with Lord Peterborow, or he with you? I am e

ver, &c.

From Mr. POPE

I

то

Doctor SWIFT.

December 10, 1725.

FIND my felf the better acquainted with you for a long Abfence, as Men are with themselves for a long Affliction: Abfence does but hold off a Friend, to make one fee him the more truly. I am infinitely more pleased to hear you are coming near us, than at any Thing you seem to think in my Favour; an Opinion which perhaps has been aggrandized by the Distance or Dulness of Ireland, (as Objects look larger through a Medium of Foggs) and yet I am infinitely pleafed with that too. I am much the happier for finding (a better Thing than our Wits) our Judgments jump, in the Notion that all Scriblers fhould be paft by in Silence. To vindicate one's felf against fuch nafty Slander, is much as wife as it was in your Country-man, when the People imputed a Stink to him, to prove the contrary by fhowing his Backfide. So let Gildon and Phillips reft in Peace! What Virgil had to do with Mævius, that he should wear him upon his Sleeve to all Eternity, I don't know. I've been the longer upon this, that I may prepare you for the Reception both you and your Works may poffibly meet in England. We your

true

true Acquaintance will look upon you as a good Man, and love you; others will look upon you as a Wit, and hate you. So you know the worst ; unless you are as vindicative as Virgil, or the aforefaid Hibernian.

I WISH as warmly as you for an Hofpital in which to lodge the Defpifers of the World; only I fear it would be fill'd wholly like Chelsea, with maimed Soldiers, and fuch as had been disabled in its Service. I wou'd rather have thofe, that out of fuch generous Principles as you and I defpife it, fly in its Face, then retire from it. Not that I have much Anger against the Great; my Spleen is at the little Rogues of it: It would vex one more to be knock'd on the Head with a Piss-pot, than by a Thunder-bolt. As to great Oppreffors, they are like Kites or Eagles, one expects Mischief from them, but to be fquirted to Death (as poor Wycherly faid to me on his Death-bed) by Apothecaries Apprentices, by the Underftrappers of Under-Secretaries to Secretaries who were no Secretaries this would provoke as dull a Dog as Pself.

-s him

So much for Enemies, now for Friends. Mr. L-thinks all this indifcreet: The Dr. not fo: He loves Mischief the beft of any good natur'd Man in England. Lord Bolingbroke is above trifling: When he writes of any Thing in this World, he is more than mortal; if ever he trifles, it must be when he turns a Divine. Gay is writing Tales for Prince William: I fuppofe Mr. Philips will take this very ill, for two Reafons; one that he thinks all childish Things belong to him; and the other, because he'll take it ill to be taught that one may write Things to a Child without being childish. What have I more to add? But that Lord Oxford

defires

defires earnestly to see you: And that many others whom you do not think the worst of will be gratified by it; none more (be affured) than yours, &c.

FROM THE

Earl of PETERBOROW

то

Mr. POP E.

HENEVER you apply as a good Pa

W pift to your Female Mediatrix, you are fure

of Succefs; but there is not a full Affurance of your entire Submiffion to Mother church, and that abates a little of your Authority. However if you will accept of Country Letters, fhe will correfpond from the Haycock, and I will write to you upon the Side of my Wheelbarrow: Surely fuch Letters might escape Examination !

YOUR Idea of the Golden Age is, that every Shepherd might pipe where he pleased. As I have lived longer, I am more moderate in my Wishes, and would be content with the Liberty of not piping where I am not pleased.

OH how I wish, to my felf and my Friends, a Freedom which Fate feldom allows, and which we often refuse ourselves! Why is our Shepherdefs in voluntary Slavery? Why muft our Dean fubmit to the Colour of his Coat, and live absent from us? And why are you confined to what you cannot relieve?

I

I SELDOM venture to give Accounts of my Journeys before-hand, because I take Refolutions of going to London, and keep them no better than quarrelling Lovers do theirs. But the Devil will drive me thither about the Middle of next Month, and I will call upon You, to be fprinkled with Holy-Water, before I enter the Place of Corruption. Yours, &c.

I

From the Same.

1732.

AM under the greatest Impatience to fee Dr. Swift at Bevis Mount, and muft fignify my Mind to him by another Hand, it not being permitted me to hold Correfpondence with the faid Dean, for no Letter of mine can come to his Hands.

AND whereas it is apparent, in this Proteftant Land, most especially under the Care of Divine Providence, that nothing can fucceed or come to a hap py Iffue but by Bribery; therefore let me know what he expects to comply with my Defires, and it fhall 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 Confcience; every one must confefs that Gratification and Corruption are two distinct Terms; nay at worst many good Men hold, that for a good End fome very naughty Measures may be made Ufe of.

BUT Sir, I must give you fome good News in relation to my self, because I know you wish me well; I am cur'd of fome Diseases in my old Age,

.

which tormented me very much in my Youth. I WAS poffeft with violent and uneafy Paffions, fuch as a peevish Concern for Truth, and a faucy Love for my Country.

WHEN a Chriftian Prieft preached against the Spirit of the Gofpel, when an English Judge determined against Magna Charta, when the Minister acted against common Senfe, I used to fret.

Now, Sir, let what will happen, I keep myself in Temper: As I have no flattering Hopes, fo 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 perfonal Eftate, as Sir Robert S-tt-n.

If the Tranflator of Homer find Fault with this unheroick Difpofition, or what I more fear, if the Drapier of Ireland accuse the Englishman of want of Spirit; I filence you both with one Line out of your own Horace, Quid te exempta juvat fpinis e pluribus una? For I take the whole to be fo corrupted, that a Cure in any Part would be of little avail. Yours, &c.

VOL. VI.

P

FROM