lowance for, as particularly when you talk of Admiring; 'tis a word you are fo us'd to in converfation of Ladies, that it will creep into your difcourfe in fpite of you, ev'n to your Friends. But as Women when they think themfelves fecure of admiration, commit a thousand Negligences, which show them fo much at difadvantage and off their guard, as to lose the little real Love they had before: fo when men imagine others entertain fome esteem for their abilities, they often expofe all their Imperfections and foolish works, to the difparagement of the little Wit they were thought mafters of. I am going to exemplify this to you, in putting into your hands (being encourag'd by fo much indulgence) fome verfes of my Youth, or rather Childhood; which (as I was a great admirer of Waller) were intended in imitation of his manner; and are perhaps, fuch imitations, as thofe you fee in awkward country Dames of the fine and well-bred Ladies of the Court. If you will take 'em with you into Lincolnfire, they may fave you one hour from the converfation of the country Gentlemen and their Tenants, (who differ but in Drefs and Name) which if it be there as bad as here, is even worse than my Poetry. I hope your stay there will be no longer than (as Mr. Wycherley calls it) to rob the Country, Country, and run away to London with your money. In the mean time I beg the favour of a line from you, and am (as I will never ceafe to be) Your, &c. I October 12, 1710. Deferr'd anfwering your laft, upon the advice I receiv'd that you were leaving the town for fome time, and expected your return with impatience, having then a defign of feeing my Friends there, among the firft of which I have reafon to account yourself. But my almoft continual Illneffes prevent that, as well as most other fatisfactions of my life: However I may fay one good thing of fickness, that it is the beft Cure in nature for Ambition, and defigns upon the World or Fortune : It makes a man pretty indifferent for the future, provided he can but be easy, by intervals, for the prefent. He will be content to compound for his Quiet only, and. leave all the circumftantial part and pomp of life to thofe, who have a health vigorous enough to enjoy all the Mistresses of their defires. I thank God, there is nothing out of myself which I would be at U 3 the the trouble of feeking, except à Friend; a happiness I once hop'd to have poffefs'd in Mr. Wycherley; but-Quantum mutatus ab illo! I have for fome years been employ'd much like Children that build houses with Cards, endeavouring very bufily and eagerly to raife a Friendship, which the first breath of any ill-natur'd By-ftander cou'd puff away. But I will trouble you no farther with writing, nor myself with thinking, of this fubject. I was mightily pleas'd to perceive by your quotation from Voiture, that you had track'd me fo far as France. You fee'tis with weak heads as with weak ftomachs, they immediately throw out what they receiv'd laft: and what they read, floats upon the furface of their mind, like Oil upon water, without incorporating. This, I think however, can't be faid of the Loveverfes I laft troubled you with, where all (I am afraid) is fo puerile and fo like the Author, that no body will fufpect any thing to be borrow'd. Yet you, (as a friend, entertaining a better opinion of 'em) it feems fearch'd in Waller, but fearch'd in vain. Your judgment of 'em is (I think) very right, for it was my own opinion before. If you think em not worth the trouble of correcting, 3. pray pray tell me fo freely, and it will fave me a labour; if you think the contrary, you wou'd particularly oblige me by your remarks on the feveral thoughts as they oc-. cur. I long to be nibling at your verfes, and have not forgot who promis'd me Ovid's Elegy ad Amicam Navigantem? Had Ovid been as long compofing it, as you in fending it, the Lady might have fail'd to Gades, and receiv'd it at her return. I have, really a great Itch of Criticism upon me, but want matter here in the Country; which I defire you to furnish me with, as I in the Town, do you Sic fervat fudii Fadera quifque fui. I am oblig'd to Mr. Caryl (whom you tell me you met at Epfom) for telling you Truth, as a man is in these days to any one that will tell Truth to his advantage, and I think none is more to mine, than what he told you and I fhou'd be glad to tell all the world, that I have an extreme Affection and efteem for you. Tecum etenim longos memini confumere foles, Et tecum primas epulis decerpere noctes, Atque verecunda laxamus feria menfa." By thefe Epula, as I take it, Perfius meant the Portugal Snuff and burn'd Claret, which he took with his mafter Cornutus; and the Verecunda Menfa was, without difpute, fome Coffee-houfe table of the antients.I will only obferve, that thefe four lines are as elegant and mufical as any in Perjius, not excepting thofe fix or feven which Mr. Dryden quotes as the only fuch in all that Author.I could be heartily glad to repeat the fatisfaction defcrib'd in them, being truly Your, &c. October 28, 1710. am glad to find by your laft letter that you write to me with the freedom of a friend, fetting down your thoughts as they occur, and dealing plainly with me in the matter of my own Trifles, which I affure you I never valu'd halffo much as I do that Sincerity in you which they were the occafion of difcovering to me; and which while I am happy in, I may be trufted with that dangerous weapon, Poetry; fince I shall do nothing |