Storms, laughing at Greatnefs, and merry over a Christmas-fire, exercifing all the Funotions of an old Patriarch in Charity and Hofpitality. I will not tell Mrs B. what I think the is doing; for I conclude it is her opinion, that he only ought to know it for whom it is done: and fhe will allow herself to be far enough advanc'd above a fine Lady, not to defire to shine before Men. Your Daughters perhaps may have fome other thoughts, which even their Mother muft excuse them for, because fhe is a Mother. I will not however fuppose those thoughts get the better of their Devotions, but rather excite 'em, and affift the warmth of them; while their Prayer may be, that they may raife up and breed as irreproachable a young Family as their Parents have done. In a Word, I fancy you all well, eafy, and happy, just as I wish you; and next to that I wish you all with me. Next to God, is a good Man: Next in dignity, and next in value. Minuifti eum paullo minus ab Angelis. If therefore I wish well to the good and the deserving, and defire They only fhou'd be my Companions and Correfpondents; I muft very foon, and very much think of you. I want your Company, and your Example. Pray make hafte to Town, fo as not again to leave us: Discharge the Load of Earth that lies on you, like like one of the Mountains under which the Poets fay the Giants (that is, the Men of the Earth) are whelmed: Leave Earth to the Sons of Earth; your Converfation is in Heaven. Which that it may be accomplish'd in us all, is the Prayer of him who maketh this fhort Sermon, Value (to you) Three Pence. Adieu. Į LETTERS SIR, YOU OU writ me a very kind Letter fome months ago; and told me you were then upon the point of taking a journey. into Devonshire. That hindered my anfwering you, and I have fince several times inquir'd of you, without any Satisfaction for fo I call the knowledge of your welfare, or of any thing that concerns you. 2 past two months in Suffex, and fince my Return have been again very ill. I writ to Lintet in hopes of hearing of you, but had no answer to that point. Our Friend Ꮻ Mr: I Mr. Cromwell too has been filent all this year; I believe he has been difpleas'd at fome or other of my Freedoms; which I very innocently take, and moft with those I think moft my friends. But this I know nothing of; perhaps he may have open'd to you: And, if I know you right, you are of a Temper to cement Friendships, and not to divide them. I really much love Mr. Cromwell, and have a true affection for your self, which if I had any Intereft in the world, or Power with those who have, I fhou'd not be long without manifefting to you. I defire will not, you not, either out of Modefty, or a vicious Diftruft of another's value for you, (those two Eternal Foes to Merit) imagine that your Letters and Con verfation are not always welcome to me. There's no man more intirely fond of goodnature or ingenuity than my felf, and I have seen too much of thofe qualities in Mr. Gay to be any thing less than his Dear Sir, IT Dec, 24, 1712. T has been my good fortune within this month paft, to hear more thingst that have pleas'd me than (I think) almost in all my time befide. But nothing upon my word has been fo Home-felt a fatiffaction as the News you tell me of your felf and you are not in the least miftaken, when you congratulate me upon your own good Succefs; for I have more People to be happy out of, than any ill-natur'd man can boaft. I may with honesty affirm to you, that notwithstanding the many Inconveniencies and Difadvantages they commonly talk of in the Res angufti domi, I have never found any other, than the inability of giving people of Merit the only certain proof of our value for them, in doing 'em fome real fervice. For, after all, if we could but Think a little, Selflove might make us Philofophers, and convince us, Quantuli indiget Natura! Ourfelves are easily provided for; 'tis nothing but the Circumftantials, and the Apparatus or Equipage of human life that cofts fo much the furnishing. Only what a luxurious Man wants for horfes and foot-men, 0 2 a good |