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Dear Sir,

Aug. 23, 1753.

JUST as I receiv'd your's, I was fet down to

write to you with fome Shame that I had fo long deferr'd it. But I can hardly repent my Neglect, when it gives me the Knowledge how little you infift upon Ceremony, and how much a greater Share in your Memory I have than I deferve. I have been near a Week in London, where I am like to remain, till I become, by Mr J—s's help, Elegans Formarum Spectator. I begin to discover Beauties that were till now imperceptible to me. Every Corner of an Eye, or Turn of a Nofe or Ear, the fmalleft Degree of Light or Shade on a Cheek, or in a Dimple, have Charms to diftract me. I no longer look upon Lord Plaufible as ridiculous, for admiring a Lady's fine Tip of an Ear, and pretty Elbow (as the Plain-dealer has it), but am in fome Danger even from the Ugly and Difagreeable, fince they may have their retir'd Beauties, in one Trait or other about 'em. You may guefs in how uneasy a State I am, when every Day the Performances of others appear more beautiful and excellent, and my own more defpicable. I have thrown away three Dr Swifts, each of which was once my Vanity; two Lady Bridgewaters, a Duchefs of Montague, befides half a dozen Earls, and one Knight of the Garter. I have crucify'd Chrift over again in Effigy, and made a Madona as old as her Mother St Anne. Nay, what is yet more miraculous, I have rivall'd St Luke himself in Painting, and as 'tis faid an Angel came and finish'd his Piece, fo you would fware a Devil put the laft hand to mine, 'tis fo begrim'd and fmutted. However, I comfort myfelf with a Chriftian Reflection, that I have not broken the Command

ment

ment, for my Pictures are not the Likeness of any thing in Heaven above, or in Earth below, or in the Waters under the Earth. Neither will any body adore or worship them, except the Indians fhould have a Sight of 'em, who, they tell us, worship certain Pagods, or Idols, purely for their Ugliness.

I am very much recreated and refreshed with the News of the Advancement of the Fan, which I doubt not will delight the Eye and Senfe of the Fair, as long as that agreeable Machine fhall play in the Hands of Pofterity. I am glad your Fan is mounted fo foon, but I would have you varnish and glaze it at your Leifure, and polish the Sticks as much as you can. You may then cause it to be born in the Hands of both Sexes, no lefs in Britain, than it is in China; where it is ordinary for a Mandarine to fan himself cool after a Debate, and a Statesman to hide his Face with it when he tells a grave Lie.

I am, &c.

Dear GAY,

May 4, Binfield, 1714.

SINCE by your Letter we find you can be

content to breathe in Smoak, to walk in Crouds, and divert yourself with Noife, nay, and to make fine Pictures of this way of Life, we fhould give you up as one abandon'd to a wrong Choice of Pleasures. We have, however, fo much Compaffion on you, as to think of inviting you to us, where your Tafte for Books, Friendship, and Ease may be indulg'd. But if you do not come, pray leave to tempt us with your Defcription of the Court; for indeed Humanity is frail, and we can

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not but remember fome particular Honours which we have enjoy'd in Conversation; bate us this one Point, and we ftand you, ftill untir'd with one another, and fresh to the Pleasfures of the Country. If you wou'd have any News from us, know that we are well at prefent: This I am fure wou'd have been allow'd by you as News from either of us a Fortnight ago. In return to this, fend us every thing you imagine diverting, and pray forget not my Commiffions. Give my Refpects to the Dean, Dr Arbuthnot, Mr Ford, and the Provost. Dear Gay, adieu.

Your affectionate Friend,

bumble Servant,

THO. PARNELLE.

Dear Mr GAY,

If you

ABOVE all other News, fend us the beft, that of your good Health, if you enjoy it; which Mr Harcourt made us very much fear. have any Design either to amend your Health, or your Life, I know no better Expedient than to come hither, where you fhould not want room though I lay myfelf in a Truckle-bed under the Doctor. You might here converfe with the old Greeks, be initiated into all their Customs, and learn their Prayers by heart as we have done: The Doctor, laft Sunday, intending to fay an Our Father, was got half way in Chryfes' Prayer to Apollo. The ill Effects of Contention and fquabbling, fo lively defcrib'd in the firft Iliad, make Dr Parnelle and myfelf continue in the moft exemplary

Union in every thing. We deserve to be worshipp'd by all the poor, divided, factious, interested Poets of this World.

As we rife in our Speculations daily, we are grown fo grave, that we have not condefcended to laugh at any of the idle things about us this Week: I have contracted a Severity of Afpect from deep Meditation on high Subjects, equal to the formidable Front of black-brow'd Jupiter, and become an awful Nod as well, when I aflent to fome grave and weighty Propofition of the Doctor, or inforce a Criticism of my own. In a word, Yg himself has not acquir'd more Tragic Majesty in his Afpect by reading his own Verfes, than I by Homer's.

In this State, I cannot confent to your Publication of that ludicrous trifling Burlesque you write about. Dr Parnelle alfo joins in my Opinion, that it will by no means be well to print it.

Pray give (with the utmoft Fidelity and Esteem) my hearty Service to the Dean, Dr Arbuthnot, Mr Ford, and to Mr Fortescue. Let them alfo know at Button's that I am mindful of them. I am, divine Bucoliaft!

Thy loving Countryman.

Dear Sir,

Oct. 23.

HAVE been perpetually troubled with Sickness of late, which has made me fo melancholy, that the Immortality of the Soul has been my conftant, Speculation, as the Mortality of my Body my conftant Plague. In good Earneft, Seneca is nothing to a Fit of Illness.

Dr Parnelle will honour Tonfon's Mifcellany with fome very beautiful Copies, at my Requeft. He

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enters

enters heartily into our Defign; I only fear his Stay in Town may chance to be but short. Dr Swift much approves what I propos'd, even to the very Title, which I defign fhall be, The Works of the Unlearned, publifh'd monthly, in which whatever Book appears that deferves Praife, fhall be depreciated ironically, and in the fame manner that modern Critics take to undervalue Works of Value, and to commend the high Productions of Grubftreet.

I fhall go into the Country about a month hence, and fhall then defire to take along with me your Poem of the Fan, to confider it at full Leifure. I am deeply engag'd in Poetry, the Particulars whereof fhall be deferr'd till we meet.

I am very defirous of feeing Mr Fortescue when he comes to Town, before his Journey; if you can any way acquaint him of my Defire, I believe his good Nature will contrive a way for our meeting. I am ever, with all Sincerity, dear, Sir,

Your, &c.

Sept. 23, 1714.

Dear Mr GAY,

W

7Elcome to your native Soil! welcome to your Friends! thrice welcome to me! whether return'd in Glory, bleft with Court-Intereft, the Love and Familiarity of the Great, and fill'd with agreeable Hopes; or melancholy with Dejection, contemplative of the Changes of Fortune, and doubtful for the future: Whether return'd a triumphant Whig, or a defponding Tory, equally All Hail! equally belov'd and welcome to me! If happy, I am to fhare in your Elevation; if unhappy, you have ftill a warm Corner in my Heart, and a Re

treat

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