We

fuch an occafion we could not refuse it. Our entertainment consisted of flesh and fish, and the lettice of a Greek Island' call'd Cos. 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 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 house.

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 see nothing of the court but yourself, being wholly and folely

Your, &c.

LET

LETTER XV.

July 21.

OU have the fame fhare 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 remembering me, tho' they preferve for me all the friendship and good-will which I deferye 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 receiv'd the news of the death of a friend, whom I efteem'd almost as many years as you; poor Fenton. He died at Eafthamstead, of indolence and inactivity; let it not

be

your fate, but use exercise. I hope the Duchefs a will take care of you in this refpect, and either make you gallop after her, or teize you

enough at home to ferve instead of exercise abroad. Mrs. Howard is fo concern'd about and fo angry at me for not writing to you, you, and at Mrs. Blount for not doing the fame, that I am piqu'd with jealousy and envy at you, and hate you as much as if you had a great place at court; which you will confefs a proper cause of envy and hatred, in any Poet militant, or unpenfion'd. But to fet matters even, I own I love you; and own, I am, as I ever was, and juft as I ever fhall be,

Your, &c.

LETTER XVI.

DEAR SIR,

Oct. 6, 1727.

Have many years ago magnify'd in my own

Imand, and repeated to you, a ninth Beati

tude, added to the eighth in the Scripture;

Bleffed is he who expects nothing, for he "shall never be difappointed." 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,

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 not ask from their hands. You will enjoy that, and your own integrity, and the fatisfactory consciousness of having not merited fuch graces from courts as are bestow'd only on the mean, fervile, flattering, interested, and undeferving. The only fteps to the favour of the Great are fuch complacencies, fuch compliances, fuch diftant decorums, as delude them in their vanities, or engage them in their paffions. He is their greatest favourite, who is the falfeft: and when a man by fuch vile gradations, arrives at the height of grandeur and power, he is then at best but in a circumstance to be hated, and in a condition to be hanged, for ferving their ends: So many a Minifter has found it!

I believe you did not want advice in the letter you fent by my Lord Grantham; I prefume you writ it not, without: and you could not have better, if I guess right at the person who

agreed

agreed to your doing it, in respect to any Decency you ought to obferve: for I take that perfon to be a perfect judge of decencies and forms. I am not without fears even on that perfon's account: I think it a bad omen: but what have I to do with Court-omens ?-Dear Gay, adieu. I can only add a plain uncourtly speech: While you are no body's fervant, you may be any one's friend; and, as fuch, I embrace you, in all con'ditions of life. While I have a fhilling, you shall have fix-pence, nay eight-pence, if I can contrive to live upon a groat. upon a groat. I am faithfully Your, &c.

LETTER XVII.

From Mr. GAY to Mr. POPE.

'T

Aug. 2, 1728.

WAS two or three weeks ago that I writ you a letter; I might indeed have done it sooner; I thought of you every postday upon that account, and every other day upon fome account or other. I must beg you to give Mrs. B. my fincere thanks for her kind way of thinking of me, which I have heard of more than once from our friend at court, who feem'd in the letter she writ to be in high health and spirits. Confidering the multiplicity of plea

fures