a true modern play, neither tragedy, comedy, nor farce, nor one, nor all of thefe: every actor is much better known by his having the fame. face, than by keeping the fame character: for we change our minds as often as they can their parts, and he who was yesterday Cæfar, is to day Sir John Daw. So that one might ask the fame queftion of a modern life, that Rich did of a modern play; " Pray do me the favour, Sir, to in"form me; Is this your Tragedy or your Comedy?

I have dwelt the longer upon this, because I perfuade my felf it might be useful, at a time when we have no theatre, to divert our felves at this great one. Here is a glorious ftanding comedy of Fools, at which every man is heartily merry, and thinks himself an unconcern'd spectator. This (to our fingular comfort) neither my Lord Chamberlain, nor the Queen her self can ever shutup, or filence. *While that of Drury (alas!) lies defolate, in the profoundest peace and the melancholy prospect of the nymphs yet lingring about its beloved avenues, appears no lefs moving than that of the Trojan dames lamenting over their ruin'd Ilium! What now can they hope, difpoffefs'd of their ancient feats, but to serve as captives to the insulting victors of the Hay-market? The afflicted subjects of France do not, in our Poft-man, fo grievously deplore the obftinacy of their arbitary monarch, as these perifhing people of Drury the obdurate heart of that Pharaoh, Rich, who like him, difdains all proposals of peace and accommodation. Several libels have been fecretly affixed to the great gates of his imperial palace in Bridges-ftreet; and a memorial reprefenting the diftreffes of these perfons, has been accidentally dropt (as we are credibly informed by a person of quality) out of his first minifter the chief box-keeper's

What follows to the end of this Letter, is omitted in the Author's own Edit.

pocket,

pocket, at a late conference of the faid person of quality and others, on the part of the Confederates, and his Theatrical Majefty on his own part. Of this you may expect a copy, as foon as it fhall be tranfmitted to us from a good hand. As for the late Congrefs, it is here reported, that it has not been wholly ineffectual; but this wants confirmation; yet we cannot but hope the concurring prayers and tears of fo many wretched ladies may induce this haughty prince to reafon.

I am, &c.

IM

LETTER X.

Octob. 19, 1709.

May truly fay I am more oblig'd to you this fummer than to any of my acquaintance, for had it not been for the two kind letters you fent me, I had been perfectly, oblitufque meorum, oblivifcendas & illis. The only companions I had were thofe mufes of whom Tully fays, Adolefcentiam alunt, fenectutem oble&ant, fecundas res ornant, adverfis perfugium ac folatium præbent, delectant domi, non impediunt foris, pernoctant nobifcum, peregrinantur, rufticantur: which indeed is as much as ever I expected from them: For the Muses, if you take them as companions, are very pleasant and agreeable; but whoever fhould be forc'd to live or depend upon 'em, would find himself in a very bad condition. That Quiet, which Cowley calls the Companion of Obfcurity, was not wanting to me, unlefs it was interrupted by thofe fears you fo juftly guefs I had for our friend's welfare. 'Tis extreamly kind in you to tell me the news you heard of him, and you have deliver'd me from more anxiety than he ima

gines me capable of on his account, as I am convinc'd by his long filence. However the love of fome things rewards it felf, as of vertue, and of Mr. Wycherley. I am surprized at the danger you tell me he has been in, and must agree with you, that our nation would have loft in him, as much wit and probity, as would have remain'd (for aught I know) in the reft of it. My concern for his friendship will excuse me, (fince I know you houour him fo much, and fince you know I love him above all men) if 1 vent a part of my uneafiness to you, and tell you, that there has not been wanting one, to infinuate malicious untruths of me to Mr. Wycherley, which I fear may have had some effect upon him. If fo, he will have a greater punishment for his credulity than I cou'd with him, in that fellow's acquaintance. The loss of a faithful creature is fomething, tho' of ever fo contemptible an one; and if I were to change my dog for fuch a man as the aforefaid, I should think my dog undervalued: (who follows me about as conftantly here in the country, as I was us'd to do Mr. Wycherley in the town.)

Now I talk of my Dog, that I may not treat of a worse fubject, which my fpleen tempts me to, I will give you fome account of him; a thing not wholly unprecedented, fince Montaigne (to whom I am but a dog in comparison) has done the fame thing of his Cat. Die mihi quid melius defidiofus agam? You are to know then, that as 'tis likeness begets affection, fo my favourite dog is a little one, a lean one, and none of the finest fhap'd. He is not much a fpaniel in his fawning, but has (what might be worth. any man's while to imitate him in) a dumb furly fort of kindnefs, that rather fhows itself when he thinks me ill-us'd by others, than when we walk quietly

quietly and peaceably by our felves. If it be the chief point of friendship to comply with a friend's motions and inclinations, he poffeffes this in an eminent degree; he lies down when I fit, and walks when I walk, which is more than many good friends can pretend to, witness our walk a year ago in St. James's Park. Hiftories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends, but I will not infift upon many of 'em, because it is poffible fome may be almoft as fabulous as thofe of Pylades and Oreftes, &c. I will only fay for the honour of dogs, that the two moft antient and esteemable books facred and prophane extant (viz. the Scripture and Homer) have fhewn a particular regard to these animals. That of Toby is the more remarkable, because there feem'd no manner of reason to take notice of the dog, befides the great humanity of the author. Homer's account of Ulyffes's dog Argus is the most pathetick imaginable, all the circumftances confider'd, and an excellent proof of the old bard's good-nature. Ulyffes had left him at Ithaca when he embark'd for Troy, and found him at his return after twenty years, (which by the way is not unnatural, as fome critics have faid, fince I remember the dam of my dog was twenty-two years old when the dy'd: May the omen of longævity prove fortunate to her fucceffor!) You shall have it in verse. ARGUS.

When wife Ulyffes from his native coaft
Long kept by wars, and long by tempefts toft,
Arriv'd at last, poor, old, difguis'd, alone,
To all bis friends, and ev'n his Queen unknown,
Chang'd as he was, with age, and toils, and cares,
Furrow'd his rev'rend face, and white his hairs,
In his own palace forc'd to ask his bread,
Scorn'd by thofe Alaves his former bounty fed,

Forgot

Forgot of all his own domeftick crew ;
The faithful dog alone bis rightful mafter knew!
Unfed, unbous'd, neglected, on the clay,

Like an old fervant now cafbier'd, he lay;
Touch'd with refentment of ungrateful man,
And longing to behold his antient Lord again.
Him when he faw he rofe, and crawl'd to meet,
('Twas all be cou'd) and fawn'd, and kiss'd his
feet,

Seiz'd with dumb joy-then falling by his fide,
Own'd his returning Lord, look'd up, and dy'd!

Plutarch relating how the Athenians were oblig'd to abandon Athens in the time of Themistocles, steps back again out of the way of his hiftory, purely to defcribe the lamentable cries and howlings of the poor dogs they left behind. He makes mention of one, that follow'd his mafter across the fea to Salamis, where he dy'd, and was honour'd with a tomb by the Athenians, who gave the name of the Dog's Grave to that part of the island where he was buried. This refpect to a dog in the most polite people of the world, is very obfervable. A modern inftance of gratitude to a dog (tho' we have but few fuch) is, that the chief order of Denmark (now injuriously call'd the order of the Elephant) was inftituted in memory of the fidelity of a dog nam'd Wild-brat, to one of their Kings who had been deferted by his fubjects: he gave his Order this motto, or to this effect (which still remains) Wild-brat was faithful. Sir William Trumbull has told me a story which he heard from one that was prefent: King Charles I. being with fome of his court during his troubles, à difcourfe arose what fort of dogs deferv'd pre-eminence, and it being on all hands agreed to belong either to the fpaniel or grey

hound