and on the Mixt Life; the bill of Fare; the praises of Avarice, and fome others.

I must take notice of what you fay, of " my pains “to make your dulness methodical;" and of your hint, "that the sprightliness of wit defpises method." This is true enough, if by wit you mean no more than fancy or conceit; but in the better notion of wit, confider'd as propriety, furely method is not only neceffary for perfpicuity and harmony of parts, but gives beauty even to the minute and particular thoughts, which receive an additional advantage from thofe which precede or follow in their due place. You remember a fimile Mr. Dryden used in conversation, of feathers in the crowns of the wild Indians, which they not only chufe for the beauty of their colours, but place them in fuch a manner as to reflect a luftre on each other. I will not disguise any of my fentiments from you: to methodise in your cafe, is full as neceffary as to strike out; otherwife you had better deftroy the whole frame, and reduce them into fingle thoughts in profe, like Rochefoucault, as I have more than once hinted to you.

I

LETTER XVI.

From Mr. WYCHERLEY.

Feb. 28, 1707-8.

HAVE had yours of the 23d of this inftant, for which I give you many thanks, fince I find by it, that even absence (the usual bane of love or friendship) cannot leffen yours, no more than mine. of my being ill, I am glad, and in the first place, glad that it was not true; and in the next, forry that it should give you any disturbance, or concern more than ordinary for me; for which, as well

As to your hearing forry for the report;

as your concern for my future well-being or life, I think myself most eternally obliged to you: affuring, your concern for either will make me more careful of both. Yet for your fake I love this life fo well, that I fhall the lefs think of the other; but 'tis in your power to enfure my happiness in one and the other, both by your fociety and good example, fo not only contribute to my felicity here, but hereafter.

Now as to your excuse for the plainnefs of your style, I must needs tell you, that friendship is much more acceptable to a true friend than wit, which is generally falfe reafoning; and a friend's reprimand often fhews more friendship than his compliment: nay love, which is more than friendship, is often feen by our friend's correction of our follies or crimes. Upon this test of your friendship I intend to put you when I return to London, and thence to you at Binfield, which, I hope, will be within a month.

Next to the news of your good health, I am pleas'd with the good news of your going to print fome of your Poems, and proud to be known by them to the Publick for your friend; who intend (perhaps the fame way) to be revenged of you for your kindness; by taking your name in vain in fome of my future madrigals: yet fo as to let the world know, my love or eftcem for you are no more poetick than my talent in fcribling. But of all the arts of fiction, I defire you to believe I want that of feigning friendship, and that I am fincerely

Your, etc.

LETTER XVII.

From Mr. WYCHERLEY.

May 13, 1708.

I HAVE received yours of the first of May. Your Paf

toral mufe outfhines in her modeft and natural dress all Apollo's court-ladies, in their more artful, labour'd, and coftly finery. Therefore I am glad to find by your letter you defign your country-beauty of a muse shall appear at court and in publick: to outfhine all the farded, lewd, confident, affected Town-dowdies, who aim at being honour'd only to their fhame: but her artful innocence (on the contrary) will gain more honour as fhe becomes publick; and, in fpite of cuftom, will bring modefty again into fashion, or at least make her fifter rivals of this age blush for spite, if not for shame. As for my ftale, antiquated, poetical pufs, whom you would keep in countenance by saying she has once been tolerable, and would yet pass muster by a little licking over; it is true that (like moft vain antiquated jades which have once been paffable) fhe yet affects youthfulness in her age, and would still gain a few admirers (who the more she seeks or labours for their liking, are but more her contemners). Nevertheless she is refolv'd henceforth to be fo cautious as to appear very little more in the world, except it be as an Attendant on your Mufe, or as a foil, not a rival, to her wit, or fame : fo that let your Country-gentlewoman appear when she will in the world *, my old worn-out jade of a loft reputation fhall be her attendant into it, to procure

* This, and what follows, is a full Confutation of John Dennis and others, who afferted that Mr. Pope wrote these verses on him. felf (though published by Mr. Wycherley fix years before his death). We find here it was a voluntary Act of his, promifed before-hand, and written while Mr. Pope was abfent. The firft Brouillon of

her admirers; as an old whore, who can get no more friends of her own, bawds for others, to make sport or pleafure yet, one way or other, for mankind. I approve of your making Tonfon your Mufe's introductor into the world, or master of the ceremonies, who has been fo long a pimp, or gentleman-usher to the Muses.

I wish you good fortune; fince a man with store of wit, as ftore of money, without the help of good fortune, will never be popular; but I wish you a great many admirers, which will be fome credit to my judgment as well as your wit, who always thought you had a great deal, and am

Your, etc.

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LETTER XVIII.

From Mr. WYCHERLEY.

May 17, 1709..

MUST thank you for a book of your Miscellanies, which Tonfon fent me, I fuppofe, by your order; and all I can tell you of it is, that nothing has lately been better received by the Publick, than your part of it. You have only displeased the Criticks by pleasing them too well; having not left them a word to say for themfelves against you and your performances; fo that, now your hand is in, you must persevere, till my prophecies of you be fulfill'd. In earnest, all the best judges of good fenfe or poetry, are admirers of yours; and like your part of the Book fo well, that the rest is lik'd the

thefe verfes, and the fecond Copy with corrections, are both yet extant in Mr. Wycherley's own hand: In another of his letters of May 18, 1708, are these words: "I have made a damn'd Compli❝ment in verfe upon the printing your Paftorals, which you fhall ❝fee when you fee me."

worse. This is true upon my word, without compliment; fo that your first fuccefs will make you for all your life a poet, in fpite of your wit; for a poet's fuccess at first, like a gamester's fortune at first, is like to make him a lofer at last, and to be undone by his good fortune and merit.

But hitherto your Miscellanies have fafely run the gantlet through all the coffee-houses; which are now entertain'd with a whimsical new news-paper called the TATLER, which I suppose you have seen. This is the newest thing I can tell you of, except it be of the Peace which now (most people say) is drawing to fuch a conclufion, as all Europe is, or must be fatisfied with; fo Poverty, you fee, which makes peace in Westminsterhall, makes it likewife in the camp or field, throughout the world. Peace then be to you, and to me, who am now grown peaceful, and will have no contest with any man, but him who fays he is more your friend or humble fervant, than

Your, etc.

LETTER XIX.

May 20, 1709.

IAM glad you receiv'd the * Miscellany, if it were only to fhow you that there are as bad poets in this nation as your fervant. This modern custom of appearing in mifcellanies, is very useful to the poets, who, like other thieves, escape by getting into a crowd, and herd together like Banditti, fafe only in their multitude. Methinks Strada has given a good description of these kind of collections; Nullus hodic mortalium aut nafcitur, aut moritur, aut proeliatur, aut rufticatur, aut abit pe

Jacob Tonfon's fixth Vol. of Mifcellany Poems.