shrug up their shoulders at a man, that pretends to get to Heaven out of their form, dress and diet. I would no more make a judgment of an author's genius from a damning critic, than I would of a man's religion from an unfaving zealot.

I could take great delight in affording you the new glory of making a Barceloniad (if I may venture to coin fuch a word): I fancy you would find a jufter parallel than it seems at first fight for the Trojans too had a great mixture of folly with their bravery; and I am out of countenance for them when I read the wife refult of their council, where, after a warm debate between Antenor and Paris about restoring Helen, Priam fagely determines that they shall go to fupper. And as for the Greeks, what can equal their fuperftition in facrificing an innocent lady.

Tantum Relligio potuit, &c.

I have a good opinion of my politics, fince they agree with a man who always thinks fo justly as you. I wish it were in our power to perfuade all the nation into as calm and steddy a difpofition of mind.

We have receiv'd the late melancholy news with the ufual ceremony, of condoling in one breath for the lofs of a gracious Queen, and in

another

another rejoicing for an illuftrious King. My views carry me no farther, than to wish the peace and, welfare of my Country; and my morals and politics teach me to leave all that to be adjusted by our representatives above, and to divine Providence. It is much at one to you and me, who fit at the helm, provided they will permit us to fail quietly in the great fhip. Ambition is a vice that is timely mortify'd in us poor Papists; we ought in recompence to cultivate as many virtues in ourselves as we can, that we may be truly great. Among my Ambitions, that of being a fincere friend is one of the chief: yet I will confefs, that I have a secret pleasure to have fome of my defcendants know, that their Ancestor was great with Mr. Pope. I am, &c.

IT

LETTER III.

From Mr. BLOUNT.

Nov. 11, 1715.

T is an agreement of long date between you and me, that you fhould do with my letters just as you pleased, and answer them at your leifure; and that is as foon as I fhall think

you

ought.

ought. I have so true à taste of the substantial part of your friendship, that I wave all ceremonials; and am fure to make you as many vifits as I can, and leave you to return them whenever you please, affuring you they shall at all times be heartily welcome to me.

The many alarms we have from your parts, have no effect upon the genius that reigns in our country, which is happily turn'd to preferve peace and quiet among us. What a difmal scene has there been open'd in the North? what ruin have those unfortunate rafh gentlemen drawn upon themselves and their miferable followers, and perchance upon many others too; who upon no account would be their followers? However, it may look ungenerous to reproach people in diftrefs. I don't remember you and I ever used to trouble ourselves about politics, but when any matter happened to fall into our difcourfe, we us'd to condemn all undertakings that tended towards the disturbing the peace and quiet of our Country, as contrary to the notions we had of morality and religion, which oblige us on no pretence whatsoever to violate the laws of charity. How many lives have there been loft in hot blood, and how many more are there like to be taken off in cold? If the broils of the nation affect you, come down to me, and though we are farmers, you know Eumeus made his

friends

friends welcome. You fhall here worship the Echo at your eafe; indeed we are forced to do fo, because we can't hear the first report, and therefore are obliged to listen to the second; which, for fecurity fake, I do not always believe neither.

'Tis a great many years fince I fell in love with the character of Pomponius Atticus: I long'd to imitate him a little, and have contriv'd hitherto, to be, like him, engaged in no party, but to be a faithful friend to fome in both: I find myself very well in this way hitherto, and live in a certain peace of mind by it, which, I am perfuaded, brings a man more content than all the perquifites of wild ambition. I with pleasure join with you in wifhing, nay I am not afhamed to fay, in praying for the welfare temporal and eternal of all mankind. How much more affectionately then fhall I do fo for you, fince I am in a moft particular manner, and with all fincerity, Your, &c.

LETTER IV.

Jan. 21, 1715-16.

I

Know of nothing that will be fo interesting to you at present, as fome circumstances of the last act of that eminent comic poet, and

our friend, Wycherly. He had often told me, as I doubt not he did all his acquaintance, that he would marry as foon as his life was despaired of: Accordingly a few days before his death he underwent the ceremony; and join'd together those two facraments which, wife men say, fhould be the laft we receive; for, if you obferve, Matrimony is placed after Extremé unction in our Catechifm, as a kind of hint of the order of time in which they are to be taken. The old man then lay down; satisfy'd in the conscience of having by this one act paid his juft debts, obliged a woman, who (he was told) had merit, and fhewn an heroic refentment of the ill usage of his next heir. Some hundred pounds which he had with the Lady, discharged those debts; a jointure of four hundred a year made her a recompence; and the nephew he left to comfort himself as well as he could, with the miferable remains of a mortgaged eftate. I faw our friend twice after this was done, less peevish in his fickness than he used to be in his health; neither much afraid of dying, nor (which in him had been more likely) much ashamed of marrying. The evening before he expired, he called his young wife to the bedfide, and earnestly entreated her not to deny him one requeft, the last he should make. Upon her affurances of confenting to

it,