LETTER XV.

October 10.

I'

WAS upon the point of taking a much greater journey than to Bermudas, even to that undiscover'd country, from whose bourn No traveller returns!

A fever carried me on the high gallop towards it for fix or feven days-But here you have me now, and that is all I fhall fay of it: fince which time an impertinent lameness kept me at home twice as long; as if fate fhould fay (after the other dangerous illnefs), "You fhall neither go into the other world, nor any where you like in this." Elfe who knows but I had been at Hom-lacy?

I conspire in your fentiments, emulate your pleafures, wifh for your company. You are all of one heart and one foul, as was faid of the primitive Christians 'tis like the kingdom of the juft upon earth; not a wicked wretch to interrupt you, but a fet of tried, experienced friends, and fellow-comforters, who have seen evil men and evil days, and have by a fuperior rectitude of heart fet yourselves above them, and reap your reward. Why will you ever, of your own accord, end fuch a millenary year in London? Tranfmigrate (if I may fo call it) into other creatures, in that fcene of folly militant, when you may reign for ever at Hom-lacy in fenfe and reafon triumphant? I appeal to a third lady in your fa

mily, whom I take to be the most innocent, and the leaft warped by idle fashion and custom of you all; I appeal to her, if you are not every foul of you better people, better companions, and happier, where you are? I defire her opinion under her hand in your next letter, I mean Mifs Scudamore's". I am confident if she would or durft fpeak her fenfe, and employ that reasoning which God has given her, to infufe more thoughtfulness into you all; those arguments could not fail to put you to the blufh, and keep you out of town, like people fenfible of your own felicities. I am not without hopes, if she can detain a parliament man and a lady of quality from the world one winter, that I may come upon you with fuch irresistible arguments another year, as may carry you all with me to Bermudas, the feat of all earthly happiness and the new Jerufalem of the righteous.

Don't talk of the decay of the year, the feafon is good where the people are fo: 'tis the best time in the year for a painter; there is more variety of colours in the leaves, the profpects begin to open, through the thinner woods, over the valleys; and through the high canopies of trees to the higher arch of heaven: the dews of the morning impearl every thorn,

b Afterwards Duchefs of Beaufort, at this time very young. P. She was afterwards much talked of, for a particular intrigue.

About this time the Rev. Dean Berkley conceived his project of erecting a fettlement in Bermudas for the propagation of the Christian faith, and introduction of Sciences into America. P.

thorn, and scatter diamonds on the verdant mantle of the earth; the frosts are fresh and wholesome: what would have? The Moon fhines too, though not for Lovers these cold nights, but for Aftronomers.

you

Have you not reflecting Telescopes, whereby ye may innocently magnify her fpots and blemishes ? Content yourselves with them, and do not come to a place where your own eyes become reflecting telefcopes, and where those of all others are equally fuch upon their neighbours. Stay you at least, (for what I've said before relates only to the ladies: don't imagine I'll write about any eyes but theirs,) stay, I say, from that idle, bufy-looking Sanhedrin, where wifdom or no wisdom. is the eternal debate, not (as it lately was in Ireland) an accidental one.

If, after all, you will despise good advice, and refolve to come to London, here you will find me, doing just the things I fhould not, living where I should not, and as worldly, as idle, in a word, as much an Anti-Bermudanist as any body.

Dear Sir, make the

ladies know I am their fervant, you know I am

Yours, etc.

Thefe inftruments were just then brought to perfection. P

LETTER XVI.

Aug. 12.

I

HAVE been above a month strolling about in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, from garden to garden, but still returning to Lord Cobham's with fresh fatisfaction. I fhould be forry to fee my Lady Scudamore's, till it has had the full advantage of Lord B*'s improvements; and then I will expect fomething like the waters of Rifkins, and the woods of Oakley together, which (without flattery) would be at least as good as any thing in our world: For as to the hanging gardens of Babylon, the Paradife of Cyrus, and the Sharawaggi's of China †, I have little or no ideas of them, but, I dare fay, Lord B* has, because they were certainly both very great and very wild. I hope Mrs. Mary Digby is quite tired of his Lordship's Extravagante Bergerie: and that she is just now fitting, or rather reclining on a bank, fatigued with over-much dancing and finging at his unwearied request and inftigation. I know your love of ease so well, that you might be in danger of being too quiet to enjoy quiet, and too philofophical to be a philofopher; were it not for the ferment Lord B. will put you into. One of his Lord

fhip's

See Sir W. Temple's account of them, vol. 3, of his Effays; but above all, Sir W. Chambers's defcription of them, and the Heroic Epistle addressed to him.

fhip's maxims is, that a total abftinence from intemperance or business, is no more philosophy, than a total confopiation of the fenfes is repofe; one muft feel enough of its contrary to have a relish of either. But, after all, let your temper work, and be as fedate and contemplative as you will, I'll engage you fhall be fit for any of us, when you come to town in the winter. Folly will laugh you into all the customs of the company here; nothing will be able to prevent your converfion to her, but indifpofition, which, I hope, will be far from you. I am telling the worst that can come of you; for as to vice, you are fafe; but folly is many an honeft man's, nay every good-humoured man's lot: nay, it is the seasoning of life; and fools (in one fenfe) are the falt of the earth: a little is excellent, though indeed a whole mouthful is juftly

called the Devil.

So much for your diverfions next winter, and for mine. I envy you much more at prefent, than I fhall then; for if there be on earth an image of paradife, it is fuch perfect Union and Society as you all poffefs. I would have my innocent envies and wifhes of your state known to you all; which is far better than making you compliments, for it is inward approbation and esteem. My Lord Digby has in me a fincere fervant, or would have, were there any occafion for me to manifest it.

* One of the few new words he ever ufed.