DEAR SIR, LETTER XXXIII. Monday, April. I was two nights in town, and aimed at seeing you on both; but the cursed attendance on the excise bill deprived me of it, and I grumble with the rest, upon that score, at it. Your present life is labour; I hope your future will be in more repose, and that you may sleep either on the bench or off, just as you please. Twickenham will be as much at the service of my Lord Judge, as it was of my learned Counsel; and I flatter myself in the imagination that your hours and days in general will be more mine when they are more yours. Adieu! and keep my secret as long as it will keep. I think myself so happy in being approved by you, and some few others, that I care not for the public a jot. DEAR SIR, LETTER XXXIV. March 8, 1732-3. YOUR most kind letter was a sensible pleasure to me: and the friendship and concern shewn in it, to suggest what you thought might be agreeable to a person whom you know I would not disoblige, I take particularly kind. But the affair in question of any alteration is now at an end, by that lady's having taken her own satisfaction in an avowed libel, so fulfilling the veracity of my prophecy. There has been another thing, wherein Pigot is abused as my learned counsel, written by some Irish attorney; and Curll has printed a parody on my words, which he is proud of as his own production, saying he will pay no more of his authors, but can write better himself. The town, since you went, has entered much into the fashion of applauding the Essay on Man; and in many places it is set up as a piece far excelling any thing of mine, and commended, I think, more in opposition to me, than in their real judgment it deserves. I congratulate with you for being got out of the noise and debate about the excises, getting money and health at once, and doing justice too. I think yours is much the better part. I must beg you to remind Mr. C―s of Mr. Bethel's affair, not to let slip this Lady-day, in making the demand on the premises in Wales; it is certainly now high time he should write to the attorney there. Having done with all law matters, the rest of this paper should be filled with all expressions of esteem and friendship, if such expressions could be of any use or grace after the experience and habit (the two strongest of things) of many years. Believe me, you have the essentials; and the ceremonials, therefore, are laid aside. Such a practice, continued where it is needless, is like keeping up the scaffolding after the building is finished: what helped to raise it at first will but disgrace it at last. Adieu! and write at your leisure. Sit tibi cura mei; sit tibi cura tui. Yours ever. DEAR SIR, LETTER XXXV. June 7, 1733.* It is indeed a grief to me, which I cannot express, and which I should hate my own heart, if I did not feel, and yet wish no friend I have ever should feel. All our passions are inconsistencies, and our very reason is no better. But we are what we were made to be. Adieu! it will be a comfort to me to see you on Saturday night. Believe me, dear Sir, yours. DEAR SIR, THE LETTER XXXVI. HE only day 1 had I came hither, and was unlucky in missing you. I go away this moment; if you come on Saturday, Lady Suffolk dines with me, and you will find her even after dinner, if you cannot come sooner. On Sunday I shall be at home: why cannot you lie at Twitnam Saturday night? I want to ask and tell you many things; some of business. I hope Mr. C-s has got the remainder of Mrs. Blount's debt from her brother, the whole 75l. which she has occasion enough for. Adieu! and know me for Yours ever faithfully. * The day on which Mr. Pope's mother died. DEAR SIR, LETTER XXXVII. Twitnam, Nov. 13, 1733. I HAD fully hoped to have seen you ere now; but though I was in town two days and half, I could find no evening; and am now unwilling to be there till all the bustle of the wedding is over. In the mean time I hope you will secure Mrs. Blount, by insuring Robert's life the moment he comes to town; if it were but for two or three months, or less, if the money be not actually paid sooner. I have sent the last assurance, in case it can be any direction to the next. I employ these few days in putting the last hand to my Essay, and I will then immediately print it. I meditate a fine edition of the whole, which I will soon have the pleasure to see in your library, with an inscription of the love the author bears you. Sincerely, dear Sir, I am always yours. I am told that Miss Fortescue is perfectly well. (I hope truly.) DEAR SIR, LETTER XXXVIII. Friday, 1733. I HAVE been hindered by an accident of ceremony, which could not be waved, from lying at your house last night or this. I must just look at my own home to-morrow, and, as it is Satur day, wish for your company. I am to be conveyed by a party of your friends. Miss Patty Blount, never having seen you of late, desires you will be of it. We go to pass some hours at Chiswick Gardens, and set out by water from Whitehall at eight to-morrow morn: thence I would attend you home. I should be glad you had leisure to do this, which would be a true pleasure to Your ever obliged friend and faithful servant. A word in answer will find me at Lord Bathurst's. DEAR SIR, LETTER XXXIX. September 13. I TAKE your letter the more kindly, as I had not written to you myself; at least it must have been so, for all you could know; for though, indeed, I did write once, yet I know it never reached you. I am sorry for poor White, who died just then. I could wish, if you are not fixed on a successor, you had a relation of mine in your eye; but this, I fear, is a hundred to one against my hopes. I am truly glad you have safely performed your revolution, and are now turning round your own axle in Devonshire; from whence may we soon behold you roll towards our world again! I can give you no account of Gay, since he was raffled for, and won back by his Duchess, but |