August 18, 1717. WHEN yours of the 6th instant arrived here, I was gott into the East, not among the wyfe men of that corner, butt amidst the fools of Tunbridge. My stay with them was butt of four days, butt I had spent the three preceding ones, I think, in worse company, the knaves of the law att our country affizes at Lewes. A caufe called me thither, which, though I gained, I may brag of like my brother Teague, that it was just nothing att all, nor had I gott that neither had I not bestirred my stumps. When my pictures are done, be pleased to order them down to Ladyholt by the Stanfted carrier, who inns in Gerrard-ftreet.-You anfwer not my queftion who the unfortunate Lady was that you infcribe a copy of verses to in your book. I long to be retould her ftory, for I believe you allreddy tould me formerly; but I fhall referr that and a thoufand other things more to chatt over at our next meeting, which I hope draws near; prefume my wife has fixed on a time with my dear Patty †, to whom I pray my humble fervice, * A feat of the family, in the parish of Harting, Hants. fervice, as also to her fair fifter *. I am in more hafte, or rather hurry, than ufual, but not leffe, Sir, Your, etc. I Dear Sir, LETTER LX. FROM MR. HUGHES. Red Lion-Street, Holborn, against AM very forry to hear of your ill health, and that my meffage came fo unfeasonable as to give you fo much trouble to answer it. I hope by your mentioning your coming to town, that you are on the `mending hand, and that the spring coming on will be favourable to you. If you fhould not come in a day or two, I must beg your return of the copy †, which is much wanted, the time of acting drawing very near. Your not being in a condition to fupply me with a Prologue is a great disappointment to me, but I fhould much rather chufe my Play should want that advan tage, *Next year we find Pope "damning Grinftead, and all its works." See his Letter, first printed in this Volume, giving an account of the death of John Hewit and Sarah Drew, ap. postscript. The Siege of Damafcus. C. tage, than put you to any trouble at present which may be prejudicial; being with a true respect, Dear Sir, LETTER LXI. FROM MR. CRAGGS. Your, etc. Cockpit, October 1, 1719. WAS yesterday out of town, and came directly here this morning, where I received your letter, enclosed in a very fine one from Sir Godfrey Kneller. You'll eafily imagine how much I am concerned at the accident which has befallen him; but I comfort myself, fince his hand and head, which I could least have spared, remain in their former vigour and condition. I don't see why this misfortune is to be completed by the lofs of Dr. Arbuthnot's and your good company, which you'll give me leave to expect tomorrow at Batterfea, when we will drink Sir Godfrey's health, and make a new appointment against his recovery. I am entirely, dear Sir, Yours. LETTER LXII. * FRAGMENT OF A LETTER FROM MR. EVANS. Dear Sir, St. John's, Oxon, May 13, 1719. "Is not that I forget you or disrespect you, but knowing you to be a man of true business I thought it too impertinent to trouble you with any of mine; but now I understand you are at leisure, have at you as far as this half fheet will hold. In the first place I am very well fatisfied you have done for me what you are able, and I heartily thank you, and beg your pardon, and very much blush for having given you any trouble of this kind with a fort of men you know as much what to make of as I. I don't know how they are in your church, but in ours, to tell you the truth, all the clergymen I ever yet faw are a fort of ecclefiaftical quelques chofes, that between common honesty and common fense I know not what to make of. They preach indeed paffive obedience, but their practice is active infolence and impudent injustice; and when the laity use them as they ufe one another, there will be an end of 'em-Catéra defunt. * Spoken of before, in the Letters to Digby. Dear Sir, LETTER LXIII, FROM THE SAME. St. John's, Oxon, July 26, 1719. I SHOULD much fooner have sent you my acknow. ledgment and thanks for the very kind reception I met with from you at your pleasant house at Twickenham, but in troth it has been fo very hot, that I could neither write, read, or think, but only lie ftill, fwim, or fleep; and am ftill fo monftrously lazy, that you must expect but a dry fhort letter from me; no gallantry or gaiety, but only a little downright good breeding and civility. I hope this will find your good mother fettled in her health, and also yourself, as much as her age and your conftitution will permit, If wishes had any power in medicine, I could foon make you both immortal; for fhe very well deserves it for furnishing the world with you; and you have yourself made your name immortal enough. I wish only that your body might come in for a small share of that noble bleffing, if it were only for nine hundred and ninety-nine years. I wish the fame to your good friend the Duchefs; that she might live to teach people of quality all the good qualities in the world. I write as I talk, and I fpeak as I think; and am, with great fincerity, |