but no fooner was her hood removed, but I faw one of the fineft faces I ever beheld, and, to increase my furprife, heard her falute me by my name. I never had more reafon to accufe nature for making me fhort-fighted than now, when I could not recollect I had ever feen thofe fair eves which knew me fo well, and was utterly at a lofs how to addrefs myfelf; till with a great deal of fimplicity and innocence he let me know (even before I difcovered my ignorance) that she was the daughter of one in our neighbourhood, lately married, who, having been confulting her physicians in town, was returning into the country, to try what good air and a hufband could do to recover her. My father, you must know, has fometimes recommended the ftudy of phyfic to me, but I never had any ambition to be a doctor till this inftant. I ventured to prefcribe fome fruit (which I happened to have in the coach), which being forbidden her by her doctors, the had the more inclination to. In fhort, I tempted, and the eat; nor was I more like the Devil than the like Eve. Having the good fuccefs of the forefaid tempter before my eyes, I put on the gallantry of the old ferpent, and in fpite of my evil form accofted her with all the gaiety I was mafter of; which had fo good an effect, that in less than an hour the grew pleafant; her colour returned, and the was pleafed to fay my prefcription had wrought an immediate cure: in a word, I had the pleafantett journey imagin

able.

Thus far (methinks) my letter has fomething of the air of a romance, though it be true. But I hope you will lock on what follows as the greatest of truths, that I think myself extremely obliged by you in all points; efpecially for your kind and honourable information and advice in a matter of the utmost concern to me, which I fhall ever acknowledge as the high ft proof at once of your friendship, juilice, and fincerity. At the fame time be asured, that gentleman we fpoke of fhall never, by any alteration in me, difcover my knowledge of his mistake; the hearty forgiving of which is the only kind of return I can poffibly make him for fo many favors and I may derive this pleature at least from it, that whereas I must otherwife have been a little un

enfy to know my eity of returning

his obligations, I may now, by bearing his frailty, exercife my gratitude and friendship more than himfelf either is, or perhaps ever will be fenfible of.

Ille meos, primus qui me fibi junxit, amores
Abftulit; ille babeat fecum, fervetque fepakbro!

But in one thing, I muft confefs you have yourself obliged me more than any man; which is, that you have fhewed me many of my faults, to which as you are the more an implacable enemy, by fo much the more are you a kind friend to me. I could be proud, in revenge, to find a few flips in your verfes, which I read in London, and fince in the country, with more application and pleasure: the thoughts are very juft, and you are fure not to let them fuffer by the ver fification. If you would oblige me with the truft of any thing of yours, I fhould be glad to execute any commiffions you would give me concerning them. I am here fo perfectly at leifure, that nothing would be fo agreeable an entertainment to me; but if you will not afford me that, do not deny me at leaft the fatisfaction of your letters as long as we are abfent, if you would not have him very unhappy, who is very fincerely your, &c.

Having a vacant fpace here, I will fill it with a fhort ode on Solitude, which I found yesterday by great accident, and which I find, by the date, was written when I was not twelve years old; that nued in my paflion for a rural life, and you may perceive how long I have contiin the fame einployments of it.

Happy the man, whofe with and care
A few paternal acres bound,
Content to breathe his native air
In his own ground.
Whefe herds with milk, whofe fields with bread
Whofe Hocks fupply him with attire,
Whole trees in fummer yield him thade,
In winter, fire.

Blet, who can unconcern`dly find
Hours, days, and years fide for, away,
In health of body, peace of mind,
Quiet by day,

Sound fleep by night; ftudy and cafe,

Tegether mix d; fweet recreation,
And innocence which most des please,
With meditation

Thus let me live, unfeen, unknown,
Thus, unlamented, let me die,
Steal from the world, and not a flore
Ted where 1 lit.

IF I were to write to you as often as I think of you, my letters would be as bad as a rent-charge; but though the one be but too little for your good nature, the other would be but too much for your quiet, which is one bleffing good nature fhould indifpenfably receive from mankind, in return for thofe many it gives. I have been informed of late, how much I am indebted to that quality of yours, in fpeaking well of me in my abfence; the only thing by which you prove yourself no wit nor critic; though indeed I have often thought, that a friend will show just as much indulgence (and no more) to my faults when I am abfent, as he does feverity to them when I am prefent. To be very frank with you, Sir, I muft own, that where I received fo much civility at first, I could hardly have expected fo much fincerity afterwards. But now I have only to with, that the laft were but equal to the firft, and that as you have omitted nothing to oblige me, fo you would omit nothing to improve me.

I caufed an acquaintance of mine to inquire twice of your welfare, by whom I have been informed, that you have left your fpeculative angle in the widow's coffee-houfe, and bidding adieu for fome time to all the rehearsals, reviews, gazettes, &c. have marched off into Lincolnshire. Thus I find you vary your life in the fcene at least, though not in the action; for though life for the most part, like an old play, be still the fame, yet now and then a new fcene may make it more entertaining, As for myself, I would not have my life a very regular play, let it be a good merry farce, a G-d's name, and a fig for the critical unities! For the generality of men, a true modern life is like a true modern play, neither tragedy, comedy, nor farce, nor one nor all of thefe; every actor is much better known by his having the fame face, than by keeping the fame character: for we change our minds as often as they can their parts, and he who was yefterday Cæfar, is to-day Sir John Daw. So that one might afk the fame question of a modern life, that Rich did of a mo

dern play; Pray do me the favour, "Sir, to inform me; is this your tragedy or your comedy ?"

I have dwelt the longer upon this, because I perfuade myself it might be ufeful, at a time when we have no theatre, to divert ourselves at this great one. Here is a glorious ftanding comedy of fools, at which every man is heartily merry, and thinks himself an unconcerned fpectator. This (to our fingular comfort) neither my Lord Chamberlain, nor the Queen herself, can ever shut up, or filence.-While that of Drury (alas!) lies defolate in the profounded peace : and the melancholy prospect of the nymphs yet lingering about its beloved avenues, appears no lefs moving than that of the Trojan dames lamenting over their ruined Ilium! What now can they hope, difpoffeffed of their ancient feats, but to ferve as captives to the infulting victors of the Hay-market? The afflicted fubjects of France do not, in our Poitman, fo grievously deplore the obstinacy of their arbitrary monarch, as these perifhing people of Drury, the obdurate heart of that Pharaoh, Rich, who, like him, difdains all propofals of peace and accommodation. Several libels have been fecretly affixed to the great gates of his imperial palace in Bridges-treet: and a memorial, reprefenting the diftreffes of thefe perfons, has been accidentally dropt (as we are credibly informed by a perfon of quality) out of his first minifter the chief box-keeper's pocket, at a late conference of the faid perfon of quality and others, on the part of the confederates, and his theatrical majefty on his own part. Of this you may expect a copy, as foon as it fhall be tranfmitted to us from a good hand. As for the late Congrefs, it is here reported, that it has not been wholly ineffectual; but this wants confirmation; yet we cannot but hopethe concurring prayers and tears of fo many wretched ladies may induce this haughty prince to reafon. I am, &c,

Him when he faw-he rofe, and crawl'd to meet, ('Twas all he cou'd) and fawn'd, and kifs'd his feet, Seiz'd with dumb joy-then falling by his fide, Own'd his returning Lord, look'd up, and died! Plutarch, relating how the Athenians were obliged to abandon Athens in the time of Themistocles, steps back again out of the way of his hiftory, purely to defcribe the lamentable cries and howlings of the poor dogs they left behind. He makes mention of one, that followed his mafter across the fea to Salamis, where he died, and was honoured with a tomb by the Athenians, who gave the name of the Dog's Grave to that part of the island where he was buried. This refpect to a dog in the most polite people of the world, is very obfervable. A modern inftance 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 memory 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 fill 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 troubles, a difcourfe arofe what fort of dogs deferved pre-eminence, and it being on all hands agreed to belong either to the spaniel or grey-hound, the King gave his opinion on the part of the grey-hound, because faid he) it has all the good-nature of the other without the fawning. A good piece of fatire 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 Christian, that, of all dogs, you will find none more faithful than your, &c.

Latin author fince I came down, but have learned without book a fong of Mr. Thomas Durfey's, who is your only poet of tolerable reputation in this country. He makes all the merriment in our entertainments, and but for him, there would be fo miferable a dearth of catches, that, I fear, they would put either the parfon or me upon making fome for them. Any man, of any quality, is heartily welcome to the beft toping-table of our gentry, who can roar out fome rhapfodies of his works: fo that in the fame manner as it was faid of Homer to his detractors; What! dares any man speak against him who has given fo many men to eat? (meaning the rhapfodifts who lived by repeating his verfes :) thus may it be faid of Mr. Durfey to his detractors; Dares any one defpife him, who has made fo many men drink? Alas, Sir! this is a glory which neither you nor I must ever pretend to. Neither you with your Ovid, nor I with my Statius, can amufe a board of juftices and extraordinary 'fquires, or gain one hum of approbation or laugh of admiration. Thefe things (they would fay) are too ftudious, they may do well enough with fuch as love reading, but give us your ancient poet Mr. Durfey! it is mortifying enough, it must be confeffed; but however, let us proceed in the way that nature has directed us-Multi multa funt fed nemo omnia, as it is faid in the almanac. Let us communicate our works for our mutual comfort: fend me elegies, and you shall not want he roics. At prefent, I have only thefe arg-ments in profe to the Thebaid, which you claim by promife, as I do your tranflation of Pars me Saime tenet,-and the Ring; the reft I hope for as foon as you can conveniently tranfcribe them, and whatever orders you are pleafed to give fhall be punctually obeyed by Your, &c.