hope Mr. Gay & I shall putt you to the Proof, if when you & I meet, We can agree upon the time. I have try'd in two or three places for such an annuity as you mention, butt they doe not care to deal in that Way. All are well abroade, & I am in haste, but allwayes,

I had writ to you before to have acquainted you that Mr. Raquett having told me of an opportunity he had of selling the palfrey, accordingly I let him have him who sold him *for 5 guineas. I told him that was the lowest price he was to sell him for. Mr. Raquett acquainted me of the selling of him, as likewise that he had sent you word of it, and told me that you had pro

* The circumstance of selling the horse is alluded to in another letter in this collection, from Arbuthnot to Gay.

'mised to be at his house in 3 or 4 days, which

rejoiced me very much. I was in hopes every day of seeing you. I beg of you, though you have delayed your coming, you will make me so happy at last. I beg the favour of your father, Mr. Pope, to please to come with you. I will make him my head gardener, & that he will think a very great preferment. I wish Mrs Pope would come too, then we should be entirely happy.

I wish her conveniency may permit. I would write much more to you, but having more company this day than usualy, I will only say, which I can with much truth, that I am sincerely

Your very affectionate

obliged humble

Servant,

J. DONCASTLE.

My brother desires me to give his humble service

to you, and Mr. Pope and your good

mother.

SIR,

LETTER XLI.

TONSON TO POPE.

Satturday.

You have Inclosed the account of the profits of y' Works. for the Books sold I have allow'd

you all the mony I have recd and the binding, &c.

I have charged at the price it cost me. The Ballance 197-9-is ready when you will please to call and bring with you the agreem1 between us, Wch may be cancell'd, as I will mine, & I will give you my Note to deliver the Books left when required. I wish you w send me the Merchant of Venice, by ye Waterman.

Y' most obliged

humble Serv.

I. TONSON.*

*This has been printed before, but not correctly.

Pope

when he sent his manuscript to his friend Doncastle to copy, appears to have been in the habit of erasing those parts of the letter at the back, which he did not wish to be read. This, therefore, being partly blotted out, the transcribers have never yet taken the trouble to decypher it.

DEAR SIR,

LETTER XLII.

TO POPE.

London, Thursday.

I was out of town when your letter came, but I am glad the contents were obey'd. by my Maid's opening of it. I am as glad you are turned such a Bon vivant, but you have so good a ham over against you, I wonder you want any other. This is the manner of your conversation with Lady Mary, for which you are so often reprimanded & never reformed; may I take the freedom to give her Lap my most humble respects, & to tell you freely when I go to Twitenham it is to pay my respects to her Lap, & not to see you; for you never stay a moment with me. I was busy all last week, & shall be this too, but next I hope to have the vision, tho' I will not putt a profane Epithet to it. Your Waterman, unknown to me or my' Servant, went to Mr. Guerney's, & has taken about 30 shillings more of Spaa waters than either I or my man know off, pray inquire about this matter.

DEAR SIR,

LETTER XLIII.

*
MR. FORD TO POPE.

Saterday.

I sent yesterday to Mr. Lewis,† who accepts of your kind invitation on Monday, & I hope then I shall have the pleasure of seeing you, and assuring you how much I am

Dr. Sr.

Your most obedient

faithful Servant,

CHA, FORD.

I beg my humble respects to Mrs. Pope, & pardon for the haste in which I am obliged to write.

*Charles Ford is now best known as the " gay man" with whom Swift always "dined on his opera-days," though he was a man of consequence in his time. How easily the desired object of having a name handed down to posterity may be obtained by the rich! They need only shew a little well-timed attention to the Poets and Wits of the day, or exchange a few letters with them, and their passport to fame is irrevocably signed.

† Erasmus Lewis, Esq., a high Tory, called by Swift "the