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I will not deny, but that like Alexander, in the midft of my glory I am wounded, and find my felf a meer man. To tell you from whence the dart comes, is to no purpofe; fince neither of you will take the tender care to draw it out of my heart, and fuck the poison with your lips.

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Here at my Lord H----'s, I fee a creature nearer an angel than a woman, (tho' a woman be very near as good as an angel.) I think you have formerly heard me mention Mrs. T---- as a credit to the maker of angels. She is a relation of his Lordfhip's, and he gravely propofed her for me to a Wife; being tender of her interefts, and knowing (what is a fhame to Providence) that he is lefs indebted to Fortune than I. I told him 'twas what he cou'd never have thought of, if it had not been his misfortune to be blind; and what I never could think of, while I had eyes to fee both her and my felf.

I must not conclude without telling you, that I will do the utmoft in the affair you defire. It would be an inexpreffible joy to me if I could ferve you, and I will always do all I can to give my felf pleasure. I wifh as well for you as for my felf. I am in love with you both as much as I am with my felf; for I find my self most fo with all three, when I least fufpect it,

I am, &c.

LETTER XII..

To Mrs. Arabella Fermor on her Marriage. γου

are by this time fatisfy'd how much the tenderness of one man of merit is to be prefered to the addrefles of a thoufand. And by this time the Gentlemen you have made choice of is fenfible, how great is the joy of having all those charms and good qualities which have pleafed fo many,

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now apply'd to please one only. It was but juft, that the fame Virtues which gave you reputation, should give you happiness; and I can wifh you no greater, than that you may receive it in as high a degree your felf, as fo much good humour must infallibly give it to your husband.

It may be expected perhaps, that one who has the title of Poet, fhould fay fomething more polite on this occafion; but I am really more a well-wisher to your felicity, than a celebrater of your beauty. Befides, you are now a married woman, and in a way to be a great many better things than a fine Lady; fuch as an excellent wife, a faithful friend, a tender parent, and at last, as the confequence of them all, a faint in heaven. You ought now to hear nothing but that, which was all you ever defired to hear (whatever others may have spoken to you) I mean Truth; and it is with the utmoft that, I affure you, no friend you have can more rejoice in any good that befalls you, is more fincerely delighted with the profpect of your future happiness, or more unfeignedly defires a long continuance of it. I beg you will think it but juft, that a man who will certainly be spoken of as your admirer, after he is dead,may have the happiness to be esteemed while he is living

Your, &c.

LETTER XIII.

THE chief caufe I have to repent my leaving the town, is the uncertainty I am in every day of your Sifter's State of health. I really expected by every post to have heard of her recovery; but on the contrary each letter has been a new awakening to my apprehenfions, and I have ever fince fuffered al

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larms upon allarms on her account. No one can be more fenfibly touched at this than I; nor any danger of any I love cou'd affect me with more uneafinefs (tho' as I never had a fifter I can't be quite fo good a judge as you, how far humanity wou'd carry me.) I have felt fome weakneffes of a tender kind, which I wou'd not be free from; and I am glad to find my value for people fo rightly placed, as to perceive them on this occafion.

I cannot be fo good a Chriftian as to be willing (tho' no less than God fhou'd order it) to refign my own happiness here for her's in another life. I do more than wifh for her fafety, for every wish I make I find immediately chang'd into a prayer, and a more fervent one than I had learn'd to make till now.

May her Life be longer and happier than perhaps herself may defire, that is as long and as happy as your felf can wish. May her Beauty be as great as poffible, that is, as it always was, or as yours is. But whatever ravages a mercilefs diftemper may commit, I dare promife her boldly, what few (if any) of her makers of vifits and complements dare to do; the fhall have one man as much her admirer as ever. As for your part, Madam, you have me fo more than ever, fince I have been a witness to the generous tenderness you have fhewn upon this occafion Your, &c.

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IT is with infinite fatisfaction I am made acquainted, that your brother will at laft prove your relation, and has entertain'd fuch fentiments as become him in your concern. I have been prepar'd for this by degrees, having feveral times received from Mrs.

that which is one of the greatest pleasures;

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the knowledge that others entered into my own fentiments concerning you. I ever was of opinion, that you wanted no more to be vindicated than to be known; and like Truth, cou'd appear no where but you must conquer. As I have often condol'd with you in your adverfities, fo I have a right, which but few can pretend to, of congratulating on the profpect of your better fortunes; and I hope for the future to have the concern I have felt for you overpaid in your felicities. Tho' you modeftiy fay the world has left you, yet I verily believe it is coming to you again as faft as it can': For to give the world its due, it is always very fond of Merit, when 'tis paft its power to oppose it. Therefore if you fhould take it into favour again upon its repentance, and continue in it, you would be fo far from leading what is commonly called an unfettled life (and what you with too much unjuft feverity call a va gabond life) that the wife cou'd only look upon you as a Prince in a progrefs, who travels to gain the affections he has not, or to fix those he already has ; which he effectually does wherever he fhews himself. But if you are refolved in revenge to rob the world of fo much example as you may afford it, I be lieve your defign will be vain; for even in a Monastery your devotions connot carry you fo far towards the next world, as to make this lofe the fight of you; but you'll be like a Star, that while it is fix'd to Heaven, fhines over all the Earth.

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Wherefoever Providence fhall difpofe of the most valuable thing I know, I fhall ever follow you with my fincereft wishes; and my best thoughts will be perpetually waiting upon you, when you never hear of me or them. Your own guardian Angels cannot be more conftant, nor more filent. I beg you will never cease to think me your friend, that you may not be guilty of that which you never yet knew to commit, an Injuftice. As I have hitherto been fo in

fpite of the world, fo hereafter, if it be poffible you fhou'd ever be more oppofed and more deferted, I fhould only be fo much the more

Your faithfully, &c.

LETTER XV.

I Can fay little to recommend the Letters I shall write to you, but that they will be the most impartial reprefentations of a free heart, and the trueft copies you ever faw, tho' of a very mean original. Not a feature will be foftened, or any advantageous light employ'd to make the ugly thing a little lefs hideous; but you fhall find it in all respects inc horribly like. You will do me an injuftice if you look upon any thing I fhall fay from this inftant, as a compliment, either to you or my felf. Whatever I write, will be the real thought of that hour; and I know you'll no more expect it of the perfevere till death in every fentiment or notion I now set down, than you would imagine a man's face fhould never change, when once his picture was drawn..

The freedom I fhall ufe in this manner of thinking aloud, may indeed prove me a fool; but it will prove me one of the best fort of fools, the honest ones. And fince what folly we have, will infallibly buoy up at one time or other, in fpight of all our. art to keep it down; methinks 'tis almost foolish to take any pains to conceal it at all, and almost knavish to do it from thofe that are our friends. If Momus's project had taken, of having windows in our breafts, I fhould be for carryin it further, and making thofe windows cafements; that while a man fhowed his heart to all the world, he might do fomething more for his friends, even give it them, and truft it to their handling. I

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