her for the beft Mermaid in chriftendom. You know I have feen you often, I perfectly know how you look in black and in white; I have experienc'd the utmoft you can do in colours; but all your movements, all your graceful fteps, deferve not half the glory you might here attain, of a moving and eafy behaviour in Buckram: Something between fwimming and walking, free enough, and more more modeftly-half-naked, than you can appear any where elfe. You have conquer'd enough already by land; show your ambition, and vanquish alfo by water. We have no pretty Admirals on thefe Seas, but muft ftrike fails to your white Flags, were they once hoifted up. The Buckram I mention is a drefs particularly useful at this time, when we are told the Princess is bringing over the fashion of German Ruffs: You ought to ufe your felves to fome degrees of tiffnefs beforehand. And when our Ladies chins have been tickled a-while with ftarch'd muflin and wire, they may poffibly bear the brush of a German beard and whisker.

I cou'd tell you a delightful ftory of Dr. P. but want room to display it in all its fhining circumftances. He had heard it was an excellent cure for Love, to kiss the Aunt of the perfon beloved, who is generally of years and experience enough to

damp

damp the fierceft flame: he try'd this courfe in his paffion, and kiss'd Mrs. E- at Mr. D-----'s, but he fays it will not do, and that he loves you as much as ever.

Tours, &c.

I

LETTER VI.

To the fame.

F you ask how the waters agree with

me, I muft tell you, fo very well, that queftion how you and I fhould agree if we were in a room by our felves? Mrs. T. has honestly affured me, that but for fome whims which fhe can't entirely conquer, fhe would go and fee the world with me in man's cloaths. Even you, Madam, I fancy (if you wou'd not partake in our adventures) would wait our coming in at the evening with fome impatience, and be well enough pleas'd to hear 'em by the fire-fide. would be better than reading Romances, unlefs Lady M. would be our Hiftorian for as fhe is married, the has probably leifure hours in the night-time, to write or do what he will in. What raifes thefe defires in me, is an acquaintance I am be

That

ginning

ginning with my Lady Sandwich, who has all the fpirit of the laft age, and all the gay experience of a pleasurable life. It were as fcandalous an omiffion to come to the Bath and not to fee my Lady Sandwich, as it had formerly been to have travell'd to Rome without vifiting the Queen of Sweeden. She is, in a word, the best thing this Country has to boast of; and as she has been all that a woman of spirit could be, fo fhe ftill continues that eafy and independent creature that a fenfible woman always will be.

I must tell you a truth, which is not however much to my credit. I never thought fo muft of your felf and your fifter, as fince I have been fourfcore miles diftance from you. In the Foreft I look'd upon you as good neighbours, at London as pretty kind of women, but here as divinities, angels, goddeffes, or what you will. In the fame manner I never knew at what a rate I valu'd your life, till you were upon the point of dying. If Mrs. T. and you will but fall very fick every season, I fhall certainly die for you. Seriously I value you both fo much that I efteem others much the lefs for your fakes; you have robb'd me of the pleasure of efteeming a thousand pretty qualities in them, by fhowing me fo many finer in

your

your felves. There are but two things in the world which could make you indifferent to me, which I believe you are not capable of, I mean Ill-nature and malice. I have seen enough of you not to overlook any Frailty you cou'd have, and nothing lefs than a Vice can make me like you lefs. I expect you thou'd discover by my conduct towards you both, that this is true, and that therefore you fhould pardon a thousand things in me for that one dif pofition. Expect nothing from me but truths and freedom, and I fhall always be thought by you what I always am,

Tours, &c,

LETTER VII.

To the fame.

Return'd home as flow and as contem

I plative after I had parted from

my Lord

you, as retir'd from the Court and Glory to his Country feat and Wife, a week ago. I found here a difmal defponding letter from the fon of another

great

great Courtier who expects the fame fate, and who tells me the great one's of the earth will now take it very kindly of the mean one's, if they will favour them with a vifit by Day-light. With what Joy wou'd they lay down all their schemes of glory, did they but know you have the generosity to drink their healths once a day, as foon as they are fallen? Thus the unhappy by the fole merit of their misfortunes, become the care of heaven and you. I intended to have put this laft into Verfe, but in this age of Ingratitude my best friends forfake me, I mean my rhymes.

I defire Mrs. P- to stay her stomach with these half hundred Plays, till I can procure her a Romance big enough to fatisfy her great Soul with Adventures. As for Novels, I fear fhe can depend upon none from me but That of my Life, which I am ftill, as I have been, contriving all poffible methods to fhorten, for the greater cafe both of my Hiftorian and the Reader. May the believe all the paffion and tendernefs exprefs'd in thefe Romances to be but a faint image of what I bear her, and may you (who read nothing) take the fame truth upon hearing it from me; you will both injure me very much, if you don't think me a truer friend than ever any ro

mantick