me, when I am too well spoken of: for I am sorry to find I do not deserve it all. This humbles me as much too much as the other exalts; so I hope you will not be too civil, since I have declared the consequence.

I am in great hopes you will make us a visit this summer; for though I have a sensible satisfaction by conversing with you in this way, yet I love mightily to look in the person's face I am speaking to. By that one soon learns to stop when it is wished, or to mend what is said amiss.

Your stewards will take great care of your money; but you must first direct us to your friend Mr. Launcelott, (ill spelt to be sure,) and order him to give up Mr. Gay's note, on his sister's paying the money to his grace, who will give him his note for the money, or send it to you as you order. And as to what interest is due to you, I suppose you have kept some account.

By this time you must be too much tired, to bear reading one word more; therefore I will make no excuses. Pray employ me: for I want to be certain whether I know my own mind or not; for something or other often tells me, that I should be very happy to be of any use to you. Whether it be true or false, neither you or I can be positive, till an opportunity shews; but I do really think, that I am, dear Sir, most sincerely

Yours, &c.

FROM CHARLES FORD, Esq.

London, April 14, 1733.

I AM extremely concerned to hear the bad state of your health. I have often wished that you would be more moderate in your walks; for, though riding has always been allowed to be good for a giddy head, I never heard walking prescribed for a strain, or any ailment in the leg; and the violent sweats you put yourself into, are apt to give colds, and I doubt occasion much of your other disorder. I am confident you would find yourself better here; and even the journey would be of great use to you. was vastly pleased to hear my lord-mayor talk of the delight he should have in seeing you this year, that he might shew you a creature of your own making. He has behaved himself so well in his public capacity, that whether it be his humility or his pride, he deserves to be gratified.

I

I could heartily wish your other complaints were as much without foundation, as that of having lost half your memory, and all your invention. I will venture to pronounce you have more left of the first than most men, and of the last than any man now alive. While the excises were depending, you were expected every day; for it was said, Why should he not shew as much regard for the liberty of England, as he did for the money of Ireland? I wish you had been here, though the affair, in my opinion, is happily ended. Many people were offended that the bills were dropped, and not rejected, and the authors of the scheme left unpunished. It was absolutely impossible to have carried it otherwise. You have heard Sir Robert Walpole, and one or two more

coming out of the house, were insulted. A few of that rabble have been seized, with the ringleader, who proves to be a Norfolk man; no enemy to excises, but an entire dependant upon the outraged person. Though the rejoicings were as great, and as universal as ever were known, there was no violence, except the breaking a very few windows, whose owners had shewn an untimely thrift of their candles. I foretold Henley what his joking would come to; but the mayor of Southampton immediately printed his real letter, which was short, and extremely proper. His designed opponent at the next election, having voted for the excise, will not dare to shew himself in the corporation; and Henley, after the division, thanked him for having, by that vote, bestowed him fifteen hundred pounds.

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I have great hopes this fine mild weather will set you right, and long to hear you are preparing for your journey. I am most entirely your grateful, &c.

FROM LADY BETTY GERMAIN.

May 1, 1733.

I SHOULD have answered yours of the 22d of March long ago, but that I have had some troubles and frights and the uneasiness I was under made me neglect what, at another time, would have been agreeable to myself; Mrs. Chamber's younger sister having had the small-pox; but now perfectly well, though she has hitherto been a very puny sickly girl. Mrs. Floyd too has been excessively bad with her

winter-cough and dispiritedness; but country air, I think, has a little revived her.

His grace of Dorset bids me present his humble service to you, and says, the rectory of Churchtown is at Mr. Stafford Lightburne's service. As to the Countess of Suffolk's affair in dispute, I cannot possibly (according to your own just rule) be angry, because I am in the right. It is you ought to be angry, and never forgive her, because you have been so much in the wrong, as to condemn her without the show of justice; and I wish with all my heart, as a judgment upon you, that you had seen her, as I did, when the news of your friend's death came; for though you are a proud parson, yet (give you, devil, your due) you are a sincere, good-natured, honest one. I am extremely Mrs. Kelly's humble

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servant; but I will never believe she is more valued for her beauty and good qualities in Ireland, than she was in England. The excise you mention has caused great changes here. Some that I am sorry for though I will not enter into the merits of the cause, because of my aversion to politics. But if you did dislike it, why did you bestow such a costly funeral upon it, as to burn its bones on a sumptuous pile like a Roman emperor?

Adieu, my ever honoured old friend; and do not let me see any more respects or ladyships from you.

* Mr. Gay. There seems no just ground for supposing that Mrs. Howard neglected to exert what influence she possessed in favour of Gay. But that of Queen Caroline and Sir Robert Walpole was thrown into the scale against him, and preponderated.

TO MR. POPE.

Dublin, May 1, 1733.

I ANSWER your letter the sooner, because I have a particular reason for doing so. Some weeks ago came over a poem called, "The Life and Character of Dr. Swift, written by himself." It was reprinted here, and is dedicated to you. It is grounded upon a maxim in Rochefoucault, and the dedication, after a formal story, says, that my manner of writing is to be found in every line. I believe I have told you, that I writ a year or two ago near five hundred lines upon the same maxim in Rochefoucault, and was a long time about it, as that impostor says in his dedication, with many circumstances, all pure invention. I desire you to believe, and to tell my friends, that in this spurious piece there is not a single line, or bit of a line, or thought, any way resembling the genuine copy, any more than it does Virgil's Æneis, for I never gave a copy of mine, nor lent it out of my sight. And although I shewed it to all common acquaintance indifferently, and some of them (especially one or two females) had got many lines by heart, here and there, and repeated them often; yet it happens that not one single line or thought is contained in this imposture, although it appears that they who counterfeited me, had heard of the true one. But even this trick shall not provoke me to print the true one, which indeed is not proper to be seen till I can be seen no more: I therefore desire you will undeceive my friends, and I will order an advertisement to be printed here, and transmit it to England, that everybody may know the delusion, and acquit me, as I am sure you must have done