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hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Paradise of Cyrus, and the Sharawaggis of of China, I have little or no Ideas of 'em, but I dare fay Lord B---t has, because they were certainly both very Great, and veryWild. I hope Mrs. Mary Digby is quite tired of his Lordship's Extravagante Bergerie; and that the is juft now fitting, or rather inclining, on a Bank, fatigu'd with over much Dancing and Singing at his unwearied Requeft and Inftigation. I know your love of Ease so well, that you might be in danger of being too Quiet to enjoy Quiet, and too Philofophical to be a Philofopher; were it not for the Ferment Lord B. will put you into. One of his Lordfhip's Maxims is, that a total Abstinence from Intemperance or Business, is no more Philofophy, than a total Compofition of the Senfes is Repofe; one muft Feel enough of its Contrary to have a Relifh of either. But after all, let your Temper work, and be as fedate and contemplative as you will, I'll engage you shall be fit for his Lordship when you come to Town in the Winter. Folly will laugh you into all the Customs of the Company, here; nothing will be able to prevent your Converfion to her, but In difpofition, which I hope will be far from you. I am telling the worft that can come of you; for as to Vice, you are fafe, but Folly is many an honest Man's, nay every

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good-humour'd Man's Lot: Nay, it is the Seafoning of Life; and Fools (in one Sense) are the Salt of the Earth; a little is excellent, tho indeed a whole Mouthful is juftly call'd the Devil Mons

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→So much for your Diverfions next Winter, and for mine. I envy you much more at prefent, than I fhall then; for if there be on Earth an Image of Paradife, it is in fuch perfect Union and Society as you all poffefs. I wou'd have my innocent Envies and Wishes of your State known to you all; which is far better than making you: Compliments, for it is inward Approbation and Efteem. My Lord Digby has in me a fincere Servant, or would have, were there any occafion for me to manifeft it.

To the fame.

Sept. 10, 1724.

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Dear Sir,

AM glad your Travels delighted you, improve you I am fure they could not; you are not fo much a Youth as that, tho' you run about with a King of fixteen, and L

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(what makes him ftill more a Child) a King of Frenchmen. My own time has been more melancholy, fpent in an Attendance upon Death, which has feized one of our Family, my poor old Nurse. My Mother is fomething better, though at her advanc'd Age every Day is a Climacteric. There was join'd to this an Indifpofition of my own, which I ought to look upon as a flight one, compar'd with my Mother's (because my Life is not of half the Confequence to any Body, that her's is to me). All these Inci dents have hinder'd my more fpeedy Reply, to your obliging Letter.

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The Article you enquire of, is of as little Concern to me as you defire it fhou'd; namely the Railing Papers about the Odyffey. If the Book has Merit, (and fince you like it, it must) it will extinguish all fuch nafty Scandal, as the Sun puts an end to ftinks, meerly by coming out.

I wish I had nothing to trouble me more; an honeft Mind is not in the power of any difhoneft one; To break it's Peace, there must be fome Guilt or Confcioufnefs, which is inconfiftent with it's own Principles. Not but Malice and Injuftice have their Day, like fome poor fhort-liv'd Vermine, that die of hooting their own Stings. Falbood is Folly (fays Homer), and Liars and Calumniators at last hurt none but themselves, even

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in this World : In the next, 'tis Charity to fay, God have Mercy on them! They were the Devil's Vice-gerents upon Earth, who is the Father of Lies, and I fear has a Right to difpofe of his Children.

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I've had an Occafion to make these Re flexions of late, more juftly than from thing that concerns my Writings, for it is one that concerns my Morals, and (which I ought to be as tender of as my own) the good Character of another very innocent Perfon, who I'm fure fhares your Friendship no less than I do. ***** No Creature has better natural Difpofitions, or would act more rightly, or reafonably, in every Duty, did the act by herself, or from herself: But you know it is the Misfortune of that Fa mily to be governed like a Ship, I mean the Head guided by the Tail, and that by every Wind that blows in it.

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Jokko, dalyjonn's neo en un Decemb, 28, 1724.: Dear Sir,dozitate h

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Tis now the Seafon to wish you a good End of one Year, and a happy Beginning of another: but both thefe you know how to make yourself, by only continuing fuch

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a Life as you have been long accustomed to lead. As for Good Works, they are things. I dare not name, either to thofe that do them, or to those that do them not; the first are too modeft, and the latter too selfish, to bear the mention of what are become either too old fashion'd or too private, to conftitute any Part of the Vanity or Reputation/ of the prefent Age. However, it were to be with'd People would now and then look upon Good Works as they do upon old Wardrobes, meerly in cafe any of 'em should by chance come into Fashion again; as ancient Fardingales revive in modern Hoop'd Petticoats (which may be properly compar'd to Charities, as they cover a Multitude of Sins).

They tell me that at →→→→ certain antiquated Charities, and obfolete Devotions are s yet fubfifting: That a thing called Chriftian Chearfulness (not incompatible with Chriftmas Pyes and Plumb-broth) whereof frequent is the mention in old Sermons and Alma-: nacks, is really kept alive and in Practice: That feeding the Hungry, and giving Alms to the Poor, do yet make a Part of good House-keeping, in a Latitude not more remote from London than fourfcore Miles: And lastly, that Prayers and Roaft-beef actually make fome People as happy, as a Whore and a Bottle. But here in Town

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