You tell me you like the found of no Arms but thofe of Achilles: For my part I like them as littie as the others. I lifted myself in the Battles of Homer, and I am no fooner in War, but, like moft other Folks, I wish myself out again.

I heartily join with you in wifhing Quiet to our native Country; Quiet in the State, which, Hike Charity in Religion, is too much the Perfection and Happiness of either, to be broken or violated on any Pretence or Profpect whatsoever: Fire and Sword, and Fire and Faggot, are equally my Averfion. I can pray for opposite Parties, and for oppofite Religions, with great Sincerity. I think to be a Lover of one's Country is a glorious Elogy, but I do not think it fo great an one, as to be a Lover of Mankind.

Mr 7 and I fometimes celebrate you under thefe Denominations, and join your Health with that of the whole World; a truly Catholic Health; which far excels the poor narrow-fpirited, ridicu lous Healths now in Fashion, to this Church, or that Church: Whatever our Teachers may fay, they must give us leave at leaft to wish generously. Thefe, dear Sir, are my general Difpofitions, but whenever I pray or with for Particulars, you one of the firft in the Thoughts and Affections of

Your, &c.

Sir W. TRUMBULL'S Anfwer.

are

JAN. 19, 1715-16. Should be afham'd of my long Idlenefs, in not acknowledging your kind Advice about Echo, and your most ingenious Explanation of it, relating to popular

popular Tumults; which I own to be very useful: and yet give me leave to tell you, that I keep myself to a fhorter Receipt of the fame Pythagoras, which is Silence; and this I fhall obferve, if not the whole Time of his Difcipline, yet at least till your return into this country. I am oblig'd further to this method, by the most severe Weather I ever felt; when tho I keep as near by the Fire as may be, yet gelidus concrevit frigore Sanguis: And often I apprehend the Circulation of the Blood begins to be ftopp'd. I have further great loffes (to a poor Farmer) of my poor Oxen Intereunt pecudes, ftant circumfufa pruinis Corpora Magna Boum, &c.

Pray comfort me if you can, by telling me that your fecond Volume of Homer is not frozen; for it must be exprefs'd very poetically to fay now, that the Preffes feat.

I cannot forbear to add a piece of Artifice I have been guilty of, on occafion of my being obliged to congratulate the Birth-day of a Friend of mine: When finding I had no Materials of my own, I very frankly fent him your Imitation of Martial's Epigram on Antonius primus.* This has been applauded fo much,. that I am in danger of commencing Poet, perhaps Laureat, (pray defire my good Friend Mr Rowe to enter a Caveat) provided you will further increase

*Fam numerat placido felix. Antonius ævo, &ç.

Sir William Trumbull was born at Easthamped in Berkshire: He was Fellow of All Souls College in Oxford, follow'd the Study of the Civil Law, and was fent, by. King Charles the Second, Judge-Advocate to Tangier, thence Envoy to Florence, Turin, &c. and in his way back, Envoy Extraordinary to France: from thence, fent by King James the Second Ambaffador to the Ottoman Porte. Afterwards he was made Lord of the Treasury, then Secretary of State with the Duke of Shrewsbury, which Office he refign'd in 1697. He retir'd to Eaftbamfted, in Windfor Foreft, and died in the Place of his Nativity in December, 1716, aged 77 Years. Our Author celebrated that Retirement in his Poem on the Foreft, and addreft to him his first Patc ral at 16 Years of Age.

my Stock in this Bank. In which proceeding I have laid the Foundation of my Eftate, and as honestly as many others have begun theirs. But now being a little Tender, as young beginners, often are, I offer to you (for I have concealed the true Author) whether you will give me Orders to declare who is the Father of this fine Child, or not? Whatever you determine, my Fingers, Pen, and Ink are fo frozen, that I cannot thank you more at large. You will forgive this and all other Faults of, Dear Sir,

Your, &c.

To Mr JERVAs in Ireland.

JULY 9. 1716.

THO', as you rightly remark, I pay my Tax but

once in half a Year, yet you fhall fee by this Letter upon the neck of my laft, that I pay a double Tax, as we Non-Jurors ought to do. Your Acquaintance on this fide the Sea are under terrible Apprehenfions, from your long long ftay in Ireland, that you may grow too Polite for them; for we think ffince the great Success of fo damn'd a Play as the Non-Juror) that Politeness is gone over the Water. But others are of Opinion it has been longer among you, and was introduced much about the fame Time with Frogs, and with equal Succefs. Poor Poetry! the little that's left of it here longs to cross the Seas, and leave Eufden in full and peaceable Poffeffion of the British I aurel And we begin to wifh you had the Singing of our Poets, as well as the Croaking of our Frogs, to yourfelves in Sacula Sæculorum. It would be well in exchange, if Parnelle, and two or three more of your Swans, would come hither, especially

especially that Swan, who like a true Modern one, does not fing at all, Dr Swift. I am (like the rest of the World) a Sufferer by his Idlenefs. Indeed I hate that any Man fhould be idle, while I must Tranflate and Comment: And I may the more fincerely wifh for good Poetry from others, because I am become a Perfon out of the Question; for a Tranflator is no more a Poet, than a Taylor is a Man.

- You are doubtlefs perfuaded of the Validity of that famous Verfe,

'Tis Expectation makes a Bleffing dear.

but why would you make your Friends fonder 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 himself fo long from his Friends, ought to be put into the Gazette.

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 in expecting your return. Even Frank and Betty (that constant 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 it's Heads in your Absence; and with what fneaking City Attitudes our most celebrated Perfonages appear in the meer mortal Works of our Painters.

Mr Fortefcue is much your's; Gay commemorates you; and lastly (to climb by juft Steps and Degrees

my

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 Inftance.

To the fame.

Nov. 14. 1716.

IF I had not done my utmoft to lead my Life fo pleasantly as to forget all Misfortunes, I fhould tell you 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; I fuppofe he has perfectly learnt himself, 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 Lazinefs, and have taken an inviolable Oath to each other, always to do what we will; I fhould reproach you for fo long a Silence. The beft Amends you can make for faying nothing to me, is by faying all the good you can of me, which is, that I heartily love and efteem the Dean, and Dr Parnelle.

Gay