LETTER XLVII.

TO MRS STEWARD.

MADAM, Tuesday, March 12th, 1699 [-1700.]

’Tis a week since I received the favour of a letter, which I have not yet, acknowledg’d to you. About that time my new poems were publish’d, which are not come till this day into my hands. They are a debt to you, I must confess; and I am glad, because they are so unworthy to be made a present. Your sisters, I hope, will be so kind to have them convey’d to you; that my writeings may have the honour of waiting on you, which is deny’d to me. The town encourages them with more applause than any thing of mine deserves; and particularly, my cousin Driden accepted one from me so very indulgently, that it makes me more and more in love with him. But all our hopes of the House of Commons are wholly dash’d. Our proprieties are destroy’d; and rather than we shou’d not perish, they have made a breach in the Magna Charta;[203] for which God forgive them! Congreve’s new play has had but moderate success, though it deserves much better.[204] I am neither in health, nor do I want afflictions of any kind; but am, in all conditions,

Madam,

Your most oblig’d obedient servant,

JOHN DRYDEN.

_For Mrs Stuart, att Cotterstock,_ _near Oundle, These._ _By the Oundle Carrier, with_ _a book directed to her, These._ _Northamptonshyre._