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them laugh, but people will ftill have their opinions as they think our Doctors affes to them, we'll think them affes to our Doctors.

I am glad you are so much in a better state of health, as to allow me to jeft about it. My concern, when I heard of your danger, was fo very serious, that I almoft take it ill Dr. Evans fhould tell you of it, or you mention it. I tell you fairly, if you and a few more fuch people were to leave the world, I would not give fixpence to ftay in it.

I am not fo much concerned as to the point whether you are to live fat or lean: most men of wit or honesty are ufually decreed to live very lean: fo I am inclined to the opinion that 'tis decreed you fhall; however be comforted, and reflect, that you'll make the better busto for it.

"Tis fomething particular in you, not to be satisfied with sending me your own books, but to make your acquaintance continue the frolic. Mr. Wharton forced me to take Gorboduc, which has fince done me great credit with feve ral people, as it has done Dryden and Oldham fome difkindness: in fhewing there is as much difference between their Gorboduc and this, as between Queen Anne, and King George. It is truly a fcandal, that men fhould write with contempt of a piece which they never once faw, as

these

those two Poets did, who were ignorant even of the fex, as well as fenfe, of Gorboduc a.

Adieu! I am going to forget you: this minute you took up all my mind; the next I fhall think of nothing but the reconciliation with Agamemnon, and the recovery of Brifeis. I fhall be Achilles's humble fervant those two months (with the good leave of all my friends.) I have no ambition so strong at present, as that noble one of Sir Salathiel Lovel, recorder of London, to furnish out a decent and plentiful execution, of Greeks and Trojans. It is not to be express'd how heartily I wish the death of all Homer's heroes, one after another. The Lord preserve me in the day of battle, which is just approaching! join in your prayers for me, and know me to be always

Your, &c.

T

LETTER II.

London, March 31, 1718.

O convince how little pain I give

you

myself in corresponding with men of good nature and good understanding, You fee I omit to answer your letters till a time, when

a There is a correct edi- | of old Plays published by tion of it in the collection DodЛley.

another

another man would be ashamed to own he had received them. If therefore you are ever moved on my account by that fpirit, which I take to be as familiar to you as a quotidian ague, I mean the spirit of goodness, pray never stint it, in any fear of obliging me to a civility beyond my natural inclination. I dare trust you, Sir, not only with my folly when I write, but with my negligence when I do not; and expect equally your pardon for either.

If I knew how to entertain you through the reft of this paper, it should be spotted and diverfified with conceits all over; you should be put out of breath with laughter at each sentence, and pause at each period, to look back over how much wit you have pafs'd. But I have found by experience that people now a-days regard writing as little as they do preaching: the most we can hope is to be heard just with decency and patience, once a week, by folks in the country. Here in town we hum over a piece of fine writing, and we whistle at a fermon. The ftage is the only place we feem alive at! there indeed we ftare, and roar, and clap hands for K. George and the government. As for all other virtues but this loyalty, they are an obsolete train, fo ill-drefs'd, that men, women, and children hifs them out of all good company. Humility knocks fo fneakingly at the door that

every

every

footman outraps it, and makes it give way to the free entrance of pride, prodigality, and vain-glory.

My Lady Scudamore, from having rufticated in your company too long, really behaves herself fcandalously among us: fhe pretends to open her eyes for the fake of seeing the fun, and to sleep because it is night; drinks tea at nine in the morning, and is thought to have faid her prayers before: talks, without any manner of fhame, of good books, and has not feen Cibber's play of the Nonjuror. I rejoiced the other day to fee a libel on her toilette, which gives me fome hope that you have, at least, a taste of scandal left you, in defect of all other vices.

Upon the whole matter, I heartily wish you well; but as I cannot entirely defire the ruin of all the joys of this city, fo all that remains is to wifh you would keep your happiness to yourfelves, that the happiest here may not die with envy at a bliss which they cannot attain to.

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LETTER III,

From Mr. DIGBY.

Coleshill, April 17, 1718.

Have read your letter over and over with delight. By your description of the town, I imagine it to lie under fome great enchantment, and am very much concerned for you and all my friends in it. I am the more afraid, imagining, fince you do not fly those horrible monsters, rapine, diffimulation, and luxury, that a magic circle is drawn about you, and you cannot escape. We are here in the country in quite another world, furrounded with bleffings and pleasures, without any occafion of exerçifing our irafcible faculties; indeed we cannot boast of good-breeding and the art of life, but yet we don't live unpleasantly in primitive fimplicity and good-humour. The fashions of the town affect us but just like a raree-show, we have a curiofity to peep at them, and nothing more. What you call pride, prodigality, and vain-glory, we cannot find in pomp and fplendor at this distance; it appears to us a fine glittering scene, which if we don't envy you, we think you happier than we are, in your enjoying it. Whatever you may think to perfuade: us of the humility of virtue, and her appearing:

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