ever shall have, a will of my
own."

THE HON. MRS. HOWARD TO JOHN GAY.

August, 1723.

"After you have told me that you hate writing letters, it would be very
ungrateful not to thank you for so many as you have written for me.
Acting contrary to one's inclinations, for the service of those one
likes, is a strong proof of friendship; yet, as it is painful, it ought
never to be exacted but in case of great necessity. As such I look upon
that correspondence in which I have engaged you.

"Perhaps you think I treat you very oddly, that while I own myself
afraid of a man of wit [Lord Peterborough] and make that a pretence to
ask your assistance, I can write to you myself without any concern; but
do me justice and believe it is that I think it requires something more
than wit to deserve esteem. So it is less uneasy for me to write to you
than to the other, for I should fancy I purchased the letters I received
(though very witty) at too great an expense, if at the least hazard of
having my real answers exposed.

"The enclosed[10] will discover that I did not make use of every
argument with which you had furnished me; but I had a reason, of which I
am not at this time disposed to make you a judge. Conquest is the last
thing a woman cares to resign; but I should be very sorry to have you in
the desperate state of my _Knight-errant_. No! I would spare you, out
of self-interest, to secure to me those I have made by your assistance."

THE HON. MRS. HOWARD TO JOHN GAY.

August 22nd [1723].

"I am very much pleased to find you are of my opinion. I have always
thought that the man who will be nothing but a man of wit oftener
disobliges than entertains the company. There is nothing tries our
patience more than that person who arrogantly is ever showing his
superiority over the company he is engaged in. He and his fate I think
very like the woman whose whole ambition is only to be handsome. _She_
is in continual care about her own charms and neglects the world; and
_he_ is always endeavouring to be more witty than all the world, which
makes them both disagreeable companions.

"The warmth with which I attack wit will, I am afraid, be thought to
proceed from the same motive which makes the old and ugly attack the
young and handsome; but if you examine well all those of the character
I have mentioned you will find they are generally but pretenders to
either wit or beauty, and in justification of myself I can say, and
tha