DEAR SIR,

LETTER VI.

I HAVE been twice or thrice at your door, but found it locked, and was told fince you were gone into the country, which (till I met your man this morning) I took to be Devonshire. I rejoice at your being ftill among us, as at a friend's being alive, whom one had thought departed. I very earnestly defire you to spend a day or two at Twitnam; I fhall be there to-night, for fome days. Pray don't deny that favour to Your faithful, obliged, affectionate servant,

A. POPE.

Saturday. Gay is, and will be at Chiswick.

To Wm. Fortefeue, Efq.

LETTER VII.

DEAR SIR,

Friday Morning.

WAS t'other day in town, but could not find you at any hour of it, except at night, when I could not be difengaged. I have got Gay with me here, to pass two or three days; we are quite alone and uninterrupted. If you can come to us on Saturday,

VOL. X.

and

and stay Sunday, it will be highly delightful to us both, and Gay will return with you. I am so much better in health here than in town, yet I think to pass my time almost entirely at home, for the remainder of the winter. I fhall be much pleased if I find myself so much remembered by two or three (which is the most I either hope or wifh) of my friends, as to be vifited by them now and then; and as I have experimentally known you to be one of those, I beg you to continue thus mindful of him, who will always be fo of you.

Your true friend and affectionate servant,

A. POPE.

I received your inclosed fome days fince. If his information be right, I think him honest in his profesfion, industrious, and able; befides which, he will work cheap.

To Wm. Fortefcue, Efq. at his Houfe, at the upper end of Bell yard, near Lincoln's Inn, Londor.

DEAR SIR,

LETTER VIII.

Is in the utmost hurry I send this, not to omit a

poft my mother has had a most unfortunate accident of a fall, which has much bruised her, and almost had burned her, but for a great escape. Mr. Chefelden had no fooner writ me the inclosed (for I fent a letter to his house but just before, as foon as I read yours), but he came hither to affift her. What he further tells me is, that he has the power of putting in four in a year: for the next two he stands indifpenfably engaged, but will make Mr. Wife the third, which will be in about half a year: he will then certainly serve him: the terms, it seems, are 291. for the course of the hospitals and the anatomy; he affures me he will forward and affift him all he can. Pardon my haste, I am really in great trouble, and fhe in great pain; God knows the event of fuch a fhock at her years. God profper you all. Pray write how you continue recovering.

Adieu!

To Wm. Fortescue, Efq.

Yours,

A. POPE.

DEAR SIR,

LETTER IX.

MR. Gay and I am here, reading (but not writing) all day long. He is the reverfe of you, and hates exercise, nay, I can't so much as get him into the garden. I employ myself yet a little there, and a little in cafting my eye upon the great heap of fragments and hints before me, for my large and almoft boundless work, to remove as much of which as is in any method, out of the reft, is fo much clearing the way therefore it is that I trouble you with fo much tranfcribing. I fend the third of the firft part, relating to fociety and government, which I believe Mr. Doves may pick out. And if he has tranfcribed what last I left with you, pray send it by the bearer. I have no thought of going to town these five days. All health attend you and yours.

Ever your affectionate friend and fervant,

A. POPE.

Pray fend fome of your flyptic.

To Mr. Fortefeue.

DEAR SIR,

LETTER X.

Twitnam, Tuesday, April 1736.

I

NEED not tell you I am heartily glad of your return my rheumatifm having left me is not a greater joy. But I cannot leave this place at this important time, when every hour of my being here gives it a new improvement, as you will fee when you come (I hope on Saturday). I inquired, but did not find the Ladies were fo early at Richmond as you writ me word: indeed, the easterly wind was enough to difcourage them. I fend you the paper, which I fee, by what you faid, you like better than I do. I hope the fubfcription will fail, fo far at least as to excufe me from the thing I never liked, and have been over-perfuaded to do. I am truly, and always, Yours,

A. POPE.

If you take any subscribers in, you must give them a receipt in this form: Received of —one guinea, being the whole payment for a volume of Mr. Pope's works, in profe, which, if the impreffion does not go on, I promise to return, on demand, after Midsummer W. F.

next.

To the Honourable Mr. Baron Fortescue, in Bell-yard, by Lincoln's Inn, Lon

don.