,,begin, retire to folitudes, or fuch places where Echo's ,,are commonly found, rocks, woods, &c. I am rather of opinion it fhould be interpreted,,,When ru„mours increase, and when there is abundance of noise ,,and clamour, believe the fecond report: (6 This. I think agrees more exactly with the echo, and is the more natural application of the fymbol. However it be, either of thefe Precepts is extremely proper to be followed at this feafon; and I cannot but applaud your iefolution of continuing in what you call your cave in the foreft, this winter; and preferring the noise of breaking ice to that of breaking statefinen, the rage of ftorms to that of parties, the fury and ravage of floods and tempefts, to the precipitancy of fome, and the ruin of others, which, I fear, will be our daily prof pects in London.

I fincerely wifh myself with you, to contemplate the wonders of God in the firmament, rather than the madness of man on the earth. But I never had so much cause as now to complain of my poetical star, that fixes me, at this tumultuous time, to attend the gingling of rhymes and the measuring of fyllables: to be almost the only trifler in the nation; and as ridiculous as the poer in Petronius, who while all the reft in the ship were either labouring or praying for life, was scratching his head in a little room, to write a fine description of the tempeft.

You tell me, you like the found of no arms but thofe of Achilles: for my part I like them as little as any other arms. I lifted myself in the battles of Homer, and I am no fooner in war, but, like most other folks, I wish myself out again,

I heartily join with you in wishing Quiet to our native country: Quiet in the state, which, like Charity in religion, is too much the perfection and happiness of either, to be broken or violated on any pretence or profpect whatsoever. Fire and fword, and fire and faggot, are equally my averfion. I can pray for oppofite parties, and for oppofite religions, with great fincerity. I think to be a lover of one's country is a glorious elogy, but I do not think it so great an one as to be a lover of mankind.

I fometimes celebrate you under these denominations, and join your health with that of the whole world; a truly catholic health, which far excels the poor narrow-fpirited, ridiculous healths now in fashion, to this church, or that church. Whatever our teachers may fay, they must give us leave at least to wifh generously. Thefe, dear Sir, are my general difpofitions; but whenever I pray or wifh for particulars, you are one of the first in the thoughts and affections of

Your, &c.

LETTER VIII.

From Sir WILLIAM

TRUMBUL L.

Jan. 19, 1715-16.

I Should be afhain'd of my long idlenes, in not

acknowledging your kind advice about Echo, and your most ingenious explanation of it relating to popular tumults; which I own to be very useful : and yet give me leave to tell you, that I keep myself to a shor

ter receipt of the fame Pythagoras, which is Silence; and this I fhall obferve, if not the whole time of his difcipline, yet at leaft till your return into this country. I am obliged further to this method, by the most fevere weather I ever felt; when, tho' I keep as near by the fire fide as may be, yet gelidus concrevit frigore fanguis; and often I apprehend the circulation of the blood begins to be stop'd. I have further great loffes (to a poor farmer) of my poor oxen Intereunt pecudes, stant circumfufa pruinis Corpora magna boum, &c.

Pray comfort me, if you can, by telling me that your fecond volume of Homer is not frozen; for it must be exprefs'd very poetically, to say now, that the preffes sweat.

I cannot forbear to add a piece of artifice I have been guilty of, on occafion of my being obliged to congratulate the birth day of a friend of mine: when finding I had no materials of my own, I very frankly fent him your imitation of Martial's epigram on Antonius Primus (a). This has been applauded fo much,

(4) Jam numerat placido felix Antonius ævo, &c.

At length my Friend (while Time with ftill career
Wafts on his gentle wing his eightieth year)
Sees his past days fafe out of Fortune's pow'r,
Nor dreads approaching Fate's uncertain hour;
Reviews his life, and in the strict survey
Finds not one moment he could wifh away,
Pleas'd with the series of each happy day.

Such,
fuch a man extends his life's fhort space,
And from the goal again renews the race:
For he lives twice, who can at once employ
The prefent well, and ev'n the past enjoy.

that I am in danger of commencing Poet, perhaps laureat, (pray defire my good friend Mr. Rowe to enter a caveat) provided you will further increase my stock in this bank. In which proceeding I have laid the foundation of my estate, and as honestly, as many others have begun theirs. But now being a little fearful, as young beginners often are, I offer to you (for I have conceal'd the true author) whether you will give me orders to declare who is the father of this fine child or not? Whatever you determine, my fingers, pen, and ink are fo frozen, that I cannot thank you more at large. You will forgive this and all other faults of, Dear Sir,

Your, &c.

LETTERS

TO AND FROM,

SEVERAL PERSONS.

I

From 1711 to 1714.

LETTER I.

To the Hon. J. C. Efq.

June 15, 1711.

Send you Dennis's remarks on.the (a) Essay; which equally abound in just criticisms and fine railleries. The few obfervations in my hand in the margins, are what a morning's leifure permitted me to make purely for your perusal. For I am of opinion that fuch` a eritic, as you will find him by the latter part of his Book, is but one way to be properly answer'd, and that way I would not take after what he informs me in his preface, that he is at this time perfecuted by fortune. This I knew not before; if I had, his name had been fpared in the Effay, for that only reafon. I can't conceive what ground he has for fo exceffive a refentment; nor imagine how thefe (b) three lines can be

(4) On Criticism.

(6) But Appius reddens at each word you speak,

And ftares tremendous with a threat'ning eye,
Like fome fierce tyrant in old tapestry.

M S