weak woman, praised into an opinion of its own virtue. 'Tis enough to do and fuffer what we ought; and men fhould know, that the noble power of fuffering bravely is as far above that of enterprizing greatly, as an unblemish'd conscience and inflexible resolution are above an accidental flow of fpirits, or a fudden tide of blood. If the whole religious business of mankind be included in refignation to our Maker, and charity to our fellow creatures, there are now some people who give us as good an opportunity of practifing the one, as themfelves have given an inftance of the violation of the other. Whoever is really brave, has always this comfort when he is opprefs'd, that he knows himself to be fuperior to thofe who injure him: for the greatest power on earth can no fooner do him that injury, but the brave man can make himself greater by forgiving it.

If it were generous to feek for alleviating confolations in a calamity of so much glory, one might say, that to be ruined thus in the gross, with a whole people, is but like perishing in the general conflagration, where nothing we can value is left behind us.

Methinks, the moft heroic thing we are left capable of doing, is to endeavour to lighten each other's load, and (oppress'd as we are) to fuccour fuch as are yet more opprefs'd. If there

are

are too many who cannot be affifted but by what we cannot give, our money; there are yet others who may be relieved by our counsel, by our countenance, and even by our chearfulnefs. The misfortunes of private families, the misunderstandings of people whom distresses make suspicious, the coldness of relations whom change of religion may difunite, or the neceffi ties of half ruin'd eftates render unkind to each other; these at least may be softened in fome degree, by a general well-managed humanity among ourselves; 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 it is to be apprehended that they who want sense, are only religious through weakness, and goodnatured through fhame. These are narrowminded creatures that never deal in effentials, their faith never looks beyond ceremonials, nor their charity beyond relations. As poor as I am, I would gladly relieve any diftreffed, conscientious French refugee at this instant: what must my concern then be, when I perceive fo many anxieties now tearing those hearts, which I have defired a place in, and clouds of melan choly rifing on thofe faces, which I have long look'd upon with affection? I begin already to feel both what fome apprehend, and what C 2 others

others are yet too stupid to apprehend. I grieve with the old, for fo many additional inconveniencies and chagrins, more than their small remain of life feemed deftined to undergo; and with the young, for fo many of those gaieties and pleasures (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 fatherlefs, 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, fo I earnestly with that whatever part they must bear, may be rendered as fupportable to them, as it is in the power 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 feen) that their ease and tranquillity is part of your care. I believe there's fome fatality in it, that you should always, from time to time, be doing those particular things that make me enamour'd of

you.

go

I write this from Windfor-Foreft, of which I am come to take my last look. We here bid. our neighbours adieu, much as those who to be hang'd do their fellow-prifoners, who are condemn'd to follow them a few weeks after.. I parted

4

I parted from honeft Mr. D* with tenderness; and from old Sir William Trumbull as from a venerable prophet, foretelling with lifted hands the miseries to come, from which he is just going to be removed himself.

Perhaps, now I have learnt fo far as

Nos dulcia linquimus arva,

Let that, and all elfe be as Heaven pleases! I have provided juft 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 shall not make me wish it otherwise.

You

LETTER VII.

From Mr. BLOUNT.

March 24, 1715-16.

OUR letters give me a gleam of fatiffaction, 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 must either be left, or

be made too narrow for us to turn in. Poetically fpeaking, I fhould lament the lofs Windforforeft and you fuftain 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 shelf, and at the fame time. the folid cash you fold it for, of which Virgil in his exile knew nothing in those days, and which will make every place eafy to you. I for my part am not fo happy; my parva rura are faftened to me, fo 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 fhall complain? I will exhort you to leave laziness and the elms of St. James's Park, and choose to join the other two propofals in one, fafety and friendfhip (the leaft of which is a good motive for moft things, as the other is for almost every thing) and go with me where war will not. reach us, nor paultry Conftables fummon us to veftriés.

you

The future epiftle you flatter me with, will find me ftill here, and I think I may be here a

month