IT i

LETTER XX.

TO THE SAME.

*

is hardly poffible to tell you the joy your pencil gave me, in giving me another friend, fo much the fame! and which (alas, for mortality!) will out-last the other. Pofterity will, through your means, fee the man whom it will for ages honour, vindicate, and applaud, when envy is no more, and when (as I have already faid in the effay to which you are fo partial)

The fons fhall blufh the fathers were his foes.

That effay has many faults, but the poem you fent me has but one, and that I can easily forgive. Yet I would not have it printed for the world, and yet I would not have it kept unprinted neither-but all in good time. I'm glad you publish your Milton t. B-ly will be angry at you, and at me too fhortly for what I could not help, a Satirical Poem on Verbal Criticism by Mr. Mallet, which he has inscribed to me;

Pofterity has paffed its fentence upon Lord Bolingbroke.

• Lord Bolingbroke.

but

WARBURTON.

Warton fays, "In which are many judicious and curious remarks, though adulterated with fome that are trifling enough." Very much like all editions of all books with commentaries.

Bentley.

but the Poem itself is good (another caufe of anger to any Critic). As for myself, I refolve to go on in my quiet, calm, moral course, taking no fort of notice of man's anger, or woman's fcandal, with Virtue in my eyes, and Truth upon my tongue t. Adieu.

* The Poem was a very fulfome piece of flattery to Pope, and a pretty exact imitation of his manner, and contained much contemptible and illiberal abuse of many useful and illuftrious critics, with whom Mallet was little acquainted. Mallet's Life of Lord Bacon was too highly commended by Chesterfield, and his friends. He once intended to write the Hiftory of the Exclufion Bill.

WARTON.

+ He hints probably at Lord Harvey and Lady Mary.

Dear Sir,

LETTER XXI.

TO THE SAME.

November 21.

VERY thing was welcome to me in kind Letyour

EVERY

ter, except the occafion of it, the confinement you are under. I am glad you count the days when I do not fee you: but it was but half an one that I was in town upon business with Dr. Mead, and returned to render an account of it.

I fhall in the course of the winter probably be an evening visitant to you, if you fit at home, though I hope it will not be by compulfion or lameness. We may take a cup of fack together, and chatter like two parrots, which are at least more reputable and manlike animals than the grafshoppers, to which Homer likens old men.

I am glad you fleep better. I fleep in company, and wake at night, which is vexatious: if you did fo, You at your age would make verses. As to my health, it will never mend; but I will complain lefs of it, when I find it incorrigible.

But for the news of my quitting Twit'nam for Bath, enquire into my years, if they are paft the bounds of dotage? Afk my eyes, if they can fee, and my noftrils if they can smell? To prefer rocks and dirt to flowery meads and filver Thames, and brimftone and

fogs to rofes and fun-fhine. When I arrive at these fenfations, I may fettle at Bath, of which I never yet dreamt, further than to live just out of the fulphurous pit, and at the edge of the fogs at Mr. Allen's, for

a month or fo. itself should not

I like the place fo little, that health draw me thither, though friendship

has twice or thrice.

Having anfwered your questions, I defire to hear if you have any commands. If the first be to come to you, it's probable I fhall, before you can send 'em fo round about as to Twit'nam, for I have lived of late at Batterfea. Adieu!

LETTER XXII.

TO MR. BETHEL*.

Your's, etc.

Auguft 9, 1733

You might well think me negligent or forgetful of you, if true friendship and fincere esteem were to be measured by common forms and compliments.

The

Hugh Bethel, Efq. was a gentleman of family and fortune in Yorkshire, who is celebrated in two fine lines in the Effay on Man, b. iv. l. 125. on account of the asthma with which he was afflicted. The late Alderman was of the fame family; and the eftate was lately held by Capt. C. Codrington, a brother of Sir William, who took the name of Bethel. WARTON.

The truth is, I could not write then, without faying fomething of my own condition, and of my lofs of fo old and fo deferving a parent, which really would have troubled you; or I must have kept a filence upon that head, which would not have fuited that freedom and fincere opening of the heart which is due to you from me. I am now pretty well; but my home is uneafy to me ftill, and I am therefore wandering about all this fummer. I was but four days at Twickenham fince the occafion that made it fo melancholy. I have been a fortnight in Effex, and am now at Dawley, (whofe mafter is your fervant,) and going to Cirencester to Lord Bathurst. I fhall also fee Southampton with Lord Peterborow. The Court and Twit'nham I fhall forfake together. I wish I did not leave our friend", who deferves more quiet, and more health and happiness, than can be found in fuch a family. The reft of my acquaintance are tolerably happy in their various ways of life, whether court, country, or town; and Mr. Cleland is as well in the Park, as if he were in Paradise. I heartily hope, Yorkshire is the fame to you; and that no evil, moral or phyfical, may come near you.

I have now but too much melancholy leifure, and no other care but to finish my Effay on Man: there will be in it one line that may offend you, (I fear,) and yet I will not alter or omit it, unless you come to town and prevent me before I print it, which will be