Page:The Wentworth Papers 1715-1739.djvu/538

 520 THE WENTWORTH PAPERS.

weeks time ; one delay upon the back of another kept me in town till the latter end of the last week. Your Lordship who is a lover of the Country may judge of the mortification it was to me to be kept so long away from a Place I am fond off, and confin'd to a Place I dislike extreamly at this time of year. My health has sufferr'd by it, and I own my self at present many years older than your Lordship, for I am sure by your last letter that you are quite in health and Vigour.

Your Lordship need not recommend to me the laying aside all Political thoughts. I was sufficiently tir'd with the wild schemes and Conjectures of the Politians I us'd to meet in the Park I shall scarce look into a news paper for these next two months. I am already laying designs for the next season's planting and that will take up all my thoughts till I am oblig'd to come to town again. I make use of that expression for I really look upon it as an obligation for every person who has a seat in Parliament to attend during the Session, at least whilst there is any hopes that a Vote may be of use ; I am not yet convinc'd but it may be of Use, and even in the next Session of Parliament, We still enjoy more liberty than some other Countries. I have read in an account of Persia that when the Eunuchs govern'd there as sole Ministers they made the Sophy publish an Edict to forbid

the people from making Capons, the privilege of being

reserv'd for themselves, and too great an Honour to be com- municated to Brutes ; now we have still the liberty of cutting our Fowls, and I believe under the present gentle administra- tion might be admitted to ourselves; a benefit I ought

in Prudence to have taken hold off some years ago, that I might not have got more Children than I am now able to maintain, considering the just and necessary taxes we are all oblig'd to pay to support the Exegencies of the Government who have labour'd under a long and fruitless Peace.

But, my Dear Lord, if I can get rid of a cruel Head-ach which has persecuted me this last week, I shall trouble my self about nothing, but receive the joy of hearing of my Friends when they are absent, and keeping my self in hopes of seeing them in Health and Spirits next winter. Your

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