To the fame. March 20, 1715-16. 1 Dear Sir, Find that a real Concern is not only a Hindrance to Speaking, but to Writing too. The more time we give ourfelves to think over one's own, or a Friend's Unhappiness, the more unable we grow to exprefs the Grief that proceeds from it. It is as natural to delay a Letter at fuch a Seafon as this, as to retard a melancholy Visit to a Perfon one cannot relieve. One is afhamed in that Circumftance, to pretend to entertain People with trifling, infignificant Affectations of Sorrow on the one Hand, or unfeafonable and forced Gaieties on the other. 'Tis a kind of Profanation of things facred, to treat fo folemn a Matter as a generous voluntary Suffering, with Compliments or, Heroic Gallantries. Such a Mind as your's has no need of being fpirited up into Honour, or like a weak Woman, praised into an Opinion of it's own Virtue. 'Tis enough to do and fuffer what we ought; and Men fhould know, that the noble Power of Suffering bravely is as far above that of enterprizing greatly, as an unblemish'd Confcience and inflexible Refolution are above an accidental Flow of Spirits, or a fudden Tide of Blood. If the whole religious Business of Mankind be included in Refignation to our Maker, and Charity to our FellowCreatures; there are now fome People who give us the Opportunity of affording as bright an Example in practifing the one, as themselves have given an infamous Inftance of the Violation of the other. A Whoever Whoever is really brave, has always this Comfort when he is oppreft, that he knows himself to be fuperior to those who injure him: For the greatest Power on Earth can no fooner do him that Injury, but the brave Man can make himself greater by forgiving it. If it were generous to feek for alleviating Confolations in a Čalamity of fo much Glory, one might fay that to be ruin'd thus in the Grofs, with a whole People, is but like perishing in the general Conflagration, where nothing we can value is left behind us. If Methinks in our present Condition, the moft heroic thing we are left capable of doing, is to endea vour to lighten each other's Load, and (oppreft as we are) to fuccour fuch as are yet more oppreft. there are too many who cannot be affifted but by what we cannot give, our Money; there are yet others who may be reliev'd by our Counfel, by our Countenance, and even by our Chearfulness. The Misfortunes of private Families, the Misunderftandings of People whom Diftreffes make fufpicious, the Coldneffes of Relations whom Change of Religion may dif-unite, or the Neceffities of halfruin'd Eftates render unkind to each other; thefe at leaft may be soften'd into fome Degrees, by a general well-manag'd Humanity among ourselves, if all those who have your Principles of Belief, had alfo your Senfe and Conduct. But indeed moft of 'em have given lamentable * Proofs of the contrary; and 'tis to be apprehended that they who want Senfe, are only religious through Weakness, and good-natur'd thro' Shame. These are narrowminded Creatures that never deal in Effentials; their Faith never looks beyond Ceremonials, nor their * This was written in the Year of the Affair of Prefton. Charity beyond Relations. As poor as I am, I would gladly relieve any diftreffed, confcientious French Refugee at this Inftant; what must my Concern then be, when I perceive fo many Anxieties now tearing thofe Hearts, which I have defired a place in; and Clouds of Melancholy rifing on thofe Faces, which I have long look'd upon with Affection? I begin already to feel both what fome apprehend, and what others are yet too ftupid to apprehend. I grieve with the Old, for fo many additional Inconveniencies, and Chagrins, more than their fmall Remain of Life feem'd deftin'd to undergo; and with the Young, for fo many of those Gayeties and Pleasures (the Portion of Youth) which they will by this means be depriv'd of. This brings into my Mind one or other of thofe I love beft, and among them the Widow and Fatherlefs, late of -- As I am certain no People living had an earlier and truer Senfe of others Misfortunes, or a more generous Refignation as to what might be their own; fo I earnestly wish, that whatever part they muft bear, may be render'd as fupportable to them, as it is in the power of any Friend to make it. But I know you have prevented me in this Thought, as you always will in any thing that's good, or generous: I find by a Letter of your Lady's (which I have feen) that their Eafe and Tranquillity is part of your Care, I believe there's fome Fatality in it, that you should always, from time to time, be doing those particular things that make me enamour'd of you. I write this from Windfor Foreft, of which I am come to take my last look. We here bid our Neighbours adieu, much as those who go to be hang'd do their Fellow-Prifoners, who are condemn'd condemn'd to follow them a few Weeks after. I parted from honeft Mr D with Tendernefs; and from old Sir William Trumbull as from a venerable Prophet, foretelling with lifted Hands the Miseries to come, from which he is juft going to be remov'd himself. Perhaps, now I have learnt fo far as Let that, and all elfe be as Heaven pleafes! I have provided juft enough to keep me a Man of Honour. I believe you and I fhall never be asham'd of each other. I know I wish my Country well; and if it undoes me, it fhall not make me with it otherwife. F5 To the fame. June 22, 1716. Dear Sir, IF Fa Regard both to public and private Affairs may plead a lawful Excufe in Behalf of a negligent Correfpondent, I have really a very good Title to it. I cannot say whether 'tis a Felicity or Unhappiness, that I am obliged at this time to give up my whole Application to Homer; when without that Employment, my Thoughts must turn upon what is lefs agreeable, the Violence, Madness, and Refentment, of modern War-makers, which are likely to prove (to fome People at leaft) more fatal, than the fame Qualities in Achilles did to his unfortunate Countrymen. Tho' the Change of my Scene of Life from Windfor Foreft to the fide of the Thames be one of the grand Era's of my Days, and may be called a notable Period in fo inconfiderable a Hiftory; yet you can scarce imagine any Hero paffing from one Stage of Life to another with fo much Tranquillity, fo eafy a Tranfition, and fo laudable à Behaviour. I am become fo truly a Citizen of the World (according to Plato's Expression) that I look with equal Indifference on what I have loft, and on what I have gained. The Times and Amusements past are not more like a Dream to me, than those which are prefent: I lie in a refreshing kind of Inaction, and have one Comfort at least from Obfurity, that the Darkness helps me to fleep the better. I now and then reflect upon the Enjoy-ment of my Friends, whom I fancy I remember much |