ation fell upon friendship,
and the increasing disposition towards it which comes with increasing
years. "Whilst my mind," said Bolingbroke, "shrinks more and more from
the world, and feels in its independence less yearning to external
objects, the ideas of friendship return oftener,--they busy me, they
warm me more. Is it that we grow more tender as the moment of our great
separation approaches? or is it that they who are to live together in
another state (for friendship exists not but for the good) begin to
feel more strongly that divine sympathy which is to be the great bond of
their future society?"**

* Pope seems to have been rather capricious in this respect; but in
general he must be considered open to the sarcasm of displaying the
bounteous host to those who did not want a dinner, and the niggard to
those who did.--ED.

** This beautiful sentiment is to be found, with very slight alteration,
in a letter from Bolingbroke to Swift.--ED.

While Bolingbroke was thus speaking, and Pope listened with all the love
and reverence which he evidently bore to his friend stamped upon his
worn but expressive countenance, I inly said, "Surely, the love between
minds like these should live and last without the changes that ordinary
affections feel! Who would not mourn for the strength of all human ties,
if hereafter these are broken, and asperity succeed to friendship,
or aversion to esteem? _I_, a wanderer, without heir to my memory and
wealth, shall pass away, and my hasty and unmellowed fame will moulder
with my clay; but will the names of those whom I now behold ever fall
languidly on the ears of a future race, and will there not forever be
some sympathy with their friendship, softer and warmer than admiration
for their fame?"

We left our celebrated host about two hours before midnight, and
returned to Dawley.

On our road thither I questioned Bolingbroke respecting Montreuil, and
I found that, as I had surmised, he was able to give me some information
of that arch-schemer. Gerald's money and hereditary influence had
procured tacit connivance at the Jesuit's residence in England, and
Montreuil had for some years led a quiet and unoffending life in close
retirement. "Lately, however," said Bolingbroke, "I have learned that
the old spirit has revived, and I accidentally heard three days ago,
when conversing with one well informed on state matters, that this
most pure administration has discovered some plot or pl