Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

Mr. Wycherley to Mr. Pope.

Feb. 28, 1707-8.

I Have had yours of the 23d of this Inftant, for

which I give you many thanks, fince I find by it, that even Abfence (the ufual Bane of Love, or Friendship) cannot leffen yours to more than mine. * As to your hearing of my being ill, I am glad and forry for the Report: In the first place, glad that it was not true; and in the next forry that it fhould give you any Difturbance, or Concern more than ordinary for me; for which, as well as your Concern for my future Well-being or Life, I think my felf moft 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 it is in your Power to enfure my Happiness in one and the other, both by your Society and good Example, fo not only contribute to my felicity here, but hereafter.

Now as to your Excufe for the Plainnefs of your Stile, or Letter, I muft needs tell you, that Friendship is more acceptable to a true Friend than Wit, which is generally falfe Reasoning; and a Friend's Reprimand often fhews more Friend

Mr. Pope had this from Mr. Cromwell, after his Enquiry in these Words: "I returned to Town laft Saturday, and enquiring (as you defired) about Mr. "Wycherley, was told, in two feveral Places, that he

had been very ill, and that he was even gone off "our Stage: But I could not imagine this Report to "be true, or that fo great a Man could leave the "World, without its being inftructed to lament fo "confiderable a Loss.”

ship

fhip 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 Teft 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 pleased with the good News of your going to print fome of your Poems, and proud to be known by them to the Public 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 so as to let the World know, my Love or Efteem for you are no more Poetic, than my Talent in fcribbling. But of all the Arts of Fiction, I defire you to believe I want that of feigning Friendship, and that I am fincerely,

I

Your, &c.

Mr. Wycherley to Mr. Pope.

May 13, 1708.

Have receiv'd yours of the first of May. Your Paftoral Mufe outfhines, in her modeft and natural Drefs, all Apollo's Court-Ladies, in their more artful, laboured, and coftly Finery; therefore I am glad to find by your Letter, you defign your Country-beauty of a Mufe fhall appear at Court and in Publick; to outfhine all the farded, lewd, confident, affected Town-dowdies, who aim at being honoured only to their Shame: But her artful Innocence (on the contrary) will gain more Honour as fhe becomes more publick; and in spite of

Custom

Custom, will bring Modesty again into Fashion, or at least make her Sifter-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 faying fhe has once been tolerable, and would yet pafs Mufter by a little licking over; it is true that (like most vain antiquated Jades, which have once been paffable) yet fhe affects Youthfulness in her Age, and would ftill gain a few Admirers, who the more fhe feeks, or labours for their liking, are but more her Contemners. Nevertheless, fhe is refolved 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: So that let your Country gentlewoman appear when she will in the *World, my old wornout Jade of a loft Reputation, fhall be her Attendant into it, to procure 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 Mafter of the Ceremonies, who has been fo long a Pimp, or Gentleman-Ufter to the Mufes.

This and the following Extract, are a full Confu tation of the Lying Spirit of John Dennis and others, who impudently afferted that Mr. Pope wrote these Verfes en bimfelf, (tho' publish'd by Mr. Wycherley fix Years before his Death.) We find bere it was a voluntary Act of his, promis'd before hand, and written while Mr. Pope was abfent. The first Brouillon of thofe Verfes, and the Second Copy with Corrections are bot b jet extant in the Harley Library, in Mr. Wycherley's own band; from which will appear, that if they received any Alteration from Mr. Pope, it was in the Omission of some of his own Praifes.

I wish you good Fortune, fince a Man with Store of Wit, as Store 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, &c.

Extract from two Letters of Mr. Wycherley of May 18, and of July 28, 1708.

I

Have made a damn'd Compliment in Verfe, upon the printing your Paftorals, which you shall fee when you fee me.---------If you fuffer my old Dowdy of a Mufe to wait upon your sprightly Lafs of the Plains, into the Company of the Town, it will be but like an old City-bawd's attending a young Country-beauty to Town, to gain her Admirers, when paft the Hopes of pleafing the World herself.

I

Mr. Wycherley to Mr. Pope.

May 17, 1709.

Muft thank you for a Book of your Mifcellanies, 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 Public, than your Part of it. You have only difpleas'd the Critics by pleafing them too well; having not left them a

Word

Word to fay for themselves against you and your Performances; fo that now your Hand is in, you must persevere, 'till my Prophecies of you be fulfilled. In Earneft, all the best Judges of good Senfe, or Poetry, are Admirers of yours; and like your Part of the Book fo well, that the Reft is liked the worse. This is true upon my Word, without Compliment; fo that your first Succefs will make you for all your Life a Poet, in Spite of your Wit: For a Poet's Succefs at firft, like a Gamester's Fortune at first, is like to make him a Lofer at laft, and to be undone by his good Fortune and Merit.

But hitherto your Mifcellanies have fafely run the Gantlet thro' all the Coffee-houfes, which are now entertained with a whimfical new NewsPaper, called, The Tatler, which I fuppofe you have seen. This is the neweft Thing I can tell you of, except it be of the Peace, which now, (moft People fay) is drawing to fuch a Conclufion, as all Europe is, or must be fatisfied with: So 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 Servant, than

Your, &c.

Mr.

« ПредишнаНапред »