Parliament be like to fit any Time; for the Peers of England, being grown of late Years very confiderable in the Government, I would make one at the Seffion. Livy and Sickness has a little. inclin❜d me to Policy; when I come to Town, I make no question but to change that Folly for some lefs; whether Wine or Women I know not; according as my Conftitution serves me: till when (dear Harry) farewel! When you dine at my Lord Life's, let me be remembred. Kings and Princes are only as incomprehenfible, as what they pretend to reprefent; but apparently as frail as thofe they govern.This is a Seafon of Tribulation; and I pioufly beg of Almighty God, that the ftrict Severity fhewn to one fcandalous Sin amongst us, may expiate for all grievous Calamities. -So help them God, whom it concerns! I Harry, LETTER XII.. To the SA ME.. F Sack and Sugar be a Sin, God help the Wicked, was the Saying of a merry fat Gentleman, who liv'd in Days of Yore, lov'd a Glafs of Wine, would be merry with a Friend, and fometimes had an unlucky Fancy for a Wench. Now (dear Mr. Saville) forgive me, if I confefs, that, upon feveral Occafions, you have put me in mind of this fat Person, and now more particularly, for thinking upon your prefent Circumftances, I cannot but fay with myself, if loving a pretty Woman, and hating Lauderdale, bring Banifhments and Pox, the Lord have Mercy Mercy upon poor Thieves and S! But, by this time, all your Inconveniences (for, to a Man of your very good Senfe, no outward Accidents are more) draw very near their End: For my own Part, I'am taking Pains not to die, without knowing how to live on, when I have brought it about: but most human Affairs are carried on at the fame nonfenfical Rate, which makes me, (who am now grown fuperftitious) think it a Fault to laugh at the Monkey we have here, when I compare his Condition with Mankind. You will be very good-natur'd, if you keep your Word, and write to me fometimes: and fo good Night, dear Mr. Saville. ROCHESTER.. LETTER XIII. Harry, Whether Love, Wine, or Wisdom, (which rule you by Turns) have the prefent Afcendant, I cannot pretend to determine at this Distance; but Good-nature, which waits about you with more Diligence than Godfrey himself, is my Security, that you are unmindful of your abfent Friends: to be from you, and forgotten by you at once, is a Misfortune I never was criminal enough to merit, fince to the black and fair Countefs, I villainously betray'd the daily Addreffes of your divided Heart: you forgave that upon the first Bottle, and upon the fecond, on my Conscience, wou'd have renounc'd them, and the whole Sex; oh! that second Bottle (Harry!) is the fincereft, wifeft, and moft impartial downright Friend we have; tells us Truth of ourfelves, and forces us to fpeak Truths of others; banishes Flattery from our Tongues, and Diftruft from our Hearts, fets us above the mean Policy of Court-Prudence : which makes us lie to one another all Day, for fear of being betray'd by each other at Night. And (before God) I believe the erranteft Villain breathing, is honeft as long as that Bottle lives, and few of that Tribe dare venture upon him, at least, among the Courtiers and Statesmen. I have feriously confider'd one Thing, that is the three Bufineffes of this Age, Women, Politics, and Drinking, the laft is the only Exercife at which you and I have not prov❜d ourselves errant Flumblers: if you have the Vanity to think otherwife; when we meet, let us appeal to Friends of both Sexes, and as they fhall determine, live and die their Druukards, or intire Lovers. For, as we mince the Matter, it is hard to fay which is the most tiresome Creature, loving Drunkard, or the drun ken Lover. If you ventur'd you fat Buttock a Gallop to Portsmouth, I doubt not but thro' extreme galling, you now lie Bed-rid of the Piles, or Fiftula in Ano, and have the Leifure to write to your Country Acquaintance; which if you omit, I fall take the Liberty to conclude you very proud. Such a Letter fhould be directed to me at Adderbury, near Banbury, where I intend to be within these three Days. From Bath, June the 220. Your obedient bumble Servant, ROCHESTER. LET LETTER XIV.. To the SA ME.. Dear Saville, 7Hether Love or the Politicks have the greater Intereft in your Journey to France, because it is argued among wifer Men, I will not conclude upon; but hoping fo much from your Friendship, that, without Referve, you will trufb me with the Time of your Stay in Paris; I have writ this to affure you, if it can continue a Month, I will not fail to wait on you there. My Refolutions are to improve this Winter, for the Improvement of my Parts in foreign Coun-tries; and if the Temptation of feeing you, be added to the Defires I have already, the Sin is fo fweet, that I am refolved to embrace it, and leave out of my Prayers, Libera nes à maloFor thine is, &c. Oxford, Sept. 5 ROCHESTER.. LETTER XV. To the SA ME. Harry, think love me; "TIS not the leaft of my Happiness, that I but the first of all my you Pretenfions is to make it appear, that I faithfully endeavour to deferve it. If there be a real Good upon Earth, 'tis in the Name of Friend, without which all others are mere fantastical. How few of us are fit Stuff to make that thing, we have daily the melancholy Experience. How However, dear Harry! let us not give out, nor despair of bringing that about, which, as it is the most difficult, and rare Accident of Life, is also the best; nay, (perhaps) the only good one. This Thought has fo intirely poffeffed me fince I came into the Country, (where, only, one can think; for you at Court think not at all; or, at least, as if you were shut up in a Drum; as you think of nothing but the Noife that is made about you) that I have made many ferious Reflections upon it, and amongst others, gathered one Maxim, which I defire, fhould be communicated to our Friend Mr. G; that we are bound in Morality and common Honesty, to endeavour after competent Riches; fince it is certain, that few Men, if any, uneafy in their Fortunes, have proved firm and clear in their Friendships. A very poor Fellow, is a very poor Friend; and not one of a thousand can be goodnatured to another, who is not pleased within himfelf. But while I grow into Proverbs, I forget that you may impute my Philofophy to the Dogdays, and living alone. To prevent the Inconveniencies of Solitude, and many others, I intend to go to the Bath on Sunday next, in Vifitation to my Lord Treasurer. Be fo politick, or be fo kind, (or a little of both, which is better) as to step down thither, if famous Affairs at Windfor do not detain you. Dear Harry, I am Your bearty, faithful, affectionate, |