they who would be great in our little Government, feem as ridiculous to me as School-boys, who, with much Endeavour, and fome Danger, climb a Crab-tree, venturing their Necks for Fruit, which folid Pigs would difdain, if they were not ftarving. Thefe Reflections, how idle foever they feem to the Bufy, if taken into Confideration, would fave you many a weary Step in the Day, and help Gy, to many an hour's Sleep, which he wants in the Night: but Gy would be rich; and by my Troth, there is some Senfe in that pray remember me to him, and tell him, I wish him many Millions, that his Soul may find Reft. You write me Word, that I'm out of favour with a certain Poet, whom I have ever admir'd, for the Difproportion of him. and his Attributes: he is a Rarity which I cannot but be fond of, as one would be of a Hog that could fiddle, or a finging Owl. If he falls upon me at the Blunt, which is his very good Weapon in Wit, I will forgive him, if you pleafe, and leave the Repartee to Black Will, with a Cudgel. And now, my dear Harry, if it may agree with your Affairs, to fhew yourself in the Country this Summer, contrive fuch a Crew together, as may not be afham'd of paffing by Woodstock; and, if you can debauch Alderman G- -y, we will make a fhift to delight his Gravity. I am forry for the declining D-fs, and would have you generous to her at this Time; for that is true Pride, and I delight in it.

LETTER V.

To the SA M E.

Dear Saville,

THE

HIS Day I received the unhappy News of my own Death and Burial. But, hearing. what Heirs and Succeffors were decreed me in my Place, and chiefly in my Lodgings, it was no fmall Joy to me, that thofe Tidings prove untrue; my Paffion for living, is fo increas'd,. that I omit no Care of myfelf; which, before, I never thought Life worth the Trouble of taking. The King, who knows me to be a very illnatur'd Man, will not think it an easy matter. for me to die, now I live chiefly, out of Spite. Dear Mr. Saville, afford me fome News from. your Land of the Living; and though I have little Curiofity to hear who's well, yet I would be glad my few Friends are fo, of whom you are no more the leaft than the leaneft. I have better Compliments for you, but that may not. look fo fincere as I would have you believe I am, when I profess my felf,

Adderbury, near

Banbury, Feb.ult.

Your faithful, affectionate,

humble Servant,.

ROCHESTER.

LET

I

Harry;

LETTER VI.

To the SAME.

you.

Am in a great Straight what to write to you; the Stile of Bufinefs I am not vers'd in, and you may have forgot the familiar one we us'd heretofore. What Alterations Ministry makes in Men, is not to be imagined; though I can truft with Confidence all those you are liable to, fo well I know you, and fo perfectly I love We are in fuch a fettled Happinefs, and fuch merry Security in this Place, that, if it were not for Sicknefs, I could pafs my Time very well, between my own Ill-nature, which inclines me very little to pity the Misfortunes of malicious, miftaken Fools, and the Policies of the Times, which expofe new Rarities of that kind every Day. The News I have to fend, and the fort alone which could be fo to you, are Things Gyaris & carcere digna; which I dare not truft to this pretty Fool, the Bearer, whom I heartily recommend to your Favour and Protection, and whofe Qualities will recommend him more; and truly, if it might fuit with your Character, at your Times of Leifure, to Mr. Baptift's Acquaintance, the happy Confequence would be Singing, and in which your Excellence might have a Share not unworthy the greatest Ambaffadors, nor to be defpis'd even by a Cardinal Legate; the greatest and graveft of this Court of both Sexes have tafted his Beauties and, I'll affure you, Rome gains upon us here in this Point mainly; and there is no Part of the

Plot carried with fo much Secrecy and Vigour as this. Profelytes, of confequence, are daily made, and Lord S's Imprifonment is no Check to any. An Account of Mr. George Porter's Retirement, upon News that Mr. Grimes, with one Gentleman more, had invaded England, Mr. S's Apology, for making Songs on the Duke of M. with his Oration Confolatory on my Lady D's Death, and a Politick Differtation between my Lady Ps and Capt. Dangerfield, with many other worthy Treatifes of the like Nature, are Things worthy your Perufal; but I durft not fend 'em to you without Leave, not knowing what Confequence it might draw upon your Circumftances and Chaacter; but if they will admit a Correspondence of that kind, in which alone I dare prefume to think my felf capable, 1 fhall be very industrious in that way, or any other, to keep you from forgetting

Your most affectionate,

obliged, humble Servant,

Whitehall, Nov. 1,

-79.

ROCHESTER,

LETTER VII.

To the SAM E.

Dear Saville,

WERE I as idle as ever, which I fhould not fail of being, if Health permitted; I would write a fmall Romance, and make the Sun with his difhrievel'd Rays gild the Tops of the Palaces in Leather-lane: then fhould those

vile Enchanters, Barten and Ginman, lead forth their illuftrious Captives in Chains of Quickfilver, and confining 'em by Charms to the loathfome Banks of a dead Lake of Diet-drink; you, as my Friend, fhould break the horrid Silence, and fpeak the moft paffionate fine Things that ever heroick Lover utter'd; which being foftly and fweetly reply'd to by Mrs. Roberts, fhould rudely be interrupted by the envious F

Thus would I lead the mournful Tale along till the gentle Reader bath'd with the Tribute of his Eyes, the Names of fuch unfortunate LoversAnd this (I take it) would be a moft excellent way of celebrating the Memories of my moft Pocky Friends, Companions, and Miftreffes. But it is a miraculous Thing (as the Wife have it) when a Man, half in the Grave, cannot leave off playing the Fool, and the Buffoon; but fo it falls out in my Comfort: for at this Moment I am in a damn'd Relapfe, brought by a Fever, the Stone, and fome ten Diseases more, which have depriv'd me of the Power of Crawling, which I happily enjoy'd fome Days ago; and now I fear I muft fall, that it may be fulfilled which was long fince written for Inftruction in a good old Ballad,

But he who lives not Wife and Sober,
Falls with the Leaf still in October.

About which Time, in all Probability, there may be a Period added to a ridiculous Being of

Your humble Servant,

ROCHESTER.

LET