LETTER VII.

**

MADAM,

Twitenham, Sept. 30, 1722.

O confidence is so great, as that

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one receives from perfons one knows may be believed, and in things one is willing to believe. I have (at laft) acquired this; by Mrs. H

repeated affurances of a thing I am

I

unfeign

unfeignedly fo defirous of, as your allowing me to correfpond with you. In good earnest, there is fometimes in men as well as in women, a great deal of unaffected modefty: and I

was fincere all along, when I told her perfonally, and told you by my filence, that I feared only to feem impertinent, while perhaps I feemed negligent, to you. To tell Mrs. any thing like what I really thought of her, would have looked fo like the common traffick of compliment, that pays only to receive; and to have told it her in diftant or bafhful terms, would

F 2

would have appeared fo like coldness in my fenfe of good qualities (which I cannot find out in any one, without feeling, from my nature, at the fame time a great warmth for them) that I was quite at a loss what to write, or in what ftile, to you. But I am refolved, plainly to get over all objections, and faithfully to affure you, if you will help a bafhful man to be paft all preliminaries, and forms, I am ready to treat with you for your friendship. I know (without more ado) you have a valuable foul; and wit, fenfe, and worth enough, to make

me

me reckon it (provided you will permit it) one of the happineffes of my life to have been made acquainted with you.

what

I Do not know, on the other hand, you can think of me; but this, for a beginning, I will venture to engage, that whoever takes me for a poet, or a wit (as they call it), takes me for a creature of lefs value than I am: and that where-ever I profess it, you shall find me a much better man, that is, a much better friend, or at least a much lefs faulty one, than I

am

am a poet. That whatever zeal I may have, or whatever regard I may thew, for things I truly am fo pleased with as your entertaining writings; I fhall ftill have more for your

yet perfon, and for your health, and for your happiness. I would, with as much readiness, play the apothecary or the nurse, to mend your head-akes, as I would play the critick to improve your verfes. I have feriously looked over and over those intrusted me

you

with; and affure you, Madam, I would as foon cheat in any other

truft, as in this. I fincerely tell you,

I can