A SERIES O F GENUINE LETTERS BETWEEN HENRY AND FRANCES. I LETTER DCLXXVII. HENRY to FRANCES. Kilfane. HAVE been obliged to begin upon my V'er mins fince I left Dublin. I came down with Mr. F————; and even the eafy Motion of his Spring-chaife difturbed my Stomach, and occafioned my Disorder to return upon me with such Violence, that I begged of him to leave me at Leighlin-bridge, as I was fo ill able to come on: But he would not fuffer it: He faid, it was neither a Place to live or die in, unless I should choose to expire like Buckinghain, in the worst Inn's worst Room: For, indeed, there is no best in any of them. VOL. VI. A I told 1 H I told him a Truth; that when I am ill, the Company of Friends but adds to my Uneasiness, and that I fhould choose to die like an Afs; which, when it feels its Life drawing near ant End, is faid always to retire into fome Cavern, or unfrequented Mountain. Do not be scandalized at the Meannefs of my Comparison. Homer has made it an heroic Image *; and Madame Dacier has defended the Simile. I met with all Friends in this Quarter extremely well, and without Change. This B, lively, as ufual; and that B, as gentle as ever: Such Contrafts form the true Style of Society. There is as great a Variety in the Men too; for you might be fure, that my first Objects were the Women of these Families; and it is always fo, whenever they happen to be Objects worthy of Notice. You may guess the many Questions, both of Kindness and Curiofity, that have been asked about you in both Places; though I have been so taken up with yourself ever fince I have been here, that I do not think I mentioned any Thing of these Families before. Since you are retired to Windfor's fhady, cool Retreat, I fhall not envy myself the present Enjoyments I have in this sweet Sejour, independant • He compares the Intrepidity of Ajax to the Obftinacy of an Ass. of of the Company, which I actually did, till I received your Letter. This is really One of the fweéteft Scenes in Ireland, taking all its Circumstances together. The Proximity of the Two Seats; the near Relationship between the Families, their Friendship, the Kind of People they all are; agreeable under fo many different Characters; the Beauty of the Grounds; the Elegance of their Improvements; the Cominunication between them through Gardens, Labyrinths, and Groves. In fine, the toute Enfemble, is fo extremely Arcadian and romantic, that I have ftiled it, by way of Eminence, Le Voifinage; and they have agreed to fink the Names of Kilfane, and Kilmurry, though both foft enough for Verfe, into that common Appellation comprehending them both. Since I have had my Mind rendered easy about your Health, it is Time to take Notice of Two Letters I received from you, dated London, at the fame Time with your firft from Windfor; for a delayed Pacquet brought them all together. You cannot imagine what Pleasure it gave me, the Coincidence of your receiving my little Prefents, with the filver Tokén, fo critically on our Dies feftus. Whoever has a great Stake in War, at Play, or in Love, becomes naturally superftitious-fond Boys and Girls frequent coffee toffers, turn their Shifts and Shirts, burn their Sweet-hearts: Heroes confult Augury; and jeaJous Hufbands ftart at the Cuckoo's Note. O! Word of Fear! I received your Packet of Powders in One of thefe Letters, which furnished me with a Cordiał both to Body and Mind. Ben Johnfon could not have faid of the Envelope, what he did of the Dramatic Writings of his Time, and which may as well be applied to those of the Prefent: A "Man would not wrap up any wholefome Drug " in them." There was an Eclipfe of the Moon to have been performed here Yesterday Morning, by the Prediction of the Aftronomers, but the Manoeuvre was quite difconcerted; for Madam Luna did not appear-afhamed to fhew her Face perhaps under fuch a Difgrace, and so the Eclipfe paffed off in the dark. How was it with you ? You have Two Works on your Hands at prefent, and I fcorn to be outdone in Labour at leaft: So I began another Writing before I had finished the First, and have carried them on together, like Twins. No Matter, now. I shall find a Time. Adieu! HENRY. P. S. Le Voifinage prefent their Affections to you. LETTER |
