that was, and is, nothing. But whatever I have in my nature of kindness, I really have for you, and whatever good I could do, I would, among the very first, be glad to do to you. In your circumftance the old Roman farewel is proper, Vive memor noftri. Your, etc. I fend you a very kind letter of Mr. Digby, between whom and me two letters have pafs'd concerning you. LETTER XII. No words can tell you the great concern I feel for you; I affure you it was not, and is not leffened, by the immediate apprehenfion I have now every day lain under of lofing my mother. Be affured no duty less than that should have kept me one day from attending your condition: I would come and take a room by you at Hampstead, to be with you daily, were she not ftill in danger of death. I have constantly had particular accounts of you from the Doctor, which have not ceased to alarm me yet. God preferve your life, and reftore your health. I really beg it for my own fake, for I feel I love you more than I thought in health, tho' I always loved you a great deal. If I am fo unfortunate as to bury my poor mother, and yet have the good fortune to have my prayers heard for you, I hope we may live moft of our remaining days together. If, as I believe, the air of a better clime, as the Southern part of France, may be thought useful for your recovery, thi ther I would go with you infallibly; and it is very probable we might get the Dean with us, who is in that abandoned state already in which I shall shortly be, as to other cares and duties. Dear Gay, be as chearful as your fufferings will permit: God is a better friend than a Court; even any honeft man is a better. I promise you my entire friendship in all events, heartily praying for your recovery. Your, etc. Do not write, if you are ever fo able: the Doctor tells me all. I LETTER XIII. Am glad to hear of the progress of your recovery, and the oftner I hear it, the better, when it becomes eafy to you to give it me. I fo well remember the confolation you were to me in my Mother's former illness, that it doubles my concern at this time not to be able to be with you, or you able to be with me. Had I lost her, I would have been no where elfe but with you during your confinement. I have now past five weeks without once going from home, and without any company but for three or four of the days. Friends rarely ftretch their kindnefs fo far as ten miles. My Lord Bolingbroke and Mr. Bethel have not forgotten to vifit me: the rest (except Mrs. Blount once) were contented to fend meffages. I never paffed fo melancholy a time, and now Mr. Congreve's death touches me nearly. It was twenty years and more that I have known him : Every year carries away fomething dear with it, till we outlive all tenderneffes, and become wretched individuals again as we begun. Adieu! This is my birthday, and this is my reflection upon it. With added days if life give nothing new, Is this a Birth-day? - 'Tis, alas! too clear, Your, etc. WE LETTER XIV. To the Honourable Mrs. June 20. E cannot omit taking this occafion to congratulate you upon the increase of your family, for your Cow is this morning very happily delivered of the better fort, I mean a female calf; fhe is as like her mother as fhe can stare. All Knights Errants Palfreys were diftinguished by lofty names; we fee no reason why a ̈ Paftoral Lady's fheep and calves fhould want names of the fofter found; we have therefore given her the name of Cæfar's wife, Calfurnia: imagining, that as Romulus and Remus were fuckled by a wolf, this Roman lady was suckled by a cow, from whence the took that name. In order to celebrate this birth-day, we had a cold dinner at Marble-hill*. Mrs. Sufan offered us wine upon the occafion, and upon fuch an occafion we could not refuse it. Our entertainment confifted of flesh and fifh, and the lettuce of a Greek Island called Cos. We have fome thoughts of dining there to-morrow, to celebrate the day after the birth-day, and on Friday to celebrate the day after that, where we intend to entertain Dean Swift; because we think your hall the moft delightful room in the world except that where you are. If it' was not for you, we would forfwear all courts; and really it is the most mortifying thing in nature, that we can neither get into the court to live with you, nor you Mrs. Howard's House. get into the country to live with us; fo we will take up with what we can get that belongs to you, and make ourselves as happy as we can, in your houfe. I hope we shall be brought into no worfe company, when you all come to Richmond: for whatever our friend Gay may wish as to getting into Court, I disclaim it, and defire to fee nothing of the court. but yourfeif, being wholly and folely LETTER XV. Your, etc. July 21. You have the fame share in my memory that good things generally have; I always know (whenever I reflect) that you fhould be in my mind; only I reflect too feldom: However, you: ought to allow me the indulgence I allow all my friends (and if I did not, they would take it) in confideration that they have other avocations, which may prevent the proofs of their remembring me, though they preferve for me all the friendship and good-will which I deferve from them. In like manner I expect from you, that my past life of twenty years may be fet against the omiffion of (perhaps) one month and if you complain of this to any other, 'tis you are in the spleen, and not I in the wrong. If you think this letter fplenetic, confider I have just received the news of the death of a friend, whom I efteemed almoft as many years as you; poor Fenton. He died at Easthamstead, of indolence and inactivity; let it not be your fate, but use exercise. I hope the Duchefs will take care of you in this refpect, and * *Of Queensberry. either make you gallop after her, or teize you enough at home to ferve instead of exercise abroad. Mrs. Howard is fo concerned about you, and fo angry at me for not writing to you, and at Mrs. Blount for not doing the fame, that I am piqu'd with jealoufy and envy at you, and hate you as much as if you had a great place at court; which you will confefs a proper caufe of envy and hatred, in any Poet militant or unpenfioned. But to fet matters even, I own I love you; and own, as I ever was, and just as I ever shall be, ¥ I am, Your, etc. I DEAR SIR, LETTER XVi. ›› O&. 6, 1727.. Have many years ago magnify'd, in my own mind, and repeated to you, a ninth Beatitude, added to the eight in the Scripture ;"Bleffed is he who expects "nothing, for he shall never be disappointed. I could find in my heart to congratulate you on this happy difmiffion from all Court-dependance; I dare fay I fhall find you the better and the honefter man for it, many years hence very probably the healthfuller, and the chearfuller into the bargain. You are happily rid of many curfed ceremonies, as well as of many ill, and vicious habits, of which few or no men escape the infection, who are hackney'd and tramelled in the ways of a court. Princes indeed, and Peers (the lackies of Princes) and Ladies (the fools of Peers) will smile on you the lefs; but men of worth and real friends will look on you the better. There is a thing, the only thing which Kings and Queens cannot give you (for they have it not to give) Liberty, and which is worth all they have; which, as yet, I thank God, Englishmen need |