to wait on you to-day, after fo rainy a night and fo fufpicious a morning.

Mrs. Pope is yours; but I, with the greatest respect,

Madam,

Your most obedient and devoted fervant,

JONATH. SWIFT.

Pray do not give a copy of this Letter to Curl the bookfeller.

LETTER III.

THE DUCHESS OF QUEENSBERRY TO MARTHA

DEAR MADAM,

BLOUNT.

Ambrefbury, July 23, 1752.

S

A I am not the first, nor, I fear, the last perfon, who has occafionally neglected their best friend for the fake of a glut of racketting paffengers, I fhall be less ashamed to own to you I might have anfwered yours fooner; and I wish this unnatural delay would provoke you to come directly hither, to ask why I am fo tardy; whereas no answer is worth receiving unless it comes glibly, and I find mine does not occur currently, and, befides, (is) very much clogged with but's.

Dear Mrs. Blunt* has formerly honoured little Petersham, which fitted her as a glove; but now comes my But: but how can I accommodate her fifter? for my own apartment must remain empty abfolutely, though the King himself were to borrow our little habitation at Peterfham; and the number of refiders are confiderably increased fince Mrs. Blunt was last there under the care of Kaites and Price Lambert.

I wish you and I were fitting tête a tête, for that would be every way beft of all; and I think, fuppofing I could not prevail on you to continue with me, I could in talk, better than by writing, mumble over that I have no mind to make a compliment to a Lady I have never been acquainted with; and yet am very forry to diffent from any propofal made to me by an acquaintance I really love and honour fincerely, and very fincerely invited to do herself good in our Nut-fhell, which she herself is ftill heartily welcome to. Though the inquires after all our healths, without faying one word of her own, which we all wifh good, with all our hearts; we are extremely well, and much obliged to dear Mrs. Blunt for her kind remembrance. I am really and truly, very faithfully and affectionately, Your, etc. etc.

CATHERINE, QUEENSBERRY and DOVER,

* So spelt by her Grace, and by other Correfpondents.

C.

I have no gilt paper at hand: pray excufe this unadorned Letter. Pray let the bearer know when you intend being at Peterfham, because he will write to the family there to get your bed well aired.

LETTER IV.

LADY TEMPLE TO THE SAME.

FORGIVE me, dear Mrs. Blunt, if I have no fooner performed my promife of writing to you: but I need not beg pardon, fince you will easily excuse it ; for I fear my Letters will have nothing in them enter. taining, and I can't flatter myself that I have any share in your friendship, fince happy Mrs. Moore is my rival. With this melancholy reflection, I had once refolved never to write; but when I confidered, that perhaps you would sometimes make me happy by your Letters, I was no longer in fuspense what to do, but refolved to write till your filence forbids me. I don't hear much news yet; the town is going into mourning for fix months for the Prince's fifter, in cloth and Norwich stuff. I fuppofe you hear that pretty Mrs. Forefthur (qu. Forrester) is the new Maid of Honour, and that my Lord Dorfet is married to Jenny Roach, a common woman he has kept. They fay fhe is ugly, K 3 but

but has a great deal of wit. We have a new play. house a-building, and a new Actor, which people like nightily. I wifh any thing could bring you to town. Dear Madam,

Your very humble fervant,

C. TEMPLE.

My very humble fervice to Mrs. Blount. If you do me the favour to write, direct for me at Mama's, in Golden Square, London,

November 7th, 1704.

LETTER V.

MR. POPE TO MRS. PRICE, AT SPAW.*

AY, Madam, tell my Lord Cornbury †, I am not

PRAY,

worse than he left me, though I have endured fome uneafiness fince, befides that which his indifpofition, when I parted, gave me. I am amply rewarded by his very kind Letter, and the good news it brought me of his amendment. I have had a correfpondence with my Lord Clarendon, who has in the moft obliging manner imputed his journey to Spa to the encouragement I gave him to travel, and to the experience that he was abler to do fo than he imagined

*Communicated by Uvedale Price, Efq.

See a character of this Nobleman, Vol. iv. p. 156.

gined himself. I earnestly wish his return, but not till he can bring himself whole to us, who want honest and able men too much to part from him: I hope, therefore, to see him this Seffions in full health and fpirit. Madam, as to yourself, it would be fome compliment in me to put any Lady in the fame line with him; but as I know he likes your company, and as I know you deferve he should, I make no apology either to you or to him. Sint tales anima concordes! (as you very well understand) is the best wish I can form for you both and I leave it to his Lordship to tranflate, if you pretend you cannot. Sure I am you have already tranflated it into your life and manners, if not into your language. I defired Mrs. Blount to write this fentence to you, and with it her service to Lord Cornbury, but he would not trust herself with fo much Latin: I know fome Ladies that would. If you don't come home, it imports you to be extremely the better for being abroad, for we fhall be extremely the worfe for it fo pray mend as faft as you can, the only way you can be mended. I am, Madam,

Your most faithful humble fervant.