Or to take arms against a sea * of troubles,

And by opposing end them?-To die—to sleep→→
No more and by a sleep to say we end

The heart-ache, and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to; 'tis a consummation

Devoutly to be wish'd, to die-to sleep

To sleep? perchance to dream; ay, there's the rub,
For in that sleep of Death what dreams may come,
When we have shifted off this mortal coil,

Must give us pause. There's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life :

For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
Th' oppressor's wrongs, the proud † man's contumely,
The pang
of despis'd Love, the Law's delay,
The insolence of Office, and the spurns
That patient merit of th' unworthy takes;
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? Who would fardles bear,
To groan and sweat under a weary life?
But that the dread of something after death
(That undiscover'd country from whose bourne
No traveller returns) puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have,
Than fly to others that we know not of.
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,
And thus the native hue of resolution

Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought;
And enterprizes of great pith and moment,
With this regard their currents turn

awry,

And lose the name of action. Soft you now~~

*Perhaps siege, which continues the metaphor of slings, arrows, taking arms, and represents being encompassed on all sides with troubles. POPE,

† Poor. POPE.

Away. POPE.

The

The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orions

Be all my sins remembered *.

I have sent it with a remark of Mr. Pope's, and various readings marked with his name.

I am, dear Sir,

Your most obedient servant,

W. PLAXTON †.

496. TO MRS. ELIZABETH STEELE‡.

MY DEAREST CHILD,

You

MARCH 3, 1725-6.

were indiscreet to send Sandy here yesterday night; for he is a gentleman I have some reason to know very well.

* "Mr. Gwillim speaks this speech in the Welsh tone, looking at the gentlemen suspiciously; not speaking improperly, but as he is a Welshman.-All the time that Gwillim speaks, he is acted to his face, but no appearance of ridicule, for he is in danger of breaking out upon them." STEELE.

The following memoranda are in Steele's hand-writing: "Mem. That the character of Sir John Edgar be enlivened with a secret vanity about Family. And let Mrs. Cœland, the Merchant's wife, have the same sort of pride, rejoicing in her own high blood, despising her husband's pedigree, and affecting to marry her daughter to a relation of her own. To take off the stain of the low birth of her husband's side, it is objected, that in the reign of Edward III. a relation of hers was a packer, and Lord Mayor of London; the only scandal to her family, which she owns, and cannot help. Make Mr. Symberton such a sort of coxcomb as at first designed; still more ridiculous and unsufferable from his talents and improvements." STEELE.

There is no direction to this Letter; but at the bottom of it is written Mr. Plaxton; (see the preceding Letser); and it is indorsed, by Lady Trevor, "My Father's."

of bidding

Give my most humble service to Mrs. Scurlock, and to Mrs. Bevans. There is no need you be civil to all you see kind to me. girl,

Your dutiful and compassionate father,

I am, dear

RICH. STEELE.

497. FROM THE REV. WILLIAM ASPLIN *. MARCH 2, 1727-8.

SIR,

IN the brightest days of Britain, when Bickerstaff

presided in the chair of Wit, and o'er this happy land showered manna down, which suited every taste, I had the honour (though unworthy and unknown) to be accepted as an humble Correspondent. And it gives me now a melancholy reflexion, when I am once more inclined to visit the world in print, that the only person who introduced me to it is himself retired. To be an intruder upon solitude, I am conscious, is rudeness; but, as the greatest souls have never been so much adored as when departed, suffer me, Sir, to approach your recess (which ought to be sacred) with the reverence due to the Genius of our Isles, and to make this small oblation of gratitude to the immortal manes of the SPEC

TATOR.

I am, Sir, &c.

W. ASPLIN.

* Of St. Alban Hall, Oxford, where he took the degree of M. A. in 1710. He was afterwards settled at or near Banbury; and published, in 1728, “ Alkibla, a disquisition upon worshiping towards the East;" to which the Letter here printed was prefixed.

498. TO

I WRITE to you because Mr. Duke is going to Bristol. I desire you would give my service to Dr. Lane; and remember, dear Molly,

Your ever loving and affectionate father,

RICH. STEELE.

We are here in great joy because my mare has brought a foal, a male one, after eleven months time *.

*This is believed to be the last Letter Steele wrote. He was attacked some time before with a paralytic disorder, which greatly impaired his understanding; and in that melancholy state he was carried to Carmarthen. Mr. Victor says, "I was told he retained his cheerful sweetness of temper to the last; and would often be carried out in a summer's evening, where the country lads and lasses were assembled at their rural sports, -and, with his pencil, gave an order on his agent, the mercer, for a new gown to the best dancer. In the year 1727, when I was a levee-hunter,' and making an interest with the first Minister, that good old man hearing of it, inclosed me an open letter to Sir Robert Walpole, that, I remember, began thus: 'If the recommendation of the most obliged man can be of any service to the bearer'-Sir Robert received it with his usual politeness.". -"Dramatic Pieces, Poems, and Original Letters," 1776, vol. I. p. 330.-Steele died at Carmarthen, Sept. 1, 1729; and was interred, according to his own desire, in the town chancel, on the fourth of the same month.

"On Monday the first instant, at about ten at night, died at Carmarthen, in South Wales, Sir Richard Steele, knight, well known by his many eminent writings. He formerly served in parliament for the boroughs of Stockbridge, Boroughbridge, and Wendover, and passed through several eminent stations, viz. a Commissioner of the Forfeited Estates, Master of the

Theatre

499. MR. MEYRICKE TO MISS STEELE *.

I

MADAM,

PEMBROKESHIRE.

HAVE lately heard a very excellent character of the honesty of John Trelogan; and, as I know how to esteem every recommendation of yours, I therefore employ him in a case of the highest importance to myself, the carriage of a hundred weight of love, right good as any in England, at your service. Do not let your generous temper be in pain to make any return; I must ask none. Allow me leave to send you all I have, for I am abundantly supplied, and think it no trouble; for, believe me, it is no trouble at all, Cousin. In mighty pain surely, I have convinced you, Madam, how conformable I can be to your command, since I have left your presence, where my only quiet and repose dwell. It is true, I might find more safety; but I buy it at a most extravagant purchase. You will, perhaps, draw a charge of a very ready shew of disobedience

Theatre-royal in Drury-lane, &c. He married the only child and heiress of John [Jonathan] Scurlock, of the town of Carmarthen, esq. by whom he had issue two daughters, who are unmarried." Weekly Medley, Sept. 13, 1729.

"We hear a stately monument will be put up in Westminster Abbey to the memory of Sir Richard Steele, at the expence of Sir Robert Walpole." British Journal, Sept. 20, 1729.

* Of this and the ten following letters, nine are undated, and it is not easy to place them in their exact order of time. From three of them the name of the writer is cut off. The handwriting, however, shews that this and five others are from Mr. Meyricke. Letter 503, is in a different hand.

even