I am told the Laureat is going to publish a very abufive pamphlet. enough, if it be abufive and if it be his. He threatens you; but, I think, you fo much as to answer him, ed one or two as dull. will not fear or love him though you have answerHe will be more to me than a dofe of hartfhorn: and as a ftink revives one who has been oppreffed with perfumes, his railing will cure me of a courfe of flatteries. I am much more concerned to hear that fome of your Clergy are offended at a verfe or two of mine 9), because I have a respect for your Clergy, (though the verfes are harder upon ours.) But if they do not verses, I will wrap blame you for defending those amyself up in the layman's cloak, and fleep under your fhield. I am forry to find by a letter two posts fince from Mr. Allen, that he is not quite recovered yet of all remains of his indifpofition, nor Mrs. Allen quite well. Don't be difcouraged from telling me how you are: for no man is more yours than, &c. I LETTER LXXII. FI was not afhamed to be fo behind hand with you, that I can never pretend to fetch it up (any more than I could in my present state, to overtake you in a race) I would particularize which of your letters I fhould have answered firft. It must fuffice to fay I have received them all; and whatever very little refpites I have had, from the daily care of my malady, have been employed in revifing the papers on the ufe of Riches, which I would have ready for 9) Ver. 355 to 358. fecond book of the Dunciad. your last revise, against you come to town, that they may be begun with while you are here. - I own, the. late encroachments upon my conftitution make me willing to fee the end of all further care about me or my works. I would reft for the one, in a full refignation of my being to be difpofed of by the Father of all mercy; and for the other (though indeed a trifle, yet a trifle may be fome example) I would commit them to the candour of a fenfible and reflecting judge, rather than to the malice of every shortfighted and malevolent critic, or inadvertent and cenforious reader. And no hand can set them in fo good a light, or fo well turn their beft fide to the day as your own. This obliges me to confefs I have for fome months thought myself going, and that not flowly, down the hill. The rather as every attempt of the physicians, and still the last medicines more forceable in their nature, have utterly fail'd to ferve me. I was at last, about seven days ago, taken with fo violent a fit at Battersea, that my friends Lord M. and Lord B. fent for present help to the furgeon; whose bleeding me, I am perfuaded, faved my life, by the inftantaneous effect it had; and which has continued so much to amend me, that I have pass'd five days without oppreffion, and recovered, what I have three months wanted, fome degree of expectoration, and some hours together of fleep. am now got to Twitenham, to try if the air will not take fome part in reviving me, if I can avoid colds; and between that place and Batterfea with my Lord B. I will pass what I have of life, while he ftays (which I can tell you, to my great fatisfaction will be this fortnight or three weeks yet.) What if you came before Mr. Allen, and staid till then, instead of poftponing your journey longer? Pray, if you write, just tell him how ill I have been, or I had wrote again to him: But that I will do, the first day I find 16 LETTERS TO MR. WARBURTON. myself alone with pen, ink, and paper, which I can LETTER LXXIII. April 1744. I Am forry to meet you with so bad an account of myfelf, who fhould otherwise with joy have flown to the interview. I am too ill to be in town; and within this week fo much worfe, as to make my journey thither, at present, impracticable, even if there was no Proclamation in my way. I left the Town in a decent compliance to that; but this additional prohibition from the highest of all powers I must bow to without murmuring. I wish to see you here. Mr. Allen comes not till the 16th, and you will probably chufe to be in town chiefly while he is there. I re- from ceived yours juft now, and I writ to hinder printing the Comment on the Use of Richès too hastily, fince what you write me, intending to have forwarded it otherwise, that you might revise it during your stay. Indeed my present weakness will make me lefs and less capable of any thing. I hope at least, now at first, to fee you for a day or two here at Twitenham, and concert measures how to enjoy for the future what I can of your friendship 9.) 9) He died May 30. following. (N. B. The Originals, with which these letters have been collated by the Bookfeller, are now in his hands.). |