CCXI sociable letters written by the thrice noble, illustrious, and excellent princess, the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle.

CCX.

MADAM,

I Hope you will not be Angry, that I do not take your Advice to Leave the Country, and Live in the City, for I have so many Rea∣sons which perswade me not to do it, as this Letter cannot Compass, yet lest I should Of∣fend you, I'l set down some Few: The first is, that it is more Agreeing with my Humor to live in the Country, for Naturally my Hu∣mor is a Solitary, Musing, and Contemplating Humor, and my Delight is, to Write those Fan∣cies and Conceptions which my Contemplati∣on doth Produce; all which would be Di∣sturb'd with the several Noises that are made in Populous Cities. The second Reason is, the Preserving of my Health, for I have not a very Strong Body, nor a very Healthful Constituti∣on, although, I thank God, not any Particular Disease, yet so I am, as I do not find my self so Healthful as I wish I were, and therefore a Great and Populous City is not so well agree∣ing with my Health, as the Sweet, and Fresh Air in the Country, where the Sun and the Wind have Freedom and Power to Disperse, and so to Destroy Malignant Vapors. The third Reason is, that my Husband had an House in the City, but by the Occasion of the Civil Wars, his Estate being Torn in pieces, amongst many Parts which are quite taken from

him, and his Posterity, the said House is one, so that we have no House for the present in the Ci∣ty to Live in; But if I had one, truly, Madam, I should not be willing to Live there, for I am so much pleased with a Solitary Country Life, that I cannot bring any Argument to my self, which can Induce or Perswade me to a City Life, which is but a Gossiping, and Vain Life, where there are in Conversations more Idle Words Spoken, than Good Works Done, and more Mony Spent than their Estates are able to Pay; and if I Lived there, and should not Speak Idely, and Spend Vainly, as others do, I should be out of the Fashion, and there is an Old Saying, Better be out of the World than out of the Fashion; But your Chief Argument to perswade me to Live in the City, is, that in a Great and Popu∣lous City there are many Learned and Witty Persons, with whom I might Converse, whose Conversation would Increase my Knowledge, Better my Understanding, Quicken my Wit, and by Practice Refine my Speech or Language; Truly, Madam, the Advantage would be Great if I could Alter the Nature of our Sex, as not to Speak much, but that is Impossible, for all Wo∣men, and so I amongst the rest, are more apt to Talk, than to Learn with Attention, so that I should rather Discover my Imperfections by the Superfluity of my Discourse, than gain Ap∣plause by my Wit, for I, in my Conversation, Speak, as I may say, without Thinking, or rather Considering, but when I Write, I Think with∣out

Speaking; wherefore the Wisest way for me is, rather to Write than to Speak, for then my Speech will not Disgrace my Writings; for most men Judge their Acquaintance rather ac∣cording to their Words than their Works, and those are most Applauded that are least Known, for the least Errour either in Discourse or Behaviour makes not only the Person of less Esteem, but all the Labours of their Life, were they never so Exact, Wise, or Heroick; wherefore it is a Madness to desire to Converse with much Company, especially for those that desire to keep up a Fame once gotten, unless it be in Publick Actions or Employments; nei∣ther doth that last, unless their Actions are like Pyramids which rise still Higher and Higher. But for the most part Man's Nature is so Ambi∣tious as to desire to do VVonders, not con∣tenting themselves with a Mean, and then their Building proves like Babels Tower, full of Confusion. But, Madam, I only desire to keep up those small Mole-hills I have made, that is, the Reputation of my Books, whereas if I did appear to the Publick VVorld, I should be found a Blind Creature as a Mole is, not Blind of the Eyes of my Head, but my Understanding, which is VVorse. And as for Conversation and Company, give me leave to tell you, Madam, I do not want a VVise, and VVitty Companion, so long as my Lord Lives, neither can I want Friends so long as you both Live, which I pray God to

continue to many Years, for these are the con∣stant Prayers of,

Madam,

Your faithful Friend and humble Servant.