I have no gilt paper at hand: pray excuse this unadorned Letter. Pray let the bearer know when you intend being at Petersham, 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 eafily excufe it; for I fear my Letters will have nothing in them enter. taining, and I can't flatter myself that I have any fhare 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 fufpense 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 ftuff. I fuppofe you hear that pretty Mrs. Foresthur (qu. Forrester) is the new Maid of Honour, and that my Lord Dorset is married to Jenny Roach, a common woman he has kept. They fay fhe is ugly,

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

Your very humble servant,

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.*

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

worse than he left me, though I have endured fome uneafinefs 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 most 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 ima

* Communicated by Uvedale Price, Efq.

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

gined

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 fee 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 deserve he should, I make no apology either to you or to him. Sint tales animæ concordes! (as you very well understand) is the best wish I can form for you both and I leave it to his Lordfhip to tranflate, if you pretend you cannot. Sure I am you have already tranflated it into your life your language. I defired Mrs. Blount to write this fentence to you, and with it her service to Lord Cornbury, but he would not truft 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 worse for it: fo pray mend as fast as you can, the only way you can be mended. I am, Madam,

and manners, if not into

Your most faithful humble fervant.

LETTER Vİ.

MARTHA BLOUNT TO MRS. PRICE.

DEAR MADAM,

Sept. 8, 1740. MONSIDERING how long I have been without writing

CONSIDE

to you, you will think I have no fair pretence to take ill your not writing to me: but the cafe is very different. You could give me great pleasure in telling me you had a good journey, that the waters did you good, etc. this is the chief: I could add, you do and can write agreeable Letters; you know I cannot: I can only repeat, what I have often told you, in a very dull but very fincere way, that nobody has more regard for you, nor is more interested in all that concerns your health and happiness, and wish you both with all my heart. I am told you don't come back this winter, which I grieve at, till you convince me 'tis for your advantage. I am alfo told Mrs. Pitt has left you much better in health, and that your liking and opinion of each other is juft what I foretold. I hope my dear Mifs Greville is in good health; pray affure her of my affectionate fervices. I have been ten days at Richmond, and confined ever fince I came with a violent cold. I rejoice at Lord Cornbury's good health, and am his very faithful fervant. The Princefs lies in in the beginning of December. Lady Charlotte Edwine is gone to Bristol, I fear far

gone

gone in a confumption. Mrs. Greville * was extremely kind and obliging to me, when I was laft at the Grove: I think all that country exceffively fine. Mifs Longs were there all the time: we played at quadrille; and every thing was fo agreeable, that instead of staying as I propofed, a week, I stayed five.

I was just going to give you and Lord Cornbury an account of Mr. Pope; but he is come to fee me, and will do it himself. I've alfo defired him to fay fomething for me; for I can fay fo little for myself, that by all I can fay, you'll not believe me half so much as I fincerely am, my dear Mrs. Price,

Your most faithful and affectionate

humble fervant,

M. BLOUNT.

I can't quite forgive your writing to all your acquaintance, fome of which, I think, deferved that favour less than I did, before you gave me that pleasure.

They have given over talking of the Duchefs of B. I don't hear her named now: I was fenfible of the grief that affair gave you. Adieu. I hope your fon is well.

* Mrs. Greville was fifter to Mrs. Price, grand-mother to Uvedale Price, Efq. and I believe fhe was the

"Greville, whofe eyes have power to make

A Pope of every swain.”

They were daughters of Lord Arthur Somerfet, and of courfe interested in the divorce of the Duchefs of Beaufort, who is mentioned in the latter poftfcript, and who, after her divorce, was married to Col. Fitzroy, and had by him the prefent Duchefs of Norfolk.