afked me the queftion. I remember, Mr. Lintot

mewed me a piece of yours, of which (he faid) you

Y 4 defired



328 LETTERS TO AND

defired my opinion : I was juft then in a great hurry,
going a journey out of town upon bufmefs for a few
days ; : and therefore told him I would call for it in a
day or two, to read carefully : however, I caft my
eye on fome parts of it, which I liked, and told him
fo. This was all, to the beft of my memory, that
paused between us ; and you may imagine it was fome
furprize to me when I faw your Preface a very
fhort time after. I think it incumbent on any well-
meaning man, to acquit himfelf of an ill-grounded
fufpicion in another, who perhaps means equally well,
and is only too credulous. I am fincerely fo far from
refenting this miflake, that I am more difpleafed, at
your thinking it necefiary to treat me fo much in a
ftyle of compliment as you do in your letter. I will
fay nothing of the poem you favour me with, for fear
of being in the wrong; but I am fure, the perfon
who is capable of writing it, can need no man to
judge it. I am, with all refpeft, Sir,

Your, etc.

I received yours but four days fince, it being di-
rected to Chifwick, where I have not lived this twelve-






FROM AARON HILL, ESQ. 329

LETTER VII.
TO THE SAME.

Dear Sir, Twickenham, March 14, 1731.

ir AM not more happy, nor feel a greater eafe in
companion of my former pain, in the recovery
from my rheumatifm, than in that from your dif-
pleafure. Be aflured, no little offenders ever mail be
diftinguifhed more by me. Your dedication pleafes
me almoft equally with the poem ; our hearts beat juft
together, in regard to men of power and quality : but
a feries of infirmities (for my whole life has been but
one long difeafe) has hindered me from following
your advices. I this day have writ to Lord Peterbo-
rough a letter with your poem, The familiarity in
which we have lived fome years, makes it not un-
ufual, in either him or me, to tell each other any
thing that pleafes us : otherwife you might think it
arrogant in me to pretend to put fo good a thing into
his hands, in which I have no merit. Your mention
of our friend Mr. Mallet I thank you for, and mould
be glad he would give me an opportunity of thank-
ing you in perfon, who am, with fmcerity, Sir,

Your, etc.



330 LETTERS TO AND

LETTER VIII.

TO THE SAME.

Dear Sir, Twickenham, April 4, 1731.

TT is a ferious pleafure to me to find you concerned,
that I fhould do your gdod fenfe and difcernment
the juftice it deferves. It is impoflible for me not to
think juft what you would have me on this head ; the
whole Jpirit and meaning of your poem mews all little
thoughts to be ftrangers to your foul. I happen to
know many particulars relating to the Earl of Peter-
borough's conduct, and juft glory, in that fcene you
draw fo well : but no man ought (I think) to attempt
what you aim at, or can pretend to do him more ho-
nour than what you yourfelf here have done ; except
himfelf : I have long prefled him to put together
many papers lying by him, to that end. On this late
occafion he told me you had formerly endeavoured
the fame, and it comes into my mind, that, on many
of thofe papers, Fve feen an endorfement A. H. which
I fancy might be thofe you overlooked. My Lord
fpoke of you with great regard, and told me how
narrowly you both miffed of going together on an
adventurous expedition *. The real reafon I carried
him your poem was, that I imagined you would never
fend it him, of all mankind ; and that I was truly
pleafed with it.

I am

* On an expedition to the Weft Indies.



FROM AARON HILL, ES(^ 331

I am troubled to reflect, how unequal a corre-
fpondent I am to you, partly through want of health,
(for I have fince had a fever,) partly through want of
fpirits, and want of folitude ; for the laft thing we
poets care to own, is the other want, that of abilities.

But I am fenfibly pleafed with your letter, not only
with that which feemed to prompt it, but with the
things faid in it : and I thank you for both Believe
me defirous to fee you : when, and where, you mail
determine ; though I wifli it were here : you'll fee a
place feeming more fit for me than it is ; looking
poetical, yet too much in the world : romantic and
not retired : however, I can lock up all avenues to it
fometimes, and I know no better reafon for doing fo,
or for fhutting out the world, than to enjoy fuch an
one as yourfelf.

I am, Sir, with efteem and fincerity,

Your, etc.



LETTER IX.
TO THE SAME.

Dear Sir, September 3, 1731.

j HAVE been, and yet am, totally confined by my

mother's relapfe, if that can be called fo, which is

rather a conftant and regular decay. She is now on

her laft bed, in all probability, from whence me has

not



332 LETTERS TO AND

not rifen in fome weeks, yet in no direct pain, but a
perpetual languor. I fuffer for her, for myfelf, and
for you, in the refle&ion of what you have felt at the
fide of a fick bed, which I now feel, and of what I
probably foon mall fuffer, which you now fuffer, in
the lofs of one's beft friend. I have wifhed (ever
fmce I faw your letter) to afk you, fmce you find
your own houfe a fcene of forrows, to pafs fome days
in mine ; which I begin to think I fhall foon have the
fame melancholy reafon to mun. In the mean time,
I make a Jort of amufement of this melancholy fitua-
tion ilfelf, and try to derive a comfort in imagining I
give fome to her. I aln feldom prompted to poetry
in thefe circumftances ; yet I'll fend you a few lines
I fent t'other day from her bed-fide to a particular
friend. Indeed I want fpirits and matter, to fend you
any thing elfe, or on any other fubjeft. Thefe too
are fpiritlefs, and incorrect.

While ev'ry joy, fuccefsful youth ! is thine,
Be no unpleafing melancholy mine.
Me long, ah long ! may thefe foft cares engage ;
To rock the cradle of repofing age,
With lenient arts prolong a parent's breath,
Make languor fmile, and fmooth the bed of -death.
Me, when the cares my better years have (hown
Another's age, fhall haften on my own ;
Shall fome kind hands, like B***'s or thine,
Lead gently down, and favour the decline ?
In wants, in ficknefs, fhall a friend be nigh,
Explore my thought, and watch my afking eye ?
Whether that bleffing be deny 'd, or giv'n,
Thus far, is right i the reft belongs to Heav'n,

Excufe



FROM AARON HILL, ESC^ 333

Excufe this, In a man who is weak and wounded, but
not by his enemies, but for his friends. I wilh you
the continuance of all that is yet dear to you in life,
and am truly

Yours.



LETTER X.
TO THE SAME.

Dear Sir, September 29, 1731.

T RETURN you the inclofed the day after I received
it, left it mould retard your nnifhiiig the copy,
now the year draws toward winter : and though I
am in a great hurry, which allows me to fay little,
only to tell you, in my Lord's name and my own,
that we think you mew even more friendfhip and
confidence in us, than we have hitherto been juftly
entitled to, from any ufe our opinion could be of, to a
judgment fo good as your own. We are fully fatif-
fied ; and 'tis but a word or two, that I can carp,
with the utmoft and moft extended feverity of a friend.
It will be with infinitely greater promptitude, and
pleafure, that I mail fpeak (every where) my real ap-
probation and efteem of the performance, in which I
fliall do no more than difcharge my confcience. I
wifli fincerely, I could as well ferve you in promoting
its fuccefs, as I can teftify it deferves all fuccefs. You

will,



334 LETTERS TO AND

will, I am fure, be fo candid, and fo reafonable, as to
conclude, I would not decline writing your epilogue
on any but a jufl reafon, and indeed (to me) an in-
variable maxim, which I have held thefe twenty years.
Every poetical friend I have, has had my word, I
never would j and my leave to take the fame refufals
I made him, ill, if ever I wrote one for another : and
this very winter, Mr. Thomfon and Mr. Mallet excufe
me, whofe tragedies either are to appear this feafon,
or the next. I fancy the latter, as I have feen or
heard of no more but zfrft aft, yet, of each.

I have lately had an addrefs of another kind from a
man of letters, which gives me more embarraffment,
and in the conduct whereof I could wifli I had your
advice, though I hardly know how to afk it. I hope
foon to fee the critical work you promifed me, in
which I hope to have fome further occafion of prov-
ing to you the real deference I have to your fenti-
ments, and efteem for your perfon, I am,

Dear Sir, Your, etc.



LETTER XL

TO THE SAME.

Dear Sir, Odober 29, 1731.



is an ill fate hangs upon me in relation to
the pleafure I've often (from the very firft time I
faw you at Dr. Young's) propofed in our acquaint-

ance.



FROM AARON HILL, ES(^ 335

ance. I really flayed that night in town, upon Bowry's
notice, which he left in writing, that you fliould be at
home all Wednefday, and had dedicated three hours
to you, or more properly, to myfelf with you. I
afked, particularly, for Mifs Urania j but thought my-
felf, though old enough, not familiar enough, to afk to
fee her. I defire your firft notice, if you come this
way ; or rather, I wifh you would take up your
lodging with me. In the mean time, pray fend
the tragedy of Athelwold (for fo I would call it),
under cover, to the Countefs of Suffolk, before Mon-
day, at her lodgings in St. James's. I promifed it
her again ; and if you think it of any confequence
that the K. mould fee it in manufcript, I think no-
thing more eafy. In truth, all this is doing it no
credit ; 'tis only doing fome to thofe who may com-
mend it. I could not imagine in what parts it needed
addition ; fure every incident is well prepared : but
no man can fee fo far into his own work as the au-
thor, if a good one ; fo little, if a bad or indifferent
one. I am with truth, Sir,

Your, etc.



336 LETTERS TO AND

LETTER XII.
TO THE SAME.
Dear Sir, November 12, 1731.

y SHALL have the pleafure (lick or well) to be at the
firft reprefentation of your play to-morrow, with
Lord Burlington and Lord Bathurft, and one or two
more. Another noble Lord, who underftands you
beft, muft be contented to read the two laft acts in his
ftudy : but Sir Will. Wyndham, with Mr. Gay, and
fome others, will be there alfo, in another place, in
his ftead. I write this that I may not take up a mi-
nute of your time in calling on me to-morrow ; but
if you will fend to the office to-night for places
for four people, we will order a man or two to go to
keep 'em for us : Lord Burlington comes on purpofe

to town. I am, with great truth,

Yours, etc.

I've yet heard no account from Court.



LETTER XIII.
TO THE SAME.

Dear Sir, Sat. Mom. Nov. 14, 1731.

T CANNOT leave London without thanking you for
the pleafure you gave me laft night, by which I fee
you can as well make aftors, as plays : yet I own I

receive



FROM AARON HILL, ESQ^ 337

receive more pleafure from reading, than feeing your
Athelwold. I thought the bed part of the audience
very attentive, and was told, feveral ladies were
moved to tears. It is pity Mrs. Gibber's voice and
perfon were not a little higher j fhe fpeaks extremely
juftly, and feems to be miftrefs of her part. I could
not come foon enough for the prologue, but the epi-
logue is a very humorous one. I am afhamed to
trouble you ; but being gone out of town, and fear-
ing the miftakes of fervants, I beg a box may be had
for Monday, the third night, (if there be any empty,)
for Mrs. Blount, a particular friend of mine. I yef-
terday faw Lady Suffolk, and found, though their
Majefties had not had time to read, yet they were
poflefied with a good opinion of the play ; and fhe
would not part with the copy, expecting it would be
called for every day. I muft once more acknowledge
the very obliging manner in which you favoured the
bookfeller, as well as the particular generofity to him.
I can add no more, but an afiurance of the fincerity

with which I am,

Dear Sir,

Your, etc.

I am haftened away, on hearing my mother is not
well : as foon as I return, I hope we may pafs more
time together.



VOL. VIII.



338 LETTERS TO AND

- OY ; fb ^ Pr:I; ,va;L'.;/i ^;:Vil s'rr/S.'^Iq _.

LETTER XIV.
TO THE SAME.

Dear Sir, Twickenham, Dec. 22, 1731,

T THANK you for your tragedy, which I have now
read over a fixth time, and of which I not only
preferve, but increafe, my efleein. You have been
kind to this age, in not telling the next, in your pre-
face, the ill tafte of the town, of which the reception
youdefcribe it to have given of your play, (worfe, in-
deed, than I had heard, or could have imagined,) is a
more flagrant inftance than any of thofe trifles men-
tioned in my epiftle ; which yet, I hear, the fore va-
nity of our pretenders to tafte flinches at extremely
the title you mention had been a properer to that
epiftle I have heard no critieifms about it, nor do I
liften after 'em. Nos hac novmius ejje nihil (I mean,
I think the verfes to be fo) : but as you are a man of
tender fentiments of honour, I know it will grieve you
to hear another undefervedly charged with a crime his
heart is free from: for, if there be truth in the world,
I declare to you, I never imagined the leaft application
of what I faid of Timon could be made to the D. of

Ch s, than whom there is fcarce a more blame-

lefs, worthy, and generous, beneficent character,
among all our nobility : and if I have not loft my
fenfes, the town has loft 'em, by what I heard fo late,

as



FROM AARON HILL, ES<^ 339

as but two days ago, of the uproar on this head. I
am certain, if you calmly read every particular of that
defcription, you'll find almoft all of *em point blank
the revef fe of that performs villa. It's an \ aukward
thing for a man to print, in defence of his own work,
againft a chimsera: you kjiow not who, or what, you
fight againft : the objections flart up in a new fhape,
like the armies and phantoms of magicians, and no
weapon can cut a mift or a fhadow. Yet it would
have been a pleafure to me, to have found forne friend
faying a word in my juftification, againft a moft mali-
cious falfehood. I fpeak of fuch, as have known by
their own experience, thefe twenty years, that I al-
ways took up their defence, when any ftream of ca-
lumny ran upon 'em. If it gives the Duke one mo-
ment's uneafinefs, I mould think myfelf ill paid, if
the whole earth admired the poetry ; and believe me,
would rather never have written a verfe in my life,
than that any one of 'em mould trouble a truly good
man. It was once my cafe before, but happily recon-
ciled ; and among generous minds nothing fo'endears
friends, as the having offended one another.

I lament the malice of the age, that ftudies to fee
its own likenefs in every thing; I lament the dulnefs of
it, that cannot fee an excellence : the firft is my un-
happinefs, the fecond yours. I look upon the fate of
your piece, like that of a great treafure, which is bu-
ried as foon as brought to light ; but it is fure to be
dug up the next age, and enrich pofterity.

2 2 I have



34 LETTERS TO AND

I have been very fenfible, on thefe two occafions, to
feel them (as I have done) at a time, when I daily
feared the lofs of (what is, and ought to be dearer to
me than any reputation, but that of a friend^ or than
any thing of my own, except my morals} the lofs of a
moft tender parent She is alive, and that is all ! I
have perceived my heart in this, and you may believe
me fmcerely, dear Sir,

Your, etc.



LETTER XV.

TO THE SAME.

-om ',:-iiO ju-G'&rfj 33vi; ;, -.:^\ -/"w i

Dear Sir, Twickenham, Nov. 13, 1732.

T WRIT to you a very hafty letter, being warmed in
the caufe of an old acquaintance, in which I was
fure you would concur, I mean John Dennis, whofe
circumftances were defcribed to me in the moft moving
manner. I went next day with the Lord to whom
you directed your letter and play, which, at my re-
turn home, I received but yeflerday. I thank you
for your agreeable prefent to my grotto, for your more
agreeable letter, and your moft excellent tranflation
of Voltaire, to whom you have preferved all the
beauty he had, and added the nerves he wanted.
This mort acknowledgment is all I can make juft
now : I am juft taken up by Mr. Thomfon, in the
perufal of a new poem he has brought me : I wiih

you



FROM AARON HILL, ESQ^ 341

you were with us. The firft day I fee London, I will
wait on you, on many accounts, but on none more
than my being affectionately, and with true efteem,
dear Sir,

Yours.

I defire Mifs Urania will know me for her fervant.



LETTER XVI.
TO THE SAME.

SIR, Twickenham, May 22, 1733.

-CTOUR very kind letter came hither in my abfence,
which occafioned my delay till now in acknow-
ledging it. Your partiality to me, both as a poet,
and as a man, is great ; the former I deferve not, but
the latter I will never forfeit. It would be wronging
your modefty to fay much of the verfes you inclofe,
but it would be wronging fenfe and poetry, not to
fay they are fine ones, and fuch as I could not for-
get, having once feen them.

I have almoft forgot what I told you of the patent ;
but at the time I told it, I could not well be miftaken,
having juft then had the account from Mr. Davenant
the envoy : indeed I fancy it was only of his an-
ceftor's patent that he fpoke (unlefs Sir William Da-
venant bought up Killigrew's) ; I know no way of
coining to the knowledge of this affair, Mr. Davenant
z 3 being



342 LETTERS TO AND

being now abroad, and I know not where. But if
you would have me write about it, I will learn his
direction.

I am at all times glad to hear of you, on any occa-
fion. I would willingly wait on you in the Park, if
I knew your times : I have called twice or thrice
there in vain, without being heard. I guefled you
were in the country. My fincere good wimes attend
you ; and your agreeable family, as far as I have feen
of it, I cannot but wjfh well to. I am, dear Sir,

Your, etc.



LETTER XVII.
TO THE SAME.
SIR, June 2, 1738.

T SENT you as honeft an anfwer as I could, to the
letter you favoured me with ; and am forry you
imagine any civil reproach, or latent meaning, where
I meant to exprefs myfelf with the utmoft opennefs.
I would aflure you, if you pleafe, by my oath, as well
as my word, that I am in no degree difpleafed at any
freedom you can take with me in a private letter, or
with my writings in public. I again infift, that you
alter or foften no one criticifm of yours in my favour ;
nor deprive yourfelf of the liberty, nor the world of
the profit, of your freeft remarks on my errors,



FROM AARON HILL, ESC^ 343

In what I faid, I gave you a true picture of my own
heart, as far as I know it myfelf. It is true, I have
Ihewn *.fcorn of fome writers ; but it proceeded from
an experience that they were bad men, or bad friends,
or vile hirelings ; in which cafe, their being authors
did not make them, to me, either more refpectable, or
more formidable. As for any other pique, my mind
is not fo fufceptible of it as you have feemed, on each
occafion, too much inclined (I thkik) to believe.
What may have fometirnes feemed a negleft of others,
was rather a lazinefs to cultivate or contract new
friends, when I was fatisfied with thofe I had j or
when I apprehended their demands were too high for
me to anfwer.

I thank you for the confidence you mew you have
in me, in telling me what you judge amifs in my na-
ture. If it be (as you too partially fay) my only fault,
I might foon be a perfect character : for I would en-
deavour to correct this fault in myfelf, and intreat
you to correct all thofe in my writings ; I fee, by the
fpecimen you generoufly gave me in your late letter,
you are able to do it j and I would rather owe (and
own I owe) that correction to your friendmip, than to
,my own induftry.

For the laft paragraph of yours, I fhall be ex-
tremely ready to convey what you promife to fend
me, to my Lord B. I am in hopes very fpeedily to
fee him myfelf, and will, in that cafe, be the bearer ;
24 if



344 LETTERS TO AND

if not, I mall fend it, by the firft fafe hand, to him.
I am truly glad of any occafion of proving myfelf,
with all the refpeft that is confiftent with fmcerity,

Sir,

Your, etc.



LETTER XVIII.
TO THE SAME.

SIR, June 9, 1738.

rpHE favour of yours of May the i ith, had not been
unacknowledged fo long, but it reached me not
till my return from a journey, which had carried me
from fcene to fcene, where Gods might wander with
delight. I am forry yours was attended with any
thoughts lefs pleafmg, either from the conduct to-
wards you of the world in general, or of any one elfe
in particular. As to the fubjecl: matter of the letter,
I found what I have often done in receiving letters
from thofe I moft efteemed, and moft wifhed to be
efleemed by ; a great pleafure in reading it, and a
great inability to anfwer it. I can only fay, you
oblige me, in feeming fo well to know me again ; as
one extremely willing that the free exercife of criti-
cifm mould extend over my own writings, as well as
thofe of others, whenever the public may receive the
lead benefit from it j as I queftion not they will a

great



FROM AARON HILL, ESQ^ 345

great deal, when exerted by you. I am fenfible of
the honour you do me, in propofmg to fend me your
work before it appears : if you do, I muft infift, that
no ufe in my favour be made of that diftin&ion, by
the alteration or foftening of any cenfure of yours on
any line of mine.

What you have obferved in your letter I think
juft j only I would acquit myfelf in one point : I
could not have the lead pique to Mr. Th. in what
is cited in the treatife of the Bathos from the play
which I never fuppofed to be his : he gave it as
Shakefpear's, and I take it to be of that age : and in-
deed the collection of thofe, and many more of the
thoughts cenfured there, was not made by me, but Dr.
Arbuthnot. I have had two or three occafions to la-
ment, that you feem to know me much better as a
poet, than as a man. You can hardly conceive how
little either pique or contempt I bear to any creature,
unlefs for immoral or dirty actions : any mortal is at
full liberty, unanfwered, to write and print of me as a
poet, to praife me one year, and blame me another ;
only I defire him to fpare my character as an honeft
man, over which he can have no private, much lefs
any public, right, without fome perfonal knowledge
of my heart, or the motives of my conduct : nor is it
a fufficient excuie, to alledge he wasyS Qifo informed^
which was the cafe with thofe men.

I am fmcere in all I fay to you, and have no vanity
in faying it. You really over-value me greatly in my

poetical



346 LETTERS TO AND

poetical capacity; and I am fure your work would
do me infinitely too much honour, even if it blamed
me oftener than it commended : for the firft you will
do with lenity, the laft with excefs. But I could be
glad to part with fome mare of any good man's ad-
miration, for fome of his affection, and his belief that
I am not wholly undeferving to be thought, what I
am to you, Sir,

Your, etc.



LETTER XIX.
TO THE SAME.

SIR, July 21, 1738.

T NEED not affiire you in many words, that I join my
fuffrage entirely with Lord B.'s in general, after a
fourth reading your tragedy of Casfar . I think no
characters were ever more nobly fuftained than thofe
of Casfar and Brutus in particular : you excel
throughout in the greatnefs of fentiment ; and I add,
that I never met with more ftriking fentences, or
lively fhort reprizes. There is almofl every-where
fuch a dignity in the fcenes, that inftead of pointing
out any one fcene, I can fcarce point out any that
wants it, in any degree (except you would a little
raife that of the plebeians in the laft act). That dignity
is admirably reconciled with foftnefs, in the fcenes be-
tween



FROM AARON HILL, ESC^ 347

tween Casfar and Calpurnia: and all thofe between
Csefar and Brutus are a noble ftrife between greatnefs
and humanity. The management of the whole is as
artful as it is noble. Whatever particular remarks
we have made further, will be rather the fubjeft of
converfation than a letter, of which we mall both be
glad of an opportunity, either here at Twickenham,
or in town, as mail beft fuit your conveniency. Pray,
Sir, let this confirm you in the opinion you kindly,
and indeed juflly, entertain of the wifh I feel (and
ever felt, notwithstanding miftakes) to be, and to be
thought,

Sincerely your, etc.



LETTER XX.
TO THE SAME.

SIR, September 12, 1738.