fuch a Defcription 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 intend should meet the publick Eye: I Will not defcribe Blenheim in particular, not to foreftal your Expectations before you fee it: Only take a fhort Account, which I will hazard my little Credit is no unjust one. I never faw fo great a Thing with so much Littleness in it: I think the Architect built it entirely in Compliance to the Taste of its Owners: For it is the most inhofpitable Thing imaginable, and the moft selfish: It has, like their own Hearts, no Room for Strangers, and no Reception for any Perfon of fuperior 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 Vista's through the Whole, very uselessly 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 several Windows. There are two ordinary Stair Cafes inftead of one great one, The beft Things within the House, 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 seems 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 stand juft in the Middle, inftead 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 most 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 Personages, 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 Paint ing, of which he speaks thus: How finish'd with illuftrious Toil appears This fmall, well polifh'd Gem, the Work of Years! Yet ftill how faint by Precept is exprest The living Image in the Painter's Breaft? Thence endless Streams of fair Ideas flow, Strike in the Sketch, ot in the Picture glow; Thence Thence Beauty, waking all her Forms, fupplies Mufe! at that Name thy facred Sorrows fhed, Which is a very fine Complement to the Dutchefs of Bridgewater, and at the fame Time literally true. To fpeak 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 Perfon 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 Difguft was augmented by the Disappointment Mr. Gay met with in his Expectations.there : Bleft be the Great! for those 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 Conversation; fo Mr. Pope thought it against the fuppos'd rising Intereft of the other, and therefore was willing to keep filent on that Subject. Mr. Gay was born at Barnftaple 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 Lordship of Goldworthy in De"vonshire. This Lordship was the ancient Dwell"ing of the Name of Gay, for many Descents." Mr. |