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Poetry. To confirm what I have faid you need but look into his firft Poem: of the Weeper, where the 2d, 4th, 6th, 14th, 21ft ftanza's are as fublimely dull, as the 7th, 8th, 9th, 16th, 17th, 20th and 23d ftanza's of the fame copy, are foft and pleafing: And if these last want any thing, it is an easier and more unaffected expreffion. The remaining thoughts in that Poem might have been fpared, being eihter but repetitions, or very trivial and mean. And by this example in the first one may guefs at all the reft, to be like this; a mixture of tender gentle thoughts and futiable expreffions, of forc'd and inextricable conceits, and of needlefs fillers-up to the reft. From all which it is plain, this Author writ faft, and fet down what came uppermoft. A reader may skim off the froth, and ufe the clear underneath; but if he goes too deep will meet with a mouthful of dregs: either the Top or bottom of him are good for little, but what he did in his own, natural, middle-way, is best.mam

To fpeak of his Numbers is a little difficult, they are fo various and irregular, and moftly Pindarick: 'tis evident his heroic Verfe (the best example of which his his Mufick's Duel) is carelefly made up; but one may imagine from what it now is,

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hithat had he taken more care, Tit had been o mufical and pleafing enough, not extremely majestic, but fweet: And the time confider'd of his writing, he was as unby correct as he is) none of the worst Verfificators. orar. asos sand or to a sanft

Iwill juft obferve, that the best Pieces of this Author are, a Paraphrafe on Pfal. 23. On Leffius, Epitaph on Mr. Afhton, Wilhes - to his fuppos'd Miftrefs, and the Dies Ira. bak

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king what thoughts float uppermost in my head, the subject of a letter. They are at prefent upon Laughter, which (for ought I know) may be the cause you might fometimes think me too remifs a friend, when I was most intirely fo; for I am never fo inclin'd to mirth as when I am moft pleas'd an and most easy, which is in the company of a friend like yourself.

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As the fooling and toying with a mistress. is a proof of fondnefs, not difrefpect, fo is raillery with a friend. I know there are Prudes in friendship, who expect distance, awe and adoration, but I know you are not of them; and I for my part am no Idolworshipper, tho' a Papift. If I were to addrefs Jupiter himself in a heathen way, I fancy I fhou'd be apt to take hold of his knee in a familiar manner, if not of his beard like Dionyfius; I was just going to say of his buttons, but I think Jupiter wore none (however I won't be pofitive to for nice a Critic as you, but his robe might be Subnected with a Fibula.) I know some Philofophers define Laughter, A recommending ourselves to our own favour, by compa rifon with the weakness of another: but I am fure I very rarely laugh with that view, nor do I believe Children have any fuch confideration in their heads, when they exprefs their pleasure this way I laugh full as innocently as they, for the most part, and as fillily. There is a difference too betwixt laughing about a thing and laughing at a thing: One may find the inferior Man (to make a kind of cafuiftical diftinction) provok'd to folly at the fight or obfervation of fome circumftance of a thing, when the thing itself appears folemn and auguft to the fuperior Man, that is, our Judg

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Judgment and Reason. Let an Ambaffador fpeak the best Senfe in the world, and deport himself in the moft graceful manner before a Prince, yet if the Tail of his Shirt happen (as I have known it happen to a very wife man) to hang out behind, more people fhall laugh at that than attend to the other; till they recollect themselves, and then they will not have a jot the lefs refpect for the Minifter. I must confefs the iniquity of my countenance before you; feveral Muscles of my Face fometimes take an impertinent liberty with my Judgment, but then my Judgment foon rifes, and fets all right again about my mouth: And I find I value no man fo much, as he in whofe fight I have been playing the fool. I cannot be Sub-Perfona before a man I love; and not to laugh with honefty, when Nature prompts, or Folly (which is more a fecond Nature than any thing I know) is but a knavish hypocritical way of making a mask of one's own Face. To conclude, thofe that are my friends I laugh with, and thofe that are not I laugh at; fo am merry in company, and if ever I am wife, it is all by myfelf. You take just another courfe, and to thofe that are not your friends, are very civil, and to thofe that are, very endearing and complaifanty Thus when you and I meet, there will be

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the Rifus & Blanditia united together in converfation, as they commonly are in a verfe: But without Laughter on the one fide, or Compliment on the other, I affure you I am with real esteemast med

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October 26, 1711...

R. Wycherley vifited me at the Bath in my ficknefs, and exprefs'd much affection to me: hearing from me how welcome his Letters would be, he presently writ to you in which I inferted my Scrall, and after a fecond. He went to Gloucester in his way to Salop, but was disappointed of a boat and fo return'd to the Bath; then he fhew'd me your answer to his letters in which you fpeak of my good nature, but I fear you found me very froward at Reading; yet you allow for my illness. I cou'd not poffibly be in the fame house with Mr. Wycherley, tho' I fought it earnestly; nor come up to town with him, he being engag'd with others; but whenever we met we

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talk'd

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