( 221 ) On the morn which was to unite them for ever, they walked abroad to view the beauties of nature. Amintor caught this opportunity of fhewing both his attachment and his fimplicity. The fummer had enamelled the plain with its gaudieft flowers, which ravished the fight. Daphne admired the gay profufion with a heart dilated with spiritual gratitude. Amintor watched her eye; and finding how her thoughts were employed, anticipated his future happiness, and poured out an ejaculation of thanks for the profpect of being master of a fairer flower than any of the vegetable tribe. He quitted her to gather a chaplet, for her head, which he placed thereon with the moft diftant refpect. Seeing how much grace fhe both received. from, and imparted to the flowers, he gathered others, which he formed into feftoons, and hung around her waift. This little embellishment appeared to him to heighten her charms: he was fo overpowered with her beauties, that he forgot the restraint which he had till then preferved; and he imprinted a kifs upon her hand. This liberty he never took before; but when he recovered from the fweet confufion which it occafioned, he condemned himself by a blush, which apologized for him better than his tongue could. Unused Unused to fuch freedoms, Daphne trembled in every joint, and hafted homewards as fast as fhe could. There was fomething within her which would neither fuffer her to be angry, nor permit her to hazard a renewal of the freedom. Now fhe is united with Amintor, fhe perceives the wif dom of her conduct. She did not exhaust the ftock of love before marriage, but finds it increase every day. She can look back on every interview with Amintor without a blufh; and fhe proclaims to the rest of her fex, that if their affection fhould. firft have the fanction of parental confent, and be not fuffered to exhauft its flames before marriage it will be commenfurate with their lives. They who would be as happy as Amintor and Daphne, muft walk in their fteps, and fuffer to lead them to the alter of Hymen. I Mr. POPE to Dr. SWIFT. TWITNAM, OCTOBER 12, 1738. My Dear Friend, Could gladly tell you every week the many things that pass in my heart, and revive the memory of all your friendship to me; but I am not fo willing to put you to the trouble of fhewing it (tho' (tho' I know you have it as warm as ever) upon little or trivial occafions. Yet, this once I am unable to refuse the requeft of a very particular and very deferving friend; one of those whom his own merit has forced me to contract an intimacy with, after I had fworn never to love a man more, fince the forrow it coft me to have loved fo many, now dead, banished, or unfortunate. I mean Mr. Lyttleton, one of the worthieft of the rifing generation. His nurse has a fon, whom I would beg you to promote to the next vacancy in your choir. I loved my own nurse, and fo does Lyttelton: he loves, and is loved through the whole chain of relations, dependents, and acquaintance. He is one who would apply to any perfon to please me, or to ferve mine: I owe it to him to apply to you for this man, whose name is William Lamb, and he is the bearer of this letter. I prefume he is qualified for that which he defires; and I doubt not, if it be confiftent with justice, you will gratify me in him. Let this however, be an opportunity of telling you-What? What I cannot tell, the kindness I bear you, the affection I feel for you, the hearty wifhes I form for you, my prayers for your health of body and mind, or the beft foftenings of the want of either, quiet and refignation. You lose little by not hearing fuch things as this idle and bafe base generation has to tell you. You lofe not much by forgetting most of what now paffes in it, Perhaps to have a memory that retains the paft scenes of our country, and forgets the prefent, is the means to be happier and better contented. But, if the evil of the day be not intolerable (though fufficient, God knows, at any period of life) we may, at least we fhould, nay we must, (whether patiently or impatiently) bear it, and make the beft of what we cannot make better, but may make worse. To hear that this is your fituation, and your temper, and that attends at home, and one or two true friends, who are tender about you, would be a great eafe to me to know, and know from yourself. Tell me who thofe are whom you now love or efteem, that I may love and efteem them too; and, if they ever come into England, let them be my friends. If by any thing I can here do, I can ferve you, or please you, be certain it will mend my happiness; and that no fatisfaction any thing gives me here will be fuperior, if equal to it. you peace My dear Dean, whom I never will forget, or think of with coolness, many are yet living here who frequently mention you with affection and respect. Lord Orrery, Lord Bathurst, Lord Bolingbroke, Lord Oxford, Lord Mafham, Lewes, Mrs. Mrs. P. Blount, (allow one woman to the lift, for the is as conftant to old friendships as any man, and many young men there are, nay all that are any credit to this age, who love you unknown, who kindle at your fire, and learn by your genius. Nothing of you can die, nothing of you can decay, nothing of you can fuffer, nothing of you can be obfcured or locked up from efteem and admiration, except what is at the deanry; just as much of you only as God made mortal. May the reft of you (which is all) be as happy hereafter as honest men may expect and need not doubt; while (knowing nothing more) they know that their maker is merciful. Adieu! Your's ever, A. Pope. TH REDEMPTION. HIS is one of the most glorious works of the Almighty.-Illuftrious is the hour of the reftoration of the world-the hour when from condemnation and mifery, it emerged into happiness and peace. In this hour, the long feries of prophecies, vifions, types, and figures, were accomplished. This was the centre in which they all met; this the point to which they tended and verged, throughout the G g courfe |