ople
from which you deserved so much, and which deserve no better geniuses
than those by whom they are celebrated."[5]

JOHN GAY TO DEAN SWIFT.

Amesbury, December 6th, 1730.

"The Duchess is a more severe check upon my finances than ever you were;
and I submit, as I did to you, to comply to my own good. I was a long
time before I could prevail with her to let me allow myself a pair of
shoes with two heels; for I had lost one, and the shoes were so decayed
that they were not worth mending. You see by this that those who are the
most generous of their own, can be the most covetous for others. I hope
you will be so good to me as to use your interest with her (for what
ever she says, you seem to have some) to indulge me with the
extravagance suitable to my fortune."[6]

DUCHESS OF QUEENSBERRY AND JOHN GAY TO THE HON. MRS. HOWARD.

December 17th [1730].

"You cannot imagine in what due time your letter came; for I had given
you up, and with great pains had very near brought our friend Mr. Gay to
own that nobody cared for us, and a few more thoughts which shall now be
nameless. I am sincerely sorry that you have been ill, and very very
glad that you are better and think of life; for I know none whom one
could more wish to have life than yourself. I do not in the least
approve of your changing your way of thinking of me, for I was convinced
it was a good one, and when such opinions change, it is seldom for the
better; if it could on my account, I declare you would be in the wrong,
for to my knowledge I improve in no one thing. The best thing I can say
for myself is, that I feel no alteration in the regard and inclination I
have to you. I have no comprehension of what I said in my letter; but at
that time my body was distempered, and very likely my mind also.... I
know nothing of coming to town; I only know that when I do I shall not
be sorry to see you; and this is knowing a great deal; for I shall not
be glad to come, and shall only come if it be unavoidable: this is the
blunt truth. I own it would look less like indifference if I had written
some civil lie."

C.Q.

"Everything that is above written is so plain and clear that it needs no
comment; the writer I know to be so strictly addicted to truth, that I
believe every word of it; if it is not written in the fashionable
expression, I conclude you will impute it to her manner. She was really
concerned very much, that, after she knew you were ill, we were