you, in hopes to fix an hour for us to meet and chat, not upon business, but joy and society. To-day, I believe, I must go to Twitnam, to get rid of a violent cold in the mean time I beg you to draw up a draught of an article on the enclosed head, between Mr. L. and me, and to speak to him to give you his former agreement for the Iliad, which will help the wording of some part, better than this scroll. The purport, however, of this is clear. I am ever, dear Sir,

Your most faithful, affectionate servant,

To Wm. Fortescue, Esq. in Tom's Coffeehouse, in Devereux-court, Temple.

A. POPE.

DEAR SIR,

LETTER XXI.

YOU see by the inclosed my sister is in an alarum, I suppose occasioned by a mere mistake of Mr. C- 's clerk; or by her own too much haste in running to administer before him. I beg you will cause that mistake forthwith to be removed, that she may, without loss of time, proceed with full powers. I must entreat your vigilance as to her great affair, that it may be done with all convenient speed. It seems C s says there is some difference in the account, as kept by Mr. Racket, and by the other party in the chancery suit. If you please to have a meeting with Mr. Essington, and examine this account of what has been paid into his hands, it will be the readiest way, and is very necessary. I am glad you had not the mortification of seeing the country this sad and gloomy day. I heartily wish myself with you.

Adieu! dear Sir. I hope better luck next Sunday; till then, vive memor nostri, dear Sir,

Your true friend,

and obliged faithful servant,

My mother sends you her hearty services.

To Wm. Fortescue, Esq. at his House,

in Bell-yard.

A. POPE.

DEAR SIR,

LETTER XXII.

IF this reaches you, I beg we may meet at the Doctor's about six to night. I must run again out of town, for my mother is very ill of a jaundice, and I come to speak to the Doctor chiefly; I am afraid she will be too ill to let me have the pleasure of seeing you on Sunday, but the first day I can, I will send to beg it of you; being, with great truth and esteem, dear Sir,

Ever yours,

A. POPE.

Two o'clock. I've been every where about to find you about your lodgings, chambers, Dutton's, Merin's, Tom's, Lintot's. Pray try if you can find Gay.

To Wm. Fortescue, Esq.

DEAR SIR,

LETTER XXIII.

Dec. 1735.

THIS is only to tell you, I love you not the less for not seeing you more. Ever since we dined in the park, I have been planting at home, have catched two colds on the neck of one another, but still plant on, being resolved to finish this fine season. My alterations are what you would not conceive. Besides, my shell temple is fallen down; and yet I live! Whether I shall see you before the end of the week in town, I know not. I dare not cross the water to lie abroad, with this cold upon me. I hope you are well; I heartily love you, and wish you so.

Adieu.

A. POPE.

LETTER XXIV.

DEAR SIR, Twitnam, April 2. I BEGAN a letter to you about a fortnight past, which Gay was to finish, and, accordingly put it in his pocket, I believe; for I never since could find it here. If you received it, it would look oddly enough; for intending to fill a page, I had left a large blank, and probably he sent it you just as it was. I have ever since been engaged in country-houses and gardens, with one friend or other, and know nothing of the town, but that Bowry gave my mother sometimes an account of the state of the family, and of their drink. Dr. Swift is come into England, who is now with me, and with whom I am to ramble again to Lord Oxford's and Lord Bathurst's, and other places. Dr. Arbuthnot has led him a course through the town, with Lord Chesterfield, Mr. Pulteney, etc. Lord Peterborow and Lord Harcourt propose to carry

him

I

to Sir R. Walpole, and I to Mrs. Howard, etc. wish you were here to know him. I have just now a very ill-timed misfortune, a lame thigh, which keeps me from these parties; but I hope, since so many of my friends' prayers are on this occasion joined to my own, that I may be blessed with a speedy recovery, and make one amongst them. Many good wishes of mine attend you! May no similar accident, such as a fall from your horse by day, or a sprain in your back by night, retard your return to us! Pray acquaint me, more largely than you did in your last concise letter, and in a style more suitable to the length and duration of a pleader and writer in law, of all your fortunes since we parted. In each and all of which, be assured, no man takes a truer part, and more wishes your welfare and prosperity, than, dear Sir,

Your faithful, ever affectionate servant,

To Wm. Fortescue, Esq.

A. POPE.

DEAR SIR,

LETTER XXV.

June 24, 1720.

I HAVE a great many obligations to you, and I may say, the lampreys are of the fresh water, since they are very fresh and good. I am really piqued at the stocks, which put a stop, at present, to all trade and all friendship, and, I fear, all honour too. I am sure, however, they do you as little prejudice, and your morals, as any man's; your memory of your friends is proved by the good offices you continue to do them ; and I assure you I heartily wish some occasion may offer itself of my proving to you my sense of this which I say. Pray, if it is possible to_remember a mere word of course in such a place as Exchange-alley, remember me there to Gay; for any where else (I deem) you will not see him as yet. I

DEAR SIR, Twitnam, Sept. 17, 1724. YOUR friendly and kind letter I received with real joy and gladness, to hear, after a long silence, of the welfare of a whole family, which I shall ever unfeignedly wish well to in all regards. I knew not in what part of the land to level a letter at you, or else you had heard first from me. My mother, indeed, is very ill; but as it seems only the effect of a cold, which always handles her severely, I hope not in any danger. I am in the old way, this day well, however, and the past and future are not in my power, so not much in my care. Gay is at the bath with Dr. Arbuthnot. Mrs. Howard returns your services, and Marblehill waits only for its roof,-the rest finished. The little Prince William wants Miss Fortescue, or, to say truth, any body else that will play with him. You say nothing at what time we may expect you here; I wish it soon, and thought you talked of Michaelmas. I am grieved to tell you, that there is one Devonshire man not honest; for my man Robert proves a vile fellow, and I have discarded him: auri sacra fames is his crime; a crime common to the greatest and meanest if any way in power, or too much in trust! I am going upon a short ramble to my Lord Oxford's, and Lord Cobham's, for a fortnight, this Michaelmas; and the hurry I am at present in, with preparing to be idle, (a common case,) makes it difficult for me to continue this letter, though