So much for your diverfions next winter, and for mine. I envy you much more at prefent, than I fhall then; for if there be on earth an image of paradife, it is in fuch perfect Union and Society as you all poffefs. I would have my innocent envies and wishes of your ftate known to you all; which is far better than making you compliments, for it is inward approbation and esteem. My Lord Digby has in me a fincere fervant, or would have, were there any occafion for me to manifeft it.

LETTER XVII.

Decemb. 28, 1724.

T is now the feason to wish you a good end of one year, and a happy beginning of another: but both thefe you know how to make yourself, by only conti. nuing fuch a life as you have been long accustomed to lead. As for good works, they are things I dare not name, either to those that do them, or to those that do them not; the first are too modeft, and the latter too selfish, to bear the mention of what are become either too old fashion'd, or too private, to constitute any part of the vanity or reputation of the present age. However, it were to be wish'd people would now and then look upon good works as they do upon old wardrobes', merely in case any of them should by chance come into fashion again; as ancient fardingales revi. ve in modern hoop'd petticoats, (which may be properly compared to charities, as they cover a multitu. de of fins.)

1

人

They tell me that at Colefhill certain antiquated charities, and obsolete devotions are yet subsisting: that a thing called Christian chearfulness (not incompatible with Christmas - pyes and plum-broth) whereof frequent is the mention in old fermons and almanacks, is really kept alive and in practice: that feeding the hun gry, and giving alms to the poor, do yet make a part of good house-keeping, in a latitude not more remote from London than fourfcore miles and laftly, that prayers and roaft-beef actually make fome people as happy, as a whore and a bottle. But here in town, I affure you, men, women, and children have done with these things. Charity not only begins, but ends, at home. Instead of the four cardinal virtues, now reign four courtly ones: we have cunning for prudence, rapine for juftice, timeferving for fortitude, and luxury for temperance. Whatever you may fancy where you live in a state of ignorance, and fee nothing but quiet, religion, and good-humour, the cafe is juft as I tell you where people understand the world, and know how to live with credit and glory.

I wish that Heaven would open the eyes of men, and make them sensible which of these is right; whether, upon a due conviction, we are to quit faction, and gaming, and high-feeding, and all manner of luxury, and to take to your country way? or you to leave prayers, and almsgiving, and reading, and exercife, and come into our measures? I wish (I fay) that this matter were as clear to all men, as it is to

Your affectionate, &c.

LETTER XVIII.

DEAR SIR,

April 21, 1726.

1

I

Have a great inclination to write to you, tho' I cannot by writing any more than I could by words, express what part I bear in your fufferings. Nature and Esteem in you are join'd to aggravate your afflic tion: the latter I have in a degree equal even to yours, and a tye of friendship approaches near to the tendernefs of nature yet, God knows, no man living is lefs fit to comfort you, as no man is more deeply fenfible than myself of the greatness of the loss. That very virtue, which fecures his prefent ftate from all the forrows incident to ours, does but aggrandife our fenfation of its being remov'd from our fight, from our affection, and from our imitation; for the friendship and fociety of good Men does not only make us happier, but it makes us better. Their Death does but complete their felicity before our own, who probably are not yet arrived to that degree of perfection which meritsjan immediate reward. That your dear brother and my dear friend was fo,,I take his very removal to be a proof; Providence would certainly lend virtuous men to a world that fo much wants them, as long as in its juftice to them it could fpare them to us. May my foul be with those who have meant well, and have acted well to that meaning! and, I doubt not, if

Mr. Digby died in the year 1726, and is buried in the church of Sherburne in Dorsetshire, with an Epitaph written by the Author. P.

this prayer be granted, I fhall be with him. Let us preserve his memory in the way he would best like, by recollecting what his behaviour would have been, in every incident of our lives to come, and doing in each just as we think he would have done; fo we shall have him always before our eyes, and in our minds, and (what is more) in our lives and manners. I hope when we shall meet him next, we shall be more of a piece with him, and consequently not to be evermore feparated from him. I will add but one word that relates to what remains of yourself and me, fince fo valued a part of us is gone; it is to beg you to accept, as yours by inheritance, of the vacancy he has left in a heart, which (while he could fill it with such hopes, wifhes and affections for him as fuired a mortal creature) was truly and warmly his; and fhall (I affure you in the fincerity of forrow for my own lofs) be faithfully at your fervice while I continue to love his memory, that is, while I continue to be myself.

LETTERS

TO AND FROM

ATTERBURY.

Bishop of ROCHESTER.

From 1716 to 1723.

DR

Return your 14 Preface, which I have read twice

I with pleature. modelty and good fenfe there

is in it, must please every one that reads it: And fince there is nothing that can offend, I fee not why you fhould balance a moment about printing it always provided, that there is nothing faid there which you may have occafion to unfay hereafter of which you yourself are the best and the only judge. This is my fincere opinion, which I give, because you afk ir; and which I would not give tho asked, but to a man

1 144 The general preface to Mr. Pope's Poems, first printed 1717. the year after the date of this lettert

Vol. VIII.

P.