I have nothing of myself to tell you, only that I have had but indifferent health. I have not made a vifit to London: Curiofity and the love of Diffipation die apace in me. I am not glad nor forry for it, but I am very forry for thofe who have nothing elfe to

live on.

I have read much, but writ no inore. I have fmall hopes of doing good, no vanity in writing, and little ambition to please a world not very candid or deferv ing. If I can preferve the good opinion of a few friends, it is all I can expect, confidering how little good I can do even to them to merit it. Few people have your candour, or are fo willing to think well of another from whom they receive no benefit, and gra tify no vanity. But of all the foft fenfations, the great. eft pleasure is to give and receive mutual Truft. It is by Belief and firm Hope, that men are made happy in this life, as well as in the other. My confidence in your good opinion, and dependance upon that of one or two more, is the chief cordial drop I tafte, amidst the Infipid, the Difagreeable, the Cloying, or the Dead-fweet, which are the common draughts of life. Some pleasures are too pert, as well as others too flat, to be relifh'd long: and vivacity in fome cafes is worfe than dulnefs. Therefore indeed for many years I have not chosen my companions for any of the qualities in fafhion, but almost intirely for that which is the most out-of-fashion, fincerity. Before I am aware of it, I am making your panegyric, and perhaps my own for next to poffeffing the best of qualities in the efteeming and diftinguifhing thofe who poffefs it. I truly love and value you, and so I stop short,

too,

I

LETTER XXXIII.

To the Earl of PETERBORO W.

MY LORD,

"

Aug. 24, 1728.

Préfume you may before this time be returned, from the contemplation of many Beauties, *animal and vegetable, in Gardens; and poffibly fome rational, in Ladies; to the better enjoyment of your own at Bevis Mount. I hope, and believe, all you have feen will only contribute to it. I am not fo fond of making compliments to Ladies as I was twenty years ago, or I would fay there are fome very reasonable, and one in particular there. I think you happy, my Lord, in being at least half the year almoft as much your own mafter as I am mine the whole year: and with all the disadvantageous incumbrances of quality, parts, and honour, as meer a gardener, loiterer, and labourer, as he who never had Titles, or from whom they are taken. I have an eye in the laft of these glorious appellations to the style of a Lord degraded or attainted: methinks they give him a better title than they deprive him of, in calling him Labourer: Agricultura, fays Tully, proxima Sapientia, which is more than can be faid, by most modern Nobility, of Grace or Right Honourable, which are often proxima Stultitia. The Great Turk, you know, is often a Gardener ,.or of a meaner trade and are there not (my Lord) fome circumstances in which you would refem. ble the Great Turk? The two Paradifes are not ill con

:

nected, of Gardens and Gallantry; and some there are (not to name my Lord B.) who pretend they are both to be had, even in this life, without turning Muffelmen.

We have as little politics here within a few miles of the Court (nay perhaps at the Court) as you at Southampton; and our Minifters, I dare fay, have lefs to do. Our weekly hiftories are only full of the feafts given to the Queen and Royal Family by their fervants, and the long and laborious walks her majesty takes every morning. Yet if the graver Hiftorians hereafter fhall be filent of this year's events, the amorous and anecdotical may inake pofterity fome amends, by being furnished with the gallantries of the Great at home; and 'tis fome comfort, that if the Men of the next age do not read of us, the

Women may.

From the time you have been abfent, I've not been to wait on a certain great man, thro' modesty, thro' respect. But for my comfort I fancy, that any great man will as foon forget one that does him no harm, as he can one that has done him any good. Believe me, my Lord, yours.

LETTER XXXIV.,

From the Earl of PETERBOROW.

[Muft confefs that in going to Lord Cobham's, I was

IMuft

not led by curiofity. I went thither to see what I had feen, and what I was fure to like.

I had the idea of those gardens fo fix'd in my imagination by many descriptions, that nothing furprized me, Immenfity and Van Brugh appear in the whole, and in every part. Your joining in your letter animal and vegetable beauty, makes me ufe this expreffion : I confess the ftarely Sachariffa at Stow, but am content with my little Amoret.

I thought you indeed more knowing upon the subject, and wonder at your mistake: why will you imagine women infenfible to Praise, much lefs to yours? I have feen them more than once turn from their Lover to their Flatterer. I am fure the Farmerefs at Bevis in her highest mortifications, in the middle of her Lent 22, would feel emotions of vanity, if she knew you gave her the character of a reasonable

woman.

You have been guilty again of another mistake, which hinder'd me fhowing your letter to a friend; when you join two ladies in the fame compliment, tho' you gave to both the beauty of Venus and the wit of Minerva, you would please neither.

If you had me into the Dunciad, I could not have been more difpofed to criticife your letter. What, Sir, do you bring it in as a reproach, or as a thing uncommon to a Court, to be without Politics? With politics indeed the Richlieu's and fuch folks have brought about great things in former days; but what are they, Sir, who, without policy, in our times, can make ten Treaties in a year, and secure everlasting Peace?

32 The Countess of Peterborow, a Roman - catholic.

I can no longer difagree with you, tho' in jeft. Oh how heartily I join with you in your contempt for Excellency and Grace, and in your Efteem of that moft noble title, Loiterer. If I were a man of many plums, and a good heathen, I would dedicate a Tem ple to Laziness: No man fure could blame my choice of fuch a Deity, who confiders, that, when I have been fool enough to take pains, I always met with fome wife man able to undo my labours.

Your, &c.

You

LETTER XXXV.

OU were in a very polemic humour when you did me the honour to answer my laft, I always understood, like a true controvertist, that to answer is only to cavil and quarrel: however, I forgive you; you did it (as all Polemics do) to fhew your parts. Elfe was it not very vexatious, to deny me to com inend two women at a time? It is true, my Lord, you know women as well as men: but fince you certainly love them better, why are you fo uncharitable in your opinion of them? Surely one Lady may allow another to have the thing fhe herself leaft values, Reason, when Beauty is uncontested. Venus herfelf could allow Minerva to be Goddess of Wit, when Paris gave' her the apple (as the fool herself thought) on a better account. I do fay, that Lady P* is a reasonable woman; and, I think, fhe will not take it amifs, if I should infift upon esteeming her, instead of Toasting