My Lord,

LETTER LVI.

TO THE SAME.

December 26, 1733.

I

SINCERELY wish yourself, Lady Oxford, and Lady Margaret, the happiest New Years to come. I have fo many things to tell you, that I can tell you none, and therefore I am inclined not to write at all. Whatever I can fay of my zealous defires for your felicity, is fhort of the truth; and as to the rest, it is too long a story to begin till I have the pleasure to meet your Lordship, and can at the fame time make an end of it.

This I writ a week ago, and having nothing more material to fay, was afhamed to fend it. But feeing they can't tell me when you return to town, I was refolved not to let the feafon pafs without fending you all this poor wish at least. I hope my Lady Oxford is perfectly well, though I heard she has not been fo, notwithstanding your porter has often told me all was well at Wimpole. Believe me to be with the trueft esteem and unalterable fincerity, my Lord, your Lordship's moft obedient, affectionate, and obliged fervant.

If Lord Duplin be with you, I hope he will accept my humble fervices.

LETTER LVII.

TO JOHN VANDR. BEMPDEN, ESQ. PRESENT.

SIR,

PON what

you

UPON

Thursday.

told me when I was laft to wait on you, I deferred treating further for the rentcharge, till you could be more certain what fum you could conveniently raise in prefent, towards the purchase. If there were only 3 or 400l. wanting, we would take your bond; for as to a mortgage on the rent-charge, my father is not qualified to take it; for by an Act of Parliament he cannot buy land, though he may fell. However, if you defire to make the purchase foon, I believe I have a friend who will lend the 1000l. on the fame fecurity you offer us. you If you have any other fcruple, you'll please to tell it me fairly; but if this purchase be convenient to you, we shall think of treating with no other, and be ready upon your answer; since I think what I here propose, entirely accommodates all the difficulty you seem to be at. I am, Sir,

LETTER LVIII.

TO MR. JERVAS.

No date.

I

BEG you to let me know if have you any thoughts of your Devonshire journey this fummer. If you have, I will stay for you, and let Mr. Fortescue and Gay travel together. This refolution must be made with some haste, because they go next week, and I fhall want time to prepare. I thought Mrs. Cecil had receipts before. The names of Lady Ranelagh and Lady Cavendish were inferted long fince in the lift.

You may tell Mr. Rollinfon that Gay was not sure he fhould go to Lord Bolingbroke's when he came hither; or help him to fome excufe, for his neglect was fcandalous, and has given him much vexation of fpirit.

I should have been glad to have had the Report of the Committee, and have fince writ to Lintott for it. If the Whigs now fay, that B. is the hero of my preface, the Tories faid (you may remember) three years ago, that Cato was the hero of my poetry. It looks generous enough to be always on the fide of the diftreffed; and my patrons of the other party may expect great panegyrics from me when they come to be impeached by the future party rage of their oppo

nents.

nents.

To compliment those who are dead in law, is as much above the imputation of flattery, as Tickell fays it is, to compliment those who are really dead. And perhaps too there is as much vanity in my praising Bolingbroke, as in his praifing Halifax. No people in the world are so apt to give themselves airs as authors.

I have received the report, but have not yet had time to read any of it. I have gone through the 5th, 6th, and 7th books, except a small part of the latter end of the 6th.-Pray tell me if you hear any thing faid about Mr. Tickell's, or my translation, if the town be not too much taken up with great affairs, to notice of either.

take any

I hold the refolution I told you in my last, of fee

go.

ing you if you cannot take a trip hither before I But I would fain flatter myself so far as to fancy we might travel together. Pray give me a line by Saturday's poft.

I am at all times, and in all reigns, whatever be the fate of the world, or of myself, fincerely and affectionately, Dear Mr. JERVAS,

All here most truly your fervants.

Yours, etc.

I

SIR,

LETTER LIX.

TO JABEZ HUGHES, ESQ.

HAVE read over again your brother's play, with more concern and forrow than I ever felt in the reading any tragedy.

The real lofs of a good man may be called a distress to the world, and ought to affect us more than any feigned or ancient distress, how finely drawn foever.

I am glad of an occafion to give you, under my chand, this teftimony, both how excellent I think this work to be, and how excellent I thought the author. I am, etc.

SIR,

LETTER LX.

TO MR. DENNIS.

May 3, 1721.

I

CALLED to receive the two books of your letters § from Mr. Congreve, and have left with him the

little

* This Letter to Mr. Hughes, with the excellent character of his deceased brother, being fo contradictory to one addreffed to Dean Swift, in which he fays, The author of the Siege of Damascus was of the class of the mediocribus in profe and ve:se, made it neceffary to fink the first.

The Siege of Damascus, written by John Hughes, Efq. who died Feb. 17, 1719, the first night of its representation.

These books were intitled, Original Letters, familiar, moral, and critical. In two volumes 8vo.