in others from want of education, to be careful of our brats in that point. They are all well. Moll is as great a charmer as her mother, and will prove as great a fharper. Dear thing, how I love you! RICH. STEELE. I LETTER CCXCIII. To Lady STEELE. DEAR PRUE, July 24, 1717. HAVE yours of the 20th. I lament the lamentable condition you are in, with relation to the place, and other matters, therein described with great wit and spirit. But your letter is an argument against what you fay, to wit, that it is impoffible to write for a polite part of the world in that neighbourhood. The King is at Hampton-court; and I defign next week to go thither, with a petition for a small grant, to make myself easy. If I fucceed, as I am encouraged to expect, our labour for ourselves will be very much shortened, and I have little more to care for but to enjoy the pleasure of being, dear Prue, your moft affectionate husband, and most obedient, humble fervant, RICH. STEELE. hear the voice As I was going to close this, I of Mrs. Keck talking to Molly. But fhe is fo great a Prue, that fhe comes and goes without feeing me, though I am in the house. But I have sent her word I am writing, and she gives her service. I DEAR PRUE, LETTER CCXCIV. To Lady STEELE. July 26, 1717. HAVE your kind letter, which expreffes your fears that I do not take care of myself as to catching cold, and the like. I am careful enough when I am awake; but in the night the cloaths are kicked on the floor, and I am expofed to the damp till the coolness awakes me This I feel at prefent in my arms and legs, but will be carefully tucked up hereafter. I wait with impatience for the receipt of money out of the Treasury, to make further payments. I believe, when I have it, I fhall wholly turn off my coach-horses; for, fince I am at my study whole days together, it is, I think, a fenfeless thing for me to pay as if I was padding all that while, and fhewing myself to the world. I have fent your inclosed to Mrs. Keck. She came into the dining-room to me when I fent away laft letter, and we had fome tea; and, instead of such chat as fhould naturally arife between a great gallant and a fine lady, fhe took upon her to tell me, that I did spend my money upon my children, but that they onght to be better accommodated as to their dress, and the like. She is, indeed, a very good Prue; and, though I divert myself with her gravity and admonition, I have a fincere refpect for her. I was last night fo fo much enamoured with an author I was reading, and fome thoughts which I put together on that occafion, that i was up till morning, which makes me a little reftive to-day. Your daughter Moll has ftole away my very heart: but doubt not but her brother and fifter will recover their fhare when we are all together, except their mother robs them all of him who is, dear Prue, entirely yours, RICH. STEELE, I LETTER CCXCV. To Lady STEELE. MY DEAR WIFE, [July 27, 1717.] READ your kind letter with a great deal of pleasure, and promise myself as much happiness as ever man knew in woman when we meet again. I hope it will please God to prosper our little affairs in fuch manner as that we may pass the remainder of our days in tranquillity that is a ftate I have never yet known, but it is very much in your power to contribute towards poffeffing it for the future. You mistake, when you fay I wish to see Wales out of any fufpicion; I affure you, I defign that journey only out of curiofity, to fee what, by your favour, will one day be in my pofterity, if it shall please God to continue our children to us. They are now all three in good health, and I hope to tell you before this day fe'nnight that I have N 4 paid paid Betty's schooling. As to the perfons you mention in your letter, I fhall conduct myself to wards them as you fhall advise. I cannot yet answer you as to the 2001. you speak of to be ready three months hence, but shall do all I can. I place the utmost of the happiness of this life in you, and earnestly exhort you to meet me with the fame difpofition to be pleafing to me, as I have to manifest myself, in little as well as great occafions, your most affectionate and faithful husband and fervant, RICH. STEELE. LETTER CCXCVI. To Lady STEELE. July 29, 1717. I a great deal; YOURS of the 25th is before me. You but do not hurt your than is easy to you, eyes to scribble longer Your kind expreffion is the most welcome and pleafing thing which could poffibly arrive at me. Mr. Glanvill* of * William Glanvill, efq. one of the clerks of the Treafury, and receiver of the revenues of the First-fruits office. He died in the January following, and was buried at Wooton in Surrey, where the following concife epitaph, dictated by himself, preferves his memory: (Vicefimo fecundo die Januarii) Hic fitæ fuerunt reliquiæ GULIELMI GLANVILL. Requiefcant donec veniat Redemptor. The fubftance of his charitable will may be seen in Aubrey's "Surrey," vol. II. p. 144. the the Treasury asked me the other day, "how my "wonderful girl did?" There is, it feems, a lady of his acquaintance who vifits Betty at school, and cries her up for a greater wit than her father-that is not much-but than her mother either. I am every day walking about the offices to get our falaries paid, that I might go into the country, and particularly the Bath, whence you fhall direct me further, that is, command my motions. But, if I find my limbs easy to me, I believe I fhall vigorously pursue my journey to the deareft of women to the most affectionate of men. Poor, dear, angry, pleased, pretty, witty, filly, every thing, Prue, yours ever, RICH. STEELE. Y LETTER CCXCVII. To Lady STEELE. MY DEAR WIFE, [July 31, 1717.] OURS of the 27th came to hand. I am very far from being infincere in my refolves about parting with infignificant people. I am ready to burft with indignation against my own folly, and melt with gratitude for your goodness in bearing fo long as you have. I am in purgatory till it is otherwife, and am really in danger of falling into the contrary extreme of being too near and referved. God Almighty grant that we may meet together in fuch difpofitions as to enjoy with our little ones the only |