but not by his enemies, but for his friends. I wish the continuance of all that is yet dear to you in life, and am truly you LETTER X. Yours. DEAR SIR, TO THE SAME. September 29, 1731. I RETURN you the inclosed the day after I received it, lest it should retard your finishing the copy, now the year draws toward winter: and though I am in a great hurry, which allows me to say little, only to tell you, in my Lord's name and my own, that we think you shew even more friendship and confidence in us, than we have hitherto been justly entitled to, from any use our opinion could be of, to a judgment so good as your own. We are fully satisfied; and 'tis but a word or two, that I can carp, with the utmost and most extended severity of a friend. It will be with infinitely greater promptitude, and pleasure, that I shall speak (every where) my real approbation and esteem of the performance, in which I shall do no more than discharge my conscience. I wish sincerely, I could as well serve you in promoting its success, as I can testify it deserves all success. You will, I am sure, be so candid, and so reasonable, as to conclude, I would not decline writing your epilogue on any but a just reason, and indeed (to me) an invariable maxim, which I have held these twenty years. Every poetical friend I have, has had my word, I never would; and my leave to take the same refusals I made him, ill, if ever I wrote one for another and this very winter, Mr. Thomson and Mr. Mallet excuse me, whose tragedies either are to appear this season, or the next. I fancy the latter, as I have seen or heard of no more but a first act, yet, of each. I have lately had an address of another kind from a man of letters, which gives me more embarrassment, and in the conduct whereof I could wish I had your advice, though I hardly know how to ask it. I hope soon to see the critical work you promised me, in which I hope to have some further occasion of proving to you the real deference I have to your sentiments, and esteem for your person. I am, Dear Sir, LETTER XI. TO THE SAME. Your, etc. October 29, 1731. DEAR SIR, THERE is an ill fate hangs upon me in relation to the pleasure I've often (from the very first time I saw you at Dr. Young's) proposed in our acquaintance. I really stayed that night in town, upon Bowry's notice, which he left in writing, that you should be at home all Wednesday, and had dedicated three hours to you, or more properly, to myself with you. I asked, particularly, for Miss Urania; but thought myself, though old enough, not familiar enough, to ask to see her. I desire your first notice, if you come this way; or rather, I wish you would take up your lodging with me. In the mean time, pray send the tragedy of Athelwold (for so I would call it), under cover, to the Countess of Suffolk, before Monday, at her lodgings in St. James's. I promised it her again; and if you think it of any consequence that the K. should see it in manuscript, I think nothing more easy. In truth, all this is doing it no credit ; 'tis only doing some to those who may commend it. I could not imagine in what parts it needed addition; sure every incident is well prepared but no man can see so far into his own work as the author, if a good one; so little, if a bad or indifferent one. -I am with truth, Sir, Your, etc. LETTER XII. TO THE SAME. November 12, 1731. DEAR SIR, I SHALL have the pleasure (sick or well) to be at the first representation of your play to-morrow, with Lord Burlington and Lord Bathurst, and one or two more. Another noble Lord, who understands you best, must be contented to read the two last acts in his study but Sir Will. Wyndham, with Mr. Gay, and some others, will be there also, in another place, in his stead. I write this that I may not take up a minute of your time in calling on me to-morrow; but if you will send to the office to-night for places for four people, we will order a man or two to go to keep 'em for us: Lord Burlington comes on purpose to town. I am, with great truth, I CANNOT leave London without thanking you for the pleasure you gave me last night, by which I see you can as well make actors, as plays: yet I own I receive more pleasure from reading than seeing your Athelwold. I thought the best part of the audience very attentive, and was told, several ladies were moved to tears. It is pity Mrs. Cibber's voice and person were not a little higher; she speaks extremely justly, and seems to be mistress of her part. I could not come soon enough for the prologue, but the epilogue is a very humorous one. I am ashamed to trouble you; but being gone out of town, and fearing the mistakes of servants, I beg a box may be had for Monday, the third night (if there be any empty), for Mrs. Blount, a particular friend of mine. I yesterday saw Lady Suffolk, and found, though their Majesties had not had time to read, yet they were possessed with a good opinion of the play; and she would not part with the copy, expecting it would be called for every day. I must once more acknowledge the very obliging manner in which you favoured the bookseller, as well as the particular generosity to him. I can add no more, but an assurance of the sincerity with which I am, Dear Sir, Your, etc. I am hastened away, on hearing my mother is not well as soon as I return, I hope we may pass more time together. : DEAR SIR, LETTER XIV. TO THE SAME. Twickenham, Dec. 22, 1731. I THANK you for your tragedy, which I have now read over a sixth time, and of which I not only preserve, but increase, my esteem. You have been kind to this age, in not telling the next, in your preface, the ill taste of the town, of which the reception you describe it to have given of your play (worse, indeed, than I had heard, or could have imagined), is-a more flagrant instance than any of those trifles mentioned in my epistle; which yet, I hear, the sore vanity of our pretenders to taste flinches at extremely-the title you mention had been a properer to that epistle -I have heard no criticisms about it, nor do I listen |