toward the latter end, which you will find out. I have declined opening to you by letters the whole scheme of my prefent Work, expecting ftill to do it in a better manner in perfon: but you will fee pretty foon, that the letter to Lord Bathurst is a part of it, and you will find a plain connexion between them, if you read them in the order just contrary to that they were publifh'd in. I imitate thofe cunning tradefmen, who show their best filks laft; or (to give you a truer idea, tho' it founds too proudly) my works will in one refpect be like the works of Nature, much more to be liked and understood when confider'd in the relation they bear with each other, than when ignorantly look'd upon one by one; and often, those parts which attract most at firft fight, will appear to be not the moft, but the leaft confiderable b. I am pleas'd and flatter'd by your expreffion of Orna me. The chief pleasure this work can give me is that I can in it, with propriety, decency, and justice, infert the name and character of every friend I have, and every man that deferves to be lov'd or adorn'd. But I fmile at your applying that phrafe to my visiting you in Ireland; a place where I might have b See the first note on the of the Knowledge and ChaEpiftle to Lord Cobham, | racters of men. fome .ome apprehenfion (from their extraordinary paffion for Poetry, and their boundless Hofpitality) of being adorned to death, and buried under the weight of garlands, like one I have read of fomewhere or other. My Mother lives (which is an answer to that point) and, I thank God, tho' her memory be in a manner gone, is yet awake and fenfible to me, tho' scarce to any thing else; which doubles the reason of my attendance, and at the fame time sweetens it. I wish (beyond any other wish) you could pass a fummer here; I might (too probably) return with you, unless you preferr'd to fee France first, to which country, I think, you would have a strong invitation. Lord Peterborow has narrowly escaped death, and yet keeps his chamber: he is perpetually speaking in the most affectionate manner of you: he has written you two letters, which you never received, and by that has been discouraged from writing more. I can well believe the poft-office may do this, when fome letters of his to me have met the fame fate, and two of mine to him. Yet let not this difcourage you from writing to me, or to him inclos'd in the common way, as I do to you: Innocent men need fear no detection of their thoughts; and for my part, I wou'd give 'em free leave to send all I write to Curl, if moft of what I write was not too filly. I defire I defire my fincere fervices to Dr. Delany, who, I agree with you, is a man every way efteemable: my Lord Orrery is a most virtuous and good-natur'd Nobleman, whom I should be happy to know. Lord B. receiv'd your letter thro' my hands; it is not to be told you how much he wishes for you: The whole lift of perfons to whom you fent your fervices, return you theirs, with proper fenfe of the diftinction-Your Lady friend is Semper Eadem, and I have written an Epistle to her on that qualification in a female character; which is thought by my chief Critic in your absence to be my Chef d'Oeuvre: but it cannot be printed perfectly, in an age fo fore of Satire, and so willing to mifapply Characters. As to my own health it is as good as ufual, I have lain ill feven days of a flight fever (the complaint here) but recover'd by gentle sweats, and the care of Dr. Arbuthnot. The play Mr. Gay left fucceeds very well; it is another original in its kind. Adieu. God preserve your life, your health, your limbs, your spirits, and your friendships! LETTER LETTER LXV. April 2, 1733. You OU fay truly, that death is only terrible to us as it feparates us from those we love, but I really think thofe have the worst of it who are left by us, if we are true friends. I have felt more (I fancy) in the loss of Mr. Gay, than I shall fuffer in the thought of going away myself into a state that can feel none of this fort of loffes. I wish'd vehemently to have seen him in a condition of living independent, and to have lived in perfect indolence the reft of our days together, the two moft idle, most innocent, undefigning Poets of our age. I now as vehemently wish you and I might walk into the grave together, by as flow steps as you please, but contentedly and chearfully: Whether that ever can be, or in what country, I know no more, than into what country we shall walk out of the grave. But it fuffices me to know it will be exactly what region or state our Maker appoints, and that whatever Is, is Right. Our poor friend's papers are partly in my hands, and for as much as is fo, I will take care to suppress things unworthy of him. As to the Epitaph, I'm forry you gave a copy, 3 for it it will certainly by that means come into print; and I would correct it more, unless you will do it for me (and that I fhall like as well:) Upon the whole, I earnestly with your coming over hither, for this reafon among many others, that your influence may be join'd with mine to suppress whatever we may judge proper of his papers. To be plunged in my Neighbour's and my papers, will be your inevitable fate as foon as you come. That I am an author whose characters are thought of fome weight, appears from the great noise and bustle that the Court and Town make about any I give and I will not render them lefs important, or lefs interesting, by sparing Vice and Folly, or by betraying the cause of Truth and Virtue. I will take care they shall be such, as no man can be angry at but the perfons I would have angry. You are fenfible with what decency and justice I paid homage to the Royal Family, at the fame time that I fatirized falfe Courtiers, and Spies, &c. about 'em. I have not the courage however to be such a Satirift as you, but I would be as much, or more, a Philofopher. You call your fatires, Libels; I would rather call my fatires, Epiftles: They will confift more of Morality than of Wit, and grow graver, which you will call duller. I fhall leave it to my antagonists to be witty (if they can) |