repetitions; I muft, as foon as I've mark'd thefe, transcribe what is left on another paper; and in that, blot, alter, and add all I can devife, for their improvement. For you are fenfible, the omiffion of Repetitions is but one, and the easiest part, of yours and my defign; there remaining befides to rectify the Method, to connect the Matter, and to mend the Expreffion and Verfification. I will go next upon the poems of Solitude, on the Publick, and on the mixt Life; the bill of Fare; the praises of Avarice and some others. I must take notice of what you fay, of " my pains to make your dulnefs methodical; and of your "hint, that the sprightliness of wit defpifes method." This is true enough, if by wit you mean no more than fancy or conceit; but in the better notion of wit, confider'd as propriety, furely method is not only neceffary for perfpicuity and harmony of parts, but gives beauty even to the minute and particular thoughts, which receive an aditional advantage from thofe which precede or follow in their due place: according to a fimile Mr. Dryden us'd in converfation, of feathers in the crowns of the wild Indians, which they not only chufe for the beauty of their colours, but place them in fuch a manner as to reflect a luftre on each other. I will not disguise any of my fentiments from you: to methodize in your cafe, is full as neceffary as to ftrike out; otherwise you had better deftroy the whole frame, and reduce them into fingle thoughts in profe, like Rochfoucault, as I have more than once hinted to you. LETTER LETTER XVI. From Mr. Wycherley. Feb. 28, 1707-8. I Have had yours of the 23d of this inflant, for which I give you many thanks, fince I find by it, that even absence (the ufual bane of love, or friendfhip) cannot leffen yours, no more than mine. As to your hearing of my being ill, I am glad, and forry for the report: in the first place, glad that it was not true; and in the next forry that it fhou'd give you any difturbance, or concern more than ordinary for me; for which, as well as your concern for my future well-being or life, I think my felf moft eternally oblig'd to you; affuring, your concern for either will make me more careful of both. Yet for your fake I love this life fo well, that I fhall the lefs think of the other; but 'tis in your power to ensure my happiness in one and the other, both by your fociety, and good example, fo not only contribute to my felicity here, but hereafter. Now as to your excufe for the plainnefs of your ftile, I muft needs tell you, that friendship is much more acceptable to a true friend than wit, which is generally false reasoning; and a friend's reprimand often fhews more friendship than his compliment: nay love, which is more than friendship, is often feen by our friend's correction of our follies or crimes. Upon this teft of your friendship I intend to put you when I return to London, and thence to you at Binfield, which I hope will be within a month. Next to the news of your good health, I am pleas'd with the good news of your going to print fome of your Poems, and proud to be known by them to the publick for your friend; who intend (perhaps the fame way) to be reveng'd of you for your kindness; by taking your name in vain in fome of future my madrigals: yet fo as to let the world know, my love or efteem for you are no more poetick than my talent in fcribbling. But of all the arts of fiction, I defire you to believe I want that of feigning friendfhip, and that I am fincerely Your, &c. I * LETTER XVII. From Mr. Wycherley. May 13, 1708. Have receiv'd yours of the first of May. Your Paftoral mufe outfhines in her modeft and natural drefs all Apollo's court-ladies, in their more artful, labour'd, and coftly finery. Therefore I am glad to find by your letter you defign your country-beauty of a mufe fhall appear at court and in publick to outfhine all the farded, lewd, confident, affected Town-dowdies, who aim at being honour'd only to their fhame: but her artful innocence (on the contrary) will gain more honour as the becomes publick; and in fpite of cuftom will bring modefty again into fashion, or at least make her fifter-rivals of this age blush for spite, if not for fhame. As for my tale, antiquated, poetical pufs, whom you would keep in countenance by faying fhe has once been been tolerable, and wou'd yet país mufter by a little licking over; it is true that (like moft vain antiquated jades which have once been paffable) fhe yet affects youthfulness in her age, and wou'd still gain a few admirers, (who the more fhe feeks or labours for their liking, are but more her contemners.} Nevertheless fhe is refolv'd henceforth to be fo cautious as to appear very little more in the world, except it be as an Attendant on your mufe, or as a foil, not a rival to her wit, or fame: fo that let your Country-gentlewoman appear when fhe will in the world, iny old worn-out jade of a loft reputation, fhall be her attendant into it, to procure her admirers; as an old whore who can get no more friends of her own, bawds for others, to make sport or pleafure yet, one way or other, for mankind. I approve of your making Tonfon your mufe's introductor into the world, or master of the ceremonies, who has been fo long a pimp, or gentleman-ufher to the muses. *This, and what follows, is a full confutation of John Dennis and others, who afferted that Mr. Pope wrote thefe Verfes on bimfelf, (tho' publish'd by Mr. Wycherley fix years before his death.) We find here it was a voluntary Act of his, promis'd before-hand, and written while Mr. Pope was abfent. The first Brouillon of thofe verfes, and the fecond Copy with corrections, are both yet extant in Mr. Wycherley's own band: In another of his letters of May 18, 1708. are these words. "I have made a damn'd Compliment in verfe upon "the printing your Paftorals, which you shall see "when you fee me. I wish I wish you good fortune; fince a man with ftore of wit, as store of mony, without the help of good fortune, will never be popular; but I wish you a great many admirers, which will be fome credit to my judgment as well as your wit, who always thought you had a great deal, and am Your, &c. I May 17, 1709. Muft thank you for a book of your Mifcellanies which Tonfon fent me, I fappofe by your order; and all I can tell you of it is, that nothing has lately been better receiv'd by the publick, than your part of it. You have only difpleas'd the criticks by pleafing them too well; having not left them a word to fay for themselves, against you and your performances; fo that now your hand is in you must persevere, 'till my prophecies of you be fulfill'd. In earneft, all the beft judges of good fenfe or poetry, are admirers of yours; and like your part of the book fo well, that the rest is lik'd the worse. This is true upon my word, without compliment; fo that your first fuccefs will make you for all your life a poet, in fpite of your wit; for a poet's fuccefs at firft, like a gamelter's fortune at firft, is like to make him a lofer at last, and to be undone by his good fortune and merit. But hitherto your miscellanies have fafely run the gantlet, through all the coffee-houses; which are now entertain'd with a whimsical new news-paper, call'd the |