to Mr. Trumbull and my lady, in
token of respect, gratefulness, and mutual esteem.

"I shall, with pleasure, take upon me to draw this amiable, quiet,
deserving, unpretending, Christian, unphilosophical character in his
epitaph. There truth may be spoken in a few words; as for flourish,
and oratory, and poetry, I leave them to younger and more lively
writers, such as love writing for writing sake, and would rather
show their own fine parts than report the valuable ones of any other
man. So the elegy I renounce.

"I condole with you from my heart on the loss of so worthy a man,
and a friend to us both....

"Adieu; let us love his memory, and profit by his example. Am very
sincerely, dear sir,

"Your affectionate and real servant."

TO THE EARL OF BURLINGTON.

"August, 1714.

"MY LORD,

"If your mare could speak she would give you an account of what
extraordinary company she had on the road, which, since she cannot
do, I will."

"It was the enterprising Mr. Lintot, the redoubtable rival of Mr.
Tonson, who, mounted on a stonehorse, overtook me in Windsor Forest.
He said he heard I designed for Oxford, the seat of the Muses, and
would, as my bookseller, by all means accompany me thither.

"I asked him where he got his horse? He answered he got it of his
publisher; 'for that rogue, my printer,' said he, 'disappointed me.
I hoped to put him in good humour by a treat at the tavern of a
brown fricassee of rabbits, which cost ten shillings, with two
quarts of wine, besides my conversation. I thought myself cocksure
of his horse, which he readily promised me, but said that Mr. Tonson
had just such another design of going to Cambridge, expecting there
the copy of a new kind of Horace from Dr. ----; and if Mr. Tonson
went, he was pre-engaged to attend him, being to have the printing
of the said copy. So, in short, I borrowed this stonehorse of my
publisher, which he had of Mr. Oldmixon for a debt. He lent me, too,
the pretty boy you see after me. He was a smutty dog yesterday, and
cost me more than two hours to wash the ink off his face; but the
devil is a fair-conditioned devil, and very forward in his
catechism. If you have any more bags he shall carry them.'

"I thought Mr. Lintot's ci