desire.

* * * * *

As I was writing this morning on this subject, I received the following
letter:

"MR. BICKERSTAFF, _From the Banks of Styx_.

"I must confess I treated you very scurrilously when you first sent
me hither; but you have despatched such multitudes after me to keep
me in countenance, that I am very well reconciled both to you and
my condition. We live very lovingly together; for as death makes
us all equal, it makes us very much delight in one another's
company. Our time passes away much after the same manner as it did
when we were among you: eating, drinking, and sleeping, are our
chief diversions. Our quidnuncs between whiles go to a
coffee-house, where they have several warm liquors made of the
waters of Lethe, with very good poppy tea. We that are the
sprightly geniuses of the place, refresh ourselves frequently with
a bottle of mum,[17] and tell stories till we fall asleep. You
would do well to send among us Mr. Dodwell's[18] book against the
immortality of the soul, which would be of great consolation to our
whole fraternity, who would be very glad to find that they are dead
for good and all, and would in particular make me rest for ever,

"Yours,
"JOHN PARTRIDGE.

"P.S.--Sir James[19] is just arrived here in good health."

The foregoing letter was the more pleasing to me, because I perceive
some little symptoms in it of a resuscitation; and having lately seen
the predictions of this author, which are written in a true Protestant
spirit of prophecy, and a particular zeal against the French king, I
have some thoughts of sending for him from the Banks of Styx, and
reinstating him in his own house, at the sign of the Globe in Salisbury
Street. For the encouragement of him and others, I shall offer to their
consideration a letter which gives me an account of the revival of one
of their brethren:

"SIR, _December 31._

"I have perused your _Tatler_ of this day,[20] and have wept over
it with great pleasure: I wish you would be more frequent in your
family pieces. For as I consider you under the notion of a great
designer, I think these are not your least valuable performances. I
am