Thus far Sir William Temple's directi ons go; and Dunton's fociety, when they could not take them, because they had not thofe authors in their own power to print, yet when I was in town, would by no means let me have a copy, unless I would promise never to communicate them to your party. I wish you may make that advantage of them which the others are afraid of, by following their directions. If you do, no man will pretend to equal you, or think by his own labour to furpafs fo many great authors, who lived near the reigns which they write of, and were fome of the wifeft, the greateft, or the best acquainted with affairs of any in their own time. But if you pretend to make most of your history de novo, it will either take up many years doing, or will prove but a fecond edition of Sir Richard Baker. Some hand of note will take up the method which you flight, and then a mercenary pen will never bear a fecond impreffion. You will find, by the event, that I guess well. I wish you a great deal of success, VOL. I. C and and shall be willing to fee your propofals, if you fend any abroad. I am your friend and fervant, THO. SWIFT. LETTER II. Mr. JOHN HUGHES to Mr. WATTS. DEAR SIR, London, May 30, 1696. THOUGH nothing could be more ac ceptable to me than your last letter, yet I wish you had employed the former part of it on a better fubject, and not in loading me with compliments as unexpected as un Afterwards the Rev. Ifaac Watts, D. D. He was at this time refident with his father at Southampton, after having received an academical education at London, under the tuition of the Rev. Mr. Thomas Rowe. Mr. Watts began to preach in 1698, and in 1702 fucceeded Dr. Ifaac Chauncy, in his minifterial office at London, which he held till his death, Nov. 25, 1748. When this letter was written, the author's age was 18, and Mr. Watts's 21. deferved. you deferved. The poifon is the more dangerous because the lefs fufpected, for have shown fuch an extreme address, that feeming to fay little, you have faid all. I thought, after that free confeffion I have made, your friendship would have restrained you from tempting my vanity with fuch unneceffary praises on a trifle I owned myself too much inclined to be fond of; nay, to deal freely, I found my infirmity at that time so prevailing, that I could hardly perfuade myself at firft that you complimented. But I will leave this fubject, fince to be over-obftinate in refufing praise is not always an argument of modesty, any more than a man's declaiming against himfelf in company, only because he would be contradicted. I give you many thanks for that teftimony of your gratitude, as you are pleased to call it, and though I must own it a little incorrect, yet you may believe me, if I tell you that I think it has fome beauties which deferve a particular admiration. As for your request, that I would criticise on it, I hope you will exC 2 cuse cufe me when I have declared to you, that Į have neither judgment nor ill-nature enough for such an undertaking. Perhaps too there is a grain of policy in the cafe, and I am unwilling to destroy the good opinion you seem to have of my abilities, by putting me on fuch an attempt. In hopes that you will not, on your part, neglect this paper correfpondence between us, nor fail to make me an expected return, I here fend you fome verfes that were written fome time ago, and given, together with a drawing, to a lady who is a great admirer of thofe two fifter-arts. I fhould perhaps dif cover too much of my yanity, if I should tell you, that, in fome of the lines, I have imitated the incomparable Waller; but a little ambition, you know, is neceffary to poets, and though I have reafon enough to expect the fame fuccefs, that Horace prophefies of the imitators of Pindar, yet I have fometimes been inclined to fancy the defign, and fome of the verfes, particularly the fix laft, not altogether unlike him. VERSES prefented to a LADY with a drawing (by the author) of CUPID. When generous Dido in disguise carefs'd Forfaken, fcorn'd, the perifh'd in despair. No fuch event, fair nymph, you need to fear, Smiles, without darts, alone attend him here; Weak and unarm'd, not able to surprise, He waits for influence from your conqu'ring eyes, Heaven change the omen then, and may this prove A happy prelude to fuccefsful love! LETTER III Mr. HUGHES to Mr. WATTS. DEAR SIR, London 1697. I CANNOT cafily fignify to you with what eagerness I fnatch this occafion of ma |