LETTER XV.

MY LORD,

March 19, 1721-2.

Am extremely fenfible of the repeated favour of your kind letters, and your thoughts of me in absence, even among thoughts of much nearer concern to yourself on the one hand, and of much more importance to the world on the other, which cannot but engage you at this juncture. I am very certain of your good will, and of the warmth which is in you infeparable. from it.

Your remembrance of Twitenham is a fresh inftance of that partiality. I hope the advance of the fine feafon will fet you upon your legs, enough to enable you to get into my garden, where I will carry you up a Mount, in a point of view to fhew you the glory of my little kingdom. If you approve it, I fhall be in danger to boast, like Nebuchadnezzar, of the things I have made, and to be turn'd to converfe, not with the beafts of the field, but with the birds of the which I shall take to be no great grove, punishment. For indeed I heartily despise the ways of the world, and most of the great ones of

it.

Oh keep me innocent, make others great!

VOL. VIII.

I

And

And you may judge how comfortably I am ftrengthen'd in this opinion, when fuch as your Lordship bear teftimony to its vanity and emptinefs. Tinnit, inane eft, with the picture of one ringing on the globe with his finger, is the best thing I have the luck to remember, in that great Poet Quarles (not that I forget the Devil at bowls; which I know to be your Lordship's favourite cut, as well as favourite diverfion.).

The fituation here is pleasant, and the view rural enough, to humour the most retired, and agree with the most contemplative. Good air, folitary groves, and fparing diet, fufficient to make you fancy yourself (what you are in temperance, tho' elevated into a greater figure by your station) one of the Fathers of the Defert. Here you may think (to use an author's words, whom you fo juftly prefer to all his followers that you'll receive them kindly, tho' taken from his worst work a)

That in Elijah's banquet you partake,
Or fit a guest with Daniel, at his Pulfe.

I am fincerely free with you, as you defire I fhould, and approve of your not having your coach here, for if you would fee Lord C* or

The Paradife Regain'd. | ment to the Bishop. It could I fuppofe this was in compli- never be his own opinion.

you

any body elfe, I have another chariot, befides that little one you laugh'd at when you compar'd me to Homer in a nut-fhell. But if would be entirely private, no body shall know any thing of the matter. Believe me (my Lord) no man is with more perfect acquiefcence, nay with more willing acquiefcence (not even any of your own Sons of the Church)

Your Obedient, &c.

LETTER XVI.

From the Bishop of ROCHESTER.

U

April 6, 1722.

NDER all the leisure in the world, I have no leisure, no stomach to write to you: The gradual approaches of death are be fore my eyes. I am convinced that it must be fo; and yet make a shift to flatter myself fometimes with the thought, that it may poffibly be otherwise. And that very thought, tho' it is directly contrary to my reason, does for a few moments make me eafy-however not easy enough in good earneft to think of any thing, but the melancholy object that employs them. Therefore wonder not that I do not anfwer your kind letter: I fhall anfwer it too foon, I fear, by accepting your friendly invitation. When I

do fo, no conveniencies will be wanting: for I'll fee no body but you and your mother, and the fervants. Vifits to statesmen always were to me (and are now more than ever) infipid things; let the men that expect, that wish to thrive by them, pay them that homage; I am free. When I want them, they shall hear of me at their doors: when they want me, I fhall be fure to hear of them at mine. But probably they will defpife me fo much, and I fhall court them fo little, that we fhall both of us keep our distance.

When I come to you, 'tis in order to be with you only; a prefident of the council, or a ftar and garter will make no more impreffion upon my mind, at fuch a time, than the hearing of a bag-pipe, or the fight of a puppet-fhew. I have faid to Greatnefs fometime ago-Tuas tibi res habeto, Egomet curabo meas. The time is not far off when we fhall all be upon the level: and I am refolv'd, for my part, to anticipate that time, and be upon the level with them now: for he is fo, that neither feeks nor wants them. Let them have more virtue and less pride: and then I'll court them as much as any body: but till they refolve to distinguish themselves fome way elfe than by their outward trappings, I am determined (and, I think, I have a right) to be as proud as they are: tho' I truft in God, my

pride is neither of fo odious a nature as theirs, nor of fo mischievous a confequence.

I know not how I have fallen into this train of thinking when I fat down to write I intended only to excuse myself for not writing, and to tell you that the time drew nearer and nearer, when I must diflodge; I am preparing for it; For I am at this moment building a vault in the Abby for me and mine. 'Twas to be in the Abby, because of my relation to the place; but 'tis at the weft door of it as far from Kings and Cæfars as the space will admit

of.

I know not but I may step to town to-morrow, to see how the work goes forward; but, if I do, I fhall return hither in the evening. would not have given you the trouble of this letter but that they tell me it will cost you nothing, and that our privilege of Franking (one of the most valuable we have left) is again allow'd us.

Your, &c.