour's converfation with the Vicar, who will tell me how familiarly you talk to Goody Dobson, and all the neighbours, as if you were their equal, and that you were god-mother to her fon Jacky.

I am, and shall be ever, with the greatest respect,

Your Grace's most obedient, etc.

LETTER LXI.

Dublin, October 3, 1731,

USUALLY write to friends after a pause of a few weeks, that I may not interrupt them in better company, better thoughts, and better diverfions. I believe I have told you of a great man, who faid to me, that he never once in his life received a good letter from Ireland: for which there are reasons enough without affronting our understandings. For there is not one perfon out of this country, who regards any events. that pass here, unless he hath an estate or employment.

-I cannot tell that you or I ever gave the least provocation to the present Ministry, much less to the Court; and yet I am ten times more out of favour than you. For my own part, I do not fee the politic of opening common letters, directed to perfons generally known; for a man's understanding would be very weak to convey secrets by the post, if he knew any, which I declare I do not: and befides I think the world is already fo well informed by plain events, that I queftion whether the Ministers have any fecrets at all. Neither would I be under any apprehenfion if a letter fhould be fent me full of treafon; because I cannot hinder people from writing what they please, nor fending it to me; and although it should be difcovered to have been opened before it came to my

hand,

hand, I would only burn it and think no further. I approve of the scheme you have to grow fomewhat richer, though I agree, you will meet with discouragements; and it is reasonable you should, confidering what kind of pens are at this time only employed and encouraged. For you must allow that the bad painter was in the right, who, having painted a cock, drove away all the cocks and hens, and even the chickens, for fear those who paffed by his shop might make a comparison with his work. And I will fay one thing in fpite of the Poft-officers, that fince Wit and Learning began to be made use of in our kingdoms, they were never profeffedly thrown afide, contemned and punished, till within your own memory; nor Dulness and Ignorance ever fo openly encouraged and promoted. In answer to what you fay of my living among you, if I could do it to my ease; perhaps you have heard of a scheme for an exchange in Berkshire proposed by two of our friends; but, befides the difficulty of adjusting certain circumftances, it would not answer. I am at a time of life that feeks ease and independence; you'll hear my reasons when you fee those friends, and I concluded them with faying; That I would rather be a freeman among flaves, than a flave among freemen. The dignity of my present station damps the pertnefs of inferior puppies and fquires, which, without plenty and ease on your fide the channel, would break my heart in a month.

Madam,

Madam,

See what it is to live where I do. I am utterly ignorant of that fame Strado del Poe; and yet, if that Author be against lending or giving money, I cannot but think him a good Courtier; which, I am fure, your Grace is not, no not fo much as to be a maid of honour. For I am certainly informed, that you are neither a free-thinker, nor can fell bargains; that you can neither spell, nor talk, nor write, nor think like a Courtier; that you pretend to be refpected for qualities which have been out of fashion ever fince you were almost in your cradle ; that your contempt for a fine petticoat is an infallible mark of disaffection; which is further confirmed by your ill-taste for Wit, in preferring two old-fashioned poets before Duck or Cibber. Befides, you fpell in fuch a manner as no court-lady can read, and write in fuch an old-fashioned style, as none of them can understand.-You need not be in pain about Mr. Gay's ftock of health. I promise you he will spend it all upon laziness, and run deep in debt by a winter's repose in town; therefore I entreat your Grace will order him to move his chops lefs and his legs more the fix cold months, else he will spend all his money in phyfic and coach-hire. I am in much perplexity about your Grace's declaration, of the manner in which you difpofe what you call your love and refpect, which you fay are not paid to Merit but to your own Humour. Now, Madam, my misfortune is, that I have nothing to plead but abundance

7

abundance of Merit, and there goes an ugly obfervation, that the Humour of ladies is apt to change. Now, Madam, if I fhould go to Aimsbury, with a great load of Merit, and your Grace happen to be out of humour, and will not purchase my merchandize at the price of your refpect, the goods may be damaged, and nobody else will take them off my hands. Befides, you have declared Mr. Gay to hold the first part, and I but the fecond; which is hard treatment, fince I shall be the newest acquaintance by fome years; and I will appeal to all the rest of your sex, whether fuch an innovation ought to be allowed? I should be ready to fay in the common forms, that I was much obliged to the Lady who wished she could give the best living, etc. if I did not vehemently suspect it was the very fame Lady who spoke many things to me in the fame style, and also with regard to the gentleman at your elbow when you writ, whose Dupe he was, as well as of her Waiting-woman; but. they were both arrant knaves, as I told him and a third friend, though they will not believe it to this day. I defire to prefent my maft humble respects to my Lord Duke, and with my heartieft prayer for the profperity of the whole family, remain

Your Grace's, etc,