LETTER CCLXXX. To Lady STEELE. DEAR PRUE, I [undated.] F you knew how glad I am to fee a long letter from you, I dare fay, as fantastically shy as you are of doing any thing that should make your husband think you love him, you would oftener afford me that pleasure. When Jonathan answers my letters, I fhall know what to do; but, if I thought quite fo ill of him as the rest of his relations do, I fhould wholly decline the thought of ferving him. I never had any thought of making an expence at Carmarthen but on a fairer profpect than I ever yet faw. I have had abundance of reflection fince we parted; and, in the future part of my life, you will find me a very referved man, and clear of all hangers-on. I find by all the care and induftry which a man ufes for others, if they are beholden to your pocket, they are only afhained they were obliged to you, and leave your intereft. I fhall, therefore, hereafter make my expence upon my own way of living, and my own houfhold and little family. Though my wife gives herself whimfical airs of saying, "if the is unworthy, yet the children”—I fay, though you talk of the children, if I will not mind you; I tell you they are dear to me more that they are yours than that they are mine. For which I know know no reason, but that I am, in fpite of your Ladyship's coyneffes and particularities, utterly RICH. STEELE. yours, LETTER CCLXXXI. To Lady STEELE. DEAR PRUE, Ta May 27, 1717. O fhew you how little I deferve or underftand what you mean by Mrs. Bevans's infolence, or Mr. Philips's wrongs to you, I make no answer to fuch unreasonable intimations, as if they were fupported by me. I affure you my head is too full at prefent to enter into what it is impoffible for me, at this diftance, to appre hend. I wish I could make you eafy, I am fure I would do it; for I have no tranquillity when I think you are under any discompofure. I am ever yours, RICH. STEELE. I LETTER CCLXXXII. To Lady STEELE. HAVE yours, wherein you railly about Venus and Vulcan *. I do not doubt but I shall fee you as fine a lady as ever you were; I am fure I fhall think you fo: but complacency, and a little regard to a poor decrepid creature, ungratefully and barbaroufly used, I fhould think, you owe me as a whig, if not as a wife. * See Letter CCLXXVIII. p. 164. This day there comes on in the Houfe of Commons a debate *, whether the Earl of Oxford fhould be tried, and when. I am going thither out of curiofity. I am, dear Prue, ever yours, RICH. STEELE. I LETTER CCLXXXIII. To Lady STEELE. DEAR PRUE, June 11, 1717. HAVE yours of the 5th inftant, for which I heartily thank you. Your expedient of nurse Jervafe is a very rough medecine; but your own kind letters are a safe and a pleasant cure against fuch evils as you, in raillery, feem to apprehend. I write this from Richmond, where I have been fince yesterday morning at a lodging near Wilks, who, I believe, will bring matters to bear fo as that there will be no playhouse but ours, allowing Rich, who is almoft broke, a falary while there is but one house. am in hopes, one way or other, let the courtiers do as unthankfully as they pleafe, I shall pick up a comfortable fortune. When I faid I would do towards you as to all mankind, you were to understand, that if I am hard upon no part of mankind, I fhall not be fo towards the nearest relation in nature, a good wife. Do not talk of love taking leave of an object; I tell you I love you to dotage. Gillmore is here with me; I' I *See an Account of it in "Political State," vol. XIII. p. 724. took took him to talk over our affairs, which I doubt not will fucceed *. I am going to London, whence you shall hear how the family does. June 11, St. James's-ftreet, Half-hour after Nine. I am just returned hither, where I find all things in good order, and your children in perfect health. Your most obedient and obfequious husband, RICH. STEELE. I LETTER CCLXXXIV. To Lady STEELE. AM heartily glad my letter, which you received on Whitfuntide, was fo agreeable to you. It is indeed in our power to make each other as happy as mortals are capable of being. I have, in pursuance of the resolution I told you of, parted with my new man, and have now only Willmot. If you think Sam would recover here, it is well to fend him; but I cannot tell when I can leave the town, because the trial of my Lord Oxford will prolong the feffion: the managers for that purpose were named yesterday. I have been a little intemperate, and difcompofed with it; but I will be very fober for * Mr. Gillmore's place of abode was at Nettleton in Wiltfhire. The curious may find more information relative to this ingenious man in the "Account of the Fish-poul," mentioned in the note on Letter CCLXXIX. p. 165. the the future especially for the fake of the most amiable and moft deferving woman, who has made me her happy flave and obedient hufband, RICH. STEELE. I LETTER CCLXXXV. To Lady STEELE. am HAVE yours of the 14th, and an infinitely obliged to you for the length of it. I do not know another whom I could commend for that circumstance; but where we entirely love, the continuance of any thing they do to please us is a pleasure. As for your relations; once for all, pray take it for granted, that my regard and conduct towards all and fingular of them fhall be as you direct. I hope, by the grace of God, to continue what you with me, every way, an honeft man. My wife and my children are the objects that have wholly taken up my heart; and as I am not invited or encouraged in any thing which regards the publick, I am easy under that neglect, or envy of my paft actions, and chearfully contract that diffufive fpirit within the interefts of my own family. You are the head of us; and I stoop to a female reign, as being naturally made the slave of beauty. But, to prepare for our manner of living when we are again together, give me leave to fay, while I am here at leifure, and come to lie at Chelsea, what I think may contribute 4 |