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My lord treasurer does, upon all occasions, do justice to your merit; and has expressed to all his friends the great esteem he has for so hearty and honest a friend, and particularly on occasion of the letter you mention to have lately writ to him. And all his friends can inform you with what pleasure he communicated it to them.

And now for business; I am to acquaint you, that last Thursday I received the 50l. (which now waits your orders) and dated your receipt accordingly, which I delivered to Mr. Wetham, who paid me the money. I do not pretend to tell you how matters go. Our friend says very bad. I am sanguine enough to hope not worse. I am, with all possible esteem, ever yours, WILLIAM THOMAS.

FROM DR. ARBUTHNOT.

DEAR BROTHER,

Kensington, June 26, 1714.

I HAD almost resolved not to write to you, for fear of disturbing so happy a state as you describe. On the other hand, a little of the devil, that cannot endure any body should enjoy a paradise, almost provoked me to give you a long and melancholy state of our affairs. For you must know, that it is just my own case. I have with great industry endeavoured to live in ignorance, but at the same time would enjoy Kensington garden; and then some busy discontented body or another comes just cross me, and begins a dismal story; and before I go to supper, I am as full of grievances as the most knowing of them.

I will plague you a little, by telling you the dragon dies hard. He is now kicking and cuffing about him like the devil: and you know parliamentary management is the forte, but no hopes of any settlement between

the two champions. The dragon said last night to my lady Masham and me, that it is with great industry he keeps his friends, who are very numerous, from pulling all to pieces. Gay had a hundred pounds in due time, and went away a happy man. I have solicited both lord treasurer and lord Bolingbroke strongly for the Parnelian, and gave them a memorial the other day. Lord treasurer speaks mighty affectionately of him, which you know is an ill sign in ecclesiastical preferments. Witness some, that you and I know, when the contrary was the best sign in the world. Pray remember Martin*, who is an innocent fellow, and will not disturb your solitude. The ridicule of medicine is so copious a subject, that I must only here and there touch it. I have made him study physick from the apothecaries bills, where there is a good plentiful field for a satire upon the present practice. One of his projects was, by a stamp upon blisteringplasters, and melilot by the yard, to raise money for the government, and to give it to Radcliffe and others to farm. But there was likely to be a petition from the inhabitants of London and Westminster, who had no mind to be flead. There was a problem about the doses of purging medicines published four years ago, showing that they ought to be in proportion to the bulk of the patient. From thence Martin endeavours to determine the question about the weight of the ancient men, by the doses of physick that were given them. One of his best inventions was a map of diseases for the three cavities of the body, and one for the external parts; just like the four quarters of the world. Then the great diseases are like capital cities, with their symptoms all like streets and suburbs, with the roads that lead to other diseases. It is thicker set. with towns than any Flanders map you ever saw.

* Martinus Scriblerus, of whom Pope, Arbuthnot, and others were to write the Memoirs. H.

Radcliffe is painted at the corner of the map, contending for the universal empire of this world, and the rest of the physicians opposing his ambitious designs, with a project of a treaty of partition to settle peace.

There is an excellent subject of ridicule from some of the German physicians, who set up a sensitive soul as a sort of a first minister to the rational. Helmont

calls him Archæus. Dolæus calls him Microcosmetor. He has under him several other genii, that reside in the particular parts of the body, particularly prince Cardimelech in the heart; Gasteronax in the stomach; and the plastick prince in the organs of generation. I believe I could make you laugh at the explication of distempers from the wars and alliances of those princes; and how the first minister gets the better of his mistress anima rationalis.

The best is, that it is making reprisals upon the politicians, who are sure to alegorise all the animal economy into state affairs. Pope has been collecting high flights of poetry, which are very good; they are

to be solemn nonsense.

I thought upon the following the other day, as I was going into my coach, the dust being trouble,

some:

The dust in smaller particles arose,

Than those which fluid bodies do compose;
Contraries in extremes do often meet,

'Twas now so dry, that you might call it wet.

I do not give you these hints to divert you, but that you may have your thoughts, and work upon them.

I know you love me heartily, and yet I will not own, that you love me better than I love you. My lord and lady Masham love you too, and read your letter to me with pleasure. My lady says she will write to you, whether you write to her or not.-Dear friend, adieu.

TO LORD TREASURER OXFORD.

MY LORD,

July 1, 1714. WHEN I was with you, I have said more than once, that I would never allow quality or station made any real difference between men. Being now absent and forgotten*, I have changed my mind: you have a thousand people who can pretend they love you, with as much appearance of sincerity as I; so that, according to common justice, I can have but a thousandth part in return of what I give. And this difference is wholly owing to your station. And the misfortune is still the greater, because I always loved you just so much the worse for your station: for, in your publick capacity, you have often angered me to the heart; but, as a private man, never once. So that, if I only look toward myself, I could wish you a private man tomorrow: for I have nothing to ask; at least nothing that you will give, which is the same thing: and then you would see whether I should not with much more willingness attend you in a retirement, whenever you please to give me leave, than ever I did at London or Windsor. From these sentiments, I will never write to you, if I can help it, otherwise than as to a private person, or allow myself to have been obliged by you in any other capacity.

The memory of one great instance of your candour and justice, I will carry to my grave: that having been in a manner domestick with you for almost four years, it was never in the power of any publick, or concealed enemy, to make you think ill of me, though malice and envy were often employed to that end. If live, posterity shall know that, and more; which,

The Dean was now retired to Letcombe. See p. 37. N.

though you, and somebody that shall be nameless, seem to value less than I could wish, is all the return I can make you. Will you give me leave to say how I would desire to stand in your memory? As one, who was truly sensible of the honour you did him, though he was too proud to be vain upon it: as one, who was neither assuming, officious, nor teasing; who never wilfully misrepresented persons or facts to you, nor consulted his passions when he gave a character: and lastly, as one, whose indiscretions proceeded altogether from a weak head, and not an ill heart. I will add one thing more, which is the highest compliment I can make, that I never was afraid of offending you, nor am now in any pain for the manner I write to you in. I have said enough; and, like one at your levee, having made my bow, I shrink back into the crowd. I am, &c.

FROM MR. BARBER.

HONOURED SIR,

London, July 6, 1714.

I HAD yours of the 3d instant, and am heartily glad of your being in health, which I hope will continue. Pray draw what bills you please: I will pay them on demand.

I will take care of Mrs. Rolt's affair. I wish you would write to her. I had a visit from Mrs. Brackley to day; she gives her humble service, and desired my assistance with general Hill. I told her it was best to stay till there was a master; and I did not doubt but something would be done.

I fortunately met lord Bolingbroke yesterday, the minute I had your letter. I attacked him for some wine, and he immediately ordered you two dozen of red French wine, and one dozen of strong Aaziana

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