abundantly satisfies me, and convinces to the heart; which is, that * young as I am, and old as you are,, I am your entirely affectionate, &c.

I

LETTER VII.

June 23. 1705..

Should believe myself happy in 'your good opinion, but that you treat me fo much in a ftyle of compliment. It hath been observed of women, that they are more fubject in their youth to be touched with vanity than men, on account of their being generally treated this way; but the weakest women are not more weak than that class of men, who are thought to pique themselves upon their Wit. The world is never wanting, when a coxcomb is accomplishing himself, to help to give him the finishing ftroke.

Every man is apt to think his neighbour overstock'd with vanity, yet, I cannot but fancy there are certain times, when moft people are in a difpofition of being informed; and 'tis incredible what a vaft good a little truth might do, fpoken in fuch feafons. A finall alms will do a great kindness to people in extreme neceffi ty.

I could name an acquaintance of yours, who would at this time think himself more obliged to you for the information of his faults, than the con

Mr Wycherley was now about 70 years old, Mr Pope under 17.

firmation of his follies.

If you would make thofe the subject of a letter, it might be as long as I could.

wish your letters always were.

I do not wonder you have hitherto found fome difficulty (as you are pleased to fay) in writing to me, fince you have always chofen the task of commending me: take but the other way, and, I dare engage, you will find none at all.

But I

As for my verses, which you praise fo much, I may truly fay, they have never been the cause of any vanity in me, except what they gave me when they firft occafioned my acquaintance with you. have several times fince been in danger of this vice; as often, I mean, as I received any letters from you. 'Tis certain, the greatest magnifying glaffes in the world are a man's own eyes, when they look upon his own person; yet, even in those, I cannot fancy myself fo extremely like Alexander the great, as you would perfuade me. If I must be like him, 'tis you will make me fo, by complimenting me into a better opinion of myself than I deferve : think he was the fon of Jupiter,

I am a man of parts.

They made him and you affure me But is this all you can say to

my honour? you faid ten times as much before, when you call'd me your friend. After having made me believe I poffefs'd a share in your affection, to treat me with compliments and fweet fayings, is like the proceeding with poor Sancho Panca: they perfuaded him that he enjoy'd a great dominion, and then gave him nothing to fubfift upon but wafers and marmalade. In our days the greatest obligation you can lay upon a Wit, is to make a fool of him.

For as when madmen are found incurable, wise men give them their way, and please them as well as they can; fo when those incorrigible things, Poets, are once irrecoverably be-mus'd, the best way both to quiet them, aud fecure yourself from the effects of their frenzy, is to feed their vanity; which indeed, for the moft part, is all that is fed in a poet.

You may believe me, I could be heartily glad that all you fay were as true, applied to me, as it would be to yourself, for feveral weighty reasons; but for none fo much, as that I might be to you what you deferve; whereas I can now be no more than is confiftent with the small, tho' utmost capacity of, &c.

I

LETTER VIII.

Oct. 26. 1705.

Have now changed the fcene from the town to the country; from Will's coffee-houfe to Windfor foreft. I find no other difference than this, betwixt the common town-wits, and the downright country fools; that the first are pertly in the wrong, with a little more flourish and gayety; and the last neither in the right nor the wrong, but confirm'd in a ftupid fettled medium betwixt both. However, methinks, these are moft in the right, who quiet. ly and eafily refign themselves over to the gentle reign of dulnefs, which the Wits must do at last, though after a great deal of noise and refiftance. Ours are a fort of modeft inoffenfive people, who neither have fenfe, nor pretend to any, but enjoy a jovial fort of dulnefs: They are commonly known in the

world by the name of honeft, civil gentlemen: They live much as they ride, at random; a kind of hunting life, pursuing with carneftness and hazard fomething not worth the catching; never in the way, nor out of it. I can't but prefer folitude to the company of all thefe; for tho' a man's felf may poffibly be the worst fellow to converse with in the world, yet one would think the company of a person whom we have the greatest regard to and affection for, could not be very unpleasant. As a man in love with a mistress, defires no conversation but her's, fo a man in love with himself (as most men are) may be best pleafed with his own. Befides, if the trueft and most useful knowledge be the knowledge of ourfelves, folitude, conducing moft to make us look into ourselves, fhould be the most inftructive state of life. We fee nothing more commonly, than men, who for the fake of the circumftantial part and mere outside of life, have been half their days rambling out of their nature, and ought to be sent into folitude to ftudy themselves over again. People are usually spoiled, inftead of being taught, at their coming into the world? whereas, by being more converfant with Obscurity, without any pains, they would naturally follow what they were meant for. In a word, if a man be a coxcomb, Solitude is his best School; and if he be a fool, it is his best Sanctuary.

These are good reafons for my own ftay here, but I wish I could give you any for your coming hither, except that I earnestly invite you. And yet I can't help faying I have fuffered a great deal of discontent

that you do not come, tho' I fo little merit that you fhould.

I must complain of the fhortness of your last. Those who have most wit, like those who have moft money, are generally moft fparing of either.

LETTER IX.

From Mr WY CHERLEY.

Nov. 5. 1705.

Ours of the 26th of October I have received, as

Yours

I have always done yours, with no little fatiffaction, and am proud to discover by it, that you find fault with the thortnefs of mine, which I think the best excufe for it: And tho' they (as you fay) who have moft wit or money are most fparing of either; there are fome who appear poor, to be thought rich, and are

poor, which is my cafe. I cannot but rejoice, that

But

you have undergone fo much discontent for want of my company; but if you have a mind to punish me for my fault (which I could not help) defer your coming to town, and you will do it effectually. I know your charity always exceeds your revenge, fo that I will not despair of seeing you, and, in return to your inviting me to your foreft, invite you to my foreft, the town; where the beafts that inhabit, tame or wild, of long ears, or horns, purfue one another either out of love or hatred. You may have the pleafure to fee one pack of blood-hounds purfue another herd of brutes, to bring each other to their fall, which is their whole fport: Or if you affect a lefs bloody chace, you mayfee a pack of fpaniels, called Lovers, in a hot pur