rft, Then, I am overjoy'd to find you again, for I began to be inconfolable for your Lofs.

2dly, I have thought of you upon my Bed, in Company, in my Closet; which I affure you is more than I do of any body, or any thing, except my Poetry and my Sins.

3dly, I've had various Pains and Fears for your Welfare; and had juft advertis'd you at Fern-hill when yours arriv'd.

of

4thly, I neither can recant, nor do repent any one thing I ever faid of you in my Life. 5thly and laftly, Whenever I do, you shall certainly hear of it.

Having thus reduced your Questions to Form and Method, 'twill now be neceflary to inform you wherefore I've fo long kept Silence. As to that part of the Time, during your Travels into foreign Parts (of which I hop'd to have had fome ufeful Memoirs) I profefs I was not prophetic enough to forefee that a Letter would come to your Hands, which could poffibly have no Direction. And fince your aufpicious Return, I've had no Time. My Mother is gone to London, and has left the Government of her Kingdom upon my Shoulders. What Time have I then to write, who am the fole Arbitrefs of the Differences between John and Mary? And how can I recollect my diffipated Thoughts, while the Silver Spoons lie fcatter'd about the Kitchen? Alas! the day is half spent, before I can determine whether our Mutton fhall be roaft or boyl❜d.

Another grand Revolution has happen'd in my Affairs, and that is, I've been pulling down part of my Clofet, in order to inlarge the Window thereof, and admit more of Apollo's Rays

into

into my Rhymes. While thefe grand Affairs were in Agitation, could I fit idly trifling with my Pen? And while my learned Shelves underwent various Mutations, could I truft my valuable Manuscripts to the profane Hands of the Vulgar? These, and numberlefs other Avocations, have chang'd the Current of my Thoughts from you, and taken up all the vacant spaces of my Time.

My Raptures upon the Princefs of Orange were occafion'd by Mifs C's telling me, that her Royal Highness had a languishing Defire to fee fome of my Letters, and that you had shewn her fome. Now as I take it for granted that the Princess was charm'd with my Writings, fo of confequence I was equally charm'd with her Judgment; and this gave occafion to my Raptures. But if you fhould inform me, that her Royal Highness was not quite fo much enchanted as I would chufe to have her be; yet ftill I muft admire her Judgment, because, among Friends, 'tis the best Proof of it of the two. So that you fee I am really the Princess of Orange's Admirer, whether She's mine or no.

I've about fifty Reasons for not going to London this Winter, and scarce one for going, unlefs 'tis to fee you. I've no Business there, or Pleasure, except in the foremention'd Article; and 'tis going fo much out of my Road of Life, which at Oxford is one certain invariable Path, that whenever I do go there, I am not able to recover the Thread of my Affairs again in a twelvemonth. However, I wish you Operas and Fiddles in abundance; and if I can contrive to take St. James's into my Plan of Operations after Christmas, fhall have a particular

Satisfaction in rendering my Curt'fies at your Levee, and remain, for the rest of my Travels,

October,

-9, 1737.

Yours, &c.

CXV.

LETTER

To the SAM E.

THE Face of Things is fo much alter'd fince I wrote laft, that I know not how to begin a Letter to you, or how to express myself upon an Affair fo interefting and ftriking as the Death of the Queen. There's no one fo far remov'd from the Throne, but what must feel fuch a Lofs; as, I think Queen Caroline's is univerfally felt and lamented, even by the meaneft of her Subjects. But for my own Part, I've more than a Subject's Share in the common Calamity, tho' at the fame time have an affectionate Subject's Concern. I wish 'twere of any Ufe to you to know, that you have never been out of my Thoughts fince this important Event; and if I've been really more affected than my Neighbours, it has been upon your Account. We have loft only a good Queen; but you a Mistress, a Friend, and (I may fay) a Parent; in fhort, every thing you could lofe under all thefe Relations.

I would not add to your Concern, by troubling you with unneceffary Reflections; but furely, I think, you were born to be the Sport of Fortune. One Day the feems to smile upon you, only to infult you more effectually the next.

5

But

But he has taught you an ufeful Leffon; for I think you had Indifference enough to distrust her Smiles, and muft therefore be equal to her Frowns.

I know how difagreeable it must be, but cannot conclude without begging the Favour of a Line from you, at this time in particular. I can hear from no one fo well as yourself, how you bear your Lofs; and it would be the moft agreeable News I could hear, to find you bear it with your ufual Temper, and that it will in fome measure be render'd fupportable to you. Forgive me, if I'm impertinent; for I had rather be thought fo, than indifferent.

LETTER CXVI.

To the SA M E.

WHAT ftrange Reformations a little Change

of Air makes and how faft do People improve in Virtue on this fide of the Park, to what they do on the other! 'Tis not long fince, when I never heard you so much as mention the word Confcience; and now, you fay, it even flies in your Face. When you were a Courtier, your Confcience was too well bred to give you any Disturbance; but fince your Reformation to a private Gentlewoman, blefs me! how it makes you startle! Then, you made no Confcience of infifting upon two Letters for one; but now, you fee the full Force of the Law of Retaliation, and graciously afford me Letter for Letter. Then you had not the leaft Remorfe at being filent for a Month or two together; but now in a

much

much lefs Time, your Confcience, you fay, founds Molly 7. in your Ears every time you take Pen in hand. What a wonderful Change is this! And how much do I rejoice to find that I've been, in fome measure, the Occafion of awakening that faithful Monitor in your Breaft, who never durft peep into the Bofom of a Maid of Honour.

Another Virtue I've also observ'd in you, which requires fome Touches of my applauding Pen, equally marvellous! equally unknown to the fix immortal Maids! and that is Sincerity. This Virtue, 'tis faid, was firft brought over by Wil helmina Carolina, Daughter of Frederick, Marquis of Brandenburgh Anspach: but as it was a Plant perfectly exotic, and could never be brought te flourish in this Soil; that illuftrious Princefs did not much attempt to cultivate it, except in a few warm Bofoms like her own. Some few Seeds of it she left behind her among her Maids of Honour, to be difperfed among their Country Friends; (the only thing, we hear, for certain, fhe did leave them) but among many other excellent Maxims, fhe charg'd them never to hazard any of it among their Courtly Acquaintance, if they propos'd making their Fortunes when he was gone.

But what I chiefly admire you for in your Retreat is, your thorough Contempt of all the Interludes, Farces, and Entertainments of this World, except that moft excellent one, The Dragon of Wantley. I have a Brother now in Town, a fober Man, and in holy Orders, to whom I fhall frequently recommend the Sight of this exemplary Performance. But left he Thould think going to Plays a fort of Profanation; for VOL. II.

M

his