ter is the worst (fince the longeft) you have favoured me with; which I therefore think the beft, as the longest Life (if a good one) is the beft, as it yields the more Variety and is more Exemplary; as a chearful Summer's Day, tho' longer than a dull one in the Winter, is lefs tedious and more entertaining: Therefore let but your Friendship be like your Letter, as lafting as it is agreeable, and it can never be tedious, but more acceptable and obliging to

Tour, &c.

Mr.WYCHERLEY to Mr. POPE.

IH

April 7, 1705.

HAVE receiv'd yours of the Fifth, wherein your Modefty refufes the juft Praises I give you, by which you lay claim to more, as a Bifhop gains his Bishoprick, by faying he will not Epifcopate: But I must confefs, whilft I difplease you by commending you, I please my felf; juft as Incense is fweeter to the Offerer than the Deity to whom 'tis offered, by his being fo much above it: For indeed, every Man partakes of the Praise he gives, when it is so justly giyen.

As

As to my enquiry after your Intrigues with the Mufes, you may allow me to make it, fince no old Man can give fo young, fo great, and able a Favourite of theirs, Jealoufy. Tam, in my Enquiry, like old Sir Bernard Gascoign, who us'd to fay, That when he was grown too old to have his Vifits admitted alone by the Ladies,he always took along with him a young Man, to enfure his Welcome to them; who, had he come alone had been rejected, only because his Vifits were not fcandalous to them. So I am (like an old Rook, who is ruin'd by Gaming) forc'd to live on the good Fortune of the pushing young Men, whofe Fancies are fo vigorous, that they enfure their Succefs in their Adventures with the Mufes, by their Strength of Imagination.

Your Papers are fafe in my Cuftody (you may be fure) from any one's Theft but my own 3 for 'tis as dangerous to trust a Scribler with your Wit, as a Gamester with the Cuftody of your Money. If you happen to come to Town, you will make it more difficult for me to leave it, who am, dear Mr. Pope,

Tour, &c.

Mr.

I

Mr.POPE's Answer.

April 30, 1705...

Cannot contend with you. You must give me leave at once to wave all your Compliments, and to collect only this in general from 'em, that your Design is to encouragé me. But I feparate from all he reft that Paragraph or two, in which you make me fo warm an Offer of vour Friendship. Were I poffefs'd of That, it would put an end to all thofe Speeches with which you now make me blush; and change them to wholefome Advices, and free Sentiments, which might make me wifer and happier. I know 'tis the general Opinion, that Friendship is beft contracted betwixt Perfons of equal Age: but I have so much Intereft to be of another Mind, that you muft pardon me if I cannot forbear telling you a few Notions of mine, in oppofition to that Opinion.

In the first place 'tis obfervable, that the Love we bear to our Friends is generally caused by our finding the fame Difpofitions in them, which we feel in our felves. This is but Self-love at the bottom: Whereas the Affection betwixt People of different Ages cannot well be fuch, the Inclinations of fuch

being

being commonly various. The Friendship of two young Men is often occafioned by Love of Pleasure or Voluptuoufnefs, each being defirous, for his own fake, of one to affift or incourage him in the Courses he purfues; as that of two old Men is frequently on the fcore of fome Profit, Lucre, or Defign upon others. Now, as a young Man who is lefs acquainted with the Ways of the World, has in all probability lefs of Intereft; and an old Man who may be weary of himself, lefs of Self-love; fo the Friendship between them is the more likely to be true, and unmix'd with too much Selfregard. One may add to this, that fuch a Friendship is of greater Ufe and Advantage to both; for the old Man will grow more gay and agreeable to please the young one; and the young Man more difcreet and prudent by the help of the old one: fo it may prove a Cure of thofe epidemical Diseases of Age and Youth, Sournefs and Madness. I hope you will not need many Arguments to convince you of the Poffibility of this; One alone abundantly fatisfies me, and convinces to the very Heart; which is, that I am, &c.

Mr. Wycherley was at this time about Seventy Years old, Mr. Pope under Seventeen.

Mr.

I

Mr. POPE to Mr. WYCHERLEY.

June 23, 1705.

Shou'd believe my self happy in your good Opinion, but that you treat me fo much in a Style of Compliment. It has been obferv'd of Women, that they are more fubject in their youth to be touch'd with Vanity than Men, on account of their being generally treated this way; but the weakeft Women are not more fo than that weak Clafs of Men, who are thought to pique themfelves upon their Wit. The World is never wanting, when a Coxcomb is accomplishing himself, to help to give him the finishing Stroke.

Every Man is apt to think his Neighbour overstock'd with Vanity, yet I cannot but fancy, there are certain Times, when most people are in a difpofition of being inform'd; and 'tis incredible what a vaft Good a little Truth might do, Ipoken in fuch seasons. A very fmall Alms will do a great kindness, to people in extream neceffity.

I could