misfortunes of private families, the misunderstandings of people whom distresses make suspicious, the coldnes ses of relations whom change of religion may difunite, or the neceffities of half- ruined eftates render unkind to each other; thefe at least may be foftened in fome degree, by a general well-managed humanity among ourfelves; if all those who have your principles of belief, had alfo your fenfe and conduct. But indeed most of them have given lamentable proofs of the contrary; and 'tis to be apprehended that they who want sense, are only religious through weakness, and good-natur'd thro' fhame. These are narrow-minded creatures that never deal in essentials, their faith never looks beyond ceremonials, nor their charity beyond relations. As poor as I am, I would gladly relieve any distressed, confcientious French refugee at this inftant: what must my concern then be, when I perceive so many anxieties now tearing thofe hearts, which I have defired a place in, and clouds of melancholy rifing on thofe faces, which I have long look'd upon with affection? I begin already to feel both what fome apprehend, and what others are yet too ftupid to apprehend. I grieve with the old, for many additional inconveniencies and chagrins, more than their fall remain of life feemed deftined to undergo; and with the young, for fo many of thofe gaieties and pleafures (the portion of youth) which they will by this means be deprived of. This brings into my mind one or other of those I love best, and among them the widow and fatherless, late of. As I am certain no people living had an earlier and truer fenfe of others misfortunes, or a more generous refignation as to what might be their own, so I earnestly wish that whatever part

they must bear, may be render'd as fupportable to them, as it is in the pover of any friend to make it.

But I know you have prevented me in this thought, as you always will in any thing that is good, or generous: I find by a letter of your lady's (which I have seen) that their ́eafe and tranquillity is

care.

your

part of I believe there's fome fatality in it, that you fhould always, from time to time, be doing thofe par, ticular things that make ne cnamnour'd of you.

I write this from Windfor-Foreft, of which I come to take my last look. We here bid our neighbours adieu, much as those who go to be hang'd do their fellow-prifoners who are condemn'd to follow thein a few weeks after. I parted from honeft Mr. D. with tenderness; and from old Sir William Trumbull as from a venerable prophet, foretelling with lifted hands the miferies to come, from which he is just going to be remov'd himself.

Perhaps, now I have learnt fo far as

Nos dulcia linquimus arva,

my next leffon may be

Nos Patriam fugimus.

Let that, and all else be as Heaven pleases! I have provided just enough to keep me a man of honour. I believe you and I fhall never be afhamed of each other. I know I wish my Country well, and if it undoes me, it fhall not make me with it otherwife.

LETTER VII.

From Mr. BLOUNT.

March 24, 1715 - 16.

YOUR letters give me a gleam of fatisfaction, in

the midst of a very dark, and cloudy fituation of thoughts, which it would be more than human to be exempt from at this time, when our homes muft either be left, or be made too narrow for us to turn in. Poetically speaking, I fhould lament the lofs Windforforeft and you futtain of each other, but that, methinks, one can't fay you are parted, because you will live by and in one another, while verfe is verfe. This confideration hardens me in my opinion rather to congratulate you, fince you have the pleasure of the profpect whenever you take it from your fhelf, and at the fame time the folid cash you fold it for, of which Virgil in his exile knew nothing in thofe days, and which will make every place eafy to you. I for my part am not fo happy; my parva rurg are faften'd to me, so that I can't exchange them, as you have, for more portable means of fubfiftance; and yet I hope to gather enough to make the Patriam fugimus fupportable to me: 'tis what I am refolved on, with my Penate. If therefore you afk me, to whom you fhall complain? I will exhort you to leave laziness and the elms of the St. James's Park, and choose to join the other two propofals in one, fafety and friendship (the least of which is a good motive for most things, as the other is for al

moft every thing) and go with me where War will not reach us, nor paultry Conftables fuminon us to vestries.

The future epiftle you flatter ine with, will find me ftill here, and I think I may be here a month longer. Whenever I go from hence, one of the few reasons to make me regret my home will be, that I fhall not have the pleasure of saying to you,/.

Hic tamen hanc mecum poteris requiefcere noctem, which would have render'd this place more agreeable, than ever it elfe could be to me; for I protest, it is with the utmost fincerity that I affure you, I am entirely,

Dear Sir,

Your, &c.

I

LETTER VIII.

June 22, 1717.

F a regard both to públic and private affairs may plead a lawful excufe in behalf of a negligent correfpondent, I have really a very good title to it. I cannot fay whether 'tis a felicity or unhappiness, that I am obliged at this time to give my whole application to Homer; when without that employment, my thoughts must turn upon what is lefs agreeable, the violence, madness, and refentment of modern Warmakers, which are likely to prove (to fome people at leaft) more fatal, than the fame qualities in Achilles aid to his unfortunate country

-men.

6 This was written in the year of the affair of Preston. P.

Tho' the change of my scene of life, from Windforforeft to the fide of the Thames, be one of the grand Era's of my days, and may be called a notable period in fo inconfiderable a history; yet you can scarce imagine any hero paffing from one stage of life to another, with so much tranquillity, so easy a transition, and fo laudable a behaviour. I am become fo truly a citizen of the world (according to Plato's expression) that I look with equal indifference on what I have left, and on what I have gained. The times and amusements paft are not more like a dream to me, than those which are prefent: I lie in a refreshing kind of inaction, and have one comfort at least from obfcurity, that the darkness helps me to fleep the better. I now and then reflect upon the enjoyment of my friends, whom, I fancy, I remember much as separate spirits do us, at tender intervals, neither interrupting their own employments, nor altogether careless of ours, but in general constantly wishing us well, and hoping to have us one day in their company.

To grow indifferent to the world is to grow philofophical, or religious (which foever of thofe turns we chance to take) and indeed the world is fuch a thing, as one that thinks pretty much, muft either laugh at, or be angry with but if we laugh at it, they fay we are proud; and if we are angry with it, they fay we are ill-natur'd. So the most politic way is to feem always better pleas'd than one can be, great admirers, greater lovers, and in fhort greater fools, than we really are so shall we live comfortably with our families, quietly with our neighbours, favoured by our