But all employments here are engaged, or in reverfion. Caft Wits and caft Beaux have a proper fanctuary in the church: yet we think it a fevere judgment, that a fine gentleman, and so much the finer for hating Ecclefiaftics, should be a domestic humble retainer to an Irish Prelate. He is neither Secre- . tary nor Gentleman-ufher, yet ferves in both capacities. He hath publifhed feveral reasons why he never came to fee me, but the beft is, that I have not waited on his Lordfhip. We have had a Poem fent from London in imitation of that on Mifs Carteret. It is on Mifs Harvey of a day old; and we say and think it is yours. I wish it were not, because I am against monopolies-You might have fpared me a few more lines of your Satire, but I hope in a few months to fee it all. To hear boys, like you, talk of Millenniums and tranquillity!' I am older by thirty years, Lord Bolingbroke by twenty, and you but by ten, than when we laft were together; and we fhould differ more than ever, you coquetting a maid of honour, my Lord looking on to fee how the gamefters play, and I railing at you both. I defire you and all my friends will take a fpecial care that my Difaffection to the world may not be imputed to my Age, for I have creditable witneffes ready to depofe, that it hath never varied from the twenty-firft to the f--ty-eighth year of my life (pray fill that blank charitably.) I tell you after all, that I do not hate mankind, it is vous autres who hate them, because you would have them reafonable Animals, and are angry at being disappoint-· ed: I have always rejected that definition, and made another of own. my I am no more angry with than I was with the Kite that last week flew away with one of my chickens; and yet I was pleased when one of my fervants fhot him two days after. This I fay, because you are fo hardy as to tell me of your intentions to write Maxims in oppofition to to Rochefoucault, who is my favourite, because I found my whole character in him; however I will read him again, because it is poffible I may have fince undergone fome alterations.-Take care the bad Poets do not out-wit you, as they have served the good ones in every age, whom they have provok'd to tranfmit their names to pofterity. Mævius is as well known as Virgil, and Gildon will be as well known as you, if his name gets into your Verses: and as to the difference between good and bad fame, 'tis a perfect trifle. I afk a thousand pardons, and fo leave you for this time, and will write again without concerning myself whether you write or no. I am, &c. I LETTER XIV. Decemb. 10, 1725. Find myself the better acquainted with you for a long Abfence, as men are with themfelves for a long Affliction: Abfence does but hold off a Friend, to make one fee him the more truly. I am infinitely more pleased to hear you are coming near us, than at any thing you seem to think in my favour; an opinion which has perhaps been aggrandized by the diftance or dulnefs of Ireland, as objects look larger thro' a medium of Fogs: and yet I am infinitely pleas'd with that too. I am much the happier for finding (a better thing than our Wits) our Judgments jump, in the notion that all Scriblers fhould be paft by in filence. To vindicate one's felf against such nasty slander, is much as wife as it was in your countryman, when the people im * This, methinks, is no great compliment to his own heart. puted puted a flink to him, to prove the contrary by fhewing his backfide. So let Gildon and Philips reft in peace! what Virgil had to do with Moevius, that he fhould wear him upon his fleeve to all eternity, I don't know. I've been the longer upon this, that I may prepare you for the reception both you and your works may poffibly meet in England. We your true acquaintance will look upon you as a good man, and love you; others will look upon you as a Wit, and hate you. So you know the worft; unless you are as vindicative as Virgil, or the aforefaid Hibernian. I wifh as warmly as you for an Hospital in which to lodge the Defpifers of the world; only I fear it would be fill'd wholly like Chelsea, with maimed Soldiers, and fuch as had been difabled in its fervice. I would rather have thofe, that, out of fuch generous principles as you and I, defpife it, fly in its face, then retire from it. Not that I have much anger against the Great, my fpleen is at the little rogues of it; it would vex one more to be knock'd on the head with a Pifs-pot, than by a Thunderbolt. As to great Oppreffors, they are like Kites or Eagles, one expects mifchief from them; but to be squirted to death (as poor Wycherly faid to me on his death-bed) by Apothecaries Apprentices, by the underftrappers of under-fecretaries to fecretaries who were no fecretaries-this wou'd provoke as dull a dog as Phs himself. So much for enemies, now for friends. Mr. L thinks all this indifcreet: the Dr. not fo; he loves mischief the best of any good-natur'd man in England. Lord B. is above trifling: when he writes of any thing in this world, he is more than mortal; if ever he trifles, it must be when he turns a Divine. Gay is writing Talcs for Prince William: I fuppofe Mr. Philips will take this very ill, for two reasons; one that he thinks all childish things belong to him, and the other because he'll take it ill to be taught that one may write things to a child without being childish. What have I more to add ? but that Lord Oxford defires earnestly to fee you: and that many others whom you do not think the worft of, will be gratified by it: none more, be affured, than Yours, &c. P. S. Pope and you are very great Wits, and I think very indifferent Philofophers: If you despised the world as much as you pretend, and perhaps believe, you would not be fo angry with it. The founder of your fect, that noble Original whom you think it fo great an honour to resemble*, was a flave to the worst part of the world, to the Court; and all his big words were the language of a flighted Lover, who defired nothing fo much as a reconciliation, and feared nothing fo much as a rupture. I believe the world hath used me as fcurvily as moft people, and yet I could never find in my heart to be thoroughly angry with the fimple, falfe, capricious thing. I fhould blush alike, to be difcovered fond of the world, or piqued at it. Your definition of Animal Rationis capax, instead of the common one Animal Rationale, will not bear examination : define but Reason, and you will fee why your diftinction is no better than that of the Pontiff Getta; between mala ratio, and bona ratio. But enough of this make us a vifit, and I'll fubfcribe to any fide of these important queftions which you please. We differ lefs than you imagine, perhaps, when you wifh'd me banish'd again: but I am not lefs true to you and to Philosophy in England, than I was in France. Yours, &c. B. Seneca. LET LETTER XV. From Dr. SWIFT. London, May 4, 1726. I Had rather live in off by Finans than under the frequent difquiets of hearing you are out of order. I always apprehend it most after a great dinner; for the leaft Tranfgreffion of yours, if it be only two bits and one fup more than your ftint, is a great debauch; for which you certainly pay more than those fots who are carried dead drunk to bed. My Lord Peterborow spoiled every body's dinner, but especially mine, with telling us that you were detained by fickness. Pray let me have three lines under any hand or pot-hook that will give me a better account of your health; which concerns me more than others, because I love and efteem you for reasons that most others have little to do with, and would be the fame although you had never touched a pen, further than with writing to me. I am gathering up my luggage, and preparing for my journey; I will endeavour to think of you as little as I can, and when I write to you, I will strive not to think of you: This I intend in return to your kindness; and further, I know no body has dealt with me fo cruelly as you, the confequences of which usage I fear will laft as long as my life, for fo long fhall I be (in fpite of my heart) entirely Yours. M LETTER XVI. Aug. 22, 1926. Any a fhort figh you coft me the day I left the day you return. I really walk'd about like a - VOL. IX. E man |