is ruined by gaming) forced to live on the good forrune of the pufhing young men, whofe fancies are fo vigorous that they enfure their fuccefs in their adventures with the Mufes, by their strength of imagination.

Your papers are fafe in my custody (you may be fure) from any one's theft but my own; for 'tis as dangerous to truft a fcribler with your wit, as a gamester with the cuftody of your money.

you happen to come to town, you will make it mo re difficult for me to leave it, who am

If

LETTER VI.

Your, &c.

April 30, 1705.

I

Cannot contend with you: You must give me leave at once to wave all your compliments, and to collect only this in general from them, that your defign is to encourage me. But I feparate from all the reft that paragraph or two, in which you make me fo warm an offer of your Friendship. Were I poffeffed of that, it would put an end to all thofe fpeeches with which you now make me blush'; and change them to wholesome advices, and free fentiments, which might make me wiser and happier. I know 'tis the general opinion, that friendship is beft contracted betwixt perfons of equal age; but I have fo much intereft to be of another mind,

that you must pardon

me if I cannot forbear telling you a few notions of mine, in oppofition to that opinion.

In the first place 'tis obfervable, that the love we bear to our friends, is generally caufed by our finding the fame difpofitions in them, which we feel in oursel ves. This is but felf-love at the bottom: whereas the affection betwixt people of different ages cannot well be fo, the inclinations of fuch being commonly various. The friendship of two young men is often occafioned by love of pleasure or voluptuousness, each being defirous for his own fake of one to affift or encourage him in the courses he pursues; as that of two old men is frequently on the score of fome profit, lucre, or defign upon others. Now, as a young man who is less acquainted with the ways of the world, has in all probability lefs of intereft; and an old man, who may be weary of himself, has, or fhould have lefs of felf - love; fo the friendship between them is the more likely to be true, and unmixed with too much felf-regard One may add to this, that fuch a friendfhip is of greater use and advantage to both; for the old man will grow gay and agreeable to please the young one; and the young man more difcreet and prudent by the help of the old one; fo it may prove a cure of those epidemical diseases of age and youth, fournefs and madness. I hope you will not need many arguments to convince you of the poffibility of this; one alone abundantly fatisfies me, and convinces to the heart; which is, that young as I am, and old as you are, I am your entirely affectionate, &c.

1. Mr. Wycherley was at this time about feventy years old, 1 Mr. Pope under seventeen.

P.

Is

C

LETTER VII.

June 23, 1705.

Should believe myself happy in your good opinion, but that you treat me fo much in a style of compliment. It hath been obferved of women, that they are more subject in their youth to be touched with vanity, than men, on account of their being generally treated this way; but the weakest women are not more weak than that clafs of men, who are thought to pique themfelves upon their Wit. The world is never wanting, when a coxcomb is accomplishing himfelf, to help, to give him the finishing stroke.

Every man is apt to think his neighbour overstock'd with vanity, yet, I cannot but fancy there are certain times, when most people are in a disposition of being informed; and 'tis incredible what a vaft good a little truth might do, spoken in such seasons. A finall alms will do a great kindness, to people in extreme neceffity.

I could name an acquaintance of yours, who would at this time think himself more obliged to you for the information of his faults, than the confirination of his follies. If you would make those the subject of a letter, it might be as long as I could wifh your letters always

were.

I do not wonder you have hitherto found some difficulty (as you are pleased to say) in writing to me, fince you have always chosen the task of commending me: take but the other way, and, I dare engage, you will find none at all.

1

As for my verfes, which you praise fo much, I may truly fay they have never been the cause of any vanity in me, except what they gave me when they firit occafioned my acquaintance with you. But I have feveral times fince been in danger of this vice; as often, I mean, as I received any letters from you. 'Tis certain, the greatest magnifying glaffes in the world are a man's own eyes when they look upon his own, perfon; yet even in those, I cannot fancy myself fo extremely like Alexander the great, as you would perfuade me. If I must be like him, 'tis you will make me fo, by complimenting me into a better opinion of myself than I deferve: They made him think he was the fon of Jupiter, and you affure me I am a man of parts. But is this all you can say to my honour? you faid ten times as much before, when you call'd me your friend. After having made me believe I poffefs'd a fhare in your affection, to treat me with compliments and sweet sayings, is like the proceeding with poor Sancho Panca: they perfuaded him that he enjoy'd a great dominion, and then gave him nothing to fubfift upon but wafers and marmalade. In our days the greatest obligation you can lay upon a Wit, is to make a fool of him. For as when inadmen are found incurable, wife men give them their way, and please them as well as they can; fo when those incorrigible things, Poets, are once irrecoverably be-mus'd, the best way both to quiet them, and fecure yourself from the effects of their frenzy, is to feed their vanity; which indeed, for the most part, is all that is fed in poet.

You may believe me, I could be heartily glad that

all you fay were as true, applied to me, as it would be to yourself, for feveral weighty reafons; but for none fo much as that I might be to you what you deferve; whereas I can now be no more than is confiftent with the small tho' utmoft capacity of &c.

LETTER VIII.

Oa. 26, 1705.

Have now changed the scene from the town to the country; from Will's coffee-houfe to Windfor-foreft. I find no other difference than this, betwixt the common town-wits, and the downright country fools; that the first are pertly in the wrong, with a little mo. re flourish and gayery; and the laft neither in the right nor the wrong, but confirm'd in a stupid fettled medium betwixt both. However, methinks, these are most in the right, who quietly and easily refign themselves over to the gentle reign of dulnefs, which the Wits must do at last, tho' after a great deal of noise, and refiftance. Ours are a fort of modeft inoffensive people, who neither have fenfe, nor pretend to any, but enjoy a jovial fort of dulnefs; They are commonly known in the world by the name of honeft, civil gentlemen: They live, much as they ride, at random; a kind of hunting life, purfuing with earnestness and hazard fomething not worth the catching; never in the way, nor out of it. I can't but prefer folitude to the company of all these; for tho' a man's felf may poffibly be the worst fellow to converfe with in the