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putting it upon paper, are as strong for telling it you in person; and I am uneasy to be so long denied the satisfaction of it.

At present I consider you bound in by the Irish sea, like the ghosts in Virgil,

Tristi palus inamabilis undâ

Alligat, et novies Styx circumfusa coërcet!

and I cannot express how I long to renew our old intercourse and conversation, our morning conferences in bed in the same room, our evening walks in the park, our amusing voyages on the water, our philosophical suppers, our lectures, our dissertations, our gravities, our reveries, our fooleries, or what not?This awakens the memory of some of those who have made a part in all these. Poor Parnelle, Garth, Rowe! You justly reprove me for not speaking of the death of the last: Parnelle was too much in my mind, to whose memory I am erecting the best monument I can. What he gave me to publish, was but a small part of what he left behind him; but it was the best, and I will not make it worse by enlarging it. I would fain know if he be buried at Chester or Dublin; and what care has been, or is to be taken for his monument, &c. Yet I have not neglected my devoirs to Mr. Rowe; I am writing this very day his epitaph for Westminster-Abbey. After these, the best-natured of men, Sir Samuel Garth, has left me in the truest concern for his loss. His death was very heroical, and yet unaffected enough to have made a saint or a philosopher famous. But ill tongues, and worse hearts, have branded even his last moments, as wrongfully as they did his life, with irreligion. You must have heard many tales on this subject; but if ever there was a good Christian without knowing himself to be so, it was Dr. Garth 2. Your, &c.

2 Dr. Garth died Jan., 1718, and was buried on the 22nd of the same month, in the church of Harrow-on-the-Hill.—Bowles.

LETTER XVII.

3

FROM SIR GODFREY KNELLER TO MR. POPE.

DEAR FRIEND,

I HOPE your genus dos and will know myn is with the most acceptable and most accomplished company to-morrow; for my body is in no condition to stirr out of my bed as jet, and has had no rest these two nights but what it snatches and gets in the daytimes by fits; and I believe my left lag will be out of order a good wyle. Pray give my hearty good will to the compa. for the deeds, and my most humble servis, being ever yours,

Sir Godfrey is well known to have been a man of superlative vanity, which he displayed on all occasions. No flattery was too gross for him, and when it was not voluntarily given he did not scruple to solicit it. When Pope was sitting by him one day whilst he was painting he suddenly stopped and said: "I can't do so well as I should do, unless you flatter me a little; pray flatter me, Mr. Pope; you know I love to be flattered." On another occasion, Pope, being willing to try how far his vanity would carry him, after considering a picture which he had just finished, very attentively, said to him, in French: "On lit dans les écritures saintes, que le bon Dieu faisoit l'homme après son image; mais, je crois, que s'il voudroit faire un autre à présent, qu'il le feroit après l'image que voilà." Sir Godfrey turned round and said very gravely : "Vous avez raison, Mons. Pope: par Dieu, je le crois aussi."

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By Glove you, Mr. Cock, (said Sir Godfrey, to Cock the auctioneer,) and I will do you good; but you must do something for me too, Mr. Cock; one hand can wash the face, but two hands wash one another."

Secretary Craggs brought Dick Estcourt once to Sir Godfrey Kneller's, where he mimicked several persons whom he knew-as Lords Godolphin, Somers, Halifax, &c. Sir Godfrey was highly delighted, took the joke, and laughed heartily. They then gave him the wink, and he mimicked Sir Godfrey himself; who cried: "Nay, now you are out, man; by G— that is not me."

Mr. Spence has recorded the following anecdote in the words of Pope : "I paid Sir Godfrey a visit but two days before he died; and I think I never saw a scene of so much vanity in my life. He was lying in his bed, and contemplating the plan he had made for his own monument. He said many gross things in relation to himself, and the memory he should leave behind him. He said he should not like to lie among the rascals at Westminster; a memorial there would be sufficient; and desired me to write an epitaph for it. I did so afterwards; and I think it is the worst thing I ever wrote in my life." Spence's Anec. 165, Singer's Edition.

Who can help smiling at honest Sir Godfrey's account of his left "lag." Walpole thinks such letters need not be published. Certainly

LETTER XVIII.

FROM SIR GODFREY KNELLER.

DEAR FRIEND,

I FIND them pictures are so very fresh, being painted in three collers, and ought to be near a fier several days; for as they are, it is impracticable to put them where you intend. It would be pitty they should take dust. Jenny stays here eight or ten days, and will not fail of sending them when reddy; and I am, giving my hearty and humble, servis to your dear mother, dear Mr. Pope,

Your, &c.

LETTER XIX.

FROM SIR GODFREY KNELLER.

DEAR MR. POPE,

I BELIEVE this will be card playrs evning, and we may do how we please. If you come about four o'clock, you may see me paint. To-morrow I am engaged to goe to Harrow the Hill with company, being ever, dear friend,

Your, &c.

SIR,

LETTER XX.

FROM SIR GODFREY KNELLER.

From Great Queen Street,

June 16, 1719.

I AM in towne, and have louck'd for beds and bedsteads, which must cost ten pounds a year. When I promised to provide them you had maid no mention of the towne rates, which I am to pay, and will be 5 pounds

not, as fine letters; but they are entertaining and characteristic, It should be remembered, that Sir Godfrey, being a foreigner, was not of course acquainted with the English language.-Bowles.

a year at least, and which would be 15 pounds per annum whit the beds; and that house did let for 45 a year when I bought it; so that all I have laid out being near 400 pound, would be done for nothing, of which you will consider and let me know your mind. The stables are fitted as you gentlemen ordered them to be, and all the painting will be done to-morrow or Thursday, with whenscoating in the quickest manner and best; and if you can stay till Saturday let me know your pleasure about the beds and bedsteads, for them I cannot provide. You may have 6, of which two are to have courtins, for 10 pounds a year: and am, giving my most humble respects to my Lady Mery Whortly, Your, &c.

I thought one might have such beds and bedsteads for 4 or 5 pounds a-year; and which I would have done if no rates prop.

LETTER XXI.

MR. POPE TO MR. RICHARDSON 5.

January 13, 1732.

I HAVE at last got my mother so well, as to allow myself to be absent from her for three days. As

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5 As an artist it was allowed, that "no one drew a head better than Richardson," and he was moreover a very excellent and worthy man. His essays on the art of criticism in painting," and "on the science of a connoisseur," abound with judicious and solid observations, and are well calculated to inspire a knowledge and love of art; qualities which he possessed himself in an eminent degree, as was shown by his fine collection of drawings by the ancient masters, which was sold after his death in 1748, and produced upwards of 2,000l., a large sum for that period, although greatly below their value. These drawings he had carefully mounted, and wrote the name of the artist frequently with his own observations in a neat and correct hand at the back, in which state we frequently meet with them in collections. In the use of the needle Richardson particularly excelled. Of Pope he has etched many striking and characteristic likenesses in different attitudes; some of them with verses testifying his admiration of, and respect for him. He also etched those of several of their common friends, and particularly of Swift and of Bolingbroke. Hudson, the son-in-law and successor to Richardson, as an artist, was the

Sunday is one of them, I do not know whether I may propose to you to employ it in the manner you mentioned to me once. Sir Godfrey called employing the pencil the prayer of a painter, and affirmed it to be his proper way of serving God, by the talent he gave him. I am sure, in this instance, it is serving your friend; and you know we are allowed to do that (nay even to help a neighbour's ox or ass) on the sabbath; which though it may seem a general precept, yet in one sense particularly applies to you, who have helped many a human ox, and many a human ass, to the likeness of man, not to say of God.

Believe me, dear Sir, with all good wishes for yourself and your family, (the happiness of which ties I know by experience, and have learned to value from the late danger of losing the best of mine,)

Your, &c.

LETTER XXII.

TO MR. RICHARDSON.

Twickenham, June 10, 1733.

As I know you and I mutually desire to see one another, I hoped that this day our wishes would have met, and brought you hither. And this for the very reason which possibly might hinder your coming, that my poor mother is dead. I thank God, her death was as easy, as her life was innocent; and as it cost her not a groan, or even a sigh, there is yet upon her countenance such an expression of tranquillity, nay, almost

master of Sir Joshua Reynolds, who, if he was not indebted to his instructor for the superior style which he adopted, obtained at least in this school of art that predilection for his profession and knowledge of the works of the early painters, which opened to him the path to excellence, and induced him to form a large collection of pictures and drawings, amongst the latter of which were a great number of those which had formerly been in the collection of Richardson.

6 Probably in painting or etching his portrait.

7 Mrs. Pope died the 7th of June, 1733, aged 93.—Warburton.

VOL. VI.

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