LETTER DCLXXVIII.

FRANCES to HENRY.

Windfor.

HERE is no End of thanking you for

TH kind Letters, therefore I must appear

ungrateful often, merely to avoid Tautology. Though you are fo indulgent as to excufe my writing conftantly to you, I feel as if I had committed fome Crime against my Love, if a Post should go out without carrying a Letter from me, especially if I have had the Happiness of receiving One from you.

Indeed, my Love, you are too good to me; and endeavour even to infpire your Friends with a Partiality which makes me blush even at this Distance. I receive the generous Effufions of your Fondness for me, as I do the Gifts of Providence, with an humble Senfe of my own Unworthiness, and the fincereft Gratitude to the bounteous Giver: Long, very long may he be pleased to dispense all his Bleffings to me through your Hands !

I am as thoroughly convinced, as you can be, that no other Man on Earth could have rendered me fo happy, or ever have drawn forth even the fmall Merits I poffefs. You are my Polar Star,

and my Love the Needle, that has pointed every Action of my Life, and thought of my Heart, to you, and you alone.

I will also flatter myfelf, that your Kindrefs and Affection for me have drawn forth many latent Sparks that would have flept like Gems in Mines, had you been attached to a Woman whose want of Tafte or Sense might have rendered her infenfible of their Value-Yes, my dear Harry, I do think we were created for each other, as much as the firft Pair. And I love Doctor F for his having the fame Idea, though he expreffed it but clumfily once.

Your laft Letter has given me great Pain, as it mentions yours. I had flattered myfelf, that Heberden's Prefcriptions had conquered your Diforder, by giving you, it feems, only a temporary Relief: But ftill I hope Succefs from your Welch Recipes; and if they answer, I will appoint your little Doctor our ftate Physician, as foon as we are reinstated in our hereditary Kingdom again. You fee I can fmile at ferious Matters as well as you.

I am greatly recovered fince my laft Letter, and have been out upon the Terrace, and taken the Air in the Park: What a delightful Scene! I fancy your beautiful North would hide its Head,

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like your shame-faced Moon, before it; nor would even Le Voifinage d'Arcadie, as you defcribe it, pretend to vie with us, if it was not for the Company there that might help to keep it in Countenance a little; but enough on this Subject: I hate Defcriptions and Comparisons.

For, alas! What is Profpect? What the intermingled Shades and Lawns, to the lively Sallies of Wit and Mirth, and the dear Effufions of Friendship and Benevolence? But what we love we cannot envy; and indeed I hope my Heart is incapable of fo deteftable a Paffion, even for its Foes-though fure I may be allowed fometimes to figh out, What would I not give to partake fuch charming Society with my dear Harry? But fince the Circumstances of our Lives will not admit of so much Felicity, I can rejoice fincerely by Reflection upon his.

I wish you Joy of the fuccefsful Progress you have made in the Regions of Fancy. I fear, indeed, that I fhall be left far behind: But you know that my poor Pegafus never attempted to run a Race with your's; for, befides the different Spirit of our Hobby-horfes, you have a rating Way of going, that must distance my Spirits of Mettle all to nothing at the long Run. Nay, I fear I fhall lofe, though I run by myself, in the dramatic

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dramatic Course; for all my Whip and Spur has not yet been able to bring me even within Sight of the Goal. I am ingaged to go to Afcot Races next Week, and I should have supplied myself with more Jockey Phrafes if I had waited till then.

Adieu, my dear Harry! My poor Head is addled; but my Heart unalterably yours.

FRANCES.

LETTER DCLXXIX.

HENRY to FRANCES.

Le Voisinage,

I

REJOICE to hear you are better; I knew it

before the Poft came in, because I found my Simpathy concording. My Vermins have not yet brought forth; but, thank God, I am not at prefent in Labour. I am recovered again to the fame eafy State I enjoyed for above a Month before my laft Attack.

I was really very ill for the Two Days on the Road, and Two more after I came hither; during all which Time I was continually saying

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odd Things as ufual, to amufe the Rack. Mrs. L—, said, it was a delightfome Thing to see me in Pain, I faid fo many pleafant Things--but there is nothing extraordinary in this. It was the Way with antient Oracles; they fell into Convul fions, and prophefied.

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All Manner of Exercife is bad for me; it roufes the Acid in my Stomach, which caufes all my Agonies and Retchings. My Body is like a cracked Bottle, which contains well enough while at Reft, but Motion forces out its Contents.. This Disorder makes a Slave of me by Restraint; and of all my Friends too, whom I am obliged: to fend of my Errands: But in this Sort of Ty-. ranny, contrary to all others, they are most free who obey..

It is an amazing Thing, that among the Num ber of the best Phyficians I have confulted, both in England and Ireland, none of them fhould yet: be able even to give a Name to my Disorder. E have promised the Faculty to make them a Prefent. of my Body after my Death, to fatisfy their Curiofity, provided they intitle my Difeafe the Henriade in their Books, as the French Phyfitians did! the Hæmorrhoids, Regius Morbus, in compliment to Lewis the Fourteenth, who was afflicted with them; and which, according to the true Interpre