said you were weary of me, I would pretend to be deaf, and think (according to another proverb) that you tore my cloaths to keep me from going. I never will believe one word you fay of my Lord Duke, unless I fee three or four lines in his own hand at the bottom of yours. I have a concern in the whole family, and Mr. Gay must give me a particular accounte of every branch, for I am not ashamed of you tho' you be Duke and Duchefs, tho' I have been of others who are, &c. and I do not doubt but even your own fervants love you, even down to your poftilions; and when I come to Aimsbury, before I fee your Grace I will have an hour's converfation with the Vicar, who will tell me how familiarly you talk to Goody Dob. fon and all the neighbours, as if you were their equal, and that you were godmother to her fon Jacky.

I am, and shall be ever, with the greatest respect, your Grace's moft obedient, &c.

LETTER LX.

Dublin, Oct. 3, 1731.

I

Ufually write to friends after a pause of a few

weeks, that I may not interrupt them in better company, better thoughts, and better diverfions. I believe I have told you of a great Man, who faid to me, that he never once in his life receiv'd a good letter from Ireland: for which there are reafons

enough without affronting our understandings. For there is not one perfon out of this country, who regards any events that pafs here, unless he hath an eftate or employment.—I cannot tell that you or I ever gave the least provocation to the present Miniftry, and much lefs to the Court; and yet I am ten times more out of favour than you. For my own part, I do not fee the politic of opening common letters, directed to perfons generally known; for a man's understanding would be very weak to convey fecrets by the poft, if he knew any, which, I declare, I do not: and befides I think the world is already fo well informed by plain events, that I queAtion whether the Minifters have any fecrets at all. Neither would I be under any apprehenfion if a letter should be sent me full of treafon because I cannot hinder people from writing what they please, nor fending it to me; and altho' it should be discover'd to have been open'd before it came to my hand, I would only burn it and think no further. I approve of the scheme you have to grow fomewhat richer, though, I agree, you will meet with discouragements; and it is reasonable you should, confidering what kind of pens are at this time only employed and encouraged. For you muft allow that the bad painter was in the right, who, having painted a cock, drove away all the cocks and hens, and even the chickens, for fear those who paffed by his fhop might make a comparifon with his work. And I will fay one thing in spite of the Poft-officers, that fince Wit and Learning be

gan to be made use of in our kingdoms, they were never profeffedly thrown afide, contemned, and punished, till within your own memory; nor Dulness and Ignorance ever fo openly encouraged and promoted. In answer to what you say of my living among you, if I could do it to my ease; perhaps you have heard of a scheme for an exchange in Berkshire proposed by two of our friends; but, befides the difficulty of adjufting certain circumstances, it would not answer. I am at a time of life that seeks ease and independence; you'll hear my reasons when you fee those friends, and I concluded them with saying; That I would rather be a freeman among slaves, than a flave among freemen. The dignity of my prefent ftation damps the pertness of inferior puppies and fquires, which, without plenty and ease on your fide the channel, would break my heart in a month.

Madam,

See what it is to live where I do. I am utterly ignorant of that fame Strado del Poe; and yet, if that Author be against lending or giving money, I cannot but think him a good Courtier; which, I am fure, your Grace is not, no not so much as to be a Maid of honour. For I am certainly informed, that you are neither a free-thinker, nor can sell bargains; that you can neither fpell, nor talk, nor writę, nor think like a Courtier; that you pretend to be refpected for qualities which have been out of fashion

ever fince you were almost in your cradle; that your contempt for a fine petticoat is an infallible mark of difaffection; which is further confirmed by your ill tafte for Wit, in preferring two old fashion'd poets before Duck or Cibber. Befides, you spell in fuch a manner as no court-lady can read, and write in fuch an old-fashioned style as none of them can understand.—You need not be in pain about Mr. Gay's ftock of health. I promise you he will spend it all upon laziness, and run deep in debt by a winter's repose in town; therefore I entreat your Grace will order him to move his chops less and his legs more the fix cold months, elfe he will spend all his money in phyfic and coach-hire. I am in much perplexity about your Grace's declaration, of the manner in which you difpofe what you call your love and refpect, which, you say, are not paid to Merit but to your own Humour, Now, Madam, my misfortune is, that I have nothing to plead but abundance of Merit, and there goes an ugly obfervation, that the Humour of ladies is apt to change. Now, Madam, if I fhould go to Aimsbury with a great load of merit, and your Grace happen to be out of humour, and will not purchase my merchandize at the price of your refpect, the goods may be damaged, and no body else will take them off my hands. Befides, you have declared Mr. Gay to hold the first part, and I but the fecond; which is hard treatment, fince I fhall be the newest acquaintance by fome years; and I will appeal to all the reft of your fex, whether

fuch an innovation ought to be allowed? I fhould be ready to fay in the common forms, that I was much oblig'd to the Lady who wish'd fhe could give the beft living, &c. if I did not vehemently fufpect it was the very fame Lady who spoke many things to me in the fame ftyle, and also with regard to the gentleman at your elbow when you writ, whofe Dupe he was as well as of her Waiting-woman; but they were both arrant knaves, as I told him and a third friend, though they will not believe it to this day. I defire to prefent my moft humble refpects to my Lord Duke, and with my heartieft prayer for the pro

fperity of the whole family, remain your Grace's, &c.

LETTER LXI.

To Mr. POPE.

Dublin, June 12, 1731.

with fickness attended by pain. With me, the lowness of fpirits hath a moft unhappy effect; I am grown lefs patient with folitude, and harder to be pleas'd with company; which I could formerly better digeft, when I could be easier without it than at prefent. As to fending you any thing that I have written fince I left you (either verfe or profe) I can only fay, that I have order'd by my Will, that all my Papers of any kind fhall be deliver'd you to difpofe