fogs to rofes and fun-fhine. When I arrive at these sensations, I may settle at Bath, of which I never yet dreamt, further than to live juft 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 answered 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 Battersea.

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 afthma 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.

i

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 silence 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 Cirencefter to Lord Bathurst. I fhall alfo 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 1 will not alter or omit it, unless you come to town and prevent me before I print it, which will be

in a fortnight in all probability. In plain truth, I will not deny myself the greatest pleasure I am capable of receiving, because another may have the modesty not to share it. It is all a poor poet can do, to bear teftimony to the virtue he cannot reach: befides that, in this age, I fee too few good Examples not to lay hold on any I can find. You fee what an interested man I am. Adieu.

LETTER XXIII.

ΤΟ

September 7, 1733.

γου

cannot think how melancholy this place makes me every part of this wood puts into my mind poor Mr. Gay, with whom I paffed once a great deal of pleasant time in it, and another friend who is near dead, and quite loft to us, Dr. Swift. I really can find no enjoyment in the place: the fame fort of uneafinefs as I find at Twit'nham, whenever I pass my Mother's room.

I've not yet writ to Mrs. *. have nothing to fay that will

I think I fhould, but anfwer the character

they confider me in, as a wit † ; befides, my eyes grow

1 Mrs. B.

WARBURTON.

very

This is a perfect clue to many paffages of affectation: "He can fay nothing that can answer the character he is confidered in, a wit." This idea was too often uppermoft when he wrote Letters. Of this, I believe, there is now hardly two opinions.

1

cannot.

fo

very bad, (whatever is the cause of it,) I'll put them out for nobody but a friend: and, I protest, it brings tears into them almost to write to you, when I think of your ftate and mine. I long to write to Swift, but The greatest pain I know, is to say things very fhort of one's meaning, when the heart is full. I feel the going out of life fast enough, to have little appetite left to make compliments, at best uselese, and for the most part unfelt fpeeches. 'Tis but in a very narrow circle that Friendship walks in this world, and I care not to tread out of it more than I needs must; knowing well, it is but to two or three (if quite fo many) that any man's welfare, or memory, can be of confequence: the rest, I believe, I may forget, and be pretty certain they are already even, if not beforehand with me.

Life, after the first warm heats are over, is all downhill and one almost wifhes the journey's end, provided we were fure but to lie down easy whenever the Night fhall overtake us.

́I dreamed all last night of. She has dwelt (a little more than perhaps is right) upon my fpirits: I faw a very deferving gentleman in my travels, who has formerly, I have heard, had much the fame miffortune; and (with all his good breeding and fenfe) ftill bears a cloud and melancholy caft, that never

can

* Might not this relate to what he had mentioned in his Verses, "Who ftarves a fifter

can quite clear up, in all his behaviour and converfation. I know another, who, I believe, could promife, and easily keep his word, never to laugh in his life. But one must do one's beft, not to be used by the world as that poor lady was by her fifter; and not feem too good, for fear of being thought affected, or whimfical.

It is a real truth, that to the last of my moments, the thought of you, and the best of my wifhes for you, will attend you, told or untold.

I could with you had once the constancy and refolution to act for yourself, whether before or after I leave you, (the only way I ever fhall leave you,) you muft determine; but reflect, that the first would make me, as well as yourfelf, happier; the latter could make you only fo. Adieu.

LETTER XXIV.

FROM DR. ARBUTHNOT.

Hampstead, July 17, 1734.

I LITTLE doubt of your kind concern for me, nor of

that of the lady you mention. I have nothing to repay my friends with at present, but prayers and good wishes. I have the fatisfaction to find that I am as officioufly ferved by my friends, as he that has thoufands to leave in legacies; befides the affurance of their fincerity.