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Mar. Go, ya * Alkitotle! ya gurt voolish+trapes! Dest thee thenk a beleev'd ma, whan es zed chudent marry! Ee es net zo zurt a baked nether. Vor why? Es wudent be too vurward nether; vor than ee murt dra back.-No, no; vor oll whot's zed es hope tha Banes wull go in, es zey, next Zindey.-And vath, § nif's do vall over the Desk, and' wont thir ma, ner yeet borst ma bones.-Bet n'if they don't g'in by Zindey Zenneert, chell tell tha in short company, es chell vor'st ma heart. Bet es must come down to en: vor es by es zel oll these while,

Pas. Hence simple-minded maid! in whom I find

A woman's stature, but an infant mind.
Canst thou, when I denied his suit, sup-
pose

He thought denial from dislike arose?
A bashful virgin's heart he better knows.
With eager haste t' accept the proffer'd vow,
Nor maidenhood nor decency allow.
E'en he, my Celadon, might disapprove
To prompt an offer of my virgin love.
But yet in scorn tho' I his suit denied
(From thee my secret soul I never hide),
Should he before the swains and maidens

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Alcé, an elk, and

* A silly elf or oaf, from the A. S. to totter; that animal being frequently attacked by the falling-sickness, and not able in consequence to support himself. Hence applied to men in a similar state who have the appearance of idiocy, and to idiots themselves. If this conjecture be allowed, we must suppose the word originally used in the forests of Germany, where this animal once abounded, and from whose inhabitants the Exmooreans descended.-To tottle is extensively applied in Devon to silly people, particularly to the old who tattle and totter.

To trapes or trapse up and down, meant to saunter in an idle lazy manner. Hence the noun trapes, from the Teut. traben, to walk about. A drab proceeds in the same manner from the Belgic drabben.

+ Soft.

§ And if.

"To have the banns of matrimony thrice called," which being done, it was usual for the minister in some places to throw the paper over his desk into the clerk's pew, who sat under him; as signifying, according to the phrase, that they were called out, and the parties had nothing to do now but to be married.

To frighten, perhaps from the Latin terrere, or A. S. or a hurt, to hurt.
*We have unluckily no Saxon types.
(The Conclusion in our next.)

DOMESTIC LETTERS OF JOHN WILMOT, EARL OF ROCHESTER.

A COLLECTION of the domestic letters of the famous Earl of Rochester may be considered as a literary and moral curiosity. These have been carefully transcribed from their originals in the earl's own hand-writing, though not always signed or dated. They exhibit that eccentric character in a very opposite light to that in which he has hitherto been viewed; tender, playful, and alive

to all the affections of a husband, a father, and a son. Rochester appears not only to have preserved his fine faculties in that course of drunken gayety and gross sensuality," as Johnson describes his life; but, what has not hitherto been suspected, he was at the same moment the most penitential husband and careful father. His two little notes to his son are

proofs of the excellent sense and moral feeling, which, though he himself daily violated them, there can be no doubt, no man more preciously valued; and, had he lived, there is reason to believe that Rochester would have ranked among our great and illustrious men. Johnson has remarked how a life of wild dissipation, was checked "intervals of study, perhaps yet more criminal," since it hastened that exhaustion of life in which "he blazed out his youth and his health in lavish voluptuousness."

by

These letters, it is to be regretted, are all undated, so that we cannot trace the history of his feelings, but must take them as we find them, promiscuously and unconnected. It is probable that Rochester rarely knew the days on which he was writing, but sent off a note or a letter, on the impulse of the moment, wherever he was. The Countess, writing to him and wishing to see him, complains that "he goes on in the old way;" and very often it appears that the she did not know where to address a letter to him. In one of his letters to her, he says, "If you write to me, you must direct to Lincoln's-inn-fields, the house next to the Duke's playhouse, in Portroyalrow; there lives your humble servant, Rochester." In a letter to Sir Henry being at he says, that " court is like living shut up in a drum; you can think of nothing but the noise which is made about you."

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The usual address is, "These for the Countess of Rochester, Adderbury,

near Banbury, Oxfordshire."

My most neglected Wife,—Till you are a much-respected widow, I find you will scarce be a contented woman; and to say no more than the plain truth, I do endeavour so fairly to do you that last good service, that none but the most impatient would refuse to rest satisfied.

What evil angel enemy to my repose does inspire my Lady Warr to visit you once a-year, and leave you bewitched for eleven months after? I thank my God that I have the torment of the stone upon me (which are no small pains), rather than that my unspeakable one of being an eye-witness to your uneasinesses. Do but

propose to me any reasonable thing upon earth I can do to set you at quiet; but it is like a mad woman to lie roaring out of pain, and never confess in what part it is. These three years have I heard you continually complaining, nor has it ever been in my power to obtain the knowledge of any considerable cause. I am confident I shall not have the affliction three years hence; but that repose I must owe to a surer friend than you. When that time comes, you will grow wiser, though I fear not much happier.

I kiss my dear wife a thousand times, as far as imagination and wish will give me leave. Think upon me as long as it is pleasant and convenient to you to do so, and afterwards forget me; for though I would fain make you the author and foundation of my happiness, I could not be the cause of your constraint and disturbance, for I love not myselfe soe much as I doe you, neither do I value my own satisfaction as I doe yours. Farewell!

ROCHESTER.

The last letter I received from your honour was something scandalous, soe that I knew not well how to answer it; it is my design to have writ to my Lady Anne Wilmot to intercede for mee, but now with joy I finde myselfe again in your favour, it shall be my endeavours to continue soe. In order to which, very shortly I will bee with you; in the mean time my mother may be pleesed to dispose of my children and my chimists and my little dogge, and whatever is myne, as shee will; only if I may have nothing about mee that I like, it will be the cause of making the fidelity of waiting on her befall me very seldom. Thus I remain, with my duty to her, my service to you, and all three things.

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Wood and firing, which were the subject-matter of your last, I tooke order for before, and make noe question but you are served in that before this, Mr Cary seldom fayling in any thing he undertakes.

I am very glad to heare news from you, and I think it very good when I hear you are well; pray be pleased to send me word what you are apt to be pleased with, that I may shew you how good a husband I can bee; I would not have you so formall as to judge of the kindness of a letter by the length of it, but believe of every thing that it is as you would have it.

'Tis not an easy thing to bee entirely happy, but to be kind is very easy, and that is the greatest measure of happiness. I say not this to put you in mind of being kind to mee; you have practised that soe long, that I have a joyful confidence you will never forget itt; but to shew that I myself have a sense of what the methods of my life seemed soe utterly to contradict, I must not be too wise about my own follyes, or else this letter had bin a book dedicated to you, and published to the world; it will be more pertinent to tell you, that very shortly the King goes to Newmarket, and then I shall wait on you at Adderbury; in the mean time, think of any thing you would have me doe, and I shall thank you for the occasion of pleasing you.

Mr Morgan I have sent in this errant, because he playes the rogue here in towne so extremely, that he is not to be endured; pray if he behaves himself soe at Adderbury, send me word, and let him stay till I send for him; pray let Ned come up to town, I have a little business with him, and hee shall bee back in a weeke.

Wonder not that I have not writt to you all this while, for it was hard for mee to know what to write upon several accounts, but in this I will only desire you not to be too much amazed at the thoughts my mother has of you, since being meare imaginaVOL. IV.

You

tions, they will as easily vanish, as
they were groundlessly erected; for
my own part, I will make it my en-
deavour they may. What you de-
sired of mee in your other letter, shall
punctually have performed.
must, I thinke, obey my mother in
her commands to wait on her at Ales-
bury, as I tould you in my last latter.
I am very dull at this time, and there-
fore thinke it pity in this humour to
testify myselfe to you any farther;
only, dear wife, I am, your humble
servant,
ROCHESTER.

It is now some weeks since I writ you, and that there was money returned out of Somersett for your use, which I desired you to send for by what summes yourself pleased; by this time I believe I have spent it half; however, you must be supplied, if you think fit to order itt; shortly I intend to give you the trouble of a visit -'tis all I have to beg your pardon for at present, unless you take it for a fault that I still pretend to bee, your ROCHESTER. humble servant,

I do not know if my mother be at Ri- or Adderbury; if at home, present my duty to her.

It were very unreasonable should I not love you, whilst I believe you a I am aldeserving good creature. ready so weary of this place, that upon my word I could be content to pass my winter att Cannington, though I apprehend the tediousness of it for you. Pray send me word what lyes in my power to do for your service and ease here, or wherever you can imploy mee, and assure yourselfe I will neglect your concerns no more than forget my owne; 'twas very for your son, as ill as you tooke it, that I sent him to Adderbury, for it proves at last to be the king's evil and hee comes up to London this week to be touched. My humble service to your aunt Rogers.-I write in bed, and am afraid you can't reade it.

A Note from his Wife.

well

Though I cannot flatter myself soe much as to expect, yett give me leave to wish, that you would dine to-morat Cornbury, where necessity forced, your faithful and humble wife, E. ROCHESTER. 3 Z

row

If you send to command me to Woodstock, when I am so near as Cornbury, I shall not be alike rejoyced.

Since my comming to towne, my head has been perpetually turned round, but I doe not find itt makes me giddy; this is all the witt that you shall receive in my first letter; hereafter you may expect more, God willing: pray bid John Fredway purchase my oates as soon as possible, and whatever coate you order, I shall return money for upon notice; ready cash I have but little; 'tis hard to come by; but when Mr Cary comes downe, hee shall furnish you with as much as I can procure when you have more commands, I am ready to receive 'em, being most extremely, your humble servant, ROCHESTER.

Pray bid my daughter Betty present my duty to my daughter Mallett.

To the Countess of Rochester, at Adderbury.

are

I cannot deny to you but that heroick resolutions in women are things of the which I have never bin transported with greate admiration, nor can bee, if my life lay on't, for I thinke it is a very impertinent virtue; besides consider how men and women compounded, that as with heate and cold, soe greatness and meanness are necessary ingredients that enter both into the making up of every one that is borne; now when heate is predominant, we are termed hott; when cold is, we are called cold; though in the mixture both take their places, else our warmth would be a burning, and our cold an excessive freezing; soe greatness or virtue, that spark of primitive grace, is in every one alive, and likewise meanness or vice, that seed of original sin, is in a measure also; for if either of them were totally absent, men and women must be imperfect angels, or absolute divills; now from the predominence of either of these qualities in us, we are termed good or bad; but yet as contrarietyes, though they both reside in one body, must they ever be opposite in place; thence I infer, that as heate in the feete makes cold in the head, soe may it bee with probability expected too, that greatness and meanness should bee as oppositely seated, and then a

heroick head is liker to be ballanced with an humble taile; besides reason, experience has furnished mee with many examples of this kind,-my Lady Morton, Nell Villars, and twenty others, whose honour was ever so excessive in their heads, that they suffered a want of it in every other part; thus it comes about, madam, that I have no very great estime for a high-spirited lady, therefore should be glad that none of my friends thought it convenient to adorne their other perfections with that most transcendent accomplishment; it is tolerable only in a waiting gentlewoman, who, to prove herselfe lawfully descended from Sir Humphrey, her great uncle, is allowed the affectation of a high spirit and a naturall inclination towards a gentile converse: that now is a letter; and to make it a kinde one, I must assure you of all the dotage in the world; and then to make it a civil one, downe att the bottom, with a greater space between, I mus't write, madam, your most humble servant,

ROCHESTER.

I have too much respect for you to come neare you whilst I am in disgrace, but when I am a favorite again, I will waite on you.

Dear Wife,-I received the three pictures, and am in a great fright, least they should be like you, by the bigness of the heel I should apprehend you far gone in the rickets; by the severity of the countenance somewhat inclined to prayer and prophecy, yet there is an alacrity in the plump cheek that seems to signify sack and sagar, and the sharp sighted nose has borrowed quickness from the sweet-smelling eye. I never saw a chin smile before, a mouth frown, and a forehead mump; truly the artist has done his part, (God keep him humble,) and a fine man he is, if his excellencies do not puff him up like his pictures. The next impertinence I have to tell you is, that I am coming down to you. Í have got horses but want a coach, when that defect is supplied you shall quickly have the trouble of,-your humble servant.

Receive my duty to my lady and my humble service to my sister, my brother and all the Betties not forgetting madam Jane.

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Dear Wife,-I have dispatched this messenger away to-night to save you the trouble of rising early, hoping you have no concern to communicate to me of your own. The D. of B. came hither to-night and stays two days, I must lend him my coach half way back, therefore pray send it me. My condition of health alters I hope for the better, though various accidents succeed, my pains are pretty well over, and my rheumatism begins to turn to an honest gout; my pissing of blood, Dr Wetherby says, is nothing, my eyes are almost out, but that, he says, will not do me much harm; in short, he makes me eat flesh and drink dyetdrink,-God bless you.

My duty to my mother, thank her for her cordials.

Dear Wife,-I recover so slowly, and relapse so continually, that I am almost weary of myself; if I had the least strength, I would come to Adderbury, but in the condition I am, Kensington and back is a voyage I can hardly support; I hope you excuse my sending you no money, for, till I am well enough to fetch it myself, they will not give me a farthing, and if I had not pawned my plate, I believe I must have starved in my sickness. Well, God bless you, and the children, whatever becomes of,-your humble servant, ROCHESTER.

The alteration of my mother's former resolutions, (who is now resolved against ever moving from hence,) puts mee upon some thoughts which were almost quite out of my head; but you may be sure I shall determine nothing that does not tend to your real happiness as lies in my power.-I have, therefore, sent you this letter to prepare you for a remove, first hither, and afterwards as fate shall direct, which is, (I find,) the true disposer of things, whatever wee attribute to wisdom or providence-bee, therefore, in a readinesse upon the first notice from mee to put that in execution which I shall first inform you particularly of,-let me have an answer, and dispatch this messenger quickly. God bless you,-yours, ROCHESTER.

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are those so entirely satisfied with their shares in this world, that theire wishes and theire thoughts have not a farther prospect of felicity and glory; I'll tell you, were that man's soule tac't in a body fitt for it, hee were a dogg that could count any thing a benefitt obtained with flattery, feare, and service.

Is there a man, yee gods, whom I do hate, Dependance and attendance be his fate, Let him bee busy still, and in a crowde, And very much a slave, and very proude. I would not have you lose my letter, it is not fitt for every body to find.

To my Wife.

Run away like a rascal, without taking leave, dear wife, it is an unpolight way of proceeding which a modest man ought to be ashamed of. I have left you a prey to your owne immaginations, amongst my relations, the worst of damnations,-but there will come an hour of deliverance, till when, may my mother bee merciful unto you, soe I commit you to what shall ensue, woman to woman, wife to mother, in hopes of a future appearance in glory,—the small share I could spare you out of my pockett, I have sent as a debt to Mrs Rowse, within a week or ten days I will return you more, pray write as often as you have leisure to your ROCHESTER. Remember me to Nan and my Ld. Willmott. You must present my service to my cousins. I intend to be at the wedding of my niece Ellen if I hear of it. Excuse my ill paper, and very ill manners to my mother, they are both the best the place and age could afford.

My Wife, The difficulties of pleasing your ladyship doe increase soe fast upon me, and are growne so numerous, that, to a man less resolved than myself never to give it over, itt would appear a madness ever to attempt itt more, but through your frailtys myne ought not to multiply; you may, therefore, secure yourself that it will not be easy for you to put me out of my constant resolutions to satisfy you in all I can; I confess there is nothing will so much contribute to my assistance in this as your dealing freely with mee, for since you have thought it a wise thing to trust inee less and have reserves, it has bin out

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