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den. I was not so happy as to know him: Virgilium tantum vidi. Had I been born early enough, I must have known and lov'd him: For I have been affured, not only by yourself, but by Mr. Congreve and Sir William Trumbul, that his perfonal qualities were as amiable as his Poetical, notwithstanding the many libellous mifreprefentations of them, against which the former of these Gentlemen has told me he will one day vindicate him. I fuppose those injuries were began by the violence of Party, but 'tis no doubt they were continued by envy at his fuccefs and fame. And thofe Scriblers who attacked him in his latter times, were only like gnats in a fummer's evening, which are never very troublesome but in the finest and moft glorious feafon; for his fire, like the fun's, fhined cleareft towards its fetting.

You must not therefore imagine, that when you told me my own performances were above thofe Critics, I was so vain as to believe it; and yet I may not be fo humble as to think myself quite below their notice. For critics, as they are birds of prey, have. ever a natural inclination to carrion: and tho' fuch poor writers as I are but beggars, no beggar is fo poor but he can keep a cur, and no author is so beggarly but he can keep a critic. I am far from thinking the attacks of such people either any honour or difhonour even to me, much less to Mr. Dryden. I

*He fince did fo, in his dedication to the Duke of Newcastle, prefix'd to the duodecimo Edition of Dryden's Plays, 1717.

agree with you, that whatever leffer Wits have rifen fince his death, are but like ftars appearing when the fun is fet, that twinkle only in his abfence, and with the rays they have borrowed from him. Our wit (as you call it) is but reflection or imitation, therefore scarce to be called ours. True Wit, I believe, may be defined a justness of thought, and a facility of expreffion; or (in the midwives phrase) a perfect conception, with an easy delivery. However, this is far from a complete definition; pray, help me to a better, as, I doubt not, you can,

I am, &c.

I

LETTER II.

From Mr. WYCHERLEY.

Jan. 25, 1704-5

Have been fo busy of late in correcting and tranfcribing fome of my madrigals for a great man or two who defired to fee them, that I have (with your pardon) omitted to return you an answer to your most ingenious letter: fo fcriblers to the public, like bankers to the public, are profufe in their voluntary loans to it, whilft they forget to pay their more private and particular, as more just debts, to their best and nearest friends. However, I hope, you who have as much good nature as good fenfe (fince they generally are companions) will have patience with a Vo VIII.

B

debtor who has an inclination to pay you his obligations, if he had wherewithal ready about him; and in the mean time fhould confider, when you have obliged me beyond my prefent power of returning the favour, that a debtor may be an honeft man, if he but intends to be just when he is able, tho' late. But I fhould be lefs juft to you, the more I thought I could make a return to so much profuseness of Wit and Humanity together; which tho' they feldom accompany each other in other men, are in you fo equally met, I know not in which you most abound. But fo much for my opinion of you, which is, that your Wit and Ingenuity is equalled by nothing but your Judgment, or Modefty, which (though it be to please myfelf) I muft no more offend, than I can do either right.

Therefore I will fay no more now of them, than that your good wit never forfeited your good judg ment, but in your partiality to me and mine; fo that if it were poffible for a hardened fcribler to be vainer than he is what you write of me would make me more conceited than what I fcrible myself: yet, I must confefs, I ought to be more humbled by your praise than exalted, which commends my little fense with so much more of yours, that I am difparaged and difheartened by your commendations; who give me an example of your wit in the first part of your letter, and a definition of it in the laít; to make writing well (that is, like you) more difficult to me than ever it was before. Thus the more great and

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juft your example and definition of wit are, the lefs I am capable to follow them. Then the best way of fhewing my judgment, after having feen how you write, is to leave off writing; and the best way to fhew my friendship to you, is to put an end to your trouble, and to conclude

Yours, &c.

W

LETTER III.

March 25, 1705.

HEN I write to you, I foresee a long letter, and ought to beg your patience before hand; for if it proves the longeft, it will be of courfe the worst I have troubled you with. Yet to exprefs my gratitude at large for your obliging letter, is not more my duty than my intereft; as fome people will abundantly thank you for one piece of kindness, to put you in mind of beftowing another. The more favourable you are to me, the more dif tinctly I fee my faults: Spots and blemishes, you know, are never fo plainly discovered as in the brightest sunshine. Thus I am mortified by thofe commendations which were defigned to encourage me: for praise to a young wit, is like rain to a tender flower; if it be moderately beftowed, it chears and revives; but if too lavishly, overcharges and depreffes him. Most men in years, as they are generally difcouragers of youth, are like old trees, that, being paft bearing themselves, will fuffer no

young plants to flourish beneath them: but as if it were not enough to have out done all your coevals in wit, you will excell them in good-nature too. As for my green effays, if you find any pleasure in them, it must be fuch as a man naturally takes in obferving the first shoots and buddings of a tree which he has raised himself: and 'tis impoffible they should be esteemed any otherwise, than as we value fruits for being early, which nevertheless are the most infipid, and the worst of the year. In a word, I must blame you for treating me with so much compliment, which is at best but the fmoke of friendfhip. I neither write, nor converse with you, to gain your praife, but your Affection. Be fo much my friend as to appear my enemy, and tell me my faults, if not as a young Man, at least as an unexperienced Writer.

I am, &c.

LETTER IV.

From Mr. WYCHERLE'Y.

March 29, 1705.

OUR letter of the twenty-fifth of March I

YOUR

have received, which was more welcome to me than any thing could be out of the country, tho' it were one's rent due that day; and I can find no fault with it, but that it charges me with want of

Hs Paftorals, written at fixteen years of age,

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