but time to be an admirable piece: but, not to flatter your work, I don't think 'twill ever come up to what your father made. However I would not discourage you; 'tis certain you have a strange happiness, in making fine things of a fudden and at a stroke, with incredible eafe and pleasure.

I am, &c.

LETTER II.

T is too much a rule in this town, that

IT.

when a lady has once done a man a favour, he is to be rude to her ever after. It becomes our fex to take upon us twice as much as yours allow us; by this method I may write to you most impudently, because you once answer'd me modeftly; and if you fhould never do me that honour for the future, I am to think (like a true coxcomb) that your filence gives confent, Perhaps you wonder why this is address'd to you rather than to Mrs. M---, with whom I have the right of an old acquaintance, whereas you are a fine lady, have bright eyes, &c. First, Madam, I make choice of you rather than of your mother, because you are younger than your mother. Secondly, becaufe I fancy you fpell better, as having been at school later. Thirdly, because you have nothing to do but

to

to write if

you please, and poffibly it may keep you from employing yourself worse it may fave some honeft neighbouring gentleman from three or four of your peftilent glances. Caft your eyes upon paper, Madam, there you may look innocently: men are feducing, books are dangerous, the amorous ones foften you, and the godly ones give you the spleen: If you look upon trees, they clasp in embraces; birds and beasts make love; the fun is too warm for your blood; the moon melts you into yielding and melancholy. Therefore I fay once more,

caft your eyes upon paper, and read only fuch letters as I write, which convey no darts, no flames, but proceed from innocence of foul, and fimplicity of heart. Thank God I am an hundred miles off from those eyes! I would fooner trust your hand than them for doing me mischief; and tho' I doubt not fome part of the rancour and iniquity of your heart will drop into your pen, yet fince it will not attack me on a fudden and unprepar'd, fince I may have time while I break open your letter to cross myself and say a Pater-nofter, I hope Providence will protect me from all you can attempt at this distance. I am told you are at this hour as handsome as an angel; for my part I have forgot your face fince two winters. You may be grown to a giantess for all I know.

I can't

tell

tell in any respect what fort of creature you are, only that you are a very mischievous one, whom

I fhall ever pray to be defended from. But when your Minister fends me word you have the small-pox, a good many freckles, or are very pale, I will defire him to give thanks for it in your parish church; which as foon as he fhall inform me he has done, I will make you a vifit without armour:. I will eat any thing you give me without suspicion of poison, take you by the hand without gloves, nay venture to follow you into an arbour without calling the company. This, Madam, is the top of my wishes, but how differently are our defires inclined! You figh out, in the ardour of your heart, Oh play-houfes, parks, opera's, affemblies, London! I cry with rapture, Oh woods, gardens, rookeries, fish-ponds, arbours! Mrs.

LETTER III.
To a LADY.

Written on one column of a Letter, while Lady M. wrote to the Lady's Husband on the other.

HE wits would fay, that this must needs

THE

be a dull letter because it is a married one. I am afraid indeed you will find, what spirit

there

there is, must be on the fide of the wife, and the husband's part, as ufual, will prove the dulleft. What an unequal pair are put together in this sheet? in which, tho' we fin, it is you must do penance. When you look on both fides of this paper, you may fancy that our words (according to a Scripture expreffion) are as a two-edg'd fword, whereof lady M. is the fhining blade, and I only the handle. But I can't proceed without so far mortifying Sir Robert as to tell him, that she writes this purely in obedience to me, and that it is but one of those honours a husband receives for the fake of his wife.

;

It is making court but ill to one fine woman to fhew her the regard we have for another and yet I must own there is not a period of this epiftle but squints towards another overagainst it. It will be in vain to diffemble: your penetrating eyes cannot but difcover, how all the letters that compose these words lean forward after lady M's letters, which seem to bend as much from mine, and fly from them as faft as they are able. Ungrateful letters that they are! which give themfelves to another man, in the very presence of him who will yield to no mortal, in knowing how to value them.

You will think I forget myself, and am not writing to you; but, let me tell

2

you,

'tis you

forget

forget yourself in that thought, for you are almost the only woman to whom one can fafely address the praises of another. Besides, can you imagine a man of my importance fo stupid, as to fay fine things to you before your husband? Let us fee how far Lady M. herself dares do any thing like it, with all the wit and address she is mistress of. If Sir Robert can be fo ignorant (now he is left to himself in the country) to imagine any fuch matter, let him know from me, that here in town every thing that lady fays, is taken for fatire. For my part, every body knows it is my conftant practice to speak truth, and I never do it more than when I call myself

OU have put me into fo much gayety of

YOU

temper, that there will not be a serious word in this day's letter. No more, you'll fay, there would, if I told you the whole serious bufiness of the town. All last night I continued with you, tho' your unreasonable regularity drove me out of your doors at three a clock. I dreamed all over the evening's converfation, and faw the little bed in fpite of you. In the

morning