out of the duchess's pin-money before I can consent. I want to be minister of Amesbury, Dawley, Twickenham, Riskins, and prebendary of Westminster, else I will not stir a step, but content myself with making the duchess miserable three months next summer. But I keep ill company: I mean the duchess and you, who are both out of favour; and so I find am I, by a few verses, wherein Pope and you have your parts. You hear Dr. Delany has got a wife with 1600 a-year; I, who am his governor, cannot take one under two thousand; I wish you would inquire of such a one in your neighbourhood. See what it is to write godly books! I profess I envy you above all men in England; you want nothing but three thousand pounds more to keep you in plenty when your friends grow weary of you. To prevent which last evil at Amesbury, you must learn to domineer and be peevish, to find fault with their victuals and drink, to chide and direct the servants, with some other lessons which I shall teach you, and always practised myself with success. I believe I formerly desired to know whether the vicar of Amesbury can play at backgammon? pray ask him the question, and give him my service.

MADAM,

I WAS the most unwary creature in the world,* when, against my old maxims, I writ first to you upon your return to Tunbridge. I beg that this

* One of the last and most elegant compliments which this singular lady, after having been celebrated by so many former wits and poets, received, was from the amiable Mr. William Whitehead, in the third volume of his Works, p. 65; which compliment turns on the peculiar circumstance of her grace's having never changed her dress according to the fashion, but retained that which had been in vogue when she was a young beauty. Dr. WARTON.

condescension of mine may go no farther, and that you will not pretend to make a precedent of it. I never knew any man cured of any inattention, although the pretended causes were removed. When I was with Mr. Gay last in London, talking with him on some poetical subjects, he would answer, "Well, I am determined not to accept the employment of gentleman-usher;" and of the same disposition were all my poetical friends, and if you cannot cure him, I utterly despair.-As to yourself, I will say to you, (though comparisons be odious,) what I said to the queen, that your quality should be never any motive of esteem to me: my compliment was then lost, but it will not be so to you. For I know you more by any one of your letters, than I could by six months' conversing. Your pen is always more natural and sincere and unaffected than your tongue; in writing you are too lazy to give yourself the trouble of acting a part, and have indeed acted so indiscreetly that I have you at mercy and although you should arrive to such a height of immorality as to deny your hand, yet whenever I produce it, the world will unite in swearing this must come from you only.

I will answer your question. Mr. Gay is not discreet enough to live alone, but he is too discreet to live alone; and yet (unless you mend him) he will live alone; even in your grace's company. Your quarrelling with each other upon the subject of bread and butter, is the most usual thing in the world; parliaments, courts, cities, and kingdoms, quarrel for no other cause; from hence, and from hence only, arise all the quarrels between Whig and Tory; between those who are in the ministry, and those who are out: between all pretenders to employment in the church, the law, and the army: even the common proverb teaches you this, when

we say,' It is none of my bread and butter: meaning it is no business of mine. Therefore I despair of any reconcilement between you till the affair of bread and butter be adjusted, wherein I would gladly be a mediator. If Mahomet should come to the mountain, how happy would an excellent lady be, who lives a few miles from this town! As I was telling of Mr. Gay's way of living at Amesbury, she offered fifty guineas to have you both at her house for one hour over a bottle of Burgundy, which we were then drinking. To your question, I answer that your grace should pull me by the sleeve till you tore it off, and when you said you were weary of me, I would pretend to be deaf, and think (according to another proverb) that you tore my clothes to keep me from going. I never will believe one word you say of my lord duke, unless I see three or four lines in his own hand at the bottom of yours. I have a concern in the whole family, and Mr. Gay must give me a particular account of every branch, for I am not ashamed of you though you be duke and duchess, though I have been of others who are, &c., and I do not doubt but even your own servants love you, even down to your postilions; and when I come to Amesbury, before I see your grace, I will have an hour's conversation with the vicar, who will tell me how familiarly you talk to Goody Dobson and all the neighbours, as if you were their equal, and that you were godmother to her son Jacky.

I am, and shall be ever, with the greatest respect, Your grace's most obedient, &c.

FROM THE EARL OF PETERBOROW TO MR. POPE.

1732.

I AM under the greatest impatience to see Dr. Swift at Bevis-Mount,* and must signify my mind. to him by another hand: it not being permitted me to hold correspondence with the said Dean, for no letter of mine can come to his hands.

And whereas it is apparent in this protestant land, most especially under the care of Divine Providence, that nothing can succeed or come to a happy issue without bribery; therefore, let me know what he expects, to comply with my desires, and it shall be remitted unto him.

For, though I would not corrupt any man for the whole world, yet a benevolence may be given without any offence to conscience; every one must confess that gratification and corruption are two distinct terms; nay at worst, many good men hold, that, for a good end, some very naughty measures may be made use of.

But, sir, I must give you some good news in relation to myself, because I know you wish me well: I am cured of some diseases in my old age, which tormented me very much in my youth.

* This year Lord Peterborow and Pope paid a visit from Southampton to Winchester-college, and gave prizes to the scholars for the best copy of verses that should be written on a subject proposed to them by Pope himself-The campaign of Valentia.

The prizes were sets of Pine's Horace. Hampton, the excellent translator of Polybius, at that time very young, gained one of these prizes; Mr. Whitehead another.-WARTON.

I was possessed with violent and uneasy passions, such as a peevish concern for truth, and a saucy love for my country.

When a Christian priest preached against the spirit of the Gospel, when an English judge determined against Magna Charta, when the minister acted against common sense, I used to fret.

Now, sir, let what will happen, I keep myself in temper. As I have no flattering hopes, so I banish all useless fears; but as to the things of this world, I find myself in a condition beyond expectation; it being evident, from a late parliamentary inquiry, that I have as much ready money, as much in the funds, and as great a personal estate, as Sir Robert Sutton.*

If the translator of Homer find fault with this unheroic disposition, or (what I more fear) if the Drapier of Ireland accuse the Englishman of want of spirit; I silence you both with one line out of your own Horace,

Quid te exempta juvat spinis e pluribus una?

for I take the whole to be so corrupted, that a cure in any part would but little avail.

Yours, &c.

* A wealthy money-broker expelled the House of Commons for being concerned in the Charitable Corporation, which was guilty of usurious practices, under pretext of lending money to poor people on pledges.

VOL. XVIII.

C