rel: And we begin to wish you had the. finging of our Poets, as well as the croaking of our Frogs, to yourselves in Secula Saculorum. It would be well in exchange, if Parnelle, and two or three more of your Swans, would come hither, especially that Swan, who like a true modern one, does not fing at all, Dr. Swift. I am (like the. reft of the World) a Sufferer by his Idle, nefs. Indeed I hate that any Man fhould be idle, while I must tranflate and comment: And I may the more fincerely wish for good Poetry from others, because I am become a perfon out of the queftion; for a Tranf lator is no more a Poet, than a Taylor is a Man.

You are doubtless perfuaded of the Validity of that famous Verse,

'Tis Expectation makes a Bleffing dear..

but why would you make your Friends fon der of you than they are? There's no manner of need of it--We begin to expect you no more than Anti-chrift. A Man that hath abfented himfelf fo long from his Friends, ought to be put into the Ga

zette.

Every Body here has great need of you. Many Faces have died for ever for want of your Pencil, and blooming Ladies have wither'd

wither'd in expecting your return. Even Frank and Betty (that conftant Pair) cannot confole themselves for your Abfence; I fancy they will be forced to make their own Picture in a pretty Babe, before you come home: Twill be a noble Subject for a Family Piece. Come then, and having peopled Ireland with a World of beautiful Shadows, come to us, and fee with that Eye (which, like the Eye of the World, creates Beauties by looking on them) fee, I fay, how England has altered the Airs of all its heads in your Abfence; and with what fneaking City Artitudes our most celebrated Perfonages appear in the meer mortal Works of our Painters.

Mr. Fortefcue is much yours; Gay com memorates you; and lastly (to climb by juft fteps and degrees) my Lord Burlington defires you may be put in mind of him. His Gardens flourish, his Structures rife, his Pictures arrive, and (what is far nobler and more valuable than all) his own good Qualities daily extend themselves to all about him: Whereof, I the meaneft (next to fome Italian Chymifts, Fidlers, Bricklayers, and Opera-makers) am a living Instance.

I

To the fame.

Nov. 14, 1716.

F I had not done my utmost to lead my Life fo pleasantly as to forget all Misfortunes, I fhould tell you I reckoned I reckoned your Abfence no fmall one; but I hope you have alfo had many good and pleafant Reasons to forget your Friends on this fide the World. If a wifh could tranfport me to you, and your prefent Companions, I could do the fame. Dr. Swift, I believe, is a very good Landlord, and a chearful Hoft at his own Table; 1 fuppofe he has perfectly learnt himfelf, what he has taught fo many others, -Rupta non infanire lagena. Elfe he would not make a proper Hoft for your humble Servant, who (you know) tho' he drinks a Glafs as feldom as any Man, contrives to break one as often. But 'tis a Confolation to me, that I can do this, and many other Enormities, under my own Roof.

But that you and I are upon equal terms of all friendly Laziness, and haven take an inviolable Oath to each other, always to do what we will; I fhould reproach you for fo long a filence. The beft amends you can make for faying nothing to me, is by faying

all

Mr. POPE, &c.

115

all the good you can of me, which is; that I heartily love and efteem the Dean, and Dr. Parnelle.

Gay is yours and theirs. and theirs. His Spirit is awakened very much in the Caufe of the Dean, which has broke forth in a courageous Couplet or two upon Sir Richard Bl-He has printed it with his name to it, and bravely affigns no other Reafon, than that the faid Sir Richard has abufed Dr. Swift. I have alfo fuffered in the like Caufe, and fhall fuffer more; unlefs Parnelle fends me his Zoilus and Bookworm (which the bishop of Clogher, I hear, greatly extols) it will be fhortly, Concurrere Bellum atque Virum.I love you all as much as I defpife moft Wits in this dull Country. Ireland has turned the Tables upon England; and if f have no Poetical Friend in my own Nation, I'll be as proud as Scipio, and fay, (fince I am reduced to Skin and Bone) Ingrata patria, ne offa quidem habeas.

To

T

To the fame.

Nov. 29, 1716.

HAT you have not heard from me of late, afcribe not to the usual lazinefs of your Correfpondent, but to a ramble to Oxford, where your name is mentioned with honour, even in a land flowing with Tories. I had the good fortune there to be often in the converfation of Doctor Clarke: He entertained me with feveral Drawings, and particularly with the original defigns of Inigo Jones's Whitehall. I there faw and reverenced fome of your first Pieces; which future Painters are to look upon as we Poets do on the Culex of Virgil, and Batrachom of Homer.

Having named this latter piece, give me leave to ask what is become of Dr. Parnelle and bis Frogs? Oblitusque meorum, oblivifcendus & illis, might be Horace's wish, but will never be mine, while I have fuch meorums as Dr. Parnelle and Dr. Swift. I hope the fpring will reftore you to us, and with you all the beauties and colours of nature. Not but I congratulate you on the pleasure you must take in being admired in your own Country, which fo feldom happens to Prophets and Poets. But in this you

have