fuch a Description of it, as it does, is rather worse than it deferves, he likewife ftrikes at the noble Owners in a Manner we believe he did not ever in-' tend fhould meet the publick Eye: } Will not defcribe Blenheim in particular, not to I * it: ly take a fhort Account, which I will hazard my little Credit is no unjust one. I never faw fo great a Thing with fo much Littlenefs in it: I think the Architect built it entirely in Compliance to the Tafte of its Owners: For it is the moft inhofpitable Thing imaginable, and the most selfish: It has, like their own Hearts, no Room for Strangers, and no Reception for any Person of superior Quality to themselves. There are but just two Apartments, for the Mafter and Mistress, below; and but two Apartments above, (very much inferior to them) in the whole Houfe. When you look upon the Outfide, you'd think it large enough for a Prince; when you fee the Infide, it is too little for a Subject; and has not Conveniency to lodge a common Family. It is a House of Entries and Paffages; among which there are three Vifta's through the Whole, very ufelefsly handfome. There is what might have been a fine Gallery, but fpoil'd by two Arches towards the End of it, which take away the Sight of the feveral Windows. There are two ordinary Stair Cafes inftead of one great one. The beft Things within the Houfe, are the Hall, which is indeed noble and well proportion'd; and the Cellars and Offices underground, which are the most commodious, and the beft contriv'd of the Whole. At the Top of the Building are feveral Cupola's and little Turrets that have but an ill Effect, and make the Building look at once finical and heavy. What feems of the best Tafte, Tafte, is that Front towards the Gardens, which is not yet loaded with these Turrets. The two Sides of the Building are entirely fpoil'd by two monftrous Bow-windows which ftand juft in the Middle, instead of Doors: And as if it were fatal, that fome trifling Littleness should every where destroy the Grandeur, there are in the chief Front two Semi-circles of a lower Structure than the reft, that cut off the Angles, and look as if they were purposely defign'd to hide a loftier and nobler Piece of Building, the Top of which appears above them. In a Word, the Whole is a moft expensive Abfurdity; and the Duke of Shrewsbury gave a true Character of it, when he faid, it was a great Quarry of Stones above Ground. We paid a Vifit to the Spring where Rofamond bath'd herself, on a Hill where remains only a Piece of a Wall of the old Palace of Henry II. We toasted her Shade in cold Water, not without a Thought or two, fcarce fo cold as the Liquor we drank it in. I dare not tell you what they were, and fo haften to conclude, Your, &c. Notwithstanding these his mean Thoughts of those two great Perfonages, his ill Opinion did not fix on their beautiful Defcendants, as appears in the Epiftle he wrote to Mr. Jervas, with Frefnoy's Art of Painting, of which he speaks thus: How finifh'd with illuftrious Toil appears This fmall, well polifh'd Gem, the Work of Years! Yet ftill how faint by Precept is expreft The living Image in the Painter's Breaft? Thence endless Streams of fair Ideas flow, Strike in the Sketch, at in the Picture glow; Thence S S Thence Beauty, waking all her Forms, fupplies Mufe! at that Name thy facred Sorrows fhed, Yet ftill her Charms inbreathing Paint engage Which is a very fine Complement to the Dutchefs of Bridgewater, and at the fame Time literally true. To speak the Truth of Mr. Pope, he was not made for Courts; he had nothing infinuating nor fawning about him, neither could he flatter any. Body: His Person was not fuch as is fought out to make a Figure, and his Conftitution would not have fupported the Fatigue of Attendance: His Religion excluded him from all Offices of Truft and Profit, and he rather wanted fomebody to humour him than to humour others; fo that he was calculated for the private Life he led. His Vein of Satire he never wanted, fubject Matter to fatisfy; could write plain Truth at any Time; liv'd where his Figure was of no Signification; had Attendance enough for all the Offices he wanted, and could afford to pay double Taxes and live like a Gentleman. When he speaks of the Great, by the Great he generally defires to be understood the Court, to which his Disgust was augmented by the Disappointment, Mr. Gay met with in his Expectations there; Bleft be the Great! for thofe they take away, Of all Mr. Pope's Friends, this may be faid to have been one of the most dear; he affifted him in his Writings, he lov'd him for his Truth, Honour, Honefty, and Wit. A firmer Friendship we believe is not poffible to be contracted; difinterefted, both Parties equally warm, equally faithful, without Interruption or accidental Allay; never leffened by Distance, by no Difference of Humour, Principles, Temper, or Religion, about which it was agreed between them never to discourse; for Mr. Gay remembered the vain Effort of the Bishop of Rochester, and perceiv'd it rather fower'd than added to the Sweetnefs of their Converfation; fo Mr. Pope thought it against the suppos'd rifing Interest of the other, and therefore was willing to keep filent on that Subject. Mr. Gay was born at Barnstaple in Devonshire, in the Year 1688. Mr. Pope and he ('tis obfervable) were of the fame Age. The Time of the Gays or Le Gays fettling in that County, is to be seen in Rifdon's Survey of Devonshire, Vol. 1, 8vo. Page 80, viz. That one Gilbert le Gay gave Name to, and "fettled at a Place called Hampton-Gay, in Oxford"fhire; and by Match of a Daughter and Heir of the Family of Curtoyfe, or Curtis, he became Proprietor of the Lordfhip of. Goldworthy in Devonshire. This Lordship was the ancient Dwelling of the Name of Gay, for many Defcents." Mr. Mr. Gay was the Son of a Gentleman, but the Eftate of his Family was very much diminish'd and incumber'd, infomuch, that not having a Dependance on any Thing worth staying in the Country for, he was fent up to London; the Trade which he chofe to be put Apprentice to, was a Mercer, but he grew fo fond of Reading and Study, that he frequently neglected to exert himself in putting off Silks and Velvets to the Ladies, and fuffer'd them (by reason of his wanting to finish the Sale in too few Words) to go to other Shops, where they might be kept longer in Play; this Way of Goffipping about among the Silk Mercers, is faid to be practis'd among young Ladies, often for Amusement, or to cure the Vapours, when in Reality they want to purchase nothing: Not being able to go thro' this Slavery, and doing what he did in the Shop with a Mind quite bent another Way, his Master seldom put him forward to ferve, but fome other, who had the Business more at Heart By Degrees Mr. Gay became entirely to abfent himself from the Shop, and at last, by Agreement with his Mafter, to withdraw from it, and retire into the Country, and having made an Acquaintance with Mr. Pope, and contracted a Friendship with him and all his Friends; he wrote feveral small Poems very full of Wit, and much in Tafte, and having efpous'd the high Party, appear'd at Court, foon after his writing the Shepherd's Week, of which which we shall beg Leave, in a fit Place, (imagining it will be very grateful to moft Readers) to make Comparison with Mr. Pope, and other great Pastoral Writers. He would fain have made the Tour of Europe with YOL. II. H tune |