fountain, which is the contrivance of Daphne ; and even that is the most fimple in the world: the contrary is obfervable in Pafter Fido, where Corifea is fo perfect a mitrefs of intrigue, that the plot could not have been brought to pass without her. inclined to think the Paftoral comedy has another diadvantage, as to the manners: its general de fign is to make us in love with the innocence of a rural life, fo that to introduce fhepherds of a vicious character muft in fome measure debase it; and hence it may come to pafs, that even the virtuous characters will not shine so much, for want of being oppofed to their contraries.

LETTERS, V· 5• P· 44·

DOGS.

PLUTARCH, relating how the Athenians were obliged to abandon Athens in the time of Themiftoeles, feps back again out of the way of his hiftory, purely to describe the lamentable cries and howlings of the poor dogs they left behind. He makes mention of one, that followed his master across the sea to Salamis, where he died, and was honoured with a tomb by the Athenians, whô gave the name of The Dog's Grave to that part of the island where he was buried. This respect to a dog, in the most polite people in the world, is very obfervable. A modern instance of gratitude to a dog (though we have but few fuch) is, that the chief order of Denmark (now injuriously called the order of the Elephant) was inftituted in me

mory

mory of the fidelity of a dog, named Wild-brat, to one of their Kings, who had been deferted by his fubjects: he gave his Order this motto, or to this effect (which still remains), Wild-brat was faithful. Sir William Trumbull has told me a ftory, which he heard from one that was prefent: King Charles I. being with fome of his court during his trorbles, a difcourfe arose what fort of dogs deferved preeminence, and it being on all hands agreed to belong either to the fpaniel or grey-hound, the King gave his opinion on the part of the grey-hound, becaufe (faid he) it has all the Good-nature of the other without the Fawning. A good piece of fa-. tire upon his courtiers, with which I will conclude my difcourfe of dogs. Call me a Cynic, or what you please, in revenge for all this impertinence, I will be contented; provided you will but believe me, when I fay a bold word for a Chriftian, that, of all dogs, you will find none more faithful than,

Yours, &c.,

IBID. P. 741

LAUGHTER.

AS the fooling and toying with a mistress is a proof of fondnefs, not difrefpect, fo is raillery with a friend. I know there are prudes in friendship, who expect distance, awe, and adoration; but I know you are not of them and I, for my part, am no Idol-worshipper, though a Papift. If I were to address Jupiter himself in a heathen way, I fancy I fhould be apt to take hold of his knee, in a familiar manner, if not of his beard, like DionyY 3 fius 3

fius; I was just going to fay, of his buttons; but I think Jupiter wore none (however, I won't be pofitive to fo nice a critic as you, but his robe might be fubnected with a Fibula.) I know fome philofophers define laughter, A recommending ourfelves to our own favour, by comparison with the weakness of another: but I am fure I very rarely laugh with that view, nor do I believe children have any fuch confideration in their heads, when they express their pleasure this way: I laugh full as innocent as they, for the most part, and as fillily. There is a difference, too, betwixt laughing about a thing and laughing at a thing: one may find the inferior man (to make a kind of casuistical diftinction) provoked to folly at the fight or obfervation of fome circumstance of a thing, when the thing itself appears folemn and august to the fuperior man, that is, our judgement and reafon. Let an ambassador fpeak the best sense in the world, and deport himself in the most graceful manner before a Prince, yet if the tail of his shirt happens (as I have known it happen to a very wife man) to hang out behind, more people will laugh at that than attend to the other; till they recollect themfelves, and then they will not have a jot the lefs refpect for the minifter. I must confefs the iniquity of my countenance before you; feverał mufcles of my face fometimes take an impertinent liberty with my judgement, but then my judgement foon rifes, and fets all right again about my mouth and I find I value no man fo much, as

him

و

him in whose fight I have been playing the fool. I cannot be fub perfona before a man I love; and not to laugh with honesty, when nature prompts, or folly (which is more a fecond nature than any thing I know), is but a knavifh hypocritical way of making a mask of one's own face.-To con clude, thofe that are my friends I laugh with, and that are not I laugh at ; fo am merry in company; and if ever I am wife, it is all by myfelf. You take just another course, and to thofe that are not your friends, are very civil; and to thofe that are, very endearing and complaifant: thus, when you and I meet, there will be the Rifus et Blanditia united together in conversation, as they commonly are in a verfe. But without laughter on the one fide, or compliment on the other, I affure you I am, with real esteem,

Your, &c.

IBID. P. 1oz.

LADY MARY WORTLEY MONTAGUE. THE more I examine my own mind, the more romantic I find myself. Methinks it is a noble spirit of contradiction to Fate and Fortune, not to give up thofe that are fnatched from us; but to follow them the more, the farther they are removed from the fenfe of it. Sure, Flattery never travelled fo far as three thousand miles; it is now only for Truth, which overtakes all things, to reach you at this distance. "Tis a ge

nerous

nerous piece of Popery, that pursues even thofe who are to be eternally abfent into another world :· whether you think it right or wrong, you'll own. the very extravagance a fort of piety. I can't. be fatisfied with ftrewing flowers over you, and barely honouring you as a thing loft; but muft confider you as a glorious though remote. being, and be fending addreffes after you. You have carried away to much of me, that what remains is. daily languishing and dying over my acquaintance here; and, I believe, in three or four months more. I fhall think Aurat Bazar as good a place as Covent-Garden. You may imagine this is raillery ;. but I am really fo far gone, as to take pleasure in reveries of this kind. Let them fay Iam romantic; fo is every one faid to be, that either admires a fine thing, or does one, On my confcience, as. the world goes, 'tis hardly worth any body's while to do one for the honour of it: Glory, the only pay of generous actions, is now as ill paid as other just debts; and neither Mrs, Macfarland, for im molating her lover, nor you, for constancy to your Lord, muft ever hope to be compared to Lucretia:

or Portia.

I write this in fome anger; for having, fince you went, frequented thofe people moft, who feemed moft in your favour, I heard nothing that concerned you talked of fo often, as that you went away in a black full-bottomed wig; which I did 'but affert to be a bob, and was answered, Love is