Familiar letters: vol. I. Written by the Right Honourable, John, late Earl of Rochester, to the honourable Henry Savile, esq; and other letters by persons of honour and quality. With letters written by the most ingenious Mr. Tho. Otway, and Mrs. K. Philips. Publish'd from their original copies. With modern letters by Tho. Cheek, Esq; Mr. Dennis, and Mr. Brown.

Mr.— to Mr. G—

Dear G—,

AS I hope to be sav'd, and that's a bold word in a Morning, when our Consciences, like Children, are al∣ways most uneasie; when the Light of Nature flashes upon us with the Light of the Day, and makes way for the calm re∣turn of Thought, that Eternal Foe to Quiet; but, I thank my Stars, I have shook that Snake out of my Bosom, and made Peace with that Domestick Enemy Conscience, and so much the more dan∣gerous by being so—

—But, as I was going to say, your Letter has put new Life into me, and re∣viv'd me from the Damp, that Solitude and bad Company has flung me into; 'tis as hard to find a Man of Sense here, as a handsom Woman: A Company of Country 'Squires round a Table, is like a Company of Waiters round a dead Corps,

they are always ridiculously Sober and Grave, or, which is worse, impertinently Loud: Wine, that makes the gay Man of the Town brisk and sprightly, only serves to pluck off their Vail of Bashful∣ness, a Mask that Fools ought always to wear; and which, once off, makes 'em as nauseous, as a bare-fac'd Lady of the Pit; they are as particular in their Stories, as a Lawyer in his Evidence, and husband their Tales, as well as they do their Moneys: In short, as Madam Oli∣via says, They are my Aversion of all Aversions.

You may easily imagine, I have too much of the Men, but on my word, I have too little of the Women: Full of Youth, Vigour and Health I lye fallow, and, like the Vestal Virgins, am damn'd to Cold∣ness and Chastity in the midst of Flames. God knows what hard shifts I use, my Right-hand often does, what (like Acts of Charity) I'm asham'd my Left-hand shou'd know. As much as I despise the Conversation of these Fops, I court it out of an apprehension of being alone, not daring to trust myself to so dangerous a Companion as myself. 'Tis in these cool

Intervals of Solitude, that we conspire Cuckoldom against our Friend, Treason against the State, &c. for the Devil of Lust and Ambition, like other Evil Spi∣rits, only appears to us when we are alone.

The Talking of the Devil, puts me in mind of the Parsons: I had the Benefit of the Clergy this Week; I mean the Company of two honest unbigotted Par∣sons; I drank a Bowl to the Manes of our immortal Friend, one that was as witty as Necessity, and discover'd more Truths, than ever Time did: One that was born to Unchain the World, that struggl'd with Mysteries as Hercules did with Monsters, and, like him, too fell by a Distaff.

After so mournful a Subject, I'gad I'll make you Laugh— The Duce take me, if I did not, last Week, assist at the Cere∣mony of making a Christian; nay, more Sir, I was, Honos sit Auribus, a Godfa∣ther, who am

your Affectionate Friend, and Servant, &c.