Binfield in Windfor Foreft, Dec. 26. 1704*. T was certainly a great fatisfaction to me to fee

IT

and converse with a man, whom in his writings

I had fo long known with pleasure: but it was a high addition to it, to hear you, at our very first meeting, doing juftice to your dead friend Mr Dryden. I was not so happy as to know him: Virgilium tantum vidi. Had I been born early enough, I must have known and lov'd him: For I have been affured, not only by yourself, but by Mr Congreve and Sir William Trumbul, that his personal qualities were as amiable as his Poetical, notwithstanding the many libellous mifrepresentations of them, against which the former of thefe Gentlemen has told me he will

one day vindicate him. I suppose those injuries were begun by the violence of Party, but 'tis no doubt

The Author's Age then fixteen.

they were continued by envy at his fuccefs and fame. And thofe Scriblers who attacked him in his latter times, were only like gnats in a fummer's evening, which are never very troublesome, but in the finest and most glorious feafon; for his fire, like the fun's, fhined clearest towards its setting.

I

You must not therefore imagine, that, when you told me my own performances were above those Critics, I was fo vain as to believe it; and yet I may not be so humble as to think myself quite below their notice. For critics, as they are birds of prey, have ever a natural inclination to carrion: and tho' fuch poor writers as I, are but beggars, no beggar is fo poor but he can keep a cur, and no author is fo beggarly but he can keep a critic. I am far from thinking the attacks of fuch people either any honour or dishonour even to me, much less to Mr Dryden. agree with you, that whatever leffer wits have rifen fince his death, are but like stars appearing when the fun is fet, that twinkle only in his abfence, and with the rays they have borrowed from him. wit (as you call it) is but reflection or imitation, therefore fcarce to be called ours. True Wit, I be lieve, may be defined a juftness of thought, and a facility of expreffion; or (in the midwife's phrafe) a perfect conception, with an eafy delivery. However, this is far from a complete definition; pray, help me to a better, as, I doubt not, you can.

Our

1 am, &c.

I

LETTER II.

From Mr WY CHERLEY.

Jan. 25. 1704-5.

Have been fo bufy of late in correcting and tranfcribing fome of my madrigals for a great man or two who defired to fee them, that I have (with your pardon) omitted to return you an answer to your most ingenious letter: fo fcriblers to the public, like bankers to the public, are profufe in their voluntary loans to it, whilft they forget to pay their more private and particular, as more juft debts, to their best and nearest friends. However, I hope, you who have as much good nature as good fenfe (lince they generally are companions) will have patience with a debtor who has an inclination to pay you his obligations, if he had wherewithal ready about him; and in the mean time fhould confider, when you have obliged me beyond my prefent power of returning the favour, that a debtor may be an honeft man, if he but intends to be juft when he is able, tho' late. But I fhould be lefs juft to you, the more I thought I could make a return to fo much profufeness of Wit and Humanity together; which tho' they feldom accompany each other in other men, are in you fo equally met, I know not in which you moft abound. But fo much for my opinion of you, which is, that your Wit and Ingenuity is equalled by nothing but your Judgment or Modefty, which (though it be to pleafe myself) I muft no more offend, than I can do either right.

Therefore I will fay no more now of them, than that your good wit never forfeited your good judgment, but in your partiality to me and mine; fo that if it were poffible for an hardened fcribler to be vainer than he is, what you write of me would make me more conceited than what I fcrible myself; yet I must confefs, I ought to be more humbled by your praise than exalted, which commends my little fense with so much more of yours, that I am difparaged and disheartened by your commendations; who give me an example of your wit in the first part of your letter, and a definition of it in the last; to make writing well (that is, like you) more difficult to me than ever it was before. Thus the more great and juft your example and definition of wit are, the less I am capable to follow them. Then the best way of having feen how you

fhewing my judgment, after

write, is to leave off writing; and the best way to fhew my friendship to you, is to put an end to your trouble, and to conclude

Yours, &c.

March 25. 1705.

HEN I write

W letter, and ought to beg your patience be

to you, I foresee a long

fore hand; for if it proves the longeft, it will be of course the worst I have troubled you with. Yet to express my gratitude at large for your obliging letter, is not more my duty than my intereft; as fome people